Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances #1
RETURN TO THE SAGA OF THRAWN WITH THE COMIC-BOOK ADAPTATION OF THRAWN: ALLIANCES!
TIMOTHY ZAHN teams with STAR WARS veteran JODY HOUSER to bring THRAWN: ALLIANCES to the pages of comic books!
Watch as ANDREA DI VITO & PAT OLLIFFE bring the action to life showcasing the tactical prowess of the galaxy’s most dangerous mind!
Writers: Timothy Zahn, Jody Houser
Artists: Andrea Di Vito, Pat Olliffe
Letterer: VC Travis Lanham
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Rod Reis
Editor: Daniel Khazem
Release Date: January 23, 2024
We open in the ‘now’ and the imposing Star Destroyer of Grand Admiral Thrawn as we see a smaller vessel covering a larger one, and see Thrawn assess the situation, noting how the smaller ship is protecting the larger one. Thrawn admires the pilots bravery, and offers them clemency just as the Emperor contacts requesting his presense and the Admiral and Thrawn orders the commodore to acknowledge the message. We skip to Coruscant as Thrawn stands opposite Vader and the Emperor, telling his master of their success in the system. Palpatine is pleased, and tells him of his next mission, one that will take him to the world of Batuu accompanied by Vader. Onboard the Chimaera we learn of an issue with the hyperdrive, some unknown mass pulling them out of lightspeed. Thrawn is patient with his commander, while Vader is only interested in the present and carrying out his mission for the Emperor.
‘Then’ and a Naboo vessel approaches Batuu and we see Padme Amidala aim for Black Spire Outpost where she finds the body of her friend Duja, the woman who called her to come to Batuu. She’s asked if she knew her, which she denies, and learns her body was brought in a few days ago after a speeder accident. She sings a song of farewell for Duja, and as she does she nimbly pulls a broach off her lapel, and walks away back to her own ship, looking for Duja’s vessel. The broach holds the final message from Duja, telling Padme how she believes she had found Separatists on Mokivj. Clearly, they realised she was onto them, and so decides to contact Anakin and head to Mokivj in Duja’s better armed vessel.
‘Now’, and the Chimaera which is still struggling to jump to hyperspace. The issue may be a cloaked Interdictor – an unlikely option given the fields for both devices would work against each other – and Thrawn suggests smaller jumps through another route, as the commodore suggests aiming for Mokivj to save significant hours. They arrive over Mokivj to find it devastated, but Vader is unconcerned, focusing only on the orders of his master. They set course for Batuu as we return to ‘Then’ and Anakin and R2 arriving at Batuu in his Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor. He is keen to find Padme to make sure she is ok, but is contacted by an alien vessel which we learn is actually Thrawn, who offers to help in return for understanding the nature of the conflict that threatens his people, the Chiss. They agree to work together, and we see Anakin on the surface, looking to leap into the fray before Thrawn arrives.
‘Now’ and we’re on Batuu as Vader and Thrawn arrive at Black Spire Outpost. Vader feels the disturbance he seeks is close, and as they enter a cantina one of the patrons remembers Thrawn. He asks of Thrawn s there to help, as he did before, and explains how the Darshi – an alien race that travels in the Unknown Regions and Wild Space – have moved in and taken the best resources for themselves. Thrawn is contacted, learning that a number of vessels have arrived in orbit, and he orders his crew to keep the Chimaera hidden and to monitor the situation, while Vader orders them to intercept. Thrawn reiterates his orders, much to Vaders annoyance and Thrawn reminds him – he commands the First Legion, but he commands the Chimaera. Vader promises to continue the conversation at a later time as the patrons close in and we hop back to the past and Anakin dives into the fray as in the present Vader and Thrawn fight side-by-side. In the past, Thrawn arrives and with a word stops the fighting, explaining that they’re smugglers who expected to find an open landing area, but instead it was occupied by another ship, that of Padme.
They gain entry and realise that the ship is normal, no signs of struggle, and another ship has landed and departed nearby. They decide to travel to the nearest settlement for answers, and we see them enter a bar very much like Oga’s Cantina and ask the barkeep if he’s seen Padme and Duja. The Gammorrean bartender apologies and suddenly there’s a plume of smoke – it’s a trap. Anakin ignites his saber, telling Thrawn to stay above the gas as the Chiss starts blasting and we end a first-class first issue.
Marvel are doing a lot of adaptations at the moment with this, The Mandalorian season 2, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the recetly announced Ahsoka series. Most retell already visual stories and retreading familiar ground wiithout adding much to what we watched but here we’re adapting a book, and to condense and serialise that with such crisp art and snappy dialogue gives us a fresh look at Timothy Zahns Thrawn Alliances. There’s certainly enough in here to justify the price tag and the reasons for it existing, so we wait for the second issue in anticipation of an equally enthralling tale.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Zahn, Timothy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 23 Pages - 02/28/2024 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
