Read more about the new book from author Beth Revis announced during the Lucasfilm Publishing Panel at San Diego Comic-Con!
When author Beth Revis found out she was getting the chance to tell the story of Leia Organa building her Jedi lightsaber, she knew she had to get her own version of the hilt. “For research!” she says, holding it up proudly.
That research was part of Revis’s journey to write Star Wars: Twin Crossroads, the new adult novel announced during the Lucasfilm Publishing Panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
Speaking exclusively to StarWars.com on the news, the New York Times bestselling author says her new book follows immediately after the events of her novel, Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel, delving into a moment glimpsed in flashback in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that shows Luke Skywalker training his first student — his twin sister — on Ajan Kloss. As Luke and Leia train as Jedi in this essential adventure set after the Rebel victory in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the siblings infiltrate the Imperial stronghold of Coruscant and grapple with the responsibilities of a Jedi, the legacies of their parents Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, and ultimately, their diverging futures in the Force.
“My favorite thing was coming up with where Leia got her kyber crystal, which I cannot believe they let me do,” Revis teases. “I flipped out. This is the first time I've ever been able to talk about it!” The book, which is slated to debut in 2027 amid the 50th anniversary of the original Star Wars film, covers every era of galactic storytelling, Revis says, with nods to all three Skywalker Saga trilogies, Andor, and the Marvel Star Wars: Battle of Jakku comics just to name a few. Revis also studied Star Wars: Legacy by Madeleine Roux, which arrives later this month, as essential reading. “Knowing how Leia approached her training with Rey helped me figure out how Luke approached it with Leia,” Revis says. “Having all of these stories interconnected and interwoven is my favorite thing about Star Wars. They all weave together and they're all connected. Finding ways to make those connections stronger is my main goal when I'm writing a story. And just seeing that moment [in the movie] where she had the lightsaber in her hand …we know that Leia's the kind of person who does not do anything by halves. She was always going to give it her all in whatever she did. So naturally, that had me wondering: what changed? There is a whole lifetime summed up in that one moment when she rips off her helmet.”
Brother and sister
We all have our favorite Star Wars characters, and Leia is definitely Revis’s.
“I love writing Leia for many, many reasons, especially because, you know, I grew up with her,” Revis says. “She was my princess and then my general. She was absolutely my favorite character. And she had a huge impact on my life because I had a brother named Luke.” In fact, the siblings had their own version of Jedi training. “I distinctly remember when we were growing up and my parents were remodeling a house, my brother and I would take PVC pipes and just bash each other with them and pretend they were lightsabers,” Revis says.
Revis tapped into her relationship with her brother as she was exploring the Skywalker twins’ story. “There are several moments where the mask comes off for both of them, because at this point, Luke is kind of austere. He's The Last Jedi, but not when he's in front of his sister. In fact, in the very first chapter, they have a fight over who's going to wash the dishes.” Spoiler alert: It’s not going to be Leia.
“For me, the biggest thing that I wanted to do is make them sound human,” Revis continues. “I had to think of Luke as his own person. He's not the staunch warrior who knows everything or the wise monk on the mountain. He's just Luke who wanted to go to Tosche Station.
“And it wasn't like the general and the princess talking to the Jedi Master. It was brother and sister. So they're going to bicker a little bit. They're going to have inside jokes. Especially when they're on Ajan Kloss, in a place where there's no one else around,” Revis says. “There's no judgment. There's no need to be posturing. They can just be themselves. And for both of them, it's a rare moment. I tried to linger in that element and show this is who they are honestly with each other when there's no audience.”
Unlimited power
As the third Star Wars book Revis has penned, beginning with 2017’s Star Wars: Rebel Rising featuring Jyn Erso, Revis says she’s discovered a lot of freedom in writing in the galaxy far, far away. “When I wrote Rebel Rising, I felt like I had to do all the research on all the planets and use ones that had already been established. Then there was a moment where [Lucasfilm] said, ‘You know, you can just make up your own planet. The galaxy is huge.’ And that just sort of blew my mind. I’m so grateful for the creative freedom that Star Wars has given me. They care about the story and they care about the creation of that story in such a personal way that I truly value. So I feel like I was able to take some big swings because I knew that they would at least hear me out.”
In addition to adding lore to Leia’s lightsaber, Revis also incorporates another established artifact into the book: Luke Skywalker’s star compass, which first appeared in the video game Star Wars: Battlefront II and later the Battle of Jakku comics. “Luke, at that time, is looking for Jedi artifacts,” Revis says, “and that led me to the idea that it’s because he has a Padawan now and he wants to make sure that he can train her well. Even though he's the last Jedi, he still feels inadequate and has a little imposter syndrome.” Luke did, after all, leave Dagobah and cut his training with Jedi Master Yoda short. “He gave up his full training in order to save his friends, which is a noble thing to do, but how is that going to impact what he can do in the future?” Revis asks.
The compass is also symbolic of Luke’s journey, as both twins must figure out their futures. “The compass isn't working and he doesn't know how to fix it,” Revis adds. “They're both at the crossroads of trying to determine how they're going to move on with their lives and what they're going to become.”
Read the official synopsis below and get ready to train with Luke and Leia when Star Wars: Twin Crossroads by Beth Revis arrives next year! And read even more publishing news with StarWars.com’s official coverage of San Diego Comic-Con.
Star Wars: Twin Crossroads
By Beth Revis
On Sale Date: April 2027
Random House Worlds
Official Book Description:
After the events of Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa train together in the ways of the Jedi. The siblings must confront the legacies of their birth parents Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, and their own diverging futures in the Force.
The second Death Star is in ruins. As the burgeoning New Republic pursues scattered Imperial forces across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa train on the remote planet of Ajan Kloss and walk the path of the Jedi side-by-side.
During this reprieve from battle, the twins grow their connection to the Force and their own bond as they shoulder the responsibility of carrying on the Jedi Order’s legacy. But each also carries a burden they struggle to share with the other. Luke loves seeing his sister excel but doubts his teaching ability when there is still so much to discover and learn. Leia, meanwhile, is determined to master these new skills, but she struggles with both what it would mean to commit her life entirely to serving the Force and the knowledge of being Darth Vader’s daughter.
Despite their doubts, Luke and Leia volunteer for an urgent covert New Republic mission to infiltrate the center of Imperial power: Coruscant.
Their quest begins at the Imperial palace, once the Jedi Temple, where they gain a new understanding of the former Jedi Order and Galactic Republic. The mission will be more transformative than either could imagine, as they discover the legacy left behind by their birth parents on a planet where some are still willing to hope. And though certainty is scarce, Luke and Leia’s faith in one another will help them each seek out the path they must ultimately walk.
