Star Wars Republic: Infinity's End
Star Wars Republic: Infinity's End is a four-part story arc in the Star Wars: Republic series of comic books written by Pat Mills. The first issue was published on 25 October 2000 by Dark Horse Comics. The series is set in the Star Wars galaxy one year after the events in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and 31 years before the Battle of Yavin in Episode IV: A New Hope.
Synopsis
As a freighter on a routine run to Ova approaches its destination, it witnesses the bizarre disappearance of the planet, and is sucked into the black hole that caused it. A few weeks later, Quinlan Vos is sent to investigate the strange mystery on the planet Dathomir. Just as he had planned, Vos crash-lands in a forest and is captured by the Dathomiri Nightsisters. Vos is made a slave by the witches, and during his toil, befriends a Givin named Yag Shushin, who tells him of the Nightsister's tunneling project. Late that night, as they rest, Vos meets the Matriarch's repulsive daughter Ros Lai, who tends to the slaves. As the Dathomiri guards drink themselves to sleep, a rival clan stages a man-raid to steal breeders from the camp. The leader of the group attempts to take Vos, but is saved with the help of his new friend, and the timely arrival of Queen Zalem's tunneling machine.
While tunneling to the chamber of the mysterious Star Chamber, Mistress Zalem and Vonya are attacked by one of The Ancient guardians. They were only able to confuse the creature, which burrowed to the surface and attacked the witch's slaves, including one Quinlan Vos. Vos allowed himself to be swallowed by the beast, and once inside, killed the creature with his lightsaber. Because of his ingenuity, Vos was rewarded by the Nightsister Queen with a "promotion" of sorts. He and his friend Yag Shushin were transferred to the Kwi pens to become Lizard Keepers. Once there, the foreman explains to Vos the process of chopping off each Kwi's left hand. Disgusted, Vos attacks the man and kills the entire crew, save for his friend Shushin, and sets the Kwi prisoners free. As they leave, one of the Kwi stops, and offers his hand to Vos. Taking it in his own, Vos begins to learn psychometrically from the being of the history of its people. He explains how his people once known as the Kwa used to travel the galaxy between Infinity Gates. Once the species began to decline, they sealed off the Gates inside Star Temples and put the guardians in place to protect them. Since Vos had killed the local Temple's guardian, he had to take its place. After the Kwi leaves, Vos realizes that the deformed Nightsister known as "the Rancor" has been watching him. After tailing her, Vos sees her transform from her hideous visage into a beautiful young woman, using the Force. After she explains her plan to beat Zalem to the Star Temple and take over the clan for herself, she force-chokes Vos.
Just as Ros Lai is AbOUT to kill Quinlan Vos, her sisters arrive to find the beautiful woman that she has become. Her identity revealed, Ros uses the opportunity to vent her anger by [...] two of her sisters. The last one standing, Vonya, attempts to kill Ros Lai, but is stopped by Vos. Vonya then vanishes, using the Force, and reports back to her mistress. On his way to find his friend Yag Shushin, Vos was attacked and captured by a patrol of Nightsisters, who take him back to Mistress Zalem for interrogation. There, Vonya injects him with deadly artery worms. Meanwhile, Shushin arrives at his ship, only to find Ros Lai inside. She convinces him to fly the ship for her, as long as they rescue Vos. They burst into the Queen's chambers to find Vos, and rescue him, but the worms have wreaked havoc on his body. Ros Lai gives Vosa potion made of her own blood in an attempt to save him, just as an enemy ship fires its torpedoes on them.
Racing ahead of the torpedoes fired at them, Quinlan Vos and Ros Lai use the Force to make them explode prematurely. Thinking them dead, the pursuing Nightsister Queen heads for the Infinity Gate. After losing their pursuers, Quin and the others begin to tail them. However, the are discovered by Vonya, who fires on them. In a last act of sacrifice and bravery, Yag Shushin takes the full brunt of the blast, saving his two companions, yet [...] himself. Furious, Vos does a quick U-turn and destroys Vonya's ship. Meanwhile, at the Infinity Gate, in an attempt to destroy the Jedi, Zalem uses the Gate to send a shock wave to destroy Coruscant. Shortly after, Vos and Lai arrive. Once inside, Lai kills her mother, thereby taking charge of the Nightsister clan, but also betrays Vos. Using his status as guardian of the Star Temple, Vos activates death traps, [...] all of the Nightsisters but Ros Lai, and turns the shock wave heading to Coruscant back in on itself, to destroy the temple. Thereafter, Vos takes Ros Lai into custody on Yag Shushin's ship, and heads back to Coruscant.
Issues
- Star Wars Republic #23: Infinity's End, part 1
- Star Wars Republic #24: Infinity's End, part 2
- Star Wars Republic #25: Infinity's End, part 3
- Star Wars Republic #26: Infinity's End, part 4
Dramatis personae
- Leela; Dathomiri witch (human female)
- Mace Windu; Jedi Master (human male)
- Quinlan Vos; Jedi Knight (Kiffar male)
- Ros Lai; Nightsister (human female)
- Saesee Tiin; Jedi Master (Iktotchi male)
- Vonya; Dathomiri witch (human female)
- Yag Shushin; slave (Givin male)
- Yani; Dathomiri witch (human female)
- Yongti; Nightsister (human female)
- Zalem; Clan Mother; Nightsister (human female)