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Seven Star Wars Villains You Don’t Know

darthrand — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:58:03 +0000

We all know the big guys; Darth Vader, the Emperor, Jabba the Hutt, Exar Kun, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and so on. But what about the others, the ones who might have only been in one book, the ones few know or think about? I’d like to take a moment of your time to discuss just a few lesser known (yet just as devastating) evil, low-down, no good bad guys.

Gethzerion

(first appeared in The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton)

Gethzerion was a leader of the Nightsisters on Dathomir during the events of The Courtship of Princess Leia. The first line of The Essential Guide To Characters is “If the term ‘witch’ ever truly applied to anyone, it certainly applied to Gethzerion”. The Nightsisters are a race of women who use the Force as magic, i.e. casting spells, chanting, and the like. Gethzerion possessed the knowledge that there was no need for these rituals, and decided to withhold this information so as to intimidate and control others. Han Solo had a bounty placed on his head by the Hapans (refer to #2 on this list), and when he crashed the Falcon on Dathomir, Gethzerion was contacted by Imperial Commander Zsinj, requesting a trade: Han Solo for a ship so that the witch could leave Dathomir. Gethzerion agreed, and even offered the service of the Nightsisters in her clan and Princess Leia. She was of course defeated by Luke Skywalker, but not before wreaking havoc on our heroes, other Nightsister clans, and even the planet itself. Gethzerion used the Dark Side of the Force to conjure up Force storms to attack the Nightsisters of the Light Side, Luke Skywalker, and his companions. When she sensed her defeat, Gethzerion tried to escape on one of the carriers leaving for Zsinj’s ship. But Han Solo followed her in the Falcon, and blew up the carrier carrying Gethzerion and the other evil Nightsisters.

Ta’a Chume

(first appeared in The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton)

Queen Mother Ta’a Chume was the ruler of the Hapes Cluster, a cluster of planets ruled by women. So you can imagine how she felt about both her children being male! The first, she had assassinated! The second, Prince Isolder, was expected to find a wife that could bare him many daughters. The first woman Prince Isolder loved was “mysteriously” killed. The second was Princess Leia, who Ta’a Chume saw as a weak pacifist, and was convinced that if she were to be queen the Hapan dynasty would collapse within a year. Even so, they traveled to Coruscant to shower Princess Leia with gifts. While the Prince tried to snatch Leia away from Han, the queen hired assassins to take care of Leia. But Isolder himself foiled his mother’s assassins! Eventually Luke got involved and he and Isolder found Ta’a Chume out and confronted her. Eventually, Isolder chose another bride: Tenenial Djo, a Dathomir witch! Ta’a Chume was furious, but Isolder and Tenenial went and got married anyway. Eventually they had a daughter, and Grandmother Ta’a Chume doted on the child as much as she could.

Kueller

(first appeared in The New Rebellion by Kristine Kathryn Rusch)

Formally known as Dolph, Kueller was one of Luke Skywalker’s students at the Jedi Praxeum. After the government, known as the Je’har, on his home planet of Almania killed Kueller’s parents (along with anyone else who opposed them), he fell to the Dark Side. He then formed a resistance, massacred the Je’har and their sympathizers, took another of Luke’s failed students as an apprentice, and wiped out the populace of one of Almania’s moons. His next task was to get revenge on Luke and the New Republic for not aiding the Almanian people against the Je’har. He sent his new apprentice, Brakiss, to a droid factory to start manufacturing explosive-rigged droids which were then sold to the New Republic. Some of those droids ended up in the Senate Hall, and then were activated, sending a series of explosions throughout the senate. Many were injured, including Princess Leia. After that Luke, Leia, and a New Republic fleet went to Almania to stop Kueller once and for all. A battle commenced which almost ended in the death of Luke Skywalker, but Mara Jade and Han Solo came to his rescue carrying Force-restricting ysalamir. Realizing he had lost the upper hand, he prepared to activate another set of explosive-droids, but C3P0 and R2D2 had already deactivated the bombs. Kueller was shot dead by Princess Leia.

Hethrir

(first appeared in The Crystal Star by Vonda McIntyre)

Hethrir could have been considered a “mad scientist” of sorts. After the fall of the Empire (which he had been loyal to), Hethrir set up a mobile research center called Crseih Station to test the limits of realspace, hyperspace, and otherspace. At one point Crseih Station relocated to the Crseih system, where it orbited a black hole and a crystallizing white dwarf star. The combination of the disturbances in the Force caused by the crystallization of a star and Hethrir’s torturing of his prisoners, Waru was brought in to the galaxy. Waru was a strange, hideous, and mystifying alien from another dimension. It was a Force-sensitive mass of flesh that claimed to be a healer. Waru also claimed that it needed to feed on Force-sensitive victims in order to use their Force essence to open up a new black hole back to it’s own dimension. Hethrir agreed in exchange for power over the Force. Hethrir was also one of many to attempt to rebuild the Empire. After gathering an army of well-armed gangsters, former Imperial lords, Force-sensitive youths that were “purified” by Waru, and Deep Core warlords, funded by slave trade, the Empire Reborn had become a force to be reckoned with. But neither him nor Waru was satisfied. Waru needed a person exceptionally strong in the Force, and Hethrir wanted Waru’s knowledge and power. Hethrir kidnapped Anakin Solo and brought him to Waru with plans to sacrifice him to the horrific alien. Waru had great respect for Darth Vader and knew the Skywalker heritage, and believed that this sacrifice would finally get it home. Luke attempted to save infant Anakin by diving in to Waru’s mass, and Leia and Han followed to retrieve him. After losing both sacrifices, Waru became infuriated that Hethrir had not fulfilled his end of the bargain, and then consumed Hethrir himself. Using Hethrir’s Force power the being returned to it’s own dimension.

Waru

(first appeared in The Crystal Star by Vonda McIntyre)

See “Hethrir”.

Joruus C’Baoth

(first appeared in Heir To The Empire by Timothy Zahn)

This one may be more well known than some of the others on this list, but he’s definitely a doozy. Joruus C’Baoth was a clone of Jedi Master Jorus C’Baoth that was created by the Emperor. He was used as a guardian of an Imperial storehouse at Mount Tantiss on Wayland. When he was discovered by Grand Admiral Thrawn, he joined forces with him to fight against the New Republic after being promised a few new Jedi Apprentices; Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and her unborn twins. C’Baoth’s plan was to create an army of Dark Jedi to take over the galaxy. As you can tell by his plans, Joruus was…well, insane. He sent a message to Luke to come to him on Wayland. Luke was skeptical about finding a Jedi that hadn’t been hunted down, but he went to meet C’Baoth anyway. There he was trained by Joruus under the guise of a Jedi Master. Luke soon realized that C’Baoth was an insane Dark Side wielder. The lessons he had been teaching Luke were contrary to what Yoda had taught. C’Baoth believed that non-Force users were inferior to them, and that they should be controlled by superior beings such as themselves. But Luke decided to try to turn him to the Light Side in order to gain a powerful ally. Eventually, Joruus sensed Mara Jade on the planet, who had been imprisoned by her boss, Talon Karde. While C’Baoth tried to kill her, Luke (with the help of R2) helped her escape. After Joruus was injured by R2, he went to Thrawn, whom he blamed for Luke’s escape, and demanded that “his” Jedi be given to him as promised. Finally Thrawn decided that the Jedi clone was too powerful, and too insane, and locked him inside Mount Tantiss. There, after a long, grueling showdown, he was killed by Mara Jade’s lightsaber.

Darth Traya

(first appeared in Knights of the Old Republic II)

Darth Traya was a pre-Mandalorian Wars historian who turned to the Dark Side after being exiled from the Jedi Council. She was eventually (and inevitably) betrayed by her Sith apprentices, which in turn caused her abhorrence of both the Jedi and the Sith. She then sought to rid the galaxy of both Orders. A Jedi Exile she had tried to take under her wing defeated her in her own academy of evil. Thus, she is known as the Lord of Betrayal.

There are, of course, many others. Far too many for this list I’m sure. Perhaps a part II is in the future? But for now, the Jedi have plenty to do!

Ten Most Awesome Star Wars Memorabilia You Can Wear

darthrand — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:59:31 +0000

Star Wars has some of the best merchandise you can get; toys, games, and all sorts of collectibles. But there’s nothing like wearing your favorite movie franchise around town! Here are ten of the coolest Star Wars wearable things I’ve found on the internet over the years.

10. Darth Vader Costume T-Shirt

One of the reasons why this shirt is so cool is because it’s just a t-shirt! You could wear it with jeans, dress pants, a skirt, anything! Nothing is more versatile than a t-shirt. And it’s not your typical Star Wars shirt! Its an all around unique shirt, and even at $28 + shipping, its worth it.

9. No Jar Jar Binks T-Shirt

I don’t think I need to explain how awesome this shirt is.

8. Star Wars Force Belt

This actually comes in two designs. The link above is white, with character’s faces on it. This one has a space scene on it. They are both very cool, and the perfect accessory to your Star Wars ensemble.

7. Fett For Real Hoodie

This hoodie is crazy! The detail on the hoodie make it almost look real! The only thing missing is a jetpack! It may be a little pricey, but just think of how cool you’ll look! They have a few other designs, including my personal favorite, the Real Trooper Hoodie.

6. Yoda Back Pack

I could not stop laughing when I first saw this! Its so creative! If I had one of these, I would run around my neighborhood yelling “yes, RUN!” at myself while jumping on rocks and flipping around. I don’t care how weird I’d look!

5. Yoda Slippers

You can never have too much Yoda! He’s so adorable, and these slippers definitely capture that. He’s so green and soft, how could you not want him keeping your feet warm?

4. Darth Vader Superstar Track Top

Speaking of keeping warm, Adidas makes this track jacket for those cooler days! The art is brilliant, depicting everyone’s favorite villain. This jacket is sure to inspire fear into anyone you pass by at the supermarket.

3. R2D2 Custom Knit Beanie

I found this gem while searching for a Star Wars hat to fit this list. How much more unique can you get than homemade? R2D2 is so handy, he can now keep your head warm and stylish!

2. Star Wars Boots

You can’t leave the house without shoes, and there’s nothing more satisfying than the sound of boots on hard floors. This site has Amidala’s, Anakin’s, and Obi-Wan’s boots, among others. And the prices aren’t bad at all!

1. Imperial Death Star Officer Cap

This is my most favorite Star Wars merchandise ever. They aren’t available until March, but you can pre-order from the official Star Wars shop. This is the perfect hat for any fan of the Empire! You can also buy an Imperial Fleet cap.

If you’ve found anything equally as awesome that belongs on this list (or another), I’d love to see them! You can email me your finds at darthrand[at]galaxyfaraway.com or in the comments below.

Review: Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections

darthrand — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:06:39 +0000

One of my favorite things about Star Wars are the ships and vehicles, so its no surprise that Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections has become one of my favorite books. The book is only 32 pages long, with each ship or vehicle taking up 2 pages, but it covers the more famous ones. A few included are the Millennium Falcon, Sandcrawler, AT-AT, and a few of the fighters. The details in the art are absolutely amazing, giving the reader an inside look at the design and function of the vehicles and ships.

Each page also includes detailed descriptions of each mode of transportation (or destruction). It was interesting to learn that TIE fighters were built without landing gear, designed to reduce mass for maximum maneuverability, and also so that they can only land in a Star Destroyer’s hangar, to teach the pilots complete dependence on the authority of the Empire.

Full of interesting information and beautifully intricate drawings of some of the coolest ships and vehicles in Star Wars, this book is perfect for any fan looking to build their own X-Wing, get an inside look, or expand their collection.

[Editor’s note: Previously, we had reviewed Episode I: Incredible Cross-Sections from the same series. Also, this is the first post on GalaxyFarAway.com by our newest contributor, Darth Rand!]

Open Call for Contributors to GalaxyFarAway.com

DevanJedi — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:49:45 +0000

Are you an avid gamer, collector, expanded universe fan? Crazy about all things Star Wars? This is an open call for contributors to GalaxyFarAway.com. Some web and writing experience preferred. Geeky perks, geek cred guaranteed. Email me for more information if you are interested.

New and Improved Image Gallery

DevanJedi — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:28:01 +0000

We have updated our image gallery and merged its design with the rest of the web site. Hope you enjoy it, and let me know what else you would like to see in the gallery.

Star Wars Book Reviews

DevanJedi — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:56:30 +0000

This section has been neglected for a little while, but as part of the current redesign, I am bringing it back in to the fold. Here is a list of all the reviews available here at GalaxyFarAway.com Books. Except where noted, all reviews are by our former Star Wars Book Chick Karen. Also, we have a useful timeline to figure out the order in which the books occur in the Star Wars universe.

New Jedi Order

Vector Prime by RA Salvatore

Agents of Chaos Duology- Hero’s Trial & Jedi Eclipseby James Luceno

Dark Tide Duology- Onslaught & Ruinby Michael Stackpole

Episode I Journal: Darth Maul by Dave Wolverton

Jedi Academy

Jedi Academy: Jedi Search (#1 in the series) by Kevin J Anderson

Jedi Academy: Dark Apprentice (#2 in the series) by Kevin J Anderson

Jedi Academy: Champions of the Force (#3 in the series) by Kevin J Anderson

The Crystal Starby Vonda McIntyre

I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole

Heir to the Empire (#1 in the series) by Timothy Zahn

Heir to the Empire (#1 in the series) by Timothy Zahn
Reviewed by DevanJedi

Dark Force Rising (#2 in the series) by Timothy Zahn

The Last Command (#3 in the series) by Timothy Zahn

The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton

The Black Fleet Trilogy by Michael P. Kube-McDowell

Rogue Planet by Greg Bear

Young Han Solo Trilogy by Ann Crispin

Hand of Thrawn Duology

Specter of the Past & Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn

Jedi Apprentice

Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force (#1 in the series) by Dave Wolverton

Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival (#2 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Hidden Past (#3 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Mark of the Crown (#4 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Defenders of the Dead (#5 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Hidden Path (#6 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Captive Temple (#7 in the series) by Jude Watson

Jedi Apprentice: The Day of Reckoning (#8 in the series) by Jude Watson

X-Wing Series

X-Wing : Rogue Squadron (#1 of the series) by Michael Stackpole

X-Wing : Wedge’s Gamble (#2 of the series) by Michael Stackpole

X-Wing : Krytos Trap (#3 of the series) by Michael Stackpole

X-Wing : The Bacta War (#4 of the series) by Aaron Allston

X-Wing : Wratih Squadron (#5 of the series) by Aaron Allston

X-Wing : Iron Fist (#6 of the series) by Aaron Allston

X-Wing : Solo Command (#7 of the series) by Aaron Allston

X-Wing : Isard’s Revenge (#8 of the series) by Michael Stackpole

X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar (#9 of the series) by Aaron Allston

Children of the Jedi by Barbara Hambly

Planet of Twilight by Barbara Hambly

Darksaber by Kevin J. Anderson

Star Wars Non-Fiction and Reference Books Reviews :

Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross Sections

Star Wars : The Visual Dictionary

Star Wars in Concert: Boston

DevanJedi — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:13:05 +0000

In November, I went to see Star Wars in Concert here in Boston at the Garden and it was a treat. It was a live concert, hosted by Anthony Daniels (C3PO), set to video and effects. The concert took us through the entire saga, with Daniels introducing each bit.

The best part was the kids in the audience and the extraordinary time they were having. So many of them were dressed up in costumes. The new Clone Wars TV series has reignited the passion in a new generation.

Here I am with my 10-year old Darth Maul t-shirt. (And here I am with the same t-shirt at the opening of Episode I in India 10 years ago):

Darth Maul.
Is my friend and all.

There’s Anthony Daniels, if you believe me.

A lot of kids were dressed up, as were many characters available for photo ops. They also had a lot of displays and props from the movies outside the arena by the concession stands.

Top Five Ways Avatar Will Change the World… for Star Wars Fans

DevanJedi — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:25:53 +0000

Avatar has probably changed what people expect from movies. But what has it changed for Star Wars fans? Here are the top five things Avatar has changed for Star Wars Fans:

When people talk about that cool blue alien, they will no longer be talking about Max Rebo.

Ewoks are no longer the gold standard in native jungle warfare.

Eywa is the new force.

When people talk about the beautiful, half-naked alien, they won’t be talking about Oola.

When people ask if Avatar is this generation’s Star Wars, we will realize our generation is past.

Suggest more below!

Happy Wookiee Life Day from GFA

DevanJedi — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:52:50 +0000

Happy Life Day, and happy holidays from GFA and these folks hanging out in my tree.

Star Wars Celebration V: Orlando in August 2010

DevanJedi — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:50:21 +0000

It’s official. Celebration 5 will be in Orlando in August 2010. Not the best combination of time and location—it will be unbearably hot.

Four day adult passes are $120, four day kids are $50, and they have single day admissions as well. I had been to Celebration II (Indianapolis 2002) and it was one of the most fun things I’ve done.

From starwars.com:

Star Wars Celebration V will take place August 12-15, 2010, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. A website, www.starwarscelebration.com, is dedicated exclusively to the event, and tickets to Star Wars Celebration V will be available for purchase online starting Thursday, December 10th. As always, Celebration will bring together the best of the Star Wars universe in one exciting, dynamic event!

Will you be there?

UPDATE: Tickets now on sale.