Review: Shadows of Starlight 1: We are not hunters

WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS for The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight 1.

This week in Star Wars comics saw the release of a brand-new miniseries from Marvel — and the grand return of The High Republic publishing initiative.

Written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Ibraim Roberson and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and published by Marvel Comics, Star Wars The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight 1 takes place throughout the year following the fall of Starlight Beacon and the Nihil’s victory over the Republic and the Jedi.

This issue features Yoda formulating — and attempting to begin executing — his plan to save the galaxy. Hundreds of years later, most are still searching for the home planet of the Nameless. Unfortunately, the Jedi Master’s plan isn’t going to go exactly the way he hopes.

The implications of the imminent transition from the Jedi Order of the “golden age” to the one we know from the prequel era are strong here. Chancellor Lina Soh wants the Jedi to take part in the effort to defeat the Nihil — but the masters warn her that Jedi “are not hunters.” They’re protectors.

Flash forward a few hundred years, and we’ll be at the point where the Jedi still holding on to this philosophy will finally give in to the seemingly greater needs of the Galactic Republic.

Azlin Rell skyrockets the stakes for this series. This isn’t just a collection of stories to hold High Republic fans over until Phase III kicks off on November 14. While I don’t like to label Star Wars stories as “essential reading” — because not everyone can or prefers to consume comics, and there’s nothing wrong with that — already it’s clear this is meant to set up a lot of what we’re going to get in The Eye of Darkness and beyond.

Comics are a huge part of what ties The High Republic together, and we’ll do our best to provide recaps to help you keep up with everything that’s going on leading up to and during Phase III. Already, it’s looking like the final phase of this initiative is going to be worth the wait.

The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight 1 is available now wherever you get your Star Wars comics.

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