This article contains mild spoilers for Star Wars: Yoda #2.
Is Yoda becoming too attached? Some of the Jedi Council members think so.
In the second issue of Star Wars: Yoda (2022), the green Jedi returns to the Outer Rim planet of Turrak to continue aiding the Scalvi, a peaceful purple people. After the evil Crulkon continued to raid their village in Yoda #1, he stayed to live among them and teach them how to better defend themselves. But is his work really unfinished, or is he possibly becoming too attached?
Yoda #2 is a prime example of how to do a second issue right. A continuation of a compelling story with an important plot reveal at the end ensures that readers will want to see the truth behind the Crulkon’s raids. Not to mention the stunning art!
Writer Cavan Scott once again manages to endear readers to the newly introduced Scalvi with their willingness to protect each other and their village. Yoda is just as cute as ever, spending a good part of the issue learning how to play a small instrument called a taratti. (It seems like innate musical talent is one skill the grandmaster does not possess.)
The story moves forward at a pace that keeps us engaged the entire time, and for once Yoda is the one in trouble. I actively gasped out loud, twice in quick succession, at the end of this issue. Scott presents new information that could change everything we thought we knew so far. Keeping the reader’s attention until the very end of the issue is the mark of a masterful storyteller.
The art by Nico Leon and color by Dono Sanchez-Almara is once again entirely captivating. The Crulkon are perfectly hideous with their hulking red forms and dagger-like teeth. (And with a surprising close-up of some alien abs.) The action sequences are all irregularly shaped panels and blurred backgrounds, placing us right into the middle of the fight. The onomatopoeia is perfect too; I can hear every THAKK and WTOK. (I felt that KLU-KLINK of Bree’s gun in my soul.)
There also seemed to be some hints at what’s to come for The High Republic. One of our protagonists, Bree, uses an “activator” to fend of the Crulkon with what seems to be a sonic attack. Afterwards, Bree mentions that he got the idea from a story that Yoda told about what happened on Dalna. Since Dalna is quite an important planet for Phase II, maybe we’ve been given a peek into a battle we’ll see soon!
Looking back at the first issue, these flashbacks of Turrak are supposed to be helping Yoda reflect on the idea of patience. The Jedi Council is under the impression that Yoda has been remaining on Turrak because of attachment, but perhaps he’s just been patient in the Force’s reason for bringing him to the planet in the first place. Sadly, we’ll have to wait until the next installment to finally get the answer.
In the meantime, I’ll be thinking about that adorable panel of Yoda playing the taratti on a thatched roof.
Star Wars: Yoda (2022) #3 will release on January 25, 2023.
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