WARNING! This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Jedi Knights #2
The Star Wars franchise, encompassing both Legends and canon narratives, features numerous antagonists with ambitions of galactic domination. One such character, Atha Prime, was designed with great potential but eluded full development, lingering in limbo as merely an action figure—for decades.
Unveiling Atha Prime
Atha Prime was conceived as the successor to iconic villains like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine in a post-Return of the Jedi narrative. However, after the 1983 release of Return of the Jedi, the concept of an Expanded Universe (now referred to as Legends continuity) had not yet materialized. This left Atha Prime stranded as a mere artifact of Star Wars history, with no imminent prospects for comic or live-action adaptation.
The Revelation Behind the Mask
An Unpleasant Truth
In a thrilling turn, writer Guggenheim resurrects Atha Prime in Jedi Knights #2, finally releasing the character’s untapped potential into the official Star Wars canon. Sporting a striking, large golden mask, Atha Prime towers over the Jedi, including even Yoda. During a fierce confrontation, Yoda suffers injuries but manages to slice through Atha Prime’s armor with his lightsaber, revealing the creature within: a monstrous being with purple skin, stark white eyes, and a gaping maw filled with fangs—a sight reminiscent of Marvel’s formidable Thanos, yet distinctly more grotesque.
The context of Jedi Knights places the narrative just before the prequel trilogy, a time depicted as peaceful in the galaxy. Yet, Atha Prime has nefarious schemes that threaten to disrupt this tranquility. The story introduces viscous monsters known as Xerxi, genetically engineered by Atha Prime himself. As Yoda and fellow Jedi Vertna Mooncrest uncover a breeding ground for these horrors, they face off against the Xerxi, discovering their nearly indestructible hides with a singular weak point: their underbellies.
Atha Prime’s Galactic Ambitions
The long-awaited entry of Atha Prime into Star Wars canon fulfills the high expectations of fans, as Guggenheim masterfully illustrates the potency and menacing nature of this villain. Despite the Jedi’s success in vanquishing the Xerxi found in Atha Prime’s lair, records indicate that these beasts can reproduce, presenting a continuous and escalating threat. Atha Prime, successfully escaping the Jedi’s assault, departs aboard his vessel, which is laden with additional test tubes of Xerxi in various stages of development.
One cannot help but notice that Atha Prime introduces a level of peril unprecedented in the lead-up to the prequel era. Traditionally, Legends has explored political intrigues and sporadic military skirmishes dealt with swiftly by Jedi skill or diplomacy. In stark contrast, Atha Prime presents an overarching menace with a complex agenda, challenging the Jedi in unprecedented ways. If his menacing appearance is indicative of what’s to come, the Jedi are undoubtedly facing a formidable new adversary ahead.