A new arc begins in Star Wars: The High Republic #9! It features a Phil Noto cover of Keeve Trennis in armor about to put on a helmet. The new storyline, The Shadow of the Nihil stars with “Chapter I: Jedi No More”! It is written by Cavan Scott and art is by Ario Anindito. The aftermath of last issue was the destruction of the Republic Fair by the Nihil! The summary roll at the beginning, notes that the Jedi Council Member Stellan Gios was sent the Jedi to chase after the Nihil. This occured months after the Drengir battle, but this is a speed stop from the fun breakneck pace like other Star Wars stories. We get the cockpit of the Jedi Wayseeker, Orla Jareni, followinng The Force. She reports to Starlight Beacon, the Jedi base in the Outer Rim, that she has not found the NIhil in the Soola system. Then, she finds from her Targes Scanner that there may be incoming ships from hyperspace. In half of a two page spread, Orla’s ship, the Lightseeker, is evading the blasts of a Nihil stormship. The ship is struck and now stranded.
Aboard the stormship in a splash page, is Storm Trennis, Keeve in disguise?, she has three large clawmarks across her face! I was actually confused about her identity, there is no set-up of Keeve taking this identity. The captions reflecting thoughts do not reveal the disguise. I had to read a summary to understand this plot point. The pilot, Terec?, also in disguise, has two facial scars. We flash back to Starlight Beacon with the Jedi Council, Marshal Avar Kriss asks Gios for an update. He says (in hologram form), that the United Republic Task Force has defeated the Nihil on three worlds. Maru says that Lourna Dee, the Eye of the Nihil, was killed and this is why the Nihil may be retreating. Stellan says two candidates may be the new Eye, one of which is a Talpini, an Ugnaught-like alien with pointed teeth. The other is blurred. Avar explains that the Chief of Security believes Nihil are at Soola. Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis says that the Drengir were seeded by the Nihil. She argues with Stellan Gios and then wonders what was the reason for the fighting and sacrifice.
It picks up with the starship battle. A Jedi starcruiser, the Ataraxia, appears above the two starships. Storm/Keeve puts a call to other Nihil that her ship, The Ransacker, needs assistance. Jedi Vectors, starships with two top mounted engines, launch from the Ataraxia. Sskeer is in command of Gold Drift. Avar, at the bridge of the Ataraxia worries about Sskeer, back in action after dealing with the Drengir, and we also have a Jedi pilot, Nooranbakakanna, detecting incoming vessels. This is an alien pilot with a great name, a Frozian, was introduced in the novel, The High Republic: The Rising Storm (2019) also written by Cavan Scott. The Frozian has a weasel-like face, furred, with hair that is splayed out. The Nihil ships emerge from hyperspace. Keeve starts to target a Vector, there is anger in her face, if it is disguise, it looks like she is falling to the Dark Side. The Vector is destroyed. The ship is rocked and Terec reports that magclamps, pre-tractor beam or Nihil only use this technology?, have locked onto The Ransacker. They drawn in by the Nihil and jump to hyperspace.
Avar says that Keeve and Terec have been accepted by the Nihil on their spy mission. Obi-Wan faked his death and took the identity of Rako Hardeen to infiltrate bounty hunters in “Deception” (2012) episode of The Clone Wars. Keeve admits in her thoughts that she destroyed the Vector that was remote controlled by Terec’s twin brother, Ceret. Flashback, Sskeer tells Keeve that Avar has a plan. The Jedi in Nihil disguise land and are met by a Croulete, the same as Unkar Plutt, who asks what Tempest they are in. We go back to a debriefing by Maru that the Nihil are divided into three groups called Tempests and says that if asked, they should say they come from Pan Eyta’s Tempest. He was killed in Cyclor, a Mid Rim planet in The Rising Storm. The Creote doesn’t believe her and lashes out with an energy whip, still not identified, it could be a vibro whip or power lash. Avar said in the debriefing that they will be tested and Keeve must act like a Nihil. Keeve proves herself and bests the Creote. Then, they are met by another Nihil in a powersuit, Zeetar, also from The Rising Storm. He has a battle hammer and is placed in the chest area of the powersuit. He looks like an Ugnaught with sharp teeth similar to the Jedi last issue. Keeve has to face a final test to join the Nihil. This issue brings in characters and concepts from Cavan Scott’s novel, but the comic book usually reads fine without relying on the books. I kept thinking I missed an issue, and the flashbacks after months from last issue, is a bit confusing.
Three Lightsabers out of Five!
#TheRisingStorm, #Lightseeker, #StormTrennis, #UnitedRepublicTaskForce, #LournaDee, #EyeOfTheNihil, #Nooranbakaanna, #Zeetar
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