The Epic Continues The Epic Continues was a planned 1986 extension of Kenner ' s " Power of the Force " action figure range . It was to feature original characters and vehicles , stemming from a new plot line created by Kenner designers . The plot concerned the genetics master Atha Prime , ruler of dark worlds , who had been freed from exile following the death of Emperor Palpatine . Striking at the Rebel Alliance , he was forced to do battle with Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , and the Mongo Beefhead Tribe smen . Meanwhile , Grand Moff Tarkin , who had evaded death at the Battle of Yavin , had returned to take control of the Galactic Empire . Many of the new figures and vehicles were inspired by elements from the films , and the ideas took shape in concept art and prototypes . Most of the prototypes were , while others were minor alterations to existing designs . The proposal was presented to Lucasfilm Ltd . , but they rejected the proposal . As a result none of the figures were produced , and the plot line was rendered non - canon . In the mid 1990 s , several of the vehicles and droids from the line were canonized in the short story " The Battle of Cadinth " , and in the early 2000 s Abel G . Peña made several attempts to canonize Atha Prime . Though the character was not directly made canon , one inspired by Prime , a genetic terrorist later revealed to be named Zeta Magnus , was . Development . Concept . In 1984 , Kenner employee Mark Boudreaux and his design team began brainstorming ways to extend the " Star Wars " toy line , hoping to prolong the inevitable falloff of interest in the brand due to the lack of a new film installment . Previously , the company had enjoyed success with their line of Mini - Rig s — small vehicles inspired by , as opposed to based on , other vehicles appearing in the films . The Mini - Rigs were Kenner ' s first foray into the realm of original material , and had been created to fill in the gap between the relatively cheap action figures and the relatively expensive film - based vehicles . Kenner ' s designers would often tinker with existing toy vehicles , modifying them in a process , which entailed taking pieces and elements from existing models , and utilizing the pieces to create an entirely new model . Out of one of their kitbashing sessions came the idea to create a range of entirely new figures for a toy line to be released in 1986 . The line would feature original characters and vehicles that feasibly could exist within the " Star Wars " universe . In addition to this , they formulated an original plotline involving their characters that would continue the " Star Wars " story on after . The new plot line would involve a new enemy , Atha Prime , terrorizing the galaxy in the wake of Emperor Palpatine ' s death . Designs . Characters and droids . The Kenner designers utilized a number of different methods to present their ideas to Lucasfilm Ltd . This included black - and - white sketches , hand colored drawings , and physical prototypes that they had photographed . Several of the figures in the proposed lines were modifications or extrapolations of existing figures . Han Solo was redesigned with new , more " heroic " attire , while Luke Skywalker was given lightweight fencing armor , apparently worn by training Jedi Knights . One of the new " hero " figures was to be the Mongo Beefhead Tribesman , who was one of the few to be actually made into a prototype . The prototype was a kitbashed one — made up of a modified Quarren ' s head , an Ithorian ' s arms , and " 4 - LOM ' s " chest harness . In an attempt to push the " Star Wars " saga in a new direction , Kenner created Atha Prime — a genetics master who had orchestrated the Clone Wars . In their presentation of Prime , Kenner used a brief description of the character and a color concept drawing . The drawing for Prime was in fact slightly modified from Nilo Rodis - Jamero ' s designs for the Emperor ' s Royal Guards , from " Return of the Jedi " . The modifications included changes to the character ' s staff and headpiece . To accompany Prime , they also designed the Clone Warrior s . In the way of characters affiliated with the Galactic Empire , the designers decided to re - introduce Grand Moff Tarkin , who had been apparently killed at the conclusion of . They had failed to create a figure of Tarkin during the original " Star Wars " run and intended to rectify that for their new line . To present the idea of a Tarkin figure , Kenner simply used a promotional still of Peter Cushing in the role from " A New Hope " . A variety of droid figures were proposed for the line , including a black Imperial Sentry Droid , much like R5 - J2 from " Return of the Jedi " . For new droids , three Imperial Attack Droids , designated A , B , and C , had prototypes made . Several elements of these were kitbashed from earlier droid figures . To join Atha Prime ' s faction , the pilot droid Blue - Four was also designed . Vehicles and playsets . For new vehicles to go with the line , Kenner created a variety of prototypes and designs based on or inspired by the craft seen in the original trilogy of " Star Wars " films . These toys would be categorized into two price ranges , labeled " low priced vehicles " and " deluxe vehicles . " Boudreaux kitbashed the Tandem X - wing , which was inspired by the " lumbering World War II airplanes . " The ship was painted in negative colors to those of a standard T - 65 X - wing starfighter , despite Boudreaux ' s admission that there was no need for a night fighter in space . To accompany the " Millennium Falcon " toy that had been produced in years prior , a " Millennium Falcon " Cargo Handler was designed , which could be attached to the bow of the original toy . As a play on the Star Destroyer design from the original trilogy , concept sketches were made of the " Annihilator " , a large mobile command base for Atha Prime and his Clone Warriors . The design consisted of two Star Destroyers essentially mated together , one on top of the other . The " Apex Invader " , a personal vehicle designed for Prime , would have been able to attach to the top of the " Annihilator " . Other spacecraft making their way into the lineup would be the pre - existing TIE / sa bomber and T - 65 X - wing starfighter . The TIE Bomber was presented with photocopied artwork by Joe Johnston . In terms of land vehicles , the designers formulated two landspeeders : the XP - 36 and the XP - 38 , which had been mentioned in " A New Hope " . The former was intended to be a high - performance , light vehicle , while the latter was a state - of - the - art landspeeder . A prototype was made of the XP - 36 , while the XP - 38 existed only as concept art . The XP - 38 would serve as Skywalker ' s personal vehicle within the plotline . Another craft inspired directly by the films was a type of T - 47 airspeeder modified for use on desert worlds . One toy that was nearly produced was the Scout and Retrieval Vehicle , which could carry damaged X - wings and airspeeders . An earlier version of the toy had been released with the original films , but Kenner ' s new version was presented two ways : as a slightly modified version of the original vehicle , with new stickers , and a heavily modified version , presented as concept art . Working from the All Terrain Armored Transport seen in Irvin Kershner ' s , an " All Terrain Ion Cannon " prototype was made . The design consisted of an AT - AT that had its back and top sheared off , and a large cannon placed in their stead . In addition to the original vehicles , the new Imperial sniper fighter , and the already established AT - AT , the T - 16 skyhopper , the " snowspeeder " version of the T - 47 , and the X - 34 landspeeder would be included in the line . For the skyhopper , Kenner simply photocopied an original design by Joe Johnston , as they had done with the TIE Bomber . A single playset was conceived for the new line , dubbed " Imperial Outpost . " The concept art for the set was designed by Boudreaux , who combined pre - existing elements such as a gun tower from an earlier Death Star playset with the landing platform and bunker complex seen on Endor in " Return of the Jedi " . In addition to the reintroduction of Tarkin , Kenner proposed a bantha figure , which they had not produced for the original toy line . Unlike Tarkin , however , the bantha was presented as concept art . Rejection . The Kenner designers presented their sketches and photos to Lucasfilm Ltd . , alongside proposals for figures from the existing films and the two television series , " " and " " . It is possible that Kenner also intended to have their new plotline accompanied by a third animated series . Notes were also made for two otherwise undocumented vehicles : the Rebel stinger fighter and the DS - 2 droid skimmer . While Lucasfilm was pleased with the fact that the toy company had gone through so much effort , they were not ready to pursue coordinated attempts to flesh out the " Star Wars " galaxy beyond the films . In 1986 , Kenner ' s " Star Wars " toy line would finally come to an end , due to lack of interest . That year , the last issue of Marvel Comics ' " Star Wars " comic run , " " , would be published . This would prove to be the last piece of post - " Return of the Jedi " content produced until 1991 when Timothy Zahn ' s " Heir to the Empire " was released by Bantam Spectra . Plot summary . Atha Prime , a genetics master and ruler of the dark worlds , has been freed from his exile by Emperor Palpatine ' s death at the Battle of Endor . With his army of shock troop Clone Warriors , he moves against the Rebel Alliance , decimating planets held in their thrall . They strike from the " Annihilator " , a city - sized capital ship that attaches to Prime ' s personal fighter , the " Apex Invader " . The fighter is piloted by Blue - Four , who doubles as Prime ' s confidant . At the same time , the Galactic Empire , headed by Grand Moff Tarkin , makes their own bid for power , using a wide variety of attack droids to do their bidding . Tarkin survived the Battle of Yavin and chose the wake of Palpatine ' s death to make his return . They also employ All Terrain Ion Cannons and operate from an Imperial Outpost . To combat the new threat of Prime , war hero Han Solo and Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker are called upon . They are aided in their efforts by the Mongo Beefhead Tribe smen from Tatooine . At their disposal are a wide choice of combat vehicles , such as Tandem X - wings and various landspeeders . Continuity . Although " The Epic Continues " was rejected by Lucasfilm , several elements from it have been canon ized , and Atha Prime himself has been the subject of repeated attempts at canonization , chiefly by Abel G . Peña . At the same time , several elements of the plotline no longer fit with " Star Wars " canon . For instance , Atha Prime is identified as one the architects of the Clone Wars , but Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus are shown to fill that role in 2002 ' s . In addition to this , Wilhuff Tarkin ' s death has , since 1984 , been confirmed . The three Imperial Attack Droids , as well as the sniper airspeeder and the Scout and Retrieval Vehicle , would be canonized in 1995 , when Bill Smith used them in his short story entitled " The Battle of Cadinth " . The story , published in " Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 2 " , gave the three droids new names : " AP - 1 - C attack droid , " " AP - 2 attack droid , " and " AP - 3 attack droid . " An illustration by Chris Moeller that accompanied the story showed these droids and vehicles in action . The Scout and Retrieval Vehicle was also used in the " " supplement " The DarkStryder Campaign " , also published in 1995 . Another vehicle canonized , in some form , was the Tandem X - wing . The idea of the vehicle , rather than the design , was used in Randy Stradley ' s " " , published in 1998 . The XP - 38 would also return in a different form , as it was rendered in 1996 ' s " The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels " , with a design completely different to the one submitted by Kenner . Finally , in 2004 , " The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology " , written by W . Haden Blackman , canonized the All Terrain Ion Cannon vehicle . The same concept art that was the basis for Atha Prime was used by Cam Kennedy in Tom Veitch ' s " Dark Empire " comic series , published in 1991 . The art inspired the Imperial Sentinel s , the design of whom was in turn made into an action figure by Hasbro in 1998 . While writing for issue 122 of the " Official Star Wars Fact File " , Abel G . Peña wrote a reference to Prime that connected him to the " coup " attempt featured in " " , which also featured cloned soldiers . The reference , however , was cut during the editing stage . This did not stop Peña , and he would later make an attempt to consolidate the characters of Prime and Shadowspawn from the " Dark Empire Sourcebook " , written by Michael Allen Horne . Together with Daniel Wallace , Peña wrote an article on the Imperial Warlords , with the intent of having it published in " Polyhedron " magazine . The publication was canceled before such a thing could happen , leaving the connection , and Prime himself , non - canon . Eventually , in the 2007 article he co - wrote with Rich Handley entitled " Aliens in the Empire " , Peña alluded to a " genetics terrorist " that was intended to be Prime , thus canonizing at least one element of the original character . A blurb of the 2008 novel , Matthew Stover ' s " Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor " , contained information about the main villain , Shadowspawn , that was similar in wording to specific elements of Kenner ' s original brief for Prime . This led to speculation on the Jedi Council Forums as to whether or not the consolidation of Prime and Shadowspawn was still to go ahead in the upcoming novel , but this proved to not be the case upon the release of the book itself , as Shadowspawn was instead consolidated with the character Cronal .