Queen’s Shadow ended with a major cliffhanger that deserves to be answered in a sequel.
Despite being a much more character-driven rather than plot-driven novel, Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnston left readers with a tantalizing cliffhanger that paves the way for a fascinating story. The entire book takes place between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, until the epilogue that tragically takes place during Padmé’s funeral in Revenge of the Sith.
This event is seen through the eyes of Sabé, Padmé’s fiercest and most loyal handmaiden and friend. After resolving to learn the truth behind Padme’s death, Sabé receives a communication from Bail Organa, but the novel ends before readers can learn why Organa is contacting her.
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Sabé’s self-appointed mission and the call from Bail Organa is enticing setup for a follow-up story. Bail Organa just adopted Padmé’s daughter Leia around the time he contacts Sabé after the funeral. It is plausible that Organa is reaching out for Sabé to help raise Leia, a fitting move considering how intimately Sabé knew Leia’s mother. Sabé raising a very young Leia could even explain Leia’s line in Return of the Jedi about how she remembers her mother, something the prequels seemed to contradict with Padmé dying moments after giving birth to Leia.
Even if Sabé plays no role in raising Leia, she could be an invaluable asset to the Rebel Alliance, which Organa is an instrumental figure in creating. As Padmé was a longtime and close ally of his — and one who surely would’ve been a leading figure in the Rebellion — it makes perfect sense Organa would reach out to her closest associate and enlist her help.
Sabé’s myriad skills demonstrated throughout the novel would be quite useful in building the Rebellion. It would also honor and continue the fight for the things Padmé believed in.
Queen’s Shadow made fans more invested in Sabé than ever. A Queen’s Shadow sequel can show what Organa reached out about, an offer that certainly hints at significant ramifications for the galaxy.
A sequel can also answer what happened to Sabé in the time period between the prequel and original trilogies. Most importantly, even after her death, Padmé ‘s legacy will live on and continue to impact the galaxy through Sabé.
Would you like to see a Queen’s Shadow sequel? Let us know in the comments!