Star Wars' Order 66 Had Dark Consequences Beyond the Jedi Purge
The Empire's Order 66 wasn't simply a cue for the Jedi Purge, but a lasting edict that used many methods to erase all memory of the Force.
Warning: contains a preview for Star Wars: Crimson Dawn #3!
A new preview for Star Wars: Crimson Reign reveals the widespread consequences of Palpatine's Order 66 beyond the Jedi Purge. While the mass execution was a brutal and tragic end to the Jedi Order and the Clone Wars, Order 66 apparently encapsulated much more as the newly risen Empire strove to completely erase its enemies from the galaxy's collective memory. As such, this new preview reveals that the entire life of a scholar by the name of Madelin Sun was ruined due to Order 66.
In previous issues of Crimson Reign, the intentions of Lady Qi'ra have been laid bare to her comrades within Crimson Dawn. Revealing to her allies that the Empire is ruled by the Sith, Qi'ra hopes to restore the balance of power in the galaxy by destroying the Sith Lords themselves. As such, Qi'ra has been pitting crime syndicates against one another, positioning her agents and assassins, procuring key assets, and generally consolidating power as she prepares to strike at the very top of the Imperial hierarchy. Crimson Reign is a series told in the past-tense by a member of Crimson Dawn known as the Archivist, a mysterious woman who was once Madelin Sun.
Revealing her own backstory in this new preview for Star Wars: Crimson Reign #3 from Charles Soule and Steven Cummings, the Archivist recounts her time as a sava (a teacher or scholar) at the University of Bar'leth, the same school where Doctor Aphra studied archaeology. Studying the Force with a focus on the dark side, Sava Sun's entire career was killed the moment Order 66 went into effect. As the Empire rose to power, all studies of the Jedi, Sith, and the Force itself were outlawed. As such, Sun was forced to become a junk dealer who was still harassed by the Empire under the codicils of Order 66, at least until she was recruited by Lady Qi'ra. Enjoy the preview pages and the synopsis for the upcoming issue:
PART 3: THE ARCHIVIST - ODYSSEY OF THE ARCHIVIST! LADY QI’RA’S ultimate plan to reshape the galaxy continues as we focus on one of her most key operatives—the mysterious SAVA MADELIN SUN, former expert in the DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE, now known only as THE ARCHIVIST. Qi’ra has given this woman a crucial task and put all the resources of CRIMSON DAWN at her disposal. The Archivist’s search will find answers to mysteries at the very heart of the EMPIRE’S formation…and the ultimate fall of THE JEDI ORDER.
Clearly, Lady Qi'ra has big plans for the Archivist beyond simply recording the exploits of Crimson Dawn. While Order 66 may have taken Sun's life's work away, Qi'ra apparently gave her a new purpose to use her talents and knowledge once more. Seeing as how she's an expert on the dark side, Sava Sun certainly seems like she's being set up to be a key asset among Qi'ra's inner circle. While fans know from other works that Qi'ra will ultimately fail, the suggestion that the Archivist will survive Crimson Dawn's defeat makes her a particularly fascinating character, and one who may be deeply relevant to future stories.
While this new preview confirms the wide-reach Order 66 had on the galaxy beyond simply killing the Jedi, it will be interesting to see the other ways the Empire sought to erase knowledge of the Force as it rose to power when the full Star Wars: Crimson Reign #3 releases on March 9.