While fans of Star Wars canon are on the fence about the prequel single-character movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, there is plenty of interest in learning more about the details of the mysterious crime syndicate known as the Crimson Dawn. It was this organization that took center stage as being in charge of the part of the galaxy where most of this movie takes place.
As we watched this story play out, we were treated to hyper train robberies and criminal intrigue that led Han through all kinds of emotional challenges, including the introduction of Solo’s old flame, Qi’ra, an underling to the syndicate's lord, Dryden Vos that reports directly to one of the most popular Sith’s in Star Wars history, Darth Maul. Just mentioning the name brings out memories of double-ended lightsabers flying in close combat in the trilogy prequels.
Darth Maul with his staff lightsaber
There was an excellent comic book run called Star Wars: Crimson Reign by Charles Soule, Steven Cummings, Guru-eFX, and Travis Lanham. That should have been the source material for many of the new series on Disney Plus. In fact, we probably will see mentions of this syndicate in both Boba Fett and possibly with Obi-Wan – at least we hope so.
As far as Canon is concerned, Qi’ra eventually took control of Crimson Dawn. First, she dispatched Dryden Vos and allowed Darth Maul to teach her more directly. It was around this time that Darth Maul was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine, forcing the crime syndicate to break apart and flee to all corners of the galaxy or risk being captured.
Qi`ra fighting Dryden Vos
Qi’ra eventually rebuilt the group and stole Han Solo’s body that was frozen in carbonite by the Hutts. This only resulted in the entire slaughtering of the Hutt council (except our favorite worm Jabba) by Darth Vader. So Qi’ra decided to transform Crimson Dawn into a Dark Side cult bent on destroying Darth Sideious.
The Series that Never Was
The beautiful thing about Crimson Dawn is that it is a story-rich repository for new information. There could be plenty of crossover opportunities, and everyone wants to see Emilia Clarke back in action as Qi’ra.
The whole point is there were so many rumors about Crimson Dawn returning because Disney had planned on creating a Darth Maul-centric series. As far as we know right now, that is on permanent hold and only the great Jedi masters of the past can tell if anything will change for the future. With the popularity of The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi series, there is still hope.
Looking to the Future
If you get the chance, you should go back and pick up the comics. The incredible battles between bounty hunters and secondary Star Wars characters are more than worth the read. The art is excellent, and you can definitely see the actor/actress-inspired character design.
As for us, we will continue to make exceptional lightsabers based on all the characters from Star Wars canon and maybe even a few from the Legends memorabilia. We sell neopixel lightsabers that can be used for collections, cosplay, duels, or just because you are as big of a fan as us and want a fun item to display.
Whatever the reason, we hope you explore our store at SabersPro and welcome any ideas you may have about the future Crimson Dawn. We know this criminal syndicate is bound for absolute disaster, but the journey to that fateful endpoint is thrilling and fertile ground for exciting new stories that Disney should embrace – right now!
