Ace, help a fanboy out. Ever since Daniel Jordan abdicated his executive post at Monticello and was replaced by some lady named Bowman, my fellow Jefferson geeks and I have been petitioning the writers to have him retconned back into the picture. Because let’s face it—DJ was Monticello. And forgive us, but in this post-Battlestar era, isn’t the “strong female president” storyline kind of stale? I tell ya, Ace, the canon ain’t what it used to be.—Hans Haatfurst
Ace feels you, Hans. Ten years ago, when R.A. Salvatore killed off Chewbacca in his novel Vector Prime, Ace was so disconsolate that he nearly abandoned the Expanded Universe altogether. But that would have meant throwing out all the good things that came with it. Like the Thrawn Trilogy, and Dash Rendar. Even the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special has a place in Ace’s heart.
Part of being a true fan means taking the good along with the rest, Hans. Daniel Jordan accomplished a lot during his 24-year tenure as the head of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation: Among other things, he established a $100 million endowment fund, purchased Montalto, and secured Monticello’s inclusion on the U.N. World Heritage List. But Jordan, in his 70s, has no intention of returning. Like Luke, dangling over an abyss on Bespin after losing his hand and meeting his daddy, his fans are going to have to let go.
Besides, Monticello’s new madam president Leslie Green Bowman has plenty going for her. As director, Bowman helped Delaware’s Winterthur Museum achieve national distinction through an acclaimed series of traveling exhibitions. Between 1980 and 1997, she curated the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and currently, she serves on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. Sound familiar, Hans? Of course it does—Bowman’s career arc brings nothing to mind if not the gradual ascent of Leia Organa Solo, whose successes as a leader of the ragtag Rebel Alliance lead to an executive appointment on Coruscant. Which, for the uninitiated, is basically the New Republic’s planet-sized Beltway equivalent.
You can ask Ace yourself. Intrepid investigative reporter Ace Atkins has been chasing readers’ leads for 20 years. If you have a question for Ace, e-mail it to ace@c-ville.com.
