Star Wars: Yoda #1 Review!

The wise Jedi Master has his own title exploring his past in Star Wars: Yoda #1! The cover by Phil Noto has Yoda leaping forward with his lightsaber, love the lighting on his face and ears as he faces several blaster bolts! The challenge of Yoda's past is that George Lucas made it clear that his background and species is never to be revealed. There was a novel in the Clone Wars time, Yoda: Dark Rendezvous (2004) by Sean Stewart, but it has become Legends. “The Coming of the Jedi” part of the Light and Life storyline is by Cavan Scott, who is also currently writing Star Wars: The High Republic and also novelist with Star Wars: The Rising Storm (2021).  Nico Leon is currently the artist for DC’s Catwoman and provided art for Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1. The credits page is stunning with a chiaroscuro Yoda cloaked in black shadow, green with the green foliage of Dagobah. On Dagobah, we push into Yoda’s hut where there is a voice calling his name.  He is meditating in a beautiful two page spread, dimly lit, mostly in shadow when he refuses to listen to the voice. 

The voice must belong to Qui-Gon Jinn who helped his learning, led him to Dagobah, and his Force Ghost training. Yoda’s refusal is unusual, since Qui-Gon is technically the master here, and has an important matter. Qui-Gon brings up patience and his lessons. This goes back to the planet Turrak in the Outer Rim. It is a jungle-like planet with mounds and islands. It looks like a purple-skinned native is working on tall equipment, a ship?  He is knocked down by a large, strawberry-like fruit.  It was thrown by his younger sister, Litah, Bree rubs his head as she declares that Mata wants him back home. He wants to restore the ship. For some reason, I’m thinking of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), maybe it is the tech and the villagers. They hear a call and Bree thinks it is the lookout.  They rush through the village and then see - raiders on skiffs, shouting, “For the Crulkon!”  They are a new species, vicious humanoids, but with crab-like coloration, dark orange and white. The leader, Riak, watches as the native Sclavi try to defend their village. I’m reminded of the Marauders in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985).  

They use blaster cannons to return fire destroying the hut of the village elder. The Sclavi retreat.  They start running back into the village, Litah calls for her brother who slips away to his ship. He activates his comlink and broadcasts his distress signal. It reaches the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but this is a council we have never seen. Master Veter, a Tarnab Jedi Master with several horns on his head, who doesn’t want to interfere. Then, we see a member of the Council who volunteers, Yoda. The family remarks about the third raid as an explosion goes off. Mata is covering her children, Bree hopes there will be someone to help. The bulky raider, Klask raises his axe, but it flies backwards! In a splash page, we see Yoda above everyone, standing on a burning building, the lighting is awesome, and holding his lightsaber. Leon’s artwork is stunning. The raiders try to blast him, he falls amonst them, the raiders in shadow as Yoda slices through their weapons!  Yoda blocks the blaster bolts and hands Bree the axe. The Jedi Master shows his resilience helping the bullied villagers stand against the raiders! Star Wars: Yoda #1 has a past moment of Yoda and a look into that earlier world! 

Four Lightsabers out of Five!  

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