Marvel Comics has recently sent ripples through the Star Wars fandom by announcing a new era of storytelling set to launch in October 2024.
With the intriguing tagline, “The Final Battle of the Galactic Civil War Begins,” we get a pretty good hint at what to expect moving forward at least at a high level.
Back when it was announced that the Charles Soule Star Wars run (that kicked off in 2020) was going to end with issue #50 alongside Darth Vader by Greg Pak I made a series of predictions. One of my predictions said:
#1 – We’ll get a new main Star Wars run that takes place in the New Republic. And, just like Star Wars: Shattered Empire from a few years back and The Mandalorian TV show, it will deal with stories related to the aftermath of the Galactic Civil War. Likely giving us more stories with Mon Mothma rebuilding the Republic, Luke Skywalker training Leia and building his new Jedi Order, and Lando/Han doing Lando/Han things.
With the new information we just got, here’s my updated prediction:
We’re heading to the Battle of Jakku, and this time, we’ll see Luke Skywalker’s involvement in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi—a narrative gap that the Aftermath trilogy notably left untouched.
A New Focus: The Battle of Jakku
The Battle of Jakku, the final confrontation between the New Republic and the remnants of the Galactic Empire that happened a year after the fall of Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, is a significant event in Star Wars lore and the reason we see Rey scavenging destroyed Star Destroyers in The Force Awakens.
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This battle marked the definitive end of Imperial dominance and set the stage for the galaxy we see in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Force Awakens. In full transparency, I have not read the Aftermath trilogy by Chuck Wendig but by most accounts, it did an excellent job exploring this pivotal period of uncertainty for the Rebellion and The Empire.
The main complaint? It conspicuously left out one of the galaxy’s most important figures: Luke Skywalker.
Why Luke Skywalker?
First off, Luke is THE guy at this point in the galaxy. From the viewpoint of The Empire and the Rebellion, he went into the Death Star to confront Darth Sidious and Darth Vader and came out as the only survivor. Fella is a kriffin’ legend.
Plus, as I mentioned above, Luke’s absence in the Aftermath trilogy has always been a topic of discussion among fans. He’s mentioned, but he’s not central to the story.
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We know that after the fall of the Empire, Luke embarked on a journey to learn more about the Jedi Order and the Force. However, his specific actions and contributions during this time remain largely shrouded in mystery.
Marvel’s new series presents a perfect opportunity to fill in these gaps. Luke’s involvement in the Battle of Jakku would not only provide fans with long-awaited content about their favorite Jedi but also enrich the storyline with his unique perspective and formidable skills.
There are also hints in The Legends of Luke Skywalker that hint that Luke was involved in some capacity.
Potential Storylines
Luke’s Quest for Jedi Knowledge:
We could see Luke on his quest for Jedi artifacts and knowledge, which leads him to key locations and events tied to the Battle of Jakku. This would align with the hints dropped in various Star Wars media about his search for the first Jedi temple and ancient Jedi lore.
I think Gretta and Doctor Cuata could play a role in this. They were both introduced in
Master and Apprentice
I can almost guarantee that we’ll see Luke taking on a more active role in mentoring new Force-sensitive individuals he encounters during his travels, including Leia. This could provide a deeper look into his efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order and provide great character moments between he and his sister.
This was already teased in Star Wars: Hidden Empire. It’s coming. Will Leia be the first pregnant padawan??
Strategic Involvement
While Luke might not be leading troops on the front lines, his strategic mind and powerful connection to the Force could be pivotal in key moments of the battle.
His presence could offer insights into how the New Republic managed to decisively defeat the remaining Imperial forces.
In all reality, Luke SHOULD be involved in this. He’s the most powerful being in the galaxy at this point and it would be odd for the Rebellion/New Republic to not involve him.
Personal Growth:
Exploring Luke’s personal journey during this time would add layers to his character that are missing during the Sequel Trilogy.
How does he deal with the weight of his lineage, the expectations of being a Jedi, the loss of his father, and the fear of falling down the same path? These are compelling questions that Marvel’s new series could delve into.
The Imperial Remnant and the Rise of the First Order
While I don’t think we’ll get a ton of fully formed First Order content I do think that we’ll get plenty of hints and context dropped to add to what we’ve seen in Star Wars: Shattered Empire, Star Wars Aftermath, Battlefront, Star Wars: Tie Fighter, Star Wars: Poe Dameron. Etc.
I could see a new “Raw Sloane” type Imperial being introduced or expanded on in canon.
Familiar Comic Faces
I’d be shocked if there weren’t tie-ins to Doctor Aphra, some underworld characters, Inferno Squadron, loose ends from the most recent runs, Etc. In my prediction posts a few months back I wrote:
#2 – We’ll get a new Star Wars: Doctor Aphra run. In the last two years, Star Wars and Marvel Comics have put out a one-shot comic called Star Wars: Revelations. This comic is intended to tease future storylines for the following year. In Star Wars: Revelations we got short stories which included Jango Fett, Mace Windu, Keeve Trennis, Salli Georgio, Darth Vader, the Rik Duel gang, and Doctor Aphra.
All of the revelations have come true aside from the last two. As for Aphra, they’re clearly setting up a new Aphra series in this by introducing a new adversary for her in Raslin Grace. My guess is that this starts in September or October 2024. This will likely be set in the New Republic Era.
#3 – We’ll get a new Star Wars underworld type of comic to replace the recently concluded Bounty Hunters story. It will likely include SOME of the characters from Bounty Hunters and the Rik Duel gang. It makes sense for this kind of story to be told in the New Republic era as the underworld and outer rim territories became a bit of a free-for-all after the Empire fell.
I think this will be involved in some way. Maybe not in the Luke Skywalker series only, but for sure in a separate run that has some crossover moments.
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What This Means for Fans
For Star Wars lore honks, this announcement is exciting. For me, it is at least. It signals not only new stories and adventures but also the chance to revisit and expand upon pivotal moments in the Star Wars timeline.
Seeing Luke Skywalker’s role in the final days of the Galactic Civil War could tie together various threads from the original trilogy, the sequels, and the extended universe.
Plus I’d imagine we’d get insight into everything that is happening during The Mandalorian and Ahsoka as it relates to the Empire.
Conclusion
As we approach October 2024, the anticipation for Marvel’s new Star Wars era is palpable. A change was really needed. There’s only so much that can happen between Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. One could argue that TOO MUCH happened already. So a change in time period and setting was needed to rejuvenate the Star Wars comics fan base.
While my prediction about focusing on the Battle of Jakku and Luke Skywalker’s involvement is speculative, it is grounded in the gaps and opportunities within the current Star Wars narrative and clues given over the last year.
Should be a lot of fun.
May the Force be with you!
