Star Wars: Crimson Empire (Dark Horse Comics) is UNDERRATED

This one took me WAY too long to get out, but it's finally here. One of the least talked about Star Wars Comics I've seen is Crimson Empire, the direct Sequel to Dark Empire, focusing on the Emperor's Royal Guards, specifically, the last one known as Kir Kanos.
Comic Description
Star Wars: Crimson Empire is a comic book series of three story arcs published by Dark Horse Comics and written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley. The first mini-series, titled Crimson Empire, was launched in December 1997, concluding in May 1998. The followup series, Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood, was released in November of that year, concluding in April 1999. After the end of the second story arc, a third was planned for release in 2001; the one shot comic Hard Currency was released as an introduction to the new storyline. However, the project was shelved for a decade, finally being revived in 2011 as Star Wars: Crimson Empire III-Empire Lost, the conclusion to the series storyline.
Set in the New Republic era immediately following the Star Wars: Dark Empire comic series, Crimson Empire follows the life of Kir Kanos, a former Imperial royal guard whose duty in life was to protect Emperor Palpatine. Following the final death of Palpatine during the Battle of Onderon and the slaughter of the rest of his kin on Yinchorr, Kir Kanos is left with a blood oath against the enemies of the Empire, swearing death to all involved in the death of his former master. The first storyline focused on the conflict between Kanos and Carnor Jax, a former Imperial Royal Guard and aspiring Sith Lord who made a bid for the throne following Palpatine's death, while the followup series chronicled Kanos' time as a bounty hunter and his targeting of members of the Imperial Ruling Council. The third and final series focused on both Kanos' desire to kill Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master who was the main rival of the former Emperor, and his conflict with Devian, a former Imperial "thug" leading a splinter faction of the Imperial Remnant known as the "Restored Empire."
In addition to the three story arcs and various one off comics, an audio dramatization of the first Crimson Empire was released in 1999.
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[@j.j.plagiarisms7149]

Sorry if I mispronounced the names of certain characters, I didn't bother listening to the radio drama or looking for instances of people pronouncing the characters' names.

[@clonetrooper2003]

Awwww JJ called me the coolest thing in Star Wars! I am honored 😊

[@TK-wk6xd]

Nom Anor is a great example of a good villain

[@alex.scaraoschi]

Indeed! And I love the way they tied this story to NJO (in which I think I remember them referencing Nom Anor's involvement in the killing of the council members).

[@mstash5]

Nom Anor was always a cool villain. The Yuuzhan Vong's entry into the Star Wars universe was handled very cleverly in my opinion.

[@rebirth5362]

Was reading Crimson Empire when I saw this vid. Carnor mf Jax is a truer successor to Vader than Kylo Ren could even dream

[@mstash5]

Carnor Jax is an infinitely more interesting and better written antagonist.

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

Carnor Jax was definitely peak villain in these comics.

[@conradojavier7547]

If this were Filoni writing the Book, Connor Jax suddenly Survive his Death, & wants Revenge.

[@clonetrooper2003]

Before he bangs Ashoka that is

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

@@clonetrooper2003😂

[@darthprime1990]

Now that I think about it, Kir Kanos seems to be the coolest Royal Guard I've read about. I also noticed that the leading lady bears a striking resemblance to Mara Jade since they're both redheads.

[@saberiandream316]

Lots of redheads in the old EU, like Tenel Ka and Mira, to name two more examples.

[@grayfox6518]

I guarantee Filoni, or whoever was in charge of the Savage Oppress arc stole the trial segment from the Crimson Empire storyline. What I love about the Post-Empire following Return of the Jedi is that Palpatine left such a power vacuum in the galaxy that it created a nearly 20 year-marathon of memorable villains of the week, except every villain of the week was actually good. Whereas everything in Disney can be boiled down to contrived writing or half-rotten ideas mixed with stolen ideas from the Expanded Universe done worse.

[@rebirth5362]

About Yoda knocking the royal guards out so easily 1. It's Grand Master Yoda so he's on a higher level than almost anyone and 2. They were supposed to be less elite in their early history

[@gabethebabe3337]

I read this after binging the Thrawn and Dark Empire trilogies and boy was I pleasantly surprised by this gem. The EU was masterful at taking background elements and making a whole story on them.

[@tornadic_brigadier7868]

I do like when stories when present characters that are in the empire but are not morally evil. Kir Kanos is example of this and I would like to see more imperial characters like him. I loved Crimson Empire 1, I recently read the second one but I have not read the third one. I like to think that eventually Kir and Mirith got together again and a had future together. A bit of trivia he recently got a black series figure of him, when it comes to toys I prefer the vintage sized figures as that I was accustomed to when I was a kid. Apparently someone screwed up the name and mislabeled him Carnor Jax on the packaging (what a disgrace Hasbro) though Hasbro did realize this mistake.

[@RoboticPope]

Have you read Agent of the Empire?

[@alsimmonshellspawn6021]

This comic series is way better than the filoniverse more mature serious badass violent well written dark gritty everything Disney star wars doesn't have.

[@saberiandream316]

Filoni wouldn't know maturity if it came up and bit him.

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

@@saberiandream316 yep

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

EU always to be better than Disney canon and Filoniverse

[@Wade_Tyler]

Awesome review as always! I’ve started to read the Jedi Academy trilogy by Kevin Anderson and that takes place after the thrawn trilogy, dark empire, and maybe during crimson empire.

[@alsimmonshellspawn6021]

It's much after crimson empire

[@Wade_Tyler]

But during the same year? 11ABY?

[@alsimmonshellspawn6021]

@wadetyler_ I don't think so by the time exar kun started his attack on luke Jacen was like 11 years old

[@Wade_Tyler]

I see

[@LegendsLiterature]

@@alsimmonshellspawn6021 That’s entirely false. Jacen was 2 when Exar Kun attacked. Thrawn trilogy was in 9 ABY, JAT was in 11 ABY.

[@TK-wk6xd]

Ennix Devian after the battle of Endor took an unfinished World Craft that was intended to be given to him by Palpatine and he converted it into a Death Star, so technically there was a Third Death Star, but it wasn't known if it was operational, because Devian only wanted to use it to draw the New Republic military out, while they were distracted, Devian raided the ship yards to grow his restored Empire. The Third Death Star was destroyed pretty much the same way as the first Death Star.

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

Dude used lot of Clone wars era vehicles show how this is was peak of the empire back then.

[@mstash5]

Kir Kanos has been one of my favorite Expanded Universe characters since I first started reading Crimson Empire as a teenager.

[@jaffarebellion292]

In fairness to Boba Fett, most of his best moments weren't in the movies. He's primarily a book character to me.

[@cane6074]

I wish in canon they explored more to what happened to Imperial Veterans after the War, how they cope with being on the losing side, and dealing with the stigma once serving an evil regime, and trying to make a living despite all that.

[@marshal8358]

Crimson Empire was my first star wars comic and made me fall in love with the Royal Guard. It is the reason I even made OCs in star wars ahaha

[@AndreNitroX]

Badass Star Wars story

[@avatus775544]

Can't say I like the whole peace thing in last part, takes away the weight it has in the Hand of Thrawn books.

[@ximthedespot4673]

Now that I've looked at Kir Kanos again, he reminds me of the title character from the movie Django, (the 1966 film, not the Tarantino).

[@tylermorgan5230]

Ryan Gosling would be good

[@bloodysimile4893]

I disagree about your view of Vader killing the would be honor guard as bad storytelling. Honor guard are designed to fight against Vader to protect the emperor. what better method than have their priority target mocking them. Break them down to only have one goal which benefit Sidious. As honor guard, you be ready for the chance to excute order 66 on Vader. This is some Sidious sh!t like Sidious having Anakin kill the youngling, making Anakin cut off ties to his past to only have one life goal, to serve the emperor, hoping for a chance to over throw him. By having Vader be the one to butralize them male sure that Vader and Honor guard would work together to plot an overthrow. Heck, Sidious already won and has no serious threat to his power, not even the rebels until Endor. So Sidious would be more fouces on recruiting based on loyalty/ blind self intrest to Sidious avdangrate, rather then merit. And Sidious probably got high off causing such brutality.

[@Nalier]

I wish they released Dark Empire and Crimson Empire as hardcovers. Preferabely in bigger format >_>

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

dude I love crimson empire Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax are amazing characters too bad Disney never explore about Royal Guard and in EU really give us about Royal Guard How Duty for your Life Protect Emperor All Cost.

[@Power3DHD]

Are you going to review the jedi academy trilogy by Kevin J Anderson?

[@j.j.plagiarisms7149]

I will eventually, but reading books is slow work.Still gotta finish Jedi Prince and Outbound Flight

[@conradojavier7547]

Crimson Emperor works best as a One-Shot.

[@nazca-_-8061]

Dude have you seen ryan reynolds in amityville horror? he can totally play as kanos.

[@conradojavier7547]

If this were Modern Lucasfilm, They'd Redeem the Fat Bastard, & He's Suddendly a Goodguy.

[@saberiandream316]

Hell, look at Ram Jamoran. As a fat man myself, I don't need crusaders acting on my supposed behalf to shove politically correct themes into Star Wars.

[@conradojavier7547]

​@@saberiandream316the Loudmouth with the Half-Shaved Head will Always be the Paragon of Virtue.

[@PizzaMan879]

Crimson Empire is objectively better than Dark Empire. This is because red is an objectively color better than black. LOL 🔴>⚫️

[@BrandontheAwesome]

But two do make for an awesome color combo!

[@PizzaMan879]

@@BrandontheAwesome Very True😎 On the real though, while I’m not a fan of the story that proceeded it, and I think most of the hate it got was justified, I’m sad to see Crimson Empire got largely ignored. It’s interesting seeing a story that expands on the Imperial Royal Guards, especially since the films and TV series did very little, if anything, with them. The closest we got to their combat prowess are the Pratorian Guards from TLJ and Mandolorian season 3, and we all know how pathetic those guys are.

[@BrandontheAwesome]

@@PizzaMan879 I don't agree with most of the hate Dark Empire got, people forget Lucas was the guy who came up with the idea brcause originally the author wanted to bring Vader back. Besides, it was writren prior to the prequels existing, so I cut it some slack.

[@PizzaMan879]

@@BrandontheAwesome I don’t give leeway because of how Palpatine came back. The transfer essence ability makes my brain hurt because there are so many times in not only the original six film saga, but also points in the EU where this ability would’ve been useful. I can see why the Jedi wouldn’t use it, considering it’s a Dark side ability, but the Sith have no excuse not to use it, and it just makes them come off as idiots. And don’t even get me started on the whole chosen one prophecy. It’s not as big of a plot hole as the veil of the force in rebels, but still.

[@BrandontheAwesome]

@@PizzaMan879 Fair, but hey, I'll take it over any Disney Star Wars product anyday. Because it is a MASTERPIECE compared to that unspeakable horrorshow. Also, it's possible that Transfer Essence is an ability that only the most powerful Force users could use, and Palpatine is one of the strongest the galaxy ever saw. I dunno I'm still a EU rookie.

[@conradojavier7547]

Please Review it under the Plinkett Style.

[@conradojavier7547]

Thry could have made a Revived Jax as a Palpatine/Vader Hybrid.(AKA a Cyborg Zombie Sithlord)

[@mstash5]

That would've cheapened his death at the hand of Kanos after their final showdown in the Squall. It wouldn't have worked.

[@conradojavier7547]

​@@mstash5let's use the Wrestling Re-Match Clause.

[@nikolasdurocher4527]

Dude, read the Boba Fett comics. Hes cool. The coolest Mandalorian infact. Boba Fett hate is just as if not more cringe inducing than blind prequel hate, or TCWA 2008 simping.

[@conradojavier7547]

Why is Boba(Bobby Fatt) a Punchline in your Review?

[@twil2978]

Poor lemmet tauk man

[@TK-wk6xd]

Yes to the fake Plinkett review

[@clonetrooper2003]

Tears of the Kingdom’s story is the most disappoing thing since my son.

[@conradojavier7547]

They MIGHT Make a Surviving Preatorean Guard as the New Emperor in Crimson Order(a Tie-In to the Rey Movie).

[@j.j.plagiarisms7149]

NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN NEIN

[@conradojavier7547]

​@@j.j.plagiarisms7149 & THAT Last Guard is ACTUALLY The Clone of the Late Ben Solo to Resurrect the Shipping.

[@PizzaMan879]

@@conradojavier7547 I hope you’re making that up.

[@conradojavier7547]

​@@PizzaMan879I hope Her Goons didn't steal My Idea.

[@xxcaptninjaxx4301]

@@conradojavier7547 I hope not true because just another way cherry pick or steal from EU to be part Disney garbage continuity.