Published: April 26, 2006
Writer: John Jackson-Miller
Artist: Brian Ching
Colourist: Michael Atiyeh
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Cover Artist: Travis Charest
The synopsis;
On the run and desperate to clear his name, fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick guides his ragtag crew of scoundrels toward a treacherous asteroid moon, returning to the site of a significant moment in his Jedi training and to what he hopes will reveal the reason the entire Republic seems out to get him. The answers only lead to more riddles, however, and before they can fully interpret the information they’ve stumbled upon, the band of outcasts are assailed by yet another threat. And perhaps most surprising of all, their party grows by one as a new character enters the fray!
The review;
When their ship, the Last Resort, becomes practically dead in space, with the authorities swiftly catching up, it takes some quick engineering to save Zayne Carrick and Gryph Halloran from being arrested. However, even jury-rigging won’t save the hyperdrive, so the two are stuck in the system. In order to learn more about the treacherous Jedi Masters plot, Zayne decides to visit a place close to Taris – the Rogue Moon – where he and his Jedi Padawan classmates were all together for what would be the last time.
Knights of the Old Republic #4 is a very dialogue-driven issue and reads quite like a detective story. Zayne is the not-so-master sleuth trying to fit together clues like a puzzle, attempting to get everything to focus into a clear picture. At the same time Gryph then acts as the sidekick, asking the questions the reader wants answered, which helps the story to make sense. Solving mysteries is quite unusual in Star Wars storytelling, so this comic is a very refreshing read.
However, no good detective story would be complete without a plot twist, and Knights of the Old Republic #4 has a pretty big one. Desperate for the Jedi to learn the truth so his name can be cleared, Zayne contacts his former mentor, Master Vandar, on Dantooine. Yes, Dantooine; that famous planet from Episode IV and which fans recently got to see in Star Wars: Resistance Season 2. Master Vandar is Zayne’s only hope, but he doesn’t believe the former Padawan and even suggests that Zayne may have had his mind altered by the Dark Side.
Now this is where things get really interesting. Master Vandar says Zayne would benefit from seeking out a Jedi Consular, who are specialists in using the Force on a cerebral level. They are healers, researchers and can see into the future. Consulars can even probe minds. Does that sound familiar? It should, because it’s the same power as wielded by Kylo Ren and Maul, although here during the time of the Old Republic it is not being used as a Dark Side power. This might now be classed as Legends, but it would be very interesting if over time some ways of using the Force had become outlawed by the Jedi, relegated to Dark Side users only. What Force powers will be acceptable, or maybe forbidden, during the time of the High Republic? Will fans see the return of the Grey Jedi?
With chases in space, an asteroid field, flashbacks and a comm call, Knights of the Old Republic #4 could have felt a very disjointed or jarring comic. It never does though because Cheng’s artwork just feels so Star Wars – there’s an asteroid field, inside the Last Resort is as messy (if not messier) than the Falcon, and Master Vandar is the same species as Yoda. Another thing tying this issue together is the colour palette by Atiyeh. Extremely cleverly, all the different locations and times use some hue of blue, whether it’s a characters’ cloak or a hologram or the star-fields of space, blue features throughout, and connects, all the panels.
Although most of the comic feels familiar within the Star Wars universe, the ominously named Rogue Moon is a really unique location. It’s a barren wasteland bombarded by a never-ending assault of asteroids. To make the world even more alien, Zayne has to wear a spacesuit that only reveals part of his face, so his emotions are obscured as he makes some shocking discoveries. If all of this wasn’t foreboding enough, the panel right at the end is like the wrath of avenging angels descending from the skies.
Knights of the Old Republic #4 is starting to bring all the pieces together, allowing readers to form in their minds what they think maybe the motivations for the Jedi Masters’ betrayal. It’s highly likely though that Jackson-Miller will throw in a few more plot twists before this arc is over. The net is tightening around Zayne now, but will it pull closed or can he slip free? Is there any piece of evidence he can find on the Rogue Moon that he could use to clear his name?
Availability;
The original Dark Horse Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series ran from 2006 to 2010, encompassing 50 issues. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #4 is currently available in digital format via the Marvel App, comiXology or by subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. A physical copy can be found in one of the many trade paperback releases from Marvel. Please check with Amazon UK and US or your local comic bookstore for availability.
