More Padmé Amindala focused content is never a bad thing, as she certainly deserves more time in the spotlight, so it’s great to see E.K. Johnston will return to round out her trilogy about Padmé and her handmaidens with November’s Queen’s Hope! Focusing on the Senator’s time during the Clone Wars, it’ll dive into a part of her life we’ve only gotten pieces off, while The Secrets of the Sith children’s book so peel back some layers on abilities some consider to be unnatural this August. Read below for some thoughts on the Padmé Trilogy and a few extra details on each!
I was a big fan of Queen’s Shadow, as it introduced us to a story we had never seen covered, which was Padmé and her handmaiden’s adjusting to Senatorial life after years of being Queen of Naboo. It was fascinating to glimpse such an important part of Padmé’s life and the story of Sabé and the other handmaidens offered fresh storytelling ground picked up a few years later with Darth Vader (Vol. 3) “Dark Heart of the Sith” comic arc. Unfortunately, the sequel Queen’s Peril, which was actually a prequel, I didn’t enjoy as much due to it attempting to explain too much, from the origin of everything we learned about the handmaidens’ in Shadow to all sorts of moments in The Phantom Menace that left the ending feeling disjointed. With Queen’s Hope, Johnston looks to be covering more original material this time, exploring Padmé life as a Senator uncomfortable with the war and balancing her hidden love life with Jedi Anakin Skywalker which forces Sabé into the political realm, and I have higher hopes for Johnston’s finale. We’ll have more as it comes in, including a look at the final cover, and eventually a review once Queen’s Hope releases on November 2, 2021. In the meantime, check out an interview with Johnston at the official site.
Also announced was the spiritual sequel to The Secrets of the Jedi, The Secrets of the Sith, written by Mark Sumerak with illustrations by Sergio Gomez Silvan! Dive a little deeper into the arcane and strange of the Sith with favorites like Maul, Palpatine, Dooku, Ventress, Kylo Ren, and more on August 3, 2021.
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.