32 BBY: Duel of the Fates

“Totally #20: The Phantom Menace is a one-off 32-page official movie souvenir magazine that celebrates all things Star Wars: The Phantom Menace with a galaxy of features, puzzles, and games. It is a mirror to the movie’s exciting new dimension, and features ten pages in amazing 3D, including an all-new, all-action comic strip.”

I took this write-up from www.titanmagazines.com’s synopsis of the magazine. I think the important thing to note is that it’s a one-off publication.

This magazine is important to the Star Wars Chronology Project because is features a comic short titled Duel of the Fates, featuring Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul.

It’s a neat-enough little comic short that features a few pages in 3D.  I didn’t have any 3D glasses however, so I wasn’t able to appreciate this comic in all its 3D majesty.

The story takes place before events in The Phantom Menace, and the tale is a juxtaposition of Anakin running a race with Subulba before the Boonta Eve Classic, and Darth Maul outrunning some Battle droids on a STAP in the Underworld on Corusant.

The art by Will Sliney was well done, and the opening box of Maul standing on the pinnacle of a building awaiting the attack by the battle droids was pretty cool.

If I ever reorganize the Chronology project I’d probably place this story sometime in Darth Maul’s early career in 32 BBY.  Sidious seems pleased with Maul’s capabilities in this story, but they are nothing compared to what he’s already done.  I’d probably place Duel of the Fates before the Darth Maul TBP, simply because this is a minor activity compared to his wiping out of Black Sun or his destroying of Silas, the Dark Lord of the Sith that never was.  

The title of the tale was apropos as well.  Indeed, Anakin and Maul both have fates that are dueling for the attention of Darth Sidious, though not right at this moment.  I really do hope that this “Duel of the Fates” will mean a duel between Sidious and Vader with Maul and Savage somewhere in the narrative of The Clone Wars.

For my next post I’m going to look at Signal Interruption, another RPG source from Wizards of the Coast.  Until then my friends, may the Force be with you.