Star Wars: Legacy, Volume 4: Alliance by John Ostrander

Star Wars: Legacy, Volume 4: Alliance Reviews

• 
  Bookwraiths

  Great continuation of the story, as the viewpoint shifts to other players in the saga. Art wasn't quite as good, but still more than sufficient to tell the story. Still a great EU story.
• 
  Terence

  The Galactic Alliance stands against the Empire, but the need ships to do so. Their leader Admiral Gar Stazi has plans to steal some.
  
  
  I know this stuff is important, but space battles and intergalactic politics never draw me into Star Wars. I really only care about the Jedi vs Sith aspects of Star Wars although there are always a few other characters who catch my attention. I did like Grand Admiral Stazi, that alien has some ferocity to him that was much appreciated.
• 
  Scott Rhee

  The Dark Horse graphic novel series “Star Wars Legacy” extrapolates events over 150 years after the events of “Episode 1: A New Hope”. Cade Skywalker, the great-grandson of Luke Skywalker, is the galaxy’s latest hero against a new threat of Sith Lords.
  
  Things get a little confusing in Volume 4, “Alliance”, as writers John Ostrander and Jan Duursema temporarily leave Cade’s story to tell another story happening simultaneously.
  
  In this volume: Galactic Alliance Admiral Gar Stazi is planning a bold move against Darth Krayt by hijacking an Imperial Star Destroyer; Krayt retaliates by engaging in a genocidal elimination of the peaceful inhabitants of Mon Calamari; the Empire, it turns out, has been experimenting with their own version of Force-strong Imperial Knights, two of which seek asylum with the Alliance; Darth Wyrlok is assigned to a mission by Krayt to reawaken an ancient Sith lord named Andeddu, but Wyrlok has other plans...
  
  A lot of great space battles and lightsaber action in this volume, but I’m eager to find out what’s happening with Cade et al...
• 
  Yub Yub Commander

  3.5
• 
  Alex

  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thank you ladies and gentlemen. I found these on the interwebz.
• 
  Beverly

  I highly approve of epic space battles and mind palace Sith duels.
• 
  Adam

  Indomitable - 4 stars
  
  This is one of the Legacy arcs that stuck out in my memory of the series. This is kind of a no-nonsense classic Rebellion v Empire long-odds military story, executed with a lot of character, a good sense of stakes, and plenty of fun twists. I suppose it evokes the thrill and even aesthetic of the third act of Rogue One, with the big orbital installations and dramatic capital ship combat. I'm a fan of Gar Stazi, especially as a Duros, and this is the most and best of him we've seen so far. The only thing that bothers me about this is that it highlights the new Alliance starfighters and they kinda stink. One weird thing that first shows up here is that both a Mon Cal and a Toydarian have ponytails to signal that they're girls which is not quite as bad as Jool the Hutt's makeup but still looks pretty Ms. Pac-manish :/
  
  The Wrath of the Dragon - 4 stars
  
  An epilogue to Indomitable, this introduces two new interesting elements. Curious to see how far they take them. One is that Krayt makes a public speech announcing the genocide of the Mon Cals--as Stazi points out, this lays the Sith mentality bare in a way Palpatine never did even when he was actively using the Death Star, preferring to maintain a facade of political propaganda. That's not the most interesting thing, if nothing comes of it, but it could be something. The other is the Imperial Knights. We've seen them before, but usually more as guards than proper analogues to Jedi Knights. Their political and philosophical commitments are one of the few relative novelties Legacy introduces and it'd be cool to see them explored more in future issues.
  
  Into The Core - 2 stars
  
  Darth Wyyrlock is probably the best of the new Sith: he's a no-nonsense dude interested in results and critical thinking, and has no time for posturing. This is a one-off of him going on an adventure in the Deep Core, which seems like it should be good. Unfortunately the antagonist here is Darth Andeddu, who is one of the stupidest Sith ever created. And the whole thing has this old-school DnD vibe, with a library of necromantic texts and big red jewels and a gaunt near-zombie beggar carrying a torch down a spiral staircase, which is all daft af. And the battle itself takes place via some hitherto-unknown Force ability where they project new realities into each others' minds and that's super dumb too. Ugh.
• 
  Malcolm Cox

  An alternate title to this volume could have been Consequences as the fallout from the events in this book are pretty significant, particularly regarding the Mon Calamari. This first half of this book surrounds the attempt to steal the Star Destroyer and the attempt to trap and destroy Admiral Gar Stazi. Full of strategy and bluffs as well as space combat, this was pretty good reading. If we had had a chance to get to know the fighter pilots a bit better beforehand, there may have been more meaning behind if they lived or died, however. Otherwise, I enjoyed this a lot. The follow-up story covered the devastating wrath of Darth Krayt on the people of Dis and introduces some new Imperial Knights. Good stuff there. The final part was a change of scene as Darth Wyyrlock tries to wrest the secret of immortality from Darth Andeddu's holocron leading to an epic clash between the two Sith philosophies and the revelation of Andeddu's biggest secret. Mostly a stand-alone story, with ties to the main story arc, but a nice showcase of Sith vs. Sith.
• 
  Jo

  Again, the art was a bit irregular: I felt it was terrible and really dissappointing in a couple of chapters, but good enough in others (last one, for example). The narrative took me to very interesting and unexpected places, specially with the awesome "Into the Core", that gave one of the major characters a deep personality he had lacked for most of the issues until this moment. Overall, it is not the best volume, but it's still pretty good, and a more than enjoyable relief from the main story arc.
• 
  Jade

  Re-read
  
  Please note that this comic series is now part of Legends, and is no longer canon within the Star Wars expanded universe.
  
  I remember being hugely disappointed by this when I read it: I had been caught up in the Skywalker melodrama of the previous volumes, and here we are with a volume that only mentions him! Reading this now, I better appreciate this volume that gives us more time with other characters so that the main story can progress. Just be aware that this volume is a bit of a tangent.
• 
  Pawan Rai

  This volume doesn't do much to push the main storyline forward, but it does have some nice mini arcs in it. Lots of new characters, but no real backstory for them.
• 
  Koen

  Oh my god, what was up with that part about Treis and Sigel ... didn't do it for me.. at all..
  The other stories were far more interesting..
  
  All in all: 2/5
• 
  Andrew Briggs

  2 volumes in a row that dragged.
• 
  Aaron

  The focus of this graphic novel series shifts to the Galactic Alliance with this volume. The third power in this civil war story has remind on the outskirts of the storyline up until this period. Readers are brought to Mon Calamari, where the Sith Empire is using a giant docking ring around the planet to build its newest Star Destroyer, the Imperious.
  
  The Galactic Alliance is not ready to let a newer, more powerful weapon fall into the hands of the enemy so Admiral Gar Stazi, one of the Alliance's strongest military leaders, is working with the local Mon Calamari to hijack the massive vessel. The Sith, under the leadership of Admiral Valan (a man with a history of runins against Admiral Stazi), are hoping that this tempting opportunity will help them capture Stazi and crush the Alliance.
  
  Readers see events from both sides as the plans of the two opposing sides come head to head. Things become even more complicated with the arrival of two Galactic Knights from the Empire, who had their own secret mission dealing with the Imperious.
  
  There is an additional shorter story at the end of the volume that deals with Darth Wyyrlock, who has gone on a mission in the hopes of finding a solutino to Emperor Darh Krayk's Vong infection. He travels to the planet Prakith, where Darth Andeddu's secret tomb is hidden, in the homes of secret ancient knowledge held by that Sith. Darth Andeddu had figured out a way to transfer his lifeforce and intelligence back into his body after his death. Things prove to not be quite what they seem when Wyyrlock arrived at the planet, and he will be lucky to survive at all ... nevermind with any ancient secrets.
  
  This was another great addition to the series. It really does a wonderful job of bringing forward the Star Wars mythos. The characters are great, and the plot is very thorough and complex, creating a really entertaining and complete experience for the fans.
• 
  Nicholas

  This volume takes a break from the development of Cade Skywalker and instead focuses on fleshing out the existing state of affairs between the three factions vying for control of the galaxy: the Sith Empire, Fel's Empire, and the GA Remnant. Ostrander has a thorough knowledge of the EU and does a wonderful job integrating his story within the existing culture and history developed by his predecessors. He's also done a great job at not only introducing new characters, but making them likable and making sure they get enough time "on-screen" so that the reader can really get to know them. People like Admiral Stazi aren't just names to be dropped or people to be seen in a panel or two, they have histories, they do admirable things, and they make mistakes. There are enough characters introduced in this series to warrant the dramatis personae roll call at the beginning of each volume much like the longer novel arcs have taken to doing, but unlike the novels it just feels easier to keep track of who's who. Ostrander helps the reader identify the characters by getting you to identify with them. This isn't Stephen King level development or anything like that, but it's nice to see in something fun and kind of cheesy like Star War fiction.
  
  The format continues to work and I'm enjoying seeing this new galaxy through the eyes of ALL the people who populate it, not just a select two or three that are author favorites. Stazi is likable and has an Ackbarian-air to him that makes me miss the old Mon Cal. Also, Krayt and his ilk further cement themselves as thoroughly evil and not just misguided Sith who seek order in a tumultuous galaxy (like Jacen, who I could never quite loathe or like), by showing their true selfish colors in a rather nasty turn of events. Good stuff. I might just run through the whole series today and review the last one when I'm done.
• 
  Jaime K

  The art in all the trade paperbacks compiled in this is fantastic. The colors are beautiful and vibrant. The artist is different for the middle installment, but no less in quality. The presentation of different paneling continues to awe me.
  I love how the past and projected future have a "film" over them - the colors are a bit washed out, the lighting brighter, and it's obviously different from the rest of the story.
  The spread on pages 28-29 is stunning.
  
  "Indomitable"
  I have to sigh at the xenophobic humans in the Imperial ranks. I can see it backfiring on the Sith later on.
  I love seeing Dac. I find it difficult to visualize the dockyards and things, so being able to see it is awesome.
  The resistance there is inspiring.
  The past repeats itself, but actions don't, leading into...
  
  "The Wrath of the Dragon"
  ...where the art is a bit more crowded, but the same techniques as described above are implemented.
  Krayt shows his fury at the Mon Calamari, and it's devastating.
  The Imperial Knights show the need to ally with former enemies.
  
  "Into the Core"
  This really shows how deeply EVIL the Sith are. Its awful.
  It's weird that one panel says to read of Cade's escape in Volume 5, since usually such notes refer to the past. Yet this volume focuses on the Sith and the [military] politics they affect around them, so I assume the next will focus on the Jedi (and friends) during the same time.
• 
  Zachary Hatton

  It's shorter than most volumes of the series, but the three stories were overall pretty good in each of their respective themes. I love the theme of how the Sith of the old do not agree with the new Sith, but how Darth Wyyrlick resolves it, is by stating that cultures change over the years and for the Sith, it's uniting theme is bending the will of the force for your own ends. It was cool to see a Sith battle that didn't necessarily involved lightsabers. The Imperial-Alliance-Sith war is going pretty well, a little cliche but the action was good. It made sense the way the Sith's death threat led the Sith officer to risk everything for one killing one person resulting in crazy collateral damage just to maybe save his own neck. Anyway the Legacy series is getting more and more real and less fiction by the volume so I commend the writer for that.
• 
  Jaimie

  I found this volume to be a bit less interesting than the previous ones, since we barely see anything of Cade Skywalker and company, but it does establish a strong secondary plot line regarding the politcal machinations going on between the ruling Sith, the renegade Emperor Roan Fel, and the remainders of the Galactic Alliance. Basically the authors are rewriting their current conflicts to mirror those of over a century earlier, with a group of rebels fighting against the brutal dictatorship of the rulers, which they make even simpler with the conclusion of the storyline being that the New Empire and the Galactic Alliance are being pushed together by their mutual hatred of the Sith. It will be interesting to see whether these two parties manage to play nicely together in the long run, since they do have a lot of the same goals to recreate a peace throughout the Galaxy.
• 
  Jonathan

  Book 4 leaves our erstwhile heroes for a while and concentrates on the military struggle between the Galactic Alliance and the Sith Empire. The change of perspective is interesting, and necessary for plot development, but there's nothing spectacular here. The book then closes with an issue devoted to Darth Wyyrlok, as he travels deep into the Core in search of ancient Sith lore. The piece is a very well-done look at the mentality of the Sith. Yes, power is the primary motivator, but some, exemplified in Wyyrlok, believe strongly enough in themselves so as to rise above the snivelling, sadistic minions that most of Krayt's Sith seem to be. Wyyrlok stands out as one of the most developed, well-rounded characters we've met thus far. Too bad Cade or Darth Krayt can't be this compelling.
• 
  Jeff Lanter

  If I could give this volume 4.5 stars I would. There are many things about Alliance that I loved in volume 2. It is always a good sign when new characters and factions are introduced in the fourth trade paperback of a series. While it isn't totally original, I enjoyed seeing the Rebel Alliance fighting against not one but two enemies essentially. It is also interesting how alien heavy the rebels are now. The Sith response in the next story was suitably and surprisingly brutal for Star Wars. The violence not only sets Legacy apart from other series but it also made me feel even more emotionally invested in the story. Overall, this is another solid volume and a nice break in the pacing from the last volume.
• 
  Yves

  Le peu qui reste de l'Alliance Galactique décide de tenter un grand coup. Ils veulent voler un Star Destroyer aux mains des Sith et de leurs alliés. Réussissant leur coup, ils ne se doutent pas que leur geste d'éclat aura pour effet de fâcher Darth Krayt au point qu'il décide d'éliminer tous les Calamaris de la Galaxie.
  
  La première partie qui est plus politique était la moins intéressante. C'était long à lire et les personnages importants étaient moins intéressants. La seconde et la troisième partie étaient bien mieux. Il y avait beaucoup plus d'action. J'aime moins les BD de Star Wars qui ont un rythme lent.
  
  C'est une BD correcte qu m’amène pas beaucoup à l'histoire à part quelques petits détails intéressants. J'espère que le tome suivant est meilleur.
• 
  Edward Cheer

  With all the excitement building with Cade's story... this story just kind of drops it. Personally, I really like Cade and his friends, so when the story broke away to show Stazi and the Mon Calamari plot, I didn't care about it. But, I will admit, I got invested a little and I like how everything turned out. I thought the story about Wyyrlok would be better, but it really wasn't. It feels very rushed, his story about trying to find Krayt's cure. And there isn't much challenge to his character. He just seems like a boring, power-hungry Sith, like all the others. Hopefully, the story will narrow back into Cade in the next volume. These two stories just aren't as good as his, currently.
• 
  Patrickderaaff

  3 stories: 1. Indomitable - a cool battle in space led by a Neimoidian Admiral called Stazi. 2. The Wrath Of The Dragon - Darth Krayt is not pleased about the stunt Stazi pulled and the entire Mon Calamari race are to pay the ultimate price for their role in it. 3. Into The Core - An excellent story where the past and present of the Sith meet and the differences between old and new become quite clear.
  All in all a very good volume. Only new/lesser known characters in the stories, but very well written. Only minor I issue I had with 'Alliance' is the inferior artwork.
• 
  Cale

  So apparently the odd volumes are off stories. Rather than following Cade, this explores Alliance Admiral Gar Stazi and an attack on Mon Calamari to claim an imperial star destroyer. The story is impressive; one of the better single volumes. The action and intrigue and politicking all work together wonderfully, and the aftermath is way more than expected. There's also a one-off issue about one of Krayt's seconds, which is interesting but not quite as good as the main plot. Still, this book really turns up the intensity of the overall story.
• 
  Heather

  Another 'filler' volume...and this time no Cade at all! However, it was still a good read. Stazi acquiring the Imperious (aka the Alliance), the start of an alliance between Fel and Stazi, and Wyyrlok's journey into the deep core were all interesting. It will still be good to get back to the main storylines though.
• 
  Erin

  Really liked this one. And back to sensibly clad females, mostly because they were military members and did not lose their practicality and efficiency for style. Glad someone in the galaxy has some sense. Or maybe it was just because they were mostly Mon Cals and no one wants to see them half naked?
• 
  Joel Wentz

  I've been enjoying the Legacy story-arc so far, but this volume definitely increased my interest in the narrative, as it introduced a political layer to what's been going on with the main characters. The consequences of the story now seem bigger, and I'm actually more interested in the fates of the characters that were just introduced in "Alliance". A fun read.
• 
  ariane

  I didn't think that I was going to like a book without a Skywalker, but this volume turned out to be tons of fun. Admiral Stazi is quite the asskicker. Ostrander sure knows how to write a great space battle. Turns out it was nice to take a break from Cade and Fel. And I hope this isn't the last we see of Anj and Monia. Overall, a very good volume.