– Spoiler Review –
After a month-long wait, The High Republic – Trail of Shadows returns with issue #4, its penultimate entry, and it’s way more than worth the wait as the stakes have never been higher!
Some time in-universe has passed since the previous issue, leaving investigators Sian Holt and Jedi Master Emerick Cahptor waiting for word from various spies and contacts they’ve used locate Dr. Uttersond, his co-conspirator Arathab, and whatever weapon they are trying to sell. Since we waited a month for this issue, it serves to make their wait tangible, though for them it seems they spent it together to some extent, so shippers might have a field day with that info. Regardless, I really liked the scene we have of them relaxing in Sian’s apartment, well at least she’s able to, playing her piano, though Emerick remains apprehensive, almost impatient, as not having something tangible to prepare for leaves him unsettled. For Sian, a great little anecdote about her childhood makes her more of the Jedi of the two, willing to wait for the galaxy to provide, which Emerick should consider as well, knowing the Force will provide when it wants, not when they want it to. From the moment the two met in issue #2 I’ve enjoyed their rapport, and after the tender moment on Starlight Beacon and this moment of quiet between the two now, it’s turned into a fantastic character partnership I wish we could have more time with, beyond these 5 issues, as time is running out for both of them when the issue comes to a startling close.
One of the spies for the Republic network happens to be an older Chadra-Fan woman, the same species as the nefarious Uttersond, and the dual stories of her past and his add much needed context to Uttersond’s decision but also immediately makes one love Beesar Tal-Apurna. For Uttersond, Beesar tracks him back to his home, where we see he’s doing this for a big Chadra-Fan family, his wife and several kids, hoping to get out from the nefarious thumb of Marchion Ro, be free to be a doctor again, and pay off medical license bills. It seems so mundane at first, but it’s relatable, and while it won’t necessarily buy any sympathy for him from readers, it does show how he could’ve been pulled to work with the Nihil in the first place, to protect his family, and it was great to see Uttersond receiving some development finally, especially as his actions seemed out of place for him when this series started. With Beesar, between throwing herself into danger to avenge her wife’s death by the Nihil and her gumption and desire to do right make her an instantly loveable character, as it’s very easy to root for her, so far out of her depth but she just wants to honor her wife’s memory. She finds herself on Uttersond’s Nihil ship, as he and Arathab once again attempt to steal a Leveler to sell it, so Beesar sends out a signal that brings Sian, Emerick, and some Republic Coalition Forces to subdue the ship.
The Nihil fiercely protect the ship, while the Republic’s arrival forces Uttersond’s hand, taking out one of the Nihil in a burst of anger, tired of being stepped on by the others. Just as he’s about to start the getaway, Emerick enters the scene in a flashy fashion, cutting his way in, but his heroic moment doesn’t last very long. While the Leveler is in a heavy-duty, thick crate, there’s a small window which Uttersond opens and it’s enough for its effects to be felt by Emerick, resulting in one of the series’ spookiest panels to date, as he sees the Ongree Jedi Master, who scared him and Stellan Gios as Padawans while singing the nursery rhyme, though this time the effects we’ve seen in The High Republic comic during Leveler attacks distorts the image, turning the Master into a snarling, writhing monster (he was creepy already but this takes it to a whole different level), with the lyrics from the rhyme Shrii Ka Rai Ka Rai in big, bold, creepy letters. It’s a stellar full page from the art team of David Watcher, Giada Marchisio, and Joe Sabino, as it details the amount of horror and confusion the Leveler can bring to even the most composed Jedi Masters. While Emerick is incapacitated like so many other Jedi before him, at least his companion droid can record everything happening in that moment, while Beesar is there and hears everything as well, so maybe if he and Sian manage to get out of this scrap alive, they can finally bring some concrete information about the Leveler to the table. Beesar steps up while Emerick is out of commission, knocking out Uttersond with his own weapon, but then the towering Arathab appears and the little Chadra-Fan is out of her depth.
That’s when Sian Holt makes a dramatic, rousing entrance, wielding Emerick’s lightsaber! It’s only a panel we really see her holding the saber, but in her mission attire with the saber in hand, it’s a thrilling panel thanks to the art team, bringing gravitas to her big moment. It’s up to her and Beesar to get Emerick and Uttersond off the ship, which is crumbling around them, and Sian suggests they fly to Starlight Beacon to get Emerick help/put Uttersond in jail. When they arrive, it turns out the Nihil’s machinations, as seen in The Fallen Star (which released in the beginning of January), have already begun, as Starlight hangs in space, tilting, and on fire! It leaves a lot of questions up in the air on what will happen next and how this series will wrap up, but from the way writer Daniel José Older and the art team have been delivering, I’m ready for whatever comes next.
When revealing Uttersond’s backstory and exploring Beesar’s own story, the team here implements a fun idea from Older’s The High Republic Adventures, as the thought/narration bubbles for the two characters merge from time to time, their unique colorings mixing in the bubble, as while they have their noble reasons, they have similar goals and stories in a way; I’ve liked the way it looks and informs us of the connections between characters, so it was a delight to see it here as well. I can’t imagine it being easy trying to convey emotions for more than just the human characters yet Wachter and team give both Chadra-Fan’s so much personality: for Beesar, it’s the timid ear-movements, which sort of remind me of my dog’s bigger, often droopier ears, that makes her bravery even more astounding at times; while for Uttersond it’s his bigger, often open mouth and imperfect teeth which betray his darker side, as otherwise he looks like a mostly harmless though slightly mad scientist Chadra-Fan, but the sharper teeth leave quite the impression. All the shadows and small spaces of the Nihil ship at the claustrophobic, dangerous feeling of the scene, as Marchisio’s colors provide just enough light for each panel, but when she needs to use color, it’s then bolder, like when Emerick’s gold blade pierces the ship or the blade draws the focus to Sian as she handles the situation. I’ve really enjoyed the creepy way Sabino’s lettering allows the nursery rhyme to bring chills to my soul and having it so large in a panel here brought that back to the surface from the opening issue, while his shout for Emerick as the Leveler goes to work on his mind is so out of the norm for any other lettering used for the character it really stands out.
Here are a few other things:
- February looks to be the big closing month for The High Republic’s first Phase, as the final novel releases and all the comic series’ final issues drop as well. It all starts with Older’s Midnight Horizon, out Feb 1, which we’ll have a review for that day but I can already tell you it’s one you don’t want to miss. After that: The High Republic #14 on Feb 2; Trail of Shadows #5 on Feb 9; Older’s The Edge of Balance Vol. 2 releases on digital Feb 15; and then the grand Phase I, Wave III finale on Feb 23 with Eye of the Storm #2, The High Republic Adventures #13, and The High Republic #15. Technically there’s still one more release, Mission to Disaster on March 1, though you can already pick it up digitally, but my review found it’ll be more than worth the wait. After all that, Phase II, set 150 years before these stories, doesn’t kick off until October.
- In the Anniversary live-stream, we were promised a The High Republic Show this month, so I’d guess/hope it’s happening tomorrow, 1/27!
The High Republic – Trail of Shadows #4 brings the horrors to our investigators, setting up for a tense finale next month!
+ Uttersond Background/Meeting Beesar
+ Ramping up the tension/investigation
+ Putting the fear back into reader’s hearts
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.