Last time, I told you about Threat of Peace, the first webcomic based on the TOR universe. The first approach for the public to the content of the game. And in terms of results, it was mixed. Sufficient success to be able to consider a second project of the same kind. But at the same time a lot of criticism (unattractive story, mediocre quality drawings, numerous characters therefore not very developed…). Various points that could be forgotten for a first attempt. But who would hardly be forgiven for a second. So some adjustments are needed before releasing the second TOR BD.
The second comic from the TOR universe is called Blood of Empire. It is still available in the Multimedia / Webcomic section of the official website. And it was published in Spain by Delcourt under the title Star Wars the Old Republic 1 - Le sang de l'Empire. The main change from Treat of Peace is the author. This time, instead of entrusting some bases to outside professionals, we entrust all the keys to the project to one of the internal authors. So who knows everything that will happen in the game and therefore what awaits its characters. Which direction to go without misinterpreting, using secondary characters in the setting and much more. Blood of Empire is therefore unanimously considered superior to its predecessor. The other side of the coin? The story takes place 25 years before the Treaty of Coruscant, which itself takes place at least a decade before the game (I've never been able to find the exact date, if anyone knows it I'm a taker). So certain elements of the game spoil key moments in the story. But there are also a good number of elements that only take on their meaning after playing ...
I recommend reading Blood of Empire to anyone looking to develop the PR side of their Inquisitor. Indeed, the hero is of this class, and many points of his history have been taken up. Starting with his status as a slave, as well as attitudes of politics and betrayal. However, this assassin has nothing to do with the character that can be played in the game. I will not list all the common points and differences. But you can do this to get a good idea of how to press to differentiate his character from all the other Inquisitors who have taken the same main quest. Then extend what you have learned to other classes.
Before coming back to this main character, a few words about the drawings. Beyond the simple graphic aspect, which has always been a personal consideration, they testify to the progress of the game. In Treat of Peace, the clothes were very generic and the planets all already known. Blood of Empire is almost a finished product, closer to what can be seen in the game than the concept art used for example in the videos Betrayal and Hope. We were still a year away from the release, but that aspect was complete.
Now back to Teneb Kel, our hero, a former slave to whom the Dark Council has entrusted a mission whose failure means death. What very commonplace for a Sith Assassin. Some elements of the Inquisitor's main quest depend on its success or failure. Why ? Warning, spoiler. If you don't want to know, quickly skip to the next paragraph. You are still here ? So who is Teneb Kel? Look at his tattoo: it's that of Dark Tanathon, the main enemy in his history. If so, it is written in full in his codex entry. Moreover, given that this does not change the character in the game, it is obvious that this precision was made because of the comics. Only a change of class is to be noted, going from Assassin to Sorcerer. Probably because of the age… Well, the spoiler is over, I'll try to fit in a line or two so that those who jumped don't have the ending that jumps out at them. So barzebrigorgulraqzetjoqlumgarhorgluglowheurg * cuts the end of torture recording of the gungan *.
Bioware is very respectful of the Star Wars Extended Universe, we know that. Difficult however to place references in a part of the history of the game which was created for the occasion. Still, there are two for those looking for that sort of thing. First, a few pages are on Peragus (reference to KOTOR II). Then, and much more importantly, the antagonist is a Kressh. A what ? A member of a family of what is known in TOR as the pureblooded Sith and whose most famous member had a leading role in The Legend of the Jedi (the comic book about the War in Hyperspace) . If you don't want to search for the comic, the timeline has an entry on the subject. There is also a codex about this family on Dromund Kaas, behind the Revanite camp and guarded by a champion robot.
Blood of Empire was also the occasion to visit certain imperial structures for the first time. In Threat of Peace, the Dark Council was just an assembly of dark figures. Here, we meet three members of them and we see them personally involved in imperial politics. Some names mentioned have survived until the game. I will not list them, it's up to you to find them. The following character, on the other hand, is unique: the Emperor himself, who made his very first physical appearance here.
The sequel will relativize this appearance all the same. But here, these are spoilers of the game so I will not develop further.
Blood of Empire also introduces us to the Emperor's children. In a rather obscure way, not very clear and subject to a lot of speculation. It takes play to understand their place in the plans of the Supreme Leader of the Empire. You have to play a Jedi Knight or a Consular. Until now, references and spoilers have been coming to the Inquisitor and the Imperial classes. Now the Republic has landed.
Blood of Empire will be much more successful than its predecessor Treat of Peace. Teneb Kel will for a time be seen as a role model for the Sith Inquisitors. But the lack of follow-up will hurt him a lot. It's a short project, his team quickly dispersed. And if we have to make a list of all the Star Wars comics, Blood of Empire is lost in the mass of small jobs relegated to the background. Too bad, I think it deserved better.
So no follow-up. The author left on another project, on paper this time. And Lost Suns has nothing to do with Blood of Empire. In short, despite the qualities of the work, this is the latest webcomic from TOR. And the section on the official site has become abandoned. That's a final word, I guess.
Chaotin
(Inquisitor Finris on Battle Mediation)
