I'm all for head-canon, especially if helps one enjoy a work, but that's all I think can be argued for here with the facts being what they are.
Lucas may not enjoy the new sequels, and they aren't the stories he would have told...but he sold the rights to the story to Disney knowing full well that there would be more stories told so that's a tacit approval of anything that comes after as if he didn't want anyone but himself making more Star Wars films he wouldn't have sold the rights. And it's that transaction that makes Star Wars a very different case than post Doyle Homes stories or post Howard Conan stories as those creators never said,"If you pay me, then you can write more stories."

It is if the original creator is the one who sold it while still alive and aware that the other party intends to make sequels, yes. In the case of the Burroughs estate licensing out the rights to Tarzan or the Howard estate doing the same it's a different situation, as  not only were they not alive to make those decisions but also having a licence to create more works is different than owning the work out right.  

That seems a very arbitrary definition...who is to say that the original Marvel comics, or the Dark Horse comics, or the original Clone Wars TV series - all 'canon' when created - are not more in tune with what Lucas intended?

Lucas gave his employees copies of Dark Empire as Christmas presents, and told Tom Veitch it was the closest thing he'd seen to his ideas for a sequel trilogy. In contrast, he wasn't fond of what Disney did with Episode VII. So which is more legitimate? I don't think you can say the current owners of the brand name take precedence over the artistic intentions of the creator.

I know this is really a debate for another thread, but Lucas wasn't happy with what happened with The Empire Strikes Back, which is why he pretty much 'co-directed' - or directed the director on - Return of the Jedi. Lucas thought The Empire Strikes Back was too slow and didn't have enough action. He tried to edit it to be faster and more exciting in tune with his vision, but it didn't work. 

Yeah, I did know that about the ESB, but still, it was Lucas's story, he was executive producer, an uncredited editor, and he was on set a lot during the shooting, putting in his tupence worth on directorial decisions.

Star Wars: Dark Empire # 3:'The Battle of Calamari'



Writer: Tom Veitch
Art: Cam Kennedy
Letters: Tom Klein
Cover art: Dave Dorman

Plot: Lando Calrissian and the rebel fleet race to the planet of Mon Calamari to fight off an Imperial attack. Meanwhile, Leia is visited by the spirit of Luke, who has recently disappeared and crossed to the Dark Side. Despite Luke's plea, Leia is determined to find him, and together with Han Solo, Chewie and the droids, they go to rescue him. On the way, they meet some old friends of Han and a strange old woman who claims to see Leia's destiny...

The third issue opens with an enormous, eight-page battle that does the movies proud, as Lando and chums attempt to rescue the Calamari. Forget the widescreen comics that Bryan Hitch and co did in the late 90s - Cam Kennedy is doing widescreen right here (er...I mean back in 1991), creating images full of gigantic, cinematic action. The depth of field, perspective, and sense of motion is masterful - the explosions, for instance, seem to move in front of your eye. Combine that with great technical accuracy to the ships of the movies, add in Kennedy's new creations such as the World Devastators, and it's like looking at painted storyboards or (if you squint) freeze frames from a Star Wars movie that was never made.

This is thrilling stuff. Lando's rebel Star Destroyer, Emancipator, leaves Hyperspace virtually right on top of three Imperial ones, blasting through them to lead his fleet down to Mon Calamari surface below. They arrive to the awe-inspiring sight of the World Devastators hovering up Calamari cities - which are then turned into hundreds of fully-robotic Tie Fighters, and spit back out into the battle!

Then there's a truly chilling moment as one of the World Devastators rises from Calamari's surface, and heads straight towards Lando's Star Destroyer. There's nothing the crew can do except run to their escape pods as the entire Emancipator is shattered and sucked up. 'Things haven't been this bad for the alliance since Vader was alive!' shouts Lando.

As dramatic as the battle is, the real impact comes from an line uttered by one of the Imperial officers during the battle - when he orders one of his men to, 'inform Supreme Commander Skywalker'. That's right - when we left Luke in the last issue, he had submitted to the Emperor and the Dark Side. Now we find he's not only joined the Empire - he's commanding it!

Speaking of Luke, his only appearance in this issue comes in a strange, dream-like sequence with Leia. At first she sees a vision of Darth Vader, before it transforms into a brooding Luke, warning his sister not to interfere with his plans. 'Destiny has forced me to follow the path our father took...it was the only way to save everything from the power of the Dark Side!' he tells her.


Luke's vision in The Empire Strikes Back; Leia's vision of Luke in Dark Empire

This scene nicely mirrors the Degobah cave sequence in The Empire Strikes Back, showing how Luke has committed to the dark destiny it foretold. However, it's not clear why Luke would appear to Leia in the form of Vader. Equally, Leia asks, 'How can you save us by joining the Dark Side?' - something which no doubt left many readers scratching their heads. We'd find out before long though.

Issue #3 sees Leia and Han come to the forefront of the Dark Empire story line. The conclusion of the previous issue - Han agreeing to help Leia search for Luke - is backtracked on and repeated, as Leia again has to convince her sceptical husband. Fortunately this time she knows Luke's location - unfortunately, he's deep in the Galactic Core, the Empire's home turf. Han plans to sneak in by using a ship that is licensed for the Deep Core, and being the shady wheeler-dealer he is, he knows just where to get such a ship. Thus we end up in the system of Nal Hutta, specifically the moon of Nar Shaddaa, described as 'an ungoverned, derelict world'. Even worse, as Leia well knows, 'it's crawling with Hutts and bounty hunters' - and given that she took out Jabba himself not so long ago, she's probably not going to get a warm reception.

Again, writer Tom Veitch displays a perfect understanding of the pacing and style of the Star Wars movies - as soon as Han and Leia arrive on Nar Shaddaa, they are engaged in a life-and-death chase through the skyline as they are spotted by a group of bounty hunter ships. Cam Kennedy depicts an intriguing planet, heavily-mechanised and filled with imposing, industrial towers. Here we meet some of Han's old smuggler buddies - Mako, Shug Ninx and Salla, who turns out to be one of Han's ex-girlfriends.

We also meet one of Dark Empire's most interesting new characters: Vima Da Boma, who claims to be a former Jedi who escaped Vader's purge. A shabby, wizened figure who conceals great wisdom, she is Leia's own Obi-Wan/Yoda; recognising Leia as a 'Daughter of the Force', and 'the spark that will rekindle the fire'. She even gives Leia a gift which turns out to be, of course, a lightsaber - before disappearing, as all good Jedi do. This was not the end of Vima though, she turned up again in Dark Empire II.

Before creating Dark Empire, Veitch and Kennedy wanted to make a story about the Jedi before their extermination by Vader; presumably Vima was a character created for that. Inserting her in here is very effective, giving us further tantalising hints about what the Jedi Knights were like in their prime, and allows the story to explore both the post-RotJ and the pre-New Hope era at the same time. Just from her short appearance here, Vima has more mystique and drama to her than any of the Jedi that turned up in the Prequels, save Anakin himself. 

Vima pushing Leia towards her Jedi destiny also furthers what will become the essential through line of the story. It's summed up in another scene, when Mon Mothma tells General Rieekan, 'It is now clear to me that the future of the New Republic depends on the revival of the Jedi Knights...if Luke is lost to the Dark Side, the Alliance is finished.' Although the the focus of the drama so far is Luke falling to the Dark Side, the Emperor is playing a long game - luring the entire Skywalker dynasty into his clutches. Luke is bait for Leia, and with Leia...well, more on that later. Dark Empire expands the Star Wars story into the Skywalkers versus the Emperor, with the soul of Anakin just being the first round. This is one of the reasons why Dark Empire is such an effective sequel to the original movie trilogy, as it deepens and escalates what came before. With his cloning cycle ensuring he is effectively immortal, the Emperor can embody the same threat to every generation of the Skywalker family; he represents the Dark Side itself. So Star Wars becomes a story about a good family who are constantly threatened by corruption.

There are a few minor negatives to this issue. While it's cool that Lando is now a committed rebel hero and leader, his role in Dark Empire so far is just the same as his role in Return of the Jedi; he's just basically 'a goodie'. He provides a point man on the front lines for the reader while Luke, Leia and Han are elsewhere, but it's a pity there's no real characterisation there. The World Devastators are again described as worse than the Death Star - something which doesn't really make a lot of sense, as they are small fry to a weapon that can destroy a planet in seconds. Leia is wearing the very 90's combo of baseball cap and parachute pants. And the title of this issue is a bit silly.

Overall though, this is the best part so far. Amazing action - among the best battle scenes you'll find in any Star Wars comic - great new characters, Leia sets out on her own Hero's Journey...fantastic stuff. And it all wraps up with a nice cliffhanger - apparently a Mr Fett has turned up to see Han...

Notable dialogue: 'I always get it right the second time' - Han, with a line that you can imagine the more self-depreciating version of The Force Awakens saying.

Continuity issues: While the new Disney movies don't specifically deny Leia followed in Luke's Jedi footsteps when she was younger, and she displays her command of the Force in The Last Jedi, the two depictions don't really match up.



Favourite panel: Again, you're spoilt for choice, but this panel puts you right into the action, as if you were sitting behind the Mon Calamari and looking up at the staggering battle unfolding above you.

Rating: 5/5

It reminds me of some Doctor Who spin-offs, which introduce new monsters who are 'worse than the Daleks and the Cybermen' etc. It's a bit fan fiction-ish.