• TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Star Wars Kids
Star Wars Logo

Search

My Account Logout
  • More More
    • NEWS + FEATURES
      • THE LATEST
      • ANDOR
      • CELEBRATION
      • QUIZZES + POLLS
      • BOOKS + COMICS
    • VIDEO
      • ALL VIDEO
      • THIS WEEK! IN STAR WARS
    • FILMS
    • SERIES
      • All Series
      • Andor
      • Skeleton Crew
      • Ahsoka
      • The Mandalorian
    • GAMES + INTERACTIVE
      • View All
      • Star Wars Outlaws
      • Games + Apps
      • VR + Immersive
    • DATABANK
      • ALL DATABANK
      • ERAS
    • DISNEY+
      • STREAM NOW
      • EXPLORE
      • THE DISNEY BUNDLE
Local Nav | Drop-Down Phase III - 20231020
Local Nav | Drop-Down Phase III - 20231020
My Account Logout
  • other
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • youtube
  • other

All

  • Andor
  • Star Wars Celebration
  • Skeleton Crew
  • The Mandalorian
  • Ahsoka
  • The Acolyte
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • The Book of Boba Fett
  • The Bad Batch
  • The Clone Wars
  • Visions
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Books + Comics
  • Characters + Histories
  • Collecting
  • Creativity
  • Disney Parks
  • Disney+
  • Events
  • Fans + Community
  • Films
  • Games + Apps
  • ILM
  • Interviews
  • LEGO Star Wars
  • Lucasfilm
  • Merchandise
  • Opinions
  • Quizzes + Polls
  • Recipes
  • Rogue One
  • Solo
  • Star Wars Day
  • Star Wars Rebels
  • Series
  • The High Republic
Books + Comics
6 Reasons to Be Very Excited for Aftermath: Empire's End

6 Reasons to Be Very Excited for Aftermath: Empire's End

Next week, the landmark Aftermath trilogy comes to a close. Here's why it's a must-read for Star Wars fans.

Jennifer Heddle
Jennifer Heddle
February 17, 2017

Next week, the landmark Aftermath trilogy comes to a close. Here's why it's a must-read for Star Wars fans.

Writing a blog post about why you should read the third book in a trilogy is tricky. One hopes that everyone who read books one and two will want to read book three; on the other hand, how to convince readers who haven’t read the first two books that this trilogy is worth investigating? Luckily, Empire’s End, the third book in the Aftermath trilogy by Chuck Wendig, has enough surprises and excitement for everyone. Here are six reasons to be excited!

A burning Star Destroyer falls from the sky, on the cover of the novel Aftermath: Empire's End, by Chuck Wendig.

1. Jakku! This series has, from the beginning, been building toward a singular event in Star Wars history: the Battle of Jakku. We see the remnants of it in The Force Awakens, or maybe you’ve enjoyed the spectacular effects in the Battlefront game, but in Empire’s End Chuck takes us right into the heart of the battle from multiple points of view, with dizzying results. Whether it’s Admiral Ackbar or Grand Admiral Sloane or up-and-coming pilot Temmin “Snap” Wexley, you’ll see the battle from every side in all of its chaos and destruction.

2. It’s a boy. There’s plenty of action on the more personal side of things as well. For example, the birth of a baby boy named Ben…along with some hilarious “nervous expectant father” moments from Han. As a Han/Leia fan I really enjoyed seeing these characters build up to the birth of their child -- even with the interference of a well-meaning nanny droid…

norra-wexley

3. Awesome character showdown! Norra Wexley and Rae Sloane have encountered each other previously in the trilogy, with frustrating results for both of them. Now things come to a head and these two impressive women have their final confrontation. Sloane has been such a welcome and popular addition to the Star Wars story, and in Empire’s End we’ll see her face her final reckoning…maybe.

4. A surprise appearance. Prequel trilogy fans -- a certain character pops up years later as his fate is finally revealed. You’re not going to want to miss this. Have a tissue handy.

5. A family reunion. I can’t give away who is reunited, exactly, as that would spoil things, but let’s just say this character more than deserves a bit of family time.

Emperor Palpatine

6. Palpatine’s legacy lives on. The Emperor had a plan for what should happen if he were to be removed from power. And he entrusted that plan to Gallius Rax. Now Rax must make sure that plan comes to fruition -- with results that will reverberate for years to come.

Those are some of the highlights, but the main draw for reading the Aftermath books is, in my opinion, that they’re just fun. The action never slows down, the quips keep flying, and fateful decision after fateful decision is made. All that plus a murderous modified battle droid named Mr. Bones. What’s not to like?

Jennifer Heddle is senior editor of fiction for kids, teens, and adults at Lucasfilm. Follow her on Twitter @jenheddle.

Related Topics

Star Wars: Aftermath Star Wars: Aftermath - Empire's End

Related Stories

  • Chuck Wendig on the Battle of Jakku, Han and Leia's Complex Relationship, and More from Aftermath: Empire’s End
    [object Object] [object Object]

    Chuck Wendig on the Battle of Jakku, Han and Leia's Complex Relationship, and More from Aftermath: Empire’s End

    February 21, 2017

    February 21, 2017

    Feb 21

  • Exclusive: Read an Excerpt from Star Wars: Aftermath - Empire's End
    [object Object]

    Exclusive: Read an Excerpt from Star Wars: Aftermath - Empire's End

    February 14, 2017

    February 14, 2017

    Feb 14

  • 7 Ways Aftermath: Life Debt Is Even Better Than Aftermath
    [object Object]

    7 Ways Aftermath: Life Debt Is Even Better Than Aftermath

    July 28, 2016

    July 28, 2016

    Jul 28

  • The Empire, Kashyyyk, and Mr. Bones: Chuck Wendig Talks Aftermath: Life Debt
    [object Object] [object Object]

    The Empire, Kashyyyk, and Mr. Bones: Chuck Wendig Talks Aftermath: Life Debt

    July 12, 2016

    July 12, 2016

    Jul 12

  • Get a First Look at the Cover of Star Wars: Aftermath - Life Debt
    [object Object]

    Get a First Look at the Cover of Star Wars: Aftermath - Life Debt

    December 3, 2015

    December 3, 2015

    Dec 3

  • 9 Connections Star Wars: Aftermath Makes to the Known Star Wars Universe
    [object Object]

    9 Connections Star Wars: Aftermath Makes to the Known Star Wars Universe

    September 8, 2015

    September 8, 2015

    Sep 8

  • Chaos Throttles the Capital in Star Wars: Aftermath - Special Excerpt!
    [object Object]

    Chaos Throttles the Capital in Star Wars: Aftermath - Special Excerpt!

    July 16, 2015

    July 16, 2015

    Jul 16

  • What Happened After Endor? Find Out in Star Wars: Aftermath
    [object Object]

    What Happened After Endor? Find Out in Star Wars: Aftermath

    March 17, 2015

    March 17, 2015

    Mar 17

More From Star Wars:
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • SWKids
  • Terms of Use
  • Additional Content Information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Disney Store | Star Wars
  • Star Wars Helpdesk
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved