Between his Star Wars comics, novels, and audio dramas, few authors are as prolific in a galaxy far, far away as Cavan Scott. He is one the five original authors of Project Luminous, now better known as The High Republic, a multimedia publishing initiative that began in 2021 and is set to conclude in 2025. One of his many contributions is his tales in the short story collection Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Starlight Stories.
After reading Starlight Stories, which you can see our review here, we had the privilege to interview Scott about these stories, the collaborative process of creating the collection, along with teases for The High Republic's endgame. Check out our interview below:
Dork Side of the Force: Starlight Stories focuses on a wide range of new and familiar characters. How did you choose which characters to focus on and why?
Cavan Scott: Justina and I got together to come up with a core cast who could help expand life on Starlight Beacon. A second-in-command seemed the perfect choice as they would have pressures from both above and the staff they were managing. And, being Star Wars, the more troubled the backstory the better for each of them.
What was it like writing Starlight Stories while knowing that Starlight Beacon would eventually be destroyed?
Bittersweet. We loved that place, but it was always destined to crash and burn! We knew it from the very beginning.
I enjoyed Van Sarpo’s story in “Past Mistakes” and I know you mentioned that he was originally going to be in your Phase I The High Republic comics, but was cut to bring more focus to Keeve Trennis and Sskeer’s storylines. Can you tell us about what you’d like his role to have been in the comics, or if we might see him again before The High Republic ends?
Originally he was going to be a spacer hired by Starlight Beacon to help run missions back and forth, the quintessential Star Wars rogue in contrast to the Beacon Jedi, whose boyish charms would have proved a distraction for Keeve. But it soon became clear that his presence would have been a distraction from the larger story and so he was cut. I’m glad he found his way back to the Beacon in this story though!
The Rising Storm is my all-time favorite Star Wars novel, and your Phase I The High Republic comics are my all-time favorite run of Star Wars comics. Both these stories are unafraid to take dark turns and have devastating consequences while also never losing that sense of hope that is integral to Star Wars. How do you strike that difficult balance between hope and darkness?
Well, thank you! That’s incredibly gratifying to know. At heart, I always think of myself as a horror writer and the one thing horror needs is hope. It’s what keeps the characters going, the hope that they will escape the situation they’ve find themselves in.
As readers, we need to feel that hope as well, unless the story is completely nihilistic and that is definitely not what Star Wars is about.
To me, Star Wars is always a reminder that, yes, darkness is always there, waiting in the shadows to creep back in, but there is always light to hold it at bay. Even one light is enough to hold back the gloom.
I know The High Republic was largely inspired by the question of “What scares the Jedi?” What do you see as some of the defining moments and stories in The High Republic so far that have answered that question?
I think that moment is still to come in the final arc of the Marvel comics. After all, it’s called "Fear of the Jedi" for a reason!
You’ve written The High Republic short stories, comics, audio dramas, and novels targeted to different age groups, along with two episodes of Young Jedi Adventures. Which of these mediums is your favorite, and is there a particular medium that is more challenging or rewarding for you?
Personally, prose is always the most difficult medium for me. I thrive on the collaboration of the other forms, whereas with a novel it’s just you and a mountain to climb. The great thing about The High Republic, of course, is that you’re not really alone. The rest of the writing team is always there, cheering you on.
Finally, in five words or less, can you tease what readers can expect from The High Republic’s Phase III ending?
Well, from the point of view of my own contributions: fears confronted and choices made.
Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Starlight Stories is on sale from all good book shops, comic stores, and online on December 31! This special edition contains five short tales and an interview with The High Republic's five original authors – Charles Soule, Cavan Scott, Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, and Daniel José Older!