Star Wars: The New Jedi Order

Throughout the 1990s, Bantam Spectra and Lucasfilm published Star Wars novels by various authors, beginning with 1991's Heir to the Empire, which quickly became a New York Times Best Seller list #1 hit. After the book's success, both firms decided that all future novels would form part of a larger, interconnected continuity. The publishing contract for Star Wars novels was renegotiated with Del Rey, an imprint of Ballantine Books, in 1997, and the choice was made to create a long series that would take years to publish. Under the Bantam license, the majority of novels published had been trilogies or stand-alones; despite the continuity, many novels were being written concurrently and released in quick succession. This frequently resulted in stories set later in the timeline being published before stories set earlier. The planned Del Rey series, however, would be a single, long chronological story spanning five years of galactic history.

Dark Horse Comics, which had been contracted to publish Star Wars comics since 1991, came up with the concept of an "Invasion" storyline shaking the galaxy and laid the groundwork for the eventual story by introducing Nom Anor, who appeared as an advance agent of what would become the invading forces in the first issue of Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood, which was released in November 1998. Following the creation of Anor's character, planning meetings were held at Skywalker Ranch to discuss what would become The New Jedi Order. Lucas Licensing Executive Editor Sue Rostoni, Del Rey Editor at Large Shelly Shapiro, Lucasfilm Director of Publishing Lucy Autrey Wilson, Dark Horse Vice President of Publishing Randy Stradley, and several of the authors already on board, including Michael A. Stackpole, James Luceno, and several comic-book authors, attended the meetings. Stradley proposed the invasion idea, which quickly became the series' premise. The invaders were imagined as dark Force users.

Because many of the novels released under Bantam Spectra had dealt with the New Republic's ongoing war against the Empire, it was decided to introduce a newer, bigger, and more dangerous threat. Shapiro had frequently heard fans complain that nothing significant happened to any main character in the Bantam novels and that the galaxy had grown too safe for the heroes, preventing any real drama. The initial planning sessions for the NJO included brainstorming ideas for the type of crisis the characters would face, and everyone agreed that it was necessary to shake things up by killing a previously "invincible" character. The death of Luke Skywalker was suggested, but George Lucas vetoed it; Lucas also stated that C-3PO and R2-D2 were off-limits. It was believed that killing Han Solo, Princess Leia, or Lando Calrissian would not have the dramatic impact the planning team desired, prompting Stradley to suggest Chewbacca, who, despite being a fan favorite, had rarely contributed significantly to a novel's plot; Stradley referred to him as the "quintessential supporting character." It was felt that the death of a previously untouchable character would give the series the emotional impact it needed, but putting Chewbacca on the chopping block was not an easy decision for the creative team, and many tears were shed. Once the final decision was made, George Lucas approved Chewbacca's death.

It was also decided during the initial planning stages that a new generation of characters would play a significant role in the series. However, the role of the older generation would remain important—Shapiro stated that one of the reasons for the series was that Bantam authors had been unable to develop Han Solo's character. As a result, the two generations would star and develop together. At the time, Han and Leia's twin children, Jacen and Jaina Solo, were being developed as Jedi-in-training in the Young Jedi Knights books for young readers, and the youngest Solo child, Anakin, had recently starred in his own young reader books, the Junior Jedi Knights series.

In the early conception of the Bantam/Dark Horse invasion storyline, which was initially developed in 1997 and 1998, Anakin was intended to be a prophesied hero who would be tempted to the dark side by a female infiltrator from the series' extragalactic Sith invaders, resulting in a love affair between Anakin and this woman. Jacen and Jaina would eventually confront Anakin, and Jacen would be killed as a result. Lucas reviewed this story arc and determined that it was not original enough, writing in May 1998, "Too redundant to movie storylines - books should be more original." Lucas was also concerned that Anakin's story would too closely resemble that of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, which would be told in the upcoming Star Wars prequel trilogy. As a result, Lucas advised that Jacen be the series' primary protagonist instead of Anakin, though the story team independently decided that Anakin should die in the series midway through, which Lucas approved in the final outline. Troy Denning later confirmed this in a radio interview, noting that before Vector Prime was published, the series' story bible already stated that Anakin was slated to die in Star by Star, confirming that this was the story team's intention before the series began publication.

Lucas also stipulated that the villains could not be Force users, based on his belief that the Sith could not form a stable "dark side society." With Lucas's encouragement to be more original, the authors began creating a new set of villains with a different story arc for the series. The planning team then created a rough outline of the NJO's plot direction and chose more authors, some of whom were suggested by Shapiro and others by Lucas Licensing and subsequently approved by her. The planning team had a general idea of how the series would end but intended the NJO to be an organic and adaptive series, open to new directions and not set in stone. The story team consciously used mythological archetypes and the hero cycle as described by Joseph Campbell, among others, in their creation of the series. James Luceno wrote a "series bible" to coordinate all story arcs and serve as a database for new characters and continuity. A continuity team was formed, including Luceno and Daniel Wallace, who expanded the galaxy map and tracked new Jedi introduced in the series. They encouraged authors to reuse Jedi in later books rather than create new ones. Throughout the series' run, Lucasfilm oversaw the NJO's production much more closely than they had the Bantam-issued novels.

The series' villains were eventually developed into the Yuuzhan Vong, an extra-galactic race of religious zealots determined to conquer the galaxy. The name "Yuuzhan Vong" came from a French-Thai restaurant in New York City where several members of the planning team were dining. R. A. Salvatore, Del Rey editor Steve Saffel, and James Luceno drew inspiration from Aztec, Mayan, and various Mesoamerican ideas for the Yuuzhan Vong's mythology and beliefs. Lucas reviewed and approved the series' final outline, after which he ended his involvement with the series. A peace treaty with the remnants of the Empire and the seeds of an alien invasion plot were planted in Timothy Zahn's 1998 novel Vision of the Future, which was released under Bantam's contract.

• " The Crystal " by Elaine Cunningham
• " Red Sky, Blue Flame " by Elaine Cunningham
• " Or Die Trying " by Sean Williams & Shane Dix

• Chewbacca by Darko Macan
• " Equals & Opposites " by Nathan Butler
• Invasion by Tom Taylor

• Vector Prime television commercial
• The New Jedi Order in 100 Easy Lessons
• The New Jedi Order Sourcebook
• Making a Full Recovery
• Mission to Myrkr
• Who's Who in the New Jedi Order
• Star Wars: New Jedi Order Round-Robin Interview
• Novel Approach

Twenty-one years following the Rebel Alliance's destruction of the second Death Star, the New Republic grapples with internal strife while striving to uphold peace. A novel, enigmatic adversary, the Yuuzhan Vong, materializes from the outer reaches of the galaxy, heralding what will become the Yuuzhan Vong War. The Jedi, in collaboration with the New Republic, endeavor to withstand this nascent alien race as it steadily advances, obliterating or seizing various sectors of the galaxy.

As the most extensive continuous series of novels in the Expanded Universe, the NJO forged several enduring character arcs. Numerous novel or previously underutilized characters were thrust into prominence and underwent substantial development throughout the series. Among the most noteworthy character arcs:

• Jacen Solo : Jacen experienced perhaps the most comprehensive and philosophical arc within the NJO. He commenced the series as an individual who actively questioned the rectitude of employing the Force as a weapon. Subsequent to his capture by the Yuuzhan Vong, he endured weeks of torture at their hands, during which he was visited and counseled by Vergere, an Old Republic Jedi and Vong familiar. He emerged with a novel perspective on the Force, encompassing a willingness to employ it offensively. During the battle to reclaim Coruscant, Jacen attained a state of oneness with the Force, bestowing upon him 'perfect mastery' and aging him by five years. By the series' conclusion, he stood as one of the most potent Jedi in the galaxy.

• Ganner Rhysode : Rhysode initiated the series as an arrogant young Jedi, a trait most conspicuously displayed when, while on assignment with Corran Horn, he derided Horn's inability to employ telekinesis, asserting that it rendered him a lesser Jedi. Rhysode progressively became more humble over the course of the series, particularly after witnessing the demise of numerous friends during the mission to Myrkr. Subsequent to Jacen Solo's capture during this mission, Rhysode embarked on a search for him, despite, in Jacen's words, "we weren't even friends"; Rhysode perished battling thousands of Yuuzhan Vong warriors to facilitate the escape of Jacen and Vergere. It was foretold that in the future, the Yuuzhan Vong would venerate a novel deity known as "the Ganner," referring almost admiringly to Rhysode's last stand.

• Tahiri Veila : Not fully fleshed out in her initial role—Anakin's friend from Star Wars: Junior Jedi Knights —Tahiri was propelled into a starring role within the NJO. When the Yuuzhan Vong seized Yavin 4, she was taken prisoner and subjected to experiments designed to create a Vong-Human hybrid. Anakin ultimately rescued her, igniting the romantic sentiments they had harbored for years; when Anakin perished above Myrkr, Tahiri was devastated. At this juncture, the Yuuzhan Vong personality implanted within her commenced periodic control, and Tahiri would grapple with this for the duration of the series. Unlike the majority of other Jedi, she possessed a peculiar empathy with the Yuuzhan Vong; by the series' conclusion, she elected to remain on Zonama Sekot to continue learning about the Yuuzhan Vong and to aid them in constructing a superior society.

The Order itself is philosophically distinct from the Jedi Order of the Old Republic (hence the Old Jedi Order) by a new Jedi Code and a broadened perspective on the Force. The Order's titular head is Luke Skywalker, but other senior Jedi such as Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade and Kyp Durron have significant say in the Order's activities. The Order during the Yuuzhan Vong incursion polarizes into two major factions: that of Luke Skywalker, who feels that the Force should be used peacefully, like the Old Republic–era Jedi; and the faction of Kyp Durron, who holds that the Jedi should take a proactive, aggressive stance against enemies, hoping that in that way to live up to the Jedi's roles as "protectors" of the galaxy. As the war proceeded, the aforementioned views of those mentioned evolved, with the most significant evolution in the Jedi thinking being driven by the new philosophical perspectives and development of Jacen Solo and Vergere.

At the beginning of the series, the galaxy is enjoying a period of newly established peacetime between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant. As the galaxy is increasingly antagonized by the invading Yuuzhan Vong forces, this peacetime neutrality soon gives way to new alliances, as the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic periodically work together throughout the series to ward off the extragalactic invaders. Other factions, like the Hapes Consortium, the Hutts, the Chiss, and the Peace Brigade, also play important roles through the series in the shifting of alliances. By the end of the war, the combined forces of the galaxy unite to form the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.

Numerous significant characters meet their end within the New Jedi Order series, as the galaxy confronts a savage and enigmatic foe, unlike any encountered during the New Republic's earlier years. The most impactful deaths for fans were those of Chewbacca and Anakin Solo, both of which profoundly affected the series' principal characters emotionally. In several New Jedi Order books, other Jedi are also lost in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, prompting Jedi Master Luke Skywalker to establish a temporary praxeum to safeguard Jedi children at a hidden space station within the Maw. Certain planets, such as Coruscant and Ithor, were utterly devastated by the Yuuzhan Vong due to their terraforming upon conquest. In total, a substantial portion of the galactic populace perished as a consequence of the bloody conflict, with the galaxy's combined forces ultimately prevailing and triumphantly concluding the war under the newly formed Galactic Alliance government.

While Mon Mothma did not die in the New Jedi Order series, she died directly prior to Vector Prime; her death was first revealed in the series.

Similarly, while Nom Anor is indicated to have died during the events of The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force, his off-screen death allows for uncertainty as to whether he did in fact die.

The New Jedi Order series was the first Star Wars product to include fully drawn maps of the galaxy at the start of the novels; five maps were created in total, showing the different stages of the war and the invasion path of the Yuuzhan Vong. The maps were illustrated by artist Christopher Barbieri, and the layout of the galaxy was constructed throughout 1998 and 1999 by James Luceno and Daniel Wallace. Every novel included a map of the galaxy, at that particular period in the war.

The unveiling of The New Jedi Order was heralded by promotional efforts including magazine advertisements, posters, postcards, a TV spot, and subsequent author tours designed to publicize the series. Upon its initial release, Vector Prime maintained a presence on the New York Times Bestsellers List for a duration of four weeks. Building on this initial triumph, each following novel within the series—totaling 19 books—achieved placement on the Bestsellers List. This accomplishment established it as the longest unbroken run on the NYT Bestseller list in the history of Star Wars. By the close of 2005, the series had surpassed 4 million copies sold globally. The demise of Chewbacca in Vector Prime garnered extensive media attention, manifesting as articles, memorials, and tributes published by newspapers throughout the United States following the book's debut. The concluding installment of the series, The Unifying Force, held a position on the Bestsellers List for two weeks and was supported by a six-city author tour, during which James Luceno visited Seattle, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. to promote the novel, in addition to participating in radio interviews and distributing New Jedi Order baseball caps at promotional events. The series' launch also coincided with the introduction of several Hasbro action figures inspired by its characters, integrated into the Legacy and Vintage Collections product lines.

During the 2015 Salt Lake Comic Con, R. A. Salvatore noted that the majority of feedback concerning Vector Prime was favorable, despite a small segment of fans issuing death threats in response to Chewbacca's death. Michael A. Stackpole offered a similarly positive assessment of the series at the same event, emphasizing that "It made the characters vulnerable. It made people actually worry when it looked like someone was going to die." Troy Denning reflected on the collaborative nature of writing the series with a diverse group of authors, remarking, "It was a lot of fun. The brainstorming sessions we had at Skywalker Ranch were just a blast," while also acknowledging that the extensive coordination required among numerous authors occasionally presented "a little bit more of a coordination headache," necessitating communication with authors working on books both before and after their own in the series timeline. Denning stated, "As many pages as we wrote in manuscript, we probably wrote that many pages again in emails" solely to ensure continuity across the entire series. Walter Jon Williams, the author of Destiny's Way, commented in 2009, "I got more positive fan reaction from that one book than from anything else I've ever written, and I'd very much like to thank the fans for reading so carefully, and for caring." James Luceno, a key figure in shaping the New Jedi Order and the individual responsible for reviewing each manuscript as it was submitted, remarked upon the series' completion, "From the start, The New Jedi Order drew a sizable readership, even in the face of competition from the prequel novels, the comics, and other Star Wars related series. So there's some sense of accomplishment in having been able to hold the interest of so many readers. It was also gratifying to see Troy Denning, Greg Keyes, Matt Stover, and others receive much-deserved acclaim for their individual efforts."

Timothy Zahn expressed his opinion that the deaths of significant characters within The New Jedi Order and subsequent Star Wars book series deviated from the established "feel" of Star Wars, suggesting that while supporting characters might perish in wartime scenarios, central characters should consistently survive each narrative. However, he added, "I'm not really familiar with the overall story line of that series, so I can't really comment on whether the death was a necessary part of the story line." The authors and editors involved in The New Jedi Order believed that after nearly a decade of Bantam-published stories, there was a desire for narratives that realistically endangered the lives of primary characters, where survival was not assured for everyone. Addressing this point during the Round Robin New Jedi Order Interview, editor Lucy Wilson observed, "Good things happen and bad things happen in the Star Wars universe—as in our own world." Sue Rostoni further stated: "We wanted the NJO stories to have more of the feel of reality, with conflict and emotion. By shaking up the universe, we felt we were adding an emotional depth to the stories that wasn't there before, and we were confident that our readers were up to the challenge."

In an interview featured in The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force, Shelly Shapiro, the Editorial Director at Del Rey, voiced some reservations regarding the timing of the novel The New Jedi Order: Star by Star, given its proximity to the September 11 attacks.

In 1999, Mark Hamill returned to the role of Luke Skywalker, providing a brief vocal performance for the series. Hamill voiced Luke Skywalker in a TV advertisement promoting the initial novel in the series, Vector Prime. The commercial, broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel in late 1999, featured him reflecting on the current state of the galaxy in contrast to the era of the Empire. An independently enhanced version of the commercial was subsequently uploaded to YouTube.

• Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Legends on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link)