Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #7
MISSION TO BILBOUSA
PART II
Things go from bad to worse for Qort, Farzala, and the crew of the ”Vessel” on their secret diplomatic mission, as vicious saboteurs attack and dangerous creatures emerge from the darkness.
Farzala must face his deepest fears in order to save the day….
Writer: Daniel José Older
Artist: Harvey Tolibao, Pow Rodrix
Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Cover artist: Harvey Tolibao
Publication date: August 18, 2021
Pages: 29
It’s worth remembering, even in the Star Wars galaxy, a place where many of its characters have become heroes to us, that the citizens of that galaxy far, far away have heroes of their very own. To the young Jedi of the High Republic era, one of those heroes is legendary Jedi Master Tal Bota, a Jedi who would willingly leap into action single-handedly, taking on his enemies with no apparent fear and always coming out on top. It inspired them as children, but the harsh reality of failure leaves a bitter taste as Farzala languishes in a dungeon in Bilbousa on Nal Hutta. Unseen creatures gnash their teeth beneath him, his master and friends are hibernating or elsewhere and he feels the cold sting of fear, something a Jedi rarely experiences. With so many Jedi dead or missing during the Nhil and Drengir attacks, he thinks back to the words of his now hibernating master, Obratuk Gill.
We quickly step to the Vessel where Qort and Lula Talisola are hiding from Torvor and the thugs who hijacked the ship, then back to Farzala and his recollections as he remembers Gill telling him how feeling fear helps a Jedi overcome fear. We’re skipping between locations quickly again as back on the ship Lula takes down Torvor with some piping, and back to Farzala as he uses the Force to swing his suspended metal cage, the words of Gill still prevalent in his mind. The cage battered open, he drops…
Back on the ship Lula, Geode and Qort gain control of the ship as Farzala controls one of the unseen creatures below to get his lightsaber back and get to the bottom of the situation as back on the ship Master Gill comes out of his hibernation, slicing one of the thugs droids into piece, and from there we head to the Hutts as Jabba and Skarabda the Hutt meet with Farzala and Skarabda’s chief of security, working together to find the Vessel and Farzala’s friends. However, Gill is on the comm, revealing that it was Jabba’s goons who caused the issues in an attempt to oust power from Skarabda. We end as Farzala tells Skarabda that the next time the Hutts want the Drengir removed from their world, they need only ask.
Another cracking issue as the storyline cranks along, the lives of these young Jedi and their hopes and dreams investigated as we move through the High Republic storyline while getting to know this delightful cast of characters. With the news that IDW and Star Wars are parting ways – regrettable news given the excellent work IDW have done with the Star Wars licence over the past few years – let’s hope that wherever this line ends up, be it at Marvel or elsewhere, that teams like Tolibao and Older are kept together, as this comic is a constant pleasure to read and review.
