Star Wars: The High Republic #9
THE HIGH REPUBLIC
THE SHADOW OF THE NIHIL
CHAPTER I: Jedi No More
The Nihil have struck! The Republic Fair on Valo, intended to be a celebration of unity and progress, has been razed to the ground. Thousands are dead.
While the attack was underway, Marshal Avar Kriss was leading the charge against the insidious Drengir on Mulita, but the Drengir blight was a feint to keep the Jedi of Starlight Beacon from rushing to Valo’s aid.
Now, months later, the Jedi have been charged with chasing down the Nihil wherever they run. The response is being masterminded by Jedi Council Member Stellan Gios, but passions are running high, even among the Order’s finest. The Nihil are on the run, but they are not yet defeated….
Writer: Cavan Scott
Penciller: Ario Anindito
Inker: Mark Morales, Victor Olazaba, Sean Parsons, Marc Deering
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Colorist: Annalisa Leoni
Cover artist: Phil Noto
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: September 1, 2021
One of the exciting elements of a new era like The High Republic are the subtle tweaks and differences from what we know so well in the Prequel, Original and Sequel trilogy eras. Familiar but just different enough to justify such an expansive new venture, the story so far has introduced a broad cast of diverse characters that fans have got to know well over the past few months, all leading up to the pipebomb of The Rising Storm, a story that blew people away…literally, if you were a character unfortunate enough to be on Starlight Beacon when the Nihil attacked. That said, things move fast in the world of The High Republic and here in issue 9 we take as bold a leap as any we’ve taken thus far in this era as we open with Wayseeker Orla Jareni scanning the Soola system looking for Nihil and finding them as a Stormship appears behind her, weapons hot and disabling her vessel as we learn Keeve Trennis and Terrec are in command of the Nihil ship.
It’s here that we take a step back in time as we see the Jedi Council convene, the Nihil on the back foot but their leadership hierarchy unknown to the Jedi. Lourna Dee is believed dead, but Avar Kriss understands that Nihil forces are grouping in the Soola system. She wants to divert forces and resources to check it out, but Stellan Gios disagrees. That triggers Keeve, who points out their huge losses, how the Nihil seeded the Drengor to keep Jedi forces from Starlight so they could attack, and how they need to act. She is chastised for speaking out, but after all they’ve been through she felt she had to speak.
Back to the now and the Jedi Starcruiser Ataraxia appears, ordering the Stormship commanded by Keeve to stand down and launching Vectors led by Master Sskeer. A firefight ensues, and in the melee a Vector is destroyed until another Nihil vessel appears, latches on and sweeps the Stormship away, and here it’s confirmed that Keeve and Terrec are on their own, clearly part of a plan by Kriss. Naturally, it can’t be that easy, andso Keeve has to prove she is a full-blooded Nihil, standing her ground not like a Jedi but as a Nihil, something she does until her loyalty is challenged – she is told to kill the captured Myarga the Hutt who Keeve had fought alongside against the Drengir.
No surprises here, the art team have this series purring like a kitten and Cavan Scott is locked into such a rich vein of creativity that everything he touches right now feels connected and expandable. I want to know more about the Hutts of the time and curious regarding the naming of squadrons as ‘Drifts’, and other issues have raised similar queries. Fingers crossed we get sourcebooks based on the era in books and comics, to expand on such questions, but as far as The High Republic #9 goes, it’s another winner.
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #10 (Cover A Tolibao) @ ForbiddenPlanet.com
