Star Wars: Jedi Knights #2
THE DEEPEST CUT
Jedi Knights Yoda and Vetna Mooncrest have been dispatched to investigate the remote moon of Veeros, where dark experiments are rumored to pose a dangerous new threat to the galaxy.
Veeros is populated solely by its enigmatic leader, ATHA PRIME, and his loyal army of droid attendants. Little is known about him, and his efforts on Veeros are shrouded in mystery.
The Jedi do not know what potential threats or unspeakable horrors await them on Veeros….
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Madibek Musabekov
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Colourist: Luis Guerrero
Cover artist: Rahzzah
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: April 9 2025
Here’s an explosive opening, as Master Yoda and Vetna Mooncrest are surrounded by horned, toothed horrors, their lightsabers the only illumination as we step back a number of hours and their arrival on Veeros, where they are welcomed by the Majordomo of Atha prime. The mood is cordial, but as they are shown the biofields they agree that something is wrong – they’re hiding something, so they fake their departure and as the ship steers away they both leap from the ship as we briefly see Atha Prime as he is briefed on the situation. His majordomo believes there are no issue, but Prime isn’t convinced as we see Yoda and Mooncrest move further into the buidling. He is convinced there’s more going on than meets the eye, when suddenly she doubles over in pain; her implants react to radiation, and despite the discomfort they forge on.
That inquisitiveness leads them to a huge room full of vats, with some kind of biological creatures inside, but their shock is interrupted by a towering creature with skin as thick as durasteel and a mouth full of sharp teeth. That’s not all; dozens more of these horrors flood in, and as Vetna worries about being swamped, Yoda leaps away to confroint Atha Prime directly, who explains the creatures are his Xerexi, near invulnerable creatures who are mindless, obedient and deadly. They clash, Yoda’s lightsaber hitting Prime’s own blade, bit as they fight Prime quickly gets the upper hand, knocking Yoda to the floor and running his blade through his shoulder. However, that’s the opening Yoda needed to use his power to stop Prime, and as he steps back from Yoda’s attack we see his cracked mask and a biological creature inside.
Prime knocks Yoda back, and he smashes into the wall, and as Vetna arrives they give chase, only to see Prime board his ship and order the droids below to destroy them both. Yoda and Vetna lose Prime’s ship, but are able to call for more Jedi to destroy the biological creatures that remain. Vetna and Yoda discuss the situation as they blast away, hooing the Jedi have now ended the bioloogical terrors, but we see another room full of vats, the creatures capable of relicating by themselves.
We end with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn sparring on Coruscant, as Kenobi tells Qui-Gon of his vision that saw his master killed in combat by a mysterious assailant. Jinn is quick to point out ths is only a potential future, but Kenobi goes further; he has a name for this assassin. Corlis Rath, but Qui-Gon tells his padawan that he’s never seen Rath before in his life.
The end of the issue, but only the start of the intrigue as we see Yoda fight hard and Qui-Gon and Kenobi face the potential of a devastating ending for Jinn. It’s interesting and engaging, but yet to really hit its stride. Let’s hope the title finds that extra gear, as right now two issues in it feels like it’s in third gear when it needs to slip into fourth. Beautifully drawn and laid out, this is one to watch rather than unmissable, but definitely on the verge of kicking into high gear (after all, it’s only issue 2).
