Sunday, October 23, 2016

First Appearance

First Appearance Darth Krayt

Darth Krayt is the main antagonist for Cade Skywalker in the Star Wars: Legacy title.  But he first appeared as A'Sharad Hett in Dark Horse's Star Wars #10 from September 1999.

Jedi Council member Ki-Adi Mundi is sent by the council to Tatooine to learn why Jedi Knight Sharad Hett has reappeared leading a Tusken Raider raid on Anchorhead.  Sharad Hett, a Jedi hero, was presumed dead years earlier.  On Tatooine, Ki Adi Mundi is trapped by a Krayt Dragon when Sharad's war party encounters him.  Upon learning that his former master Eeth Koth sent Ki-Adi Mundu, Sharad and his 15 year old son, A'Sharad Hett, attack the Krayt Dragon and A'Sharad is left to his own to finish the creature.  The Tusken Raiders were hunting the Krayt Dragon to initiation A'Sharad as a warrior of the Jundland Tuskens.  Sharad has been training A'Sharad as his Jedi padawan.  Unfortunately, shortly after Ki-Adi Mundi learns why Sharad is leading the Tusken Raider's, Sharad Hett is killed along with much of his clan and A'Sharad returns with Ki-Adi to Coruscant to become his padawan.  A'Sharad Hett would appear in several more stories in the Star Wars and Star Wars: Republic titles.

Star Wars #10a (September 1999)
1st appearance of A'Sharad Hett
Darth Krayt's first appearance is in Star Wars: Legacy #1 as the leader of the One Sith.

Star Wars: Legacy #1a (June 2006)
1st appearance of Darth Krayt
Darth Krayt tells a captive Cade Skywalker at the end of Star Wars: Legacy #15 that he was formerly the Jedi A'Sharad Hett.

Star Wars: Legacy #15a (August 2007)
Darth Krayt revealed to be A'Sharad Hett
The inter-connectivity of the Expanded Universe is a big draw for longtime Star Wars fans.  Dark Horse was masterful at using characters and situations that otherwise would be forgotten to build a rich experience for comic readers.  How cool is it that Dark Horse re-used a supporting character from one era and re-invented that character as a heavy-weight villain in another era?  If Marvel can capture even a portion of this technique that made Dark Horse's contribution to the Expanded Universe magical, fans have much to look forward to.

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