Hello fellow Wookieepdians! Today we had the opportunity to connect with K. Arsenault Rivera, the author of the story "Kickback" in From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, for a short interview. The story is told from the point of view of Sion, one of the guards on Jabba's skiff.
Q1: How did you first get into Star Wars as a fan, and do you have a favorite character?
A: My first brush with Star Wars was honestly the Return of the Jedi game for the NES. I wasn’t very good at video games at the time but for some reason it was one of two or three games we had for the system. I was still learning English at the time, so I didn’t really get any of the plot, but I liked the art and the energy of it, and that led me to the movies.
The first time I was actively into Star Wars was probably when I went to see The Phantom Menace. I had the feeling that I was about to see something that was going to change my life, from how my father hyped things up and what I remembered from the games. And I suppose that Darth Maul did change things up a bit, since I’ve always found dark side Force users cooler.
My favorite character is Kylo Ren–I think his version of the Vader arc is really compelling, and I was so struck by the idea of someone who has been gaslit into being evil but whose nature really wants them to return to the light. It’s compelling space to write in and to think in. Second would probably be everyone’s favorite sapphic disaster, Dr. Aphra.
Q2: Can you share some insights into your creative process when crafting characters within the Star Wars universe, or if you had a favorite of the ones you introduced?
A: Well the first step when you’re writing Star Wars is to freak out that you’re writing Star Wars. The second is to open up Wookieepedia.
While working on “Kickback,” I rewatched ROTJ a good three or four times looking for people whose stories might be interesting–but I kept being drawn back to the guy I eventually named Sion. All of the people I wanted to write were just...regular folks, getting by, doing what they could in an outsized galaxy full of space wizards. I wanted to explore what it would be like for a regular person to come face to face with one of our main characters and know that he had no chance.
Sion was a compelling guy for me from the start, so of the characters I wrote, I’d probably say he was my favorite. (We’re not counting Luke here, as he’s kind of more of a force of nature in the story than he is a character.)
Sion, in Return of the Jedi
Q3: The Star Wars saga is renowned for its rich world-building and intricate storytelling and the original trilogies have become household staples. How did you go about finding a way to expand on a well-loved scene?
A: Whenever you work with an established setting, it’s important to figure out what appeals to people, and where you have space to expand. This story was just the same – the tricky part was figuring out what wasn’t already known and filling in those details.
Part of this is working with our editor. I had this idea that Sion’s mentor should be an aging clone, sort of a Rex-type, so I wrote that in. Looking at the Skiff fight we realized that there was one person who wore a visor the whole time and could, in theory, be a clone–but when we really thought about it the timeline didn’t work out. You find these little spots, you ask your what-ifs, and you bit by bit feel out where there’s space for them.
Thankfully, by choosing someone so low to the ground, I found there was a ton of space to work with. No one knew anything about this guy! I could fill in whatever I liked.
Q4: I loved the small details in the work, especially being able to see that Sion was both a palace guard and a loving husband and father. What inspired you to create that aspect of his backstory?
A: At the end of the day most people who read or watch or interact with this universe have more in common with Sion than they do with someone like Anakin or Obi-Wan or Padme. Epic fantasy and space opera demand epic characters, of course, but the people who fill that world and have their lives warped by such characters are also interesting in their own way.
I think it’s easy to get so caught up in the power fantasies and the ‘Nah I’d Win’ of it all that the mundane aspects fall away. Nine times out of ten if you joined the Star Wars universe via Isekai, you’d end up...probably a guy like Sion.
He’s sort of a tribute to all the Star Wars dads out there. He goes to work for a job that he doesn’t even really like all that much, but a job that grants his family safety. No matter how rough his past has been he’s found something that means the world to him and he continues to put his life on the line to defend it. Like Bail, he’s a dedicated father; unlike Bail, he doesn’t have unlimited money to make his parenting easier.
He has to work this job to provide. He’s terrified to confront Luke. But he knows that if he doesn’t, he won’t be coming home either way, and if he does...maybe at least someone will look after his kids. People stuck their necks out for him, so shouldn’t he do the same?
Of course, Luke can’t possibly know any of this when he kicks Sion into the sarlacc pit, but I wanted to highlight that every mook we see is a person with their very own life and dreams and goals. A regular person like you and me.
Q5: If you write more Star Wars content in the future, what character or topic would you like to write about?
A: I am on my hands and knees begging to be able to write something about the Hapes Consortium. I think they’re super cool! I’ve always found powerful women lots of fun to write–figures like Wu Zetian, Nefertiti, Khutulun, Elizabeth I, and even Bathory have all compelled me from a historical perspective. And they’re all such complicated figures! Hapes allows us to examine complex systems of power and how they interact with gender. It’s incredible stuff.
Q6: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers?
A: Thank you so much for having me! It’s always an honor and a joy to talk Star Wars. It’s a big galaxy out there and if I made even one person feel a little more seen then I’ll have done my job.
If anyone is interested in more of my work, I’d love for them to check out The Tiger’s Daughter, my sapphic epic fantasy about Mongol-style warriors, or my upcoming Romantasy retelling of Eros and Psyche, Oath of Fire.
Conclusion
And that's the end of today's interview, was super glad we got to sit down and talk with her about "Kickback." K. Arsenault Rivera's socials can be found here, and until next time, happy editing!
