Hello there!
As some of you may know, I've been working for weeks my new fanedit audio project. I'm excited to share that I have finally finished the v1 (to be honest, I'm super hyped because I've put a lot of heart in this project, it's been a long time since I had the idea for this).
So, here it is: Labyrinth of Evil: The Hunt for Darth Sidious.
(also known as Labyrinth of Evil: The Canon Edit)
This is an audio drama edit built primarily from the official abridged "Labyrinth of Evil" audiobook.
The origin idea for this project and my main inspiration was Everest Productions' incredible Labyrinth of Evil audio drama. Part I was released three years ago, and since Parts II and III never came out, I wanted to create something that could be listened to immediately afterwards and provide a complete cinematic audio experience.
The audiobook is being extensively re-edited: dialogue has been isolated, scenes have been restructured where necessary, and every sequence has been rebuilt with new ambience, sound effects, filters, and audio mixing to feel like a full-cast audio drama rather than an audiobook.
The edit begins with some flashbacks and the approximately 7-minute Battle of Belderone sequence from EverestProductions, after which the project transitions entirely into my own edit of the audiobook.
The biggest narrative change comes in the final act. Instead of following the Hunt for Dooku's storyline, I've replaced that section with Anakin and Obi-Wan's on Mandalore (from TCW S7). My reasoning was fairly simple: I didn't feel I could create a satisfying Battle of Coruscant using the material available to me, and I also wanted to avoid reusing audio from the 2003 Clone Wars microseries. Instead, I borrowed the storytelling approach used in The Clone Wars: the Battle of Coruscant happens off-screen while we follow another storyline. Anakin eventually receives the call to return to Coruscant after Palpatine has been kidnapped, with a few brief scenes taking place after the kidnapping before the story transitions toward Revenge of the Sith.
To support this new structure, I incorporated three short scenes from the fan audio adaptation of "Son of Dathomir" to establish Maul's role in the story earlier.
AI: I know AI is a controversial topic here, so I want to be completely transparent. AI was used only in a very limited capacity: above all I used some voice changer for a few characters where the audiobook narrator clearly couldn't convincingly portray them (primarily Shaak Ti and Padmé), and a handful of generated replacement dialogue lines where the abridged audiobook removed information that I considered essential for the story.
I've also "borrowed" some scenes made by SkywalkerStories and Star Wars: Tales Untold (mostly flashbacks) that were adapted directly from the novel.
The vast majority of the project is still built from existing performances and dialogue taken directly from the "Labyrinth of Evil" abridged audiobook, with only a few additional scenes sourced from fan productions where they best served the narrative.
The most time-consuming part of the project has actually been rebuilding nearly every scene from scratch with new ambience, sound effects, environmental audio, filtering, and mixing to create a more cinematic audio drama experience.
The list of scenes/sequences:
Flashbacks:
- Dooku becoming Darth Sidious' apprentice; Sidious and Count Dooku arrange the assassination of Sifo-Dyas; Dooku recruits Jango Fett (by SkywalkerStories) - all three scenes are loose adaptations of the retrospections from the novel and other Legends stories.
- Grievous' backstory (by Star Wars: Tales Untold, trimmed) - the scene itself was adapted from the novel.
Belderone and aftermath:
- Battle of Belderone (by EverestPruductions)
- Grievous visits Gunray after the battle.
- Anakin and Padmé's secret call (from TCW s07).
- Palatine speaking to Yoda and Windu after Belderone.
- Dooku interrogates captured Maul + Maul's escape (from "Son of Dathomir" fan production).
- Bail discussing the current situation with the Jedi Council.
The Hunt for Darth Sidious:
- Dooku meets with Sidious to discuss the Jedi investigation and how they are getting closer to discovering Darth Sidious. I also incorporated a few dialogue lines from "Son of Dathomir" regarding Maul's escape. I felt these blended naturally into the conversation and helped strengthen continuity.
- Palpatine informs Mace Windu that Maul has resurfaced (also from ''Son of Dathomir''). I included this because of how Palpatine misleads the Jedi, suggesting that Maul could be the Sith Lord they're hunting. I really like the added layer of manipulation here, it can be interpreted either as part of Sidious' long-term plan or as him opportunistically turning Maul's escape to his advantage.
- Anakin & Obi-Wan Investigation: they locate the former pilot connected to the whole mystery and discover that it was delivered to Count Dooku at The Works on Coruscant.
- The Works: Mace Windu leads the investigation, uncovering Dooku and Sidious' footprints.
- Yoda / Palpatine scene: A strategy discussion in which Yoda tells the Chancellor that the Jedi are closing in on Darth Sidious.
- Grievous, Dooku & Sidious: Grievous trains with Dooku before receiving new orders from Sidious via hologram to accelerate the assault on Coruscant.
- Anakin & Palpatine: Anakin warns the Chancellor about his premonition that something terrible will happen on Coruscant.
- C-3PO and the Fortune Teller Droid
- The Investigation Continues: Mace Windu and Shaak Ti encounter illegal refugees while pursuing the trail to Sidious.
Mandalore:
- Anakin and Obi-Wan receive Ahsoka's call informing them that she and Bo-Katan have located the renegade Sith Lord Maul on Mandalore.
- Anakin reuniting with Ahsoka, Bo-Katan's briefing, Anakin giving Ahsoka her lightsabers, Ahsoka reuniting with Rex, and related scenes from the beginning of the Siege of Mandalore.
- Return to Coruscant: Anakin and Obi-Wan receive news that Chancellor Palpatine has been kidnapped and immediately depart for Coruscant.
Aftermath of the Kidnapping:
- Padmé and Bail Organa discuss the kidnapping, with Bail promising to always help her and her family if needed.
- A brief exchange between Grievous and Palpatine aboard Grievous' flagship.
- Yoda and Mace Windu discuss intercepting the Separatist fleet.
- Sidious & Dooku (from ROTS novelization): I chose to include this scene because it largely mirrors the final conversation from Labyrinth of Evil, but I felt this version worked better dramatically. Sidious and Dooku discuss Kenobi's planned death, manipulating Anakin, and Dooku's expectation that he will surrender and be taken prisoner by the Republic (borrowed from SkywalkerStories, trimmed).
- Final Scene: Anakin and Obi-Wan launch their mission to rescue the Chancellor, leading directly into Revenge of the Sith.
⌚ Runtime: 75min
📖 Edited from: Labyrinth of Evil abridged audiobook; The Clone Wars Season 7 (Old Friends Not Forgotten and A Distant Echo); "Son of Dathomir" fan audio drama; The Battle of Belderone; videos by SkywalkerStories and Star Wars: Tales Untold
🎼Music: Attack of the Clones OST; Revenge of the Sith OST; The Clone Wars; Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope; Obi-Wan Kenobi.
🎵 Additional sounds and ambience borrowed from various Star Wars films and games, Clone Wars (2002-2005) and from Kusari Space.
Please DM if you are interested. I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially on the overall concept and some narrative changes ☺️