The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight #2
“A RESONANCE OF HOPE”
Centuries before the Clone Wars or the Empire, during the glorious era of THE HIGH REPUBLIC, the Jedi were at their height.
The galaxy was at peace until dangerous marauders known as the NIHIL caused THE GREAT DISASTER. Their attack on the Jedi and the Republic reached its peak with the destruction of STARLIGHT BEACON, a space station meant to symbol hope and unity.
Now, the Jedi have been recalled to Coruscant, fearful of the Nihil and the monstrous creatures they possess….
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Marika Cresta
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Colorist: Guru-eFX
Cover artist: Phil Noto
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Release Date: November 8, 2023
The first issue of Shadows of Starlight did a grand job of detailing the past year of the Jedi in the months since the fall of Starlight Beacon, and the second issue opens in the midst of the disaster as we’re on Eiram, looking into the dark skies as the beacon falls and we see Elzar Mann and Avar Kriss reunite, fearing for each others safety and revieved the other is ok. We see them shortly thereafter at a relief camp as they mourn the loss of Stellan Gios, remembering their younger days as Elzar thinks to Bell Zettifar and his own pain at the loss of the wookiee Burryaga. Elzar believes Avar may well be offered Stellans place on the council, but she disagrees, pointing to the steaming hulk of Starlight Beacon that she believes was her responsibility. She explains her failures, why the loss of the station and of Stellan fall on her, and why the only song she can hear is one of her own failure. Elzar reminds her how they have been recalled to Coruscant, but she has no intention of going, instead planning to head into the galaxy to challenge the Nihil.
We switch to Coruscant, a week after the fall as Elzar has returned, explaining why Avar has not and we see her heading into Nihil Space as a young Padawan runs in to the temple to tell the news of a new Nihil initiative called the Stormwall, which not only blocks ships but communications, blocking off a huge chunk of the Outer Rim. Avar watches a message from Nihil leader Marchion Ro, who welcomes all listeners to the Nihil and warns those who resist of the consequences. Avar now has her target, and we return to Coruscant ten days after the fall as Elzar continues to send a message out to Avar, to no avail. It’s something that he could easily do with a pre-recorded message, and he agrees as he states that he is a Jedi, and the Force is with him.
Two months later we’re on Allard, in the Occlusions Zone as Avar aims for a local township to restock supplies and watches from high above as a Nihil strongarms the populace into siding with the Nihil and turning in the Jedi, and a further two months later we watch Elzar as he creates a tythonic resonator which he hopes will cut through the Stormwall and get a message to Avar. She has made allies on Allard who are helping her with supplies as she plots against the Nihil, but their relief is short-lived as a Nihil fleet arrives. Just at that moment, Elzar can almost break through to sense her in her moment of needs, but the resonator explodes and as he bemoans its failure, we see Avar look down on the township as it’s laid to ruin by the Nihil.
Another three months later and Elzar is at the Stormwall, preparing to circumnavigate the wall and enter via hyperspace, and just as he’s about to pul the lever, Stellan Gios’ droid ForFive pulls Stellan’s lightsaber and slices through the lever, instead handing him the far safer Tythonic resonator, which he has rebuilt. Inside the zone on Allard we see Avar and learn that she has been there 200 days, unable to help the locals as the Nihil have attacked and not hearing the song of the Force as she used to. Clearly tired, she suddenly hears Elzar and instinctively she raises her green blade, alerting the Nihil who attack and telling the people of Allard that the Jedi are always there for them, and we end as Elzar is fired up and more determined than ever to break through and help his friend.
We’re really racing through the timeline here, giving a brief overview of what’s been happening in the previous year and setting up the ‘now’ of phase three, and as quick and brief as it is, it works very effectively. This is a galaxy buckling at the knees, and as the Nihil lockdown their area of the Outer Rim (which area is unknown at the moment) and Avar finds a spark of hope after months of living on the run, the title is primed to really take off in issue 3. One small observation is the artwork, specifically Elzar Mann who appears to change from page to page. Sometimes he’s dark-skinned and clean shaven, then the next page (admittedly months later) unshaved with a different hair cut and skin tone, but in similar clothes. It’s jarring, especially considering there’s only one artist working on the title, so unless these are supposed to be two different characters and there’s been a creative misommunication, there seems to be an error here. Despite that, it’s a gripping read from Charles Soule that draws you in and only underlines the perilous situation the Jedi, Republic and galaxy are in.
