Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #1
Star Wars’newest Imperial villain is demanding to be taken seriously in the aftermath ofReturn of the Jedi, and it truly does look like he’s becoming a major threat the New Republic won’t be able to ignore. After suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker who was fairly dismissive of the self-titled “Grand Moff”, Adelhard now seems determined to forge a New Empire that can succeed the previous galactic regime. To that end,Grand Moff Adelhard is far from the Imperial pretender he once seemed.
Having served under Grand Admiral Thrawn and having once received the favor of Darth Vader himself, Adelhard chose to live in a state of denial following the Empire’s defeat on Endor. Determined to honor the rule and power of the past, Adelhard locked down the entire Anoat Sector with his Iron Blockade. However, Marvel’s new and canonicalStar Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #1features a bonus story at the end of the issue from Alex Segura and Jethro Morales, one that focuses on Moff Adelhard and his plans as he seeks to forge a New Empire stronger than ever before:
Facing rivals from within the shattered Empire and those he can manipulate into his pawns,Moff Adelhard’s primary objective is to consolidate as much power as possible through a variety of different methods, ensuring that he’ll soon become one of the most dangerous villains in the entireStar Warsduring this era of the timeline.
Adelhard Is Embracing The Dark Side’s Power
Working With the Acolytes of the Beyond
Following his recent defeat against Luke Skywalker and his command of the Force, Adelhard is seeking to learn from his past mistakes. While he initially saw the Force as nothing more than parlor tricks and superstition, it seems as though he’s now willing to embrace the potential power the dark side could offer him. As such, Adelhard is shown in this new issue allying with Yupe Tashu and the Acolytes of the Beyond, a dark side cult who’ve been in contact with multiple Imperial factions as they seek to maintain the dark side’s hold on the galaxy (even in the absence of Emperor Palpatine).
Star Wars' Acolytes Of The Beyond Explained: Palpatine’s Dark Side Cult & Its Dangerous Legacy
The Acolytes of the Beyond gave the New Republic and Luke Skywalker some trouble after the Emperor’s death. Who exactly was this Sith cult?
At the moment, it’s unclear ifAdelhard is simply seeking more aid from the Acolytes and their belief in the dark side, or if they might help him access his own potential power in the dark side.Either way, the fact that Adelhard is recognizing the dark side as an asset to his New Empire is quite dangerous regardless. However, receiving support from the Acolytes is but one step of many in Adelhard’s plans to conquer theStar Warsgalaxy.
Grand Moff Adelhard Has Big Plans To Create His New Empire
Alliances and Hostile Takeovers
Adelhard has also done far more than simply making alliances within the Empire, or forcing other Imperial factions to serve under his command. He’s also been allying with more unconventional allies like the Spice Runners of Kimiji. After all, he sees the criminal ring’s potential as the perfect pawns in his efforts to reclaim the galaxy from the New Republic.
All the while, Grand Moff Adelhard continues to defy Grand Admiral Sloane and Gallius Rax. Sloane and Rax are the Imperial leaders representing the biggest faction of the Empire (apart from his own) who are seeking to fulfillthe actual posthumous wishes of Emperor Palpatine known as Operation Cinder, effectively ending the Empire completely and starting over largely from scratch with the future First Order.While Moff Adelhard is of course doomed to fail in his efforts to create the New Empire, it clearly doesn’t make him any less a danger to the galaxy in this newStar Warsseries.
Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #1is on sale from Marvel Comics.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
