Review: Marvel’s ‘The High Republic’ #10 Stumbles Into a Satisfying Finale
We’re almost there people. Phase 2 of Lucasfilm’s High Republic publishing initiative has one foot out the door and is saying its final goodbyes. Leaving us this week is Marvel’s The High Republic from Cavan Scott. The Battle of Jedha is coming to an end, but Jedi Vildar Mac must fight to hold back the darkness that is on the verge of consuming him. His friend, Tey Sirrek, is dead and the Path of the Open Hand are about to leave Jedha with the power to kill the Jedi Order.
The High Republic #10 ultimately wasn’t as grandiose as that setup implies, which leaves my feelings about it complicated. On one hand, Scott’s specific story on Jedha was concluded beautifully. On the other, this felt like an issue that should have been released in April before a few of these characters literally rush into Scott’s Path of Vengeance. All of which leaves this stripped-down finale in a weird place as it marinates in my mind. Let’s work through it together.
Spoilers ahead…
We open with the (apparently) not-so-dead Tey Sirrek waking up after being shot. He gazes upon the battle between Vildar and the Herald before being attacked by Yana Ro. Tey manages to get a hand on the Rod of Power, and between the strength of him and Yana, the rod is split back into its lesser halves. Yana remains in possession of the Rod of Seasons, while Tey holds on to the Rod of Daybreak. This, however, draws the ire of the Leveler who doesn’t recognize this new master (reminder that each rod can theoretically control the Nameless).
Tey is pounced on, but before the Leveler can do anything, Yana receives a comm from her cousin Marda. It’s a cry for help as the Mother needs the Leveler back in her possession. So she draws the beast away from Tey, running off into Path of Vengeance and leaving the Herald by himself. Plot armor for everyone involved aside, Ario Anondito’s work of the Leveler’s attack on Tey was blood-curdling.
This issue had to do some legwork in resetting the board for the second wave of phase 2 novels. The Leveler needed to be back on Dalna for Cataclysm, and some characters needed to be in place for Path of Vengeance. Oftentimes, there’s no point in making a narrative more complicated than it needs to be, but something feels disconnected. In The Battle of Jedha, the Herald split off from the Mother and took the Leveler for himself only for this comic to make it seem planned from the start. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it resolution without any pushback didn’t help, as if Scott was forced to hand back a toy he wasn’t done playing with.
Once the focus shifted to the battle between the Herald and Vildar, it was over just as quick – as if a Jedi Knight imbued with additional power should have an issue. However, Vildar is about to give in to the darkness that resides in the Hand of Siberus. Before he can do lasting damage to the Herald, Tey stops him. Pleading to the good inside Mac, the stone-cold Jedi thinks about his journey. He recalls the Sorcerer of Tund who molded him (very nice visual symmetry from Anondito, focusing on the crazed eyes of the two characters). Then at the last moment, Vildar remembers he doesn’t have to remain closed off to the world when he thinks of Matty, who fights for everyone. The Jedi takes off the glove and returns to his normal self before capturing the Herald.
The rest of the issue is spent (literally) picking up the pieces. What comes next for Jedha after the flames of war tore it to the ground? For now, all the Convocation and the citizens of Jedha can do is rest on their laurels, pull together, and live to fight another day. The Herald will be placed on trial, the Rod of Daybreak is placed under the protection of the Whills, and life goes on.
One thing I’ve loved about this era of the High Republic is the differing viewpoints of the Force and the conflict that spawns from that. The first few issues of this series imply that even if the Path of the Open Hand didn’t get involved in Jedha’s affairs, something horrible still would have happened. To bring it back around with these differing beliefs coming together for the betterment of everyone was very endearing. Vildar proposes a new Festival of Balance, and it now feels like a true celebration is in order, instead of the sham it would have been had everything gone to plan.
There is one last order of business before we look to what’s next. Vildar joins the Convocation, taking the place of Master Leebon. His first order of business is appointing a new member: Tey Sirrek. Getting emotional, Tey finally gets what he wants. The two share a powerful embrace as we turn the page on this story. The running gag of the series has been paid off, and along with it, signs of personal growth and better things to come. File that under things you love to see.
The High Republic #10 is essentially four quick scenes stitched together. For a series as dense as this, to have the finale lacking in that department felt odd. Every one of these scenes offered something of value to Scott’s series, but it’s a resolution that feels of little consequence. What of Matty? What of the Path? Is Oliviah Zeveron even alive? And what of her tie to the Mother that was never explored? By itself, The High Republic is a complete story, but be sure to pick up Path of Vengeance if you want the full picture. It’s not a lazy storytelling device since that’s the nature of this publishing initiative; it just left me feeling hollow. These stories should live on their own terms, but this issue couldn’t quite conquer the idea that it was released after its sell-by date as a small piece to an already finished puzzle.
Despite stumbling to that particular finish line, Tey and Vildar’s story was brought to a more than satisfying end. Their hug almost brought a tear to my eye, and therefore, what can I really complain about?
RATING: 7/10
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.
