Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope is a comic sub-series, consisting of four parts, within the larger Star Wars Infinities collection. Its initial publication spanned from May 2, 2001, until November 21 of the same year, 2001. Subsequently, it was gathered into a trade paperback edition released on February 6, 2002.
In a galaxy far, far away, a long time ago... While the characters and happenings may seem familiar, something is amiss. Luke Skywalker bravely makes his attack run on the Death Star, unleashes his torpedoes, but they fail to hit their target! Step into a Star Wars unlike anything you've experienced, a Star Wars that has been fractured, a Star Wars where the possibilities are LIMITLESS! Dark Horse Comics proudly presents Star Wars: Infinities -- A New Hope, the inaugural installment in a series of non-canonical Star Wars tales guaranteed to enthrall Star Wars enthusiasts of all ages. Beginning where the movie A New Hope concludes, Infinities will take readers on an adventure with Luke, Han, Leia, 3PO, and R2 that is just as thrilling and imaginative as the original Star Wars trilogy. This collection comprises the complete four-issue miniseries.
The Infinities take on Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope commences during the critical Battle of Yavin. The narrative diverges when Luke Skywalker's torpedoes suffer a malfunction, preventing the destruction of the Death Star, but they do succeed in averting the total annihilation of Yavin 4. Unable to execute a full-power blast from the Death Star's superlaser, Grand Moff Tarkin instructs his crew to fire at a reduced intensity, which nearly obliterates the Massassi Temple on the moon's surface, followed by another shot intended to completely destroy the moon.
The Imperial forces deploy a squadron of TIE Fighters with the objective of eliminating the remaining pilots from Red Squadron. Luke, teetering on the edge of madness due to the mission's failure and the apparent destruction of the Rebel base, turns his fighter to confront the TIEs single-handedly. Ultimately, Han Solo persuades Luke to escape, and the Millennium Falcon enters hyperspace with Luke's X-wing in tow.
The Rebel Alliance attempts to flee the Yavin system, only to be captured by the Empire. The Rebel leaders are imprisoned aboard the Death Star, awaiting their execution, while Princess Leia is transported to Coruscant and placed under house arrest within the Emperor's palace. Following a meeting with the Emperor, Darth Vader subtly initiates Leia's training in the ways of the dark side of the Force.
After the Falcon emerges from hyperspace and retrieves Luke and R2-D2, who had abandoned their damaged X-wing, a dispute erupts between Luke and Han, with Luke accusing Han of betraying the Rebellion. The argument escalates into a physical altercation, during which Luke, consumed by anger, brandishes his lightsaber and threatens Han. Before Luke can strike, the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi appears to Luke, cautioning him against succumbing to the dark side. Obi-Wan then instructs Luke to journey to Dagobah and seek out the Jedi Master Yoda. Han brings Luke to Dagobah, where he commences his training under Yoda's guidance, while Solo and Chewbacca remain on the planet, modifying the Falcon. Two months later, Han departs with Chewbacca to continue repairs on the Falcon, promising to return should Skywalker ever need a ride. While on Dagobah, Luke enters the mysterious cave as part of his training. Inside, he battles and defeats a vision of Darth Vader, only to be horrified to discover that the face behind the mask is Leia's.
Five years go by, and the story resumes with the Empire commemorating the fifth anniversary of their victory over the Rebellion by renaming the Death Star the Justice Star and positioning it to eclipse the sun over the capital as a symbol of eternal peace. Leia, now a highly skilled Sith Lady, convinces the ailing Palpatine to reinstate the Imperial Senate, which had been dissolved five years prior. Han and Chewbacca, having spent the past five years drifting through the galaxy, witness the anniversary coverage while in a bar on Ord Mantell. Shocked and enraged that Leia is still alive and now serving the Empire, Solo smashes his chair over the table, attracting the attention of bounty hunters and Imperial stormtroopers. Han boards the Falcon, evades an Imperial fleet in orbit, and sets course for Dagobah.
Returning to Dagobah, Luke's training is nearing its end. His final trial is to re-enter the dark cave. Within the cave, Luke once again confronts the specter of Vader, but this time, he manages to conquer his fears and truly connect with the Force. Luke even experiences a terrifying vision of the Emperor, a young Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, his grandmother Shmi, his mother Padmé, his father Anakin as a child, and Leia.
Upon Han Solo's arrival, he enters the dark side cave as Skywalker undergoes the final test of his Jedi training. Han and Chewbacca then join Skywalker, Yoda, and R2-D2 for dinner, where he informs Luke of Leia's situation and the Empire's actions. Shortly thereafter, Yoda reveals two shocking truths to Luke: Darth Vader is his father, and Leia is his sister.
The climax sees Luke, Yoda, Han, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 piloting the Falcon to Coruscant. Upon arrival, the Falcon lands on the Justice Star, where Yoda and R2 disembark. Yoda confronts Admiral Tarkin and employs a Jedi mind trick to seize control of him, using him to take control of the station, which he then uses to destroy the fleet orbiting the planet.
Simultaneously, Chewbacca flies the Falcon to the planet, where Luke and Han attempt to infiltrate the Emperor's palace. Inside, Luke and Han defeat several red-cloaked Imperial Guards wielding doublesabers and a reprogrammed, more aggressive C-3PO before confronting the Emperor and his two apprentices, Darth Vader and Leia Organa. On his master's command, Vader hands his lightsaber to Leia, initiating a duel between her and Luke. Luke refuses to harm Leia, but engages her in combat nonetheless. Eventually, Luke manages to reach Leia's rational mind by revealing their sibling relationship. As the duel concludes and Skywalker redeems Leia, the Emperor directs his wrath towards the twins, unleashing Force lightning upon them. Before they can be killed, Anakin Skywalker intervenes, attacking his former master to protect his children.
Luke, Leia, Han, and C-3PO manage to escape as the Emperor focuses his power on Anakin. They fight their way through stormtroopers, reach the Falcon, and flee the planet. After Palpatine kills Anakin, Yoda, using R2 to control the Justice Star's orbit, contacts the Emperor and announces his impending arrival. Just as the Emperor returns to his throne tower, the Justice Star crashes into the planet, obliterating Darth Sidious and his ultimate weapon.
The story concludes several years later on Naboo. Leia has been declared the Supreme Chancellor of the New Republic following the Empire's defeat. R2's old memory has been transferred into a new, identical body, and he has been reunited with C-3PO. In the final scene, the spirits of Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin appear to Luke and Leia.
The initial plan was for Peter David to pen Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope. David had previously authored "Skippy the Jedi Droid," a similarly non-canon story within Star Wars Tales. Upon accepting the assignment, Lucasfilm Ltd. informed David that he would have complete creative control over the story. David's initial outline involved R5-D4 malfunctioning after being purchased by Owen Lars, preventing him from acquiring R2-D2, leading to a series of events that would have culminated in Leia Organa becoming the reigning Sith Lord of the Galactic Empire and taking Luke Skywalker as her apprentice and lover, unaware of their familial connection.
However, when David presented his outline to Lucasfilm, they rejected it for being "too dark" and insisted that the story conclude with Luke, Leia, and Han Solo defeating evil. David was angered by the rejection, questioning the point of altering a plot point from the film only to arrive at the same happy ending as the original 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Dark Horse Comics ultimately hired Chris Warner to write the story instead.
- Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope (TPB)
- Omnibus: Infinities
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Infinities
Although the comic's narrative is not considered canon, the concept of the Imperial Palace once being the Jedi Temple was incorporated into the new Star Wars canon after the Expanded Universe was rebranded as Star Wars Legends by Lucasfilm Ltd.. The 2014 novel Tarkin confirmed the Jedi Temple's transformation into the Imperial Palace.
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The World of Endless Possibilities on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
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