The High Republic (2022) #8
THE HIGH REPUBLIC
BATTLE FOR THE FORCE
Chapter III: DUNES OF BLOOD
The holy city of Jedha is being torn apart brick by brick. Pilgrims riot in the streets while Republic forces tackle Enforcer Droids programmed only to kill.
Jedi Vildar Mac, Padawan Matty Cathley and their Sephi associate Tey Sirrek have thrown themselves on the mercy of infamous tapbar owner and information broker Kradon Minst. Reluctantly, Kradon has agreed to shelter members of the Path of the Open Hand injured in the crossfire, meaning that Enlightenment itself has come under attack.
As they shelter in Kradon’s fortified tavern, Jedi Oliviah Zeveron calls for help. Out in the desert, the ancient statue of a Jedi has come crashing to the ground, a statue that secretly contained a lost Jedi vault. The mysterious raiders who have been ransacking Jedha’s temples have entered the archive, taking Jedi representative Leebon with them, but not before leaving Oliviah for dead….
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: David Messina
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Colorist: Frank William
Cover artist: Rafael De Latorre
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: April 12, 2023
As we race towards the end of Phase 2 of The High Republic, it’s not without regret that we prepare to say goodbye to a series of charcaters who on the comic page have captured the imagination and delivered in this second volume of The High Republic an engrossing storyline that touches on the relatively modern location of Jedha and given us a spyglass view into a turbulent era where the Jedi are far from the revered, respected (and occasionally feared) guardians of the galaxy. We open with Oliviah Zeveron, laying on the floor incapacitated after being run through by raiders on the Dunes of Contemplation, and immediately we swing back to Enlightenment in Jedha, where we learn that Tey has managed to escape from the bar through a smuggler’s tunnel leading under the desert to the Jedi archive where Oliviah lies.
We see Tey running, his droid leading the way as he is attacked by huge, rat-like Dune Scratchers. He uses his pheromones on them, taking all but one down which weirdly flies backwards – Vildar is there, using the Force to pull it back and send it scurrying. The rest of the wounded from Enlightenment are close behind, but as Kradon had said back in the bar, the tunnel walls were far from secure and a cave in sees Tey and Vildar separated from the rest. They all need to return to the bar, while Tey and Mac continue, the elder Jedi telling his padawan Matty how he believes in her skills to protect the bar and the wounded.
Finding Oliviah, Tey uses his pheromones to put her to sleep as they enter the statue to find Master Leebon, Tey leaving his droid Scoot to protect Oliviah. The dark side is strong, shocking Vildar and altering his perception of reality and they see the Rod of Daybreak in the hands of the raiders, hoping to control a creature known as the Leveller, and see it attack the captured Master Leebon as the issue ends.
Another winning entry in the second volume of Marvels series, Cavan Scott once again delivers a pleasing and thrilling issue married to consistently beautiful art by David Messina. There are only a couple of issues remaining in this volume before a break and Phase 3, but we have to hope that there’s more from this fascinating era as the characters and situations are more than engaging enough to support further investigation.
