Comic Review: The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #2 – The Nihil’s Last Stand?!

Marvel Comics

Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Marika Cresta
Colors: Jim Campbell

Publisher summary:
The Battle for Naboo begins! As KEEVE TRENNIS prepares to breach the STORMWALL, the LOURNA DEE of old returns with murder on her twisted mind. The villainous NIHIL hold NABOO, but for how long? A call to arms is heard and battle lines drawn!

Why it matters: Keeve Trennis and her band of Jedi have been waging war against the Nihil long enough to see one-time arch enemy Lourna Dee become a close and trusted ally. But as Phase Three of the High Republic reaches its climax, they must face their fears to take on the Nihil one final time.

Key moments:

• Fear is the Jedi killer: Living up to the title, this issue features each member of Lourna Dee’s Tempest Breakers facing ghosts from their past. These visions highlight just how far the cast has come since this comic launched and make for stunning action sequences.

• All-star crew: Speaking of the cast’s growth - it’s hard to believe that this is where we’ve ended up when you compare the cast to 2021’s The High Republic #1. Keeve Trennis, who was Knighted in that first issue, is now a Master working alongside former Nihil Lourna Dee. Along the way they’ve picked up a fantastic cast of characters from all over the High Republic - including The Acolyte’s Kelnacca and Tey Sirrek from Phase Two. It’s a fantastic cast all around, but special recognition is due for OrbaLin’s split bodies serving dual duty as pilots.

• Comic crossover: Comic readers are no stranger to crossovers, and neither are fans of the High Republic, where storylines bounce from medium to medium. But this issue takes it to the next level as we see a direct intersection with this month’s High Republic Adventures #16. While you can enjoy this comic on its own, the payoff is a big reward for fans who read it all. (Curious about the crossover? Check out our Recommended Reading Order to see how it all ties together.)

Marvel Comics

The big picture:
The High Republic catches a lot of flak for how tied together all the different stories and mediums are. While the complaints are often completely fair, this is an example of where the interconnected nature of these stories really shines.

Last week’s High Republic Adventures #16 showed us the Battle of Eriadu heating up and revealed that the infamous Nihil Stormwall had fallen (a detail that likely comes from an upcoming book - an example of when the publishing initiative can be a bit tough to track), and Fear of the Jedi #2 shows us these same events from a different angle with different characters.

Obviously, there’s more to a story than how it connects with other stories; every issue needs to be good on its own merits. Fortunately, this one absolutely is. Following a fantastic debut issue, Fear of the Jedi #2 delivers high stakes action and some fantastic character moments as the cast continues to struggle with - you guessed it - fear. While the story is light to make room for the action, Marika Cresta’s art carries things along with stunning visuals.

It’s no surprise that a Cavan Scott High Republic book is thrilling. By this point, it’s expected even. If there’s one complaint, it is again that this is only a five-issue series, when it feels like the characters deserve dozens more. But even with a short run, this is proving to be one of the most exciting Phase Three stories yet.

Our rating: Incredible

What’s next: Fear of the Jedi #3 is out on April 30, but be sure to check out the other side of this story in the High Republic Adventures #17 on April 16.

For a deeper discussion of this issue, be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Cosmic Force podcast!