Review: Claudia Gray’s ‘The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi’ Opens Up a Galaxy of Exciting Possibilities
The wait is finally over. Claudia Gray’s The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi from Dark Horse is here; to put it simply, it rules. Gray has the uncanny ability to leave you hungering for more, but also in desperate need to put what you’re reading down to contemplate your life choices. Quest of the Jedi is an odyssey of wonder with incredible artwork to accentuate that feeling of awe. It is an exercise in comics that you don’t get very often.
The one-shot structure doesn’t restrict the narrative at all. Gray manages to tell a unique story with fresh characters you are instantly compelled by, while broadening the scope of the High Republic narrative to unimaginable breadth. She opens up a galaxy of potential through connections far and wide, Jedi and Sith mythos, and the most important thing of all to some Star Wars fans: an opportunity for insane speculation.
Spoilers ahead…
Quest of the Jedi begins by addressing something phase 2 of the High Republic publishing initiative hasn’t done a very good job of. The very first thing out of the gate, Path of Deceit, saw the untimely death and disappearance of Padawan Kevmo Zink and his master Zallah Macri. There have been small mentions here and there, but the Jedi Order as a whole does not seem to care. That can’t be said for Azlin Rell and Jedi Master Vin. The two Jedi meet at the Kyber Arch, which Gray introduced in Into the Dark, to discuss the lost duo. I love the work artist Fico Ossio, and colorists Sebastian Cheng and Candice Han put into visualizing the Arch. They immediately demanded your attention and set the tone for what this talented team of artists would do throughout.
In Path of Deceit, Rell was offered a spot on the mission to Dalna. His absence inevitably spared his life, but now the Jedi Knight is trying to figure out what happened. The investigation leads him deep into the Jedi archives as he considers the artifacts the pair were trying to recover.
The Path of the Open Hand took possession of the Rod of Seasons, one of the three artifacts known to control the Nameless, creatures known for their ability to “eat the Force.” Rell is now looking into the stones present on the rods and ponders their significance. This inquiry leads him to Barnabas Vim: a legendary Jedi Master from long ago who made his mark on the Order thanks to his many accomplishments.
One of those accomplishments was on the planet Angcord, where we spend the rest of the issue. In this preamble alone, Gray has already established that this issue is a vital part of what’s to come. One-shots are often pushed aside as content you can get to later, but she immediately grabs your attention by mentioning Kevmo and Zallah, which goes a long way toward heightening the stakes. It lets the reader know that something big is coming in this issue for High Republic fans.
But Gray recognizes that it’s not all about that sect of the fandom. When we meet Vim and his Padawan Vix, we are introduced to the concept of the Echo Stone and the Sith Lord, Darth Ravi, who tried to harness its might once upon a time. The powerful stone capable of amplifying one’s connection to the Force was hidden away on Angcord, where its people protected it. I don’t know many Star Wars fans who don’t enjoy learning about ancient Jedi or Sith, so this issue is a feast for all.
Vim and Vix are summoned to Angcord to investigate why the Echo Stone isn’t sustaining the planet as it used to. We are introduced to the people of the planet and their unnatural Force abilities that Vim deduces are due to the stone. We’re given more of their history and culture, including a coliseum where their clan of Force warriors entertains the people. I love the way artist Ossio designs Angcord and all of its intricacies. His art and the colors used elevate Quest of the Jedi to a different level. The entire issue is rich in detail and adds to the mystical nature of Gray’s story.
When the secrets about the nature of the Echo Stone are eventually revealed, Barnabas Vim shows why he is a Jedi of legend. I appreciated how Gray basically made him the High Republic’s version of Qui-Gon Jinn. A Jedi with a higher calling but isn’t willing to let himself be limited (themes Gray explored with Qui-Gon in Master and Apprentice). Once he figures out what’s at stake, Vim puts himself in the line of fire to help people and deal with the consequences later.
The Echo Stone is eventually reduced to shards of its former self and Angcord is restored. Vim tasks himself with bringing the stone fragments across the galaxy as Vix wonders what could happen if the wrong person puts together the shards of the Echo Stone again. A thought that spells “bingo” for Azlin Rell.
If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be able to tell that The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi is Claudia Gray’s first Star Wars comic. A good writer can tell a story in any medium, and she proves it. The surface-level story might be familiar, but underneath are depths untold. This issue is a masterclass in building upon an established mythos, and paying off several ideas in a way that still creates endless potential. Barnabas Vim is a character that could easily return for more, and now there is the mystery of how the Echo Stone factors into everything we thought we knew about the Nameless, a potential relationship with the Sith, and more. But that is a think piece for another day.
The biggest role of Quest of the Jedi will likely be serving either of the final two major pieces of phase 2: Path of Vengeance and Edge of Balance: Precedent. May is going to be a huge month boys and girls. For now, as Gray’s only entry into the “Quest of the Jedi” phase of storytelling, she has done the unthinkable. Claudia Gray has raised the bar for herself once again.
RATING: 9/10
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Quest of the Jedi is available now wherever comics are sold. Special thanks to Dark Horse Comics for the ARC used in this review.
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
