– Spoiler Review –
Ty Yorrick enters the lair of the beast, but not everything is as it seems in The Monster of Temple Peak #3, as she must navigate an evolving situation with Drewen at her side and her recent failures on her mind.
Since the first issue, something has felt off about the villagers’ claims regarding the Gretalax’s attack, from Layton’s obtuse responses or the young girl Pela’s ferociousness towards Ty Yorrick, and we quickly learn the truth as Ty and Drewen step into the monster’s lair. Ty is aware of the oddities of the situation and doesn’t try to kill the Gretalax, rather trying to subdue it and connect with it initially, though like all things the Force for her, it doesn’t go smoothly. Their tussle has wins on both sides, but her limited connection to the Force helps bring it to a tie, bringing a rock pile on top of both of them while she does whatever she can to save Drewen from being hurt. He attempts to return the favor, showing he has the heart of the Jedi at least if not the skills, but Ty figures out the rock weavers aren’t going to hurt them…and that the Gretalax is controlling them!
If you’ve read The Rising Storm, then you’ll know Ty finally has a truly successful connection to the Force, and even uses a specific skill she’s always had trouble with, once she’s found herself amongst the Jedi of Valo as they repel the Nihil attack. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t try often before then to use the Force, to tap into the skills she knew as a Jedi, and while she couldn’t save Pela due to her spotty connection, the Gretalax is able to facilitate the connection between them her Master once tried to teach her. Once connected, the Gretalax begins to show Ty the reality of what’s going on and as suspected, it’s not as simple as it seems. It’s not clear why the Gretalax stormed the village yet, but it’s clear Pela tried to save the creature and Layton’s actions are what turned her mute, not the creature’s, and it’s been trying to save and help her ever since, sending out the weavers to grab Pela when Ty couldn’t. Once the reality of the situation becomes clear, Ty keeps looking and begins to see other aspects to the Gretalax’s past, strange murals like the one we saw in issue #1, until Ty uncovers something that turns her from sympathetic to the Gretalax to eager to kill it all of a sudden! What does she see that makes her change her mind so violently, despite its attempts to save Pela? Is it something to do with why it stormed the village? Or, as the art seems to potentially hint with the hair at the edge of a panel, is it something to do with her old friend Kilas Teradine?!? Is it plumbing the depths of her mind and dredging up what happened between the two?
Throughout the miniseries, glimpses are provided about Ty’s time as a Jedi alongside her friend Kilas, and by the end of the last issue they found themselves inside a spooky old sealed Yallow Shrine. Kilas is rummaging around with artifacts there, while Ty hangs back, uttering Jedi maxims to herself to keep calm. Grasping a Vitalicron, a hexagonal ball which contains the memories of the Yallow, Kilas senses its genetic seal reacting to him and it opens up, the memories consuming his mind, his only words to Tylera as his eyes turn white being “Run!” The answers to what happens next, why Tylera chooses self-banishment and her and Kilas’ records are expunged from the Jedi Order’s archives come next issue (most likely!), but I will say my guess has been Ty puts down Kilas, though I’m eager to finally see whatever will be revealed.
The art team of Rachael Stott, with Vita Efremova & Nicola Righi providing paints, and Johanna Nattalie on production & design are offering us fans excellent pages issue after issue! I was particularly impressed with the Force connection sequences as Ty navigates around what the Gretalax is trying to show her. There’s a glow around each panel, golden almost, while the colors of the creature’s memories are sedated, with Ty clearly standing out in her normal colors but surrounded by a white glow, giving the whole thing a dream-like feel and helping set it apart from panels set in the real world. As she journeys on into the creatures’ thoughts, descending into its depths on a staircase, the return to the mural in the cave, brighter this time, is an interesting choice, while the framing to keep the reveal secret for next issue was tantalizingly done! The scuffle between Ty and the Gretalax was dynamic and fun to read through, from her scrambling to grab her saber or the big beast bucking as she tries to tame it, while I loved the Gretalax’s design, a triangular face, almost as hard as rock, with horns and a big, furry body. Ty’s face this issue runs an impressive gamut of emotions, from the worry on her face as she and Kilas delve deeper into the Shrine to all her grunts and frustrations while fighting the creature, the team makes each one feel natural and in the moment. I can’t wait to see what they have cooked up for the finale!
Here are a few other things:
- There’s been a few little reveals for The High Republic recently, from a look at Rhil Dairo, the reporter from The Rising Storm, a terrifying preview of issue #11 of Scott’s The High Republic comic at Marvel, and a glimpse at some new Jedi from the upcoming Phase I, Wave III novel by Justina Ireland, Mission to Disaster! We’re two months away from those novels and the tension are running high, especially after the chilling poster teasing very dark times ahead.
The High Republic Adventures – The Monster of Temple Peak #3 promises plenty of answers are ahead for the mysteries in the present and past of Ty Yorrick’s complicated life.
+ Ty’s journey into the Gretalax’s mind
+ Great teases for the finale
+ Art team’s action scenes and memory exploration
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 ADVENTURES — THE MONSTER OF TEMPLE PEAK REVIEWS
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