Marvel’s Star Wars #30 Review: ‘No-Space’ Fails to Build Upon Tantalizing Cliffhanger
I thought this was going to be a simple two-part story to give the main Star Wars comic run a short break before returning to the Return of the Jedi build-up, but the High Republic/Nihil arc is going to go on for a few more issues yet. It seems the writers really wanted the heroes of the original trilogy out of the way during the Hidden Empire crossover.
Unfortunately, after last issue’s exciting cliffhanger, No-Space fails to build much momentum once our heroes find the home of the Nihil. It does end on another intriguing cliffhanger, but the mysterious setting isn’t utilized in an interesting way. I was really excited about the prospect of Luke and the others learning more about the Nihil, but nothing is really learned. We’re as in the dark about what’s going on as the heroes are.
Normally that lack of clarity can be used to great effect, but instead it’s just disappointing. Instead we’re strung along with the main characters until the next cliffhanger. It’s a good cliffhanger that makes me want to learn more, but I hope we do actually get some answers in the next issue.
Spoilers ahead…
I was disappointed that the gang didn’t actually get to explore much of No-Space before being attacked by the lightsaber-resistant droids. We could have seen them do something interesting like step out on to the bridge where Marchion Ro and the old tempest runners used to meet, but instead they just walk down a couple of ruined corridors until they find a strange kid.
The boy is a bit annoying and leaves before he can tell them anything useful, as our heroes are quickly set upon by droids. I assume these are the same droids owned by Marchion Ro at the end of the first phase of The High Republic books. Their lightsaber-resistant armor suggests that they were built to fight Jedi, and for a long while, this is the most interesting development of the entire issue.
The gang is backed into a corner before they are rescued in a timely fashion by a mysterious shuttle. After being forced to throw away their weapons (the annoying kid handily grabs Luke’s lightsaber after it’s thrown into space while flying past with his jetpack), an Abyssin introduces them to the Kezarat colony.
Finally, an interesting development! It seems that the convoy that Holdo had been searching for has turned into a mobile colony over the last century or so, supporting its own community the whole time. The Abyssin mentioned that in the last two hundred years, new people have accidentally discovered the colony and joined it themselves, being unable to leave via hyperspace.
This Star Wars issue ends with the alien declaring that Kezarat is their new home, though we of course know that’s unlikely. The real question is whether or not the colony will be friendly, or if they will try to keep the newcomers there by force now that they have no weapons. It could be a delicate situation, so let’s hope that the next issue is more interesting than this one was.
Rating: 5/10
Josh is a huge Star Wars fan, who has spent far too much time wondering if any Star Wars character could defeat Thanos with all the Infinity Stones.
