Charles Soule Discusses Setting Up Phase 3 of the High Republic With ‘Shadows of Starlight’
Author Charles Soule recently talked with Comic Book Resources (CBR) about his upcoming new series, The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight. The comic helps set up Phase III of the High Republic publishing initiative, which is about to begin in a few months. In the interview, Soule addressed what readers need to know going into Phase III, as well as what to expect from the new comic series.
Phase III officially begins with the release of The Eye of Darkness on November 14. But before then, Lucasfilm Publishing is helping readers come back to the main storyline with new books like the just-released Tales of Light and Life and Soule’s new comic, Shadows of Starlight. This new series will help bridge the gap between Phase I of the High Republic and Phase III, where a year has gone by. Shadows of Starlight takes place within that year gap after a catastrophic terrorist event brings down the large space station named Starlight Beacon.
In his interview with CBR, Soule comments on what fans should know before getting into the series. However, it looks like there isn’t any required reading beforehand as Soule states Shadows of Starlight will help readers get up to speed:
“The truth is, this issue (and the whole Shadows of Starlight series) is designed to bring existing readers up to speed from Phase I and bring new readers into the fold. While having read Phase I of the High Republic might enrich the experience here. You can also meet these characters for the first time in Shadows and be just fine. The quick logline is that we’re in a golden age for both the Republic and the Jedi Order, and a chaos-based faction called the Nihil has made great strides in disrupting the stability of the era. The Nihil and their leader, Marchion Ro, have done some bad things [and] achieved some serious victories, and now the good guys are figuring out how to deal with it. That’s about it. You’ll get the specifics in the issue!”
Soule also gave details about what readers can expect from his four-issue mini-series. He elaborates how each issue will focus on different characters, including Yoda, and the High Republic villain, Marchion Ro:
“There are four issues here, each focusing on a different character set fans will know (or should know going into Phase III.) Between all four, you end up with a pretty solid timeline of events for the missing year between the fall of Starlight Beacon and the start of Phase III. Every issue can be read on its own and has a definitive beginning, middle, and end. They’re all written as one-shots, basically. But they create a really cool tapestry with a lot of great action and twists and turns…
The first issue looks at Yoda and the Jedi Council, the second focuses on Elzar Mann and Avar Kriss, the third on Bell Zettifar and Burryaga, and the last on our big baddie Marchion Ro and the Nihil and General Viess…”
Soule went on to detail where Ro and the Nihil are at now that they’ve ostensibly beaten the Jedi. He said:
“The Nihil’s current crusade was born out of Marchion Ro’s sociopathic need to be the biggest and the best, his desire not for control but to make everyone else — literally everyone — feel small in comparison to him. He’s the only person who exists to himself, the only person who matters. Conquering the galaxy was never really the idea. He’s after acknowledgment, not power. But now that he’s done it…”
During Phase III, Soule will be working on the continuation of The Blade miniseries, which was a Phase II backstory on Jedi Master Porter Engle. While nothing official has been said, The Broken Blade supposedly remains in the works. He will also be writing the final adult novel of the initiative, Trials of the Jedi, due in spring 2025.
Feel free to check out Soule’s full interview, as well as some other pages from Shadows of Starlight, on CBR. Also, feel free to check out our review of the latest High Republic book, Tales of Light and Life, and an editorial on why you should read the High Republic.
Star Wars: The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #1 releases digitally and at local comic book stores on October 4.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Jay Goodearl runs the YouTube Gaming channel “Good Games, Dude” His channel aims to open up video games to beginners and immediate players and help them understand what makes games the art form that it is.
