– Spoiler Review –
Young Padawan Sav Malagán’s secret is out and the Order knows what she’s up to…but with the chase on to discover the Dank Graks dastardly plans, will she stick around, go back, or make a choice no one suspects?! The High Republic Adventures #3 – Phase II doesn’t skip a beat on great characters and great fun once again!
When Maz Kanata revealed to Sav Malagán she knew exactly who and what she was, and even knew Sav’s Master, and yet, despite not wanting to put the Padawan in much danger, still asks her to stay along to help them save one of Maz’s crew, it was a delightful twist that secures the beginning of what we know by Phase I of The High Republic is a deep, life-long bond. For Sav herself, it puts confidence in her hands about who and what she wants to be, how she wants to proceed, allowing her to have the ultimate decision on what she does next. While she says yes to helping Maz, the older woman still has Sav contact her Master, but like any awkward teen trying to find themselves and not feeling comfortable talking to their parental figure, the conversation doesn’t quite go anywhere as she doesn’t know what to say just yet; writer Daniel José Older’s handle on fluid, realistic dialogue crackles here in their exchange. It doesn’t help Master Kaktorf is demanding her return and be what he thinks she should be, so as she tries the universal tactic of pretending there’s static on the hologram call, with Maz and Coromont allowing her the space she needs to make her own choice by kicking out the transmitter so the static actually comes off as real. It’s a small gesture but with big implications, as it highlights the safe space Maz has and is willing to create to see people find themselves and make their own choices on what they want to do.
Though nothing highlights the support structure like the situation with Alak, a beautiful, fun, and reassuring moment in an issue with madcap energy bursting at its seams. Sav might’ve riled up the tension between Alak and pirate hunter Rav, but Maz and crew sit on their conversations every night to ensure Alak doesn’t accidentally give away any secrets, and while that’s the reasoning she gives Sav, it clearly feels like it’s more to be there as support in case things get messy. It’s easy to see this type of support system, this community caring for their own, not only being applied to a queer relationship, but any relationship, and it normalizes the idea of being vocal and inserting yourself in potentially toxic relationships to help friends, family, and those in your community you care about. It’s a little thing, and sort of overshadowed by the reveal of two characters’ backstories, but just having it in there, acknowledging it, was a welcomed moment.
So how about those backstories?! It turns out Alak was once a member of the feared squad of assassins known as the Scarlet Skull Cult, which painted their faces with red skulls and cut out their tongues as a vow of silence, and his family was one of its ruling members. On the eve of his initiation, the sight of a little baby girl being born into the group caused him to flee, though not before vowing to return and stop her from joining as well. The baby? Quiet Shan!! It was a neat reveal, if not only because it’s surprising yet interesting, but how Sav is our audience surrogate, geeking out about these reveals to the point I was basically saying what she was saying in my mind. The Scarlet Skull Cult was first mentioned in Older’s Phase I novel, Midnight Horizon, where two Jedi Padawans dressed up like members of the cult to be incognito, and while it’s all played up for laughs, we did learn the cult was dissolved some time ago. Little did we realize it was a hint for Phase II, as when Alak rescued Quiet Shan, he’s the reason they came to a swift end and faded into myth and legend.
As for the mission to rescue Abadoo, reclaim Maz’s ship, and stop the Dank Graks’ plans, it’s little Abadoo herself who secretly messages Maz’s group on where the Graks are heading, though Arkik, their leader, and Sava Keem sense Abadoo aboard but are actually happy she is so Maz can be drawn to them. Both sides converge on Frander’s Hidden Depot, though the Graks arrive first, where a conversation with Frander himself, a Lasat, reveals they are here on business for the Graf family collecting specialized ships he designed for Force users only. Are these prototypes which will eventually inspire the construction of the Vectors, the Jedi Order’s go-to ship in the High Republic era? Regardless, as Maz stays aboard their stolen vessel and the team goes out to stop the Graks, just before a full on firefight ensues, Sav manages to dispel it peacefully enough by pretending the Grafs sent her to watch over the deal. Arkik seems to relent and walk away, not before returning with their own vessel, stolen back, to shoot at our pirate heroes. The team makes it back to Maz’s vessel…though short two vital people. Maz stayed aboard the Grim Devourer, so when Graks take it back she’s so caught up in figuring out their plans she ends up captured, while Sav decides a different approach and steals one of the prototype ships, saying she’ll join the Graks to save Maz! There’s a good pace throughout the issue, though in these final few pages as the two sides are set to collide, and then do, it really takes off and the ending feels sudden, but in a good way, leaving readers eager for more.
There’s one page of artist Toni Bruno, Michael Aityeh coloring, and lettering pair Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt’s work which really stood out to me and it’s the little bits of flashbacks for Alak. Seeing him younger, already with the spider legs, was a surprise though it allowed this particular feature of his character to be present from the start, especially when it’s revealed he’s what took down the Scarlet Skull Cult; it’s great for representation to have such a deadly and cool character in Alak, showing more heroes don’t have to be able-bodied to do impressive feats. On top of that, the drawing of baby Quiet Shan is adorable, with a little scrunched face, the white hair, and innocent pink outfit, and I totally get why and how it could melt anyone’s heart, including the young heir to the Scarlet Skulls; it’s a bright and hopeful panel amongst a darker page overall. The next panel of Alak sneaking away in the night, the only light the red of a nearby fire, the red like the Skulls designed themselves around, feels isolating, though its clear from his efforts he has the determination to return to honor his promise to the baby girl. And the next panel shows the Scarlet Skulls’ fortress, a unique rock jutting out of an ocean, a castle adorning the top of the treacherous looking climb, more of the spooky scarlet red emanating from the castle itself, has the older Alak just off center of the frame, hands down in fists, no longer bent over or forward like he was in previous flashback panels, showing his confidence in fulfilling his promise. The narration box in the final panel with the castle is so far down to the bottom, so out of the way, it’s seeming to suggest it matters little what’s said next, we can figure it all out in the art. There’s so much promise in these panels, the glimpse of character background, as well as a story or seven’s worth of a climb up a creepy rock. Elsewhere, Sav’s utter delight and surprise over the story as Maz reveals it only aided in how much I ended up reacting much like she did to the story, while Smith & Betancourt’s dialogue bubbles and expressive dialogue tied it all together I was shouting while I was reading, much like Sav was talking. The page where the Graks use their ship to attack everyone at Frander’s Depot is as chaotic as it gets, the Devourer looming large over the scene like some big monster, almost snake-like, though covered in metal, with jaws about to pop open and eat everyone there, much like its namesake would suggest it could do! Frander’s ships are exploding everywhere, big explosions forcing everyone to flee the scene, some SFX accentuating the deadly blasts. The next panel is just a delight: Dexter shooting four guns with his four arms in like four different directions, confident he’ll keep attackers at bay with his multi-weapon approach.
Here are a few other things:
- After the initial feedback regarding a slimmer looking Dexter unintentionally dredging up fatphobia by showing the younger, more exciting Dexter could only be skinnier (a problem also present in Porter Engle’s story), Older and artist Bruno worked on addressing the problem. This issue not only shows Dexter out of his armor, looking more like we memorably remember him from Attack of the Clones, but even making a little comment about how he’s happy to take off the stuffy armor, making it a natural fix which promotes, much like with Alak, representation in regards to those with larger body types.
- There’s 5 issues left but it’s all scheduled to wrap up by the end of May alongside the rest of Phase II, so hopefully that all sticks because I don’t want to have to wait for more issues from this series when they’re this good!
- I had no idea Abadoo’s species is totally a thing already, going back to Legends: Hoover.
- Since the previous issue’s release, Dark Horse launched The High Republic Adventures – The Nameless Terror, which got off to an excellent start and found a way to include a Phase I favorite!
The High Republic Adventures #3 – Phase II continues to be a delight on the surface and once readers dig deeper.
+ Alak and Quiet Shan’s backstories
+ Feeling of community
+ Art team teasing so much more story in even the smallest of panels
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.
DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this comic from the publisher at no charge in order to provide an early review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.