‘Star Wars’ Prequels Explain Events Post-‘Jedi’

As previously revealed, Disney is releasing a series of 20 novels and comic books under the title Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Last week we got a sneak peek at what those books have in store via the Star Wars: Shattered Empire comic, and today brings even more enlightenment on the events following Return of the Jedi via new info from the novel Star Wars: Aftermath.

We’re going to learn a whole, whole lot about what happened in the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens as we get closer and closer to the release of the latter this December. Chuck Wendig’s Star Wars: Aftermath is the first in a trilogy of novels that will shed some light on those events, and the official synopsis — while not completely revealing — does offer some insight:

The second Death Star has been destroyed, the Emperor killed, and Darth Vader struck down. Devastating blows against the Empire, and major victories for the Rebel Alliance. But the battle for freedom is far from over.
As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance—now a fledgling New Republic—presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy’s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy’s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders.
Meanwhile, on the planet’s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world—war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antilles’s urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesn’t know is just how close the enemy is—or how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be.
Determined to preserve the Empire’s power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summit—to consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they haven’t reckoned on Norra and her newfound allies—her technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defector—who are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empire’s oppressive reign once and for all.

We’ll get to see Wedge Antilles return for a new mission, as well as some planets that have been teased on the Star Wars: Clone Wars series, further tying the universe together. In addition, EW has obtained an exclusive excerpt from the book, so if you want to know a bit more, you can head over there to check it out.

Disney has also revealed cover art and descriptions for various other Star Wars novels, including Claudia Gray’s YA novel Lost Stars, and solo stories for Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker. Slashfilm has more info. Here’s the official synopsis for Lost Stars, which sounds pretty interesting:

The reign of the Galactic Empire has reached the Outer Rim planet of Jelucan, where aristocratic Thane Kyrell and rural villager Ciena Ree bond over their love of flying. Enrolling at the Imperial Academy together to become fighter pilots for the glorious Empire is nothing less than a dream come true for the both of them. But Thane sours on the dream when he sees firsthand the horrific tactics the Empire uses to maintain its ironclad rule.
Bitter and disillusioned, Thane joins the fledgling Rebellion — putting Ciena in an unbearable position to choose between her loyalty to the Empire and her love for the man she’s known since childhood.
Now on opposite sides of the war, will these friends turned foes find a way to be together, or will duty tear them — and the galaxy — apart?

Star Wars: Aftermath hits shelves on September 4. The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18.

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