The High Republic (2022) #7
THE HIGH REPUBLIC
BATTLE FOR THE FORCE
Chapter II: THE SIEGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
The Battle of Jedha continues! As pilgrims incense by the Herald rage through the streets, enforcer droids exchange blaster-fire with the defenders of Eiram and E’ronoh. The Holy City is in flames!
Tey Sirrek enlisted the Guardians of the Whills to help Jedi Vildar Mac and Matty Cathley save the Path of the Open Hand from a collapsed building, but now the streets of Jedha have become too dangerous, even for the Jedi.
While the Guardians of the Whills fight rioters, Vildar takes the survivors to the only safe place he knows…
…a bar called Enlightenment….
Writer: Cavan Scott
Pencillers: Andrea Broccardo, Marika Cresta
Inker: Mark Morales
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Colorist: Frank William
Cover artist: Yanick Paquette
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: March 29, 2023
We ended the last issue as Vildar Mac, Matty and the Guardians of the Whills arrived at Enlightenment hoping for sanctuary from the rioting in the streets of the Holy City of Jedha, and we open issue 7 as Kradon considers the request, Vildar reminding Kradon how he’d promised that the bar was a haven. Kradon relents, agreeing as long as the bar is protected, and Vildar and Matty step outside, blades ignited as more townsfolk arrive, convinced that Mac’s words are Jedi Mind Tricks. Vildar denies that as the Twinkle sisters step outside and open fire as the situation escalates. Vildar uses the Force to bring masonary down to create a barricade, allowing them time to step back inside the bar and slamming the doors shut.
Rattled and frustrated, Archivist Oranalli is concerned at the ‘rabble about to break down the doors’, and even Matty asks of he has a plan as we swing to the downed statue of the Final Protector as Master Meebon and Jedi Zeveron regroup, the Master keen to stay and protect the statue as Zeveron questions what there is left to protect. That is answered somewhat as seven mysterious characters step forward, and we head back to Enlightenment and Vildar as he doubles down on remaining in the bar to protect the injured as a body suddenly is hurled through a rear window. It’s Representative Tarna, who explains to Matty that the situation has escalated as droids arrive and Vildar attacks.
The city is in conflict, and as Kradon uses the rarely employed shields to protect the bar we find that not only are there multiple injured across the city but Tey reveals that ‘a group of heavies stormed the temple of kyber‘ and tried to steal the Rod of Daybreak, something Matty believes is a myth. Tey continues to push Vildar into helping, but his childhood visions of the ‘bad man’ are revealed as he explains about the Force user who came to Kiffex and slaughtered everyone. We learn it was a Sorcerer of Tund who turned to the ‘dark side of the unity’ and was expelled, and that Vildar is afraid of crossing the line himself because when Force users do, people die.
This is when Jedi Oliviah Zeebon calls Vildar, explaining about the raiders attack at the statue and how Master Leebon has been taken. Tey theorises that everything is as distraction to steal the Rod of Daybreak, and as Oliviah calls back to explain that her lightsaber has been taken and she can no longer feel the Force, we watch the horrific scene as one of the raiders runs her through wuth her own lightsaber and Vildar calls out down the comm….
There’s a certain freedom is laying out a brand new era. The High Republic has already given us some memorable characters and stories during its first phase, but here a century and a half earlier you could argue there’s even more scope to do shocking things. With such well drawn characters, that can evoke plenty of emotions in the readership, and in the right hands it can be powerful, Cavan Scott has had plenty of ribbing about such things, and here he shows the power of such a moment as we end the issue. That we care about the fate of Oliviah is testament to the writing and craftsmanship on view – bring on issue 8.
