Published: February 23, 2022
Writer: Daniel Jose Older
Artist: Harvey Tolibao
Colourist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jake M. Wood
Assistant Editor: Riley Farmer
Editor: Heather Antos
Cover Artist: Harvey Tolibao
The synopsis;
Join Daniel José Older and Harvey Tolibao in this emotional finale to phase one of The High Republic Adventures!
With their latest mission behind them, the Padawan face their greatest challenge yet: the future. Farzala and Qort are ready to take the next steps, but Lula can’t shake her emotions, as is the Jedi way. She’s been trained for battle, for diplomatic relations, for rescue missions… she was never trained for a heart that aches for more. Through it all, though, they are guided by wise words of the Jedi: for light and for life.
The review;
All good things must come to an end, unfortunately that means my favourite Star Wars comic series, The High Republic Adventures, is here with its final issue. From the very start, this has been a series that has been something special, with incredible writing, incredible insights and incredible artwork. It has weaved its way through The High Republic era while maintaining a true sense of Star Wars throughout it. Not only that, but the insights that Older has shown us of the Force are some of the truest I have ever read, rating them up there with Luca and Filoni. For a last issue, I wonder what Older and Tolibao have in store for their final farewell…
With everything with The High Republic publications is a question of when? When should you read this, how does it fit into the larger story? At the moment, I am reading Midnight Horizon, which is occurring concurrently with this issue. I’m glad I’ve read this issue first, although having read the first part of the book, I can see how both fit perfectly together (and makes me more excited to see how Midnight Horizon ends!). This just illustrates one of the great things of this project, how everything has been planned and executed to perfection. The whole The High Republic era all works so well together, between series, books, mini-series, this is many stories that are contributing to the overall story.
We started to the series focusing on Zeen and Krix. Older comes back to these two, closing the chapter on them and their relationship. Looking at the very first issue, this should have been the massive blow out conclusion, to finally have captured Krix, but it’s not. It is something far better. It’s almost a throwaway scene and that is so important that it is. Krix has been the main villain of this series for so long, with Zeen blaming herself for Krix falling so far. Yet over the course of the series, Zeen has grown and matured, more importantly she has started to realise herself worth. She has been surrounded by positive people, positive thoughts and a positive community that have helped her to grow and reach her potential. She isn’t someone who has to blame herself needlessly for becoming what she was always meant to be. To have had a big blow up between her and Krix would have been to undo all that development, to become the girl she was at the start of the series. To have a scene like Older gives us, is to show just how far she has come, just how little Krix has a negative impact on her life. It is a small but profound moment for the character. For readers, it shows the power of positive influence and that we always have a choice of accepting or rejecting the negative influences that can have such a detrimental impact on our lives.
The main character in this issue is Lula, who is filled with self-doubt. Like Zeen, she has gone through such growth and change. Older likes his comparisons: Zeen has been surrounded by people who have made her see her worth and given her a new path; Lula has a new positive influence on her life that makes her question her path. Lula questions whether it is right for her to be on the Jedi path. Having read some of Midnight Horizon, there are echoes here of her master. Which brings up something in this era that seems very different; Jedi have a choice. When becoming a Jedi in this era, padawans have freedom to explore, to make sure the path they are on is right for them. It puts pressure on them in some ways bit it also gives them the freedom to find their true path. From what we’ve seen in the movies, there is much less of a choice; if you’re a Jedi then that’s it. Why does that change? I can guarantee there is a reason for this. For Lula, who has always wanted to be a Jedi, she doesn’t now know if the path is right for her. When giving life lessons to younger readers, heck even older readers, it’s always important to follow your gut, with what feels right. Older shows that even when the end goal is in sight, it’s still ok to change to a new path, to follow a new goal.
Older isn’t providing insights on the Force in this issue, but on life as a whole! You think providing two important life lessons would be enough, but he just doesn’t stop. Lula has kept a secret; one she doesn’t know if she wants to share because of the consequences. However, we see that when she does, there is relief, that it releases her from the strain of having to keep a secret for so long. Of course, this secret is her feelings for Zeen, which brings me onto another point: the relationship between Zeen and Lula. The early reboot of Star Wars canon was plagued with what felt like the ‘forced’ homosexual character that was placed that for the sake of being there. On a few occasions was it done right (Doctor Aphra I’m looking at you!). Older has placed characters here where their sexuality isn’t a focus, is never questioned and fits beautifully into the story, exactly how it should be. The questions are from a padawan having to debate whether these feelings are right for someone in the order, as opposed to anything else. It’s how it should be and Older handles it so well. It’s a tremendous love story about to people from two different paths.
Lula is the main focus, but even within her story are lots of little moments that just help wrap up the story. Like true Star Wars, there are quiet moments that allow us to have a breath. As you can see, there is a lot that Older is able to place into the final issue and the breaths are very welcome. We saw Qort talking with a new padawan, Zint. A page of barely any recognisable words, yet the artwork by Tolibao says it all. It’s a light, fun-filled moment that pulls at the heartstrings. Like the saga, it shows the start of a new cycle. And when Buckets of Blood shows up? Pure magic! Older also draws on the original Clone Wars series with quotes for knighting (oh how I cried out with joy). It is these moments that Older has given us throughout the series, which really help to keep everything light but also provide some of the most memorable parts. They are character moments that really stay with you.
The artwork here is, as always, a joy to behold. Tolibao knows what he’s doing. The movement between panels, the pacing of the story, you are instantly sucked into this story and not let out until it’s over. Most importantly here is the sheer emotion on the characters’ faces that has to convey so much. Tolibao manages this with ease!
The final issue and you’d expect a bang, a final battle between the hero and the villain. Older provides something so much better, an emotional explosion, of seeing how the journey has changed our heroines. It’s not the ending I would have expected but it is so much better. It doesn’t have some huge insight into the Force but focuses on the character and the insights into life that she has figured out. It is the ending that this series deserves, and it shows just how well thought and written this issue is. Older does an incredible job of giving these characters a true farewell. Accompanied by Tolibao, these two can do no wrong. This issue, and this series, has everything that a Star Wars series should. It is easy to get all the ingredients, to follow the recipe and have a finished story. But to have something that has always felt like Star Wars, that provides insights that you could have sworn must have come from George Lucas himself, to have characters that make you care and, most importantly, lessons that make you reflect on your own life, that is something truly special. I am sad to see this series end, but I can’t help but think that having gone out on this much of a high is the right thing to do. This series is a template of how to do a Star Wars series right, of how to use what has come before and turn it into something new and exciting. And like Lula says, this isn’t the end but the beginning, I’m sure this is not the last we shall see of these characters.
Availability;
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures is an ongoing series available from IDW Publishing. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available from all good comic bookstores in the USA and from Forbidden Planet in the UK.
