One of the characters to stand out from The Acolyte was the Wookie Jedi, Kelnacca, and now Star Warriors have the chance to get more of his story! The comic can be read independent of The Acolyte and the High Republic stories, but of course, they add some flavor to this story. Kelnacca was introduced in the second episode of The Acolyte, “Revenge/Justice”, DC-TA1/2. He is played by Joonas Suotamo who finally gets to play an original Wookie character and a Jedi to boot. Suotamo is given a special thanks in the credits. The first Wookie Jedi was in Legends with Lowbacca, the nephew of Chewbacca, who joined the Jedi Academy. Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force (1995) by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta; EC-YJK1. Then, in canon with Gungi, the Youngling in “The Gathering” (2012) episode of Clone Wars; GC-CW5/6.
In the High Republic, there was a Wookie Padawan, Burryaga Agaburry. He was introduced in the Star Wars: Insider short story, “Starlight: Part One: Go Together” (2020); DC-SWI199 by Charles Soule. The comic has a Phil Noto cover that shows Kelnacca in his Jedi robes with his green lightsaber ignited. It is written by Cavan Scott who currently writes the Star Wars: The High Republic comic. He also has upcoming the Star Wars: Tempest BreakShe er novel. Marika Cresta is the artist and she previously worked on Star Wars: The High Republic #7. We open to the planet Tozil, first appearing here, with red rimmed skies, strange flowers, and stone structure. Master Yarzion is called for and then we see him resting on a bed. He has reddish skin and curved ears like a Devaronian, but with a long, curved head and tatoos, Zabrak like Maul?, and he has long, white hair.
It is his apprentice, Ordea who asks for him, but he says it almost his time to go into the Force. He coughs and she still has questions about how will take over her training. Master Yarizon says he had the same question when he has a Padawan. This goes back a century to when the Starlight Beacon crashed on Eiram. It almost fills the page in a long panel while on the beach are ships to help with the recovery efforts. Some epic scale of the tragedy captured by Cresta. This was in 230 BBY, the events of The High Republic: Light of the Jedi (2021); DC-HR1, by Charles Soule. The young Yarzion is running up to Jedi Master Elzar Mann, with black hair including Padawan braid pony tail. Elzar was introduced in Light of the Jedi. He says he was apprentice to Jedi Master Lulad and relucantly tries to say she died in the crash. He wonders how he will be trained and Elzar says, “The Force always provides.” I always like new expressions and understandings of the Force.
Yarzion turns and in a large panel sees the towering figure of Kelnacca, almost blocking the sunlight behind him, honestly I was getting into the story of the Jedi that I almost forgot he would enter the story! I always think of the Taoist saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Elzar introduces Master Kelnacca who was sent as the Coruscant relief effort. Technically, this is his beginning, even though we don’t get his days as a Jedi Knight and Padawan, I hope this left for novels or further comics! Elzar leaves them and Yarzion tries to thank Kelnacca, but he walks away! This immediately shifts to Kelnacca in action with his lightsaber. Yarzion’s narration says his master was brave. We move to a battle on Vianza in the Nihil Occulsion Zone. The Nihil leader, Marchion Ro, set up the Stormwall that sealed off a sector of the Outer Rim. This is the following year which is Phase 3 of the High Republic. The Nihil were pirates who caused the crash of the Starlight Beacon.
The battle with the Nihil also includes Yarzion with his yellow lightsaber. Great action by Cresta! After the battle, the children of Vianza are stunned to see a Wookie Jedi. Kelnacca reaches out with the Force to lift up the rubble. One boy asks if Kelnacca talks and Yarzion tells him, “only when he really needs to.” They ask Yarzion about his tatoos and he leaves to work on the recovery effort. Kelnacca looks towards his apprentice. This moves to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, two years later, so beyond the current phases. Yazion is in the Archives Library looking at a hologram of a Jedi, a bald woman with tatoos. He is gazing at the hologram when Kelnacca in with his robe on grunts. Yarzion shuts down the hologram. Kelnacca speaks a few words in Shyriiwook and points out the tatoos of Master Lulad. The elderly Yarzion tells Ordea that the runes are a tradition of having the name of his greatest teacher. I really like these concepts that Scott creates that make his characters meThis morable.
He had said to Kelnacca that he had the tatoos made when he had returned to his home planet for a mission. Lulad appeared before the tatoos were finished, Lulad appears, and the older Yarzion’s narration thought she would want him to remove the tatoos. Ordea asks if she was angry, and Yarzion says no, and the young Yarzion is stunned. His narration explains that the Jedi Master got her own tatoo of his name! This is a great concept, yes the teacher does learn from the student, Ordea wonders what Wookie Jedi had said. He is silent as he shuts off the holo projector and walks away. This moves to Veek in the Outer Rim. It is the final year of Yarzion’s training. A fire is burning the thatched roof of huts a father tries to pull away his daughter, they are rodent-like, possibly Tynnan like Bazil.The family escapes and Kelnacca tells his apprentice to leave. Outside, the daughter, Yesula, pleads that Zeekay, their droid is trapped in the fire.
Yarzion asks about the droid and Yesula says that it had holos of her mother and doesn’t want to lose her again. Wow, a moment that is heart rending. Yarzion, resolute, appears with the droid in his arms out of the fire! He hands over the droid and then tries to apologize to his Jedi Master. Kelnacca ignites his lightsaber. Then, he slices off his apprentice’s Padawan braid, the Knighting ceremony! In his bed, lit by candles around the room, the older Yarzion says Kelnacca asked for him to do something. He starts coughing, Ordea wants to know what was it, and the Jedi points out she can ask his Jedi Master! We see Kelnacca standing call. Yarzion is happy Kelnacca arrived and then his eyes for one last time. Ordea realizes he is gone. Kelnacca picks up his body to take outside, a candle wick smothers. They both stand as there is a funeral pyre for Yarzion. There is an interview with Suotamo about his input with the comic and also filming of The Acolyte. Scott brings a rich back story that truly makes Kelnacca a favorite character, a Jedi of few words. Also, this is one of my favorite stories about Jedi. This is a powerful story, the moments across the High Republic, and the stories of new Jedi characters.
Five+ Lightsabers out of Five!
#StarWars, #TheAcolyte, #Kelnacca, #RevengeJustice, #JoonasSuotamo, #YoungJediKnights, #HeirsOfTheForce, #KevinJAnderson, #RebeccaMoesta, #Gungi, #CloneWars, #TheGathering, #StarWarsInsider, #StarlightPartOne, #CharlesSoule, #CavanScott, #MarikaCresta, #PhilNoto, #Yarzion, #Ordea, #Lulad
No comments:
Post a Comment