Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire was a 1996 multimedia project created by Lucasfilm that spanned multiple formats including novels, comics, video games, and toys. The story takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi without producing an actual film.
Author Steve Perry wrote the novel as the backbone of the multimedia project after writing The Mask and Aliens novelizations. He served as story consultant for the six-issue comic book series written by John Wagner and illustrated by Kilian Plunkett.
The exclusive N64 title launched in December 1996 five months after the console's initial release. A Windows port arrived nearly a year later in September 1997 with full-motion cinematic cutscenes.
Lucasfilm commissioned Varèse Sarabande Records to publish a score composed by Joel McNeely who had worked on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Producer Robert Townson selected McNeely alongside Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Chorus performers.
Debris hits the Outrider apparently killing Dash in the process during the rescue operation at Xizor's Skyhook base. His fate remains ambiguous while his ship appears destroyed in the final battle against Darth Vader agents.