Star Wars: Shattered Empire, alternatively known as Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Shattered Empire, is a miniseries consisting of four comic book issues. It was brought to life by writer Greg Rucka and artists Marco Checchetto along with Andres Mossa. As a component of the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens publishing initiative, it was released by Marvel Comics between September 9, 2015 and October 21, 2015, receiving favorable critical reception.
This series unfolds directly following the events depicted in the 1983 movie, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. It delves into the galactic-scale consequences of Emperor Palpatine's death during the Battle of Endor. The narrative of the four issues is centered around Rebel pilot Shara Bey, her husband, Kes Dameron, and a collection of supporting characters, which include Star Wars original trilogy icons Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa.
The twenty-year reign of terror orchestrated by Emperor Palpatine met its sudden and explosive conclusion above Endor's forest moon. While this marked a clear victory for the Rebel Alliance, the Empire's Moffs and regional governors, backed by the Imperial Starfleet's power, maintained control over crucial systems spanning from the Core to the Outer Rim, even in the absence of their leader. Now, with the Empire's leadership void, these Moffs will vie for dominance and influence. The Rebel Alliance's heroes will soon realize that an Empire, though wounded and divided, can pose an even greater danger than any previous threat! For the first time within the new Star Wars canon, join us as we explore the period following the conclusion of Return of the Jedi!
In 4 ABY, the Battle of Endor is in full swing as the Rebel Alliance confronts the Galactic Empire in a high-stakes assault on the second Death Star. As Alliance Pathfinders on the Forest Moon of Endor strive to deactivate the space station's deflector shield generator, the Alliance Fleet struggles to buy them sufficient time, battling Imperial starfighters. Among the Rebel starfighters are the RZ-1 A-wing interceptors of Green Squadron, including Rebel pilot [Shara Bey](/article/shara_bey], who is anxious about her husband Kes Dameron, a Pathfinder stationed on the moon below. As the Rebel pilots endure losses, the Death Star's shields are deactivated, and Green Squadron initiates an attack on the battle station. Alongside her fellow Green Squadron pilots, Bey supports Gold Leader Lando Calrissian during his assault run.
Bey monitors for Imperial starships evacuating the Death Star and spots a Lambda-class shuttle attempting to escape. As Bey moves to intercept the shuttle, she is called off by Commander Luke Skywalker, who reveals himself to be piloting the Imperial vessel. Skywalker heads toward Endor, and Bey provides cover from attackers. Once they are safe from enemy starfighters, Bey tells Skywalker, "May the Force be with you." Shortly after, the Death Star explodes—the result of Calrissian's attack—signaling a pivotal victory for the Rebel Alliance.
After regrouping aboard a Rebel starship, Bey approaches Lieutenant L'ulo L'ampar—a Duros pilot and the newly appointed leader of Green Squadron—and requests permission to join the celebration on Endor. Aware of Bey's concern for her husband, L'ampar grants her request. As the Rebels celebrate alongside the native Ewok population, Bey searches for Dameron. Bey finds Pathfinder General Han Solo with Calrissian and asks Solo about the location of the rest of the Pathfinder team. Solo directs Bey to one of the village huts, and Calrissian praises her piloting skills.
Inside the hut, Bey reunites with Dameron, and they take a walk. From the Ewok village, Bey and Dameron observe fireworks, discussing their victory and their future. Bey and Dameron express their affection for one another. The next morning, Solo summons Dameron, who is gathering the Pathfinders to report an Imperial holdout on the moon's far side. Bey volunteers to pilot the Pathfinder assault craft, and the Rebels, accompanied by some Ewoks, launch their attack.
The Imperial soldiers are quickly overpowered by the Pathfinders. With the area secured, the Rebels enter the outpost while Bey waits in the assault craft. After some time, Solo and Dameron emerge from the facility. Solo explains that they discovered Imperial communications and plans, summarizing, "It's not over yet."
Despite Emperor Palpatine's death aboard the Death Star, Imperial propaganda prevents news of his demise from reaching many worlds. Dispersed Imperial forces continue their fight to maintain power, straining the already exhausted Rebellion. On the Star Destroyer Torment, Imperial Captain Lerr Duvat is visited by a red-robed sentinel droid carrying a posthumous message from Palpatine. The message reveals that Duvat has been chosen for a special honor: participating in Operation: Cinder, a contingency plan designed to destroy the Rebellion. After receiving further instructions, Duvat orders Lieutenant Gulin to set a new course, and the messenger departs.
Seventeen days after the Battle of Endor, Cawa City on Sterdic IV is in chaos as the A-wings of Green Squadron attempt to liberate the Imperial-controlled metropolis. Bey maneuvers her starfighter between the legs of an All Terrain Armored Transport, eliminating a TIE fighter that is pursuing Green Leader L'ampar. The Duros leads Green Squadron in providing cover for Feral Group, a squadron of Y-wing bombers. However, Bey's A-wing is hit, preventing her from evading the enemy. L'ampar shoots down Bey's attacker, and the Y-wings release their payload, destroying the Imperial walker.
After the battle, Bey delivers the damaged A-wing to Rebel technician Wiley and is then approached by L'ampar. Bey and L'ampar discuss her dedication to the Rebellion. L'ampar comments that Bey is overworking herself and asks when she last spoke to her husband or son, Poe. Bey replies that she spoke with Poe the previous week but that Dameron is on Pathfinder operations with Solo. L'ampar assures Bey that Dameron is safe and promises to find her some easier assignments to allow her to rest.
Three days later, Bey arrives at Rebel Fleet Command, assigned to pilot Princess Leia Organa on a diplomatic mission. Bey finds Organa in conversation with Mon Mothma. Organa is hesitant to leave her duties for the mission, but Mothma insists that her skills and reputation are essential. Bey introduces herself to Organa, and they both board a GX1 short hauler. Organa informs Bey that they will be flying without escort, and they jump to lightspeed to reach a pre-programmed destination.
The vessel arrives in the city of Theed on the planet Naboo, the homeworld of Palpatine. Bey and Organa are greeted by Governor Donta Gesset, who escorts them to the Royal Palace to meet with Queen Sosha Soruna. In the palace throne room, Organa requests Naboo's support as the Rebellion begins to form the New Republic. As Soruna agrees to Organa's proposal, Naboo experiences a sudden, planet-wide blackout. Simultaneously, in the planet's orbit, the Star Destroyer Torment deploys satellites as part of a climate disruption array as Captain Duvat carries out the late Emperor's command: the destruction of Naboo.
At the Wretch of Tayron in the Outer Rim, Sergeant Dameron and the Pathfinder commandos are observing an Imperial Security Bureau black site as they prepare to raid the facility. Dameron aims a missile launcher and fires at an All Terrain Scout Transport. The walker is destroyed, causing the compound's wall to collapse and allowing Rebel forces to enter. During the battle, Dameron is rescued by the Wookiee Chewbacca, and the Imperial forces are defeated. The Pathfinders regroup with Solo, and with the encryption-breaking protocol droid C-3PO, they enter the base.
Back on Naboo, Captain Korro informs Queen Soruna that the planet is experiencing severe storms, with reports of fires and flooding. Bey infers that Naboo is under attack by an Imperial remnant. Organa and Bey realize that satellites in Naboo's orbit are causing the storms. Organa requests ships and pilots, but Korro explains that the planet was demilitarized years ago. However, Soruna reveals that some starfighters might still be available.
The Queen leads the group to Theed Hangar, which has been sealed off for years. Soruna, Bey, and Korro enter the hangar, discovering N-1 starfighters. Organa senses a cold presence—Darth Maul, a Sith apprentice who once initiated a crucial lightsaber duel inside the hangar. The group finds three functional starfighters, and Bey prepares one for flight. Despite Bey and Korro's objections, Organa and Soruna also decide to fly.
At Tayron, the Pathfinders capture the Imperial base commander. Dameron retrieves the commander's code cylinder, and C-3PO accesses the base's computer. C-3PO quickly discovers Operation: Cinder and its targets on multiple worlds. The droid informs Solo of the widespread attacks, telling the general that Naboo is one of the targets.
On Naboo, Korro continues Theed's evacuation as Bey, Organa, and Soruna pilot their starfighters into orbit. Above the planet, they spot the Star Destroyer Torment, and Bey volunteers to buy time for Organa and Soruna to destroy the satellite array. Organa and Soruna begin destroying their targets, and Bey engages enemy TIE fighters. As the trio are overwhelmed, the Alliance Fleet arrives and ends the Imperial threat. After the fight, Organa and Bey return to Rebel Fleet Command at Muster Point: Vergence, where they happily reunite with Solo and Dameron.
Three months after the Battle of Endor, the war persists. Imperial remnants rush to execute Operation: Cinder, devastating numerous Outer Rim worlds with their attacks. At Muster Point: Stalwart, the Rebel Fleet Command convenes aboard Home One to discuss the ongoing operations. Admiral Gial Ackbar informs the Rebels that Operation: Cinder has targeted another dozen worlds. General Crix Madine praises the rebel pilots but adds that the Empire will not cease fighting. Bey and L'ampar are disheartened by Madine's news.
After the meeting, Bey and L'ampar walk to Home One's hangar. Bey expresses her fear that the war will never end, and L'ampar responds that she should not think that way, or she will be "fighting for the sake of the fight." L'ampar mentions that Dameron's leave from the Pathfinders has been approved, and he reveals that he has also submitted Bey's resignation. Bey disapproves, but L'ampar reminds Bey of her family, suggesting that she should find a world to settle on. As the Duros departs, Bey accepts his advice.
As Bey watches L'ampar leave, she is approached by the astromech droid R2-D2. The droid leads Bey to another hangar, where she finds Skywalker and a stolen Imperial shuttle. Skywalker informs Bey that he is on a mission to Vetine, where he needs to retrieve something. The Jedi asks Bey if she is willing to be his co-pilot, and she agrees to help. Soon after, they enter hyperspace en route to Vetine.
During the flight, Skywalker asks Bey to wear an Imperial military uniform, explaining that she will be impersonating Commander Alecia Beck of the Imperial Security Bureau. Skywalker elaborates on the plan, stating that they will enter an Imperial base using clearance codes obtained during the raid on Tayron, and that their goal is to retrieve something Emperor Palpatine stole. Upon exiting hyperspace, the two land the shuttle at the base, where they are greeted by Commandant Hurron. Posing as Beck, Bey improvises that she is conducting a surprise inspection of the base's labs. When Hurron asks about her companions, Bey dismisses R2-D2 as a droid and claims that Skywalker is her security officer.
The commandant leads the trio into the base, taking them to the lab, which contains an assembly line of sentinel droids. They then enter a lab containing two trees. However, Hurron has stormtroopers surround the rebel agents; he has seen through Bey's disguise, revealing that the real Beck is missing an eye. Intrigued, Hurron asks Skywalker why the trees are special, and the Jedi explains that they are the only remnants of the Great Tree that grew at the Jedi Temple. When Hurron states that the Jedi are extinct, Skywalker reveals his identity and uses telekinesis to throw the Imperials.
As Skywalker battles the stormtroopers, Bey grabs the trees, and they retreat to their ship. As the rebels reach the ramp of the shuttle, Hurron orders his soldiers to throw thermal detonators. Skywalker uses the Force to push the grenades back, killing the stormtroopers. On the return flight, Bey confides in Skywalker, and thinking of her son and husband, she decides to muster out. By 5 ABY, Bey and Dameron plant one of Skywalker's trees outside their new home on Yavin 4.
Star Wars: Shattered Empire was developed for Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a cross-media project designed to promote the release of the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. Lucasfilm selected Eisner Award–winning author Greg Rucka to write the series. Rucka was also writing the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens junior novel Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure. Artist Marco Checchetto provided the illustrations for the series. During the development of Shattered Empire, Rucka dedicated time to understanding the state of the galaxy following the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Rucka concluded that the Emperor's death would create chaos within the Empire but that the resulting power vacuum would generate a renewed drive for Imperial force. Rucka drew inspiration from real-world history and dictatorships, including the Arab Spring, the Eastern Bloc, and North Korea. Rucka also referenced propaganda, noting that despite the Rebellion's proclamation of Palpatine's death, the Empire prevented the message from reaching across the galaxy.
In preparation for writing the series, Rucka re-watched the Star Wars films and the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. Throughout Rucka's story pitches, he collaborated with Lucasfilm Story Group members Rayne Roberts, Kiri Hart, Pablo Hidalgo, and Leland Chee. Together, they developed various topics, including galactic politics. During the meetings, Hidalgo and Chee specifically noted that Imperial forces would be unable to maintain their full control, forcing them to intensify their efforts. This concept was incorporated into the script of Shattered Empire 2, which features a fierce battle in the Imperial-controlled Cawa City.
In Rucka's initial concept for Shattered Empire, he envisioned Lando Calrissian as the protagonist, supported by Smuggler's Run characters Delia Leighton, Alecia Beck, and TX-828. Although Lucasfilm approved this story, Rucka abandoned the idea after the cover art for Shattered Empire 1 by Phil Noto was revealed at Celebration Anaheim in April 2015. The artwork depicted the Star Wars original trilogy heroes in a recreation of the final shot from Return of the Jedi, and Rucka wanted to avoid misleading and disappointing fans. For the new proposal, Rucka chose to write about the parents of Poe Dameron, a character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The series was initially announced on March 10, 2015, via StarWars.com, where it was referred to as Star Wars: Journey to the Force Awakens. The title Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Shattered Empire was revealed in a subsequent article on March 13, accompanied by a promotional cover for the first issue.
When Greg Rucka began crafting the initial issue of the series, he used time stamps from Return of the Jedi to precisely situate the comic's narrative within the film's timeline. The sequence of events was confirmed by Chee, who then communicated these time markers to Checchetto. Checchetto then created the comic's artwork based on these specific temporal frames. The colors in Checchetto's illustrations were done by Andres Mossa, Joe Caramagna added the lettering, and Jordan D. White served as the editor for the issue. The same creative team collaborated on subsequent issues, with additional artistic contributions from Angel Unzueta and Emilio Laiso for the second issue. Unzueta also worked on the third issue.
In the fourth installment of Shattered Empire, Shara Bey allies with Luke Skywalker in a mission to recover a Jedi relic from an Imperial base. Rucka intentionally avoided making the artifact a holocron, feeling that they had become overly prevalent in Star Wars narratives. The Story Group concurred, and Hidalgo proposed the inclusion of the ancient tree from the Jedi Temple. This tree initially appeared in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, specifically in the fifth season episode titled "The Wrong Jedi." Rucka expressed his enthusiasm for the tree's inclusion, describing it as a powerful metaphor for the reconstruction of the galaxy. Issue 4 also marked the debut of Skywalker's Force powers in the period following Return of the Jedi. To accurately portray this, Rucka consulted with the Story Group, drawing inspiration from the characters Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, and Darth Vader.
The series concludes with Bey and Kes Dameron positioned outside their residence on Yavin 4. The setting of their home on Yavin 4 was inspired by a suggestion from Oscar Isaac, the actor known for his portrayal of Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Given that Isaac was born in Guatemala, the location where Yavin 4 was filmed in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, he envisioned the character originating from that region.
Marvel Comics released Shattered Empire 1 on September 9, 2015, to coincide with Force Friday, a promotional event for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The subsequent three issues were released on a weekly basis, commencing on October 7 and concluding on October 21. A trade paperback was then made available on November 17. This compilation comprised the four issues of Shattered Empire, in addition to the comic books Princess Leia 1 from early 2015 and text=Star Wars 1 from 1977. On September 13, 2016, a hardcover collection was published, encompassing Shattered Empire and Star Wars Special: C-3PO 1, a one-shot issue from 2016 that takes place before the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Star Wars: Shattered Empire unfolds in the weeks and months immediately following the events of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. The initial issue's opening sequence recreates the Battle of Endor, presenting it from the perspective of Shara Bey, a pilot in Green Squadron. Within the Star Wars canon, Shattered Empire stands as one of the earliest narratives to be set after Return of the Jedi, alongside the novels Aftermath and Lost Stars, as well as the mobile game Star Wars: Uprising. Throughout its four issues, Shattered Empire incorporates references to various other Star Wars works. Notably, Issue 3 alludes to events from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, specifically when Leia Organa detects the presence of Darth Maul in Theed Hangar. In The Phantom Menace, Theed Hangar is the location where Maul encounters Organa's mother, Padmé Amidala, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Moreover, the starship Mellcrawler II is featured in Shattered Empire 3. The Mellcrawler previously appeared in the comic book miniseries Star Wars: Princess Leia and the junior novel Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure. Similarly, Shattered Empire 4 mentions Imperial forces stationed on the planet Burnin Konn, a location depicted in Star Wars: Uprising. Furthermore, Issue 4 references Rucka's own novel, Smuggler's Run, when Shara Bey impersonates Alecia Beck.
Elements originating from Star Wars: Shattered Empire have found their way into other Star Wars media. Rucka's 2015 novel Before the Awakening makes mention of Shara Bey, Kes Dameron, and the "L'ulo Stand," a reference to L'ulo L'ampar. L'ampar, along with the Dameron family, also plays a significant role in the 2016 comic book series Star Wars: Poe Dameron, authored by Charles Soule.
Operation: Cinder, which was introduced in Shattered Empire 2, serves as a crucial plot element in the 2017 novel Aftermath: Empire's End and the 2019 novel Alphabet Squadron. This contingency is also featured in the 2017 video game Star Wars Battlefront II, where the messenger makes an appearance. References to Shattered Empire have also been incorporated into the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game and Star Wars: Armada.
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Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Shattered Empire (2015) on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
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Star Wars: Shattered Empire on Wikipedia
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