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Now I know that the majority of people here, if not all, could care less about Jacen Solo...or even know who he is. But I do. I am a die-hard Star Wars fan...of the original trilogy anyway. However, while George Lucas systematically destroyed fans time and time again with the moronification of this franchise, the EU authors kept true to the spirit of Star Wars. They even managed to incorporate the new "canon" crap that Lucas came up with into the stories without making me want to projectile vomit. Hell, they even killed Chewie in a way that kept true to the spirit of that Wookiee...So I'm down with the EU...and fuck all you haters. That is until the Insect trilogy (forgot the actual name and I don't actually care enough to look it up) and most particularly "The Legacy of the Force" series. All you authors can kiss my ass for running with THAT story arch.
Why am I suddenly ranting about some EU character? Well on this week's TR contest I found another fan of Star Wars who was as horrified by the newest EU books as I am. I am currently in a philosophical discussion regarding the nature of the Force. Anyway, to me the ultimate betrayal is what they decided to do to my favorite EU character, the aforementioned Jacen Solo. For those who did not read the Heir to the Empire trilogy by Timothy Zahn, Jacen Solo is Han & Leia's oldest son and twin to Jaina Solo. As a kid he told stupid jokes and had an affinity with animals...and that's the Jedi, I can get them to do what I want, affinity. He was cute, he was good natured, and he was utterly awkward when dealing with his crush, Tenel Ka. He was pretty much the Jedi version of any geek teen.
And then the New Jedi Order series occurred. And that should have been a clue to all of us EU fans as to where the book series was going. Back to the Dark and Bitter days akin to the Empire Era. Basically, a race of Extra-Galactic aliens obssessed with BDSM -the type that don't have safe words- invaded the galaxy. And proceeded to wipe the floor with the New Republic. I won't get into details but the series began with the DEATH OF CHEWBACCA. Just so you know how serious these aliens are. The war also killed the youngest of Han & Leia's children, Anakin Solo.
More importantly, Jacen was captured by an agent of the Yuuzhan Vong or a double agent AT BEST, Vergere. She was once a Jedi who met this race and decided to go with them so she could learn everything possible about this new threat. This was about 50 years prior to this series and years before the Clone Wars. Whatever happened in the intervening time had seriously messed with this chick's sense of right and wrong. She permitted the torture and implantation of a slave-seed into Jacen. The result was Jacen began to influence the world brain that took over Coruscant...and he was able to develop the "Vong Sense." Meaning unlike the rest of the Jedi, he could feel the Yuuzhan Vong...but not with using the force since they were stripped of that millenia ago by an INTELLIGENT PLANET. Anyway, when the war ended Jacen was able to bridge the gap between the Vong and the denizens of the Star Wars Galaxy. But there was a price...a horrible, horrible price. Jacen took to heart WAY too much of Vergere's teachings...which were corrupted by the insanity that was the Yuuzhan Vong's way of life...which is contrary to everything a Jedi believes in. For instance, the Jedi worship life while the Yuuzhan Vong worship death.
In the proceeding trilogy and series, I watched in utter horror as Jacen was completely stripped of his compassion, his good nature, and everything that was vital to the character as I knew him from the Young Jedi Knights series. He killed, he tortured, he plotted, and he did it all because he wanted to bring order back to the Galaxy. He became Darth Caedus and Jacen Solo was lost. Mara Jade Skywalker, RIGHT BEFORE JACEN KILLED HER, put it best: You aren't another Vader, you're Palpatine. In the end, his own twin was unable to save him and in fact killed him.
The next series, the one I'm currently reading, is in part a journey by Luke to discover what wrought such a change in his nephew. He discovered a being in the Maw who can influence individuals across the galaxy. His nephew met her and apparently was stripped of the core of himself by her. I personally think that's too easy. It began 15 years prior when he was 18 and a prisoner of war...a prisoner of one who was once a Jedi.
There's a philosophical construct introduced into the Star Wars Universe during the New Jedi Order. Vergere introduced the idea that there is not a light side or dark side to the force, that it is in fact determined by the wielder him or herself. However, no Jedi can ever subscribe to this because they HAVE to believe in the Light Side. It governs their actions and more importantly, it protects those who cannot wield the force. Without such a belief in a light or dark side, force users would eventually believe that as long as the ends are just, the means do not matter. But for a Jedi, the means are utterly vital. The moment one stops caring about HOW they get results, they turn into a monster. They become Sith. I believe THIS is the fundamental difference between Jedi and Sith. Its not philosophical but practical. A Sith can care about the Galaxy but they don't have to worry about how they achieve their vision. A Jedi, on the other hand, must care or risk going against the very oath that they took -to protect and serve the Galaxy.
Jacen Solo is the result of what happens when one only contemplates the ends. The change may have been finished by the entity in the Maw, but it began with Vergere and her teachings. And thus I finish my rant and reaffirm my complete and utter geekhood.
Good Night and Good Luck
