– Spoiler Review –
It’s full steam ahead for The High Republic comic, as issue #14 positions the Jedi in even more perilous situations as the extent of the Nihil’s subterfuge and planning comes starkly, frighteningly clear, though one Jedi comes into her own despite the chaos around them.
It didn’t take long, before the first issue even ended, for me to become a fan of Keeve Trennis and her Master, Sskeer. Writer Cavan Scott’s put them through quite the roller coaster ride since the opening issue, from moments of Drengir connection, near-death, hugs, and revelations, but both have managed to keep it together better than most of the Jedi around them, like Avar Kriss. Keeve’s struggled of course, unsure of what to do when Sskeer is lost to the Drengir’s control, but she manages to find the right way to stop the deadly plants, while Sskeer’s been willing to put his life on the line to stop the Drengir despite trying to ignore and delay the reveal of his disease and how it’s affecting him as a Jedi, though at least he’s willing to admit he’s finally reached an end with the Jedi due to it. As for Avar Kriss, she’s let expectations get the best of her, the Nihil’s counterattack against her promises messing with her projection, and the Order’s projection, of her infallibility. It’s clouded her judgement but Keeve, after everything she’s been through and her relationship with Sskeer, talks her out of the cold-blooded murder of Lourna Dee. She puts herself on the line, in the way of Avar’s blade and then in Lourna’s grasp, to help break the Jedi Master out of it, which leads to Lourna subdued and the Jedi victorious at the Nihil’s homebase. I loved the short conversation between Keeve and Avar, the elder Jedi impressed with Keeve’s propensity for wisdom and mercy, but it’s the one between her and Sskeer that left me happy and a little in tears even.
With Lourna and the other Nihil in the prisons on the Ataraxia, Sskeer confronts Keeve with his choice, no matter what the Council decides, to leave the Jedi due to his disease. She fights it at first of course, as she’s so confident they can tackle it together, like they do everything else, but he’s resolute in his choice. The next part of the exchange is EVERYTHING I’ve loved about these two, what’s made them so special, and is just a big, giant “I see you all mentioning the bust of a ‘Master Trennis’ in the Lost 20 so take from this moment what you will” from Scott. Keeve says she’ll be Sskeer’s legacy and he says not to, as it’s not about him but about her, the real reward for a Master being when those they teach carve their own path. Keeve going down her own path has been in the cards ever since the potential for the Dooku: Jedi Lost Easter Egg of a Master Trennis in the Jedi Temple’s Lost Twenty collection referencing her and I feel like this is the first semi-confirmation from Scott it’s about her (and really, who else could it be but he’s a master of not answering questions!), as being a member of the Lost Twenty doesn’t automatically mean a fall to the dark side, so her going down her own path could lead to a schism with the Order. Regardless of all that speculation, the simple way Sskeer holds Keeve’s face in his hand and he tells her this, no matter Lourna’s earlier comment about puking over their kindness for one another, hit home, giving me some tears, as this felt like a natural progression of their time together since we first met them January 2021 and couldn’t have been achieved without Scott’s writing of the pair and all the excellent art of their tenderness with one another through the issues.
Avar, Keeve, Sskeer, and crew make haste to Starlight Beacon with whom they believe is the Eye of the Storm, but the events of The Fallen Star have already begun, which is why we see a haggard, somewhat angry Stellan Gios almost proud he’s taken the Marshal-ship away from Avar due to her breaking off to capture Lourna Dee without the Council’s consent. In a way, they weren’t wrong, as it clearly lead her down a dark path going after Dee, but had she stayed, they might not have been able to connect to the top half of Starlight as they do here, the Nihil subterfuge essentially separating the two halves from one another. When they board, they find themselves rushed by those stuck on that half of the station, unable to communicate with Master Maru in the hub or Stellan in the lower half. But they don’t get to worry about figuring out those problems for long, as a disturbance ripples through the Force, something Keeve regrettably is familiar with: the Nameless aka the Leveler creatures! As I wondered when it was clear Sskeer was losing his connection to the Force, out of all the Jedi best able to deal with these Force-nullifying creatures, wouldn’t it be the one with little to no connection to the Force? Just when he thought he was getting out, the Force pulls him back in and I’ll be curious to see if he’s only vital to this moment, saving Keeve and Avar so they can get off the station, or if he makes it off too and suddenly he’s the trusted spear the Jedi have against the Nameless (a name finally confirmed in the script for the upcoming Trail of Shadows finale). If he’s lost due to this fight, it’ll be the end of the Jedi’s best weapon against the threat for now, but at least it’ll be a heroic final battle to protect the future of the Jedi; I really hope the title of this arc, “Jedi’s End” doesn’t mean him!! His fight won’t be easy, as he’ll have to fight a war on two fronts, with Avar turning her blade on him, the Nameless’ effects digging into her worst fears he’s gone feral, making him look like a hideous monster and not her kind, scaly friend she’s come to depend on. If you’ve read The Fallen Star, you might know who makes it off Starlight alive, but plenty of fates were left up in the air and the HOW of any of their survival has yet to be told, until this series’ grand finale in March!
This is the first time the art team of Ario Anindito, Mark Morales, Carlos Lopez, and Ariana Maher are behind the Nameless’ spooky, creepy effects on the Jedi and it’s already one of the best. Sskeer looks like a trippy Godzilla, a giant jaw spread wide with sharp, elongated teeth while poor Nooranbakarakana (say that five times fast) turns into a purple, goblin-like creature, with both of their eyes a piercing, garbled red around white hot iris’, while even beforehand there’s a loss of color to the Beacon and character’s faces, Keeve foaming at the mouth as she knows what’s coming, Avar lit by her green blade, giving a creepy, dark edge to her angry face…I’m getting chills just thinking about it all (and not because it’s cold here in Wisconsin)! But it’s not all chills and thrills, as Ario and team harness much of nuance to Scott’s script, be it Keeve’s resolve and understanding of Sskeer’s advice to her, Sskeer’s calm, tranquil face as he gives said advice, Kriss’ shame in front of Keeve as the younger Jedi helps her see the error of her ways, or even Lourna’s gleeful smile when she thinks she has the upper hand on the Jedi. Maher’s lettering really is one of my favorite, as her SFX are so often dynamic and help you feel/hear the big moments, be it the explosion that send everyone flying on the Ataraxia even though it was from Starlight, the voluminous explosion SFX really clarifying its massive scale. I don’t think we’re ready for what this team can bring to the panels for the final issue!
Here are a few other things:
- According to Mission to Disaster, Vernestra Rwoh joins this mission, but she’s nowhere to be seen so far through this and the last issue. There are already a few characters here so it might be she’s just off-panel, as the focus is understandably on Keeve/Sskeer/Avar, but I hope the final issue will at least find a way to give her a moment!
- Also something of interest from Sskeer and Keeve’s talk was the line “…since the dawn of the Luminous.” Beyond a fun meta mention of how The High Republic fandom often refers to the original architects of the era as the Luminous Five, itself a reference to the initial codename for this project, is this a reference to the first Jedi? Or first Force-users coming together eons ago, like first seen in Legends with the Dawn of the Jedi content? I’ll be interested if we’ll see more of that term in Phase II, even if it only goes 150 years into the past compared to the weight associated with the phrasing here.
- Also out this week for The High Republic: Midnight Horizon, easily one of the best novels of the Wave and maybe of the whole first Phase!
- The final issue has been delayed a bit and won’t be out until March 2, just as a heads up! Other final issues for Phase I, Wave III are: Trail of Shadows #5 on Feb. 9; The Edge of Balance Vol. 2 releases digitally Feb. 15; The High Republic Adventures #13 hits Feb. 23; while Eye of the Storm #2 releases alongside THR #15 on March 2, a day after Mission to Disaster comes out in stores after delays (it’s out on digital platforms, already!).
The High Republic #14 sets up what is sure to be a fraught, emotional, and intense final issue for the Phase.
+ Sskeer and Keeve’s moment
+ Keeve being recognized
+ Ario Anindito and team’s chilling art!
– Wishing we had more issues!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC COMIC REVIEWS:
There Is No Fear: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 — Heart of the Drengir: #6 | #7 | #8 — The Shadow of the Nihil: #9 | #10 — Jedi’s End: #11 | #12 | #13