Megan Rickards The original radio drama gets us to Alderaan
Following chapter one, episode one, the next part opens the same way as the first with the main theme and those very famous words. Come on, say them with me now:
After listening to the entire radio play, I can tell you that it starts that same way every time: opening credits score, narration about the formation of the Rebel Alliance and a summary of what is going to happen in the following part of the story. This was done in order to allow people to catch up, as it was originally aired over a multi-day period.
The chapter opens with something similar yet different to the 1977 movie. Princess Leia’s ship Tantive IV is intercepted by an Imperial ship, but this time over the planet Ralltiir instead of Tatooine, “and forced to land under escort”. It isn’t Vader who captures her, it’s someone named Lord Tion. Only having read a small selection of Legends novels, there is not much I can glean from this. I don’t recall coming across Tion — is he someone to be feared like Thrawn or simply some lower ranking Imperial sent to retrieve her? If anyone knows, please explain in the comments below.
Then — as per the movie — in order to hide her involvement with the Rebel Alliance, Leia repeats her standard line of her ship being that of a consular on a diplomatic mission. In my mind, I couldn’t help but add “to Alderaan,” as that is the famous line, even though that part has yet to come up. At this point, she is simply trying to re-equip the rebels on the planet below. It is only through her keen skills of diplomacy that she is able to escape this encounter without having her ship immediately searched. The catch is that she has to agree to have dinner back on her home planet with the arrogant Lord Tion, the man who captured her ship. What Leia does for the rebellion…
After agreeing and leaving in order to make way to her ship, she has her first encounter with the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. Again, it is only due to her knowledge of Imperial protocol and Vader’s desire to keep everything legal that she is allowed to remain free. One problem down, another to go.
This part is interesting in that it shows yet another time Leia was able to skillfully slip through the Empire’s grasp. Not just the Empire’s, but Vader’s to boot. As she’ll later learn, escaping from him is not the easiest thing in the galaxy. To do so now re-enforces her knowledge of Imperial regulations and protocols.
After setting a trap for Lord Tion that will lead to an important discovery later on, she meets a wounded rebel solider who passes on important information.
Leia then makes her way back home to Alderaan via “the old roads” on foot. She does this in order to sort out her thoughts about what she saw on Ralltiir. Being as it is a day’s journey, it gives her a nice long while to think everything over and figure out how she is going to help them.
According to Leia, “people on Ralltiir have been chased from their homes, penned up like animals, executed without trial. Torture chambers are set up everywhere, they [The Empire] call them interrogation centers.” To this her father simply comments that it is the “usual Imperial procedure.” I found this fascinating because it shows two different levels of experience in this way of life. Her father has come to expect it and adjusted accordingly, while still of course disagreeing. His daughter, on the other hand, is still amazed by it all. It goes to show how an event that affects two people — in this case a father and daughter— can result in completely different reactions.
Hope to see you all next post. Until then, May the Force be with you…always.
I am a major “Star Wars” fan who currently writes for Future of the Force and is absolutely loving it! Until my writing career really takes off, I am now writing for Future of the Force full time, having graduated Spring 2018 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Literature and Writing.
My other interests include ABC’s “The Good Doctor”, CW’s “Arrow” and “The Flash”, and DC’s “Batman”. Of all the iterations of Batman, my favorite would definitely have to be 1992’s “Batman: The Animated Series”.
If you want to stop by and talk, please feel free to send me a tweet. I promise to get back to you as soon as I can.
