– Spoiler Review –
First Keeve Trennis and her motley Jedi crew investigate a floating tomb full of secrets and now they find themselves facing an ancient, dark terror deep within a backwater planet in The High Republic #3 and damn it’s bad for them but a real joy for us to read!
With Ceret and Terec connected on a level almost beyond our comprehension, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that whatever was happening to Ceret, taken by a mysterious force on Sedri Minor, was also affecting Terec. Avar Kriss has brought the Ataraxia to Sedri and the closer they are, the stronger the effect seems to be on Terec, who’s spouting some strange things and is visibly in pain, even paler than normal. It doesn’t take long into the issue to confirm what I suspected (and the solicits had already revealed): The Drengir, meat-thirsty, dark side drenched trees (for the lack of a better term), took Ceret! If you’ve read Into the Dark, Claudia Gray’s novel released last month, you’ve already been introduced to these particularly creepy and imposing new villains, otherwise, this is an effective opening salvo, really highlighting their corrupting influence, thanks to their deep connection to the dark side and their insidious poisons. It’s also a fascinating, though terrifying, way to explore the effects the Drengir have on a Jedi, as Terec’s condition could teach the Jedi a lot about what the Drengir can do as Ceret directly suffers, watching from afar, but allowing that to happen is about as unethical as it gets. Regardless, the Drengir’s effects are strong enough, and the bond-twins bonded enough, Terec succumbs as well, and his fall pushes the teetering Sskeer over the edge again.
Before we uncover the Drengir, Kriss gets crisp (and I mean, CRISP) with Sskeer, still struggling with something inside, leaving Keeve to talk with some locals who report not only have their crops been in trouble recently, several others have gone missing like Ceret. She’s maybe a little too forthcoming with recent details they’ve uncovered, like the dead Hutt and Nihil on the ship they found, and the local “Speaker,” as Sulman likes to call himself, is less than friendly about her inquiries/the locals telling the Jedi anything. As the two Masters hash things out, Keeve takes it upon herself to look for Ceret and discover why the children are going missing. Much like the first issue, where she picked up a little friend during her trials, one of the kids joins her search, despite her warnings against it. The Force continues to bring those outcast or forgotten or ignored to her and her strong sense of empathy, whether she acknowledges it or not, is likely why; as Bartol mourns his friend, caught in a web of vines from by Drengir, Keeve is able to console him before continuing on. She even goes so far as to give him her saber to help him feel stronger and comfortable in the scary and increasingly troublesome situation. This openness to emotion, to talking it through and helping one overcome it, is such a strange and awesome moment to see from a Jedi, something this era’s Order benefits from and could’ve benefited them in the future with someone as violate as Anakin Skywalker. From Light of the Jedi, A Test of Courage, to Into the Dark, we’ve seen this more forgiving Order have members help each other through stumbles and steps toward the dark, bringing them back to the light, and Keeve is even more adapt at it than most it seems. While Avar breaks through to the damaged Ceret (after an amazing entrance to the caves, which we’ll talk about shortly), it’s likely up to Keeve to break through the Drengirs’ spell and reach her old Master Sskeer: he’s spouting the Drengir’s words, entangled with them to the point their vines have formed him a new arm. Talk about a grueling tough test for a newly knighted Jedi; she has to fight back the Drengir, hopefully rescue any other survivors, and save her Master from whatever is tearing him apart from within and out! I can’t wait to hear all the swears she’ll have as she takes to the task in her own unique way.
If you were unaware of Kriss’ total badassery and exemplary Jedi status, which is all over her time in Light of the Jedi, writer Cavan Scott makes it known to readers here, from her absolutely pointed dressing down of Sskeer, the confidence to ask forgiveness from a Grand Master after taking some initiative, and an epic entrance to the caves by burrowing through the ground and bisecting a Drengir. They weren’t going to just assign any Jedi to be Marshal of Starlight Beacon and it’s clear Avar is the one from this issue alone, so don’t feel left out if you haven’t seen her leadership in LotJ (but it’s well worth checking out!). She sees the Force as music and she taps into Ceret’s song to bring him back, as he was about to steal Bartol away, so she’s just as prepared and built to defend against the Drengir…or we can only hope! Alas, I’m curious what she hoped to uncover with the autopsy on the Hutt they uncovered last issue, though sensing the situation about the Hutts is still in development between them and the Republic, I wonder if that’s why the Grand Master Lahru wouldn’t be happy about her decision.
Glimmers of humor abound in The High Republic #3, from Keeve and her interactions and internalizations or Maur’s response to Avar Kriss’ present to Starlight, but the horror angle briskly and completely takes over the tone and proceedings by the end. From how things go down, be it with Ceret/Terec, Sskeer, or the creepy new enemies, there’s a slowly building sense of dread and ominous feeling to events. It’s thanks to two aspects, which starts with Scott’s excellent, compelling script, pulling readers along with memorable and relatable characters and an intriguing new mystery to uncover in the era. There’s just a sense of discovery and timing, eked out with perfection across these first few issues, that keeps me eager to come back for more. What really brings it all home, from the feelings of dread to the eagerness to flip to the next page, is the art team, whose work builds on the foundations of the story and heightens every aspect. Ario Anindito (art), Mark Morales (inks), Annalisa Leoni (colors), and Ariana Maher (letterer) have all really blown me away these last few issues, from the attention to the littlest of details or even the lighting of a scene, and the consistency is what makes the work so awesome to behold. The issue starts out light, bright white in the confines of the Ataraxia, and as characters debark the ship to search for one another, there’s a dimmer light to the Sedri’s sky, to the point Keeve’s lightsaber lights up her surroundings despite it being during the day (the double suns are distant, as seen in one panel), and once we get underground the light of the Jedi (see what I did there? Charles Soule will likely be jealous) illuminates the deadly new threat, or can be seen as a comforting light as Keeve consoles Bartol. Also aiding the building dread are the facial expressions, be it how sunken and haggard the bond-twins look, Keeve’s concern about the Drengir, or the scaly anger bristling across Sskeer’s face, which I argue might be the most impressive considering a Trandoshan’s face and it’s scales. But what tips it fully into horror is the spooky, impressive final page, where the Drengir flank Sskeer, who looks mindless on, a new arm thanks to the trees’ vines, which also swarm over his body. It’s so disgusting you can’t look away and I can’t wait to see how horrific they’ll go once the fight begins to regain Sskeer.
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!
- As an impressive display of demand for this series, the first issue has recently gone for its 4th printing and the second issue on its second printing. Well deserved, for such an excellent series already and great recognition of the team’s impressive work!
- Something I hadn’t considered or thought about, but Terec/Ceret’s representation and their pronouns is both used well but has potential negative connotations. I join Wesley in hoping for some human non-binary (and trans) Jedi in the future!
The High Republic #3 proves two amazing issues weren’t some fluke or happy accident, it’s from a creative team firing on all cylinders, delivering the spookiest, most compelling, and jaw-droppingly good looking story they can. As someone who avoids horror films: bring it on, THR team!
+ Drengir make a memorable entrance, push us into full horror
+ Terec/Ceret bond and the horrors the Drengir can cause
+ Keeve’s empathy and openness about feelings
+ Creative team impressing on all fronts, from writing to mood-setting art
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