The New Jedi Order
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- "I had fought the worst of all wars, and witnessed the redemption of evil. I've seen balance restored to the Force. But order can turn to chaos… as it did when I was born. Now, with my loved ones and my loyal allies, I face a new challenge unlike any before. And I'm not sure if this time we can win."
- ―Mark Hamill's voiceover as Luke Skywalker in the Vector Prime television commercial.[src]
The New Jedi Order (commonly abbreviated NJO) is a series of 27 stories (primarily novels) that take place from 25 to 29 ABY.[1] The primary plotline follows the invasion of the Star Wars galaxy by the extragalactic Yuuzhan Vong, who through the course of their war deal previously unseen damage. The series also deals with the war's proceeding after effects, along with showing the changing lives of the characters on both sides in the conflict. Across the series, institutions like Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order, the New Republic and the relationships of the Star Wars heroes are stretched, changed and tested.
The series was planned by Sue Rostoni and Lucy Wilson of Lucas Licensing, Shelly Shapiro of Del Rey Books and James Luceno in 1998. The group sketched out the general storyline, created a "series bible" and began contracting authors to write each book. Published from 1999-2003, the series was a collaboration by the following authors: R.A. Salvatore, Michael A. Stackpole, James Luceno, Kathy Tyers, Troy Denning, Greg Keyes, Elaine Cunningham, Aaron Allston, Matthew Stover, Walter Jon Williams, Shane Dix, and Sean Williams. Various parts of the series have been published in novel, comic, magazine and e-book format. However, the core of the series is made up of 19 novels, and a further four were cancelled.
The series was followed by the Dark Nest trilogy in 2005 by Troy Denning, who also wrote several novels for the original series.
Contents |
[edit] Entries
Further details of The New Jedi Order storyline may be gained by accessing the entries below:
[edit] Main
- Vector Prime (1999)
- Dark Tide I: Onslaught (2000)
- Dark Tide II: Ruin (2000)
- Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (2000)
- Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse (2000)
- Balance Point (2000)
- Recovery (2001)
- Edge of Victory I: Conquest (2001)
- Edge of Victory II: Rebirth (2001)
- Emissary of the Void
- Star by Star (2001)
- Dark Journey (2002)
- The Apprentice (short story) (2002)
- Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream (2002)
- Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand (2002)
- Traitor (2002)
- Destiny's Way (2002)
- Ylesia (2002) (Free Download)
- Force Heretic I: Remnant (2003)
- Force Heretic II: Refugee (2003)
- Or Die Trying (short story) (2004)
- Force Heretic III: Reunion (2003)
- The Final Prophecy (2003)
- The Unifying Force (2003)
[edit] Background
Alongside the main series, there were several direct spin-offs and tie-ins made to the series:
[edit] Fiction
- The Apprentice
- Boba Fett: A Practical Man
- Chewbacca
- Emissary of the Void
- Equals and Opposites
- Or Die Trying
- Red Sky, Blue Flame
- Revenants
- Rogue Planet
[edit] Nonfiction
- Vector Prime television commercial
- The New Jedi Order in 100 Easy Lessons
- The New Jedi Order Sourcebook
- Making a Full Recovery
- Mission to Myrkr
- Who's Who in the New Jedi Order
- Star Wars: New Jedi Order Round-Robin Interview
[edit] Plot synopsis
The series begins 21 years after the Rebel Alliance destroyed the second Death Star. The New Republic is facing internal conflict while trying to maintain peace. A new, unknown enemy, known as the Yuuzhan Vong, emerges from the outer galaxy, beginning what will be known as the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. The Jedi, along with the New Republic, struggle to resist this new alien race while it steadily pushes forward, annihilating or occupying different parts of the galaxy.
[edit] Character arcs
As the longest continuous series of novels in the EU, the NJO was able to establish several long-term character arcs. Many new or previously underused characters were put into the spotlight and were developed extensively over the course of the series. Among the most prominent character arcs:
- Ganner Rhysode: Rhysode began the series as an arrogant young Jedi, a trait best shown when, on assignment with Corran Horn, he mocked Horn's inability to use telekinesis, claiming that this made him a lesser Jedi. Rhysode gradually became more humble over the course of the series, especially after watching many of his friends die on the mission to Myrkr. After Jacen Solo was captured during this mission, Rhysode went searching for him, even though, in Jacen's words, "we weren't even friends"; Rhysode died fighting thousands of Yuuzhan Vong warriors so that Jacen and Vergere could escape. It was foreseen that in the future, the Yuuzhan Vong would eventually worship a new god called "the Ganner", referring almost admiringly, to Rhysodes last stand.
- Tahiri Veila: Not fully developed in her original role—Anakin's friend from Junior Jedi Knights—Tahiri was pushed to a starring role in the NJO. When the Yuuzhan Vong captured Yavin 4, she was taken prisoner and subjected to experiments designed to create a Vong-human hybrid. Anakin eventually rescued her, which stirred the romantic feelings they had had for years; when Anakin died above Myrkr, Tahiri was devastated. At this time, the Yuuzhan Vong personality implanted in her began to periodically take control, and Tahiri would wrestle with this for the duration of the series. Unlike most of the other Jedi, she had a peculiar empathy with the Yuuzhan Vong; at the end of the series, she chose to stay on Zonoma Sekot in order to continue learning about the Yuuzhan Vong and to help them build a better society.
- Jacen Solo: Jacen underwent perhaps the most complete and controversial arc of the NJO. He began the series as someone who actively questioned whether it was right to use the Force as a weapon. Many fans were frustrated by what they saw as his inaction; in some fannish circles, he received the nickname "Jacen Prufrock". After being captured by the Yuuzhan Vong he withstood weeks of torture at the hands of Vergere, an Old Republic Jedi and Vong familiar. He emerged with a new view of the Force, including a willingness to use it offensively. During the battle to retake Coruscant, Jacen achieved a state of oneness with the Force that gave him a 'perfect mastery' and also aged him five years. At the end of the series, he was one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.
[edit] The New Order vs. the Old Order
The Order itself is philosophically distinct from the Jedi Order of the Old Republic (thus the Old Jedi Order) by a new Jedi Code and broadened view of the Force. The Order's titular head is Luke Skywalker, but other senior Jedi such as Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade and Kyp Durron have significant say in the Order's activities. The Order during the Yuuzhan Vong incursion polarizes into two major factions: that of Luke Skywalker, who feels that the Force should be used peacefully, like the Old Republic-era Jedi; and the faction of Kyp Durron, who holds that the Jedi should take a proactive, aggressive stance against enemies, hoping that in that way to live up to the Jedi's roles as "protectors" of the galaxy.
[edit] Character deaths
Several major characters die within the New Jedi Order series, an unusual departure from earlier Star Wars stories, and a source of criticism. The most controversial deaths among fans were Chewbacca and Anakin Solo. In a number of New Jedi Order books the characters who die seemed to be of key importance in the novels. The books also revealed the death of some major characters in the Star Wars universe that were not even introduced in the series.
It should be noted that while Mon Mothma did not die in the New Jedi Order series, she died directly prior to Vector Prime; her death was first revealed in the series.
Similarly, while Nom Anor is indicated to have died during the events of The Unifying Force, many fans believe he is still alive as his off-screen death allows for uncertainty as to whether he did in fact die.
[edit] Deaths of major characters introduced in the series
[edit] Deaths of pre-existing characters
[edit] Criticism and reaction
Though a somewhat financial success, fan reaction remains mixed. Supportive fans enjoy the new direction and willingness to take bold steps in the storyline—such as the moral ambiguity and dark nature of the books. Detracting fans compare the Yuuzhan Vong to Star Trek's Borg or Species 8472 and decry the series as lacking in artistic merit. Some detractors also felt that that the series ended with a deus ex machina. One of the most persistent claims is that the view of the Force propagated by Vergere and Jacen is dangerous and contradicted canon. Many fans also believe that the Vong were entirely too "powerful" and their existence seems dubious and they came from "out of the blue".
A serious source of controversy—both praised and detracted—was the high number of the deaths of major characters throughout the series. Critics of the New Jedi Order series complain that the characterizations of the characters of older works like the Original Trilogy, the Junior Jedi Knights and the Young Jedi Knights were altered beyond recognition, and that important Jedi Knight promotions were overlooked (e.g., Leia Organa Solo had already become a Jedi Knight before the events of the New Jedi Order). (On page 169 of The Unifying Force it says the Leia is a Jedi Knight, but chose not to follow the path of the Jedi). Many fans were upset over the deaths of major characters such as Chewbacca in Vector Prime, and more significantly of Anakin Solo (a character the series seemed to be rearing to be the main protaganist) in Star by Star.
Many fans were disappointed with most of the cover art for the series.
Several authors affiliated with Lucasfilm have also gone on record as decrying the New Jedi Order: Timothy Zahn, who felt the series was too dark and straying from the "feel" of Star Wars, and Randy Stradley, who alleged that Del Rey used an invasion idea originating with Dark Horse and took it in directions they did not intend. Michael Stackpole, just after the publication of his NJO Dark Tide books, when asked what his new BattleTech books would involve, responded, "An alien invasion? No, a thousand times, no." However, author John Ostrander read and enjoyed the series.
In an interview published in The Unifying Force, Shelly Shapiro, the Editorial Director of Del Rey, expressed some regret over the "grimmer" aspects of the series and the Yuuzhan Vong themselves, as well as the timing of the novel Star by Star, coming so soon after the September 11 attacks.
[edit] Media
[edit] Television commercial
In 1999, Mark Hamill reprised his role as Luke Skywalker in a brief speaking role for the series. Hamill spoke as Luke in a TV commercial for the first novel in the series, Vector Prime. In the commercial, Luke recalls the state that the galaxy is in at the present, compared to the times of the Empire.
[edit] The animated project
A project by a group of fans is underway to create an animated show based on the series. The link to this project can be found here.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The New Jedi Order books at Random House
Telling War Stories: An Interview with Shelly Shapiro on StarWars.com
- New Jedi Order Encyclopedia
- The Unofficial New Jedi Order Homepage
- Vector Prime on StarWars.com
- The New Jedi Order on StarWars.com
- The New Jedi Order in Order on StarWars.com
- New Jedi Order quizzes at Funtrivia.com
[edit] Notes and references
- ↑ The series originally spanned the years from 25 to 30 ABY. The timelines presented in each of the novels, as well as comments in The Unifying Force, supported this. However, following the end of the series, it was retconned to have ended a year earlier.
