With The High Republic launch almost around the corner, the hype is building to a fever pitch, as far as I’m concerned! For me, it feels that way because of all the hints and teases seeded throughout publishing after the initiative’s announcement, keeping the series at the top of my mind beyond all the news, interview, previews, and excerpts revealing the era and its many secrets. To get you prepared for THR’s launch, we’ve gathered together all the teases, from various comics and novels, into one handy place to reference once the era truly begins in January (Update: THR has begun and our reviews are rolling in!).
The first recorded appearance of High Republic era mentions arrived in 2019’s Dooku: Jedi Lost, but we were none the wiser at the time, though leaks hinted at the potential era and people started connected the dots. Everything changed at Project Luminous’s reveal as THR in February 2020, as fans now knew what to look for. New Easter Eggs appeared across more and more media, ones mostly written by THR creators and scribes Charles Soule and Cavan Scott, and it became a fun game to track. It’s possible we even could’ve had more Easter Eggs, but once the initial COVID-19 lockdowns forced comics to come to a halt, the planned releases got pushed back by multiple months, so as Soule’s Star Wars relaunch dabbled in references, it came out later than originally planned. Regardless, plenty of fun references made their way to readers, and once January became the new launch date for THR, they were key to continue building excitement. Without further ado, here’s a handy list of all the references so far!
Dooku: Jedi Lost (2019; Written by Cavan Scott; script performed by multiple actors, with Euan Morton for Dooku)
Our first known mention of the High Republic arrives in Scott’s script for the Dooku: Jedi Lost audiobook, but at the time we had no idea it meant anything or was connected to some upcoming project. On page 79 of the scriptbook (1:16:02 in the audiobook), Jedi Initiate Sifo-Dyas brings the journal of THR-era Padawan Klias Teradine, who was expelled from the Order but why and how have been lost to history. Teradine was obsessed with a Sith Lord called Darth Krall, eventually finding the Coruscant Jedi Temple Library’s Bogan Collection, a secret area of the library hiding dangerous artifacts. Teradine hasn’t been mentioned once in any of the lead-up to the initiative’s release in January, but that doesn’t mean he won’t turn up and we’ll finally learn what he was up to during the era.
A page prior brings an even more interesting reference to THR, as Yoda talks to the Jedi Initiates about the Lost, busts of Jedi who left the Order that adorn the Library in the Temple (page 77 in book, 1:14:41 in the audiobook). Yoda comments on a specific one: Master Trennis, whose departure he recalls being very sad. As we already know, there is a Jedi with the last name Trennis in the era, and she stars in Scott’s The High Republic on-going comic: Keeve Trennis! Scott has hinted her story will be a tumultuous one, including her being linked to an outbreak of the Drengir monsters during the era, but when we meet her she’s just becoming a Jedi Knight. THR will span multiple years and phases, so it’s possible Keeve will grow into a Master and we’ll see how/why she leaves the Order…or this bust of Master Trennis of a different Jedi with the last name, but I find that incredibly unlikely.
I didn’t catch this until I found it on Wookieepedia, but a mysterious group known as the Nameless are mentioned in the audiobook (page 13, 19:48 in audiobook) and we only know they’re in the era thanks to concept art in the announcement video (blink and you’ll miss it at 2:58, drawing on the left side). We don’t know much about the Nameless, besides them being creatures only scary tales seem to contain, but that art hints they’ll find a way to terrorize readers in some way in the upcoming tales.
Bonus: In an interview for The Star Wars Show Book Club episode about Jedi Lost, Scott revealed the script contains hints to the other 4 concepts they worked on before THR.
The Rise of Kylo Ren (2019-2020; Written by Charles Soule; Art by Will Sliney; Colors by Guru-eFX; Lettering by Travis Lanham)
In issue #2, a flashback sequence finds young Ben Solo along for a mission with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and explorer Lor San Tekka to a High Republic Jedi Outpost on Elphrona; the series spends some time at the Outpost in issue #3 as well. With all the characters and details we’ve been given so far, we know Jedi Master Loden Greatstorm and his Padawan Bell Zettifar spend time there in the era, while Bell has an awesome charhound pup! Considering they built it to store items they found, maybe we’ll get to learn what items they thought were worthy of building an entire Outpost for! And could we dive into some of the history behind the items within it? I already have one I’d love an origin story for: the lightsaber blaster, adorned with the Jedi Order symbol you can see in one panel in issue #2! Jocasta Nu had a similar one within the Coruscant Jedi Temple and used it against Darth Vader shortly after Revenge of the Sith (another Soule comic!) and I’ve loved the design and idea ever since. However, my dreams might be dashed as there’s no guarantee it’s even from the THR era, but if so, the lightsaber gun would technically be the earliest reference since it was out before Dooku: Jedi Lost!
In issue #3, as Ben Solo discusses his fellow Padawans with Knights of Ren leader Ren, a flashback shows Hennix opening a holocron, where we see Avar Kriss, the Hero to Hetzal and the Order’s brightest member, who goes on to grace the cover of Soule’s Light of the Jedi. How she’s depicted in the issue hews close to her final look.
Star Wars Adventures #30 (Vol. 1) – “The Lost Stories” (2019; Written by Cavan Scott, Art by David Buisan; Colors by Charlie Kirchoff; Lettering by Jake M Wood)
Emil Graf tracks down the Lost Library of Nelgenam, a home for stories from across the galaxy. The reason it’s “lost” by the time of the movies? We learn Nihil torched the entire planet of Nelgenam, a paradise world which included the fabled library. This sounds like quite the galactic event, so I imagine this will factor into the story of the era at some point, while I’ll be most interested to learn how and why they decide to devastate the planet.
Doctor Aphra (Vol. 2) (2020; Written by Alyssa Wong; Art by Marika Cresta, Ray-Anthony Height and Robert Gill; Inks by Victor Olazaba; Colors by Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering from Joe Caramagna)
In the series’ opening arc, “Fortune and Fate,” some minor but potentially big references appeared. As rogue archaeologist Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra and her latest crew of misfits dive deeper within the creepy Lost City of Vaale in search of the legendary Rings of Vaale, they uncover a mural from the High Republic era, as seen in the second issue. Turns out, the Rings were made during the era and the mural depicts the power of the Rings, one that grants the wearer immortal life and one that offers boundless wealth, and worn together offer abilities to rival even the Jedi. The rings and their abilities aren’t totally debunked by the end of arc, but maybe they were more powerful back in the day… Regardless, will these Rings be created or even used, maybe by the Nihil, somewhere in the era’s large, unfolding story? Will a Jedi stumble upon them and succumb to the temptation?
As Aphra and her remaining crew rush to escape Dianth, they find a totally intact and functional High Republic-era ship (issue #4), so we know someone (or a group of someone’s) visited the planet and city during the era…and never returned! Will we see who once piloted the ship, who was the last visitor to the Lost City of Vaale before being consumed by the city’s creepy defense system? Either way, the ship is Aphra’s latest Ark Angel (IV, already!) now and it’s quite the fast ship, even for being so old; guess they just don’t make them like they used to!
In the opening issue (#6) of the second arc, “The Engine Job,” Aphra’s mission from Domina Tagge tasks her with tracking down the potential resurgence of freaky fast hyperspace tech, called the path engine, from the High Republic-era used by the Nihil! Out of all the references in the Aphra series so far, this one sounds the most likely to fit into the era’s story somehow, as the Nihil are messing with hyperspace in some way, as we’ve been told since the announcement and seen in the opening chapters of Light of the Jedi’s extended excerpt. I’ll be curious how many details the Aphra series will spill on the engine and it’s usage by the Nihil.
Star Wars (Vol. 2) (2020; Written by Charles Soule; Art by Jesús Saiz, Ramon Rosanas; Colors by Arif Prianto & Jesús Saiz, Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering by Clayton Cowles)
There are a few different references across the opening arc, “The Destiny Path,” of Soule’s Star Wars series relaunch. For starters, to counter the Empire’s ability to decode their messages post-The Empire Strikes Back, the Rebellion hatches a plan named “Operation Starlight.” Starlight is the name of the beacon station installed in the Outer Rim to help with the Republic’s expansion in the area, and later a launching point to help combat the growing Nihil presence. It’ll star in many of the first phase’s comics and novels, especially The High Republic on-going comic for Marvel, written by Cavan Scott; the station graces the cover of Light of the Jedi. “Operation Starlight” will be at the center of the upcoming issues of the series as the Rebellion enacts their plan.
Luke arrives at a THR-era Jedi Temple on Tempes, gaining a Temple Guard’s lightsaber while battling the spirit of an old rival of the Jedi (issue #6). We’ve not heard of the planet in any of the lead-up to the era, so I’ll be curious to see how/where it comes into play.
In the series’ 7th issue, Grand Moff Tarkin himself mentions the Nihil, comparing a warlord’s imagery and rhetoric to that of the Nihil’s, hinting at how these new villains likely strengthen their position against the Jedi and Republic by getting citizens on their side through clever propaganda despite their actions.
From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back – “STET!” (2020; Written by Daniel José Older)
In Older’s From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back – “STET!” tale, some research on the charitable foundation two bounty hunters are claiming to support reveals the orphans who need aid relief is due to their moon, Korbatal, being destroyed…back back some 200 years ago as part of an Emergence. The Emergences are part of the Great Hyperspace Disaster that kicks of the era in Light of the Jedi, as when debris from a ship destroyed in hyperspace pop out into real-space, it’s called an Emergence. Korbatal is a moon in the Trymant System, which is where it seems, at the very least, the opening issue of Older’s The High Republic Adventures comic series of IDW takes place, as we saw in its preview in November.
Tales From the Galaxy’s Edge “Temple of Darkness” (2020; VR Game)
If you have access to an Oculus Quest VR system, then you would be one of the first few who can not only enjoy High Republic content, but journey to the time yourself in “Temple of Darkness,” the first part of the Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge game! In it, Padawan Ady Sun’Zee and Master Yoda, who will star alongside new Padawans in Daniel José Older’s The High Republic Adventures for IDW comics, explore a Jedi Temple on Batuu, overrun with something dark and mysterious. More Nihil tomfoolery? Sith games? Or part of a local legend about an ancient artifact? Either way, it looks like a fun and spooky time in VR!
Unknown Novel (??)
According to Michael Siglan (Creative Director of Lucasfilm Publishing), there’s a reference hidden in a novel we haven’t noticed yet, and unless someone figures it out before January, it might not become clear until after we start reading and enjoying The High Republic! My only bet is something in Thrawn Ascendancy – Chaos Rising, as it deals with an unknown area of space the Chiss control and survey, and if the Nihil typically work in the Outer Rim, I imagine they find themselves in Wild Space as well…
UPDATE: According to THR architect Cavan Scott, we have a few more Easter Eggs to find!
We’ll update this with any more references from the upcoming comic issues this December, and once The High Republic content begins arriving, we might update this to include how these references tied into the story or just have a whole new article! Hopefully this helped get you hyped for the initiative and gave you some new content to read and enjoy as well before it begins, as January 5 sees the release of Light of the Jedi and A Test of Courage and then it all unfolds from there, so check back at the Manor for our reviews!
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.
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