Comic Review: The High Republic Finale – It All Ends Here!

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

Publisher summary: THE END OF THE BEGINNING! The final battle between the Jedi and the Nihil has been fought, sacrifices have been made and the dust settles. As friends and allies gather for one last celebration, a decision is made, and a fate sealed. Guest-starring faces from across the best-selling multimedia initiative. All roads lead to Dalna.

Why it matters: After nearly five years, the biggest story in Star Wars publishing has finally come to an end. In the final story of the High Republic initiative, Keeve Trennis must make a decision that could shape the Jedi for the next two centuries.

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Key moments:

• Keeve’s Decision: This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Teased in 2019’s Dooku: Jedi Lost, we finally know why Master Trennis left the Order. The departure is unfortunately a bit rushed due to page count, but it feels earned. It’s an emotional sendoff for the character that fortunately isn’t nearly as heartbreaking as fans had worried.

• Cameos Galore: While Keeve is the central focus of this finale, the comic serves as a celebration of the dozens (hundreds?) of characters we have grown to love in the High Republic. There’s too many to list (see the bottom of this article), but Scott deserves a shoutout for the appearance of Nubs, Kai, and Lys from Young Jedi Adventures, in their first major THR appearance.

• The end…. and a Beginning?: This is the end for the High Republic … for now. The Finale puts a nice bow on the long run of THR comics, but it leaves the door wide open for continuing adventures in this era. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait too long.

The big picture:
It’s hard to believe we’re finally here. Nearly five years ago we first met Keeve Trennis, a brash young Padawan. Since then, we’ve seen Keeve knighted, elevated to Master, appointed as Marshall of a Republic fleet, and now offered a seat on the High Council. She’s battled the Drengir, infiltrated the Nihil, mourned the loss of her idols, battled through the Occlusion Zone, rescued abducted Force users, and flown in the Battle of Eriadu. Few characters - even in the dense High Republic storytelling - have seen as full of an arc as she has.

The High Republic Finale is a celebration of that story, as well as the inevitable bittersweet ending we’ve been anticipating. Cavan Scott uses Keeve to explore what it means to be a Jedi. How does an order based around keeping the peace reconcile with the idea of becoming more adjacent to soldiers?

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It’s a deliberate precursor to the debate that we see centuries later in the Clone Wars, but the dilemma is no easier to solve now than it was when the Prequels were released. Unfortunately the limited page count of a comic one shot means that Keeve’s struggles played out a little too quickly, though the resolution is still satisfying for her character.

Let’s not forget about the other characters that we’ve met throughout the past 100+ issues of High Republic comics: Jedi Master Sskeer, the bond twins Terec and Ceret, redeemed Nihil Lourna Dee, gelatinous archivist OrbaLin, long-surviving widower Tey Sirrek, not to mention a cornucopia of guest stars and cameos. While most of their arcs were resolved by the end of Fear of the Jedi or in other books and comics, their presence adds weight to Keeve’s heavy decision. It’s a reunion and celebration of five years of fantastic storytelling.

Cavan Scott has earned his curtain call. Marika Cresta as well, whose work on the High Republic dates back to Phase 2; her art delivers a beautiful farewell to these now-beloved characters. A final special recognition is deserved for Phil Noto and Ario Anindito. They have been with the High Republic since the very first issue and fittingly provided the main covers for this final issue.

And with that, it’s all over. An outstanding send off to one of the most ambitious Star Wars stories ever told.

For Light and Life.

Our rating: Incredible.

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

BONUS: A list of characters we spotted in the issue:

Keeve Trennis, Sskeer, Velko Jahen, Rhil Dairo and her droid T-9, Lourna Dee, Quin Caree, Terec, Ceret, Yoda, Kelnacca, Yarzion Vell, Tey Sirrek, Chit-Chit, Burryaga, Bell Zettifar, Ember, Vernestra Rwoh, Lina Soh with Matari and Voru, OrbaLin, Admiral Pevel Kronara, Keaton Murag, Bree, Toko, Jon, Qwort, Zint, Leox Gyasi, Affie Hollow, Nima, Viv’nia, Ai-dan Yelooc, Soleil Agra, Imri Cantaros, Cohmac Vitus, Amadeo Azzazzo, Eve Byre, Cam Lindon, Tep Tep, Nubs, Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, Cibabba, Ty Yorrick, Drewen Qweebjillan, Reath Silas… and almost certainly more that we missed!