Star Wars: Legacy Volume II Book 4—Empire of One, a trade paperback belonging to the Star Wars Legends continuity, compiles issues 16 through 18 of the comic series Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, along with issue 0½ from the original Star Wars: Legacy comic book series. Dark Horse Books released it to the public on October 28, 2014.
Ania Solo and her allies unknowingly venture into a confrontation with the Sith that could dramatically shift the galaxy's balance of power as they embark on a secret rescue operation! This collection includes Star Wars: Legacy issues #16–#18 and #0½.
- Also featured is the updated handbook detailing the Legacy era!
Jao Assam, the Imperial Knight who accompanies Ania Solo, was compelled to put his pursuit of the renegade Sith Darth Wredd on hold after Ania Solo was abducted. Wredd's objective was to assassinate Marasiah Fel, the Galactic Empress and leader of the Imperial Knights. Following a difficult rescue mission, Ania was taken into custody for the supposed murder of Teemen Alton, an Imperial Knight. Jao, however, was successful in exonerating Ania by producing evidence indicating that a deceased bounty hunter was the actual perpetrator, having attempted to incriminate her. Although the Galactic Federation Triumvirate acquitted Ania and set her free, Jao Assam was subsequently apprehended and incarcerated for abandoning the Imperial Knights, a crime punishable by death. While imprisoned, he received a visit from Darth Wredd, his target, who sought to enlist him as his Sith apprentice and presented him with a means of escaping his predicament—a Sith lightsaber.
Following Jao Assam's confinement, Ania Solo endeavored to secure an audience with Galactic Empress Marasiah Fel in an attempt to secure leniency for the Imperial Knight. Her efforts were thwarted by Antares Draco, a senior Imperial Knight, who insisted that the Empress would not alter her stance. Failing in her attempt, Ania returned to AG-37's freighter, which was docked at a spaceport on Coruscant. Meanwhile, Darth Wredd and Jao made their escape aboard a starship, causing damage to the prison wall and killing several stormtroopers in the process. Subsequent to Jao's departure, Ania was apprehended by stormtroopers and brought before Empress Fel, who had decided to grant the junk dealer a meeting.
During their conversation, Empress Fel confided in Ania that she believed Jao Assam had not succumbed to the dark side of the Force, but was instead acting in accordance with his convictions. Nevertheless, the Empress was hesitant to contravene the law by displaying partiality towards Jao, who had defied orders to pursue Darth Wredd. Despite this dilemma, the Empress envisioned a solution to Jao's legal predicament. Should Ania locate Jao and bring him back, she would be open to exploring a loophole to circumvent the desertion charges. Empress Fel entrusted Ania and her companions with a squad of Trandoshan stormtroopers and dispatched them to rescue Jao. The rescue mission commenced aboard AG-37's freighter.
In the meantime, Darth Wredd and Jao arrived on the celestial body known as Mala. Wredd proceeded to share his life story and background with Jao, who was being held captive. Wredd revealed that he had discovered his Force-sensitive abilities during his youth while growing up on Mala. Unable to join the Jedi Order because it had gone into hiding following the Massacre at Ossus, Wredd instead honed his skills as a swordsman and became the champion of his village. Near the conclusion of the Second Imperial Civil War, Wredd's world was decimated by the One Sith, who tested a bioweapon on it. This act eradicated all life and displaced the planet from its orbit, causing it to drift in space. While Wredd was spared, he was forcibly made an apprentice to a Sith master.
Wredd held a profound animosity towards the One Sith as a result of the destruction of his homeworld and the loss of his family. He then detailed how he had murdered his master and assumed the identity of Yalta Val, an Imperial Knight, during the Carreras Incident. With his master gone, Wredd was now at liberty to destabilize the galaxy. When Jao voiced his skepticism, Wredd presented a fragment of his broken sword as proof of his sincerity. Wredd then arranged for Jao to break free from his cell and transmit the coordinates of their planet to Ania Solo. As planned, Ania and her companions received the coordinates for Mala and promptly recognized it as the same elusive floating world they had encountered during the Carreras Incident.
AG-37's freighter touched down near the remnants of the Carreras G51 communications array, which had been destroyed when Mala collided with it during the Carreras Incident. After instructing her stormtroopers not to send any outgoing transmissions, Ania's rescue team explored a cave. Unbeknownst to Ania, one of the stormtroopers disobeyed and sent a transmission to an unknown party, later revealed to be the Fel Empire. Inside the cave, they discovered Jao, held captive and suspended by restraints. After freeing him, Jao revealed that Darth Wredd's intention was to lure the Imperials to Mala. Shortly thereafter, a fleet of civilian starships landed near the Carreras communications array.
It became apparent that these new arrivals comprised a sizable army of One Sith, who had discovered Darth Wredd's location and were determined to hunt him down. Fanoste, the Sith leader who was posing as a diplomat, believed that Ania and the Imperials were harboring the rogue Sith and ordered his followers to attack them. During the ensuing battle, Darth Wredd emerged and assisted Ania's group by eliminating several Sith with his lightsaber. He also provided Jao with a Sith lightsaber, enabling the Imperial Knight to join the fray. Despite their valiant efforts, Ania's party was quickly overwhelmed by the One Sith horde and forced to retreat into the Carreras communications array.
Wredd and Jao temporarily hindered the One Sith's advance by pushing a wrecked section of the communications array onto them, crushing many Sith. This allowed Ania, Sauk, AG-37, and the stormtroopers to fall back to a trench within the communications array. Sauk confronted the stormtrooper who had sent the transmissions, accusing him of working for the Sith. However, the stormtrooper maintained his innocence and affirmed his loyalty to Empress Fel. At that moment, Wredd arrived and declared that he was the Sith's true target.
Darth Wredd also attempted to justify his actions by claiming that he was aiding the Galactic Federation Triumvirate in eradicating the Sith. He also confided in Jao about his aspirations to reinstate the Rule of Two. Wredd saw the disillusioned Jao as a potential apprentice. While acknowledging their temporary alliance, Jao reiterated his allegiance to the Empress and his unwavering commitment to the light side. As their argument intensified, the One Sith army caught up with Ania's party and Wredd. Amidst the fighting, Imperial reinforcements under Empress Fel herself arrived at the communications array. A squadron of Predator-class fighters flew over the trench and strafed several Sith. After the One Sith rejected an ultimatum from the Imperial authorities to surrender, the Empress deployed her Imperial Knights and stormtroopers onto the battlefield, marking the beginning of the second phase of the Battle of the Floating World.
A fierce and bitter conflict erupted between the Sith and the Imperial Knights, with neither side willing to yield. Within hours, the battlefield was littered with the bodies of countless Sith and Imperial Knights. During the fighting, Antares Draco, the commander of the Imperial forces, was wounded by a One Sith fighter. However, he was rescued by Ania and Sauk, who tended to his injuries. Following the incapacitation of Draco, her lover, Empress Fel entered the fray. Ania and Sauk also supported the Imperial forces by detonating a Chadra-Fan Lander that the Sith were using. Darth Wredd also assisted the Imperial Knights by eliminating numerous Sith, seeking vengeance for the destruction of his homeworld and the loss of his family.
Empress Fel reunited with Jao during the battle and cautioned him against trusting their Sith ally. Both Knights concurred that a Sith was solely driven by hatred. By day's end, the Imperial Knights had successfully eliminated all Sith resistance, with the exception of Darth Wredd. AG-37 speculated that all of the Sith infiltrators in the galaxy had perished in the fighting. Marasiah Fel instructed the Imperial shuttle Neuer to evacuate the wounded Imperials and ordered her Knights to search for any surviving Sith. While attending to the wounded Antares Draco, Empress Fel was stabbed in the chest by Darth Wredd, who had emerged from hiding.
Before the rogue Sith could complete his task, Jao intervened and pursued Wredd up a cliff. A fierce lightsaber duel ensued, and Jao managed to sever both of Darth Wredd's hands with his lightsaber. Wredd then implored Jao Assam to finish him off, hoping that Jao would kill him in anger and succumb to the dark side. He insisted that the Sith had to be eradicated for the sake of the galaxy and in remembrance of his family. However, Jao refused to kill Wredd, having discerned his plan. Ultimately, Wredd was killed by Ania Solo, who shot him in the chest with a blaster. Following the battle, the wounded Empress Fel was evacuated, and Jao reconciled with Master Yalta Val. Jao reasoned that Darth Wredd had orchestrated the entire battle to punish and destroy the One Sith for the harm they had inflicted on his homeworld.
Following the events on Mala, Ania Solo and her companions made their way back to Coruscant. Ania secured an audience with Empress Marasiah Fel, who was confined to bed and recovering from her injuries. In gratitude for Ania's assistance and bravery, Fel offered her the position of captain of her personal guard. Ania declined the offer but succeeded in persuading the Empress to drop the desertion charges against Jao Assam. Jao was also granted permission to leave the Imperial Knights and join Ania and her companions on their galactic travels.
Before their departure, Jao Assam had a final meeting with his mentor, Master Yalta Val. With the apparent demise of the Sith, Empress Fel announced plans to reform the Order by removing the requirement that the Knights pledge complete allegiance to the Empress. Jao also vowed to his Master that he would never stray from the light side of the Force. Jao's Imperial comm droid was also permitted to join Ania's group. After embracing Val for the last time, Jao departed with Ania's companions into space.
By the following year, Ania and her companions were journeying throughout the galaxy. While visiting a cantina, Sauk successfully acquired a retrofitted stabilizing coil from Jariah Syn and his associates Cade Skywalker and Deliah Blue. Sauk's purchase of the starship component proved timely. Shortly thereafter, Sauk, Ania, Jao, and AG-37 were ambushed.
- ISBN 9781616555535 ; October 28 , 2014 ; Dark Horse Books ; US paperback [1]
- Legacy (2013) 16
- Legacy (2013) 17
- Legacy (2013) 18
- Star Wars: Legacy 0½