– Spoiler Review –
With our Jedi heroes and friends now stuck on Eriadu since the Nihil’s Stormwall swallowed them up, they attempt to rally the planet to withstand the marauders…and end up in an entertaining political drama for The High Republic Adventures #9 – Phase III!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in 2024 about Star Wars thanks to the comics, it’s how we might need more political/courtroom storylines! For several months in Marvel’s Star Wars (Vol. 2), Lando Calrissian litigated his case for a stay of execution over his actions, resulting in a surprisingly fun storyline I was initially skeptical with, while in The High Republic Adventures #9 – Phase III, Sevran Tarkin takes her new friends to Eriadu’s ruling council to make their case for unity against the Nihil, but what Daniel José Older litigates along the way is an interesting look at the politicking of the era, plus contains his signature humor to boot. If there’s one thing myself and many other fans have levied against the overall High Republic initiative, it’s the lack of politics overall, as we’ve not really spent time with the Republic Senate or dealt much with a world’s leaders/political system in most stories, instead only a handful of political figures (including at least the Chancellor!). Older offers a glimpse of what’s likely happening across the galaxy in this era, as Sevran and the group stumble into a moment where a case’s being made the Republic’s abandoned those in the Outer Rim like Eriadu now the Stormwall has fallen over them. Jedi Knight Farzala gets to make a case for the Republic and the Jedi, but a ‘representative’ of the Nihil is invited in as well, making the case for siding with the Nihil to help rid one of their cities of criminals. Be it the Nihil’s argument of cooperation or Sevran’s uncle Tragkul leveraging ‘tragedy,’ both are a prescient look at how ruling by fear and fanning its flames won’t ever solve any real problems and only leads to more down the line, something younger readers of this series hopefully haven’t had to see or deal with, but older readers will understand far too well. As for what it means in-universe, it’s a somewhat compelling look at how the Nihil could make their presence in the Occlusion Zone an inviting one, not taking over planets with force but with tact instead, though the final page of the issue shows coexistence was never actually on the table, which sort of takes away from the potential of a little more nuance to this storyline.
I didn’t know I needed a little Tarkin family drama either, but issue #9 has a nice dosage, leaving us readers intrigued at the various factions, it seems, within the family itself. Tragkul parades around his accomplishments to the point one has to wonder if he’s worth anything beyond that single act, as he hides behind their archaic rules to deny Sevran’s return since it doesn’t politically serve him. Sevran herself is kind and compassionate, quick to forge friendships and honor those who have helped her. Lady Krevlin, who we met back in issue #7, is a more open senior Tarkin member who commands lots of respect. And Navaj, Sevran’s surprise twin brother, doesn’t care much for the family name or its stature, but isn’t against using it to help others, like how he’s able to get Farzala a chance to speak opposite Tragkul. Overall, the issue left me interested enough to want to see more of the Tarkin family, as Older’s built up a collection of members who aren’t clearly heading straight towards the Imperial-aligned Wilhuf Tarkin we all know and fear, as it seems like we can find the hints of what the family will become but for now there’s so much potential.
There’s some chaos energy worth feasting on from Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala this issue and really gives a hint at how free the two feel now they have each other and have proposed to one another, sure in their paths forward. Zeen is eager to hit some dancing clubs with Lula, despite the situation around them, while her usual inability to keep her cool comes at odds with trying to follow the decorum in the Seswenna City Hall meeting, though at least she’s got Sevran’s back in the face of her uncle. As for Lula, who ends up having to stay outside of the meeting because only so many representatives can be allowed in, her time with Qort and Jedi Master Emerick Cahptor, who has mainly been cameoing in Phase III so far but starred center stage in Older’s Trial of Shadows miniseries, brings some of the issue’s biggest laughs. For starters, Emerick didn’t know about Lula’s decision to leave the Order, so she and Qort rib him over the news, but Lula’s continued teasing about Sian Holt being Emerick’s girlfriend, she was his co-investigator in Trial and has been guesting on stage with Zeen in bar’s band, was so delightful, especially with Lula’s comment about having her mind wiped and his eventual almost confirmation of it when they work so seamlessly together. It’s great to see Lula opening up to even more Jedi than who are typically in the series, as she’s able to reconfirm her commitment to the choice and show the path before any and all Jedi is more wide-open than they initially thought. I really do hope we’ll get more of Emerick and Sian in a starring role before Phase III is over, but cameo/guest roles are certainly a plus in the meantime.
Returning to the series on art is Toni Bruno, who had the main artist stint on THRA – Phase II, and he joins Michael Atiyeh on colors and the lettering duo of Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt here. In Seswenna Hall, Tragkul’s one-upmanship of his niece Sevran comes across in a subtler way in the art, as the panels where he checks in the Governor over Sevran’s citizenship status are slanted downward on an angle, so he’s on the far left in one, taking a grand majority of it, and Sevran is in the middle of the much smaller panel on the right, and whereas he looms large in his, she is alone, while to our eyes, looks smaller than him in the process. Later on, when Sevran’s twin brother Navaj, who has been sneaking around in a hooded cloak, appears to help Farzala get his say, Navaj towers over Tragkul, as he has to look up and backwards to see the figure which has appeared behind him. The skin of the animals Tragkul killed that he wears as a headpiece looks silly and ridiculous, as does the choice of ostentatious red, which Atiyeh always seems to make sure really stands out in every panel he’s in, all of which plays into his overcompensating personality. There’s a sequence towards the end which was really fun: it begins where the Nihil who come to mess with Emerick, Lula, and Qort outside the Hall leans down and puts his hand on Emerick’s shoulder. Emerick’s stoic stance against such a large and intimidating Nihil like the one before him shows his level of confidence, but the way the panels are placed and Smith & Betancourt pull you around, Emerick’s line apologizing for the Nihil’s hand left me as curious as the Nihil was, and then we’re swung up to a panel where a little SFX denotes a single, precise shot hitting the Nihil’s hand (I was sort of expecting Emerick to just chop it off, but this was a better surprise). The following panel, Qort and Lula are by Emerick’s side, all three with weapons drawn, looking intimidating as all heck despite being outnumbered. Speaking of outnumbered, the amount of Nihil ships descending on Seswanna in the final page makes the work ahead of the Jedi and Republic feel immense, while the ominous dusk lighting from Atiyeh over the scene give us the vibes the good, quiet days for Eriadu are coming to an end.
Here are a few other things:
- RA-G3 brought all the laughs in a short little encounter while getting inside Seswenna Hall.
- This has been quite the month for Older’s High Republic output, as we got issue #8 of this series August 7, then The Edge of Balance Vol. 3 the week before this, and now issue #9!
- Plenty of great content to come soon for the High Republic: The High Republic: Beware the Nameless middle grade novel is out 8/27; The High Republic Adventures – Crash and Burn and The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear #1 AND The Acolyte – Kelnacca #1 on 9/4; The High Republic Adventures #10 – Phase III on 9/18; followed by The High Republic: Tears of the Nameless young adult novel on 9/24.
- Given all the publishing reveals at SDCC related to The Acolyte, and the show’s branding all over recent High Republic releases, plus all the potential and originality of the first season, the news the show won’t be renewed for a second season is continuously shocking. It had its problems, but not worthy of a cancellation, especially if it only emboldens a terrible part of fandom. What a shame…anyways, keep #SaveTheAcolyte going loud and proud and make sure to check out all of The High Republic!!
The High Republic Adventures #9 – Phase III has entertaining politics (shocking, I know!) and Lula and Zeen entering their chaos era as Eriadu must choose its place in the fight between the Nihil and Republic.
+ Glimpse of politics and making it entertaining at the same time
+ Emerick’s cluelessness and the Tarkin drama
+ Bruno’s return plays up and Tarkin family divide
– Nihil’s duplicity, while not surprising, robs some nuance potential
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.
DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this book 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.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC ADVENTURES – PHASE III REVIEWS
Vol. 1: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 — Vol. 2: #6 | #7 | #8