– Spoiler Review –
As a Jedi’s life hangs in the balance, Vildar, Matty, and Tey are safely locked in the Enlightenment bar, where letting down the shields could bring them a whole heaping of trouble, so what are they to do? Risk the lives of the innocent with them to help one lone Jedi? And why might it be worth it? Find out in our review of The High Republic #8 – Phase II!
Jedi Knight Oliviah Zeveron’s life hangs in the balance after her master was taken and she was attacked by mercenaries trying to find a mysterious Jedi vault hidden in the giant Jedi Protector statue out in the deserts of Jedha. In the last issue, Vildar Mac was content to stay inside Enlightenment, protect the innocents they already had with them, as going out into the fray might force him into a situation he’s not quite prepared for yet, but Oliviah’s fate has changed his mind. Without hesitation, he’s ready to leave the bar with Matty and go rescue her, saying Tey can stay behind to protect the others, only for them to realize Tey has already left to go help! Tey was against Vildar’s stance, though understood where he was coming from, but the Lepi’s always been one to act first, question later, so Kradon shows them the secret tunnel Tey’s using to escape and rescue Oliviah. Going alone, minus his helpful little droid Skoot, leaves him in a tough situation fighting large sewer rats, though Vildar arrives just in time to help. But before the entire group in Enlightenment can escape, the shelling on the surface collapses part of the tunnel, leaving Vildar and Tey free to go save Oliviah but the others stuff returning to Enlightenment.
What I loved most about this issue was how Vildar, Matty, and Tey all felt like a team for the first time all series, which makes it even harder to accept we’ll only have two issues after this with them actually working together now. Vildar and Tey almost hug at one point, their understanding of how they’ve both helped one another deal with internal problems becoming clear, as Vildar’s not afraid of taking action and using his power, while Tey isn’t afraid to trust others and trust his own instincts to help those in need. As great as it is for these two to finally make nice and see the value they can bring to one another, Matthea Cathley hasn’t had as much character moment as these two quite yet, but thankfully that all changes here. It might be too little too late, but Vildar reassuring her about being left behind to protect Enlightenment is the first time he or anyone has really spoken to her, not at her, and he speaks with her here as an equal, not as subordinate, telling Matty her strong spirit will see her through any troubles ahead. It’s a wonderful the series finally gives Matty this moment and I hope she’ll get a few more before the series wraps up in two issues.
When Tey and Vildar find Oliviah, she’s barely clinging to life, though situation unfolding in the mystery vault in the statue also needs their immediate attention. Vildar suggests Tey use his pheromones, which is actually what he did to Vildar in the first issue, not some wild, ancient, dark rite, to help put her in a meditative state and slow her heart, much like he was doing to the rats in the tunnel before Vildar showed up; once again, here’s Vildar giving someone else the confidence they need to do the right thing, showing how much more confident he is in his skills. With Oliviah as stabilized as they make her for now, they rush into the vault, overhearing Werth Purth, the Herald of the Path of the Open Hand, conspiring with a still unnamed (but we all know it’s Yana Ro) accomplice about combining the Rod of Seasons with the Rod of Daybreak, which had been hidden in the vault. They have Master Leebon with them, who ends up being their test subject to make sure the combined Rod really controls the Nameless monsters as they’ve been told. Vildar has a reaction being so close to the Leveler but Tey is able to help him calm down quickly, not like when he’s overreacted in the past, only for them to watch the start of Leebon being turned into a husk by the Great Leveler itself! Another cliffhanger but this one is chilling, knowing how close Vildar is to the creature, how close the injured Oliviah is, and how much control the Herald and Yana have over it now…can any of them make it out of the deserts of Jedha alive?!
I don’t mind if we have to switch between two artists through a series, especially when their styles are so similar, but having a third is a little disappointing, but at least it was David Messina, who comic fans should remember from his work on Han Solo & Chewbacca. Messina’s style isn’t terribly different from Ario Anindito and Andrea Broccardo’s, even though his facial expressions are a little more referential than what’s come before, so he keeps the look copesetic enough where it all melds smoothly across the issues. Frank William returns as colorist and Ariana Maher continues on as letterer, so there’s added consistency thanks to their work. One of my favorite moments was Vildar requesting Tey shut up if he wants the Jedi’s help, as he needs it to concentrate, and Tey finally does by doing the seal my lips gesture, while a page later the close ups on their faces as Vildar reveals his changed opinion on the Lepi, who goes from distrustful and upset to happy and smiling when it dawns on him Vildar’s mind has changed. Tey’s face via Vildar’s POV once the Leveler starts effecting him is delightfully bizarre, a wide, gaping maw with three eyes on its face and four ears, a very creepy look accentuated by William’s darkening of Tey’s usually bright purple coloring, shadows making him all the more menacing, while Maher’s letter bubble let’s the ironic quote land a bit of laugh and throw off our expectations on how to feel about Tey’s look, matching how Vildar isn’t quite freaking out immediately like he used to earlier in the series. The final page was a doozy, as the full reveal of the Namless, its sickly blue coloring, the pink heart, and the dangly tentacles from its face, while Leebon’s face begins to harden, is spine-chilling no matter how many times we see a variation of it!
Here’s one other thing:
- Cavan Scott teased at the Celebration Europe 2023 High Republic panel we’d be seeing a lot of the Nameless in these final issues and he is not kidding!! Also at the panel? The lid for Phase III was blow wide open, revealing all the novel titles to come, while confirming Scott will be back for Phase III’s iteration of this comic, which characters are included in the upcoming anthology novel Tales of Light and Life, and also…they showed someone familiar to fans will make it to The Acolyte! It was an incredible panel and I wish I had been there!
The High Republic #8 – Phase II finally sees the main three finding trust in one another as the stakes raise to harrowing levels!
+ The trio coming to work together/trust in one another
+ Finally giving Matty a moment…
+ Nameless problems here we come!
– … though wish it came sooner
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 – PHASE II REVIEWS
Balance of the Force: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 — Battle for the Force: #6 | #7