User blog comment:Brandon Rhea/Alternative Saga Update: April 21, 2010/@comment-20644-20100422024036

I know you're joking, but I figured I'd address that last point anyway.

Knowing Ussej as well as I do, I could probably find a way to put him, and force him, into every story. It wouldn't be too hard. That said, he's much more powerful than any Jedi, Sith, Bendu, etc. He's the Shaman of the Whills, so that comes with a lot of powers, particularly those like in Chapter 14 where he zapped Maul and the Lettow away just as they were attacking and harming the good guys + Sarus.

I know Ataru commented that the zapping away in Chapter 14 is a deus ex machina, and it does seem that way in this point of what everyone's read, but it's actually not. There is a specific reason that was included beyond just getting the characters out of danger. It's an important plot point in Ussej's character development and the story he goes through, and plenty more things to come.

But that said, if Ussej was in too many stories and too many situations, that would raise an interesting question. Why isn't he doing more to help the characters? Why doesn't he save the day all the time? Even if he wasn't used as a deus ex machina, people would be wondering why he's not one. Because of that, a) I won't have him in every story and every situation and b) TCO will establish why.