Star Wars: The Clone Wars may have wrapped with a final season on Disney+ earlier this year, but fans don’t have to leave that part of the timeline yet. A new anthology book from Disney and Lucasfilm revisits some of The Clone Wars‘ key events. The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark brings together some of fans’ favorite characters from the animated series. The authors get inside the heads of characters such as Yoda, Captain Rex, Darth Maul, and more. Plus the book includes beautiful watercolor illustrations of those characters by Ksenia Zelentsova. And today, Nerdist gets to share an exclusive excerpt from Greg van Eekhout’s story about Obi-Wan.
Disney-Lucasfilm Press
This excerpt from “Kenobi’s Shadow” story focuses on Obi-Wan. Specifically from The Clone Wars‘ fifth season episode “The Lawless.” Obi-Wan arrives on Mandalore grumbling about the flaws of Anakin’s ship to find Satine in prison—I’m already experiencing Feelings because I think I know where this goes. Anyway, this excerpt goes into the characters’ heads to enrich what we’ve already seen on the screen. Enjoy… as much as you can, given the outcome.
Anakin’s ship didn’t like Obi-Wan. Trying to land a piece of rubbish like the Twilight convinced him more than ever that flying was for droids. Smoke billowed from the portside engine and leaked into the cabin as Obi-Wan struggled to squeeze the ship through a gap in the great dome of Sundari, capital city of Mandalore. He set down on a loading dock, but before he could congratulate himself on surviving the landing, a power junction centimeters from his face erupted in a death cough of sparks and flames.“Anakin,” he grumbled. “That’s the last time I borrow a ship from you.” At least the flames hadn’t singed his beard.
He fitted Rako Hardeen’s helmet over his head and made his way down the landing ramp. A Mandalorian in the red-and-black armor of a super commando approached. He was fully outfitted with missiles, explosives, a blaster, and best of all, code cylinders. This was an opportunity for a disguise upgrade.
“Do you have a landing permit?” barked the commando.
Obi-Wan made a show of checking his pouches. “Um, I think I left it in my ship. Come with me and I’ll get it.”
The commando paused a moment and then followed Obi-Wan up the ramp.
Why did they always fall for that? Obi-Wan almost felt sorry for him.
Moments later, he came back down the ramp, wearing the unconscious commando’s armor.
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Obi-Wan landed the commando’s stolen speeder on the top-level landing platform of the prison complex. Prisoner transfers were handled there, and half a dozen guards stood watch. Obi-Wan walked up to a pair of them as if it was something he did several times a day. He handed over his code cylinder.
“You’re cleared,” one of them grunted. Obi-Wan was pleased he didn’t have to knock out another few Mandalorians.
The cellblocks formed a labyrinth of transparent walls, floors, and ceilings. Shaded figures of guards passed above and below, and the haunted eyes of prisoners looked out through the clear doors of their cells. Obi-Wan suspected most of them weren’t criminals but enemies of Prime Minister Almec, which meant they were friends of Satine. With help from the Jedi Council and a squad of clone troopers, he could free them all and help restore freedom to the whole planet. But that’s not what he was there for. He was there to free only one person.
His heart jumped when he found Satine, sitting on a bench in her bare cell, facing a blank wall. She was still dressed in the elegant robes of a duchess, but her hair hung limp and unkempt about her slumped shoulders. She always took care to present herself with dignity, wearing colors that reminded one of rich foliage and adopting floral-inspired hairstyles that she wore like a crown. It was not vanity. It was strategy. Her appearance was designed to remind her people that their world had been one of lush forests and jewel-colored lakes before war turned Mandalore into a desert. With the people’s help and consent, she would lead them forward to an even better age.
Obi-Wan tapped a control pad, and the cell door slid open. He stood on the threshold of her cell, too many words rising to his lips for him to speak.
Satine did not turn around. “Here to do your master’s bidding?”
There was contempt in her voice. But also strength.
Obi-Wan removed his helmet. “I do my own bidding.”
“Obi-Wan!” Satine sprang off the bench and ran to him, pressing her cheek against his chest.
He could not fully return her embrace, but neither could he stop himself from smiling. Gently, he pushed her away.
He examined her face. Her shadowed cheeks. The dark circles under her eyes.
“Are you alone?” she whispered.
“Yes. The Jedi Council and Galactic Senate will be of no help to us here.” He hoped he’d managed to conceal his bitterness and anger. These were unwelcome emotions, and Obi-Wan didn’t want Satine to witness them. Putting his helmet back on, he checked the corridor to make sure there were no guards approaching. The way was clear, at least for the moment. He took her hand and led her from her cell.
They hurried to the closest turbolift. Obi-Wan smacked the pad to summon a car, and they stood there, waiting for it to arrive, awkward and exposed to any guard who might happen to come along.
“I trust you have an escape plan?” she asked.
“As always, my dear.” It was more important to sound confident than to be confident.
At last, the lift door opened. And standing right there was the towering, broad-chested figure of yet another super commando. There was at least a 50 percent chance Obi-Wan would have to knock the massive guard out. Ah, well, he thought. As Master Yoda would say, size matters not.
He gave Satine a harsh shove into the lift as if she were his prisoner and stepped in behind the commando. The car began its descent.
There were a few seconds of blissful silence, but then the guard had to ruin it. “There’s no record of a prisoner transfer here.”
“The orders came from upstairs,” Obi-Wan said. He wasn’t precisely sure who or what was upstairs, but there was always an upstairs.
Satine shook her head and rolled her eyes. They’d found themselves in situations like this many times during the Mandalorian civil war. They’d fought together and they’d fought each other, and they’d grown close. If she had but said the word, he would have left the Jedi Order for her. But that was a long time ago.
“What’s the authorization code?” said the guard.
Obi-Wan sighed.
The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark will be available tomorrow, August 25, wherever you buy books. It features stories from E. Anne Convery, Greg van Eekhout, Jason Fry, Lou Anders, Preeti Chhibber, Rebecca Roanhorse, Sarah Beth Durst, Tom Angleberger, Yoon Ha Lee, and Zoraida Córdova.
Featured: Disney-Lucasfilm Press
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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