THE LONG GAME OF DARTH SIDIOUS REVEALED! T MATTHEW WOOD THE VOICE OF T H E M GENER AL GRIEVOUS Revenge + WIN! A FANTASTIC STAR WARS BOOK! INTERVIEW: PAUL DUNCAN of the Sith Exploring the darkest days of Anakin Skywalker! His epic voyage into the Star Wars archives A Roll of the Dice Star Wars board games across the decades Surviving Celebration The Insider guide to the biggest event in the Star Wars calendar THE BEST STAR WARS NEWS, merchandise, reviews, INTERVIEWS AND FEATURES 98 99 $19.99 ON SALE NOW Celebrate Episodes I-III of the blockbuster Star Wars saga- The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith with this unmissable co collection! lection! Includes classic interviews with Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson, and George Lucas, as they discuss telling the story of Anakin Skywalker’s rise and subsequent fall against the backdrop of a burgeoning galactic war AVA LABLE IN AVAILABLE N ALL GOOD STORES AND ONLINE © & TM 2019 Lucasfilm Ltd A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR ™ APRIL 2019 WELCOME Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith It’s the ‘dark one,’ the pivotal moment in the Skywalker saga, where we finally learned how that sweet kid from The Phantom Menace flipped to full-throttle Dark Lord I don’t know what it says about my parenting skills, but the movie is my eldest daughter’s favorite prequel Actually, she does seem drawn to the ‘dark one’ in every franchise she invests in, so her teenage years look like they’ll be a total blast! As we’ve discovered over the past few issues, though, there’s no such thing as a ‘pivotal moment,’ but rather a series of experiences, of decisions, and of events large and small that shape a character—especially one as conflicted as Anakin Skywalker This issue we explore the pivotal chapter in the Jedi Knight’s life as he adopts the mantle of Darth Vader, and a boundless love is transformed into endless hate But what of the architect of Skywalker’s fall? We’ve got that covered as we shine a light on the long game played by Sheev Palpatine, the secret Sith driven by revenge and a thirst for ultimate power… Don’t worry, though—it’s not all doom and gloom! Skywalker Sound’s Matthew Wood relates how he (and a bad cold) became the voice of General Grievous, we discover how fans immerse themselves in Star Wars through the roll of a dice, and Paul Duncan (the author of Taschen’s The Star Wars Archives Episodes IV-VI: 1977-1983) tells us about his Indiana Jones-style journey into the Lucasfilm vaults All this and a newbie’s guide to surviving Star Wars Celebration, too? That’s a whole galaxy of goodness May the Force be with you! TITAN EDITORIAL Editor / Chris Cooper Managing Editor / Martin Eden Associate Editors / Tolly Maggs, Jake Devine Art Editor / Andrew Leung LUCASFILM Senior Editor / Brett Rector Art Director / Troy Alders Creative Director / Michael Siglain Asset Management / Tim Mapp, Erik Sanchez, Bryce Pinkos, Nicole LaCoursiere, Kelly Jensen, Shahana Alam Story Group / Pablo Hidalgo, Leland Chee, Matt Martin CONTRIBUTORS Tricia Barr, Kristin Baver, Natalie Clubb, Megan Crouse, Dan Jolin, Amy Ratcliffe, Darren Scott, Jay Stobie, Dan Wallace, Toby Weidmann, and Mark Wright SPECIAL THANKS TO Lucy Goldsmith, Erich Schoeneweiss at Random House, Holly McIntosh, Joseph Taraborrelli, Andrea Towers and Jim Nausedas at Marvel Comics, Lizzy Draeger, Tracy Cannobbio and Chris Argyropoulos at Lucasfilm TITAN MAGAZINES Production Controller / Peter James Senior Production Controller / Jackie Flook Art Director / Oz Browne Sales & Circulation Manager / Steve Tothill Brand Manager / Chris Thompson Commercial Manager / Michelle Fairlamb Advertising & Marketing Assistant / Bella Hoy Publishing Manager / Darryl Tothill Publishing Director / Chris Teather Operations Director / Leigh Baulch Executive Director / Vivian Cheung Publisher / Nick Landau DISTRIBUTION US Newsstand / Total Publisher Services, Inc John Dziewiatkowski 630-851-7683 US Newsstand Distribution / Curtis Circulation Company US Bookstore Distribution / The News Group US Direct Sales / Diamond Comic Distributors UK Distribution / Marketforce Christopher Cooper SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S subscriptions / 1-800-261-6502, email: customerservice@titanpublishingusa.com Canada subscriptions / 818-487-4575 U.K subscriptions / 01778 392085 email: swmag@servicehelpline.co.uk Editor MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS For more info on advertising contact adinfo@titanemail.com STAR WARS INSIDER APRIL 2019 (USPS 003-027) (ISSN 1041-5122) Megan Crouse @blogfullofwords Jay Stobie @CaptStobie Tricia Barr @fangirlcantina Mark Wright @mwrightwriter Kristin Baver @KristinBaver Amy Ratcliffe @amy_geek Megan is a regular contributor to StarWars.com and also writes for sci-fi and movie website Den of Geek and The Mary Sue Starship fanatic and blogger Jay writes articles for StarWars.com and is searching for a way to reside full time in the Star Wars galaxy Tricia is the co-author of DK’s Ultimate Star Wars She also wrote the acclaimed award-winning novel Wynde Mark co-authored Doctor Who: Who-ology and has scripted numerous audio dramas starring the irrepresible time-traveller Kristin was a card-carrying Star Wars fan before she had reason to own a wallet Now she’s an associate editor at StarWars.com Author of Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy, Amy is obsessed with the saga and loves to visit Disney theme parks as often as she can CONTACT US Email us: starwarsinsider@titanemail.com Write to us UNITED STATES Star Wars Insider, Titan Magazines, 2819 Rosehall Lane, Aurora, IL, 60503, U.S.A Call us To subscribe in the U.S please call toll free on 800-261-6502 For U.K and all other destinations please call 01778 392085 or +44 (0) 1778 392085 UNITED KINGDOM Star Wars Insider, 144 Southwark Street, London SE1 0UP, U.K Find us WWW WWW.TITANMAGAZINES.COM Star Wars Insider is also available online To download, visit: www.titanmagazines.com/ digitial FACEBOOK.COM/STARWARSINSIDER @SW_INSIDER Visit www.starwars.com Star Wars Insider is published eight times per year (January/February, March, April, May/June, July, August/September, October, November/December) by Titan Magazines, a division of Titan Publishing Group Limited, 144 Southwark Street, London SE1 0UP Contents © 2019 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM All Rights Reserved, Titan Authorized User TMN 13728 PUBLISHER’S U.S AGENT 2819 Rosehall Lane, Aurora, IL 60503 Periodicals Postage Paid at Aurora IL and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address changes to Star Wars Insider, PO Box 18479, Anaheim, CA 92817-8479 U.S subscriptions $49.99 per year; Canada $64.99 and U.K £31.99 U.S edition printed by Quad © 2019 Lucasfilm Ltd and ™ All Rights Reserved Used Under Authorization CONTENTS I S S U E 18 “It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them!” Insider revisits Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith / STAR WARS INSIDER 8 / A P R I L NEWSSTAND EDITION COMIC STORE EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS EXCLUSIVE Sub bscribe to Sttar Wars nsider In age 68 06 32 56 Launchpad Dicing with Destiny Sith Unseen: A Retrospective From Fan Awards to personal Åtness, plus the latest Star Wars books, comics, and merchandise Celebrating the ongoing appeal of Star Wars board games, and the meteoric rise of tabletop gaming How novels, comics, and even video games expanded the Revenge of the Sith story beyond the big screen 18 40 62 The Power of Love The Galactic Archivist By Royal Decree The Skywalker saga takes its darkest turn, as we follow Anakin’s fall to the dark side in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Insider interviews Paul Duncan, the author who journeyed into the LucasÅlm vaults to uncover The Star Wars Archives:1977-1983 Tom Spina of Regal Robot tells Insider how his childhood obsession with Star Wars led to a career restoring the saga’s props and costumes 26 50 74 Matthew Wood Interview Surviving Celebration The Long Game The Skywalker Sound recording genius reveals how he became the voice of cybernetic villain General Grievous Our guide to making the most of the biggest event in the Star Wars calendar: Celebration 2019! Exploring the evil machinations of Darth Sidious and his long-term game plan to rule the galaxy INCOMING TRANSMISSIONS 38 48 70 80 Win! Jedi Master’s Quiz Worldwide Image Archive The Best of Star Wars Insider : The Original Trilogy book Test your secret Sith knowledge with our Palpatine posers Enfys Nest, crustacean keepsakes, and fantastic art inspired by Star Wars Anakin Skywalker looks less than comfortable in the makeup chair STAR WARS INSIDER / LAUNCHPAD N E W S / B O O K S / C O M I C S / T O Y S / G A M E S / FA S H I O N 01 Everyone’s a Winner The Star Wars Fan Awards 2018 hat the following Star Wars stories have in common? The true(ish) tale of the time the Millennium Falcon’s holochess pieces went rogue; an alternate scene not from Return of the Jedi (1983), where Luke Skywalker asks his mentor to explain the real reasons why Darth Vader is “more machine than man,” and a collection W / STAR WARS INSIDER of Star Wars toys that have a helpful mission (and minds) of their own; Answer: They were all esteemed winners in the inaugural Star Wars Fan Awards Over the summer of 2018, thousands of impressive fans submitted ambitious short films, pithy 15 second clips, and stunning photography and visual art, vying for their passion projects to be celebrated in an ultimate showdown of fan creativity, as hosted by Lucasfilm and StarWars.com The results were announced in December 2018, and the winners were as varied as a gaggle of patrons in a cantina far, far away Proscuttio-based Nien Nunb food art (“After shooting, I ate everything,” admitted food photography winner Atsuko W.) was awarded a top prize, LAUNCHPAD 02 03 04 05 01 A (Tiny) New Hope, recreating a classic movie poster with action figures by Trevor W 02 Nien Nunb rendered in a Proscuttio salad by photo category finalist Atsuko W 03 Balance by Madison T 04 Forgotten AT-AT by Mirko M 05 Darth Maul drawing by Justin M alongside an incredibly accurate cosplay costume of Cloud-Riders swoop gang leader, Enfys Nest (see this issue’s Worldwide section for more details on that winning item) Intimate family photos also captured the judge’s attention, as did a painstaking recreation of Star Wars poster art fashioned from action figures—and an adorable pup posing as a porg! A striking, stained glass-inspired artwork depicting Rey, Kylo Ren, and the balance between light and dark was another winner “This is definitely one of the more difficult pieces I’ve ever worked on,” artist Madison T told StarWars.com, “but it is also one of the most rewarding.” Budding filmmakers submitted short videos that varied from revealing why Willrow Hood was carrying an ice cream maker as he fled Cloud City, and poking fun at Vader’s oft-misquoted line from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) by positing that even Vader would need help remembering his lines Jason Y.’s retro toy commercial took its cues from the original Kenner action figure TV advertisments from the 1970s, capturing the spirit of fandom by tapping into what he felt was the core of his own longtime love of the saga “Growing up, I loved collecting and playing with the toys available at the time,” Jason revealed “I really wanted to capture the essence of my love and appreciation for Star Wars.” Others expanded their ideas in films of up to five minutes, exploring visual storytelling with fan-made movies that tested the canonical limits of the Kessel Run, and created all-new characters and stories to pay homage to the saga In “More Machine Than Man,” which was awarded the Best Comedy STAR WARS INSIDER / THE WINNERS LAUNCHPAD Long Video 06 06 Rex and Baby Rey Family Portrait, by Isaiah T 07 “Misquoted” short video, by Jared H 08 Film Select winner and Best Comedy “More Machine Than Man,” by Mark G 09 Funniest Photo: You Think This is Weird Wait Till You See the Egg, by Aaron A Filmmaker Select & Best Comedy More Machine Than Man, by Mark G Audience Choice Like My Father Before Me: A Star Wars Story, by Jack C Best Animation The Kessel Run, by Brian W 07 Best Choreography & Best Visual Effects Exile: A Star Wars Fan Film, by Noel B Spirit of Fandom & Best Stop Motion Star Wars: The Toys Awaken, by Raymond M Short Video Filmmaker Select, Best Comedy, & Best Stop Motion Ice Cream to Go, by Jordan & Cody G Audience Choice Vader Misquoted, by Jared H 08 Best Animation & Best Choreography Grievous Versus Praetorians, by Brian W Spirit of Fandom Simple Tricks & Nonsense, by Jason Y Best Visual Effects A Close Call, by Jared P Visual Art Best in Show & Best Poster Art A (Tiny) New Hope, by Trevor W Audience Choice & Best Digital Art Balance, by Madison T 09 Best Custom Costume Enfys Nest Costume, by Michaela M Best Custom Diorama Forgotten AT-AT, by Mirko M Best Custom Figure Krayt Dragon Action Figure, by Brad H Best Physical Art Kirie: Black and White Joined in Battle, by Yukiko K Best Traditional Art Darth Maul Drawing, by Justin M Photo Best in Show & Best Family Portrait Rey, BB-8, & Chewbacca on Jakku, by Brianna E Audience Choice by a panel of Lucasfilm judges—and snagged the Filmmaker Select gong, as chosen by Dave Filoni—one fan put his own spin on the conversation between Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Return of the Jedi “I thought about what Obi-Wan would have had to admit if Luke had pressed him for just a little more information,” said winner Mark G “I mean, seriously! All he said was ‘He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader.’ He left out the key detail, ‘I cut off his arms and legs, let him catch fire, and left him for dead!’” One thing all the winners share is an appreciation for the Star Wars galaxy, and an enduring love for its characters and themes that sparked such uniquely creative entries You can find out more about the Star Wars Fan Awards 2018, and see all the winning entries, at starwars.com/news Rex and Baby Rey Family Portrait, by Isaiah T Funniest You Think This is Weird…Wait Till You See the Egg, by Aaron A Best Original Concept & Best Star Wars Food Presentation Nien Nunb Prosciutto Salad, by Atsuko W Best Pet Photo A Dog Hope, by Kazuya O Best Scene-Inspired Scavenger, by Carlo V Best Throwback Vintage Joy: In Between Star Wars and Disney, by Adam M / STAR WARS INSIDER LAUNCHPAD Resistance Renewed Team Fireball and the First Order line up for a rematch he adventures of Resistance spy Kazuda Xiono and his fellow racers on the Colossus are set to continue in a second season of hit Lucasfilm animation series Star Wars Resistance, Disney XD confirmed in early January With season one seeing the First Order become an increasing threat, and T at least one additional major villain from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) putting in an appearance in the second half of the season, it’s certain that things will be hotting up for the Hosnian pilot, played by Christopher Sean The actor shared his enthusiasm for the announcement via Instagram, saying “So excited to announce we are renewed for season two! This show is only getting better and better Definitely tune in, everyone!” Sean, appearing at this year’s Star Wars Celebration with co-star Suzie McGrath (Tam Ryvora), will be joined in the Dave Filoni-created show by co-stars Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager), Myrna Velasco (Torra Doza), Josh Brener (Neeku Vozo), and Donald Faison (Hype Fazon) Returning behind the scenes are executive producers Athena Portillo, Justin Ridge, and Brandon Auman Fuel Your Force Get Åghting Åt with Star Wars aunched just before the 2018 holidays—and no-doubt with New Year’s resolutions in mind—StarWars.com has begun a new initiative to help fans find their “inner Force,” and encourage them to live a healthy and active lifestyle in 2019 and beyond Taking inspiration from the characters, stories, and events of a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Fuel Your Force reaches out to fitness enthusiasts and beginners alike, in an effort to form a community of like-minded individuals looking to bring balance to L their physical and mental wellbeing through exercise and a good diet StarWars com will be promoting recipes, fun activities, and fitness advice throughout the year at starwars.com/fuel-your-force And if you need a goal to aim for, why not sign up for runDisney’s Star Wars Rival Run Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, this April? Events cover distances from 5K up to a halfmarathon, with a host of kids’ races and other challenges along the way Visit runDisney.com for more information STAR WARS INSIDER / T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION! 172 # 176 # 180 # 184 # # # # # 173 # 174 # 177 # 181 # 185 # 175 178 # 182 # 186 # 179 183 187 MORE BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE ONLINE : TITANMAGAZINES.COM/INSIDER188 © & ™ 2019 Lucasfilm Ltd All Rights Reserved *Free delivery for the U.S and U.K subscription orders only For overseas prices - Canadian price includes shipping and handling ($15 for issues and $30 for 16 issues) and rest of the world prices include additional postage and packaging costs (£12 for issues and £24 for 16 issues) WORLDWIDE T H E S A G A All Photos: Studio Of M.M C E L E B R AT I N G CLOUD-RIDER COSPLAY The striking Enfys Nest armor that bagged a Fan Award W hile the first, mystifying appearances of Enfys Nest in the trailers for Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) prompted fans to speculate over who was behind that mask, for cosplayer Michaela of Studio of M.M, the intrigue went one step further “As soon as I saw her, I was 70 / STAR WARS INSIDER drawn to her character design,” she reminisces Asked by her mom about a potential Enfys build, the artist gave a simple answer “I told her it was too crazy a project, but that clearly didn’t last long!” Michaela, a longtime Star Wars fan whose love for the franchise was reinvigorated by Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), originally began cosplaying as a means of channeling her inventiveness into new projects “It started as more of a desire to want to build something, not necessarily as a desire to dress up like a certain character,” she explains “Cosplaying gives me the opportunity to create and build things, as well as challenging me to expand my knowledge and skills in different areas I’ve learned how to work fiberglass, solder, rewire, and more—all thanks to cosplaying.” The complex styling of Nest’s wardrobe proved to be the ultimate test of the artist’s skills “I actually decided to attempt building the costume the day I saw Solo in the theater Learning more about Nest, and seeing what an incredible and strong character she was, is what did it for me,” recollects Michaela The armor itself is constructed INSIDER NEEDS YOU! We want to hear from you! Tell us about your Star Wars experience What made you want to become a fan? What have you done in the name of Star Wars? Tell us your Star Wars story by sending your photos, art, and letters here: starwarsworldwide@titanemail.com Or via regular post: UNITED STATES Star Wars Worldwide, Star Wars Insider, Titan Magazines, 2819 Rosehall Lane, Aurora, IL, 60503, U.S.A UNITED KINGDOM Star Wars Worldwide, Star Wars Insider, 144 Southwark Street London, SE1 0UP, U.K ARTISTS’ ALLEY Talented Star Wars fans share their amazing drawings inspired by the galaxy far, far away 01 “BETWEEN WORLDS” AND “JOYRIDE” Working on an iPad Pro, Chris Corrada produced these stunning likenesses of a majestic Ahsoka Tano and a happy Luke Skywalker “Young Luke was just a fun concept of Luke joyriding around in his speeder on Tatooine before the weight of the galaxy fell on his shoulders,” says Corrada, known as @jawadog on Instagram “I watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and Rebels and loved Ahsoka Tano,” he continues, “especially the mystical journey she took in Rebels.” primarily of thermoplastic, while Nest’s electroripper staff started out as a wooden closet rod wrapped in foam Michaela coated the melee weapon with plastic polymer to bolster its durability, adding an acrylic paint job and LED lights to illuminate the tip of the polearm Half of the ten-week building process centered on Nest’s helmet “I began with a papercraft model base of a shoretrooper helmet,” says Michaela “There’s almost none of that base left, but it did give me a starting point I fleshed out most of the helmet shape in foam.” She then applied thermoplastic and paint, before adding accessories inside, including cooling fans and a microphone that plugs into the chestbox for the voice changer The finished ensemble won Michaela the Best Custom Costume gong in the 2018 Star Wars Fan Awards 02 THE EMPIRE’S MIGHT A trio of AT-AT walkers patrol through the haze against a backdrop featuring a Star Destroyer’s silhouette, in fan Mack Sztaba’s gripping image “The piece was blocked out in 3D before being paintined in Photoshop,” explains Mack, who finished the scene in just over a day “I love doing Star Wars-themed art That galaxy is probably the most fun to play with as an artist.” STAR WARS INSIDER / 71 WORLDWIDE BOUNTY HUNTERS Scouring the galaxy for the stars of Star Wars Meet the stars, show the evidence, win the bounty! Bounty Hunters is sponsored by Kotobukiya Each issue's winner will receive a fantastic Kotobukiya Star Wars statue kit! To see more, visit www.facebook.com/kotobukiya O ften recognized for his role as young Boba Fett in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002), Daniel Logan showed no signs of Mandalorian menace when he greeted Chelsey Paz’s sons at a recent convention in Salt Lake City Paz’s oldest son is the family’s Star Wars aficionado, but both children adored meeting Logan After allowing the kids to try on his Boba Fett helmet, the actor handed out some patches and cards “My son was over the moon and so excited,” exclaims the proud mom Paz fully supports her eldest’s fandom, and he spends a great deal of time visiting the 501st Legion’s booths at conventions However, the encounter with Logan left quite the impression on him, who she says described this visit as, “The best time of his life.” 01 02 01 Young Boba Fett actor Daniel Logan and Chelsey Paz’s sons have a blast during their encounter 02 The Paz’s prized bounty: Logan’s autograph and an assortment of cards and patches 72 / STAR WARS INSIDER CRUSTACEAN KEEPSAKES Painting Star Wars-themed crab shells S tar Wars enthusiasts Tori Stallings and Austin Burns have found a unique way of showing their fandom—albeit in a fashion that may upset Solo: A Star Wars Story’s Therm Scissorpunch A long-time fan of the saga, Burns’ enthusiasm for the galaxy far, far away rubbed off on Stallings, who combines it with her main hobby of painting “I’ve always loved art,” she says “I even got one of my school art pieces in the Baltimore Museum of Art when I was years old.” Add to that the couple’s shared fondness for the blue crabs that inhabit Maryland’s coastline, and the result is a unique recipe for crab shell keepsakes The shells are cleaned by Burns and outfitted with artistic designs by Stallings “For Christmas we painted crab shells as ornaments for family members,” shares Burns But the craft eventually took on a Star Wars twist when John Morton, a Maryland native known for his role as Alliance pilot Dak Ralter in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), was announced as an attendee at a nearby convention, and the pair framed a rebel helmet-themed shell as a gift for the actor The process has since become a tradition for the creative couple, with each shell’s design reflecting an aspect of the recipient’s place in the franchise A shell depicting Bespin’s Cloud City was given to The Empire Strikes Back producer Robert Watts, while puppeteer Brian Herring received a shell styled with BB-8’s memorable markings Their art even impressed Luke Skywalker himself when they presented Mark Hamill with a shell painted in his X-wing helmet’s color scheme (above) The pair plan to continue their crustacean campaign indefinitely “It’s awesome to be able to combine my love for painting and Austin’s love of Star Wars with making these great memories,” Stallings says happily WORLDWIDE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS Metal marvels cook up a Star Wars storm M uch like Darth Vader during the Death Star trench run, you just can’t shake the impressive nature of metal sculptor Michael Finney’s cooking grill, with its design based around that of the Sith lord’s TIE fighter from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) The starship’s appearance clearly made an impression on the young man, who was only eight years old when he first laid eyes on the craft more than four decades ago “As an artist, Star Wars has many fascinating and interesting shapes that allow me to be creative,” explains Finney Just like Anakin Skywalker, Finney has experienced rough periods in his life, but the intrepid artist has avoided descent to the dark side by pouring himself into his metal work “I needed something to immerse myself in,” Finney candidly admits, and the hobby became his own personal bacta tank, offering a soothing respite from everyday problems and an outlet to convey his love for Star Wars To enable his take on Vader’s TIE to take flight, Finney utilized the same old-fashioned metal-forming techniques that he draws upon for all of his projects After shaping the material with tree stumps and an English wheel, he welds everything together with Imperial precision In the case of the TIE, once kindling is placed in the cockpit the craft is fired up and ready to pursue rebel X-wings or, at the very least, grill up something to eat Flame-grilled nuna, anyone? The talented artist has also built another grill, this one based on fan-favorite astromech R2-D2 (who was ironically blasted by Vader’s own laser cannons during the Battle of Yavin), while his latest sculpture is inspired by the head of R2’s protocol droid counterpart, C-3PO However, evoking memories of the golden droid’s decapitation ordeal on Geonosis, this droid’s cranium neither cooks nor tells anyone about the odds Bringing smiles to others is an added bonus for Finney “I really enjoy the reactions I get from people when they see any of my creations,” proclaims the artist “It’s my motivation to keep improving.” And if anyone ever needed proof of Finney’s goal to spread happiness, take a look at his sculpt of Darth Vader’s helmet (below), adorned with roses—it says all you need to know Finney’s work can be found on Instagram at @finn_metalart STAR WARS INSIDER / 73 THE LONG GAME THE INSIDIOUS PLOT OF SHEEV PA L PAT I N E Insider uncovers how the machinations of a single, driven individual turned an entire galaxy on its head WORDS: MICHAEL KOGGE The Emperor ••• In the 1970s and 1980s, the tyrannical ruler of the Star Wars galaxy had no further appellation Though his surname “Palpatine” was mentioned in the novelizations, as was his former office of senator, few but the most ardent fans paid it much regard The characters in the trilogy only referred to him by his royal title, and the films did not delve into who he was or where he had come from The Emperor was simply the Emperor: the baddest of the bad guys, the devil of the dark side, the ultimate symbol of evil in the universe The prequel trilogy, however, demystified the saga’s greatest villain, depicting Palpatine not as a one-dimensional monster, but as a multi-faceted character First introduced as the senator from Naboo in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999), Palpatine’s evil stems from a very human ambition for power and the decisions he makes to acquire it “What these films deal with is the fact that we all have good and evil inside of us and that we can choose which way we want the balance to go,” writer-director George Lucas told interviewer Bill Moyers at the time of the film’s release Lucas is saying that evil is not a raw, elemental force: it is a choice And Palpatine’s choices are nothing less than steps in a master plan to control the galaxy THE LONG GAME The Art of Deception ••• Lucas describes Palpatine in his screenplay for The Phantom Menace as a “thin, kindly man.” He is bright in both spirits and intellect, and offers what seems to be wise counsel to Naboo’s young monarch, Queen Amidala Nothing about him or his manners exposes any malicious intent In all aspects, he’s the consummate career politician: effortlessly charming, unceasingly goodnatured, and cognizant of when to lend advice and when not Although the political winds around him may be turbulent, he never succumbs to that turbulence He is a man without drama, harboring a seemingly inexhaustible supply of patience One might say he’s boring Yet underneath his respectful formality and unassuming smile lurks a cunning and craftiness that no one in the Senate detects Take his conference with Queen Amidala in his quarters on Coruscant, for example The queen has come to the Republic capital to implore the Senate for help in freeing her world from the Trade Federation’s blockade Palpatine is frank with her, saying there’s little chance the Senate will anything to 76 / STAR WARS INSIDER quash the invasion In fact, he describes the Senate as “full of greedy, squabbling delegates,” who only look out for their own constituencies and have no interest in the common good Nor does Supreme Chancellor Valorum escape his criticism Despite saying that the Senate’s leader is “mired down by baseless accusations of corruption,” and that a “manufactured scandal surrounds him,” Palpatine advises the smartest course of action would be to call for a vote of no confidence in Valorum and push for the election of a stronger Supreme Chancellor Without claiming any pretensions on the chancellorship, he in effect opens the door for his own election to that station Palpatine’s counsel indeed moves Queen Amidala to address the Senate and call for a vote of no confidence in the Supreme Chancellor, which sets into motion Valorum’s removal from office An interesting line of dialogue not in the film, but appearing in both Lucas’ screenplay and Patricia C Wrede’s junior novelization, shows the deposed chancellor’s reaction to Palpatine’s subterfuge After his leadership is thrown into doubt, Valorum turns toward the senator from Naboo and says, “Palpatine, I thought you were my ally—my friend You have betrayed me! How could you this?” The ghost of a smile that crosses Palpatine’s face reveals where his true loyalties lie Palpatine’s betrayal advances his own rise to power, as the Senate nominates him as Valorum’s replacement But Palpatine never confesses his designs on the chancellorship Rather, he presents himself to Queen Amidala as a champion of liberty, willing to make the sacrifice to restore the Republic: PALPATINE: “I promise, Your Majesty, if I am elected, I will bring democracy back to the Republic I will put an end to corruption.” Palpatine does win the election to become Supreme Chancellor, proving that oft-quoted political maxim, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Nonetheless, his ascent to the highest office in the galaxy is not his end goal, but only the first step in a grand scheme to take over the Republic from within BIRTH OF THE EMPEROR A variety of influences can inspire an artist’s creativity, and when it came to creating the Emperor, George Lucas was inspired by various sources An avid student of history, Lucas drew upon the fascist ideology of Nazi Germany’s Third Reich to serve as a model for the Empire and its Führer-like ruler Politics during the eras when Lucas was writing Star Wars and its prequels also had an impact During a 1981 story conference for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), Lucas was asked whether the Emperor was a Jedi, to which he answered: “No, he was a politician Richard M Nixon was his name He subverted the senate and finally took over and became an imperial guy and he was really evil But he pretended to be really nice.” In addition, one can’t discount a documentary Lucas made as a student at USC in 1967 Titled The Emperor, Lucas’ film is a portrait of Bob Hudson, a popular Southern California rock’n’roll DJ who appointed himself “Emperor” to his legions of young fans, and often costumed himself in robes and a turban While the genre and subject matter are far from that of Star Wars, the imaginary title Hudson gave himself—and the film’s title—might coincidentally have had an unconscious influence on the nomenclature and characters in Lucas’ space opera The Great Fraud ••• Ten years after the Trade Federation’s attempted takeover of Naboo, Palpatine remains Supreme Chancellor, while the galaxy is engulfed in a new crisis that threatens to split the Republic apart The Confederacy of Independent Systems, led by the onetime Jedi Master Count Dooku, are rallying members of the Republic to secede from the interplanetary government that has held the galaxy together for thousands of years Since the Jedi Knights cannot preserve law over such a large expanse, many senators want the Republic to build its own army, which it hasn’t maintained for millennia Others, like Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, who have lived through the misery of conflict, believe militarization will incite war on a massive scale Demonstrating why he’s held the chancellorship for so long, Palpatine presents himself as a man of reason, sympathetic to valid security concerns, yet reluctant to disrupt the ongoing peace negotiations with the Separatists In actuality, he’s playing both sides against each other to amass more power for himself He defers the mobilization vote, but when the Jedi Council learns the Separatists are assembling a droid army to attack the Republic, Palpatine agrees they must act Senator Amidala’s stand-in, Junior Naboo Representative Jar Jar Binks, convinces the Senate to vote to grant Supreme Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers so that he can move swiftly and commission an army on his own Palpatine pretends to be loath to accept such powers, going so far—in a scene in the shooting draft of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)—as to voice concerns to Yoda and Mace Windu before Representative Binks makes his case to the Senate He says it’s too extreme a situation, akin to a dictatorship Yet that is precisely what he will slowly with those powers: turn the Republic into a dictatorship, with himself installed as the sole leader For the moment, however, Palpatine tells the Senate the opposite, promising that his emergency powers are only temporary: PALPATINE: “It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling I love democracy I love the Republic The power you give me I will lay down when this crisis is abated.” With the new authority vested in him, Palpatine can what he wishes without Senate approval His first act is to create a Grand Army of the Republic, comprised of the clone soldiers whom Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers are being created and raised on Kamino Years before, the Jedi Master Sifo- Dyas had foreseen that the Republic would be engaged in a violent future conflict and had secretly ordered the Kaminoans to clone an army of soldiers Since Palpatine needs an army as quickly as he can get one, the clones are the most logical choice to fill its ranks The Jedi agree to lead these troopers on the field of battle as generals The fact that clones and Jedi make up the Republic’s infantry stifles public outcry Citizens are encouraged to serve in the Republic navy, but aren’t being conscripted for combat, so no one has to unwillingly sacrifice their life to wage war on other worlds This affords Palpatine a buffer from major political resistance during the initial stages of what become known as “the Clone Wars.” Nevertheless, as he watches clone troopers board and take off in assault ships at the end of Attack of the Clones, he is clearly solemn and sad, as if this was a desperately unwanted but necessary evil In truth, Palpatine’s plan has taken a giant leap forward, with the conflict throwing the galaxy into turmoil and bringing his goal of dictatorial power ever closer The Two Are One ••• Palpatine has an ally who aids his climb Some in the Jedi Council surmise that this mysterious figure may be the one behind all the galactic chaos, but they have not been able to locate him or confirm their suspicions The ally is a man of Palpatine’s age, stature, and physique, yet instead of the ornate dress of the chancellor, he wears simple zeydcloth robes, with his face cowled under a hood This man also has talents and powers beyond those which some would consider natural His name is Darth Sidious and he is a Sith, one of an ancient order of devotees to the dark side of the Force Though the Jedi believe they eradicated the Sith long ago, they have in fact survived: always in pairs, a master and an apprentice Over the last two decades, Sidious has spun his dark web, using his infernal powers to slowly, inexorably draw the Republic to the brink of collapse He has turned Count Dooku to his side, appointing him as his apprentice and giving him the name Darth Tyranus The two conspire to instigate the war between the Separatists and Republic, with the view that the Jedi will eventually fall and the Sith will re-establish security and order as new galactic rulers 78 / STAR WARS INSIDER Sidious’s greatest feat, however, is that he does all this not by hiding in the shadows but in plain sight For Palpatine’s dark ally is none other than Palpatine himself The mildmannered chancellor with the calm demeanor uses the public forum of politics as his platform to bend the galaxy to his will Palpatine reveals his identity as a Sith to the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, whose career he has watched with “great interest” since Qui-Gon Jinn rescued the boy from slavery on Tatooine Sidious is in need of a new apprentice after losing his first, Darth Maul, during the Naboo invasion, and having his second, Darth Tyranus, decapitated by Skywalker The young Jedi initially resists Palpatine’s persuasions, but is eventually convinced of the corruption of the Jedi and the supremacy of the Sith As a Jedi, Skywalker had not been able to save his mother from Tusken Raiders, but as a Sith, he can surrender to the dark side and potentially save his beloved Padmé from the death he’s witnessed in his nightmares Palpatine even convinces the young man that his wife may have ulterior motives PALPATINE: “These are unstable times for the Republic, Anakin Some see instability as an opportunity Senator Amidala is hiding something I can see it in her eyes.” As usual with Palpatine, the truth of the matter is that he is not speaking about Padmé, but himself He is the one who sees instability as an opportunity He is the one who is hiding something It is he who has orchestrated an all-encompassing plan that will soon reach its terrible climax Terminus ••• Unbeknownst to the Jedi generals, Count Dooku had the Kaminoans implant a biochip into the brains of the clone soldiers Upon activation, the chip would initiate “Clone Protocol 66,” also known as “Order 66,” which would force the clones to turn against the Jedi After the Jedi who come to arrest him are killed, Sidious initiates the fatal order to clone commanders in the field, who in turn relay the order to their troops The clone soldiers spin on their Jedi generals and fire, and in one fell swoop the order of brave knights that has guarded peace and justice for millennia is reduced to just a scant few What the Sith have long desired—but never been able to accomplish—Palpatine has achieved: revenge against the Jedi But he is not done yet With the Jedi Order finally extinguished, Palpatine executes the final step in his long quest for galactic control He goes before the Senate and declares that the Republic will be reorganized into a new governmental body to ensure security and continuing stability He will become the sovereign ruler, chosen for life Thus the Empire and the Emperor are born THE LONG GAME The Long Game ••• Palpatine is a patient villain, plotting his takeover for many years Politics is his ladder, allowing him to make most of his moves in the public eye so that the sagacious in the Jedi Order never see the full picture of what he plans to until it is too late In the Jedi’s defense, none of his choices seem evil on the surface; they are but political reactions to the direness of current events Moreover, Palpatine’s feigned hesitation to accept emergency powers or mobilize the Grand Army masks his true intentions Boring, unimposing Palpatine represents that most ordinary malevolence, an evil so banal that it is inconspicuous, even to the man himself For the evil doer never sees themselves as evil, demonstrating why even the most principled of men can convince themselves into perpetrating heinous acts Palpatine merely wants to establish his version of security and justice, with himself as the final arbiter Like his Sith predecessors, he believes the galaxy would be best served if it were under his command When Palpatine does announce himself as Emperor of the first Galactic Empire, it is, as Senator Amidala observes, to “thunderous applause.” After years of war, senators and citizens cheer on their new leader, surrendering their liberties for supposed safety and security But under this new Empire, that means oppression, domination, and blind allegiance to a New Order As the minds of the citizenry become normalized to Imperial rule, soon even the surname “Palpatine” starts to fade in the public consciousness, until only a title exists: The Emperor Boring, unimposing Palpatine represents that most ordinary malevolence, an evil so banal that it is inconspicuous STAR WARS INSIDER / 79 The Star Wars Archive Lights! Camera! Action! Rare images from the Star Wars photo archives 80 / STAR WARS INSIDER Makeup is applied to Hayden Christensen during production of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) The terrible burns signify the physical transition of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader STAR WARS INSIDER / 81 NEXT ISSUE U.S Newsstand Apr 30 U.K Newsagents 23 May 189 Star Wars: A New Hope We go behind-the-scenes of the original movie with producer Gary Kurtz and art director Leslie Dilley EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS! PETER MAYHEW The original Chewbacca on his Wookiee life DANIEL LOGAN The boy who became Boba Fett GREG HILDEBRANDT The fine art of painting movie posters + - “Only You Can Decide ” The Star Wars toys of a long time ago TOYS GAMES BOOKS COMICS FANS - Parallel Lives: Padmé and Leia Subscribe today at www.titanmagazines.com U.S 800 261 6502 | U.K 01778 392085 ISBN: 9781782767381 ISBN: 9781785867347 ISBN: 9781785863943 ISBN: 9781782763543 THE SEASON OF THE SNAKE YELLOW SUBMARINE SKY DOLL SUDRA DELUXE EDITION 2021: LOST CHILDREN Science fiction meets fantasy in this wonderfully crafted world where order and chaos both seek to reign! Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles Yellow Submarine comes this fully authorized graphic novel adaptation A gorgeous exploration of artificial intelligence, religion, love and what it means to be human Four superpowered children are the only hope of the USA retaking the breakaway city of Detroit Price: $39.99 Hardcover Collection Price: $16.99 Softcover Collection ISBN: 9781785864629 ISBN: 9781785867941 ISBN: 9781785867309 Price: $29.99 Hardcover Collection SEA OF THIEVES Explore and raid across the treacherous Sea of Thieves with this epic story based on the action-adventure game from Rare Studios Price: $16.99 Softcover Collection ISBN: 9781785863837 Price: $24.99 Softcover Collection ASSASSIN’S CREED UPRISING VOL.3 TYLER CROSS BLACK ROCK FIGHTING AMERICAN: THE TIES THAT BIND VOL.2 The Phoenix Project saga reaches its heady climax in this final chapter of Assassin’s Creed Uprising! Fearless and effortlessly suave, Tyler Cross proves crime does pay in the thrills of living life on the edge The further battles of Fighting American, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon’s legendary super hero, originally created back in 1954 Price: $19.99 Softcover Collection Price: $24.99 Hardcover Collection Price: $16.99 Softcover Collection AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD BOOKSTORES AND DIGITALLY AT TITAN-COMICS.COM SEASON OF THE SNAKE: © LIBRAIRE L’ATALANTE, 2007, YELLOW SUBMARINE: © 2018 SUBA LMS LTD, A YELLOW SUBMARINE™ PRODUCT™, OF SUBAFILMS LTD © 1968, AUTHORISED BEATLES™ MERCHANDISE SKY DOLL: © EDITIONS SOLEIL / BARBUCCI / CANEPA, 2021: © EDITIONS SOLEIL 2012, 2013 BETBEDER / BERVAS, SEA OF THIEVES: © COPYRIGHT 2018 MICROSOFT CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MICROSOFT, RARE, THE RARE LOGO, SEA OF THIEVES, THE SEA OF THIEVES LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF THE MICROSOFT GROUP OF COMPANIES, ASSASSIN’S CREED: © 2017 UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ASSASSIN’S CREED, UBISOFT, AND THE UBISOFT LOGO ARE REGISTERED OR UNREGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT IN THE US AND/OR OTHER COUNTRIES TYLER CROSS : © 2015 DARGAUD - BRÜNO NURY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.THE NAME HARD CASE CRIME AND THE HARD CASE CRIME LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF WINTERFALL LLC, FIGHTING AMERICAN: © 1954, 2018 JOSEPH H SIMON AND THE ESTATE OF JACK KIRBY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ... www.titanmagazines.com/ digitial FACEBOOK.COM/STARWARSINSIDER @SW _INSIDER Visit www.starwars.com Star Wars Insider is published eight times per year (January/February, March, April, May/June, July, August/September,... location Insider recently spoke to Patrice Girod, who has designed a brand new set of pins for Disneyland Paris that will be available from spring 2019 A 12 / STAR WARS INSIDER Star Wars Insider: ... issue #21 that will star characters from the original trilogy Star Wars Adventures #20 hits stores on March 13 STAR WARS INSIDER / 17 THE SKYWALKER SAGA THE POWER OF LOVE Star Wars: Revenge of the