– Spoiler Review –
With visions gripping Lourna Dee and her Tempest Breakers deep in Nihil territory and Keeve Trennis growing restless, big developments change the future of the era and conflict in The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #2.
Fear of the Jedi’s opening issue felt like a great way to kick off what will be the final part of the story for these characters which started four years ago (besides maybe some appearances in June’s Trials of the Jedi, we’ll see), and while I overall enjoyed issue #2, it acts more as set up by pushing us towards what will be the main focus in the final three issues. It left me wanting this story to be a few issues longer, but if the remaining three of the series slow back down and focus on the characters, letting them do more of the plot movement than the plot moving them, which seemed more the case at times here, then we’ll still be on track for how promising issue #1, and some developments here, have teased.
On Naboo, Lourna, Tey, and Muglan are the only ones we see struggling with H’tar’s fear-preying illusions, with Muglan seeing Marchion Ro and Tey a terrifying version of his husband, Vildar Mac. The focus overall remains on Lourna as she battles what looks like a younger version of herself, but she knows how much she’s changed since and can tell it’s not real. She does her best to fight back against the illusion, which even turns into Avar Kriss under young Lourna’s mask, while the others struggle with theirs, but it’s no surprise she’s the one who breaks out of H’tar’s hold…just how she does is a surprise, sort of. On the other side of the Stormwall, Keeve Trennis is fighting a different fear: Rhil Dairo, the reporter, and giving the Republic and the Order the propaganda they need in their efforts against the Nihil. We know Keeve’s been doubting the Order, especially since the Tempest Breakers audio drama, and prefers direct action over big speeches, because look how well that went for her heroes, like Avar Kriss, shouldering extra expectations by making themselves the public face of the Order. Her team of Sskeer and LADY help pull her away from Rhil, but the quiet they’re experiencing on the edges of the Stormwall don’t last, as they learn…the STORMWALL IS DOWN! The High Republic Adventures #16 – Phase III (won’t be the last time we’re talking about that series today) featured a similar reveal of the Stormwall finally vanishing and my guess that April 1’s The High Republic: Into the Light,* by Claudia Gray, will feature how the heck this happened looks more and more secure.
Keeve and her fleet rush to Naboo and, while it’s not a speech for the reporter, she gives one to the people of the planet as they start to rise up alongside their arrival. This speech is what helps Lourna, as while she was already understanding the reality of H’tar’s effects, Keeve saves her AGAIN in a way simply with her voice, while Master Kelnacca holds her back from beating up his Padawan, Yarizon, who thought Lourna was a Nameless. We find out H’tar is in some type of device which seems to amplify her powers and, given some teases in the comic solicitations, this could be a very dangerous weapon in the bigger fight ahead, as H’tar escapes as Keeve and the Republic make their assault. The assault doesn’t even last long, as another development changes the dynamics of the fight just as quickly as the Stormwall being down did: an emissary of the Nihil, on General Viess’ behalf, calls all their people to Eriadu to assist with the battle there. The Battle of Eriadu has been the center point of The High Republic Adventures – Phase III’s final storyline, where the series has showcased its emotional and physical toll and raised the stakes again and again. The comics are colliding here in the ending of Phase III and I like how we’ll see this battle in both, making it seem even grander than it already is. These two developments couldn’t be helped and are part of the larger story of the final months of the initiative, but happening so close to one another diminishes both, and makes this less about the characters and more about the plot. But with these out of the way, like I said earlier, we should be back to the characters first and foremost.
Sticking around to close out the story on art is Marika Cresta, with Jim Campbell on colors, and Ariana Maher lettering. The page where Lourna overcomes the illusion before her contains a really great transition between panels, to the point it stops us, Lourna herself, and is a character moment in of itself. Once Lourna hears Trennis’ voice in the first panel, Maher’s lettering connects Lourna’s surprise about Trennis to her shouting in confidence Trennis has arrived, as now she’s sweeping the legs out of the illusion before her with Campell’s colors being action-forward with blues, followed by a big, aggressive panel following it with no color behind it which focuses us on Lourna, where she’s holding down the illusion, about to beat it senseless, helping to trick our eyes from seeing what comes next. The next panel is a smaller one, the first of three, but it’s such a jarring change of size, color, and momentum, it allows Kelnacca’s entry into the moment to feel halting, as he’s just standing there, calm and stern, holding back Lourna’s hand from landing the next blow, while the background is a dull grey. There’s an interesting moment only a few pages later, where Nihil guarding H’tar, who hangs from the augmenting machine, are taunting the approaching Jedi by saying they’ll mess with more than their heads, and the next word bubble on the same page is scribbled out, the remnants of what it said little pieces of black dust falling down the rest of the panel. How much of what we see following this moment is real? Do the Nihil really flee to Eriadu for the big battle, which we know is real? Do a majority flee but H’tar and her guards are still there, despite the appearance of the machine and area being empty after a big explosion thanks to Trennis’ Vector? It was a cool new lettering thing, much like the stand out icy bubble from issue #1, and it leaves some big questions and fun ways this team might handle H’tar’s reappearance.
Here are a few other things:
- *My review of Into the Light will not be out right away, hopefully before April is over, but I might share some thoughts on Bluesky until I’m done!
- As one of the last Star Wars comics out for Women’s History Month, above I’ve included this issues cover, Ema Lupacchino’s take on Lina Soh. Take a gander at the rest here!
- Over at Cavan Scott’s website, he shared a really neat fan-made High Republic calendar, and has been very vocal there about focusing his attention on blogging over social media, while Wookieepedia recently interviewed him about his work so far in the era!
- What’s on the final horizon for High Republic releases? April 1: The High Republic: Into the Light; April 8: The Edge of Balance: Premonition; April 16: The High Republic Adventures #17 – Phase III; April 22: The Edge of Balance Vol. 4; April 30: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi #3 & The High Republic Adventures: The Battle of Eriadu. Keep up to date with our release schedule on our High Republic page!
The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #2 might favor plot over characters, but it’s clear we’re heading to something big now that the final stage has been set.
+ Lourna knows she’s not who she once was
+ And Keeve sort of saves her again!
+ Art team playing up the strangeness of H’tar’s abilities
– Feels like it’s plot over character, however
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him and the website on Bluesky.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC – FEAR OF THE JEDI REVIEWS
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