A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far too out of touch with diversity….
Leia Organa aside, it’s shocking to think there were only four other female speaking roles in the entirety of the original trilogy (and we’re generously counting Sy Snootles as one of those!), and the gender imbalance gets even harder to process once you learn that there were female rebel pilots filmed for Return of the Jedi… only for every one of them to find themselves on the cutting room floor. It was a different time, and one that younger generations of Star Wars fans will soon find impossible to recognise given the trajectory of Lucasfilm’s dedication to bringing balance to its force. Chronicle Books’ Women of the Galaxy is the ultimate celebration of the progress that’s been made since George Lucas ushered in his prequel era (most notably The Clone Wars), which continues to escalate during the current sequel era.
Following on from a heartfelt introduction from Lucasfilm president and Star Wars custodian Kathleen Kennedy, readers are left in the extremely capable hands of writer Amy Ratcliffe, who takes us on an exhaustive tour of the galaxy to introduce us to, or reacquaint us with, 75 female characters who have made a sizable impact on the franchise’s countless narratives, up to and including the recently released TV series Star Wars Resistance. Each entry is accompanied by one or more newly commissioned pieces of artwork, all one hundred plus illustrations from its large roster of superb artists exclusive to this volume and never less than stunning. (If there was a single frustrating thing about this release, it’s that you’ll forever wish you could display the interior artwork on your walls – but since this never pertained to be a poster book, we can hardly chalk this up as a negative!) Ratcliffe’s concise, always-engaging prose effortlessly weaves between characters’ in-universe mythology to their creation behind the scenes, and sometimes beyond – going on to explore their impact on fandom. It’s tempting with these types of books to flick through casually, breaking chronology, skipping this one or that, but these are all so well conceived you can’t help but be compelled to take time with each and every page.
Also setting this book aside is the fact that each entry comprises of ‘all’ canon, allowing those fans who are unable to keep up with all of the comic books, novels, animated series, and video games (let’s face it – there’s so much of the stuff these days, that pretty much applies to most of us!), to be fully brought up to speed with a character’s ‘entire’ arc. Case in point: the former Padawan Ahsoka Tano. The 8-page entry covers her introduction in The Clone Wars (to much fan disdain), through to her epic disavowal of the Jedi Order, onto her adventures chronicled in E. K. Johnston’s 2016 novel Ashoka, her onscreen reintroduction as Fulcrum in Star Wars Rebels, right up to the very last time audiences saw her, post-Battle of Endor, gearing up for a very important secret mission (to wild fan acclaim). It’s particularly heartening to see this character getting so much love in Women of the Galaxy, as the young Togruta arguably heralded in this new era of proactivity upon her introduction in 2008.
Russian trolls might want to give it a miss, but for all genuine fans of the franchise’s unparalleled depth, your galactic credits couldn’t be spent on a better tie-in book this year.
STAR WARS – WOMEN OF THE GALAXY / AUTHOR: AMY RATCLIFFE / PUBLISHER: CHRONICLE BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
