– Spoiler Review –
Kicking off 2023’s The High Republic Phase II content is none other than George Mann’s audio drama The Battle of Jedha, performed by a full cast. Set after the events of Convergence, the audio drama finds Jedha the center of a major peace treaty, though the forces conspiring against peace and the Jedi in the galaxy turn events on their head. With some excellent performances across the cast, great messages for our world and the characters in the story, and a solid pace, The Battle of Jedha makes for a memorable experience in Phase II, though it runs into some issues I have with audio productions while also ends up feeling more like a stepping stone rather than a destination event.
With The Battle of Jedha taking place after Convergence, at this point in Phase II: Quest of the Jedi, there’s a tentative peace in the Forever War of the planets Eiram and E’ronoh, as two heirs from each planet have reached a marriage pact to help bring peace to their system and those affected by it. Their peace treaty is to be signed on a neutral world, which Jedha is picked for its focus on the Force and the many sects which engage with it instead, though Xiri and Phan-tu, nor Republic Chancellor Mollo (one of two, he helped with the initial negotiations), are there since they decide to help rebuild their planets instead/it’s also seen as a security risk. This leaves the signing in the hands of ambassadors and the Jedi sent to oversee the formalities, alongside a third-party representative in Morton San Tekka to help make sure it’s as neutral a process as possible. But peace isn’t that profitable or helpful for many forces in the galaxy, so of course things start going awry, leading to an all-out battle. And with the Path of the Open Hand in the mix, the Force cult with anti-Jedi propaganda, the fight for peace comes on all fronts for not only the Jedi, but everyday citizens too caught up in the larger ideological battle. While reading Convergence beforehand will be helpful to understand the desires of the two heirs who don’t appear here, as well as the deep seeded hate emanating across the two planets, there’s enough in the opening exposition segment and throughout the full experience to bring those themes and feelings to listeners so they won’t feel too left out. And reading Path of Deceit beforehand will certainly help add some context to the Path of the Open Hand, but once again George Mann’s script has enough here it won’t be too difficult to fill-in-the-blanks and will leave you wanting to know more afterwards anyways (so go read PoD!). So whether you’re reading everything or jumping in here with The Battle of Jedha, the script does enough where both listeners (and eventually readers*) will be comfortable with what all unfolds. As for the actual events within, the characters, and the ending itself, there are strengths and weaknesses regardless of you joining the story now or having read it all so far.
One of my favorite aspects of The Battle of Jedha is all the character pairs, as at a basic level it prevents characters from talking into the void, but at a greater level it shows the impact we can have on one another, regardless of station or mindsets, while also highlighting the difficulty of overcoming others deep-seeded issues. There are a few main pairs and it all starts with Jedi Master Creighton Sun (Raphael Corkhill) and Jedi Knight Aida Forte (Kristen Sieh), the two Jedi overseeing the peace treaty signings. Creighton is an older Master, grumpy and pessimistic, while Aida is younger and very optimistic, seeing the best in everything. Their back and forth is a delight throughout TBoJ, due a lot to Corkhill and Sieh, but also Mann’s whip-smart dialogue, as for every comment Creighton has, Aida has a counter, and this difference in points-of-view help them deal with the situation as it deteriorates. Their different viewpoints are so vital to each character, it’s stark when the situation flips, and a pivotal moment relies on Creighton taking Aida’s views to heart, resulting in a speech so impressive and prevalent to more than Star Wars, it might be one of the best High Republic moments to date, delivered with a gusto and fierceness by Corkhill, I was clapping and shouting in my car when it played out. There are some scenes, especially towards the end, where their discussions contain a few wink and nods at some of the main tenants of the Jedi and the Republic in Phase I, so we’re beginning to see some of the groundwork laid in how these two approach the whole situation. In the end, they form the core of TBoJ, their own psychological battle of wills as things around the peace treaty get worse a great test for the Jedi in a time of peace, as well as what it means to always fight for peace, even if the cost seems too high. It felt terribly prescient to focus so much on the hard fight for peace, for love to win out over hate, when such a fight seems to be the underlying battle going on in a heavily politized United States and elsewhere.
One of the other core pairs is Jedi Master Silandra Sho (Catherine Ho) and Adjutant Keth Cerapath (Brandon McInnis), the former being my favorite new Jedi of the era after Quest for the Hidden City (also by Mann) and now with this, while the latter is a character first introduced in the Star Wars Insider short stories for Phase II (which I’ve read thanks to my local library and their app, and the stories are also by, you guessed it, Mann!). Originally SIlandra comes to Jedha as a pilgrimage to help let go of a Padawan she previously lost, her current Padawan resting on Batuu after the events of Hidden City, when she gets roped into the unfolding events as Jedha begins to unravel. Keth is already part of a pair, he just doesn’t realize it or appreciate it, his droid P3-7A (Sean Kenin Elias-Reyes), who speaks in Force platitudes popular to the Church of the Force, while he has a group of friends at the popular watering hole, Enlightenment, but he’s still dreaming of doing something more with his life. Since I hadn’t read the “Tales of Enlightenment” with Keth until after listening to this, I didn’t have as much attachment to him and at first didn’t quite care for him, eager to keep the focus on Silandra, though by the end of TBoJ I appreciated the character much more, moved by his story even, despite some issues I had understanding events due to the audio (but I’ll talk about that more later). I was screaming “SILANDRA!” a ton, much like in Hidden City, as her investigation into bombings rocking the peace treaty puts her on a collision course with a mysterious Force sect, Brothers of the Ninth Door, as well as the Path of the Open Hand and their enigmatic leader, the Mother. Both alone in their own way, Keth helps Silandra understand the lessons of being in the here and now, as well as who and what the Jedi try to be the shield for, while Silandra brings Keth a better understanding of what he already has, not what he’s always chasing. These two are an unlikely pair, especially P3 when he’s in the mix (who also didn’t quite land for me at first but grew on me), but having more non-Jedi involved with heroics, especially in Phase II, certainly helps builds towards the rallying cry of Phase I, “We are all the Republic.”
On the opposite side, when we spend time with the Path of the Open Hand, there are pairs, but they aren’t as consistent or sometimes the characters are alone, which says a lot about how they operate and the truths behind their benevolent message. At the core there’s their leader, The Mother aka Elecia Zeveron (January LaVoy), the Path’s Guide Marda Ro (Shannon Tyo), and the ex-leader now second-in-command Herald aka Werth (John Pirkis). Battle has some of our longest scenes with the Mother, even placing her in scenes with one of the drama’s Jedi characters a few times, and January LaVoy brings a quiet fierceness to the character I’ve been envisioning in her ample moments in previous works, adding an extra chilling layer to the character, the message they spread, and what they are really planning. We’re still left unsure of her ultimate goals or why she’s so against the Jedi, the biggest hint dropping quietly in her Characters of The High Republic video (there’s a Jedi Knight who has the same last name as Elecia, so is she her mother? Sister? We don’t know yet), but there’s some exposure to the lengths she’ll go for her goals that mirrors Phase I baddie Marchion Ro to some degree, ramping up the tension for the next time she gets involved with events; and with LaVoy’s voice for the character in my mind now, I’ll definitely be even more afraid of what she can do. Shannon Tyo delivers an excellent performance as the overly earnest Marda Ro, a true believer whose previous interaction with a Jedi has made her even more fervent, and her new role and place in the cult makes her one to watch out for, as she has a lot of sway over the group’s “littles” and many look up to her, the Mother operating more in the background. Having lost control of the group and seen more of the Mother than anyone, the Herald is still an ardent supporter of the Path, he might just have his own plans in mind now. The Path’s interaction with events around the peace talks and eventual battle itself have an interesting effect for the galaxy’s sentiment to the group, though there are some strangely empty endings to certain aspect of their story here, which is part of a larger issue with TBoJ but we’ll dive into that shortly. Regardless, what I find most interesting is the parallels one can draw with the group, their teachings, and insistence on their beliefs, as working in a bank with customers and thinking of the Path as they try to spread their teachings, at the detriment of others or taking advantage of chaos to make themselves seem more benevolent than the Jedi, made me equate the Path members with my customers who would take the time to correct my “Happy Holidays” to “It’s Merry Christmas.” Hearing the Path’s chanting in the background of a scene, “The Force will be free,” helped drive some of those feelings home, as does the Herald’s speech at one point, the former a unique aspect to audiobooks/dramas, when handled well like it is here, adds so much more to the story and its themes.
Not having the heirs for the treaty’s signing felt like a contrivance, especially given how things shape up in the end, but it’s a necessary one as Convergence left me wondering how everyone on Eiram and E’ronoh actually felt about the heirs’ decisions. It was all well and good they were able to overcome the decades of differences between the two societies to see a future of themselves and their people, but there were already forces within each planet conspiring against them, though they were often due to outside interference or of higher-up representatives. TBoJ allows more than just the forces aligned with the Path’s dubious goals or government reps to reveal their feelings on the newly arranged peace, via the Ambassadors hand-picked by the heirs because they aren’t one of the people, while putting it on these new characters’ shoulders allowed the luminous authors a chance to show a lasting peace isn’t won overnight, much like the new canon slowly teased post-Return of the Jedi with the many books in the lead-up to the Battle of Jakku. It’d be a bit disingenuous for the marriage pact to solve everything, and while it certainly feels possible by the end of Convergence, TBoJ is both a reality check but also an honest exploration of how the struggle isn’t that simple, how tough it can be at times, and how constant it is, especially one trying to overcome the hate inherent in the opposition’s point of view.
As I’ve mentioned throughout the review, the cast is excellent for the audio drama, as there’s distinct voices for each character, some unforgettable performances like for Creighton’s big speech or LaVoy’s measured yet devious take on the Mother, and the pairs I’ve talked about have felt like they’ve had great chemistry. Other aspects of the production shine, as I loved the ambient sounds for the different locations, like say the Jedha market, taking me back to its streets as if watching Rogue One with eyes closed, or the hallowed, prayed filled sound of the Church of the Force making me think of my catholic grade school days. The various chanting and background noises in scenes really helps place you in those areas, as the lack of descriptions to read or be told by a narrator don’t give you much to go on so these are vital to the cohesiveness of the experience. When the battle begins, the general chaotic nature of the fighting and who’s fighting who and for why is carried over in the audio design of the scenes, and gives a lot of weight to the scale of the battle and danger many innocents find themselves in as it tears its way through Jedha. When the Nameless get involved, the way actors begin to melt down and the general creepiness to the scenes make them even more unnerving than they already are, but whereas they felt more like a threat only for the Jedi, now as a listener they give me a little fear too. Elsewhere, musical choices are well-placed and fitting for most scenes, and The Mandalorian-esque (like for the dark troopers) for the ramping up of the battle might’ve been my favorite. That being said, my usual issues with audiobooks/dramas were unavoidable at times, especially in some rather important scenes with Silandra and Keth towards the end, as the grunts and weapons clashing and battles without narration or expository dialogue meant I often wasn’t sure who was winning in a duel, what weapon both sides were using, and most importantly at one point, how someone actually died. Having the scriptbook should hopefully mean it’ll be a little more clearer, but for now an emotional moment didn’t land at first because I didn’t understand what had just happened, as a duel broke out, someone came in to turn the tides, and it was all mainly weapon noises and shouting and then suddenly someone was dying. In fact, one of the people involved and how the production team made their voice sound sometimes made it hard to follow what they were saying, even though overall I liked the weird, double voice they had, like Mother Talzin of the Nightsisters. Also, and while it didn’t ever bother me too much, the names Creighton and Kradon were pronounced to similarly that I did find myself curious which one someone meant, from time to time.
The Battle of Jedha has been built up as the lynchpin moment for Phase II, with most of the opening wave of content building to and pointing towards Jedha and its coming importance. By the end of the audiobook however, which feels a little sudden after the climax, the experience felt more like just another entry in Phase II, the events within it important, though serving to set up the next set of stories mainly. This stems from several aspects, the first being the aforementioned contrivance of the heirs not being in the story, as the way the audiobook ends essentially passes it back to them to try to make it work again. Resolution lacks elsewhere, like what the Herald was up to and what it meant for the Path, though I’m wondering if Scott’s The High Republic – Phase II might fill in some of those blanks despite there not being a lot of synergy between the two titles so far, but if you’re not reading everything, his actions are brought up once and over without more details by the end here and having to learn more elsewhere, without a better hint here, is unfortunate. There’s even an intriguing new sect brought up and featured in the story, and while I liked the part they played and their unique abilities, they weren’t fleshed out enough to feel like anything more than something fun to use for this story, though I hope they can receive more time or be used again elsewhere (beyond the Insider short story they were first featured in). Overall it’s certainly a good experience, but it’s held back by the issues with confusing audio and acting more like a point along the greater destination rather than a destination on its own.
Here are a few other things:
- Where previous scriptbooks could take basically a year or more to come out after the audio drama released, thankfully The Battle of Jedha‘s will be out only a month or so later, February 14 to be exact. I’ll be revisiting the story then, with a special eye and ear on parts where I was left confused, and hopefully this will be the key to a more definitive experience.
- The description of P3 made him oddly make me think of the Graf family droid CR-8R, who first appeared in Cavan Scott and Tom Huddleston’s Adventures in Wild Space books.
- If you read Path of Deceit and were curious about Marda’s cousin Yana not being part of the cast, well, it’s sort of explained here.
- So what’s all next!?! Our The High Republic page has a release calendar I do my best to always keep updated, but here’s a quick selection (remember, dates are subject to change, comics especially are still dealing with delays): January 11, 2023: The High Republic Adventures #2 – Phase II | The High Republic #4 – Phase II | January 25, 2023: The High Republic – The Blade #2 | February 8, 2023: The High Republic #5 – Phase II | February 15, 2023: The High Republic Adventures #3 – Phase II.
- And don’t forget, Phase III will be here before you know it, kicking off in November!
The Battle of Jedha might not escape setting up other stories rather than being a lynchpin moment by itself, and there are some issues due to audio-only at the moment, but the stellar cast, larger themes and messages, and overall pace still make this an important and fun listen.
+ Memorable performances across the cast
+ Great messages and themes, especially in the big speech
+ Silandra Sho still lives up to the hype!
+ The pairs and how they affect one another’s lives
– Feels more like lifting up what’s next, not itself
– Confusion with audio leads to weakening emotional and other big moments
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.