Bloodlines (novel)
Encyclopedia
Bloodlines is the second book in the Legacy of the Force
series. The book is written by Karen Traviss
and was released August 29, 2006. The book takes place in the fictional Star Wars
Expanded Universe
, about 35 years after Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
. It was followed by Tempest
.
In Bloodlines, a civil war
continues to break out in the Galactic Alliance, as acts of terrorism
on the part of Coruscant's local Corellians force the Alliance to create even more repressive laws. Many families find themselves divided, including the Solo
/Skywalker
families as Han Solo
's Corellian roots and Luke Skywalker
's dedication to the Jedi
are creating conflict. Meanwhile, Luke and Mara Skywalker
fear for their son, Ben, when his cousin and Jedi Knight
, Jacen Solo
, makes a dangerous choice. This choice shocks both families.
After going on numerous raids with Jacen, Ben gets the chance to make a decision about a raid in which he kills two people. This experience shakes him to the core, and he begins to distrust Jacen's teachings.
In this novel, the conflict's main author (and Han's cousin), Thrackan Sal-Solo, finally meets his end when Mirta Gev, Boba Fett
's granddaughter, shoots him in the head.
Meanwhile, Jacen continues on the path to becoming a Sith
, deciding that the only thing left for him to do is to "immortalize his love," according to the Sith tassels. Jacen loves Tenel Ka and their daughter Allana very much, but if he is to achieve his full Sith ranking, it appears that he must kill them. While wracked with doubt and sorrow, Jacen decides that the sacrifice is worthwhile if it means he can save the galaxy. With that goal in mind, he believes that he must follow the path of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, in order to achieve it. He even "flow walks" through time with the Force
in order to witness his grandfather's fall from grace (as portrayed in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
) and decides that his journey is meant to be different. Jacen may yet acquire full Sith knowledge and acknowledgement and avoid becoming another Darth Vader
.
The choice that Jacen chooses is when he kills Boba Fett's daughter, Ailyn Vel, during an interrogation; Ailyn had been smuggling military-grade weapons on Coruscant, and Jacen was trying to figure out who would be her target. Although he doesn't get an answer from her, her targets were supposed to be Han and Leia Organa Solo. After he learns of this, Fett decides not to kill Jacen in vengeance, but rather, as he sees Jacen falling to the dark side with his actions against Coruscant's Corellians, the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter figures that it would hurt Jacen more to let him live; by falling to the dark side as he is, and just like his late grandfather Darth Vader had, letting him live long enough to fall to the dark side will have Jacen see his friends and family turn on him in the future.
A subplot to Fett's arc is that he has an illness that is degenerating his cells.
Legacy of the Force
The Legacy of the Force is a series of nine science fiction novels set in the Star Wars fictional universe, taking place approximately 40 years after the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope...
series. The book is written by Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss is a science fiction author, and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal...
and was released August 29, 2006. The book takes place in the fictional Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
, about 35 years after Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. It was followed by Tempest
Tempest (novel)
Tempest is the third novel in the Legacy of the Force series, taking place some 40 years after the original Star Wars trilogy. The book is written by Troy Denning and was released in November 2006, in both paperback and hardcover edition....
.
Plot summary
"But the bitterest enemy can be your own flesh and blood - and your foe can turn out to be your only ally."In Bloodlines, a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
continues to break out in the Galactic Alliance, as acts of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
on the part of Coruscant's local Corellians force the Alliance to create even more repressive laws. Many families find themselves divided, including the Solo
Solo family
In the fictional Star Wars universe, the Solo family was once a prestigious, Corellian royal family. The first known Solo in the family tree is Berethon e Solo, a king who ruled Corellia during the Golden Age of the Old Republic and set up constitutional monarchy in 312 BBY. His descendants...
/Skywalker
Skywalker family
The Skywalker family is a fictional family in the Star Wars series. Within the series' fictional universe, the Skywalkers are a bloodline with strong inherent capabilities related to the Force...
families as Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
's Corellian roots and Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
's dedication to the Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
are creating conflict. Meanwhile, Luke and Mara Skywalker
Mara Jade
Mara Jade Skywalker is a fictional character in Star Wars Expanded Universe books, comic books, and computer games. She is also wife to Luke Skywalker, and mother to Ben Skywalker. In the different video games, she is voiced by Heidi Shannon and Kath Soucie.-Concept and development:Mara Jade was...
fear for their son, Ben, when his cousin and Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
"Jedi Knight" may refer to:*Jedi, Star Wars franchise fictional character*Jedi Knights *Jedi census phenomenonSee also:* Star Wars: Jedi Knight series...
, Jacen Solo
Jacen Solo
Jacen Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo and the nephew of Luke Skywalker, he is a major character in several Star Wars novels, particularly the Legacy of the Force series. He replaced Lumiya as the main antagonist of the...
, makes a dangerous choice. This choice shocks both families.
After going on numerous raids with Jacen, Ben gets the chance to make a decision about a raid in which he kills two people. This experience shakes him to the core, and he begins to distrust Jacen's teachings.
In this novel, the conflict's main author (and Han's cousin), Thrackan Sal-Solo, finally meets his end when Mirta Gev, Boba Fett
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is a character in Star Wars. A bounty hunter hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon, he is a minor villain in both Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....
's granddaughter, shoots him in the head.
Meanwhile, Jacen continues on the path to becoming a Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
, deciding that the only thing left for him to do is to "immortalize his love," according to the Sith tassels. Jacen loves Tenel Ka and their daughter Allana very much, but if he is to achieve his full Sith ranking, it appears that he must kill them. While wracked with doubt and sorrow, Jacen decides that the sacrifice is worthwhile if it means he can save the galaxy. With that goal in mind, he believes that he must follow the path of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, in order to achieve it. He even "flow walks" through time with the Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
in order to witness his grandfather's fall from grace (as portrayed in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth and final film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology....
) and decides that his journey is meant to be different. Jacen may yet acquire full Sith knowledge and acknowledgement and avoid becoming another Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
.
The choice that Jacen chooses is when he kills Boba Fett's daughter, Ailyn Vel, during an interrogation; Ailyn had been smuggling military-grade weapons on Coruscant, and Jacen was trying to figure out who would be her target. Although he doesn't get an answer from her, her targets were supposed to be Han and Leia Organa Solo. After he learns of this, Fett decides not to kill Jacen in vengeance, but rather, as he sees Jacen falling to the dark side with his actions against Coruscant's Corellians, the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter figures that it would hurt Jacen more to let him live; by falling to the dark side as he is, and just like his late grandfather Darth Vader had, letting him live long enough to fall to the dark side will have Jacen see his friends and family turn on him in the future.
A subplot to Fett's arc is that he has an illness that is degenerating his cells.
Dramatis Personae
|
Millennium Falcon The Millennium Falcon is a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe commanded by smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee first mate, Chewbacca... (human female) Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master... ; Jedi Grand Master (human male) Dark Jedi Dark Jedi is the name given in the Star Wars universe to fictional characters attuned to the Force and adept in its dark side. They exist by that name only in the Expanded Universe, including video games such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Jedi Knight series; the term is never... ; Dark Lady of the Sith Sith -Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:... (human female) |