Customer Reviews

Endgame (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 9)

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Endgame is a denouement, a figurative and literal cleaning up and sorting out, the final chapter in Dark Horse's Clone Wars series. That doesn't mean there's nothing but talking heads and exposition. On the contrary, there's plenty of action in three stories about choice and consequence.

Chronologically, the volume begins with the 3-part "The Hidden Enemy," in which former Jedi double agent Quinlan Vos is on assignment to Kashyyk, fighting alongside Yoda and the Wookies against Trandoshan Slavers and the Separatist Droid Army. With the issuance of Order 66, Vos finds himself an enemy of the state, hunted, alone in a Kashyyk forest crawling with clones. The closing pages of the story have created some contention among regular readers of the Vos comics, but even so you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful that don't believe John Ostrander and Jan Duursema are the best writer/artist team ever to work on a Star Wars comic. This is yet another excellent example of their witty writing, keen plotting, and creative composition - and for me at least the closing pages were a very pleasant surprise.

Endgame continues with the two-part " Into the Unknown," the tale of two Jedi on the run days after Order 66, the tale of two choices, of two Jedi trying to make sense of a world turned upside down.. For Master Kai Hudorra, the priority is survival, to live to fight another day, even if this means forsaking not only the Jedi but - for her own good - a young Padawan as well. For Jedi Dass Jennir, the motivation is duty and obligation to right what the Order helped create, to aid those now fearing reprisal from the Empire. Author Welles Hartley is to be commended. There is no recrimination here, from the characters nor from the author, only the sympathetic portrayal of events, which in the end point to the reader and ask - how would you choose? The message is only enhanced by the art, beautifully detailed work from Doug Wheatley, whose only fault here is in making Dass Jennir look far too much like Orlando Bloom's Legolas.

The final choice in this volume is left to the newly minted Darth Vader, who must obey his new master and forget his old one, or indulge his desire for revenge. Between Vader and his anger are a half-dozen Jedi spreading the word that Kenobi is among them, bait to lure Vader into their Sith trap. Impressively, writer John Ostrander presents in a just a few pages of his one-issue "Purge" a more interesting portrait of Anakin in the days following his reanimation than James Luceno did in 336 pages in his wreck of a novel, Dark Lord. Credit goes here, as well, to artist Doug Wheatley for bringing the action scenes to life. The only cringe-inducing moment was Vader yet again having his hand cut off.

This final chapter in Dark Horse's long running prequel era series (beginning back in 1998 as simply Star Wars) will be remembered most as the home of John Ostrandrer and Jan Duursema's stories about Jedi Quinlan Vos and his Padawan Ayala Secura. While those two will be missed, there is much to look forward to as Ostrander and Duursema launch the new post-Luke-Skywalker series, Legacy, and in the new post-Revenge-of-the-Sith series, Dark Times, featuring the continuing tales of Jedi Dass Jennir.

I loved the artwork, of course, and Quinlan's story was quite interesting. Bcuz the story takes place during, and immediately after, Order 66, it was touching to see old characters revisited, like Mace Windu and Dooku/Tyranus.

"Into The Unknown" is a story of several surviving Jedi, and their separate destinies. It was a VERY moving story (I almost cried). But even better than the story is the artwork!

"Purge" was interesting, but I didn't see enuf of Vader. The story focused more on the trap-laying Jedi, not Vader. I'd like to get into his head, like "Rise of Darth Vader" did, but visually. See how he's coping w/ his new "body" and his feelings about the life he lost, and his true feelings about Palpatine, knowing that Anakin was lured into a lifetime of servitude to the true monster, the one that trapped him in the suit.

The book is a good collection of stories on how the fall of the Old Republic and the fall of the jedi order after Episode 3 of the movies. I will admit that most of the stories are a bit short for my taste and a bit open-ended to boot, but overall not to bad. Great artwork and compelling stories.

Set just after Revenge of the Sith, Endgame tells 3 stories of Jedi who have to make hard choices to survive in the time of the Empire. First we wrap up the story of Quinlan Vos. The next introduces 2 new Jedi, who must choose whether to fight or hide. Finally the story Purge has 8 Jedi setting out to ambush Darth Vader, it's an incredible battle, well thought out, fantastically illustrated and very moving.

The theme through the whole book is whether or not the Jedi can survive and still be true to their principles and it presents no easy answers. More than one character dies trying to find that balance. It's a lot more mature in that way than the usual Star Wars story and is very refreshing.

This book deserves a place on every Star Wars fan's bookshelf.

This was one of the better volumes of the clone wars series and talked a lot about order 66. Two of my favorite jedi's, Quinlan Vos and Dass Jennir stories are also shown. It provides a pleasant ending for Quinlan and talks about master Kai Hudorra and padawan Noirah Na. It also has the one-shot, Purge, where Vader dispatches several jedi simultaneously. Doug Wheatley is a great artist, pick this one up.

Takes place during and after Episode III, action, suspense, mixed in with some tear-jerker moments. The Jedi are on the ropes and the knock-out punch is about to be delivered. Also includes the "Purge," excellent early Vader story!

If you are a life long fan of Star Wars and comics you have to read this Clone Wars saga to really understand and appreciate the gap between the last two movies Star Wars II (Clone Wars) and Star Wars III. It is amazing how differently you will look at the last chapter and especially the last 30 minutes of Star Wars III the movie after the buildup in this Clone Wars comic series. One of the most well written movie tie-ins I have ever read and I read tons of comics. Must have.

This is a great series! Absolutely worth to begin an excellent Star Wars series! The art is great and there are a lot of details and things to watch in these magazines.

An exciting and chilling end to the Clone Wars as the SW galaxy is transformed by the repercussions of the events from Revenge of the Sith. Several strong characters emerge as lead-ins to other SW series from Dark Horse comics.

this another must read for all star wars fans. The art & story are awesome. especially "purge"