Star Wars – The High Republic #6: A Jedi’s Strength Flows From The Force

This issue continues the foundation that the entire series has set. One of its main strengths is a designated location. Unlike many “Star Wars” comics, this series has managed to stay on one planet and the same city the entire time. This is important for world-building in this newer Phase of “The High Republic.” The setting of Jedah City is not only an essential location in general, but it becomes the central location of all the early Phase II “High Republic” stories. The city isn’t in each one, but it is at least mentioned as extremely important. The major battle began in earnest in the “Battle of Jedha” audio drama, but months before; this series had laid the groundwork beforehand as far as the setting goes. This series helped establish the Jedha of this era and the political climate of the time. This issue brings all that to a head on top of being a keystone story for the rest of Phase II.

The most notable thing about this series is the inclusion of the Guardians of the Whills, who operate out of Jedha. Fans will know the two last from the film Rogue One, who lived hundreds of years after these Guardians. Deep fans will know that their name tracks back as far as George Lucas’s original script for Star Wars. Except for a short kid’s novel, there hasn’t been too much backstory for the order. However, this series has focused heavily on them, seemingly in their prime. This particular issue hammers down how they differ from the Jedi. The two factions get to have some shared dialogue that outlines this. They almost even take the central spot in this issue as a good deal of it involves former Guardian Tey Sirreck standing off against them.

The character development is excellent in this issue. Readers will already know the Jedi characters, and they act as nobly as one would expect. The Guardians, however, are very new, and this issue does well to establish them further. Tey Sirreck gets to shine extra hard in this issue as well. The series makes audiences believe he is merely a thief, and he tricks Vidar Mac into thinking the same thing. Slowly it is revealed that he is quite the hero. This issue shows him in a heroic light and promises much more out of these characters further down the road. Vildar Mac also gets some time to be a hero. Seeing as this is a Marvel comic, it calls upon famous scenes of Spider-Man holding up an impossible load to bear as Master Mac holds back debris with The Force to keep beings from being crushed along with himself. Like the current “Star Wars” series, this issue had good art and color that merely gets overshadowed by the chaotic but uplifting tale it tells. Its impact on the larger saga as a whole is undeniable.