User blog:Brandon Rhea/Introducing The Chosen One

So it's been some time since I brought you a major update for Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One. I think it's high time that I get you up to speed on what I've been working on these past few months.

As you can see off to the right, as previously revealed, The Chosen One now has a new cover, created as always by Victor Dorantes. This reflects the new state of the novel: it has been broken up into three different books.

Um...why?
I've always said that The Chosen One, in its now defunct incarnation, was like three stories in one. There were three parts&mdash;The Calling, The Conspiracy, and The Covenant&mdash;and each one was a story within the framework of a larger story. Each section had a beginning, a middle, and an end.

By the time I got to the end of Part 1 in the last draft, before these new upcoming changes, Part 1 in and of itself was something like 250 Microsoft Word pages&mdash;which is likely over 300 pages in regular hardcover novel format. So in Word, The Chosen One as a whole would've been 600 some odd pages. That's really, really big, like Harry Potter big.

So I went back and forth on breaking them into three separate novels, but in the end I decided to do just that. The Tatooine arc that made up Part 1 is now Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One. What was to be Part 2 with the Coruscant arc is now Star Wars: Episode II - The Call of Destiny, and what was to be Part 3 with the conclusion of the Invasion of Utapau and the outbreak of the Clone Wars is now Star Wars: Episode III - Destiny of the Jedi.

The novels that were to be Episodes II and III before this change are now Episodes IV, V, and VI. What would have been IV, V, and VI are now VII, VIII, and IX, and the novels that were meant to be those are now X, XI, and XII. So that's a grand total of 12 episodes, but this doesn't add more work. It doesn't add to my delusion of ever finishing this. It divides the same amount of delusion into smaller, more manageable delusions.

Episode I
Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One starts off on Tatooine. In terms of the story that begins there, it's technically &mdash;or in the middle of things. It starts in the aftermath of a Trade Alliance invasion of a small Republic world on the border of the Outer Rim Territories. Previous drafts of the novel showed this invasion beginning in chapter one, but the invasion plot in this episode is told beginning with the escapees' arrival at Tatooine, with the events of the occupation before it being told through a series of flashbacks over the course of the novel.

The primary storyline centers around Michael Lars, a poor moisture farmer on Tatooine. He learns about his destiny, which leads into a lot of stuff that I won't tell you about since there are a lot of spoilers involved. His journey will prepare him to move into a much larger galaxy, which&mdash;beyond his little corner of the Outer Rim Territories&mdash;he's only heard legends and stories about.

In order to set the atmosphere for this novel, I chose to make the feel of the story similar to that of the original Star Wars, aka. . Michael's story in this book (which is set, save for a few scenes here and there, almost exclusively on Tatooine as a desert epic) is similar to the story of in A New Hope, where Michael has to overcome a big obstacle&mdash;Luke's being the &mdash;before finally moving forward towards a much greater destiny.

To that end, many things will also be presented as new in this story. I'll be writing things like the first mentions and explanations of the Force and the first glimpse of a lightsaber as very special moments, where it's like I'm introducing them to the reader. Yes, I know that those of you reading this post know what these things are, but I'm writing it as the first introduction to the universe of Star Wars. Don't worry, though, it won't be burdensome.

Episode II
Star Wars: Episode II - The Call of Destiny begins in the weeks after The Chosen One, in its immediate aftermath. Michael has learned about his supposed destiny and has been told stories about the worlds beyond his own, and now the doors of the galaxy are flung open for him. He and others find themselves on Coruscant, the capital of the Republic, where the seeds that were planted in The Chosen One continue to evolve through a brewing galactic war, political intrigue and conspiracy, and the looming threat of the Mandalorian Clans, long-believed to no longer be a threat.

The story, continuing its focus on Michael's journey towards his destiny, explores the Republic and the Jedi Order. We're introduced to characters such as Grand Master Mace Windy, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jedi academy Head Master Yoda. All the while, the characters are swept up in one of the greatest conspiracies in the history of the galaxy, one that threatens to destroy the Republic and plunge the galaxy into a thousand years of darkness.

Similar to the feel of the The Chosen One being based on A New Hope, I chose to base the feel of The Call of Destiny on . There are some similar elements, such as Michael learning more about the Jedi just as Luke did in The Empire Strikes Back&mdash;for Michael, as it was with Luke, it's primarily through interaction with Yoda, but Michael learns from others as well. The novel also ends similarly to The Empire Strikes Back, where it's not so much an ending as it is a pathway to the next step of the journey.

Episode III
Star Wars: Episode III - Destiny of the Jedi is the conclusion of the trilogy that began with The Chosen One, and it continues on with and/or concludes the themes and storylines from The Chosen One and The Call of Destiny. Centered around Michael finally embracing his destiny, the story focuses on the end of the invasion of the peaceful Republic world, leading into a brand new struggle between good and evil: the Clone Wars! The quest for salvation heats up and comes to a head as Michael becomes the hero he is destined to be.

As with the last two mirroring their counterparts, the feel of Destiny of the Jedi is based on . Michael embraces his destiny, just as Luke did in Return of the Jedi, and has to face the ghosts of his past in order to move into a brighter future.

One nice thing about this story is that even though a galactic war does start, the trilogy ends with a profound sense of hope that this kid from the desert may hold the keys to the future. Even so, one battle may be over, but the struggle against the dark side of the Force isn't over.

The final battle between good and evil begins.

Michael Lars
"Our children need to know that some people fought back."

- Michael Lars

Michael Lars (portrayed by Jared Padalecki) is a moisture farmer on Tatooine. He lives under the dominion of the Hutt Cartel, the controlling force of the desert world. The planet is governed by Erlik, a Hutt-appointed Governor working his way through the power structure of the Cartel&mdash;squashing the poor Tatooinians that live on his farms, such as Michael and his family, to get to the top. Michael dreams of rebellion, but he has a fear of taking action.

His life is humble, but what lies in store for Michael is like nothing he could ever imagine. Nor would he want to imagine it; his life is constantly haunted by a tragedy in his recent past, giving him a fear of the future that he cannot shake. Yet a great destiny awaits him, one that could decide the very fate of the galaxy itself. The first step on his journey is on none other than Tatooine, the prophetic Land of the Twin Suns, where he will embark on a crusade and assume the mantle of the galaxy's greatest savior.

Luke Lars
"Don't let anyone tell you who you're destined to be. You're the only one who can decide that."

- Luke Lars

Luke Lars (portrayed by John Schneider) is a moisture farmer outside of Anchorhead Station and the head of the Lars family. He is a veteran of the Rim Wars and carries the burden that accompanies it. Along with his sons, Owen and Michael, he and his family work as sharecroppers on their farm, which is owned by the Hutt Cartel. He married a woman named Aika when he was young, and the two had Owen. After Aika died, Luke adopted Michael, who is the son of a woman named Shmi whom Luke knew for many years. Luke holds a secret about Michael that no one, not even Michael himself, knows about.

Despite living in such a harsh environment and under the face of adversity from the Hutts, Luke is a warm and kindhearted man, having gained those traits from his mother. He has a close relationship with his sons, particularly Michael, whom he worked to impart upon the qualities of sincerity, kindness, and generosity.

Owen Lars
"I don't need someone from Nal Hutta, or the Republic, or wherever the hell else telling me they know what's best for me."

- Owen Lars

Owen Lars (portrayed by Joel Edgerton) is the son of Luke and Aika Lars. He is also the adoptive older brother of Michael. He comes across as an arrogant and antiquated man, one who has a strong mistrust of outsiders who feel that they know how to better run Tatooine than Tatooinians&mdash;and he considers the Hutts outsiders as well. He also has a mistrust of non-outsiders, a recent development stemming from personal issues in his life.

Despite his flaws, Owen is a very family-oriented person, though he has frequent disagreements with his adoptive brother. He believes very strongly in the importance of family and will do anything to protect them, stemming from the death of his mother. His strong family loyalty also leads him to harbor a dangerous secret.

Deacon Darklighter
"There's a republic out there whose history is one long act of rebellion. Who are we to be any different?"

- Deacon Darklighter

Deacon "Huff" Darklighter (portrayed by Louis Ferreira) is a Colonel in the Hutt Cartel charged with being the military leader in Anchorhead Station. He oversees imports and exports from the Anchorhead spaceport, as well as the security of the economy of shopkeepers and stand owners throughout the streets of Anchorhead. He has a wife, Malora, and a month-old son, Biggs.

Despite his Hutt employers, Deacon is infused with the spirit of rebellion, using his position to attempt to bring reforms and, if possible, an overthrowing of the Hutt Cartel on Tatooine. He is a friend of Luke Lars and has taken an interest in Michael as well, hoping that he and Owen Lars will one day join in a fight to overthrow their oppressors.

Erlik
"The benefit to creating the laws is that you find yourself above them."

- Erlik

Erlik (portrayed by John Malkovich) is the Governor of Tatooine. He was appointed to the post by the Hutt Cartel, making him the personal representative of Jabba the Hutt, the head of the Cartel, on Tatooine. He is an ambitious man, working his way up through the Hutt Cartel hierarchy in the hopes of becoming a member of Jabba’s inner circle on the Hutt homeworld and capital of Nal Hutta.

The Governor is despised by the people of Tatooine. He is known as “Erlik the Exterminator,” one who will kill anyone to make a point. And yet he was once one of the impoverished citizens of the border worlds, having fought in the Rim Wars against the Hutts. Then, when the war was over, he joined the very enemy he was fighting against, and the people of Tatooine will never forgive him for that.

Sara Jade
"The galaxy isn’t a place for good people, Michael. People aren’t looking for leadership. They want money and pleasure."

- Sara Jade

Sara Jade (portrayed by Katie Cassidy) is a resident of Anchorhead Station. She comes from mysterious origins, with her friends knowing only that her father is an officer in the Hutt Cartel somewhere in Mos Eisley Spaceport. She is currently in a relationship with Joshua Banai, but she was previously with Michael Lars for over a year before she left him.

There is a duality to Sara's nature. She can be both kind and comforting yet also condescending and bitter. She has both built Michael up and torn him down, angrily chastising his weakness in the face of oppression and his inability to see that giving into his base desires is the only way to live a happy life under the rule of the Hutts.

Padmé
"I'd be more afraid of being a useless life. Of living with no purpose. Of dying with nothing to put on my gravestone. I'd be afraid of just being another "remember her?" and never really living."

- Padmé

Padmé (portrayed by Natalie Portman) is a young member of the Ophuchi Clan on Tatooine. A descendant of Elias, she is the daughter of Darius, the former leader of the Ophuchi Clan&mdash;which is now led by Sarus, who will lead until Padmé is old enough to assume the inherited role of leader. The twenty-five year old Padmé has lived on Tatooine with the Ophuchi Clan all her life, never seeing the galaxy beyond Tatooine.

She has great compassion for her people and everyone in the galaxy, believing that the key to salvation lies not only in a prophetic warrior but in the inherent goodness of the people of the galaxy. This belief allows Padmé to put other people before herself, but she is firm in her beliefs and stands for them when she feels she needs to defend them. Her will is strong, even when those closest to her stand against her.

Sarus
"Our very existence is an act of fate."

- Sarus

Sarus (portrayed by Mark Pellegrino) is the leader of the Ophuchi Clan. He is an archaeologist and historian, but was chosen to lead the Ophuchi upon the untimely death of his predecessor, Darius, whose daughter, Padmé, was not yet old enough to assume the mantle of leadership. He has a profound belief in the Chosen One and the salvation of the galaxy, believing that the savior will be a great warrior who will lead a crusade against the armies of evil.

His strong beliefs, however, have made many of his fellow Ophuchi wary, as his strong rhetoric and adherence to Ophuchi traditions has bordered on the dogmatic. Others, though, have become dismayed that the Clan has existed for thousands of years and the savior has yet to arise, so the new found zealotry has energized them, giving Sarus a large and popular following amongst his people.

Ray'kele
"Who you are and what you'll become is up to you. All you have to decide is what to do with the life you've been given."

- Ray'kele

Ray'kele (portrayed by Michael Shanks) is an Ophuchi archaeologist and sage. He is one of the leading voices in the Ophuchi Clan and has been a mentor to Padmé for many years. His area of expertise is ancient civilizations, as well as the beliefs and practices of the Jedi Bendu. Ray'kele, therefore, is a student of history. His position as a sage also allows him to be a spiritual guide for his fellow Ophuchi.

His views of the Force and his knowledge of history lead Ray'kele to differ from Sarus in their beliefs on the Chosen One and the salvation of the galaxy, bringing them into peaceful conflict with one another. Ray'kele believes that there is a key difference between destiny and fate&mdash;the latter of which Sarus ascribes to, whereas Ray'kele believes in the possibilities of the former.

Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Adventure and excitement are not our ways. We live to serve all beings."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi (portrayed by Ewan McGregor) is an ambassador from the distant Republic. He arrives on Tatooine with a group of others from the Republic, on the run from the greedy Trade Alliance that has consumed a peaceful world just beyond the border of the Outer Rim Territories. He carries a great secret that will profoundly shake the beliefs about the galaxy of those that he encounters on Tatooine.

His primary goal is to leave Tatooine as soon as possible, but he too becomes caught up in the journey towards salvation. The peaceful guardian of the Republic soon comes to realize that what had seemed like a great conflict with the Trade Alliance is only part of a much larger picture, one that threatens to consume the entire galaxy in a sea of fire for all eternity.

Sabé Arcadia
"People tend to judge me before they get to know me."

- Sabé Arcadia

Sabé Arcadia (portrayed by Liv Tyler) is the princess of a peaceful world in the Mid Rim, just beyond the borders of the Outer Rim Territories. Her world has been consumed by the Trade Alliance, and now she is on a crusade to liberate her people and rid the galaxy of the Trade Alliance once and for all. She is thrust into the role of being her planet's savior, however, and she carries a deep guilt over the part she played in causing the conflict with the Trade Alliance in the first place.

Despite years of monarchical training under her father, the captive King Veruna Arcadia, Sabé still feels uncomfortable assuming the responsibilities of a monarch on the run. She feels she does not have what it takes to save her people, but those around her inspire her to perhaps believe otherwise. She will take comfort in the guidance of a new friend, Padmé&mdash;Sabé is a princess not yet ready to lead, and Padmé is ready to lead but not yet the leader of her people.

Logan Amator
"Explosions. Destruction. Certain death. The fun stuff."

- Logan Amator's sarcasm

Logan Amator (portrayed by Justin Hartley) is a Major in his homeworld's security forces. He joined the security forces due to his strong sense of loyalty towards the monarchy, a loyalty that remains as he tries to protect Princess Arcadia while on the run from the Trade Alliance invaders. Upon the death of his superior, he has become the highest ranking security officer accompanying the princess, making the other officers under his command.

With this new found responsibility comes a heavy burden. Logan feels the weight of the lives of the princess, his men, and all the people of his homeward bearing down upon him. He masks this, however, with sarcasm and wit, but he is determined to get the princess off of Tatooine as soon as possible so she can save their people.

The desert
Like the starship Enterprise in , not only are the deserts of Tatooine the vehicle in which The Chosen One is told, they are their own unique character.

You will know the feeling of the desert and how it can consume you or forge you into something greater. You will know its strengths, its temptations, its faults. Everything. It has a personality of its own and will be the backdrop of everything that happens in the story.

Other characters
The other characters appearing in The Chosen One are...wouldn't you like to know! I won't give away any other characters other than the main ones listed above, as many of them will give away too many plot points, but I will say that one of them is Shmi, Michael Lars' late mother, who passed away just after Michael was born and will appear in flashbacks.

Tatooine
"At first glance, Tatooine is little more than a useless ball of sand and dirt. Only by looking deeper into the desert can the mind’s eye see the treasure it holds."

- Elias

Tatooine is a barren wasteland of hopelessness and despair. The planet, on the border of the Outer Rim and Mid Rim, is a place where suffering and poverty run rampant, and its Hutt masters use it as nothing more than a place to take out their angers and frustrations on those they rule over. One will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Despite all its flaws, there are those who see it as a jewel in a region controlled by darkness and decadence, a treasure to protect and watch over. It is an old saying that the desert tests all men, so by looking deep into the deserts of Tatooine, those who live there, such as Michael Lars, will discover something profound: themselves.

Utapau
"We stood up. We said what was wrong and we changed it. We saved lives and now, because of that, we have to die. That's what the Trade Alliance would tell you. That's what we're up against."

- Sabé Arcadia

Appearing in a series of flashbacks, Utapau is the antithesis of Tatooine in every way. It is in the far reaches of Republic space, but it is a beacon of everything that the Republic holds dear. It is a pillar of free thinking, a champion of freedom, and one of the guiding lights of culture and arts in the entire galaxy. No planet will ever exceed the vaunted Alderaan in these respects, but Utapau has been called “the Alderaan of the frontier” by many in the Republic.

The symbol that is Utapau has now been tainted, however, by the savage greed of the Trade Alliance, a galactic mega-corporation so powerful that it has representation in the legislature and a standing military. Utapau has become the victim of the Alliance’s willingness to destroy entire worlds to make a profit, suffering an invasion all because Utapau’s government took a stand on its morals and stood up to the influence of the Alliance. Unless Princess Arcadia can reach the Republic’s capital, the entire world may very well be lost forever.

Hutt Cartel
"Their love of profit is stronger than anything else they have. It's also their greatest weakness."

- Deacon Darklighter

The Hutt Cartel is an empire of criminals and scum led for a century by the notorious Jabba the Hutt. Whereas the Cartel was once a criminal syndicate that quietly manipulated the Outer Rim Territories to the its desires, Jabba forged it into a region-spanning domain of greed and murder, influenced by the reign of Tusa Ujalli Hai of the old Hutt Empire.

Serving as the backbone of the Cartel is the Hutt Security Forces, a group of henchman made up of hundreds of species from hundreds of worlds, all doing the bidding of their Hutt masters. Some people, however, have resisted Hutt rule, going so far as to launch the Rim Wars on the worlds that border the Mid Rim some twenty five years ago. The Hutts obliterated the rebellion, but, as a wise ruler will one day say, the more one tightens their grip, the more star systems will slip through their fingers.

Ophuchi Clan
"And it is written, the Ophuchi shall inherit the desert."

- The Journal of the Whills

The Ophuchi Clan is a mystical group of desert hermits living deep in the Dune Sea. They are a sect of individuals who live in harmony with the desert, having found a way to sustain a sanctuary in the sands of Tatooine for thousands of years. They are led by Sarus and a group of elders, one of whom is Ray'kele.

A highly spiritual people, the Ophuchi have a deep connection to the energies of the universe, though some are more attuned to it than others. They believe it is their duty to protect and watch over the desert while waiting for the rise of a savior who will lead the galaxy in triumph over the armies of darkness.

Galactic Republic
"I keep telling you, man, the Republic's a long way from here. They don't give a damn about us, and we don't give a damn about them. That's the way it's always been and always will be."

- Jhon, a former friend of Michael Lars

The Galactic Republic is a republic of legend, greater than distance or time. No need to note where it is or whence it came, only to know that it is the Republic. To many border worlds in the Outer Rim, particularly the most impoverished such as Tatooine, the Republic exists only in myth and folklore. Very few people in the Outer Rim Territories have ever seen someone from the Republic, which broke off normal relations with the Outer Rim centuries earlier.

With the outbreak of conflict in the Mid Rim, the Outer Rim and the Republic will once again find themselves forced back together when Princess Arcadia and the others arrive seeking refuge from the Trade Alliance. Whether they will be safe, however, is another question entirely, given the thousands of years of tension between the Republic and the Hutts.

Jedi Order
"My philosophy is simple. Peace and justice above all else."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

For nearly a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights have been the guardians of peace and justice in the Republic. Little do the people of Tatooine know that they actually exist, however. Though the existence of the Republic is well known, the fact that neither the Republic nor the Jedi have any presence in the Outer Rim has relegated the Jedi firmly into the arena of mythology. All Tatooinians have heard the so-called myths of the Jedi, and most would like to meet one and seek their guidance, but few believe that they actually exist.

All that will change with the arrival of Princess Arcadia and her Jedi protector, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Their arrival will shake the very foundations of what the people of Tatooine believe about their galaxy, and of what the Hutts have told them is true about the Jedi. Dangerous times await when the impoverished discover that they have been lied to.

Sneak peak
After some consideration and going back and forth, I have decided to release a sneak peak of The Chosen One, but only an excerpt from a chapter rather than an entire chapter. This comes from the first chapter and, not counting the prologue, is the second scene of the story.

In this scene, you'll be introduced to one of the primary characters mentioned in the "Meet the Characters" section of this post, that being Major Logan Amator. You'll also see a few other characters from Utapau, as well as a mysterious figure at the end.

As a preface, right before this scene you would see the characters being chased by vulture-like droid starfighters. They are currently in a ship flying over the deserts of Tatooine, running like hell from these starfighters.

I won't say anything else other than I hope you enjoy the sneak peak!

Release date
I’d love to give a release date for this, but I don’t have one. I don’t know if I’m going to release chapter by chapter, in groups of chapters, or all at once. Regardless of which one I choose, though, I don’t want to set a specific date and then not make that date. I used to give a date to hold my feet to the fire, but that never really worked out and I missed more so-called deadlines than I made them. For now, I’ll say that the release date is to be determined.

Final thoughts
"You used to write by just stating facts. You'd say what's going on without much emotion. Now in the new one you're like, THE DESERT OF TATOOINE WILL F*** YOU UP."

- SIN on TheStarWarsRP.Com

I have to say, I haven’t had this much fun with this story in a long time. When I wrote the first draft that I was originally publishing here, it was interesting but I was very inexperienced. The vision I had wasn’t being translated from thought to paper the way I wanted it to. That’s one of the reasons I chose to do that first rewrite. That was a significant improvement, and it added a lot that was really good for the story, but I still didn’t feel like I was telling the story I was envisioning in my mind.

That has all changed. The way the novel is currently progressing now, and the way the story I have developed is continuing to play out in my head, I can say with confidence that this is it. This is the one. I feel like I’m doing this right and getting it the way I wanted to. The story is quite a bit different than the previous two drafts, which is a good thing for the story.

I originally wanted to write this book because I liked the idea of a desert epic. I had just read Frank Herbert’s Dune and had seen this fan trailer, which has a lot of good desert elements, and wanted to create a desert story. Given that I’ve broken the book up, and The Chosen One takes place almost exclusively on Tatooine, I’ve finally gotten to that point. It’s the story I had always hoped to be telling but had never quite risen to.

So I’m very pleased with how it’s turning out and I’m having a great time writing it and developing it, so I hope that, once you read it, you enjoy it too. Just saying all of this will create hype, but I felt it was worth mentioning.

I'll leave you with a song that very aptly goes along with The Chosen One. Every line of this song has relevance to the book.

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Until next time,

- Brandon Rhea  (talk)