Shattered expectations.
By Joshua Yehl
While the final issue of Shattered Empire is definitely fun to read — who doesn’t want to see Shara Bey teaming up with Luke Skywalker on a secret mission? — it also reinforces the core flaw of the mini-series: we never truly get to know Shara Bey, as she functions mostly as a means to see what Han, Luke and Leia are up to after Return of the Jedi. The stories themselves are light, quick adventures that remind you why you love the original trio so much, that’s for sure, but without Shara acting as a compelling, emotional core of the experience, it all feels a bit underwhelming.
Part of that comes from the mixed messaging of what Shattered Empire is supposed to be. Is it an epilogue to Return of the Jedi or a prequel to The Force Awakens? Is it an introduction to Poe Dameron’s parents or a glimpse at what the original trio are up to after the Battle of Endor? It’s all of these things and none of them, in a way, which hampers the reading experience.
Not that the many parallels and homages to the Star Wars movies aren’t a good time, mind you. There’s a familiar infiltration plot, not to mention a clever reference to a character featured in Smuggler’s Run, the Han Solo/Chewbacca novel also by Shattered Empire writer Greg Rucka.
As Shara crosses paths with one Star Wars icon after another, the only thing we know about her is that she has a strong sense of duty but that she also wants to settle down with her husband Kes. We never truly dig into her character, so even though we are endeared to her thanks to her impressive skills and honorable attitude, it’s hard to feel a strong connection to her by the end of this story. That this issue ends on the same beats as the last one — a perilous mission swiftly ends and we see a touching reunion — doesn’t help matters.
The book goes out on a high note as far as the artwork is concerned. Marco Checchetto draws Luke with a sense of determination and confidence, and then unloads completely in the high-octane action scenes. You feel gut-punched when he uses a Force push thanks to Checchetto’s mastery of momentum and energy, and you can practically hear the buzz of a lightsaber as it slices across the page in beautiful arcs. It’s good stuff, all around.
While it is nice to see that Luke is on a mission to restore the Jedi Order, it comes at the cost of Shara’s character development, much like in previous chapters. We see her succeed in her missions thanks to her astonishing expertise, but we don’t get that emotional hook that ties it all together. She’s actually so good at everything, from flying to fighting to impersonating an Imperial officer, that there winds up being little tension or suspense to her story. The idea of Shara acting as a window through which we get to catch up with Han, Luke and Leia isn’t so bad in the grand scheme of things, but it’s hard not to finish reading Shattered Empire wishing her character was a little more fleshed out.
