As opposed to my other recent post, regarding the influences on a past Star Wars novel, I want to try and guess what influences we might see at play in the upcoming novel The Living Force. This book uniquely looks to blend Prequel and High Republic Era elements into one story, with the main setting of the novel, Kwenn, being the site of a Jedi Temple Outpost, but also a Great Work called the Grand Renewal, which helped save the local population. While details on just what the Grand Renewal was are scarce, the planet being saved by the Jedi, and other mentioned details, implied it was some sort of disaster or calamity. In the time shortly before The Phantom Menace, Kwenn is now a faded world, struggling from a lack of tourism, changes in trade routes, and the threat of pirates roaming the space lanes.
Given the limited information we currently know, alongside details offered by a map of Kwenn’s notable islands, I want to make the following two predictions and possible connections.
Given that Kwenn’s Gem Cities are located on a series of islands, and that the High Republic draws from the American Gilded Age for their inspirations, I believe that the great calamity on Kwenn was a flood disaster. Perhaps it was man-made, or perhaps something due to a planetary climate issue, but regardless, if it was based around a sudden increase of water or rising water levels, I believe one could compare this event to the Johnstown Flood of American history. A devastating flood in Pennsylvania that wiped out several towns, and whose horrible destruction was well reported at the time, it was also the site of great recovery efforts launched by the nation. Johnstown helped give the recently-founded American Red Cross prominence for the aid they rendered, and led to laws changing regarding dams (since it was a poorly maintained dam on the grounds of an exclusive hunting lodge that burst, causing the flood). In this instance, however, one could imagine that the Jedi and the Republic helped prevent the worst of the planetary disaster, resulting in a best-case scenario Johnstown, where the wealthy and powerful actively helped protect those less fortunate than them, either through direct prevention efforts, or substantial aid after the fact. I look forward to reading more about just what the Grand Renewal was!
The second connection is to link Kwenn and its Gem Cities to Atlantic City, a notable tourism destination in the past which in recent decades has begun to struggle. Like the Gem Cities, Atlantic City began life on an island, Absecon Island, and with time and development from many figures, soon became a major site of tourism. Its boardwalk is credited with popularizing the commercial and practical feature that would later be so universal at other beach-side destinations, while also offering a range of activities and games for tourists. The city itself was full of accommodations, and other experiences, to keep people interested. Atlantic City’s prosperity remained high for many years, becoming an essential part of any visit for well-off European tourists. However, following the end of Prohibition, and WWII, that prosperity began to decline, only for the legalization of gambling and casinos in the city to grant it a second life. Today, this second boost in prosperity is declining, but when one examines the different Gem Cities, one can begin to see a number of small parallels. For starters, each island appears to focus itself on tourist activities, from pure leisure to athletic experiences, while it also appears gambling and casinos play a significant role. Ports of call for a casino ship that sails between the islands are highlighted on the map, while one of the islands appears to heavily focus on Fathier racing, a betting sport if ever there was one. Kwenn’s current status, as a struggling world with the Jedi preparing to pull their resources out of the area, also matches Atlantic City’s current problems, with many once prestigious locations closing down as companies leave the area. It all fits in my mind, and I hope when the book comes out, my guess may be correct.