History Literature / ShadowsOfTheEmpire

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: {{Subverted}}. The Pike sisters, expert martial artists whom Xizor hires as assassins, look the same aside from their eyes: Zan's are green, Zu has [[MismatchedEyes one blue eye along with one green]]. This would actually make them fraternal-the book simply says they're "genetic twins".

* GroinAttack: Leia explains to Xizor that no really does mean no. Immortalized on a [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:LeiaFightsDirty-SOTETC.jpg playing card]].

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species into its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicating he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views). With his Vigos (lieutenants), their leadership is a full-blown CosmopolitanCouncil, with just one Human and every Vigo besides that from a different unique species.

** The book sometimes cuts to Xizor doing mundane things that aren't linked to one of his evil plans. It once cuts to him going to a restaurant, wondering what dish he'll order. It also cuts at one point to him trimming a six-hundred-year old bonsai tree while thinking that he will reveal this patient, cultured side of himself to Leia, among other things. Later it cuts to him luxuriating in a bath, having [[BathtubBonding invited Leia to join him]] (he was rejected), thinking that soon his pheromones will overcome her willpower.

* WarmUpBoss: The AT-ST you fight inside Echo Base in the video game. Even on [[HarderThanHard Jedi difficulty]], its a ridiculously easy fight, since it moves and turns so slow, allowing you to circle strafe behind it and shoot it into submission.

''[[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Shadows_of_the_Empire Shadows of the Empire]]'' is an entry in the Franchise/StarWarsLegends, coming out in 1996. Conceived as an {{interquel}} between ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', it's a multimedia project, like ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' after it, designed to have all of the media that would surround a new movie without actually making a movie.[[note]]It's speculated that this project was constructed as a marketing "dry run" for the then-upcoming prequels, testing the responsiveness of the consumer base to the revival of the decade-dormant Star Wars IP.[[/note]] There is a novel (with an accompanying junior novelization), a video game, a role-playing game, a six-issue [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_daily/1067082.html comic]] [[http://asylums.insanejournal.com/scans_daily/1096401.html series,]] a [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Shadows_of_the_Empire_%28soundtrack%29 soundtrack,]] a toyline, trading cards, and a Making Of book. Not all its elements overlap--to get the full story, readers would have to see each story-related component.

* WorthIt: During the final battle, [[spoiler:Vader is fully aware that he'll be risking the Emperor's wrath by killing Xizor (who currently has the Emperor's favor as a major resource-provider), but still invokes this trope after finally having enough of Xizor's crap.]]

* TokenHuman: Black Sun starts out with nine Vigos (lieutenants) of Prince Xizor (himself a [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]]. Only one Vigo, Green, is Human, and he soon dies after Xizor reveals he's a spy (with Guri summarily killing him). Guri is taken as Human by most people too, but is really a [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Human Replica Droid]] who can pass for one almost perfectly.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species into its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicating he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views). With his Vigos (lieutenants), their leadership is a full-blown CosmopolitanCouncil, with just one Human and every Vigo besdies that from a different unique species.

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: {{Subverted}}. The Pike sisters, expert martial artists whom Xizor hires as assassins, look the same aside from their eyes: Zan's are green, Zu has [[MismatchedEyes one blue eye along with one green]]. This would actually make them fraternal-the book simply says they are "genetic twins".

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species into its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicating he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views). With his Vigos, their leadership is a full-blown CosmopolitanCouncil, with just one Human and every Vigo besdies that from a different unique species.

* InferredSurvival: Luke notices that one of the paragliders on the landing platform of Xizor's palace is missing as the heroes take off in the ''Falcon'', implying that [[spoiler: Guri]] may have escaped. [[spoiler:Sequel comic ''Shadows of the Empire: Evolution'' confirms she did]].

* InferredSurvival: Luke notices that one of the paragliders on the landing platform of Xizor's palace is missing as the heroes take off in the ''Falcon'', implying that [[spoiler: Guri]] may have escaped. [[spoiler:''Shadows of the Empire: Evolution'' confirms she did.

* InferredSurvival: Luke notices that one of the paragliders on the landing platform of Xizor's palace is missing as the heroes take off in the ''Falcon'', implying that [[spoiler: Guri]] may have escaped.

* {{Irony}}: In order to find out more about the plot to murder Luke, Leia contacts Black Sun, as they control a vast intelligence network. Unbeknownst to her at first, Black Sun's leader is the one who ordered Luke dead.

* DoubleAgent: Xizor calls together his Vigos (lieutenants) knowing one of them has been spying on Black Sun, then has Guri kill the spy, who's revealed to be the human Vigo Green, once they all deliver the reports of their areas' earnings, after letting Durga the Hutt sweat to warn him against making any similar disloyal moves. He sternly lectures them first about how ungrateful it is to be betraying Black Sun, given how each of them enjoys significant power, status and wealth.

* EnemyMine: [[TheSyndicate Black Sun]] has tried to make overtures with the Rebel Alliance, who always rebuffed them on account of their criminality. Leia, however, approaches them in hopes of using their spy network to find out who's behind the assassination attempts against Luke ([[{{Irony}} unaware that it's Black Sun]], using the rationale that the Empire is their common enemy. [[SubvertedTrope It does not transpire though]].
* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species in its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicates he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views). With his Vigos (lieutanants) their leadershio is a full-blown CosmopolitanCouncil, with just one Human and every Vigo besdies that from a different unique species.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: At one point in the novel, Darth Vader attempts to locate Luke with the Force only to sense his presence in ''two'' different locations. Since most readers are likely familiar of the big reveal in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', it is pretty obvious Vader is now sensing Leia, especially given that Luke is contacting Leia through the Force at the time.
* FrameUp: Black Sun bribes a Rebel to assassinate Luke, and makes it appear the payment came from the Empire. Luke is skeptical though, knowing Vader wants him to stay alive.

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Prince Xizor, a Falleen, looks like he is about thirty, but he is over a hundred years old. According to Legends, the average Falleen lifespan is 250 years, while a rare few can live up to 400.

* StatuesqueStunner: Guri is noted to be beautiful, and sources state that she stands at 1.8 meters tall: 5'11". To put things in perspective, this is only slightly less than Xizor's height of 1.83 meters (as per ''The New Essential Guide to Characters'') and considerably more than Leia's 1.55 meters (the height of Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Leia).

* TokenHuman: Black Sun starts out with nine Vigos (lieutanants) of Prince Xizor (himself a [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]]. Only one Vigo, Green, is Human, and soon dies after Xizor reveals he's a spy (with Guri summarily strangling him). Guri is taken as Human by most people too, but is really a [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Human Replica Droid]] who can pass for one almost perfectly.

* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Guri is a very beautiful blonde who most men notice instantly and find her highly attractive. Despite this, Lando notices there's something [[UncannyValley not quite right about her]] (he's right, since Guri's [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots really a droid-she was designed to be this beautiful]]). No other woman in the book, not even Leia, ever gets described as being so attractive.

** Xizor sees Vader as this, disliking him on a personal level but respecting him as a warrior. Guri also sees Luke as this since as a droid programmed for combat, most humans are no match for her but a Jedi is.

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: {{Subverted}}. The Pike sisters, expert martial artists whom Xizor hires as assassins, look the same aside from their eyes: Zan's are green, Zu has [[MismatchedEyes one blue eye along with one green]]. This would actually make them fraternal-the book simply says there's "genetic twins".

* BadassInDistress: Leia and Chewie's attempt at infiltrating Black Sun's headquarters doesn't end so well. He escapes and Xizor decides not to pursue him, but Leia has to be rescued by Luke and the others.
* BaddieFlattery: Xizor is impressed with Luke [[ParryingBullets batting at shots]] with his lightsaber.

* BoldlyComing: Prince Xizor, a {{humanoid alien}} with [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation green skin]] (of [[LizardFolk reptilian evolutionary descent]]) seems to primarily like human women, as that's all we seem him pursue. He also has [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots human replica droid]] Guri, who is almost entirely indistinguishable from a blonde human woman (whom Xizor [[{{Robosexual}} occasionally has]] [[{{Sexbot}} sex with]]).

* {{Brainwashed}}: Xizor's pheromones essentially do this to women, since he says even if they were faithful to others for years they'll only want to have sex with him after exposure.

* BuriedAlive: Xizor mentions one of his mistresses wouldn't break it off when he wanted and then she ended up "accidentally" buried in concrete by a construction droid.

* TheChessmaster: Prince Xizor is constantly formulating plots and pulling strings (largely against Vader) so he'll be brought down by losing favor with the Emperor throughout the story. It eventually catches up to him, and he dies for it at Vader's orders.

* CosmopolitanCouncil: Black Sun's Vigo's (lieutenants of it's leader Prince Xizor, who's himself [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]]) are from different species.

* DoubleAgent: Xizor calls together his Vigos (lieutenants) knowing one has been spying on Black Sun, then has Guri kill the spy, who's revealed to be Green, once they all deliver the reports of their areas' earnings, after letting Durga the Hutt sweat to warn him against making any similar disloyal moves. He sternly lectures them first of how ungrateful betraying Black Sun has to be first, given they're paid so much.
* DoubleStandardRapeSciFi: Xizor's (and by extension all of his species') pheromones basically act like a mind control drug. Once you smell them, there'll be an intense desire to have sex with them. While this isn't portrayed as ''good'' when Xizor's trying to coerce Leia into having sex with him this way, it's also not described as rape, nor are all his many previous "conquests". Basically, he is a {{serial rapist}}, which adds an [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil extra layer of evil]] to his character. He has also "made use" of Guri's anatomical correctness, at one point pondering if he should tell her to join him in his bath. As she is a droid and owned by him, it can lead a reader to wonder just how consensual this is. The sequel comic book ''Shadows Of The Empire: Evolution'' says she literally cannot disobey any of his orders, so the answer it gives would be "not at all". Apparently for Xizor Guri's his occasional {{sexbot}}. Given that even the nice people in ''Star Wars'' tend not to think of droids as people ([[DoAndroidsDream despite all evidence]]) it's probable they [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman wouldn't view this as rape]] regardless.

* EnemyMine: [[TheSyndicate Black Sun]] has tried to make overtures with the Rebel Alliance, who always rebuffed them. Leia though approaches them to speak in hopes of using their spy network to find out who's behind murder attempts against Luke ([[{{Irony}} unaware that it's Black Sun]], using the rationale that the Empire is their common enemy. [[SubvertedTrope It does not transpire though]].

* GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe: Xizor's people, [[HumanoidAlien the]] [[LizardFolk Falleen]], have skin that's bright green. It changes to a light orange when they're aroused. Aside from having little hair (enough to form a topknot) plus slightly ridged skin, except for the skin they're pretty indistinguishable from Humanity and considered very attractive (however much of that's due to their [[LoveIsInTheAir pheromones]]). In the book, Xizor is a GenderFlipped version of this, though given his pheromones cause women (Leia included) to experience a strong attraction which they can (barely, in her case) resist, this is more predatory than most examples.

** Guri is a deadly {{fembot}} cyborg in Xizor's employ who can easily kill most people (only Luke ever beats her).

* TheChessmaster: Prince Xizor is constantly formulating plots and pulling strings (largely against Vader) so he'll be brought down and lose favor with the Emperor throughout the story. It eventually catches up to him, and he does for it.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species in its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicates he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views). With his Vigos (lieutanants) their leadershio is a full-blown CosmopolitanCouncil, with just one Human and every Vigo besdies that from a different unique species.

* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: Xizor calls together his Vigos (lieutenants) knowing one has been spying on Black Sun, then has Guri kill the spy once they all deliver the reports of their areas' earnings, after letting one sweat to warn him against making any disloyal moves.

* EqualOpportunityEvil: Black Sun, in stark contrast with the [[FantasticRacism Humanocentric]] Empire, accepts members of any species in its ranks (headed by [[HumanoidAlien Falleen]] Prince Xizor as well). Palpatine does let Xizor into his inner circle, but maintains Humanocentrism otherwise (indicates he just uses it with recruiting Humans who support those views).

* AlwaysIdenticalTwins: The Pike sisters, expert martial artists whom Xizor hires as assassins, look the same aside from their eyes: Zan's are green, Zu has [[MismatchedEyes one blue eye along with one green]]. This would technically make them fraternal-the book simply says there's "genetic twins".

* AsLongAsThereIsEvil: Palpatine muses about this upon hearing the news from Vader that [[spoiler: Xizor]] has been killed, reasoning that someone similar will replace him.

** Dash Rendar is an expy of Han Solo.