“A choice to be better” – Poe Dameron
When The Last Jedi ended, the Resistance found itself shattered, what was left of it fit abroad the Millennium Falcon plus there were the pilots of Black Squadron who’d defended Ikkrukk against the First Order and what was left of Inferno Squad. It’s not a lot to work with as Resistance Reborn begins. Leia and Poe are left with the task to trying to rebuild the Resistance from scratch, as well as figure out why all of their allies seem to be disappearing.
Redemption and Action
The Last Jedi held a hard lesson for Poe Dameron. His impulsive behavior lead to the deaths of many in the Resistance and this weighs heavily on him throughout the story of Resistance Reborn. The title is apt as Poe and many others in the Resistance find themselves in need of a rebirth. Actions they have taken have lead to harm, destruction and even death, as Poe says in a speech he gives. And yet the choice is clear, they must face the consequences for their actions, learn from their mistakes and move forward, because quitting is just not an option in the face of the First Order’s evil.
Redemption is such a big theme in the history of Star Wars and yet being redeemed is not just about turning from previous choices, it’s also about actively changing your ways and putting yourself on a new path so that those mistakes don’t reoccur. Poe particularly finds himself in a place where penance for his mistakes is the best way to earn the redemption needed to help Leia lead the fledgling Resistance. It’s such a timeless story of personal responsibly and more important than ever in today’s world.
The Book
There are so many surprises in this book that author Rebecca Roanhouse has in store and it’s best to allow readers to experience those surprises as they read, therefore they won’t be spoiled here. What makes this book so much fun is the reward that it is for those that have been reading the new Star Wars canon material since the beginning. This book pulls from the Aftermath books, Bloodline, the Poe Dameron comics, the Battlefront II storyline and so much more to tell it’s story. In many ways it feels like the Legends books that were able to pull in any character, at any time and use them. Resistance Reborn is the kind of book fans have been waiting for since 2015 and is most definitely a must read before seeing The Rise of Skywalker. Resistance Reborn is rate 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This review was completed using a copy of Resistance Reborn was provided by Del Rey Publishing.
Author: Matt Rushing
Matthew Rushing is the host of Trek.fm‘s The 602 Club and co-host of TheNerdParty.com‘s AggressiveNegotiations: A Star Wars Podcast. He can be found on Twitter @mattrushing02.
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