I know that the High Republic was going to be going into unexplored reaches of the Star Wars universe, that readers would discover new worlds and darkness that we've not encountered before; but after the brightness of the first issue, the amount of grandeur and hope there seemed to be around the opening of the Starlight Beacon I wasn't expecting the very next issue to become a horror story.
Following the knighting of Keeve Trennis in the last issue, and the official 'ribbon cutting' of Starlight Beacon we're settling into the daily routine of the Jedi stationed in this remote part of the galaxy, and seeing some of the issues that they'll be dealing with following the Great Disaster.
The issue opens with Trennis, her former master, Sskeer, and the Kotabi bond-twins Ceret and Terec being sent to investigate a distress call, finding a huge debris field in deep space. Finding part of the ruined ship still has an atmosphere the four Jedi board, finding the interior filled with gas and bodies everywhere. It becomes clear to them that this was the result of the Nihil, a group of brutal marauders responsible for the Great Disaster, and the loss of Sskeer's arm.
I knew it wouldn't take long for the Nihil to make an appearance in Star Wars: The High Republic, particularly after the amount of damage they cause in Star Wars: Light of the Jedi and the comic really builds up their their eventual reveal in this issue, using the carnage they'd left behind to build tension and set a very dark tone. It also becomes clear that Sskeer is still suffering from the wounds that he received at the hands of the Nihil, mentally if not physically. I like that we're seeing some fall out from Sskeer's last encounter with the Nihil being explored here. His physiology means that his arm will regrown, but it was still an incredibly traumatic experience, and I could be wrong, but it might have even been made worse for him due to being a Trandoshan.
Every other Trandoshan I've seen in Star Wars are written as aggressive, as hunters who live for the kill, and show little sympathy for anyone who crosses their path; something that is opposite to every Jedi teaching. It could be that Cavan Scott is going to use his trauma as a gateway to explore the dichotomy of his Trandoshan heritage and the Jedi way. It seems to be a possible scenario, as later in the issue he comes across a Nihil left behind on the ship and seems to lose control. His eyes seem to lose their pupils, and Sskeer enters a rage, cutting his foe down without mercy. It's a shocking moment, and one that's incredibly effective.
Another shocking moment comes shortly before this, when Keeve and Ceret discover that the ship was a Hutt transport, finding a Hutt dead. It's a stunning splash page that sells the brutality and horror of the Nihil, with the room filled with gas and fire, the Hutt's guards dead around it, some hanging from the ceiling, whilst the Hutt is filled with blaster holes and deep gashes. We know that despite looking like giant slugs the Hutts are formidable opponents not to be taken lightly, especially when surrounded by their guard. This image makes it incredibly clear that the Nihil are going to be a serious threat, one that will take more than Force powers and light sabres to tackle.
Even when leaving the dark confines of the Hutt's ship and moving the action to the bright farm world of Sedri Minor the book manages to keep the chills coming, with something strange and terrifying living in the large corn-like stalks. Something that is able to spirit Ceret away without Sskeer realising. It's one thing to make a dark spaceship full of dead bodies frightening, but a sunny farm? That's impressive.
And that's probably the word I'd most use to describe this issue. Impressive. It took the bright and shiny promise of the first issue, of this new setting and flipped things completely, showing a much darker side to this setting and putting our heroes immediately on the back foot. It managed to not just set up a new mystery for the Jedi to investigate, but established the brutality of the Nihil, and gave several characters moments of development. Even characters new to the comic like Ceret and Terec were given enough of the spotlight that by the time it was done I had a good sense of who they were, how their bond works, and why I should care about them.
It's not just down to the writing though, though the writing is brilliant, but the fantastic work of the art team. Artist Ario Anindito, inker Mark Morales, and colourist Annalisa Leoni come together to breath so much life into the book. This issue we get to see the inside of the team's transport, the Starlight Beacon, the Hutt ship, and Sedri Minor, and they all have their own look and feel. They're distinct locations, sometimes with hugely contrasting looks, and some of the work elevates the story to new heights. The previously mentioned page where you see the dead Hutt is such a triumph of this team coming together that it's an image that's going to stick with me long after I've read more issues.
If Star Wars: The High Republic manages to maintain this level of quality, this is going to be one of the best parts of the Star Wars universe.
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