Today saw the release of the 13th issue of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III from Dark Horse Comics, and below are my brief recap and thoughts on this installment.
The High Republic Adventures (2023) #13 is the third of three new Star Wars comic books written by Daniel Jose Older that came out today, and I actually wish I had read this one first, as it takes place before The Wedding Spectacular that I reviewed earlier. The story begins in the sky above the planet Valo, where Jedi Knight Farzala Tarabal and Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram are flying in the recaptured Jedi ship the Star Hopper, with the non-binary “pirate troublemaker” Zyle Keem serving as temporary pilot. The ship is damaged enough by the Nihil craft pursuing them that Zyle is forced to come to an abrupt landing, but suddenly our protagonists are saved by Zyle’s mother Tanana Keem, who is also a pirate. Tanana brings with her additional allies in the form of Dexter Jettster, Lavalox Verzeen, Sav Malagan, and Pirate Queen Maz Kanata, while inside the nearby Jedi temple in Lonisa City, Drrn and Therm Scissorpunch (more pirates) spy on the Warden and his Nihil underlings, who have taken Jedi Master Kunpar and Padawan Gavi hostage.
The Warden declares that he’s going to take his forces and strike the planet Eriadu in retribution for the destruction of the comms tower by Ram. Therm and Drrn scramble to rescue the two captive Jedi and warn the others, but they’re pursued up onto the roof of the temple by the Warden and his soldiers. Meanwhile, Zyle complains to their mom how they can’t seem to accomplish anything in the galaxy without Tanana interrupting, even if she means well by doing so. But Tanana insists she’s acting as she would with any other member of her crew, ensuring Zyle’s safety as they’re out on missions. Maz, Dex, Sav, Lavalox, and Ram take care of the Nihil horde in the outskirts of the city, while at the temple a crowd of Valo’s populace has gathered in reaction to Ram’s final broadcast as the Scarlet Skull before he blew up the tower. The angry protestors shout “No! More! Nihil!” as the Warden and his deadly marauders surround our heroes on the roof.
Fortunately, Tanana’s pirate ship shows up just in time, delivering a much-needed cavalry to the escapees above Lonisa City. They all climb aboard the hovering vessel, but Farzala is saddened to leave behind the Star Hopper, which he says is “the ship he grew up on” and the image that recently got him through having been imprisoned by the Nihil. The Jedi and their pirate friends escape Valo, but so does the Warden, vowing revenge on Eriadu– which leads into the events of The Wedding Spectacular. I thought this was a really fun, energetic issue with eye-catching, kinetic art by Caio Filipe, and gosh I’m so impressed at how much Star Wars content Daniel Jose Older has been churning out lately as a writer. All three of his comic book issues today have been enjoyable and remarkable for different reasons, and he’s done such an entertaining job here that I can’t wait to see how the rest of this story plays out over the next arc.
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #13 is available now wherever comic books are sold.