Mirazhi Tens of thousands of years before the first interstellar colonists flew to Tatooine in the hope of exploring the bowels of an inhospitable desert planet, life raged on this arid piece of scorching sand, the riot of which could only be dealt with with the ever-green meadows and jungles. It is not known for certain who ruled Tatooine in ancient times and thanks to what evolutionary leap on its surface two eternally warring races were formed, the scavengers of the javas and the nomadic robbers of the Tuskens, but one thing can be said with certainty - there is something unique in this planet that forces you to return to it from time to time, try to keep this bridgehead under the leadership, or at least extend your influence on it. The once Infinite Raqat Empire captured Tatooine and made it its base. The ancient wars that tore the Galaxy apart before the formation of the Old Republic burned entire worlds out of Rakat’s desire to become rulers of the Great Power itself. Unfortunately, the sad fate of hundreds of worlds did not bypass Tatooine. The planetary bombardment destroyed the meadows, forests, seas and river of the paradise planet, leaving it to be torn apart by criminals, refugees and simply losers. And yet, despite the catastrophe of a universal scale, once one of the most beautiful planets of the whole Galaxy has not only not lost its appeal, but also became one of the leading players in the political arena, influencing the fate of billions of star systems from the shadows. You will never see the giant skyscrapers of Coruscant here, you will not be able to penetrate the core of the planet through crystal clear water tunnels, as on Naboo, and do not even try to find at least one forest thicket, for which the moon of Endor is so famous. However, Tatooine has become a home for people and other creatures who are used to challenging fate, completely ignoring what rich and successful pampers of fate, located in the Central systems, think.
Tatooine is known to have been visited in the past by at least a few Sith Dark Lords, seeking ways to gain even greater power than their riotous Order could boast of. Ancient legends and legends about Rakat, who felt the presence of an all-pervading energy field hundreds of light-years away and withstood the bloody slaughter for the right to own Tatooine, could not stay away from the Sith, who preached faith in true power and mysticism, capable of presenting skills in dealing with the Dark Side to heaven. Unfortunately, there are no specific historical facts about the finds of the Sith prowling in the desert, but it is clear that Tatooine is far from being as simple as it seems and is able to present many more unexpected discoveries waiting for the hour of sacred exposure. With the approach of the era of the First Galactic Empire, the sole power on Tatooine was strengthened by the Hatt gangsters led by Jabba, who reigned on the throne in the captured monastery. The influence of the Hutt was so impressive that neither the Sith nor the Jedi had the right to interfere in the life of the planet without his knowledge. Tatooine himself had his own opinion on this, continuing to play a delicate game for the right to become a leading force in the history of the Galaxy. It was on its surface that the fateful meeting of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, presented by George Lucas in the Feather episode of the Prequel Trilogy called A New Hope, took place. As the viewers who know the plot canvas of Star Wars know, there are simply no unexpected coincidences, since the Great Force is responsible for the smooth flow of life processes, whether it is birth, death, acquaintance or politics. But no one denies the fact that it can be significantly influenced. All sorts of books and comics, long considered the indestructible platform of the ever-evolving Expanded Universe, have hinted unequivocally that there are unique places that can transform and control this magnificent energy invisibly. It is likely that Tatooine himself contributed to the formation of Anakin Scowaker as the greatest Jedi and at the same time the most tragic Sith in the history of the Galaxy.
Five of the six films of the Saga, created with the direct participation of George Lucas, returned to the desert surface of Tatooine in order to get the necessary story push, directing the narrative in the right direction. It is here that we first meet Anakin Skywalker, Jabba Hutt, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Han Solo. No matter how far the heroes are carried by starships, they are not destined to escape from the desert forever. She beckons, whispers and demands attention. No one promises that its sands will not become a grave for travelers. Over a fateful encounter with young Anakin, Tatooine gave us the most spectacular lightsaber duel since the transformation of the Sith Order into a closed community consisting of nothing more than a teacher, a concentrating power, and a student desperate to exalt himself. The Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, who arrived on the planet, was forced to defend his wards against a mysterious warrior called Darth Maul. The fierce battle lasted long, painful minutes, but never revealed the winner, leaving in the mental field of Tatooine a non-healing wound, ready at any suitable moment to light up in an agonizing fire.
Independent filmmaker and screenwriter Joel Loukus, known for his special passion for Star Wars, inspired by the scorching winds of Tatooine, decided to stage one of his many short films in the scenery of the arid desert, returning the viewer to the galaxy far, far away, continuing to fight against the never-ending Darkness. Star Wars: Black Sands takes us back to Tatooine of the New Republic era, where there was no place for the Sith of flesh and blood, but their ancient deeds still make themselves felt. Older Jedi Luke Skywalker (Christopher Harper) returns to his homeland to find the source of the Force that can give the hero more wisdom and knowledge in the fight against opponents. Wandering between the dunes, Skywalker quite accidentally (or not...) discovers under his feet an ancient comlink, unknown how got tens of kilometers from the nearest city, Mos Isley. And once Luke brings the artifact to his face, he is swept by visions of a fierce fight with an uncompromising Datomir rejection. Being the focus of impenetrable darkness, the ghostly Darth Maul challenges Luke, and he cannot ignore him. One Sith attack follows another. The mentally imprisoned enemy does not even think to slow down, but the last hope of the Jedi Order has no right to retreat. Some battles must be won in one’s own mind, for defeating one’s own fear and doubt can bring to the real world what no legion of selected soldiers, even if led by Jedi, can do.
Perfectly honed combat choreography movements, the blazing heat of the desert and an atmosphere of frightening mystery leading to ambiguous, disturbing conclusions make Star Wars: Black Sands an event that is not recommended to overlook. The mysticism of what is happening on the screen will not leave anyone indifferent, because this is “Star Wars”, and they penetrate into the very essence, hidden by the veil of darkness.
8 out of 10