– Spoiler Review –
A Jedi Master and an enterprising entrepreneur form an uneasy alliance as they attempt to avoid capture from the various forces wanting a special hyperspace fuel formula, though what about Azita Cruuz leaves Mace Windu shaken? Find out in my review of Mace Windu #2!
After giving chase and later saving Azita Cruuz, the two end up working together to get her, as well as the stolen formula, off planet. As they sneak through the underbelly of the refinery moon of Ro Mira, my suspicions we wouldn’t be disappointed by where writer Marc Bernardin was going with these characters is confirmed, as they get to know one another to pass the time, allowing us to finally learn more about Azita and a surprising tie she has to Mace’s past. While I was curious if Azita was going to be tied into some pre-Separatist sentiment for her desire to sell such a valuable formula to the highest bidder, and she still could be, she reveals to Mace she’s in it because when she hears someone is willing to mess with fire, she’ll find a way to profit from it, keeping herself out of poverty, which she feels is worth a little danger to avoid. In a sense, she’s just another person in the galaxy trying to make her way through the universe, whatever way she can make it by given her life and circumstances. In this issue alone, as I expected, I’m already a big fan of Azita, whose opportunistic ideals and spunky personality make her a fun foil for the dour and righteous Mace, something she starts poking at as they continue to talk while finding a way to the rest of the coaxium ultra plus avoiding deadly bore worms.
The rapport Azita and Mace build in this issue feels effortless, as the situation of surviving bore worm attacks and navigating deadly blue lava rivers necessitates they get past any differences and accept they have different mindsets and move on. Mace seems amused by Azita’s tenacity, more curious than judging in most situations, besides when she reveals the drug she used to mess with the scientist who came up with the ultra formula in the first place. He gets to avoid her question about morality and his lack of volunteering to become a Jedi thanks to bore worms at first, but I enjoyed his answer later on, saying it’s dangerous to worry about “what ifs,” which is a fitting reponse for him as he’s sure of where he is and what he is doing, as the Force must will it so why bother. What really shakes him though is when she reveals she knows he’s from Haruun Kal, to the point he’s immediately suspicious of her, but the truth is she only knows because they share the same inoculation mark. The Force works in mysterious ways and if Mace is so sure he’s where he needs to be and is never concerned with what ifs, will the differences in their lives despite being born on the same planet cause him to reconsider this viewpoint? I’m really looking forward to seeing where this thread goes, as it has tons of potential, and Bernardin has already earned my faith that even with only two issues left, he’ll unpack this for a worthwhile read.
While Azita’s not yet convinced to give the formula to the Jedi, she’s not against teaming up with Mace to get back to the rest of the stuff, but the pair are being watched in the caves by mysterious associates of someone who calls themselves The Shade. We don’t know much more than that, only they seemingly have issues with handling technology, so I’ll be curious how that all works and what part they’ll play in the remaining two issues. But The Shade and their people aren’t the only new characters thrown into the mix, as the issue visits Jabba’s Palace to see a human man named Cuthus chatting with Yaya Shram about securing the coaxium ultra formula for him behind Jabba’s back. Yaya has a reputation for discretion and I’ll be curious how he’ll play against type in an attempt to steal the formula, as it was surprisingly fun to see him revealed as a diminutive Anzellan, a species which has up until this point largely used for humor-filled content.
The art team of penciller Georges Jeanty, inker Dexter Vines, colorist Andrew Dalhouse, and letterer Joe Caramagna left me admiring the Jedi Temple last issue and in this issue, a sparkling cave with blue lava! I loved Mace’s line being incredulous about blue lava, as I was right there with him initial, but the way this team makes some of these cave interior panels shine, literally, is a breathtaking look at nature. Dalhouse has a tricky situation here, with blues and whites all over each scene since they are going through ice caves and it almost feels like Bernardin wanted the lava blue just to see what this team could really pull off, but Dalhouse’s coloring skills rise to the challenge while giving the situation a beautiful glow to it, with sparkling ember-ridden steam rising from the dark blues of the lava. The emphasis Jeanty and Vines place on how small of a drop of coaxium ultra Azita uses to help bring down a giant ice stalactite for Mace to build a bridge for them, combined with how big the stalactite and resulting sound FX from Caramagna is for the explosion, shows the deadly potency and reality of the substance. The exchange when Azita reveals she’s from Haruun Kal is also some great work for the team, as Jeanty and Vines give her a mischievous smile when she drops the planet’s name, her face glowing from the ice around them, and in the next panel Mace is shocked, his calm composure gone, and there’s a greater sense of darkness behind him, which he’s leaning back towards, showing how taken aback and unsure of what this all means.
Here are a few other things:
- Senator Tynnra Pamlo gets a stellar cover by Karen S. Darboe for the Women’s History Month variant!
- On March 26, the review embargo lifts for The Living Force, the upcoming novel staring the Jedi Council a year before The Phantom Menace, and I’ll be sharing my review on the site then so expect some thoughts on Mace Windu’s role in it. After that, Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss is out on August 6, so plenty of great content with the character in 2024!
Mace Windu #2 expands the miniseries in all the best ways, making me wish there were more than two issues left!
+ Azita and Mace’s connection and all the potential that comes with it
+ Sparkly caves and the Ultra’s impact hit thanks to the art team
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.
MACE WINDU MINISERIES REVIEWS
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