Photo Novel Empire: 2016

Well Waxer, Tim, and R1-K4 have run into and united with another group of survivors. Both of them are hoping to find some sort of glimmer of hope that they will find the grand community of Pandem. Upon finally discovering directions leading to the safe haven, the survivors realize that hope is within their grasp. We also got to see a piece of Waxer's past during the Clone Wars which brings in some controversy of what the future (or to fit into context), and what the past holds for Waxer. Not only that, we also got to see some pretty gory moments in Dead Among the Living that we haven't seen in past episode. We'll get into more detail, here on...

TALKING STAR WARS

At the beginning of the episode, we find Waxer, Tim Rolando, and the astromech droid R1-K4 venturing in the Rurlian sector hoping to find Pandem. In the original draft of the story, the name of the chapter was actually going to be entitled: "Might As Well Quit". Near the start of the chapter the three were to stumble upon a survivor who committed suicide, with a sign beside him explaining why he killed himself.

As you can see in the picture, the body in the far left corner is the scene that was going to be introduced in at least one shot of the episode. The reason Zen deleted this scene from the cut was because the sign was written in English, and if this were the star war universe it would have been written in Basic. I spoke to Zen about the sign pertaining to Pandem at the very end of the episode, and he told me that it took everything in him to continue on with this shot because of the fact that it was inaccurately written in English, but at that point, it would take at least two weeks to get the episode back in order and as all photonovelists know: time is a valuable luxury that comes short very often.

Next the three survivors run into another band of sentient individuals. "Creating the characters for this series is always fun," Zen told me, "I take inspiration for the new characters strictly from zombie apocalypse characters." For example,

Beedo Lokee, the Mimbanel accountant introduced in this recent episode was created and inspired based off of Abraham Ford from AMC's The Walking Dead. Knowing this, it actually makes since in the design of the character, mainly because of the facial hair as you can see in the photo. However, upon Beedo's first appearance, we don't really see a gruff, military leader that we see in Walking Dead. Maybe in future episodes the character development will increase???

Both of the groups deciding to unite in finding Pandem. Then we get some back story about the new team of survivors. The next day after camping in a creepy cabin, the group stumbles upon the sign leading to Pandem (The same one that nearly drove Dead Among the Living writer, Zen Utaru mad.). Not long after, a group of the undead comes in and we get to see one of the survivors get torn apart. I was greatly impressed with how realistic it was with the blood running black, and the skin getting torn off the man's poor face. I spoke to Zen about how he pulled that scene off. Zen told me he bought two of the same action figure, one he would use as the living, breathing version, and the other he would use when he gets eaten alive. Zen proceeded to fillet pieces of the victim's face so that we got to see the impressive scene of the human getting his face pulled apart. Then Zen simply poured his own blood formula wherever the victim was bit or cut. The result was the bloodiest moment in photo novel history, and I hope we see more of it.

Next, we get a glimpse of Waxer's past. The moment we got to see was when Waxer and Boil comforted the young Twi'lek girl, Numa. Now as sentimental of a scene as it was, it causes a lot of controversy. In the Clone Wars television series, Waxer is actually killed.

Here is one of the first appearances of Waxer in Star Wars the Clone Wars...

Here is the sad moment when Waxer is killed in action. This is before the end of the Clone War, and Dead Among the Living takes place during the establishment of the Galactic Senate. At this point, Waxer is long gone IF he died. So there are two possibilities, 1: Zen considers the Clone Wars to be noncanon, which would be strange because not only is the Clone Wars canon, it also causes more confusion for clone Commando Gregor, who appeared in the Clone Wars show, as well as Zen's photo novel. Possibility number 2: There is something concealed in Waxer's past. Maybe he didn't die, maybe he survived. If he did, then Zen will have something that could explain not only Waxer's survival but also Gregor who survived the explosion we all saw in Star Wars The Clone Wars.

"Nothing goes unnoticed in my photo novel series," Zen hinted to me when I asked him about Gregor several episodes ago, "not ever."

What does Zen have planned? We'll find out in future episodes. As always, may the Force be with you.

Previously, on Dead Among the Living...

"I assume you would be familiar with the Contingency Order number 66? The order went to every Republic outpost and commanders all across the galaxy!"

"Welcome to Pandem."

"This table has communication controls streaming to over twenty different frequencies. I'll send a message to all Republic zones!"

"There is a community of survivors in the Rurlian sector of the planet. You will find signs that will lead you in the right direction...."

"Those who arrive survive. Together, and only together do we have a chance to make it."

"I think it's time we separated."

"We're gonna miss you, Zen."

It's been a week since Waxer, Tim, and K1-R4 separated from their Jedi companion Zen Utaru.

It also has been two weeks since they heard the message of the survivor community, and they haven't found a single sign leading them in the right direction.

"We entered the Rurlian sector just yesterday," Waxer reminded, "you would think we would find a sign by now."

"I'm beginning to think this community is a bunch of Sarlaac tendrils." Tim grumbled,

The droid energetically responded with a series of loud beeping noises.

"Your right, R1: Tim is negative..."

"I'm just saying, after all this time, we would have found something!" Tim interjected,

"Alright, freeze!" the Nimbanel demanded, his right hand-man's blaster raised to kill.

"You look like Republic soldiers. Am I correct to assume?" the sentient asked,

"We are," Waxer replied coolly, "and we're looking for the community in the message we heard. Do you know about it?"

The silent, masked human looked to the Nimbanel. The red-clad mammal nodded,

"We do. We are headed in that same direction."

"Perhaps we can work together," Tim offered, "I'm Republic Peace Officer Tim Rolando, my friend here is a Clone Trooper of the 212th Attack Battalion named Waxer, and the droid is R1-K4."

"We can trust them, Beedo," the young flight officer added, "I'm Ed Canroe, I was an officer in the Bondo Flight Academy."

"We'll get along just fine, I think. What do you say..."Beedo"? Is that your name?" Waxer suggested,

"Very well. We'll work together. My name is Beedo Lokee. It's a pleasure to see the Republic once again."

"How much do you know of the community?" Tim asked,

"I know a lot. I know because my brother used to work there before the infection. I have been leading my group towards the community for some time now, trying to avoid any main roads or the signs to the community. Those areas would be vibrant with the dead by now."

"Smart. Glad to know we were headed in the general direction of the community." Waxer smirked.

"Just so that we all know each other," Beedo informed, "the masked fellow is Joley Khanson. He doesn't talk much. Spear-boy behind me is Don Pamerae, and the girl over there is Kel D'nalor."

"It'll be getting dark soon, it's best we find ourselves some shelter."

That night, the air is silent.

Not a single vibration but the faint scuffling in the far distant areas of Bondo.

However the whispering crack of the embers burning within the shelter felt like an uproar.

"So what's your story?" Beedo questioned, "How did you make it?"

"We haven't made it yet." Tim simply replied.

"But you're making it now. That alone is the stuff of legend. So let's hear it: What's your story."

The silence took over for only a few moments before Timothy replied,

"I was part of a rescue team,"

"Confederates captured two valuable clones from the nearby system of Utapau. Waxer was one of the two captured."

"Our mission was successful, but as we started our way back home..."

"They came. The pests."

"We lost the other hostage, as well as other members of the team. Day after day was a casualty after casualty."

"We had a Jedi companion as well. Last week he left us. He didn't think we would survive with him as our leader,"

"But we're making it. Somehow we are."

"It's easy to take the Jedi for granted when he's always around waving his laser sword. You have a Jedi in your ranks the pests don't stand a chance."

"But once he's gone, suddenly you realize that you have blasters that can run out of ammo. You realize that ten pests suddenly feel like a hundred..."

"...suddenly you realize...you can die."

"You are really depressing." Don responded simply.

"It's hard not to be. We've all lost people," Kel replied, "I lost my sister. I lost everything..."

"...Then I met Joley and his pilot friend. Then we lost her. Only to find Beedo and his group. It's only a matter of time before someone else dies."

The next morning, the group stumbles upon a board hammered into the ground.

"Well what do ya know." Tim smiled,

"We're getting close." Beedo grunted.

"But the coordinates on the sign aren't the same as the location of the community," Beedo observed,

"...It must be directions to the next sign."

"You know how to get to the community without the signs?" Waxer asked,

"Of course! So we simply won't follow the signs. The signs will lead us through downtown, and downtown is a grave by now with all the survivors going in that direction." Beedo reassured.

Frantically blurting out noises, the astromech droid informs the group of incoming screechers.

"Where, R1, where?!" Don pressed, the droid responds energetically, saying they're coming in from the west.

"But that's where we're going!" Ed stated,

Just then, the disturbing form of a pest stumbles through the burocrete and dead branches towards the survivors.

"What are we gonna do?!" Kel gasped,

"We fight! We survive!" Waxer growled as he raised his blaster,

Ed pulls out his knife, and steadies himself for battle against the dead.

Don stumbles back, fear stricken...

Only to be enveloped by a small pack of pests.

"Don!" Ed cried out seeing his friend squirming for life!

But it is all too late as the young human is bitten in multiple places, the pests feasting upon the flesh as if they haven't eaten in ages.

Blood ran like water, black with intensity...

Whatever the dead could jam their rotten teeth into was soon pulled into fleshy strands, and munched into nothing.

The unusual strength of the dead was enough to peel the flesh off of the human's skull!

The pain beyond anything imaginable, so much so, that Don soon fell unconscious and rendered defeated.

Don's final resting place was a pool of his own blood.

"We can't retreat!" Waxer roared, "Keep firing!"

"Get off of him!" Ed yelled as he jammed his knife into their soft skulls,

"Get off him! Get off him!"

Desperately trying to stop the pests, Ed knows deep down that his friend is beyond saving.

The last pest feasting on Don is killed under Ed's knife.

"Oh, Don...he-I..." Ed couldn't find the words.

His friend lay quiet on the ground as pests continued to pour into the enclosed area.

"Can we cut through another back alley to stay on track?!" Waxer called out to Beedo,

"Not unless you wanna go through the highway system!' Beedo warned,

Showing his teeth through a furious sneer, Waxer realizes the only way out was to stay in their location...

...Where the dead lingered and continued to pursue the living.

"So many!" Ed cried as he sloshed his knife back and forth into a pest's squishy cranium.

Blood squelched everywhere as Beedo jams his knife into an oncoming pest...

Just as Waxer spears his own opponent!

"I'm out of ammo, Waxer!" Tim cried as he struggled to keep a pest away from him, "Help me out, here!"

Aiding his friend, Waxer takes down the undead.

"Limited choices," Tim added, "What are we gonna do without any ammo?"

"What Beedo's group has been doing," Waxer replied...

"Pick up something sharp and take them out!"

"I think that's the last of them!" Beedo exclaimed as he took out the last of the herd.

The six survivors and the droid took a moment to breathe.

Ed found himself in a struggle to even cry.

As if everything that happened in the past, all the blood, all the death, and all the destruction forced down every last dropped of tears and emotion he had left.