Star Wars Yoda (2023) #2
LIGHT AND LIFE
PART TWO: THE RAID
It is the time of the High Republic. On a distant world, far from the Core, a peaceful group of villagers known as the Scalvi come under attack from vicious Crulkon raiders.
Legendary Jedi Master Yoda travels to defend the village, making the shocking decision to stay with the Scalvi for as long as it takes to secure peace….
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Nico Leon
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Dono Sánchez-Almara
Cover artist: Phil Noto
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: December 28, 2022
We’re back in the era of The High Republic for the second issue of Yoda, but older fans will be right back in September 1978 when they first see the Wheel, a classic Marvel location brought back to prominence in recent years by Cavan Scott. Here, we find Yoda meeting with his fellow Jedi Masters – a while after he first relocated to Turrak – and see his new priorities, learning to play a small musical instrument called a Taratti and it would appear staying as far away from the hustle and bustle of Coruscant responsibility as possible. He returns to the planet after a few days, where he’s greeted by Bree and learns that the watchtower that was mid-construction when he left is now almost complete, but not before one of the builders looses their footing and knocks a pile of wooden panels off, forcing Yoda to intervene using his ‘magic’. The Scalvi are somewhat frustrated that he refuses to use the Force to help them build, and their bickering after the incident continues as we see the Council wonder why Yoda now returns to Turrak rather than back to the Jedi Temple. Clearly he feels his work is not yet complete.
While still squabbling, the Crucklon attack, entering the village via the forest and avoiding the scope of the watchtower. Yoda is nowhere to be seen as they defend themselves, losing until Bree activates a sonic weapon that sends their enemy fleeing. Finding Yoda’s lightsaber, they believe he’s been taken by the Crucklon and prepare to rescue him as we cut to the Crucklon platform where Yoda is indeed being held captive, silent as the Cricklon demand he help them like he helped the Scalvi, who arrive with weapons including his lightsaber and free Yoda. Here they learn that Yoda is there to free the Crucklon children held in misery, Bree turns the saber on the Crucklon, killing a warrior as Yoda groans ‘Bree…No…‘.
A fascinating issue, it’s a journey for Yoda as we learn he’s clearly been on Turrak for a good while, as well as refusing to use his powers to help them. The Scalvi frustration at that is evident, and it certainly makes the reader pause as the inevitable moment looms while Yoda – as you could argue he does again centuries later during the Clone Wars – watches while it happens. It feels like the era of The High Republic is as much designed to tell a compelling story as it is to show how and why the arrogance of the Jedi inflated a cost that was paid by the whole galaxy, and with the team of Cavan Scott and Nico Leon at the helm making it such an attractive read and the cover of the third issue – Phil Noto smashing it on covers as always – promising another intriguing encounter, this is well worth the time and cost.
