Originally published on Patreon
If you missed out on the previous High Republic saga, or experienced it and loved it, this marks the beginning of something new and exciting; a whole new era of Star Wars to explore. Set even further in the past, taking place some 150 years before the first High Republic stories. This means that it's a perfect jumping on point for new readers; and this issue one gives us a taste of this new era.
This new era means that there are none of the characters we've come to know and love (so far at least, there's no ruling out the longer lived characters like Yoda turning up), and that we get a fresh start. This issue we meet out two main protagonists, Jedi Vildar Mac, and Padawan Matthea Cathley.
Vldar, a Jedi with a troubled past, has been sent out into the galaxy to be a pathfinder, one of the Jedi whose job it is to help expand the Republic's interests and discover new worlds. He's on his way to the holy planet of Jedha, which fans will remember from Rogue One.
The home to countless religions and faiths that seem to revolve around the Force, Jedha is a busy, bustling place, filled with people ready to fight for their beliefs. This makes the place feel like a powder-keg, ready to explode at any moment. It's here that Vildar meets one of the Jedi already stationed on Jedha, the twilek Padawan Matthea, or Matty to her friends.
Whilst Vildar is stoic and reserved, almost grouchy seeming, Matty is open and friendly, and seems to be a pretty pleasant character to be around. Whilst she's not Vildar's Padawan, she still makes for a nice contrast to the older Jedi.
Most of this first issue seems to be set-up, with time spent on getting across what Jedha is like in this time, with busy, twisting streets filled with a huge variety of people; often with opposing views. People have come here because of their faith, but it's a place that seems on edge, and ready for violence at a moments notice. There doesn't seem to be hints at what this phase is yet to be about, no Nihil or Drengir waiting in the shadows; though Vildar does have flashbacks to something pretty evil-looking that might be a part of something bigger.
And despite not really setting up anything bigger it still feels like a good opening to this phase. It's an introduction, with some interesting characters, and I already feel like I've learned more about one of the more interesting Star Wars locations after just a single issue there than all the times it's come up before.
This is a solid beginning of something that, if it follows the last High Republic phase, is going to be excellent.
This article, and many others, can be read a month early on my Patreon for as little as $3 a month!
No comments:
Post a Comment