– Spoiler Review –
For its final issue, Charles Soule’s The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight changes perspective and focuses on the Nihil, exploring its enigmatic leader and those around him as they adjust to the new normal of winning and all the responsibilities and change of plans that come with such a role.
By now, you’ve likely had the chance to read The High Republic – The Eye of Darkness, the first adult novel of Phase III: Trials of the Jedi, which came out back in November, so there’s likely nothing you didn’t already know in most of these issues, especially this last one. But like those which came before it, Shadows of Starlight #4 fills in the missing gap year not concerned with covering all the pieces, but rather uncovering the substance behind what’s changed and how everyone has dealt with it. Switching gears to the Nihil was an excellent idea for the series’ finale (I love how even the scene descriptors get in on the Nihil-focused action), as we see what Marchion Ro has on his mind now he’s won, what Ghirra Starros plans now that her treachery to the Republic is unmasked, and how two returning characters shape what’s to come for the Nihil. As for the man himself, shirtless at one point as I’m no doubt many had hoped and are still pouring over in detail, Marchion Ro’s journey in SoS #4 is almost as enigmatic as the Eye of the Storm miniseries from Soule, preferring not to let us directly into his thoughts but showing us how he’s feeling or what he’s planning in how he reacts to those around him. Marchion’s reactionary plans have made him a formidable foe so far, to the point his plans led to the destruction of Starlight Beacon and the creation of the Stormwall-ed sector for the Nihil to rule over as they please, so using his reactions to show us what he might be thinking is a fun tactic, but I am hoping we’ll get behind the veil a little more deeply and descriptively in the future, as some of what happens here can feel too vague to get the exact point being made. We see Marchion sitting on his throne in the majority of this issue, as it starts with him on it for the first four months after Starlight’s fall, seemingly content and willing for his people to do as they please, but he begins to listen to Ghirra and directing the output of his people, eventually recruiting both General Abediah Viess, whom we met in Phase II’s The High Republic – The Blade (also by Soule), and Baron Boolan, one of the Littles from the Path of the Open Hand in Phase II. The issue takes us up until a week out from the one year mark of Starlight’s fall, aka The Eye of Darkness, with much of Ghirra’s plans in place, three Ministers helping control the future of Nihil-space, but Marchion only seems to see it as another form of the Tempest Runners he had at the start. Ghirra says the future of the Nihil is what they leave behind, not conquest and destruction, but once she leaves, he squishes a bug flying past him (“A Closed Fist Has No Claws” reference?), his smug smile fading until he says conquest and destruction are what he leaves behind, and it returns. What are Marchion’s plans now that he’s “won”? Just more conquest and destruction? And will that be what the Nihil will want, especially as Ghirra points them in a different direction? TEoD deals with this in a great way, setting the seeds for what these threads could all mean for the future of the Nihil.
Ghirra’s ambition to make them into a government rivaling the Republic is such a great trajectory for her, as she has such a valid point, visualized with the weeks long party after Starlight’s fall diminishing ever so slightly, but also it’s digs at what brought her to this point. With her treachery against the Republic laid bare, due to an ambitious ideal the Nihil were on the winning side of history, her rush for legitimacy leaves one to wonder if it’s out of guilt or out of more ambition, wanting to show the galaxy she helped create a new government that rivaled and would go on to live next to the “mighty” Republic. Once again, TEoD runs with this thread and her mindset in some great directions and it was neat to see the beginnings of all that here. As for General Viess, whose first name we learned this issue, she’s always been an opportunist, eager for more battle and glory, so watching how she took years to gain a planet’s ruler’s trust and then betray it feels so fitting for what we already know about her in The Blade. Speaking of which, her having used time and distance from the events of The Blade to claim she was the hero of the events is one final fun lightsaber in her belt. And lastly Baron Boolan, whose twists to the Nameless can be seen in concept art and one of his Children of the Storm has been revealed in The High Republic – Phase III comic, coming into Marchion’s service is a great little conversation, as Marchion basically says he has to prove himself every day or else he’ll kill the Baron, no matter his ties to Marchion’s ancestors in Phase II. It’s not just Marchion whom is important to the future of the Nihil and Phase III in general, these other characters are ones to watch out for and could turn the tide, in many different ways, depending on what they all do.
On art there’s a joint venture between David Messina and Jethro Morales, while Mattia Iacono joins as colorists for the first time in Star Wars comics, while Travis Lanham continues on as letterer. I had a hard time discerning where Messina and Morales work ends and begins, to the point it almost feels like they are both working on the same panels together. Messina has a recognizable look around his characters, almost like a sheeny outline, so it’s easy to tell he was working on the characters, and fans will take to his depictions of Marchion, as he looks his most chiseled and handsomest yet, while his Ghirra reveals the other side of her motherly matron look in Phase I to an eye-opening effect. Iacono can return for color work after his showing here, especially in the scenes where Marchion visits Baron Boolan in his cell, with some great shadow work and really letting the Ithorian’s green pop or Marchion’s Everni skin stick out despite the dark blues and greys of the jail cell. The mad drawings of Boolan recall the concept art fans were pouring over in the initial High Republic reveal video from four years ago and they offer a creepy glimpse into what he all has in store for the Nihil. And as I mentioned earlier, while it’s a smaller thing, I love how Lanham doesn’t adjust any of the typical High Republic descriptive boxes or narration techniques for the issue, yet they are filled to the brim with Nihil-minded thoughts instead; it’s a fun, small way of showing this is all in the era yet just from the Nihil’s POV.
Here are a few other things:
- Here’s how the rest of January is shaping up for The High Republic Phase III: January 17 brings us the third issue of Marvel’s The High Republic – Phase III and the second of The High Republic Adventures – Phase III; while January 30 has Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong’s Escape from Valo! As always, finger’s crossed we can add the first High Republic Show in 5 months to the list as well!!
- Soule revealed recently The Broken Blade, the sequel to The Blade promised in that series’ final issue, was still some time away, as all his High Republic focus is on Phase III’s final adult novel, Trials of the Jedi, out in 2025
The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #4 takes us for a walk on the Nihil side, opening up an interesting view into the major players who will help decide the group’s fate.
+ Marchion’s reactionary mindset continues…
+ Intros to the Nihil’s wildcard roster
+ Showing Marchion’s feelings about what he leaves behind through the art in subtle, interesting ways
– …though I wish we got a little more specific with him for once
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.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC – SHADOWS OF STARLIGHT REVIEWS
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