EPT+ Show Spoiler +
major extended universe spoilers FYI
MANDATORY music
After the fall of the Emperor, Luke became troubled by his growing power and became reclusive, realizing that his inherent destructive potential had become very high, and that he needed to meditate further.
He encountered foes as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Joruss C'baoth, a genius and a madman, both wanting their own vision of galaxy, but through Luke effort and the aid of a mysterious woman named Mara Jade, they were both cast down and killed.
![[image loading]](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091108222604/starwars/images/b/be/Thrawn.JPG)
While he did this, the Empire burned and crumbled as Ysanne Isard, the last great Imperial dictator, fell to Rogue Squadron.
For a time, all was well. But then, the Emperor returned, his soul to powerful to be obliterated. Coruscant, the capital of the New Republic, the alliance of races that the Rebelleion became, was sacked and taken over by the new Emperor. And through it all, Luke didn't know how to best use his power, but he knew that he could redeem even the blackest of souls.
![[image loading]](http://www.paralada.org/Byss/CloneEmperorAtlasCT.jpg)
But he went too far. He confronted the Emperor and tried to sway him to the light. But in that moment, the Sith proved too powerful, and Skywalker fell to the dark.
He massacred innocents, led the fleets of the Emperor. But his sister's love for him saved him, as he was about to kill her, and then experienced what his father had-a realization of his purpose in the Force. Soon, the Emperor finally fell to the sacrifice of an ancient Jedi.
During this time, Luke had been working with a number of Force-sensitives, like Mara Jade, a former Hand of the Emperor, and Corran Horn, a Rogue squadron pilot. He knew that he could never be the last jedi, that evil never would truly die. As a result, he established the Jedi Academy on Yavin, a place for learning and the growth of a new Jedi. One of his students, committed genocide using a powerful superweapon known as the Sun Crusher, but Luke saved him from the Republic's justice, knowing his potential to become a Master of the Jedi. But he was still greatly troubled.
A decade or so later, the Jedi Academy had bourne fruit, but the Empire had risen again-but as something different. Admiral Pellaeon, Thrawn's protege, now led the Remnant, almost with cordial relations to the Republic. However, Thrawn returned, instigating near-civil war in the Republic over the Caamasi Genocide. Luke ventured into the Unknown Regions of the galaxy with Mara, only to discover that Thrawn had created a system of planets capable of making the Empire the dominant force in the galaxy again. They stopped the information from getting out, but in doing so, merged themselves together in the Force so deeply that they were almost one individual.
![[image loading]](http://media.ignimgs.com/media/ign/imgs/star-wars-characters/19_marajade_starwars.jpg)
A few months later, they married in a ceremony that united Jedi and former Sith, Republic and Empire, in a ceremony that gave hope for the future.
But hope was never truly a reality in their world.
On the edges of the galaxy, a wandering race from outside had begun a power play. The Yuuzhan Vong were ruthless. They idolized organic technology, despising all machines. They had a religion that emphasized total dedication to their gods. They were ruthless.
![[image loading]](http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20071126052551/starwars/images/e/ea/DefenseAgainstTheVong.JPG)
The Jedi were picked off, not being able to stand against the might of the Vong. Jedi-killer beasts were released on major planets, and to stop them, Anakin Solo, the son of Han and Leia, sacrificed himself to give the galaxy a fighting chance.
There were over three hundred trillions casualties of the Vong war. Over half of the Jedi order was eradicated, including the best and brightest of the younger generation. The Vong were invisible in the force, and learned how to kill Jedi within days of encountering them. Only Luke and a few others survived both the political pressure to use them to appease the Vong, and the deadly creatures the Vong employed against them
There could only only be one response: a final stand over the burning world of Coruscant, a suicide mission to end the Vong.
Jacen Solo, Anakin's brother, and Luke won through to the heart of the Vong-their leadership-Supreme Overlord Shimmra, and Luke killed him, finally ending his control and coordination of the Vong.
![[image loading]](http://images-mediawiki-sites.thefullwiki.org/02/3/2/6/63673382860280553.jpg)
Yet one more piece had yet to be played. Jacen followed Shimmra's slave, Onimi, to the Overlord's personal ship, and there discovered that Onimi had used the Force to control the Vong race, and that he believed he could ascend to godhood in doing so.
They fought. Onimi and Jacen became almost avatars of the Force, and in the end, Jacen won through, but not before experiencing the whole of the Unifying Force, neither light nor dark, for a brief instant.
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/a/ac/JacenOnimi.jpg)
The day was won, but three things still remained.
Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade's first child was born, Ben Skywalker.
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/9/99/Lukemaraben.jpg)
Admiral Ackbar, the mastermind of the final battle plan, died peacefully.
![[image loading]](http://www.ackbar.org/images/ackbar.jpg)
And the Vong were sent away into the Unknown Regions to recover from Onimi's brainwashing.
![[image loading]](http://img1.starwars-holonet.com/holonet/dictionnaire/photos/planete_zonama_sekot.jpg)
Skywalker had become a true Jedi Master. He had led the galaxy-the Republic and Empire both-through the greatest darkness it had ever seen. He had mastered the Force, and was capable of feats beyond imagining. He finally understood his place in the universe.
![[image loading]](http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/4/42/Luke_Skywalker_EA.JPG)
There was so much more to do, the new Galactic Alliance had to rebuild-but darkness was still ever-present, and soon the greatest of all the new Jedi would fall prey.
More coming in Part Two.
so sad when he died. favorite part of that universe except for maybe all the han solo related stuff
