Feasting on Fantasy: The High Republic Phase II: The Quest of the Jedi

Wow! After getting through the first phase of The High Republic, I was a bit skeptical that the second phase, The Quest of the Jedi, would be anywhere close to the same level of quality. I worried that abandoning our characters to explore the Easter Eggs strung around with vague references to Dalna and the promise to reveal more about the Nameless would feel like an unnecessary detour. I didn’t quite know how they were going to continue the theme of challenging the Jedi at their core.

Then I started reading.

I would argue that, taken as a whole, Quest of the Jedi as a phase succeeds and surpasses  Light of the Jedi. The unique format of leaning so heavily on the young adult novels, keeping the story contained, and the exploration of the different Force worshipping cultures made for an exciting journey. There are also only two waves, meaning it’s shorter and more concise. Now, as I will get to, there are a few pieces of media that don’t quite fit as well into the larger story, feeling like more content for the sake of content rather than contributing anything of substance. But, after reading this phase and seeing just how many details are paid off, I am confident that the material which seems irrelevant now will actually prove to quite crucial in the future. And with that, let’s get into it!

THE YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

I actually want to start with the young adult novels because they are the bookends of the phase, and they set in motion the most important elements of not only the story in the adult novels, but in many ways for the whole High Republic Project. The first book, Path of Deceit, introduces the Path of the Open Hand, a cult on the planet Dalna who believe that using the Force is abusing it. Moreover, their core belief concludes that if say a Jedi uses the Force to save 20 people, then that creates imbalance, and 20 others in the galaxy will die as a result. It’s an unfalsifiable thesis, and the cult members retrofit their experiences to fit their faith.

In this cult, the audience is introduced to Marda Ro- clearly an ancestor of the chief villain of phase one, Marchion Ro- a true believer in the cult who is also a species who experience discrimination and bigotry in the galaxy due to superstitions about their reputation. Marda wants do more for the Path like her cousin Yana who serves the recently anointed leader, The Mother. Marda also meets a Jedi padawan, and they instantly begin to form a relationship which tests their respective belief systems.

This is the strength of the second phase. By focusing on these larger debates, Quest of the Jedi explores the Force like no other story. It tests the assumptions of the readers and characters. And these are character driven stories. Marda Ro and Jedi Padawan Kevmo are fully-fleshed out people with their own emotional baggage. They make mistakes and both bristle at the Force-centered debates. All the while, the audience is clued in on the sense of dread as we begin to pick up on clues informed by what we know of the future. This is one of the few times that the prequel format works! The audience can maintain that suspense while the books that we’ve already read are recontextualized in new and exciting ways.

While the Path of Deceit ends in heartbreaking manner, it also begins to shine a light on the Nameless. That thread is picked up on the second novel, Path of Vengeance. As interesting as that mystery is, Path of Vengeance does something that is such a fantastic narrative device that it makes the book stand out as one of the best in the entire canon. The plot of the book actually takes us through the events of the entire phase, but from the perspective of Marda and Yana. It once again recontextualizes the material, including the comics, the adult novels, and the audio drama from the second phase to give the audience key revelations.

The book also furthers the story of Marda and Yana Ro by introducing the notion that they can hear and see ghosts of those they have loved and lost. It’s unclear whether these are real ghosts or the imagination of the two spurned by superstitions that their species can hear the ghosts of the people they’ve killed. Either way, I’ve started the next phase, and it looks like they may continue this with Marchion Ro, a great way to connect the past and the present.

You just can’t read Phase II: Quest of the Jedi without reading these young adult novels. The Jedi leads from Path of Vengeance are from the Marvel comics, so readers of those will certainly want to tune in for those developments as well as some interesting answers to questions from the first phase.  The origins of the Nihil capital ship The Gaze Electric, the lightning painting on the Nihil, the Nameless, and other details are specifically revealed in these books. It helps that they are both excellent reads with characters you can’t help but root for, even if you are hit by crushing disappointment by the end. The planet of Dalna and the Path of the Open Hand play such an important role in the story, and skipping these novels means you have an incomplete picture of the plot.

THE ADULT NOVELS

The two adult books wisely begin with smaller references to the Path of the Open Hand before climaxing in a giant battle with the cult in the second book. This allows the first novel, Convergence, to tell its own story and introduce a new set of characters. One of the most exciting aspects of these two books is that three of the main characters are not Jedi. The primary story in the adult novel focuses on the “Forever War” between neighboring planets E’ronoh and Eiram. Each has their own monarch system and culture, and a bond between the adopted prince of Eiram- Phan-tu Zenn- and the princess of E’ronoh begins to form. It’s not easy, since Princess Xiri A’lbaran is also a captain in the military. The two begin to try and forge the difficult path to peace.

They are helped along by Jedi Gella Nattai and a few others from the order as well as one of the Chancellors of the Republic. The other Chancellor sends her son, Axel Greylark, to keep an eye on things, and the story really picks up when he joins Xiri, Phan-tu and Gella. Axel is the scoundrel archetype, but he comes from a place of wealth and privilege, but also pain at losing his father and being estranged from his mother. He also has a distaste for Jedi and a flippant attitude, but bonds begin to form between Axel and the other three despite this.

And so the story is set for galactic spin on Romeo and Juliet, with far less romance (at first) between Xiri and Phant-tu and more practicality charged. But it all makes for a fresher romantic plot. So much of the first novel is about the peace process, so if you aren’t a fan of politics or romance, these books may not be for you. In my opinion, they were a breath of fresh air and crucial to the world-building that this phase needed. The path to peace between the two planets would take up a lot of time, taking the audience through the Battle of Jedha- chronicled in the audio drama and the comics- and even the second book as we realize that true peace is hard won.

The second book examines this fragile peace and the decisions of Axel Greylark made in the first novel. Not to get too heavily into spoiler territory, but Axel goes through some of the most profound changes of any character in the franchise. He starts out a disillusioned brat, but morphs into a fiercely loyal friend before self-sabotaging. This greatly tests Gella who has formed a tighter bond with Axel than maybe she cares to admit. Experiencing the journey is just one of the many highlights of The Quest of the Jedi.

The plot in the second book, Cataclysm, moves much faster than its predecessor. The set-up has been done, so the story can follow a more action-packed set of threads.  Several different pairs of Jedi- some from the audio drama, others from the first adult novel- end up on Dalna due to their separate investigations involving the Path of the Open Hand’s actions. One group for example is there to find out what role they played in the Battle of Jedha while another is there to figure out why they appear to involved in efforts to derail the peace process between Eiram and E’ronoh. They are unaware- as are readers unless they’ve read the books out of order- that other Jedi are also on the planet investigating the death of a Jedi on Dalna. The presence of these Jedi are revealed in Cataclysm but explained in the Path of Vengeance. In any case, things escalate on Dalna and the final battle is brutal and tragic. Likewise, Cataclysm does reveal how the battle plays out, but only Path of Vengeance explores what happened to the Path to make them so militant. In more ways than the first phase, the books and comics work in tandem to tell an epic yet concise story.

THE AUDIO DRAMA, MARVEL SERIES, AND SHORT STORIES

In Phase II: The Quest of the Jedi, there is a turning point that is most comprehensively explored in the audio drama aptly named The Battle of Jedha. Here, audiences finally get to experience Jedha in its prime as a hub for Force worshipers of all kinds. The drama opens with the battle starting before rewinding the clock days before to reveal all the moving parts and mysteries. Fans get another taste of Jedi Creighton Sun- featured heavily in the novels Convergence and Cataclysm. It’s another fantastic action set piece, as the moving parts on Jedha- the peace accords to be signed between Eiram and E’ronoh, the Path of the Open Hand’s presence, and other mysteries- converge, leading to bloodshed. Heck, we even catch glimpses of the family feud between the Grafs and the San Tekkas, two prospecting families paying big bucks for hyperspace lanes. There are also several other Jedi characters- like Master Silandra Sho- who get in on the investigation, and fans can follow these protagonists into other media. Unlike the audio drama in the first phase, this is required listening, although once again you might want the script book handy.

But if you can’t listen to the audio drama or read a script, the next best way to experience the Battle of Jedha is through the Marvel ongoing High Republic series. Here, fans get to see Jedha through the fresh eyes of Jedi Vildar Mac as he takes a new position on the planet. We also get to meet Jedis Matty Cathley and Oliviah Zeveron who would go on to become major protagonists in Path of Vengeance (written by Cavan Scott, the author of the ongoing Marvel High Republic series). Their main story begins with the investigation of actions taken by former Guardian of the Whills, Tey Sirrek who starts as a seeming antagonist but begins to worm his way into the heart of Mac. It’s another fun journey to take.

Of course, Mac, Tey, Matty and Oliviah are all drawn into the Battle of Jedha, and getting to see the key moments makes the comic series a must-read for those seeking to get a fuller picture of the battle. Indeed, the role of the Path of the Open Hand in the riots preceding the battle is explored to a much greater degree here, and the comic leads nicely to the book Path of Vengeance. In so many ways, the audio drama and the comic work together to build the middle act of the phase, and the two pieces of media work seamlessly.

Fans wanting a bit more of Jedha can also pick up the Tales of Enlightenment, another collection of short stories originally published in Star Wars Insider. In a hilarious twist, Enlightenment here does not simply refer to the principle, but also a taphouse on Jedha. The Church of the Force adjunct Keth Cerepath starts as our main character, but as his story evolves in the Battle of Jedha audio drama, the rest of the bar patrons take center stage. The final few stories make for an excellent epilogue to the battle, as the friends of Keth mourn their losses and celebrate their victories. The taphouse would be featured in the comic as well, so I would argue that these stories are central to the world-building regarding Jedha. It doesn’t hurt that they are pretty fun too!

THE JUNIOR NOVELS, STAR WARS ADVENTURES COMICS, AND MINISERIES

So, the junior novels this time around really don’t pay off too much in the core stories, but they will likely prove important to the future. They focus on padawan Rooper Natani whose master, Silandra Sho is known for carrying a laser shield along with her lightsaber. The two are part of the Republic Pathfinder teams looking to explore and provide assistance to the outer rim. It’s in these junior novels that the potential of this particular era of the High Republic are truly revealed- the freedom and adventure of space exploration makes the timeframe feel fresh and exciting. So while the story is a diversion from the larger threat of the Path of the Open Hand at first, it reveals key details about frequent Path collaborator Sunshine Dobbs and eventually, by the second book, sees our team thwart the Path’s scheme of shutting down/hacking the communications network in their sector of space.

The first of these, Quest for the Hidden City, is certainly the more irrelevant of the two, but it does introduce the notion of Planet X. This would be the planet revealed to be the home of the Nameless. It also shows off George Mann’s penchant for horror stories written for a younger audience. The second book, Quest for Planet X introduces an interesting compass-like device that I am sure will be seen again, and sees a Path member’s redemption arc as well, making it a bit more important to overall narrative. Additionally, we get a tamer look at the rivalry between the Grafs and the San Tekkas as we meet probably the first nice member of the Graf family, Sky Graf. Again the book has a sense of adventure, and has plenty of breadcrumbs teasing the readers on the events to come, but I am not sure I would say either is a must-read.

Likewise, the Star Wars Adventures ongoing series is rather irrelevant, although we briefly get to see the Battle of Jedha. But the entire book is about Jedi Sav Malagán as she finds her way onto an admittedly charming pirate crew led by Maz Kanata. While the first phase of Star Wars Adventures did feel appropriate for all ages, the second phase feels a bit more childish. The villains- a rival pirate group made up of Dark Force using losers- are not all that threatening, coming off like a children’s cartoon antagonist. But that’s kind of the point of the book, to provide a fun adventure for kids to explore this corner of the Star Wars universe. It’s probably why Maz Kanata is featured so heavily, since she is from the most recent Star Wars trilogy and thus a character younger fans are more likely familiar with.

I do think that some of these threads and characters will be picked up later, but as it stands, fans won’t miss out on much if they skip the series. If you do like Jedi Sav Malagán from the first phase, then obviously you’ll want to pick it up. Likewise, the miniseries The Blade is fine character study of the phase one legend Porter Engle. The Marvel comic is only four issues long, and it examines Porter’s relationship with his adopted sister and even provides a nice hint of threats to come. But the best reason to give the comic a whirl is that it is just so dang good. Porter Engle is the rule of cool come to life, a badass Jedi who is unparalleled in combat. It also fits in nicely with the junior novels in setting the scene for this era, as Jedi pour through requests of assistance, trying to find the best fit. It might not shed much light on the Path of the Open Hand or the Nameless, but it’s one of my favorite stories form the era.

The final miniseries would be under the Star Wars Adventures banner, The Nameless Terror. Reading this after the Path of Vengeance will provide a nice epilogue to that story, as a small crew of Path members carrying Nameless eggs crash lands, taking a pathfinding team with them. The story continues the story of Jedi Rok, last seen in the Quest for the Hidden City, so we get a nice sense of continuity. The books doesn’t shed new light on the monsters unfortunately, but it makes for an interesting mashup of Alien and Star Wars. It also has interesting framing device, as the story is being told by Ty Yorrick to her droid. This means part of the story is firmly in the first phase, leading to the third. Overall, it adds to Yorrick’s reputation as a monster hunter, and it’s a fun little story, though a bit of diversion.

THE ONE-SHOT, THE MANGA, AND TALES OF LIGHT AND LIFE

In many ways, the last bit of media in Phase II are more like epilogue pieces to various stories told in the phase. Well, except for the one-shot aptly titled The Quest of the Jedi (annoyingly not collected in any trade paperback at the moment). The bulk of the story takes place 100 years before second phase, meaning that we are traveling even further back into the past. Azlin Rell is trying to find more information about the two ancient rods which can control the Nameless, and he stumbles on a story of two Jedi who come upon a society dependent on a large gem seemingly imbued with the Force. The tale really feels ripped out of Arthurian legend, lending a unique vibe to the story. At the end the gem is shattered in two, hinting that either they are in the rods or perhaps somehow connected to the Nameless in some other way. It’s a tantalizing tease for sure, and yet another story that helps readers understand how the past and present connect.

The manga Edge of Balance: Precedent puts a nice bow on the entire story, wrapping up with the battle of Dalna, and the fate of Jedi Azlin Rell, survivor of the Nameless who actually catches one of their names- Shrii Ka Rai. Rell is clearly affected by the creatures, turning their name into a demented nursery rhyme that readers will recognize from the first phase. Precedent is also unique among the various pieces of media in that it has framing device set during the first phase, like The Nameless Terror. The core story does take place in the past, but that explanation is tied to the actions of the Nihil 150 years after Phase 2. It involves the Wookie Jedi Arkoff, seen in the first two volumes of the Edge of Balance, so we get a good reason why the story is being told through the focused manga label.  It’s a solid story, and fans who want to see the bridge between the first, second, and third phases will want to check it out.

If Precedent is truly the end of Phase II, then Tales of Light and Life is the coda. Collected in a hardback book, the stories here are longer than the ones told in Star Wars Insider, and they take place during all three phases. Axel Greylark’s youth, Marda Ro’s quest for more of her species, and Bell Zettifar’s journey to rescuing his best friends are all here, giving the book a sense of real variety. It also means that some stories are extremely crucial to the larger narrative while others simply provide insights into certain characters. It’s a great way to reset after reading the entirety of Phase II, and to get hyped about the final phase of the project.

THE HIGH REPUBLIC PHASE II: THE QUEST OF THE JEDI

In a lovely homage to the format of the Skywalker Saga, the High Republic dips back even further into the past to shine light on questions and characters seen in the first phase. It’s a bold move, a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. While several projects might not always tie in as tightly, the overall story is more concise and nuanced than Phase One. Because there are fewer characters, each one gets a bit more attention, and it’s much easier to get the relevant material since the whole phase is about the two-thirds the size of Phase One. The story of the war between Eiram & E’ronoh, the journey of Axel Greylark, the Battle of Jedha, the rise of Marda Ro, and the Night of Sorrow at Dalna all contribute to my favorite fantasy story set in the Star Wars Universe. Phase II: Quest of the Jedi takes the assumptions of the audience and continues to turn them upside down all while exploring the exciting new setting. Let’s hope Phase III: Trials of the Jedi can stick the landing!