Published: January 24, 2018
Writer: Beth Revis
Artist: Valentina Pinto
Colourist: Valentina Pinto
Letterer: Tom B. Long
Cover Artist: Valentina Pinto
The synopsis;
The Star Wars Forces of Destiny initiative celebrates the inspiring stories of iconic heroes from a galaxy far, far away….
Star Wars Adventures has joined the festivities with an exciting weekly series of comic books that explores all corners of the Star Wars universe, showing how choices both big and small ultimately shape the destinies of beloved characters, such as Princess Leia, Rey, Padmé, Ahsoka, and Hera along with your soon-to-be favorites from The Last Jedi, Rose and Paige!
Fans will be excited to discover these stories told by talent from across Star Wars novels, comics and animation, including Delilah S. Dawson, Elsa Charretier, Beth Revis, Jody Houser, and Devin Grayson!
The review;
On Coruscant, Senator Padmé Amidala is busy preparing for an extremely important negotiation with the alien Arthurian delegation – who are considering joining the Republic. Obsessed with protocol and even the smallest details, the Arthurians are not easy guests to impress, so wanting the reassuring presence of a Jedi, Padmé asks Ahsoka Tano for help. However, the senator will need Ahsoka’s aid far more than she realised when a clawdite assassin decides to gatecrash the diplomatic party…
Forces of Destiny #4 is inspired by the events during ‘The Imposter Inside’ from Season 1 of the animated show. However, Revis has done an amazing job expanding upon this story by adding a true beginning and a more definite end. All of the dialogue from the original episode has been kept, and the new scenes have been written to match, so it all blends seamlessly. The new background details about the Arthurians also helps to explain some of the major plot points, which were a bit vague in the animated episode.
Unlike the episode, Forces of Destiny #4 begins and concludes with Ahsoka. Rather than have the emphasis on Padmé, or just on the young togruta, Revis has balanced the story between these two strong females exceptionally well. Ahsoka is impulsive and a little unorthodox, whilst Padmé is much more careful and pensive, and this comic focusses on how much stronger these characters are when they work together.
Not only do they make a great team, but the friendship between Padmé and Ahsoka is beautiful to read. In a tender moment near the end of the comic, Ahsoka comments that Padmé is a lot like Anakin. The senator just gives a wry smile and the silent moment that passes between the two speaks volumes. Although Ahsoka never said anything directly about the relationship between her Master and Senator Amidala, not even in The Clone Wars, it could be implied that the sharp-witted togruta understood more than she let on.
That particular scene wouldn’t have worked alone without the artwork, because it relies so heavily on the expressions shared between the characters and not the dialogue. Pinto’s style perfectly mimics the visual aesthetic of the Forces of Destiny series, with the line-work focusing on expression rather than background detail. None of this makes the comic feel simplified though, and there are some neat Easter eggs to find including a Jedi Temple Guard, some of Padmé’s loyal handmaidens and an Arthurian delegate. In ‘The Imposter Inside’ fans never got to meet these mysterious people, so seeing them in Forces of Destiny #4 is a real delight.
This may be a tale about diplomacy, but it wouldn’t be Star Wars without some ‘aggressive negotiations’ between Senator Amidala and the ferocious clawdite. Just like in Attack of the Clones, Padmé proves she can handle herself, and although it’s Ahsoka who disarms the would-be assassin, it’s the senator who delivers the final punch – with a very large vase. It’s a fast-paced action sequence with a few minor changes compared to the animated episode so that it flows more smoothly from panel to panel.
There are many moral messages alluded to in Forces of Destiny #4, but by far the most important one is about respecting each other’s differences. The reason Padmé and Ahsoka work well as a team is because they have different strengths that when combined complement one another. Everyone is an individual; we are all different, and we need to remember to embrace these differences.
For Star Wars fans who enjoyed ‘Heroes on Both Sides’ or ‘Assassin’ from The Clone Wars, then Forces of Destiny #4 is a must-read, revolving around the lesser-seen, but no less powerful, friendship between Padmé Amidala and Ahsoka Tano.
Availability;
The original IDW Star Wars: Forces of Destiny mini-series ran in 2018, encompassing 5 issues. Star Wars: Forces of Destiny #4 is currently available in digital format from the IDW Publishing, and comiXology. A physical copy can be found in one of the trade paperback releases from IDW Publishing. Please check with Amazon UK and US, Forbidden Planet in the UK or your local comic bookstore for availability
