Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Star Wars:
Shadows of the Empire
Author George Lucas (characters)
Steve Perry (novel)
John Wagner (comic)
Country United States
Language English
Series Canon C
Subject Star Wars
Genre Science fiction
Publisher LucasArts (video game)
Bantam Books (novel)
Dark Horse Comics (comic)
Publication date
 1996
Media type Paperback,
Computer and video games: Nintendo 64, Windows

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a multimedia project created by Lucasfilm Ltd. in 1996. The original idea was to create a story set between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (a time no Star Wars novel had explored before), and to explore all commercial possibilities of a full motion picture release, without actually making a film. The venture reinvigorated interest in the franchise ahead of the theatrical Special Editions of the Star Wars trilogy in the following year.

Several products were released, including a novel, a junior novelization, comic book series, video games, trading cards, a soundtrack, role-playing games,[1] toy figurines, vinyl dolls, a series of Micro Machines toys,[1] statuettes,[1] model kits,[1] posters,[1] and a series of action figures and vehicles. The Force Unleashed later followed in the project's footsteps by creating the multimedia involved in a film's release without any movie to support it. Author Steve Perry has expressed his support of adapting the story as an animated film.[2][3]:i

Novel

Shadows of the Empire
Author Steve Perry
Cover artist Drew Struzan
Country United States
Language English
Subject Star Wars
Genre Science fiction
Publisher Bantam Spectra
Publication date

Hardcover:
1 April 1996

Paperback:
3 March 1997
Pages

Hardcover: 340

Paperback: 416
ISBN 0-553-10089-0

The main plotline is told in Steve Perry's novel, Shadows of the Empire, published by Bantam Books. It introduces Prince Xizor, the Falleen overlord of the largest criminal organization in the galaxy, Black Sun. His goal is to take Darth Vader's place at Emperor Palpatine's side. The novel also resumes the storylines of the usual characters. Han Solo is still frozen in carbonite, being taken to the gangster Jabba the Hutt by the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Princess Leia's secret search for Boba Fett is narrated, as well as the construction of Luke Skywalker's new lightsaber and Vader's search for his son.

The book introduces a new character to the saga, Dash Rendar, a Han Solo-esque smuggler, who acts primarily as a replacement for Solo and in action scenes. A prequel novel was also planned, and was to be written by author Charles Grant. The novel was cancelled, apparently due to a Lucasfilm Licensing move from Bantam to Del Rey Books.

Author Steve Perry got the job after writing the novelizations of The Mask for Bantam, and Aliens based upon graphic novels by Dark Horse Comics, which had been licensed by Lucasfilm to create Star Wars comics. In addition to the original Star Wars trilogy, Perry read the first spin-off novel in the franchise, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, to get an idea of how to write for Vader.[2]

Comics

The comic book emphasizes the destiny of Boba Fett and his fellow bounty hunters, first seen in a brief scene on The Empire Strikes Back. It also tells the story of Jix, Darth Vader's assistant, who infiltrated Jabba the Hutt's gang of bikers to prevent that band's attempt to murder Luke Skywalker. The series was written by John Wagner and illustrated by Kilian Plunkett.

The comics were written and drawn at the same time of the novel, so the first issue could be released immediately after the book. However, the story told by the comics is unique in many ways. The primary difference is that the comics tell what happened to Boba Fett and the other bounty hunters hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back. Steve Perry, author of the project's novel, was a story consultant. While the stories in the book and comics seldom intersected, it was necessary that characters, scenes, and dialogue match when they did come together.

Cover of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire – Evolution

Excerpts from the comic were published in Nintendo Power magazine.[4] Two separate mini-comics were released with Micro Machines toys (with three alternative covers) and Ertl model kits.[5] A pop-up comic was also made, entitled Battle of the Bounty Hunters.[6]

Sequel

A sequel was written to the original Shadows of the Empire novel, called Shadows of the Empire: Evolution, which was created in the form of a series of five comic books. These issues were later combined in a trade paperback. The series was the first foray into comics by Steve Perry.

The story is set around the time of Return of the Jedi. Xizor, the leader of the Black Sun criminal organization, has been destroyed, and Guri, a beautiful human-replica droid and Xizor's personal assassin introduced in the first book, is left wondering what her future will hold now that she no longer has anyone to answer to. Throughout the ongoing struggle for underworld supremacy, Guri endeavors to uncover hints of her human side-if it even exists. But in her quest to alter her programming and gain humanity, Guri becomes the quarry of both bounty hunters and rebels (led by a soon-to-be Jedi named Luke). Secrets lay buried in her android mind that make her such valuable prey.

Game

LucasArts's Shadows of the Empire was one of the first games available for the Nintendo 64, and later for Windows. The most commercial product in the Shadows of the Empire line, the game was first released in December 1996 as an exclusive N64 title five months after the console's launch.[7] The PC version came nearly a year later in September 1997.[8]

In the game, players control mercenary Dash Rendar in his efforts to help Luke Skywalker and rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor's hands. It is divided into four parts (or chapters):

  • Chapter 1: Dash is drawn into the Battle of Hoth.
  • Chapter 2: Dash Rendar confronts bounty hunters from the original films — IG-88 and Boba Fett — in an attempt to reacquire Han Solo.
  • Chapter 3: Boba Fett has escaped and the player's mission changes: you must now save Luke Skywalker's life by fighting a deadly gang of swoop bikers in Mos Eisley, then recover secret Imperial plans for the second Death Star with Luke's help.
  • Chapter 4: Dash Rendar, with Luke and Lando Calrissian, travels to Coruscant to rescue Princess Leia from Prince Xizor's stronghold.

Certain parts of the game contradict elements from the book and comic book, but the overall story remains the same.

The N64 and PC versions of the video game differ somewhat. The PC version has sharper and smoother gameplay graphics when using a 3D card. Both versions have slightly different cutscenes - the PC version has full-motion cinematic cutscenes with sound effects and voices, while the N64 version utilizes artwork with text at the bottom of the screen.

Soundtrack

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Soundtrack album to the novel Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire by Joel McNeely
Released April 23, 1996
Recorded City Hall; Glasgow, 1996
Genre Classical
Length 51:27
Label Varèse Sarabande[1]
Producer Robert Townson
Soundtrack
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
SoundtrackNet link
FilmTracks link
Soundtrack-Express link
iTunes link

Varèse Sarabande published a score composed by Joel McNeely, after a suggestion by John Williams, and performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus. Themes from the movies can be heard in tracks one (the main theme from Star Wars and "Carbon Freeze") and eight ("The Imperial March" and "The Force Theme"). The tenth track also contains credited appearances of "The Imperial March". The disc also includes an interactive track for personal computers, containing concept art and additional information about the project. The multimedia track includes an overview of the Shadows of the Empire project; a creative team gallery; information about McNeely, the orchestra, and the efforts to put together a soundtrack for the novel; and information about the book, the game, the comic series, and the toys based on the characters. The liner notes give plot summaries for each track's corresponding section of the novel. McNeely wrote, "Unlike with film music, I have been allowed to let my imagination run free with the images, characters and events from this story. I have also had the luxury to loiter as long as I like with a character or scene. Every passage represents some person, place or event in this story."

Ben Burtt wrote a poem for the liner notes, about an ancient battle on Coruscant, which McNeely used in some compositions.[9] In the lyrics, Burtt made references to the Droids series he was involved in writing.

Track listing

  1. "Main Theme from Star Wars and Leia's Nightmare" – 3:41
  2. "The Battle of Gall" – 7:59
  3. "Imperial City" – 8:02
  4. "Beggar's Canyon Chase" – 2:56
  5. "The Southern Underground" – 1:48
  6. "Xizor's Theme" – 4:35
  7. "The Seduction of Princess Leia" – 3:38
  8. "Night Skies" – 4:17
  9. "Into the Sewers" – 2:55
  10. "The Destruction of Xizor's Palace" – 10:44

Toys

Kenner was one of the companies that made the toy line for the Shadows of the Empire project.[1] Their line contained action figures (including new characters such as Xizor and Dash Rendar), vehicles (from the Outrider to swoop bikes) and "two-pack" pairings of new and classic characters (such as IG-88 and Boba Fett). The classic characters figures were given a new spin with Chewbacca disguised as Snoova, a Wookiee bounty hunter, and Luke Skywalker costumed in an Imperial uniform (all the better to infiltrate Imperial City).

Lewis Galoob Toys, famous for their line of "Micro Machines" miniature toys and playsets, also developed a full Shadows of the Empire toy line. It included three sets of miniatures and a boxed Action Fleet set with two swoop bikes and riders and four miniature articulated figures. Also included in the sets are the classic Star Wars characters (Luke, Vader, the Emperor) as well as the new Shadows characters (Xizor, Dash Rendar, Guri and Leebo).

Kenner action figures

Kenner vehicles

The model making company Ertl released several plastic model kits of Shadows of the Empire, including the Virago (Xizor's spaceship), Prince Xizor, and the Emperor.

Collectible and gift company Applause released two vinyl figures, of Dash Rendar and Prince Xizor as well as a cold-cast resin statuette of the villains: Xizor, the Emperor and Darth Vader.

Trading cards

The Topps company developed the Shadows of the Empire trading card line.[1] The 100-piece Shadows of the Empire card set from Topps represents all three platforms that tell the story—the book, comic series, and game. The cards are the work of Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, the twin artists who painted one of the more popular original Star Wars release posters. The 100 card set featured double UV-coating and an extra-thick 20 pt. card stock, all with full-bleed painted images on a 21/2" x 31/2" card. The Shadows of the Empire card series is highlighted by 72 cards that virtually storyboard the events in Steve Perry's novel. The series also contains six cards dedicated to vehicles, another six to the comics, and six more keyed to the video game. Each pack came with nine cards.

References in other media

Original trilogy

In the 1997 Special Edition re-release of A New Hope, Shadows swoop bikes and ASP labor droids make an appearance, as does Dash Rendar's ship, the Outrider. Though originally developed for the Special Edition of A New Hope, the Sentinel-class landing craft (also known as the "Imperial landing craft") also made its first appearance in Shadows of the Empire.

Radio

In the 1996 Return of the Jedi radio drama, Brian Daley makes several references to events from Shadows.

Comic

A tie-in comic book series was released from writer Ryder Windham in January 2000. The comic book series was known as Star Wars: Shadow Stalker, and was a prelude to the original Shadows of the Empire story. The new comic expanded on the adventures of the character, Jix, from the original story. The series also incorporated characters from the Archie Goodwin Star Wars newspaper strip story "Iceworld", reprinted by Dark Horse comics in Classic Star Wars.

Video game

Several missions in the X-Wing Alliance computer game refer to the Shadows timeline, including the missions to acquire the design schematics of the Death Star II. The game depicts assisting Dash Rendar in the capture of the Imperial freighter Suprosa, which was carrying the secret plans to the second Death Star. Also, Dash Rendar's YT-2400 Outrider can be seen in the game. The Outrider can also be seen very very briefly in the GameCube and PS2 game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, in the sequence after the opening crawl and after The Dooku/Palpatine conversation. Once the space arena comes into view, the Outrider flies from the bottom middle of the screen towards the lower right side.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Shopping for Shadows". GamePro. No. 96. IDG. September 1996. p. 30.
  2. 1 2 Perry, Steve (March 2010). "Steve Perry (Author)". Star Wars Interviews. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  3. ↑ Wagner, John (1997). Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire TPB. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1569711835.
  4. ↑ "Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire". Nintendo Power (92): 38.
  5. ↑ "Cover gallery: Shadows of the Empire". The Star Wars Expanded Universe Timeline. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Star Wars: Battle of the Bounty Hunters Pop-Up Book :: Profile". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  7. ↑ Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, MobyGames, accessed December 22, 2006.
  8. ↑ IGN: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, IGN PC, accessed December 22, 2006.
  9. ↑ "Scoring the Trilogy". Star Wars Insider. Titan Magazines (29).
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