‘Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars’ First Non-Spoiler Thoughts; New Excerpt Features Nightsister Merrin
As we get closer to the release of Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars, marketing for the novel continues to pick up speed with a new excerpt revealed by IGN. The excerpt, written from Merrin’s point of view, includes an up-close encounter between Merrin and a stormtrooper looking to defect. Initially believing this stormtrooper to be just another faceless helmet that should be quickly dealt with, she instead stumbles upon an unexpected individual and is forced to carefully consider her actions.
Check out a piece of the excerpt below:
One finger still on the helmet, Merrin walked around the stormtrooper until she was just beneath level with what passed for the white mask’s eyes. There was hardly any distance between Merrin and the trooper, and she thought it was odd that the woman had left her weapon holstered. When Merrin exhaled, she could see her breath leave condensation on the plastoid. She let her smile return as she noticed the trooper shaking.
With both hands, Merrin carefully grabbed both sides of the trooper’s helmet and lifted.
She wasn’t certain what to expect, but it wasn’t this.
A lavender neck. Jutting chin and full lips, several shades darker than the rest of her skin, violet like spilled ink, matched the hair cut short over her shoulders. Strong-featured soft face with freckles like crater orchid petals across her nose.
And eyes as red as the sky over Dathomir’s Rift Valley.
Not a human. That was unusual for a stormtrooper, as far as Merrin had seen.
From a hair’s breadth away, Merrin watched the woman swallow.
The helmet clattered to the ground. Merrin had forgotten she was holding it. But the noise was what Merrin needed to bring her back into the moment, and she shot her hand back up, wrapping it around the woman’s throat.
Hard. Muscular. Stronger than the stormtroopers Merrin usually fought.
Interesting.
“Talk,” Merrin demanded.
“Listen,” the woman said in a strange, sharp accent, quickly, pushing her words out through Merrin’s fingers. “I want out. I know you have no reason to trust me, or believe me, but I’ve read up on you. I know what the Separatists did to Dathomir.”
Merrin moved her face closer. She was shorter than the other woman, but Merrin didn’t need height. Her power made her fearsome. She would use that to her full, intimidating advantage.
She hoped the red-eyed woman could feel the fire radiating off her at the mention of something she had no right to be mentioning.
“War took my people from me, too,” the woman said, looking down and meeting Merrin stare for stare. If it weren’t so foolhardy, Merrin would almost be impressed. “I can’t—do this anymore. We all know about the Mantis crew. You’re my only chance at getting out.”
Merrin stared up into the red embers of the woman’s eyes. The dying coals left behind by the burning forests.
And before we go, our own Nate Manning had the chance to check out the new novel. Here are his non-spoiler thoughts:
After reading Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars, I can confidently say it’s the first Cal Kestis sequel you should experience before playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. From page 1, there is a clear deep love of what came before in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order by author Sam Maggs.
Maggs crafts the members of the Mantis crew with care, giving each their own unique voice and purpose. The questions raised for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will only heighten your excitement. Be sure to check out my full review soon!
And yes, Merrin completely steals the show.
Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars is written by Sam Maggs and takes place between the 2019 video game Jedi: Fallen Order and its upcoming sequel, Jedi: Survivor, which releases April 28. The novel and audiobook will both be released on March 7. Check out our coverage of one of the previously released excerpts here.
When she isn't watching her friends and family's eyes glaze over at the mention of The Clone Wars, she's at the park with her dog, Melvin, or on the couch with a book in one hand and a drink in the other. Physically, she lives in Ohio; spiritually, she lives in Naboo.
