Journey to an Even Longer Time Ago in Star Wars: The High Republic #1!

Padawan Keeve Trennis faces her Jedi Knight Trial in an even longer time ago in a galaxy equally far far away. This debut is written by Cavan Scott, art by Ario Anindito, inked by Mark Morales, colored by Annalisa Leoni, and lettered by Ariana Maher.

Dan McMahon: Star Wars is something that has been a part of my life since my birth. Most of my longest friendships have been born from the love of the series. As I write this, I am looking at the Star Wars figures on my desk. I will say though that my biggest obsessions in Star Wars were never the Jedi but rather the scum and villainy of the Outer Rim. The High Republic may change that though since the cast of Jedi is so much more diverse and interesting in this era.

For this series, I needed the right writing partner. I needed someone that I knew would be handy with a lightsaber and I had a connection with through the force. That’s why I am lucky to be joined by my brother, Jake McMahon. Talk to me about Star Wars and how you’re feeling heading into The High Republic?

Jake McMahon: Oh how I love Star Wars, especially the Jedi Knights. I remember seeing the Phantom Menace on VHS at four years old— amazed by the fight between Obi-wan and Darth Maul. So when The High Republic line was announced as taking place before the Prequel Trilogy I knew I was going to get the Jedi at their peak. That is something I have not gotten to see much outside of Legends stories, and it is great to get to experience it again.

A New Era

DM: The High Republic is a pretty big deal as it’s the first time since Disney has taken over the franchise that we are getting a fully fleshed out time period that is debuting in prose and comics. The time period is roughly 200 years before the Phantom Menace so the galaxy is much different than we are used to seeing. The Galaxy is at peace which is unusual because the series relies so heavily on the idea of a light and dark side. The Republic rules the galaxy and it’s protected by the Jedi Knights. How do you feel about this setting in comparison to the other periods, Jake?

JM: I love it compared to other time periods, there is something regal to the Jedi in this period, but a dangerous swagger as well. They aren’t just wearing robes but armor as well. During the Clone Wars the Jedi wore armor similar to the Clone Troopers out of solidarity, but it was phased out as public opinion turned on the Jedi for their role in the war. But the High Republic armor is crafted and flashy compared to the Clone War era, minus the Temple Guards, who wear old armor from previous periods. They really come across as Knights rather than a religious sect in this, sort of like Paladins.

DM: They also have their “leathers” which are more battle ready but they also have these beautiful designed gowns that we see during a ceremony at the end of the issue. Getting to see the Jedi as more of knights as you said is so interesting. In the Clone Wars, they really are just commanders but here they feel more like heroes. They don’t have full battalions with them always but rather one another. Each has their own unique style and lightsaber instead of a frumpy brown robe which we see later in the galaxy. They really are more fashionable in some sense that people around the galaxy idolize them instead of see them as soldiers.

The Trial of Keeve

JM: In this issue we meet Keeve, a foul mouthed padawan turned foul mouthed Jedi Knight with a ton of courage and short patience. When we first meet her, she is being seemingly tested in a trial to become a Jedi Knight. Throughout her trial, she is annoyed by local inhabitants and thrown off by interstellar insects called the Ridadi, but despite these setbacks, she manages to find a solution to the problems at hand and avert disaster. So the Ridadi and Keeve conflict is super cool for two reasons. It shows how the Starlight Beacon’s signal is affecting wildlife in space and how they affect the planet. The other reason being Keeve uses the force to connect with the bugs and see what’s going on, and that’s one of my favorite force abilities. Her master on the other hand is a different story, he is an imposing Trandoshan with one arm. How do you feel about Master Sskeer, Dan?

DM: Sskeer is the thing I have been most excited for in this series. I love Trandoshans a lot, I honestly love lizard people in all of fiction. Trandoshans have always been portrayed as violent hunters in Star Wars, but that isn’t the vibe I get from Sskeer. He honestly is a lot more stoic and seems to do things his own way. At one point, he asks Keeve if she is scared and she retorts with some generic Jedi indoctrination babble. His response is “There is also sssuch a thing as rhetoric. A Jedi does more than sssimply parrot ancient lore” which has stuck with me. From the start, it’s clear that he hasn’t been communicating with the rest of the Jedi as they want to know where he has been. Both of these things say to me that he isn’t one for sticking by these regurgitated Jedi babble but rather truly exploring what it means to be a Jedi. We see that his methods are even more unorthodox when we learn that he knew that the Ridadi would interrupt her trial and make her think on her feet. How did you feel about him doing that?

JM: I thought it was a smart move on his part to keep her in the dark for her trial. If she had known the challenges ahead she would have prepared more, but you can not guarantee everything going as planned. Expecting the unexpected is just an important quality for anyone. The whole situation just helps show how qualified Keeve is to be a Jedi Knight.

For Life and Light

DM: The Jedi are helping to get the Starlight Beacon set up in the Outer Rim. Essentially it’s a beacon of hope for the people out there that law and order are coming. As we don’t know much about the Republic of this era, I can’t be sure if this is a legitimate thing or a scare tactic. The Outer Rim is notorious for all sorts of unsavory types looking to survive by any means necessary. Putting a big space station out there with Jedi enforcers could either be a power play or they are legitimately trying to inspire hope. The Starlight Beacon is just the Justice League Watchtower but for Jedi. Jake, what did you think of the Beacon itself and the Jedi we meet on it?

JM: I totally dig the Starlight Beacon as a concept and agree with Watchtower comparison, just add a little bit of high fantasy and Oa to it. As for the Jedi on it, I am interested to see more of Master Kriss and how she got to being the marshall of the Beacon. Jedi Maru working the computers is why I brought up Oa because anyone surrounded by computers like that reminds me of Green Lantern Salaak. Most importantly we get the Grandmasters of the Order Veter and the legendary Yoda. Veter is a wise looking character. Yoda, 200 years younger, has a confidence about him akin to Mace Windu. He has that dangerous swagger I mentioned and I’m excited to see if we see his transition to the Yoda we all know and love.

DM: I think I am most excited to see more of the politics of it all. The Outer Rim is never a place where people truly want to be ruled by anyone. Even the Empire at its height had troubles truly keeping the Outer Rim as “tame” as they would have liked. Having a battalion of Jedi out there is going to cause some real tension and that is something I am really hoping gets explored. I love the political side of Star Wars and here’s hoping we get some aggressive negotiations.

DM: I am about a quarter of the way through Light of the Jedi which is the prose novel that kicks off this era. Reading prose is a lot harder for me due to some memory loss issues. Getting to pick this up with it’s incredible art by Ario Anindito, Mark Morales, and Annalisa Leoni got me so much more excited to dig into this new sandbox of Star Wars. Being able to put names to faces is a huge aid for me as a reader. Cavan Scott’s witty writing feels like that particular brand of Star Wars charm that I really love. I cannot wait to see what is next for these Jedi.

JM: I am about zero pages through Light of the Jedi because I do not have it, but I am excited to put my ADHD to the test to read it and the rest of this new era of Star Wars as it comes out. I wonder when I will be able to buy myself a Sskeer action figure to put next to my little BD-1 figure.

Cantina Banter

Do you think our editors will crikking bleep us for Star Wars expletives?
Kriff I crikking hope not.
Avar Kriss has big 13th Doctor vibes and I will not be accepting questions about that at this point.
Where can I get myself a Vector starfighter?