ZirusZero Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 When I talked to the supreme chancellor on Makeb, I saw Jace Malcom in a Republic officer's uniform. What happened to Rans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euphrosyne Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 (edited) Couple of options. He might've retired. Unlikely, but possible. He might've been killed somehow. It happens. He might've had to convalesce to recuperate from wounds sustained during the Ilum campaign. Undergoing torture and then being seriously wounded by an assassin in short order...nothing to scoff at. He might still be "Supreme Commander", but of a localized regional command as opposed to a galactic command. Sort of like how, in the Second World War, Dwight Eisenhower was Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and therefore had minimal authority over Pacific operations, or how Eumenes of Kardia was strategos autokrator under Polyperchon and Olympias' regency, but only of Asia. "Supreme Commander" does not necessarily imply a position at the pinnacle of the Republic military. His actions during the Ilum campaign arguably support this, because he is depicted as being basically in the thick of the battle, and as only exercising authority over units stationed on Ilum itself, neither of which makes sense for the head of the Republic military to do. He might've been shunted aside after Ilum for whatever reason, put out to pasture, or relegated to a recruitment tool. The comparison here would be what Abraham Lincoln did with George McClellan after the Antietam campaign in the American Civil War, if in a negative sense. Or, alternatively, he could've been rotated into a staff assignment, like Halleck was (which was sort of positive), or put in charge of a different organization entirely, like David Petraeus during his brief tenure as head of the CIA. Edited April 16, 2013 by Euphrosyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiRaphElan Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 In all likeliness he retired after what he faced on Ilum. First his base was attacked and he was injured, he was captured and tortured. Then you rescue him, and he returns to base. And while you're out fighting Darth Serevin, he gets targeted by an assassin and once again badly injured. That's a lot for one man to go through, even a Supreme Commander. Jace Malcom, on the other hand, is raring to go, as seen in the Alderaan bonus series, and yet he's retired from the field, so he needs a new job. As the "face of the Republic Army" why not promote him to Supreme Commander? He does an ample job, as seen in Annihilation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 For those who care, there was a short story in the Insider magazine for Star Wars that covers his rise as Supreme Commander of the Republic Army. Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeters Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 As the "face of the Republic Army" why not promote him to Supreme Commander? The existance of a command rank between Colonel and Supreme Commander comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euphrosyne Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 (edited) For those who care, there was a short story in the Insider magazine for Star Wars that covers his rise as Supreme Commander of the Republic Army. Just saying. Sigh. Oh well. I submit that the stuff he does during the Ilum campaign is completely out of character for that ostensible post, and moreover the name of the post is stupid and should be something more like Chief of Staff of the Republic Army or Commander-in-Chief of the Republic Army or something. Edited April 16, 2013 by Euphrosyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiRaphElan Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 The existance of a command rank between Colonel and Supreme Commander comes to mind. Well, that is true, but would you rather have Garza or Var Suthra as SC? Suthra might make a good one, but Garza is too, well...something. She's snippy and she is rude if you don't follow her order to the letter, she shows disapproval even if your disobedience completed the mission far better than her orders ever could've. We don't need that over the whole Republic. Suthra would be great, but considering in the dark side JK storyline, he dies it would anger many Dark Side Knights if that happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeters Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 (edited) Well, that is true, but would you rather have Garza or Var Suthra as SC? Yes, actually. I would readily accept Garza as Supreme Commander. She's one of the most veteran, successful commanders the Republic has. That she doesn't like it when you disobey her orders isn't especially surprising. That's kind of how the military works. Failing that, the Republic's not exactly lacking for other generals. Var Suthra's out, and I'm not sure I'd put Korven in total command of the entire military, but there's always Aves. I mean, I'm sure Malcom's pretty great, but I don't see what he's done to reasonably justify jumping two ranks from special forces Colonel to commander of the entire Republic military, especially since - as far as I'm aware - the rank gives him authority over both army and navy. It feels like it was just an easy way to make him important again after he sort of fell out of the story during most of ToR. Edited April 17, 2013 by Bleeters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiRaphElan Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 (edited) Yes, actually. I would readily accept Garza as Supreme Commander. She's one of the most veteran, successful commanders the Republic has. That she doesn't like it when you disobey her orders isn't especially surprising. That's kind of how the military works. Well yeah, I understand that, I totally do. But sometimes someone in the field has to improvise, eh? Balkar would be a lot less helpful if you didn't tell him what's going on, for example. And bringing Needles' poison back? Not a chance. I can understand her being upset about Needles' and Gearbox's deaths. Shoot, even I was upset about Gearbox's (don't give a flip about Needles). I wish we'd be given an option to spare them so they at least get a fair trial, and I keep my promise to Kardan. Failing that, the Republic's not exactly lacking for other generals. Var Suthra's out, and I'm not sure I'd put Korven in total command of the entire military, but there's always Aves. I mean, I'm sure Malcom's pretty great, but I don't see what he's done to reasonably justify jumping two ranks from special forces Colonel to commander of the entire Republic military, especially since - as far as I'm aware - the rank gives him authority over both army and navy. It feels like it was just an easy way to make him important again after he sort of fell out of the story during most of ToR. Why's Var Suthra out; because of the DS Jedi thing I mentioned, or something else? And which one was Korven again? What class was he on, or was it all of them, and if so, what planet? And Aves, I agree he'd be a good choice. Overall I'd agree with you that there are others more deserving of the rank of Supreme Commander, and I'd prefer Malcom be doing something else, personally, because he seems more of a fighter than a tactician. Shoot, I'll take him in Havoc Squad as a battlefield advisor! He looks better in the armor than the SC's shirt that's two sizes too small anyways; that just looks awkward and reinforces my idea that BT3 should be reserved for only those in full armor and a helmet. But that's off-topic. Edited April 17, 2013 by YoshiRaphElan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoOBac Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I may be wrong, but I think Supreme Commander here is used as was the rank of "Commander" in 18, 19th century navy: not a specific military rank but a role within a specific mission. Rans was the Supreme Commander of the Ilum military expedition, as Malcom is the Supreme Commander of the republic forces on Makeb. Which would make sense, as former spec ops operator, given the fact that Makeb is not a battlefield for a full army but for small squads and guerrilla fighting, like he had to do on Alderaan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euphrosyne Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I may be wrong, but I think Supreme Commander here is used as was the rank of "Commander" in 18, 19th century navy: not a specific military rank but a role within a specific mission. Rans was the Supreme Commander of the Ilum military expedition, as Malcom is the Supreme Commander of the republic forces on Makeb. Which would make sense, as former spec ops operator, given the fact that Makeb is not a battlefield for a full army but for small squads and guerrilla fighting, like he had to do on Alderaan. I thought that would be a good solution, too, but apparently there's some Star Wars Insider article that specifically states that Rans is the Supreme Commander of the Republic Army, full stop, not Supreme Commander, Unknown Regions, or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoOBac Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 I thought that would be a good solution, too, but apparently there's some Star Wars Insider article that specifically states that Rans is the Supreme Commander of the Republic Army, full stop, not Supreme Commander, Unknown Regions, or whatever. Well it would still work for Malcom though... It's still speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeters Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Why's Var Suthra out; because of the DS Jedi thing I mentioned, or something else? And which one was Korven again? What class was he on, or was it all of them, and if so, what planet? And Aves, I agree he'd be a good choice. Overall I'd agree with you that there are others more deserving of the rank of Supreme Commander, and I'd prefer Malcom be doing something else, personally, because he seems more of a fighter than a tactician. Shoot, I'll take him in Havoc Squad as a battlefield advisor! He looks better in the armor than the SC's shirt that's two sizes too small anyways; that just looks awkward and reinforces my idea that BT3 should be reserved for only those in full armor and a helmet. But that's off-topic. Var Suthra because of the Jedi Knight thing, yes. It wouldn't be particularly fair on them. As for Korven, he's the guy in charge of defending the Republic's mining operations on Quesh. I don't really know what to make of him. He's supposed to be pretty savvy, yet the one tactical decision I remember him making ends up losing the thing he was in charge of defending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiRaphElan Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Well it would still work for Malcom though... It's still speculation. No, read the Annihilation novel. He is THE Supreme Commander. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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