– Spoiler Review –
As the mysteries of a new species (steeped in Legends lore), a too powerful to be true ragtag thug organization, and a growing political consortium are peeled back, will the revelations all be too much for a young New Republic? We check in with Alex Segura and Phil Noto’s Star Wars (2025) series by reviewing issues #2 through 5!
Manor PSA: I originally meant to check in with a review after issue #6, the original final issue of the series’ first volume, but it was adjusted to issue #10 will end volume one so I figured a half-way point review was a better idea. I’ll check back in after issue #10 next! Remember, I’m only doing this as I want to focus on my family, friends, and creative writing more, not because of anything to do with the series itself; I do the same with most miniseries these days too. If you’d like to review this on a more regular basis yourself, or have been looking for a spot to put any opinions you have about Star Wars in general, check out our Submissions page, we’re always open for more writers!
We left off issue #1 with Luke injured because a mysterious pilot revealed “truths” to the young Jedi just before killing himself, Leia and Mon Mothma were dealing with crumbling negotiations as the Pirros delegation not only called off talks but attacked a New Republic ship, and lastly Han and Valance united in investigating a group called the Zantarrk. Clarity has followed since then, as revelations abound regarding the mysterious pilot’s species, the Nagai, and their connection to both the Pirros and the Zantarrk Gang, as well as who or what might be pulling all their strings to combat the rise of the New Republic. The initial mysteries kept me wanting to read more and I feel like, through issues #2-5, writer Alex Segura has strung them out entertainingly enough, each issue containing bursts of action and excitement, with some quick character moments that aren’t just about plot, though all the new species, planets, and intrigue are dense, with lots of Proper Nouns to keep track of with limited context so it can be a little confusing and slows down the proceedings. But the thrust of the narrative is still there, as already by issue #5, the Fenril Consortium, led by the Pirrosi government, is on its way to New Republic space with a fleet, so a big showdown feels inevitable and the stakes for our heroes’ hopes and dreams with the NR feel appropriately large. There’s not as much context regarding the larger state of the galaxy or what other New Republic member planets feel about all the trouble with the Fenril Consortium however, meaning the galaxy feels small, as decisions only come from Mon Mothma and Leia Organa really, and there’s no sense of structure, unlike what we saw in some episodes of Ahsoka or The Mandalorian. And as much as I want the series to expand to help build up the era more, I also wish it gave its characters more time to interact beyond discussing the plot or getting into scuffles, as we’ve only had Rynn Zenat and her wife Preeti interact once and their exchange of “I love you”s doesn’t feel enough for readers who might not know they are married, Han Solo’s talk with Beilert Valance about adjusting to a new life in issue #3 is a sprinkle of the depth Segura could be exploring for these characters in this timeframe, and so far the Nagai rebellion, which easily gains our sympathies given the situation, is missing context on how two sides even formed. There’s still plenty of promise and, now we’re halfway through the opening salvo of issues, I hope the series will keep its pace but let these various things foment and build forth on their own to whatever comes at the end of this opening volume.
The mysteries regarding the Nagai, the Fenril Consortium, and the Zantarrk Group have propelled the series along well enough so far and, well, the answers up to this point haven’t totally ruled out my galaxy-brained theory yet. The Fenril Consortium stems from the Pirrosi guiding along a sector of space to reject New Republic rule, though the why has been elusive, especially as we don’t get any scenes with other planets or their leaders discussing the situation and why they’d agree to what the Pirrosi are up to. Issue #5 doesn’t reveal more of this area of space or how/why they feel this way about the New Republic, but it does unmask a familiar face who isn’t helping matters: Reyna Oskure, the Anzati whose very questionable and confusing allegiances throughout The Battle of Jakku soured my feelings towards the character. It’s at least clear now she was the mysterious Praetor who visited with Pirros’ Prime Minister Kezrin Almovar in The Battle of Jakku – Last Stand #4 and has been helping drive them to confront the New Republic, arming both the Pirrosi and the Zantarrk Group, and assisting with the subjugation and slavery of the Nagai people. I’m going to let Segura simmer with this new lease on Reyna’s story, as this series hints she’s working for someone else that’s yet to be revealed, so maybe her current allegiance will make sense once we know who it is. Without any real hints towards who, I’m still placing bets on my galaxy-brained theory regarding Atha Prime, introduced to canon in Jedi Knights #2, as the one pulling the strings, finally fulfilling the original dream of the Kenner action figure team when they introduced him as the main villain for a new storyline set after Return of the Jedi; it feels like the odds for this have diminished, but I’m still holding out hope! The lack of any real reason for this Fenril Consortium storyline, regardless of who is pulling the strings, is one thing I really hope becomes clear in the next five issues, as while these are all adding up to be tangible threats for the young New Republic, the lack of context decreases the stakes of the conflict.
Luke’s investigation into the Nagai brings a unique Jedi artifact into play yet only scratches the surface of their problems. It’s a bit much to start in issue #2, as when Luke races off to Gadrilam after we learn the pilot who killed himself sent the young Jedi on the quest, he gets a lot of names thrown his way and seems a little too cavalier cutting down his opponents, some who happen to be Nagai. There are two factions of Nagai: those who are the followers of Garlev and those who sold themselves to presumably Reyna and her various schemes, as we see them working with the Zantarrk. Garlev’s trying to free his people from whatever deal the rest of the Nagai made with whatever devil they did, which we learn in issue #3’s flashbacks featuring Garlev as pals with Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, and Chewbacca sometime before A New Hope, but he’s killed by Reyna in the present. It stretches credibility that Reyna, as hardboiled as she’s made out to be in issue #5, would believe Garlev’s death is enough to squash the Nagai rebellion, especially since in the very same issue we learn how easy it is for it to continue, as Jesrit, a Nagai who helped Luke before she was seemingly killed by the Zantarrk off-screen, is now leading their rebellion. Who keeps hiring Reyna, anyways? Overall, I look forward to learning more about the Nagai and what happened to them and led them to give up their own people. Will it match up with any of their Legends story, as wonderfully summed up by PopHeist? I’m betting we learn much more in the next five issues or so. As for the Jedi artifact, it’s a crown which allows the wearer to parse the truth but also can only tell the truth, so I’m assuming this will come back into play to help combat one or all of these threats, helping turn the Pirrosi against Reyna or help unite the Nagai against their captors, something like that!
As for Luke, Han, and Leia, so far Star Wars (2025) has given each their role to play, with issues #2, 3, and 4 giving each one more of the spotlight over the other, respectively. It was a given Han and Luke would get out and about, involved in the action, but considering how issue #1 had Leia in political mode, I was a little worried she’d not get a chance to shine. Thankfully, issue #4 puts her on the road, reaching out to a long-time friend on a planet we’ve never heard of, though it turns out it’s a trap, much like Luke and Mon Mothma tried to warn her. While she has Kith Alaytia with her, the mole amongst Grand Moff Adelhard’s people, Leia proves she can handle herself by breaking out of prison after being captured, and then the issue dives into why her actions, even if it’s springing a trap like her father would’ve, can led to meaningful actions, as her friend sacrifices himself to save her and helps take out some of the Consortium’s forces in the process. She’s firmly back into political mode in issue #5, but since scenes between her and Mon are the only places we’re getting a better idea of how the NR wants to operate so I’ll take it, as the two discuss the push for making this a government of peace and unity, not a vehicle of violence, which the announcement of the approaching Fenril Fleet really looks to throw a wrench in this goal so early in their governance. How will these two handle it and will we see more NR member planets get involved as the threat grows? I hope so!
Han and Beliert Valance together has been enjoyable so far, though I’d like them to unpack a little more of their history together in an upcoming issue, but Valance’s a good foil for the family and government man Han Solo’s turned out to be and even if they are teamed up just for that; no word on where his partner Jyala Haydenn is during this timeframe, even though she was in The Battle of Jakku with him, but that’s pretty standard for this era of comics, like how Doctor Aphra’s polycule hasn’t been mentioned or seen yet in her new series. As for Luke, he might be swinging his lightsaber a bit too much like in TBoJ, but his wisdom and desire to help remain strong, while his pairing with Rynn continues to be enjoyable, as they work well together. I was very happy to see Han and Luke together, cutting down battle droids, and liked a brief scene between Luke and Leia, but I really hope we can get all three together sooner rather than later, though I’m sure Segura is working his way towards that because he knows fans will want it. And maybe we’ll get to see a little baby Ben here and there? Either way, I hope the characters will get a little more room to stretch beyond the plot, but at least they’ve had good foils or situations for their particular talents.
On art remains Phil Noto and letterer Clayton Cowles! This might sound like the silliest part to start on art, but I have to say, Valance’s drink in issue #3 looks like something I’d love to have the next time I visit Oga’s Cantina! It looks really silly in a trained killer’s hands like Valance’s, with its little flower and ring, yet it serves a small, yet important purpose in the scene between him and Han, showcasing how he’s the more devil-may-care person now, given Han’s homely looking little cup. Also in #3, the flashbacks were really well-done, be it how the younger Han a very good mix of Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich, Chewie with goggles is a wonderful visual, the colorful jungle setting compared to the stark white interiors of Cloud City were a neat juxtaposition, to how the simple way the present’s panels had black lines on the outside and the flashbacks had no lines and rounded edges to help differentiate them. Lastly in that issue, Lando has three different outfits on, which is a nice change over characters wearing the same thing for several issues and fits very well for Lando’s characterization; the purple and orange look in the present was my favorite and I’d like to see that color scheme on him more often. There’s a two-page spread in issue #5 that was a cool to see, as it has Luke, Han, Valance, and Rynn, surrounded by battle droids, fighting their way through them. Valance uses his signature hand-blasters, Luke’s swinging his blade through the droids like his father once did, Han’s in his classic pose, though Rynn doesn’t seem to be using her blaster at first and gets grabbed by the droids, which seemed off but she does manage to break free later. Cowles helps us navigates the spread’s insert panels and the big main image, while making the scene feel frantic with a bunch of sound FX littered around. The sequence where Leia breaks out of prison on Kaltrais is great for how Noto of course presents Leia faking her sudden choking spell, which takes Kith clearly by surprise, though it’s Cowles who makes Leia’s plan land so well, as the Zantarrk trooper who comes to check on them begins to speak, but two dashes denote he’s going to be interrupted and then bam, in the next panel there’s a great “thwack” SFX that is only a small glance away from where the dashes were, which draws us to the trooper’s exclamation of pain and then Leia’s booted foot connecting with his chest! The way Leia is walking around the halls, holding the blaster, is badass, while Noto’s take on Leia’s face might be one of the best yet with capturing Carrie Fisher’s steel and softness. However, when Reyna was revealed, it was a bit of a surprise because Noto’s take on her is so vastly different compared to how she was depicted in TBoJ, I didn’t know who it was until the dialogue in the script contained her name. There still was a bit of static feeling to some of the action and scenes, but the more I read Noto’s work, the more I’m growing used to it again.
Here are a few other things:
- While the confrontation with the crashed Separatist droids isn’t over in issue #5, I’m not sure it’s going to get some the depth a similar situation did in Star Wars Rebels, where the crew stumbles upon a group of droids, led by a Super Tactical droid Kalani, and helps them understand the war is over and both sides lost in the end when they all face the Empire together. There’s even a reference to Kalani and his group in the issue, as one of the droids reveals they were headed towards Agamar, which is where the Rebels episode took place!
- Leia’s friend on Kaltrais in issue #5 is a really interesting alien look, as they seemingly have no face, but rather a giant circular screen with what looks like a vital signs on it and a breathing apparatus where a mouth would be…curious if we’ll get to see them again, but appreciate all the new aliens/species/peoples this series has been introducing regardless!
- Luke referencing Ben Kenobi’s journals was a neat little callback to Marvel’s early canon days, as the original run in 2015 used them to tell times from Ben’s exile between story arcs and then it was used again for the Obi-Wan miniseries.
- As for what’s ahead on the series, these are the solicitations we have so far: issue #6, which has the cool-ass cover of Han, Luke, and Valance in clone trooper armor, hits October 1 (so very soon after I published this!) and looks to peel back more layers on the Nagai; issue #7 ratchets up the tension and action on November 12, as the Nagai uprising grows and betrayals abound; and issue #8 on December 24 has the potential to reveal the true villain behind all this strife…will it be a holiday gift to me with my Atha Prime theory confirmed?! We shall see! Either way, at this rate, issue #10 should hit in February 2026 so I’ll be back with a review then, though I’ll share some thoughts on Bluesky between now and then.
- We might get more details on what’s to come in early next month, as NYCC 2025 arrives and the Lucasfilm Publishing Panel usually contains plenty of news! Check back to the Manor on or after October 11, as we’ll have coverage of the panel!
Star Wars #2-5 (2025) has done a great job of keeping its mysteries compelling, and while there could be more character moments and less plot, I’m eager to see what comes next as the various threads coalesce.
+ The various threads are compelling enough
+ Characters get some moments
+ Noto’s art and Cowles’ lettering offer dazzling scenes
– More plot than character so far
– Hoping for more context with each side of the conflict
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him and the website on Bluesky.
STAR WARS [2025] REVIEWS
#1