Dark Empire/YMMV


 * Alternative Character Interpretation - Usually, Dark Empire is the point at which "Luke's really a Sith!" begins.
 * For those unhappy with Palpatine returning after his climactic death in Return of the Jedi, the Hand of Thrawn duology tosses out the idea that the Emperor featured here isn't the real deal. It's pretty easy to read this "Palpatine" as being an insane clone (or clones) with delusions of grandeur.
 * Complete Monster: Palpatine. Is anyone truly surprised?
 * Evil Is Sexy: Fans like drawing Dark Side Luke.
 * They Wasted a Perfectly Good Line Art - Dark Empire and Dark Empire II had some great line art by Cam Kennedy, but some of the coloring choices were... unusual to say the least. Inverted by Empire's End where Jim Baikie replaced Kennedy; the coloring scheme was much better-thought out, but Baikie's line art was pretty mediocre and forgettable.
 * They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot - fans thought Dark Side!Luke would be something epic. They got this.