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From the Desk of Ghent
by: Ghent
date posted: Jan 12, 2007 9:50 AM
Evasive Action -- Why stay on Coruscant?
On theforce.net boards, QuinineVos asks:
I have just one question, so basic that I'm amazed I haven't thought to ask it until now. Why did the Padawans come back to Coruscant of all places in the first place? Didn't they figure out pretty quickly that that would be the most dangerous place to be? Did they perhaps hear the original coded signal telling all Jedi to return and got back before Obi-Wan changed it and then were unable to leave? Paul? Tom? Anyone?

This answer will be brief, but hopefully satisfactory...

1. At the end of ROF, the padawans on Felucia hear the coded message as audio, but the carnage on the viewscreens (with Aayla and Barriss dying at the hands of clones) was visual evidence that the message was not true.

By the time they got out of the Felucia jam, Obi-Wan and Yoda had turned off the signal... so that wasn't the motivation.

2. In "Recruitment", in #41 we hear Ekria's empassioned (even if unrealistic) plea from Ekria... "They're out there, Drake. They'll come back to Coruscant, restore the Order and make things the way they were. We must stay true to the Force... to take back what's been taken."

Ekria's always driven by logic, except on this point. I liken her state of mind to a child whose parents divorce, but are in denial waiting for the day they get back together.

The three want to stay together, and Zonder and Drake are manipulated emotionally by Ekria... letting her hold on to this belief.

These are kids, not emotionally mature adults.

3. Ekria sliced into the Jedi Temple databank, erasing all record of their existance. At the time of Recruitment, at least, they believed they were safe on Coruscant. (Except that the boys kept breaking the "no public display of the Force" rule.)

4. At the end of Recruitment, Drake has overcome some of his lack-of-identity issues, stating "I guess the citizens of the Republic can still use a Jedi, even if neither the Republic nor the Jedi exist."

This is Drake's, "I will not run" and "I will become the Batman" moment. At that point, leaving Coruscant would be too defeatist. Drake's back to his "nothing can kill me" teen confidence.

5. Several times in "Prey", there are allusions to having to face conflict, not just run from it. It all comes to a head in #62 when Drake says, "This will never be over until we've faced the Sith Lord, Darth Vader."

6. As you're seeing in "End Game", this is exactly the path Drake is choosing. Unfortunately for him, this confrontation seems motivated by revenge. Yoda definitely wouldn't approve.

7. As you see from the first panel of "End Game", I've telegraphed the fact that Ekria does leave Coruscant... never to return.

Hope that clears some things up.

Korpil
A Verpine's blog
date Posted: Jan 12, 2007 10:54 AM
It's logical to me... all the action, not to mention the key players (Vader, Xizor, Palpy, etc.) are in Coruscant...

BTW, nice to see Lekauf in webstrip 28!
Korpil
A Verpine's blog
date Posted: Jan 12, 2007 10:56 AM
Oh and in panel 30... why are they asking aid from the Empire?
  QuinineVos
date Posted: Jan 12, 2007 11:59 AM
I like it. So basically what you're saying, if I'm interpreting you correctly, is that they want to believe that the Order will regroup on Coruscant so they stay, despite the beacon's message to disburse.

I also like the idea of Ekria being the moral center and essentially the driving force of the little trio. Too bad we didn't get a chance to get to know her a little more. Well, I suppose there's still the rest of End Game, right?

Thanks for the response, and this wonderful series of webstrips.
Charliii
date Posted: Jan 12, 2007 3:27 PM
Yes, this is indeed a wonderful series, I hope it makes it into print sometime.

Just a question about 1. (This has probably been discussed before) Did they really hear the message as spoken words? In Labyrinth of Evil and RotS:Novelization it was described more like coded "morse-style" messages.
TheSithEmpire
date Posted: Feb 11, 2007 9:35 AM
"Glorified trinket merchant" GREAT line and great stuff happening on this strip, Paul! I love the whole interplay between Vader and Orman! What a treat to finally see this backstory from Marvel come to life!

I hope you guys take this conflict to its conclusion!

Thanks for keeping the flame alive!
  Darth Flenser
date Posted: Feb 17, 2007 8:59 AM
I have a different question: Who are those alien (Nikto?) bodyguards of Darth Vader's in Evasive Action: End Game?
Ghent
From the Desk of Ghent
date Posted: Feb 17, 2007 9:12 AM
The guards are noghri.
  Darth Flenser
date Posted: Feb 17, 2007 3:21 PM
The guards are noghri

Do they get names?
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