This series sets up after the Dark Empire comics. Crimson Empire is about Kir Kanos, a former Imperial Guard. As one of the elite who protected Palaptine, he and his colleagues were also to protect Palpatine’s clone. Trained to have no other loyalty to the death to defend him. Kir Kanos is one such man, the last survivor who knows a secret: that the Emperor’s clones were intentionallys sabotaged at creation. The man who paid for this was one of their own, Carnor Jax. The current Imperial Ruling Council were among those who benefited.
Now Kir Kanos is on a quest to take down all who betrayed Palpatine. He starts with Carnor Jax, the traitorous guard who is practicing force powers and planning to claim the throne.
Crimson Empire (First arc, no subtitle)
The first story takes us 11 years after Yavin to Phaeda, where he lands looking to hide only to land in trouble. He is taken in cautiously by the local New Republic secret base. It’s a truce of convenience, in that they have a common foe. But he is very open about the fact that they are not friends, nor allies, in spite of what Mirith Sinn may think. The decision is controversial among Sinn’s officers including Sadeet (trandoshan) and Massimo (human) who nearly comes to blows.
When the base is found he is intially blamed, but ultimately it exposes the real spy among them.
In addition, we get to see the flashbacks in Crimson Empire to the Royal Guards training on Yinchorr in the Squall. There is a high attition rate, where fatalities do occur. The Emperor’s method for choosing who fills the openings for his Royal Guards are as ruthless as one might expect.
Original Crimson Empire Review
The visuals in this first arc of Crimson Empire are amazing. I love the colors, the planets and how it stands out from the backgrounds. But I do find it a bit weird they made Wedge and Carnor Jax look so similar! Now as to the story, its fascinating to see more of the Royal Guard. They’ve always been mysterious characters.
Massimo kind of appalled me with willingness to take on Mirith Sinn the way he does. Does he really think the New Republic would promote him with her out of the way? That would lead to court martial, not a promotion! Sinn herself is tough, strong, and dedicated. But she’s also totally ignoring Kir Kanos’s warnings which I found baffling. He flat said he isn’t after the same thing as them, and yet when disaster strikes because she won’t listen, he gets blamed.
It was pretty cool to see Wedge show up with the New Republics ‘grand prize’ from the X-Wing novels (sorry, no I won’t spoil what it is if you don’t know!)
Crimson Empire 2
11 after Yavin
The Imperial Ruling Council fears the threat of Kir Kanos when assassinations hit their numbers. Feena D’asta calls for negotiating a peace with the New Republic, causing an uproar. But behind the scenes a mysterious figure named Nom Anor manipulates them, arranging his choice in leaders. Feena turns out to be not what she seems.
Meanwhile on Genon, in the court of Zappa the Hutt, Mirith Sinn shows up to work for him, allegedly to get help finding Kir Kanos for revenge. But she has another job to do…investigate the involvement of the Hutt in the piracy of New Republic shipping. She finds that Zappa is up to his invisible ears in a conspiracy to take control of the Imperial ruling council!
When she is betrayed, Kir Kanos has to step in and try and save her from a cruel murderous ceremony. New Republic or no, both have a vested interest in dealing with Black Sun and the Ruling Council.
Crimson Empire Council of Blood Review:
Crimson Empire 2 Council of Blood is far more complicated than the first Crimson Empire. It has the same excellent art though. It has a lot of suspense and moving pieces and leaves Nom Anor a total mystery. Black Sun is happy to take advantage of those groups trying to play Imperial against Republic to earn profit, especially those that dare not report the loss of illegal cargos.
Grappa the Hutt makes a pretty good villain.
The tempermental Grappa the Hutt causes at least some of his own problems. His allies the Zanibar are actually pretty terrifying. They don’t show what they do in detail, it’s just implied. But enough to be the stuff of horror stories.
It’s pretty clear in this that Mirith Sinn and Kir Kanos do have a complicated relationship. The hidden attraction is breaking out, but both are still divided by their loyalty and priorities. Mirith is no mere damsel in distress, but neither is Kanos a superhuman who fails to need rescue himself.
The one thing that confused me was the look alikes. Last time it was Wedge and Carnor Jax sharing a resemblance. This time a guy looks like Kennede, a character I thought killed in the last arc. This is explained as intentional before the end though. Also there is a guy that looks like Pellaeon but never named – and as far as I can tell, he is called Admiral AND General. I suspect this was a typo.
I liked how it gave a different glimpse of that particular era as the New Republic was on the rise. Most stories show the Republic or Imperial military. This shows what went on with the political side, those who control the military.
Crimson Empire 3 Empire Lost
13/14 after Yavin
A new player is in the picture, Devian. Feena D’asta is still suggesting peace with the New Republic and a reluctant Pellaeon agrees to talks. But Devian has his own plans to reclaim the glory of the Empire.
Devian has plans to strike at Leia and her family to remove them from play. He also has plans for Pellaeon.
He tries to lure Kanos into the deal, but Kanos recognizes things he doesn’t like, things like sacrificing men needless. Kanos knows he’s stolen explosives and goes to warn Mirith Sinn, now head of Leia’s security. But he doesn’t realize the shuttle itself is lined with the explosives.
This story has a lot of double dealing via Devian, whose plan is largely to set the Empire against the Republic so he can destroy both. Mirith Sinn and Kanos are a threat to his plans, as is Pellaeon.
Crimson Empire 3 Empire Lost Review
The parts with Mirith Sinn, struggling with protecting Leia are really good. She is aware of her own internal struggle, she knows that Leia biologically is the offspring of Vader, man who killed her husband. She is also aware Leia is nothing like that and fought to end the reign of terror. Her struggle with the emotion, however illogical, and her ability to do the job is believable. Nonetheless, she does do it.
Kir Kanos has finally admitted his feelings (to himself) for Mirith Sinn. And he’s finally acknowledging that this quest for revenge for the Emperor’s death no longer makes sense. He isn’t actively pursuing it at all, when Devian drags him in. He’s making a living as a bounty hunter. But it isn’t until Devian that it finally clicks into place and he chooses to warn Mirith Sinn.
I really enjoyed seeing Leia with the kids, and Han’s desire to get back to them when he’s out being General with the fleet.
The one thing I found out of sync was Luke. I did enjoy seeing him training and the meeting with Vima Da Boda. I don’t recall scenerly like that on Yavin 4, but that doesn’t mean its not there. The problem is his attitude. Luke, the guy who sees the best in everyone, even to saving Anakin turned Vader and forgiving Kypp Durron, is oddly hard on Mirith Sinn. Leia chose her, his own feelings tell him there is no treachery, and there have been many attempts on Leia’s life where he didn’t distrust her security.
Luke’s distrust of Kir Kanos in Crimson Empire would be more understandable. The man had made it clear he planned to kill all who were responsible for the Emperor’s death – real or clone, didn’t matter. Yet even though his own force sense insisted there was no treachery, he again assumed Kanos was responsible for the bomb on the shuttle. This would make sense for, say, Han or Lando. But for Luke it just seems out of character.
Continuity and Lore
Feena D’asta appears in Crimson Empire 2 and 3.
Admiral Pellaeon of course is in the Thrawn trilogy and duology. He became a Star Wars expanded universe regular.
Yinchorr where the guard trained is featured in Star Wars Marvel comics as home of the Yinchorri and in Star Wars Acts of War. At one point the Emperor annihilated all the natives (although one presumes there were some off world) is unknown.
The Emperor’s clones are of course featured in Dark Empire. That does mention the clones being defective but doesn’t explain why or how.
Lusankya, the Super Star Destroyer that shows up commanded by General Wedge Antillies has a whole story behind it’s capture, in the X-Wing Rogue Squadron novels.
It is established that Carnor Jax was trained in the force by Lumiya, one of the Emperor’s hands and formerly an agent of Darth Vader. Source: “The Emperor’s Pawns” in Star Wars Gamer 5
The Ruling Council of the Empire doesn’t get a whole lot of attention in other stories, since most of the focus is on the military.
It’s claimed in Crimson Empire that Kir Kanos is the last of the royal guards. But another Royal Guard (or so he claims) is in Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn. Young Jedi Knights also feature some few surviving Royal Guardsmen apparently. Or again, so they claim.
It is known that Royal Guards were rotated out of the Imperial Guard into the regular Stormtrooper corp temporarily, to keep their skills sharp when they weren’t needed for the Emperor’s detail. This is mentioned in Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn.
Spaarti and cloning make a fresh appearance here. Spaarti cloning tanks date back to the Thrawn trilogy. Cloning too of course, as well as being a primary focus of the Clone Wars.
Nom Anor goes on to be a major player in the New Jedi Order, Crimson Empire is his earliest appearance. Note that Dark Horse comics had come up with the idea of the intergalactic threat but had the idea was given to Del Rey instead and changed from their original plans. Source: Randy Stradley, Dark Horse message boards. One link is here and another here.
Han Solo is back to acting as a General in Crimson Empire 3. I guess he reclaimed his commission. Probably after the events in Planet of Twilight. It does mention Nom Chorios which is in Planet of Twilight.
