Resistance Reborn

What’s good about Resistance Reborn

One of the strongest traditions in Star Wars publishing is the lead-in novel that precedes a brand-new Star Wars film. Cloak of Deception with The Phantom Menace, Labyrinth of Evil with Revenge of the Sith, Catalyst with Rogue One, and Aftermath with The Force Awakens, for example. They build hype for the film, tease the story to come, and reward readers when we sit down in the theater with popcorn. That’s where Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse comes into the picture. 

The fervor among the fandom in the months leading up to the explosive conclusion of the Skywalker Saga was HIGH. In the fallout over the divisive reception to The Last Jedi, fans were on edge awaiting the release of Episode IX. What would come of Kylo Ren and Rey? What do you mean Palpatine is back?! Who is Kerri Russell playing? Not to mention the tragic elephant in the room—how The Rise of Skywalker would handle the death of Carrie Fisher. All of these questions and more were on our minds as we picked up our copies of Resistance Reborn.

And it did not disappoint.

The groundbreaking connectivity of RR

Primarily following the story of Poe Dameron and the pilots of Black Squadron, Resistance Reborn chronicled the tale of the Resistance recruiting allies to rally to their cause in the fight against the First Order. Then, the Resistance strikes back after their ranks are depleted in The Last Jedi.

What was so remarkable about Resistance Reborn was its groundbreaking connectivity to various Star Wars stories. When the big announcement rocked the Star Wars fandom in April of 2014 that all ongoing Star Wars stories would be “Canon,” making for one large, interconnected universe, this was exactly what we hoped for. Characters established in Charles Soule’s Poe Dameron comic were major characters in this novel, alongside the team from the Battlefront II video game, the Aftermath Trilogy, and more. It truly felt like our heroes were all coexisting in one large universe rather than segmented across multiple properties in multiple media types.

The intent of the collection

This curated list is intended to recommend what you should read, play, or watch to fully appreciate this well-crafted, groundbreaking novel. We have two major categories—those of critical importance and other suggestions that are also relevant in a lesser sense but are absolutely worth your time.

Outline of the major inclusions of the collection

Resistance Reborn effectively is split into three ongoing plot threads consisting of three separate teams: Poe, Finn, and a small group from Black Squadron; Wedge Antilles, Norra and Snap Wexley; and finally, Zay Versio, Shriv Suurgav. Each of these characters’ origins in Star Wars storytelling enriches the experience of Resistance Reborn. 

The Aftermath Trilogy by Chuck Wendig features the stories of Rebel pilot Norra Wexley, her spunky son Temmin—aka “Snap”—alongside fan-favorite character (especially to Legends fans), Wedge Antilles. The relationship between the three of them is full of heart and forges the foundation for their story in Resistance Reborn. 

Our second recommendation is Charles Soule’s ongoing comics series, Poe Dameron. Not only does it flesh out everybody’s favorite cocky pilot, but it crafts a stellar cast of supporting characters comprising Black Squadron—many of whom are essential to Roanhorse’s story.

One important piece of media worth consuming before reading Resistance Reborn isn’t a book, nor a comic, but a video game! Battlefront II’s story mode, which follows the elite Imperial strike team, Inferno Squad (and what happens when things go up in flames), is a critical lead-in to Resistance Reborn. Zay Versio and the endearing Shriv Suurgav both originate in the game and are portrayed so lovingly by Brittany Volcy and Dan Donohue, respectively. Can’t you track down a console and the game itself? The story cinematics only takes about two hours to watch on YouTube (though the gameplay is certainly part of the larger experience).

Lastly, Bloodline by Claudia Gray. Bloodline chronicles the end of Leia’s career as a New Republic Senator and the very early beginnings of the Resistance. One of Gray’s original characters established therein is recruited in Resistance Reborn.

Books that didn’t quite make the cut but are relevant in an ancillary way

It goes without saying that we recommend watching both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi before reading Resistance Reborn. From there, we recommend following up with The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition novelization. Rae Carson elevates the film to an elite level with her masterful writing.

Beyond that, Battlefront II’s tie-in novel, Inferno Squad, is an excellent prequel to the game’s story (kind of a grandfather to Zay & Shriv’s story in Resistance Reborn). Poe Dameron: Free Fall is the Resistance pilot’s backstory of his days as a spice runner, a good companion piece if you want to learn more about Poe’s side of the story as it relates to Episode IX. If you want to go even further back into Poe’s history, check out the Shattered Empire comics miniseries for his parents’ adventures in the immediate aftermath of Return of the Jedi.