Welcome to issue seven of the Official Star Wars Fact File which this week takes a closer look at the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic in The Phantom Menace Chancellor Finis Valorum, a vehicle familiar to fans of the Brian Daley Han Solo trilogy the legendary Z-95 Headhunter and more from the forest moon of Endor. Let’s step inside.
This issue the Official Star Wars Fact File really spreads its wings, taking us right across the galaxy from the Outer Rim world of Endor to the Core and the career of Finis Valorum on Coruscant. It’s your own personal trip on Star Tours every week, and for those readers who aren’t familiar with the Star Wars galaxy (and for those that are) this is either an essential lesson or a handy brush-up on vital information that will be of great use as Star Wars Rebels and Episode VII approaches.
In Battles and Events we focus on the rescue of Emperor Palpatine from the vile clutches of General Grievous. Of course, these days we understand that it was a ruse designed by the Emperor but the opening scenes of Revenge of the Sith (following on from the final moments of the Clone Wars: Microseries) were not only packed with action but intrigue and betrayal as Count Dooku served his last purpose and met his end. In Droids and Machines we turn our photoreceptors on the WED Treadwell seen in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, a repair droid suited to simple tasks but easily overwhelmed when working outside of its perameters.
Humans and Aliens brings us a trio of unfortunate characters from the Prequels era. Sionver Boll, the compassionate scientist who’s ground-breaking work was used against her wishes to create the devastating Zillo Beast, Toydarian ruler King Katuunko who died at the hand of Savage Oppress and the aforementioned Chancellor Valorum, who fought the scourge of terrorism. Planets and Locations takes us to the familiar moon of Endor, focusing on its surprisingly diverse landscape and the shield generator as seen in Return of the Jedi. Weapons and Technology looks at the weapons of two Alliance heroes, the spear blasters of the Mon Calamari and Princess Leia’s Sporting blaster as seen in A New Hope. Finally Starships and vehicles looks at the Z-95 Headhunter, first seen in 1979’s Han Solo At Star’s End. A stalwart of the Republic fleet, the vessel has a surprisingly diverse history.
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