Review: Star Wars The High Republic Adventures #5

Star Wars The High Republic Adventures is a vital, fascinating look at the divide of the Jedi and Nihil from the perspective of children at each side. Writer Daniel Jose Older has also used this story to make an incredible statement on the nature of war with the children Zeen and Krix becoming warriors on opposite sides of the conflict simply because of the nature of their birth.

Zeen, born with Jedi powers, has been scooped up by the Jedi and coached in the use of her powers even though they state she is too old for formal training. Krix, resentful and jealous of Zeen’s true nature has fallen in with the Nihil and is pulled into joining them simply because he has no other place. The story reminds us that circumstances breed conflict and although the Jedi are clearly rooted in good and the Nihil clearly in evil, it’s easy to understand what attracts Krix to the Nihil ways once he loses his best friend.

All of this occurs against the backdrop of the Jedi arriving on the Junk Moon of Ord Manteel to face down Marchion Ro and his Nihil army. Harvey Tolibao has created such detailed, astonishing art throughout this arc. Here he gets an art assist and it shows in some of the less detailed smaller moments. This issue continues the trend of spectacular art in the larger moments though, especially a scene where the Jedi take on a massive Savrip.

As the Jedi battle, Zeen crash lands just near where Krix awaits. Rather than helping his friend, Krix takes the cowards way and flees back to the Nihil. The Jedi meanwhile meet Elder Tromak who normally hates Jedi, but given the Nihil threat on his world and his previous knowledge of Yoda, he takes Yoda on a quest to in the Stygmarn system to find a sacred artifact.

Zeen confronts Krix for his betrayals in leading her into a trap and begins to let her anger take over before her friends help her realize this is not the Jedi way. The Nihil pick Krix up before make an epic escape in a massive spider-like destroyer. The issue ends with Zeen gaining permission to learn from and stay with the Jedi and Krix gaining a command position with the Nihil. They have each found their families, torn apart by circumstances.

The morality of fighting a war isn’t emphasized here, telling sides of the conflict from the perspective of kids makes war itself feel unnecessary. War is often unjustified on all sides, but it seems odd to have that be the case here when the other High Republic books seem to cast this as a much more traditional conflict between good and evil. That being said it’s likely that the story of Zeen and Krix is not over and perhaps this theme will be explored more here as well as elsewhere in the High Republic stories.

It’s great seeing Yoda thriving in a very different era, and it’s also great to have the opportunity to get to know the other Jedi in greater detail both visually and in terms of who they are as characters. The hope is that future issues will shine the light a bit more on characters like Lula, Qort, Farzala, Kantam Sy and the perfectly named Buckets of Blood. The High Republic has given us so many characters at such a quick pace that we need more time to focus on some of these background characters in more detail. The worry is that the creators will just keep throwing new characters at us rather than letting all those we have met thus far breathe.

This series has been some of the best Star Wars tales we’ve seen in both the story-telling and the art, giving us a visually amazing and character centered view of the central conflict of the High Republic between the Nihil and the Jedi. It will be fascinating to see how this conflict and these characters shift moving forward.

Writing: 4.6 of 5 stars
Art: 4.0 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.5 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.4 of 5 stars

Writer: Daniel Jose Elder
Art: Harvey Tolibao, Pow Rodrix, Manuel Bracchi
Colors: Rebecca Nalty
Publisher: IDW Publishing

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.