– Spoiler Review –
With Master Sskeer under the sway of the villainous Drengir and Keeve Trennis, Avar Kriss, and Ceret all captured, how will the Jedi overcome such insurmountable obstacles?! The High Republic #4 reveals the answer with a thrilling, emotionally focused issue that includes new details on the Drengir and all the threats the Jedi might face in the Outer Rim…
From the opening issue, which we’ve since learned was added to the story because plans originally had this series starting with issue #2, the relationship between Sskeer and Keeve has been at the center of The High Republic and its resounding emotional core. These two Jedi are unique in many ways, as much of the Order seems to be during this era, though with Keeve it’s her ability to empathize so quickly and easily with those around her, which is why she picks up strays like the Ximpi in issue #1 or the Bartol in issue #3, and for Sskeer it’s how he’s overcome the impulses and instincts of his kind to be such a kind and thoughtful Jedi Master. Together, they’ve formed a deep bond, as she can chidingly keep him in line, while his willingness to let her in regarding those feelings rewards her with trust and confidence in herself. That’s all begun to crumble these last few issues as Sskeer breaks down and doesn’t let Keeve in, the trauma from the Battle of Kur, where he lost his arm, and other still hidden moments affecting him more than he’s ready for. It boiled over at the end of last issue, with Sskeer under the Drengir’s thrall, their creepy vines providing him an arm (faster than his naturally would’ve grown back) while also slithering around his body. How did he lose control? Is there anyway Keeve can reach him, pull him back? Can anyone? The fact these questions are so gripping, and left me anxious for this issue to answer them, speaks to Cavan Scott’s writing more than I can say in words, as he’s brought a compelling tale to play but also made caring for these new characters instantaneous and easy, which makes finding out what happens next all the more compelling than even plot points can provide.
To answer those questions, it turns out Sskeer let the Drengir in because he thought he could control them and keep them at bay, but at least use the connection to understand their new enemies and gain knowledge on their weaknesses, if they have any. Despite Keeve’s recent knighting, thus slowly pulling her and Sskeer apart, their bond is important and hasn’t gone away at all, so she reaches back to a teaching moment between them some six years ago to connect with Sskeer now. The bond between a Padawan and their Master has always been strong and emotionally intertwined, even during the prequels, but The High Republic’s Jedi partake much more frequently and easily, hence how Keeve is able to reach past the Drengir’s influence and help Sskeer fulfill his mission of using the Drengir against themselves. It was a great twist, knowing he was letting himself go down this path as it makes sense someone who had conquered eons of instinct burrowed into his species would be the best fit for overcoming such powerful, meat-based instincts in these dark-side infused plants, though it’s clear the Drengir’s influence wasn’t the only or first thing pulling him down, as Kriss realizes he had cut himself off from the Force. I have lots of hope Keeve will help Sskeer continue to maintain control against the Drengir, despite the cover for the next issue, though whatever secrets remain within him might bring trouble. For now though, Sskeer manages to overcome the influence and help Kriss, Ceret, and Keeve battle back the Drengir, slicing up the menacing plants with his creepy new vine arm.
Before Keeve helps Sskeer come back, he acts a bit like a Bond villain and divulges some details about the Drengir and their past. Almost all of what’s revealed are details from Claudia Gray’s Into the Dark novel, though this is an excellent summation of what we find out there and what happens: a long time ago, the Drengir swarmed the galaxy, and while the Sith took advantage of the chaos, they eventually realized they were too dangerous, betrayed them, and locked them away, as even the fearful Amaxine warriors fell to the meat-hungry plants; it wasn’t until the great hyperspace disaster sent a wonderful cast of characters to the Amaxine station the Sith locked the Drengir away and they inadvertently release the Drengir that this ancient threat lay dormant (the main plot of the Into the Dark). The newest and most intriguing detail however lays in the reveal the Great Progenitor of the Drengir, the first of them, is the one who awoke on the station, hence why all of them woke up. We just saw issue #6’s solicitations question the who and what of the Great Progenitor, so this infestation might grow and we might have to meet her then. Because while the Jedi on Sedri have the Drengir on the run, things aren’t looking so hot on Starlight Beacon, as the dead Hutt shipped there for analysis bursts disgustingly open and reveals a fully formed Drengir, like something out of Alien. Maru, Vernestra, and Imri Cantaros (the latter two star in Justina Ireland’s A Test of Courage) have a lot to deal with, especially without Sskeer’s handy (pun city, am I right?!) new talents against the plants. Not a great way for the signature Republic icon of their expansion into the Outer Rim to fall under the sway of vicious plants, so hopefully the Jedi can get things under control soon!
Back on Sedri, the situation might seem clear-cut then, the Drengir holding sway over the citizens, but it turns out no one there even knew about them and the truth is far more complicated: the Hutts control the place! Our first hints at what the Hutts are up to doing this era, and how they feel about the Jedi and Republic expanding into their potential territory, also comes from Into the Dark, but his group of Hutts doesn’t seem like the subtle type: a Mad Max style leading Hutt, adorned in armor and on a hoverpad of some type, flanked by Gamorreans’ riding armored rancors, come charging onto Sedri! The panel is one of many memorable and mesmerizing highlights of the issue and teases a whole new and daunting threat for the Jedi, and the larger Republic, depending on how this first meet-cute goes. The Hutts and the Republic clashing, or at least finding out how to deal with one another, is likely one small part of how we go from Republic opulence of this era to the shadier, corrupt Republic of the prequels. Either way, this Hutt looks like they’ll cause some ruckus, because the last time we met a Hutt with enhancements like this in the comics (the other Mad Max-like one in Aftermath: Empire’s End also gets a shout-out), they knocked Luke Skywalker OUT; these Jedi are a little more trained than he was at the time, but still, never underestimate a Hutt again!
I’m not a big horror movie fan because honestly I have too many irrational fears and those don’t help with those often, but the few comics I’ve read that skewed towards horror have been an easier way for me to enjoy such stories and not be creeped out as much. The slow descent into horror-like aspects in the art from Ario Anindito (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Annalisa Leoni (colors), and Ariana Maher* (letterer) has given way to full out horrific this issue, creeping me out (in a fun way!) and also almost making me throw-up my breakfast. As mentioned earlier, a Hutt basically explodes as a Drengir worms its way out of the corpse and the combination of the details from Anindito and inker Morales, the colors of Leoni’s gross purplely-pink blood, and Maher’s “SLLURK” with it’s yellow-purple filling was almost more than my frozen waffle breakfast could handle; also, that “sllurk” is a truly specific, nasty sounding word when you say it out loud, it’s like the icing on the disgusting cake. On the less gross-out side, but still creepy, was the effect of the vines slithering all over Sskeer or muffling the Jedi, alongside his seemingly dead-eyed look when the Drengir have control over him, an impressive feat considering his scaly self seems intense to emote often but it looks unsettling for no emotion. The page where the Drengir reveal their story via Sskeer was also a fun change of style, much like Keeve’s Force vision panel in the first issue, with plant-like panel borders, while the images where unique glances at stories old and new. And as I mentioned earlier, the final page of the Hutt with their rancor escort was such a wild, fun image to end the issue on, in particular because it promises much shenanigans, trouble, and wildness ahead. I would love to see Scott’s note about this panel because I believe the art team took his idea, blew it up, sent it to the moon, and out of this solar system with their work; the Hutt’s floating pedestal, their shiny metal arm, and the imposing scale of the rancors flanking them, plus the Jurassic/stone-age like lettering of the rancor roar are pure strange delights.
Here are a few other things:
- We have a page dedicated to The High Republic, which is where you’ll find all our reviews, news articles, related videos, and a list of what content is yet to come!
- *We had the pleasure of chatting with letterer Ariana Maher in our latest interview! She helps explains the craft of lettering and gives some behind-the-scenes details on this series, so make sure to check it out!
- I’m curious what’s going on with Terec and if he’s still affected by the Drengir! Ceret seems fine now and due to their bond maybe it’s enough to help Terec back from Drengir control as well. Speaking of the two bond-twins, they are set to grace a Pride Month cover, revealed recently by Lucasfilm on Trans Day of Visibility!
- The recent installment of The High Republic Show revealed Scott is working on ANOTHER project (how does he do it?!), an audiobook called Tempest Runner, while showing off a cover for the series’ 7th issue that includes a…red lightsaber!?!
The High Republic #4 really dives into what makes the bond between Sskeer and Keeve so special, and this era of Jedi so different, while dealing with the growing problem of the Drengir and the arrival of even more trouble.
+ Bond between Sskeer and Keeve allows her to help him back
+ Sskeer’s plan and how it’s succeeding…so far
+ The arrival of the Hutts!
+ Art team almost made me lose my breakfast…bravo!
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.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC COMIC REVIEWS:
There Is No Fear: #1 | #2 | #3