Star Wars: Catalyst

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The Death Star has always been a fascinating subject in Star Wars lore and it’s history just as intriguing. With additions to the story by Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Rebels, the full account has been waiting to be told, until now. Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel chronicles the development of the Death Star from The Clone Wars to the upcoming film Rogue One. Author James Luceno masterfully connects the dots, while setting up the characters that will inhabit the movie and the seeds of rebellion in the galaxy that will spawn a new hope.

The Greater Good

One of the most interesting aspects of Catalyst is the ways in which this phrase and idea is used by characters in the book to rationalize everything they are doing. Galen Erso, the main theoretical scientist behind the study of kyber crystals continually has this as his mantra, ignoring any voice inside or outside himself that would warn him about the dangers of his research. He willingly blinds himself to so much throughout the story, believing the false narratives fed to him by Orsen Krennic, head of the Special Weapons Division for the Empire, that allow him to continue his research. Krennic has told Erso that the project is meant to find a way to bring affordable and renewable power to the Empire. It brings to mind Malcolm in Jurassic Park when he says, “…but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Erso becomes so enamored with the prospect of the knowledge that he can uncover and the power that he can hopefully unleash for the benefit of the beings of the galaxy, that he doesn’t even stop to consider how his findings may be perverted for other uses. Science never happens in a vaccum.

At the same time the Empire is lying to the scientists working on project Celestial Power, about their true objective, it’s also hiding from the galaxy it’s true intentions towards “Legacy” planets. These are planets that have been supposedly set aside as sanctuaries for preservation from industrialization, like galactic national parks. Yet the Empire employs the same tactics Palpatine did during the Clone Wars, setting up the planets, making it look as though they are arming themselves, giving the Empire licence to step in an annex them. The Empire then strip mines these planets for their precious ores and metals for “the greater good”, aka the building of the secret space station known as the Death Star. Catalyst is a reminder of the horrors that have been done in the name of “the greater good” and the slippery slope that kind of logic is.

The remainder of the review can be found over at The Star Wars Report.