In the latest solicitations from Marvel Comics, it’s been revealed that the March issue of Star Wars: The High Republic will feature a dark new power rising against Keeve Trennis and the Jedi Order. Even more intriguing is the reveal that this new threat has the power to drive Jedi insane in this era nearly 200 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Furthermore, it seems as though that this dark power won’t be connected to some of the villains that have already been revealed such as the Nihil, and will instead be an all-new danger for the Jedi to face.
Marvel Comics’ Star Wars: The High Republic series will be coming from writer Cavan Scott with art by Ario Anindito, with its first issue arriving this coming January. The series will be primarily focused on the recently knighted Jedi Keeve Trennis, a capable warrior based out of the Jedi Order’s impressive Starlight Beacon in the Outer Rim territories. During the days of the High Republic, the planets of the Outer Rim are still being explored and have yet to be fully colonized. For their part the Jedi are assisting the Republic in their efforts, serving as rangers and protectors, and Trennis will reportedly play a big role in those endeavors as the series goes on.
According to Marvel’s March solicitations, Keeve Trennis will be called in to investigate some sort of blight that has overtaken an entire planet in the series’ third issue. Apparently, one Jedi is reported to have gone missing and another has been driven insane. With power like that, it’s certainly not something to be trifled with. The synopsis also shares that Trennis will be facing some sort of betrayal from within the Jedi Order itself. Here’s the synopsis from Marvel Comics and the cover art from Phil Noto:
- STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC #3
- CAVAN SCOTT (W) • ARIO ANINDITO (A)
- Cover by PHIL NOTO
- Variant Cover by KEV WALKER
- ALL-NEW SERIES CONTINUES!
- A DARK MYSTERY ONLY THE JEDI CAN UNRAVEL…BUT AT WHAT COST?
- A planet stricken by a mysterious blight. One JEDI missing and another driven insane.
- What horror lurks in the darkness beneath the rotting crops?
- Death is averted, but a terrible union is formed. Can KEEVE TRENNIS protect an innocent life while facing betrayal from within her own order?
All in all, it’s seems as though this dark new threat may in fact be a completely separate danger from the already revealed antagonists known as the Nihil. Also, the line from the synopsis about death being averted and a terrible union is all kinds of foreboding on its own, let alone the teases of a betrayal amidst Jedi being driven mad by whatever this dark power is.
It should be noted that the sinister-looking pit Trennis is facing on the cover art does seem to resemble the dark side nexus that Rey encountered during her time at the First Jedi Temple during the events of The Last Jedi. In any case, whatever this dark mystery is revealed to be, it can’t be good for any of the Jedi. Hopefully, Trennis will have enough strength and confidence in her abilities through the Force to withstand whatever power this new threat wields when the High Republic issue arrives in March from Marvel Comics.
