– Spoiler Review –
With Naboo in the rearview and the big battle of Eriadu ahead of them, will Keeve Trennis’ Stormwall Defense Fleet be the deciding factor in the fight or do the Nihil have one last trick up their sleeves? Find out in my review of The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #3!
As much as Fear of the Jedi has built on all that’s come before with these characters, knowing there’s only two (technically three*) issues left after this, I’m both torn between enjoying the fast-paced story and wishing it would slow down, if only for a moment, so this all felt more like character moments and less like plot developments. Tey’s section in issue #3 is a taste of what I’m talking about, as the freaky Vildar Mac specter appears again to compound his recent losses and fragile mental state, and how Tey, and those around him if they can help, handles this has little to do with the bigger plot, as it should. How the issue ends makes me wonder just how packed the 4th issue will be as characters deal with their worst fears and beliefs and I hope it’ll give enough room for each one to have their due as they confront those inner demons rather than worry about the plot around them as much.
As we saw in the recent The High Republic Adventures #17 – Phase III and The High Republic Adventures Phase III: The Battle of Eriadu (both released the same day as this issue), the battle for Eriadu isn’t going so well, and while Trennis’ fleet is a much needed boon, Nihil reinforcements lead her to set up a blockade around the planet rather than help with the already on-going fighting. The Jedi rush out to hold back the newcomers, but Velko stands firm against Keeve wanting to join, saying it’s time she stayed in the command ship and led like she was supposed to, which she fights but then acquiesces on. As she stands back and watches, things aren’t necessarily going well: she grows upset over Lourna Dee killing the Nihil, as she understands it can be unavoidable but wants them to aim for disabling, not killing, while OrbaLin goes too far in splitting himself up, losing cognitive functions as he has too many of himself out there, which he calls brothers when they really are just him. As much trouble as those around her are in, Keeve starts sensing fear all around them, with Cibaba not being helpful as he hums the Nameless song, and sees a frightening impossibility before her: Nameless, with wings, flying towards them (insert “They fly now!” gif)! I’m glad Velko told Keeve to stay in the command ship, as she’s proven she can break through the fear-inducing images the Child of the Storm H’tar can produce, and maybe from her spot she can help everyone do the same!! I have no questions this imagery is due to H’tar, who escaped last issue, as she’s probably using the augmenting machine they had her in before she left, to effect so many at once.
What really helps confirm these visions are from H’tar, even though the issue leaves this ambiguous, is the scene prior with Tey Sirrek. Tey’s ever reliable Hand of Siberus shattered in The High Republic Adventures: Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone #4, despite it thought to be impossible, and he’s been without it ever since, leading to a crabby Tey instead of a more teasing Tey. And while Vildar Mac, his husband, has been dead for some time, the creepy projection of him by H’tar earlier this series brought back all the pain of the loss, while the Hand helped alleviate it a bit with some minor memory loss and the sense of control, but like all dark side artifacts, it’s preyed on him and left him reliant on it. We learn he’s been trying to rebuild the Hand, which is distracting him from helping repair Lourna Dee’s ship, and his little ball droid friend Skoot tries to help him remember he needs to let it go, just like Vildar wanted, by showing Tey his last moment with Vildar! This was…not okay, as I wasn’t expecting to cry this issue and yet here I was, especially when we find out Matthea “Matty” Cathley didn’t make it in time to say goodbye! If it’s not big frights, it’s big emotions from writer Cavan Scott! Tey cracks a little after this and damages Skoot, but he doesn’t get to help the droid as he’s attacked by the projection of Vildar again, this time using the Hand against him. Good luck, Tey, hopefully you can get over the reliance on it and move forward, breaking through H’tar’s vision!
It’s still Marika Cresta on art, Jim Campbell on colors, and Ariana Maher lettering us to the very end, and they bring it with some fun pages and panels this issue, but we need to talk about something else first: Admiral Kronara. Described as tan-skinned for some time now, and often depicted as such in other comic appearances, he not only looks younger in this issue, but his skin tone and facial structure, more than ever before, make him look like a white man rather than Asian, as he’s usually depicted; pull out a copy of The High Republic Adventures #5 – Phase III to see the differences. Given the problems over the years with Elzar Mann’s appearance depicted more white than olive-skinned, I’m not surprised something like this could happen, it’s just disappointing, even now as we approach the end, stuff like this still happens, and hopefully this can be corrected for any upcoming appearances he’ll have. What wasn’t disappointing was the final page of the issue, as the image of Nameless, with wings, flying through space, ready to turn everyone to dust, was a chilling delight, it may or may not have been in my dreams a little the night after reading this! The big one in the middle of the page recalls the Spider Cruiser ship that appeared with the Nihil reinforcements earlier in the issue (so this has to be where H’tar is stationed), the way it’s front limbs look like spider legs, while its giant wings and swinging face tendrils are unsettling to say the least, while I liked Campbell’s colors here, as this big Nameless looks like it both is from the depths of space and stands out from it, almost like an optical illusion, which is exactly what this Nameless likely is thanks to H’tar. Maher’s placement of Keeve’s dialogue on one wing and the screech of the Nameless on the other, sliding shades of orange in nail-scratch-looking letters, make it impossible to look away, despite what Velko told Keeve to do, so it’s like we’re seeing the image through Keeve’s eyes! The whole hologram sequence of Vildar’s death helps twist the knife in, from seeing a wrinkly old Vildar and Tey still looking rather fit, highlighting the inevitability of Vildar’s passing and the reality Tey will have to outlive him, while the way Vildar gets to close his eyes and pass away peacefully, with a kiss from Tey on the head, is a lovely image.
Here are a few other things:
- Love coffee? Chai? A really good café/coffee shop? And want some fun Star Wars themed coffee goodness for the month of May?! Well, if you happen to be in the greater Chicago area, make your way to Folklore Coffee in Lemont, IL, as one of our best friends owns Folklore and we collaborated on a special Star Wars menu for May!!! The Froth is strong with these specials!!
- *While there’s two issues left in Fear of the Jedi, we technically get a first with recently announced The High Republic: The Finale – The Beacon, coming out July 30! It’s set to be the final entry in Phase III of the current High Republic storytelling and the cover and details seem to promise readers we’ll check in on favorites new and old, while there’s going to be a big choice and…Dalna’s still involved somehow?! If Keeve doesn’t decide to leave the Order by the end of this series, I suspect her decision will hit in Fear’s final issue, especially since as we were reminded in this issue Avar Kriss called Keeve a “beacon,” so there’s no doubts the beacon in the title of the upcoming issue is Keeve.
- Where’s Rhil Dairo? Is she safe? Is she alright?
- Announced this week, and we’ll have an article about the news soon, but Cavan Scott’s annual fright-fest with a spooky comic returns once again, this time called Tales from the Nightlands, which will star a creepy creature drawn up by the legendary Iain McCaig!
- So what’s left for the High Republic in 2025? Here’s a list of some upcoming releases: April 30, 2025: The High Republic Adventures #17 – Phase III; The High Republic Adventures: The Battle of Eriadu; May 6, 2025: A Valiant Vow; May 13, 2025: Tempest Breaker (script book); May 21, 2025: The High Republic Adventures #18 – Phase III; The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi #4. Keep up to date with our release schedule on our High Republic page!
The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #3 might leave me even more concerned the final two issues will give these characters enough room to deal with what’s still ahead, especially since it’s setting it up with some creepy and emotional threads.
+ Emotions from us and Tey!
+ Promises some creepy imagery ahead…
– …hopefully Kronara is adjusted in the future though
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him and the website on Bluesky.