Earlier this week all 40 chapters were announced from the upcoming book From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi. The book follows 40 different Star Wars character, each with a different chapter, interacting in some way with the events of the film.
You can find the whole list of stories here, but below I’m going to rank the five I’m most excited to read.
5. Sion – “Kickback” by K. Arsenault Rivera
This is exactly the kind of story that the From a Certain Point of View stories can tell that make it so great. This is a story that would never get attention in a project of its own, but in a collection like this it feels perfectly placed. This is the story of someone named Sion (this is the first time he’s been named in canon), and he’s become a well-known figure from Return of the Jedi based on one brief, easy-to-miss moment: he’s the one who is defeated by Luke Skywalker’s “Force kick”. In other words, the moment where Luke kicks at someone, misses him entirely, yet seems to land it as the foe falls backward just like he’d been kicked. This chapter will tell his story, and it seems so hilarious that I simply can’t wait to read the explanation behind it.
4. Pryde – “The Steadfast Soldier” by Adam Christopher
Another category in which these From a Certain Point of View stories work so well is by taking characters introduced in other times and mediums and integrating them in the timeline in ways that feel perfectly natural and inter-connected. In this upcoming book the story that looks to do that most prominently is in Adam Christopher’s chapter on Enric Pryde (a character Christopher previously wrote in Shadow of the Sith). Pryde was introduced in The Rise of Skywalker as an allegiant general in the Final Order, someone loyal to Palpatine who served him during the Galactic Civil War. So while Pryde wasn’t in the original trilogy, we know he was active during the period – so this story will connect those dots. I’m hoping it’s a way to pull plenty of sequel trilogy connecting points and easter eggs into the mix.
3. Obi-Wan Kenobi – “From a Certain Point of View” by Alex Jennings
This one was too obvious to pass up. This entire series of books is based on a single line from Obi-Wan Kenobi in Return of the Jedi, when he tells Luke that, “what I told you was true, from a certain point of view.” In Kenobi’s mind, Anakin Skywalker is dead, and he was killed by Darth Vader – so Ben doesn’t feel like he had lied to Luke in saying Vader killed his father. The line is an insight into Kenobi’s head and how he views his former apprentice. Luke believes that Anakin is still there and can be saved; Ben, it seems, believes Anakin is dead. But this chapter will give us the chance to really dive into Kenobi’s thinking in these moments and why he said those now-famous words.
2. Dexter Jettster – “The Veteran” by Adam Lane Garcia
This is by far the most unexpected character to be featured in a chapter, but I can’t wait for it. Dexter Jettster was first introduced in Attack of the Clones as the friendly diner owner whose friendship with Obi-Wan Kenobi caused the Jedi to recruit him for help finding the Kaminoan cloners. He has since appeared in some books and other projects, and has garnered a cult following among fans. To get a chance to catch up on what he’s up to during this point in the timeline, with the galaxy having changed so much since the days of the Republic, will be great.
1. Anakin Skywalker – “Brotherhood” by Mike Chen
Mike Chen has written about the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi before, in his excellent novel Brotherhood. His chapter in this book goes by the same title, and it’s fitting because it will be dealing with the same thing. This is about Anakin’s return to the light, and his reunion with his master in the realm of the Force. That’s everything I want in a book like this, and I absolutely cannot wait to read it. I’m sure it will be quite emotional.
Honorable Mention:
Mon Mothma – “No Contingency” by Fran Wilde
Commander Igar – “The Man Who Captured Luke Skywalker” by Max Gladstone
Star Wars Thoughts 