After an eventful and news filled SDCC panel the previous week, Krystina Arielle steers The High Republic Show’s fourth installment to focus more on the story, characters, and authors’ thoughts, which was an extremely welcomed change of pace from the usual focus of revealing new content. So head below to hear what the luminous five think you should look out for in the stories to come, see the full Jedi council of the era, some preview pages of upcoming content, and of course check out the exceptional cast of the upcoming audiobook, Tempest Runner!
With the focus less on revealing content, which is never a bad thing, it felt like the show had more time to chat with the creators and provide some content to help broaden our view of the era. It all begins with the usual animated opening sequence summarizing recent events from comics and novels, though it felt like THRS 4’s was the longest one yet, going full spoilers into the events of the Republic Fair, comprising of Race to Crashpoint Tower and The Rising Storm (even the big shocker of an ending), allowing us to see the chaos of the era unfold with animated art from Petur Antonsson and the team behind the Characters of The High Republic videos and it really made me wonder how cool it would be to have an animated series set in the era, maybe showing us some of these big moments from a different perspective. Then there’s a segment devoted to exploring Jedi Wayseekers, the Jedi designation for those who get to explore simply what the Force tells them, not the Order, though they are still connected to it in the end; Orla Jareni is the one we’re following so far, from Into the Dark to The High Republic comic, though I really, really want to know about the one who became a pop sensation! After that little video and the author chat was another video showcasing the members of the era’s Jedi Council, which consists of three Grand Masters and eight other Jedi Masters, with the video going so far as to explain who has been replaced since Light of the Jedi, like when Jora Malli died, the would-be Marshal of Starlight Beacon that Avar Kriss inherited instead. Then the official site shared concept art for every single member of the Council (besides a replacement or two), which you can all see below. All together, these videos and information helps build up the era by expanding its visual footprint, because all the comics are doing the hard work here, having some way to visually distinguish this era and give reference to readers is beneficial to new readers, those who need more visuals to help them imagine while reading, and fans who already well-invested into the era. Here are the Council-members:
The full cast for the upcoming audiobook Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott, which follows Nihil Tempest Runner Lourna Dee, was announced ahead of its release on August 31! I’ve really come to love the audiobook originals like this, with the full cast to breathe it to life, from Scott’s first, Dooku: Jedi Order, which I’ve come to appreciate more and more over time, to Sarah Kuhn’s Doctor Aphra, stylishly and hilariously starring my favorite character of the Saga; both have received hardcover releases of their scripts, so for those with hearing impairments or those who don’t enjoy/consume audiobooks, I wouldn’t be surprised this continues the precedence. Lourna Dee is my favorite of the Nihil we’ve met, not counting Marchion Ro, and more time with her and exploring her life, present, past, and future makes me absolutely excited for this release, especially with some of the characters this cast is playing. Here’s the list:
JESSICA ALMASY as Lourna Dee
DAN BITTNER as Councilor Wittick
ORLAGH CASSIDY as Ola Hest
SULLIVAN JONES as Bala
JANUARY LAVOY as Tasia
KATHLEEN McINERNEY as Councilor Fry
TARA SANDS as Sestin
VIKAS ADAM as H7-09 & Raleigh
JONATHAN DAVIS as Andrik Keller & Asgar Ro
NEIL HELLEGERS as Kassav, Yudiah Dee, & Jano
SASKIA MAARLEVELD as Avar Kriss & Parr
SONEELA NANKANI as Keeve Trennis & Muglan
MARC THOMPSON as Pan Eyta, Sskeer, & Marchion Ro
SHANNON TYO as Nib Assek & Quin
There are a whole host of new characters, but several should stand out to fans now, especially a few new ones. Some names that immediately jumped out were ones we’ve yet to meet or have died by the time this “presently” takes place, implying flashbacks: Asgar Ro, the father of Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro who is dead before the start of Light of the Jedi, Yudiah Dee, who I’m guessing his Lourna’s father, and Tempest Runner Kassav, who dies during the events of LotJ. Other names I was excited to see were Avar Kriss, the Hero of Hetzal, and the duo of Keeve Trennis and Sskeer, stars of Scott’s The High Republic comic! It’ll be neat to hear them all for the very first time, much like with several of the characters in Doctor Aphra, as the actors will have free reign to create their voices. Here’s the updated blurb, which places this after Out of the Shadows:
“In this Star Wars audiobook original from Penguin Random House Audio, delve into the cutthroat world of one of the High Republic’s greatest foes, the merciless Lourna Dee.
The Nihil storm has raged through the galaxy, leaving chaos and grief in its wake. Few of its raiders are as vicious as the Tempest Runner Lourna Dee, voiced by Jessica Almasy (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: A Junior Novel; Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Spark of the Resistance; Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel). She stays one step ahead of the Jedi Order at the helm of a vessel named after one of the deadliest monsters in the galaxy: the Lourna Dee. But no one can outrun the defenders of the High Republic forever.
After the defeat of her crew, Lourna falls into the hands of the Jedi–but not before she hides her identity, becoming just another Nihil convict. Her captors fail to understand the beast they have cornered. Just like every fool she’s ever buried, their first mistake was keeping her alive.
Lourna is determined to make underestimating her their last.
Locked onto a Republic correctional ship, she’s dragged across the galaxy to repair the very damage she and her fellow Tempest Runners inflicted on it. But as Lourna plans her glorious escape, she makes alliances that grow dangerously close to friendships. Outside the Nihil—separated from her infamous ship, her terrifying arsenal, and her feared name—Lourna must carve her own path. But will it lead to redemption? Or will she emerge as a deadlier threat than ever before?”
This sounds like such a great challenge for Lourna Dee, captured and trying to reinvent herself and win back the power she’s lost. I’m glad someone within the Nihil gets their own story, especially ahead of the epic-sized two-issue Marchion Ro deep-dive comic in January.
One of the many interesting details from the author discussion involved Arielle’s questions to the team about who fans should look out for in the stories coming up and stuff from what’s already out. Claudia Gray mentioned Nan and Affie, the former taking a starring role in Out of the Shadows with an interesting trajectory at its end and the latter appearing in IDW’s The High Republic Adventures recently, but they clearly have lots of story left; Daniel José Older teased the planet Vrant Tarnum, where Marchion Ro took Krix to obtain an important artifact to control the Leveler he unleashes in The Rising Storm, will show up in surprising ways in the future (Yoda is currently stranded there…), while Qort and Farzala’s growing up contains lots to look forward too. Older also mentioned the great Jedi Master napper Obratuk will have more than sleep going on and introduced two new characters: Sav Malagan (spelling unknown), a Jedi on Takodana who he describes as the baddest character he’s written, in a good way, and someone named Crash; Justina Ireland promised the return of Avon Starros (finally!!) and the rest of the Starros clan going forward; Scott of course said Lourna Dee, thanks to the audiobook; and lastly Charles Soule pointed to a chapter of Light of the Jedi he set within the Jedi Council and other hints of the Nihil’s past both leading to content exploring and expanding on those moments.
The episode and later the official site also included preview pages for two upcoming projects: Justina Ireland and Shima Shinya’s The Edge of Balance manga, out in September, which focuses on Lily Tora-Asi as she helps relocate transplants the many victims of the Great Hyperspace Disaster, and Cavan Scott and Rachael Stott’s The Monster of Temple Peak, which stars Ty Yorrick during a monster hunting mission set before her appearances in The Rising Storm/Race to Crashpoint Tower, with the first of four issues out in August.
As always, make sure to check back at the Manor for the latest and greatest about The High Republic, including news and reviews, at our official page for the eraour official page for the era!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.