Star Wars : Shattered Empire Star Wars : Shattered Empire is a four - issue comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics . Set shortly after , " Shattered Empire " explores the galactic implications of Emperor Palpatine ' s death in the Battle of Endor . The four issues focus on Rebel pilot Shara Bey ; her husband , Kes Dameron ; and a cast of supporting characters , including " Star Wars " original trilogy heroes Luke Skywalker , Leia Organa , and Han Solo . The series was written by author Greg Rucka as a part of the multimedia initiative , and it was published in the fall of 2015 to positive reviews . Publisher ' s summary . " Emperor Palpatine ' s twenty - year reign of terror came to an abrupt and fiery end in the skies above the forest moon of Endor . A decisive victory for the Rebel Alliance , to be sure , but even with the loss of its leadership , the Empire ' s Moff s and regional governor s retained their hold on important systems from the Core to the Outer Rim , thanks to the might of the Imperial Starfleet . Now , with a power vacuum atop the Empire , those Moffs will jockey for position and control , and the heroes of the Rebel Alliance will soon discover that a wounded and fractious Empire may be more dangerous than any threat they faced before ! For the first time in the new " Star Wars " canon , journey with us into the time after the end of " " ! " Plot summary . " Part I " . In the year 4 ABY , the Battle of Endor rages as the Alliance to Restore the Republic engages the Galactic Empire in a desperate attack on the Death Star II . While Alliance Pathfinders on the forest moon attempt to disable the space station ' s deflector shield generator , the Alliance Fleet frantically buys them more time , facing off against Imperial starfighter s . Among the Rebel starfighters are the RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor s of Green Squadron , including Rebel pilot Shara Bey , who worries for her husband Kes Dameron , a Pathfinder on the moon below . As the Rebel pilot s suffer losses , the Death Star ' s shields are brought down , and Green Squadron launches its attack on the battle station . With other pilots of Green Squadron , Bey screens Gold Leader Lando Calrissian on his attack run . With Calrissian escorted to the Death Star , Bey watches for evacuating Imperial starship s , spying a " Lambda " - class T4a shuttle escaping the station . As Bey moves to intercept the shuttle , she is called off by Commander Luke Skywalker , who reveals he is piloting the commandeered Imperial vessel . While Skywalker makes a run for Endor , Bey covers him from attacking starships . Clear of enemy fighters , Bey tells Skywalker , " May the Force be with you . " Soon after , the Death Star explodes — a result of Calrissian ' s attack — marking a decisive victory for the Rebel Alliance . Regrouping aboard a Rebel starship , Bey approaches Lieutenant L ' ulo L ' ampar — a Duros pilot and the recently field - promoted leader of Green Squadron — requesting permission to join the celebration on the forest moon . L ' ampar , aware that Bey is concerned for her husband , allows Bey to shuttle to the surface . As the Rebels celebrate with the native Ewok population , Bey searches for Dameron . Bey locates Pathfinder General Han Solo , who is talking with Calrissian , and she asks where the team is . Solo directs Bey to one of the village huts , and Calrissian compliments her piloting skills . When Bey arrives in the Ewok hut , she is reunited with Dameron , and the two go for a walk . From the Ewok village , Bey and Dameron watch fireworks , discussing the unlikely victory , and future . Bey and Dameron express their feelings for each other , and they kiss . The following morning , Dameron is called by Solo , who is assembling the Pathfinders and reporting that there is an Imperial holdout on the moon ' s far side . Bey volunteers to pilot the Pathfinder assault craft , and the Rebels — joined by some Ewoks — launch their attack . The Pathfinders exit the craft , and the Imperial soldier s are quickly overwhelmed . With the grounds clear , Pathfinders rush into the outpost while Bey waits in the assault craft , holding back worry for her husband . Some time later , Solo and Dameron emerge from the facility . Bey greets them , commenting that they had been inside for a while . Solo agrees , explaining that they had discovered lots of Imperial communications and plans , summarizing , " It ' s not over yet . " " Part II " . Although Emperor Palpatine perished aboard the Death Star , Imperial propaganda prevents word of his death from reaching many worlds . Scattered Imperial forces continue their struggle to retain power , exhausting the weary Rebellion . Aboard the Star Destroyer " Torment " , Imperial Captain Lerr Duvat is met by " the messenger " — a red - robed sentinel droid bearing a posthumous message from Palpatine . The Emperor ' s messenger states that Duvat has been chosen for a particular honor : taking part in , a contingency plan to destroy the Rebellion . Receiving further instructions , Duvat commands Lieutenant Gulin to set a new course , and the messenger leaves . Seventeen days after the Battle of Endor , chaos engulfs Cawa City on Sterdic IV as the A - wings of Green Squadron attempt to liberate the Imperial - run metropolis . Bey navigates her starfighter between the legs of an All Terrain Armored Transport , picking off a TIE / ln space superiority starfighter in pursuit of L ' ampar . The Duros leads Green Squadron in providing cover for Feral Group , a squadron of BTL - A4 Y - wing assault starfighter / bomber s . However , Bey ' s A - wing is hit by laserfire , and she becomes unable to escape from her assailant . L ' ampar arrives to pick off Bey ' s attacker , and the Y - wing deliver their payload , destroying the AT - AT . Following the battle , Bey delivers the damaged A - wing to Rebel technician Wiley , before being approached by L ' ampar . Bey and L ' ampar walk , discussing Bey ' s recent activities with the Rebellion . L ' ampar states that Bey is working too hard , and he asks her when she had last spoken to Dameron or her young son , Poe . Bey states that she had talked with Poe the previous week , but her husband has been on Pathfinder operations with Solo . L ' ampar reassures Bey that Dameron is fine , and he tells her that he will find some light assignments to let her rest . Three days later , Bey arrives at Rebel Fleet Command , assigned to pilot Prince ss Leia Organa on a diplomatic mission . Bey finds Organa in conversation with Mon Mothma . The Princess is reluctant to leave her duties for the mission , but Mothma insists that Organa ' s skill and reputation are needed . Bey introduces herself to Organa , and the two board a GX1 short hauler . On board , Organa informs Bey that they will be flying without escort , and they jump to lightspeed , en route to a pre - programmed destination . The vessel arrives in Theed on the planet Naboo , the homeworld of Palpatine . Bey and Organa are greeted by Governor Donta Gesset , who brings them to Theed Royal Palace to meet with Queen Sosha Soruna . In the palace throne room , Organa asks for Naboo ' s support as the Rebellion begins its formation of the New Republic . As Soruna agrees to Organa ' s proposal , Naboo experiences a sudden , planet - wide blackout . Meanwhile , in the planet ' s orbit , the Star Destroyer " Torment " places satellite s in a climate disruption array as Captain Duvat fulfills the Emperor ' s command — the scouring of Naboo . " Part III " . At the Wretch of Tayron in the Outer Rim , Sergeant Dameron and the Pathfinder commando s survey an Imperial Security Bureau black site , preparing to raid the facility . With the assistance of the Mikkian Sakas , Dameron lines up a missile launcher , and upon Solo ' s command , he fires at his target — an All Terrain Scout Transport . The AT - ST goes down and collapses the compound ' s wall , allowing the Rebel forces to flood inside . During the fight , Dameron is saved by the Wookiee Chewbacca , and the Imperial forces in the site ' s perimeter are eliminated . The Pathfinders regroup with Solo , and with the encryption - breaking protocol droid C - 3PO , they enter the base . Back on Naboo , Captain Korro informs Queen Soruna that the planet is facing powerful storms , with reports of fires and flooding . Bey deduces that Naboo could be under attack by an Imperial remnant . Organa and Bey realize that there must be satellites in Naboo ' s orbit , which are jamming signals and causing storms . Organa requests ships and pilots , but Korro explains that the planet had been demilitarized years prior . However , Soruna reveals that there may be some starfighters available . The Queen leads the group to Theed Hangar , which had been sealed off following the Invasion of Naboo . Soruna , Bey , and Korro enter the hangar , discovering N - 1 starfighter s . While the trio walks through the hangar , Organa stops in the entryway , feeling cold ; in actuality , Organa senses Darth Maul , who had fought in the hangar during Naboo ' s invasion . The group find three starfighters that are still functional , and Bey prepares one for flight . Against Bey and Korro ' s wishes , Organa and Soruna also decide to fly . At Tayron , the Pathfinders finish off the Imperial forces , capturing the base ' s commander . Dameron retrieves the commander ' s code cylinder , and C - 3PO slices into the base computer . Solo tells C - 3PO to search for Imperial activity , specifically contingency plans , fleet movements , and counter - insurgency operations . C - 3PO quickly learns of Operation : Cinder , and its targeting of multiple worlds . The protocol droid informs Solo of the widespread attack , telling the general that Naboo is one of the targets . On Naboo , Korro continues Theed ' s evacuation as Bey , Organa , and Soruna pilot the N - 1 starfighters into orbit . Above the planet , the three spot the Star Destroyer " Torment " , and Bey volunteers to buy time for Organa and Soruna to destroy the satellite array . Organa and Soruna begin destroying their targets , and Bey engages deployments of TIE fighters . As the trio become overwhelmed , the Alliance Fleet — led by General Calrissian — arrives from hyperspace , ending the Imperial threat . After the fight , Organa and Bey return to Rebel Fleet Command at , where they are happily reunited with Solo and Dameron . " Part IV " . In the year 5 ABY , three months after the Battle of Endor , the war continues . Imperial remnants hurry to fulfill Operation : Cinder , devastating countless Outer Rim worlds with their attacks . At , the Rebel Fleet Command gathers aboard " Home One " to discuss the ongoing operations . Admiral Gial Ackbar informs the Rebels that another dozen worlds , including Burnin Konn , Candovant , Abednedo , and Commenor , have been targeted by the Imperials . General Crix Madine then commends the fleet ' s services in saving lives , but adds that the enemy is showing no signs of ending the fight . As Bey and L ' ampar listen to Madine ' s update , they grow disappointed . After the meeting , Bey and L ' ampar walk to " Home One " s hangar . Bey expresses her fear that the war will never end , and L ' ampar replies that she should not think that way , otherwise she is " fighting for the sake of the fight . " L ' ampar notes that Dameron ' s leave from the Pathfinders had been approved , and the Duros reveals that he had submitted Bey ' s resignation as well . Bey disapproves , but L ' ampar reminds Bey of her family , stating that she should find a world to settle on . As the Duros leaves , Bey accepts his advice . As Bey watches L ' ampar leave , she is approached by the astromech droid R2 - D2 . The droid leads Bey to another hangar , where she finds Skywalker and an Imperial shuttle . Skywalker informs Bey that he is on a mission to Vetine , where there is something he needs to retrieve . The Jedi asks Bey if she is willing to be his co - pilot , and she agrees to help . Soon after , they enter hyperspace en route to Vetine . During the flight , Skywalker has Bey don an Imperial military uniform , explaining that she will be impersonating Commander Alecia Beck of the Imperial Security Bureau . Skywalker elaborates on the plan , saying that they will enter an Imperial base using clearance codes obtained in the raid on Tayron , and that the goal is to take back something the Emperor had stolen . Exiting hyperspace , the two land the shuttle at the base , where they are met by Commandant Hurron . Under the guise of Beck , Bey improvises that she is conducting a surprise inspection of the base ' s labs . When Hurron asks who her companions are , Bey simply dismisses R2 - D2 as a droid , and she claims that Skywalker is her security officer . The commandant leads the trio into the base , bringing them to the lab , which contains an assembly line of sentinel droids . They walk past the room , entering the inner lab , which contains two tree s . However , once inside the lab , Hurron has stormtroopers surround the Rebels ; he had seen through Bey ' s persona , revealing that the real Beck is missing an eye . Curious , Hurron asks Skywalker why the trees are special , and the Jedi states that they are the only remnants of the Great Tree which had grown at the Jedi Temple . When Hurron states that the Jedi are extinct , Skywalker reveals his identity , using telekinesis to throw the Imperials . As Skywalker fights the stormtroopers , Bey grabs the trees , and the two retreat to their ship . When the Rebels reach the ramp of the shuttle , Hurron orders his soldiers to throw thermal detonator s . However , Skywalker uses the Force to send the bombs back at the Imperials , killing them . On the return flight , Bey confides in Skywalker , and thinking of her son and husband , she decides to retire . Sometime later , Bey and Dameron plant one of Skywalker ' s trees outside of their new home on Yavin 4 . Main characters . Shara Bey . Shara Bey is a lieutenant and pilot in the Alliance to Restore the Republic . She and her husband , Kes Dameron , have a son , Poe , but rarely see him due to the Galactic Civil War . During the Battle of Endor , Bey pilots an RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor in Green Squadron and assists in the destruction of the second Death Star , which signals the death of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine . Bey hopes the battle will bring an end to the Galactic Empire and the war , but many engagements follow . At this time , Bey ' s commander , the Duros pilot L ' ulo L ' ampar , encourages Bey to retire and spend time with her family . Bey considers his suggestion , and she is assigned work with Princess Leia Organa on the planet Naboo . When the Empire launches Operation : Cinder and targets Naboo , Bey joins Organa and Naboo ' s queen , Sosha Soruna , to protect the otherwise defenseless world . Flying into Naboo ' s orbit , the three hold off Imperial forces until Rebellion reinforcements arrive . Three months later , Bey helps Commander Luke Skywalker in a mission to Vetine , aiming to retrieve two fragments of a Force - sensitive tree . Shortly after the mission , Bey retires from the Rebellion , and she settles into a home on Yavin 4 with her husband . Development . Conception . " Star Wars : Shattered Empire " was conceived for , a multimedia initiative to promote the release of . To write the series , Lucasfilm selected – winning author Greg Rucka , who had previously written the " Star Wars " junior novel " " . To illustrate the series , Lucasfilm selected artist Marco Checchetto . During the conception of " Shattered Empire " , Rucka spent time determining the state of the galaxy post – " Star Wars " : Episode VI " Return of the Jedi " . Rucka concluded that the Emperor ' s death would cause disarray within the Empire , but the power vacuum would create a new drive of Imperial force . For further inspiration , Rucka researched real - world history and dictatorships , citing the , the , and . Rucka also referenced propaganda , stating that even though the Rebellion is proclaiming Palpatine ' s death , the Empire prevented the message from spreading across the galaxy . In preparation for writing the series , Rucka re - watched the " Star Wars " films and also " Star Wars Rebels " , an animated television show about the Rebellion ' s beginnings . Throughout Rucka ' s story pitches , he collaborated with members of the Lucasfilm Story Group , particularly Rayne Roberts , Kiri Hart , Pablo Hidalgo , and Leland Chee . Together , they worked out a variety of topics , including galactic politics . During the meetings , Hidalgo and Chee specifically commented on Imperial forces being unable to retain their full control , forcing them to double down on the fight . This idea was used in the script of " Part II " , which depicts a fierce battle in the Imperial - controlled Cawa City . In Rucka ' s initial pitch for " Shattered Empire " , he envisioned Lando Calrissian as the protagonist , with a supporting cast of " Smuggler ' s Run " characters Delia Leighton , Alecia Beck , and TX - 828 . Although this story was approved by Lucasfilm , Rucka scrapped the idea after the cover art of " Shattered Empire , Part I " by Phil Noto was revealed at Celebration Anaheim . The artwork depicted the original trilogy heroes in a recreation of the final shot from " Return of the Jedi " , and Rucka wanted to avoid misleading and disappointing fans . For the new proposal , Rucka decided to write about the parent s of Poe Dameron , a character then set to debut in " The Force Awakens " . The new idea was approved , and the series began production . Production . When writing the first issue of " Shattered Empire " , Rucka noted time markers from " Return of the Jedi " to map out how the comic book would fit into the events of the film . The order of events were verified by Chee , and the time markers were then passed to Checchetto , who illustrated the comic based on the specified frames . Checchetto ' s illustrations were colored by Andres Mossa , lettering was done by Joe Caramagna , and the comic was edited by Jordan D . White . This team returned for the following issues , and additional art was done by Angel Unzueta and Emilio Laiso for " Part II " , with Unzueta also working on " Part III " . In " Part IV " , Shara teams up with Luke Skywalker to retrieve a Jedi artifact from an Imperial facility . Rucka did not want the artifact to be a holocron , because he believed they were too common in " Star Wars " stories . The Story Group agreed , and Hidalgo suggested using the ancient tree from the Jedi Temple . The tree was first seen in the animated television show " " , appearing in the episode " The Wrong Jedi . " Rucka stated that using the tree was a fantastic idea , and that the tree was a beautiful metaphor for rebuilding the galaxy . " Part IV " also debuted Luke ' s Force abilities in a post – " Return of the Jedi " setting . When writing the issue , Rucka met with the Story Group to determine Luke ' s powers , using the " Star Wars Rebels " characters Ezra Bridger , Kanan Jarrus , and Darth Vader as points of reference . In " Part IV " , Shara and Luke recover fragments of the Force - sensitive tree , and Shara receives one as a gift . The issue ends with Shara and Kes Dameron planting the tree outside of their home on Yavin 4 . The decision to feature Yavin 4 as their home was made after a suggestion by Oscar Isaac , the actor who portrays Poe Dameron in " The Force Awakens " . Isaac was born in — the filming site of Yavin 4 in — so he thought it would be interesting to have Poe be from there as well . Isaac relayed the idea to Lucasfilm , and it was passed to Rucka . " Shattered Empire , Part I " was published by Marvel Comics on September 9 , 2015 to coincide with Force Friday , a merchandising event promoting " The Force Awakens " . The following three issues were published weekly , beginning on October 7 and ending on October 21 . On November 17 , a was released . The collection included the four issues of " Shattered Empire " , along with the comic books " Princess Leia , Part I " from early 2015 and " Star Wars 1 " from 1977 . On September 13 , 2016 , a was published , which included " Shattered Empire " and " " , a 2016 one - shot set shortly before " The Force Awakens " . Continuity . " Shattered Empire " is set in the weeks and months after " Return of the Jedi " , and the opening of " Part I " recreates the Battle of Endor from the perspective of Green Squadron pilot Shara Bey . In the official " Star Wars " canon , " Shattered Empire " was one of the first stories set after " Return of the Jedi " , along with the novel " Aftermath " by Chuck Wendig , the young adult novel " Lost Stars " by Claudia Gray , and the mobile - game " " . Across its four issues , " Shattered Empire " makes reference to other canon works , most notably in " Part III " and " Part IV " . Issue three references , when Leia Organa senses the presence of Darth Maul in Theed Hangar . In " The Phantom Menace " , Theed Hangar is where Maul encounters Organa ' s mother , Padmé Amidala ; Jedi Master Qui - Gon Jinn ; and Padawan Obi - Wan Kenobi . Additionally , " Part III " features the starship " Mellcrawler II " , a reference to the " Mellcrawler " , a vessel previously featured in the comic miniseries " " by Mark Waid and the junior novel " " by Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry . Similarly , " Part IV " mentions Imperial forces on the planet Burnin Konn , a reference to the Iron Blockade of " Uprising " . " Part IV " also references Rucka ' s previous " Star Wars " story , " Smuggler ' s Run " , when Shara impersonates ISB Senior Commander Alecia Beck . Reception . Upon its September 2015 release , " Shattered Empire , Part I " topped comic book sales with an estimated 208 , 883 copies sold . In October , " Part IV " was ranked as the eighth - best seller . The miniseries was met with generally positive reviews , which praised the writing , characters , and artwork . With the release of " Part I " , Joshua Yehl of specifically commended Rucka ' s tone , the relationship between Shara and Kes , and Checchetto ' s space battle illustrations , also stating that " " Star Wars : Shattered Empire " delivers a more steady and hard - edged story than any of Marvel ' s other " Star Wars " comics . " Legacy . Following " Shattered Empire " s completion , many elements from its pages have been incorporated into other " Star Wars " media . After writing " Shattered Empire " , Rucka wrote " Before the Awakening " , an anthology novel featuring characters from " The Force Awakens " . In a segment focused on Poe Dameron , the book mentions Shara , Kes , and L ' ulo , also revealing that Shara taught Poe how to pilot a starfighter before she died . Similar story elements from " Shattered Empire " also appear in " " , an ongoing comic book series by Charles Soule . The series features Shara and Kes ' son as the titular character , also including L ' ulo as a supporting character . Outside of narrative media , Shara has also appeared in the " ARC - 170 Expansion Pack " of the " " and " The Corellian Conflict Campaign Expansion " of " " . Beyond the characters , the Contingency introduced in " Part II " is a significant plot point of the 2017 novel " " by Wendig , which specifically includes the messenger droids from the comic series . In addition to " Empire ' s End " , the Contingency is featured in the 2017 video game " Star Wars Battlefront II " , which expands upon the scope of Operation : Cinder .