"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both the Jedi and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi: Trust in the force. Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed, and our future is uncertain."
     –Obi-Wan Kenobi

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the upcoming release of Trust in the Force, the fifth Force Pack in the Alliances cycle for Star Wars™: The Card Game!

While the mighty mechanical feet of the Galactic Empire's AT-ATs and AT-STs trample across the galaxy, the defenders of freedom hide themselves on desert planets and in the icy wastes, biding their time until they can mount a critical counterattack. The Jedi haven fallen. Alderaan has been destroyed. But these Scouts, Leaders, Troopers, and Force Users still have hope for a brighter future. They still trust that if they can rally new recruits—and spur new worlds to action—they can still win the war.

With its sixty new cards (including two copies each of five new objective sets), Trust in the Force pushes the Alliances cycle closer to its climactic conclusion. Even as it continues to develop the cycle's support for decks that feature two or more affiliations, Trust in the Force follows the march of General Veers and his Walkers across the frozen surface of Hoth. It lends support to those massive war machines with a new Scum objective set that protects and enhances your Vehicles. And it peers into the hidden corners of Hoth and Tatooine, where Jawas, Rebel Troopers, and Jedi Masters all work in secret to rally new forces against Imperial tyranny.

Pre-order Trust in the Force at your local retailer or online through our webstore today, and read on for more information!

An Uncertain Future

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."
     –Princess Leia

Even hidden among the arid sand dunes and rocky outcrops of Tatooine, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi posed a tremendous threat to the Galactic Empire, its tyranny, and its lies. He was a threat not only because of his skills as a warrior, Force user, and former general, but because he could inspire hope—as a survivor of Order 66. He hadn't been defeated. He lived. He could still fight back.

In Trust in the Force, we find a new version of Obi-Wan Kenobi entering Star Wars™: The Card Game (Trust in the Force, 280-2), one with the power to protect and inspire others, offering new synergies with units from each of the game's different light side affiliations.

Arriving in the Danger in the Wastes objective set (Trust in the Force, 280-1), this is an Obi-Wan at a crossroads. We recognize the old hermit who watched over the young Luke Skywalker from afar, silently and secretly protecting the boy and his family from the dangers presented by Jabba the Hutt, his enforcers, and even bounty hunters like Black Krrsantan. But we also recognize the Jedi Master's desire to lead the fight against the Empire—to provide the Rebellion with the Edge it would need to win more victories.

There's also a powerful remnant of the guardian impulse in this version of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Allied with any of the game's Smugglers and Spies, Obi-Wan gains protect Character; his protective instincts are not limited solely to Luke Skywalker, after all, but to all those threatened by the Empire, the Hutts, and other thugs and mercenaries.

All told, this new version of Obi-Wan finds himself pulled in a variety of different directions—and trusting the Force to guide him.

Regardless of the different directions in which he may have found himself pulled, we know that Obi-Wan ultimately stayed on Tatooine, remained hidden, and watched over Luke until the fateful day that Luke's new R2 unit brought the two together. The Danger in the Wastes objective set reflects this fact by supporting Obi-Wan's extended stay on Tatooine with a Steadfast Settler (Trust in the Force, 280-3) and Krayt Dragon Howl (Trust in the Force, 280-5). These suggest the different people with whom Obi-Wan would have interacted and the subtle ways he drew upon the Force in those moments when he felt compelled to do so—no lightsabers were needed when he could simply scare the weak-minded away from their misguided pursuits.

At the same time, the objective set provides us with Obi-Wan's Robes (Trust in the Force, 280-4), an enhancement that reminds us of the tremendous impact Obi-Wan could make outside of Tatooine—working either with the Rebel Alliance or the Smugglers and Spies subverting the Empire in their own ways. Whenever it is attached to a Character and you control a Rebel or Smuggler card, Obi-Wan's Robes increases your reserve value by one—or by two if the enhancement is attached to Obi-Wan himself.

Obi-Wan's Robes can easily have an even greater impact on your games when they're combined with the larger starting reserve values offered by Jedi: Guardians of Justice (Allies of Necessity, 2063). Imagine your opponent's surprise when your strange, old desert hermit pulls back the cowl of his robes to reveal the face of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master. Backed by the whopping nine cards in your hand, your Obi-Wan will have more than enough tricks and Force icons to emerge the victor from any confrontation!

For Obi-Wan, the other residents of Tatooine, and all those oppressed by the Galactic Empire, the future may be uncertain, but if you trust in the Force—and let it flow through your hand—your opportunity will come. You'll be able to hold your ground, protect those around you, and then—when you sense the time is right—you can strike a blow for freedom!

It Binds the Galaxy Together

The Force binds the galaxy together, and it flows through Star Wars: The Card Game as you cycle your cards each turn. Some opportunities you seize. Some cards you play. Others you let pass, discarding them, or using them in your edge battles.

Whether you throw in your lot with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and the light side of the Force or seek to harness its powers to spread tyranny and fear, you'll find the Force at full strength in Trust in the Force, penetrating and binding together all its cards.

Trust in the Force (SWC41) is scheduled for release in early 2018. Head to your local retailer to pre-order your copy today, or click here to place your pre-order online!