Warning! Potential spoilers for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #1 by Daniel Jose Older and Harvey Tolibao!
Fear can be a powerful and effective deterrent. It has stopped numerous characters across all facets of pop culture from pursuing their dreams or overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But the most detrimental manifestation of this unpleasant emotion is when protagonists fear themselves. Queen Elsa from Disney’s Frozen was born with an incredible power that granted her the ability to control and conjure ice in various forms. She would go on to achieve some awe-inspiring feats that allowed her to create an ice palace out of thin air and tame the mythical Nokk water spirit after a ferocious and near-fatal battle. But she was taught at an early age to fear and suppress her inherent powers, a decision prompted by a most unfortunate circumstance when she accidentally injured her sister Anna. Now, a new version of Elsa has emerged in the Star Wars universe.
Written by Daniel Jose Older with art by Harvey Tolibao, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #1 reveals a young girl named Zeen Mrala born with an incredible sensitivity to the Force, a phenomena that she was taught to fear and distrust at an early age. Everyone around her is discouraged from feeling the Force, so wielding it is out of the question. Her people’s fear influences Zeen to such an extent that her body inherently experiences revulsion when the Force bubbles up inside of her. But just like Elsa who has likened her powers to a raging storm, Zeen is so overwhelmed by how much the Force consumes and wants to break free from her that she compares it to a huge and wild ocean.
Zeen soon reaches a crossroads when large chunks of flaming debris comes hurtling out of the sky towards her planet. At first, she chooses to suppress her power just like Elsa did, even if it could lead to the destruction of her world. The devastation that inevitably ensues is quite remarkable as buildings tumble all around her amidst the chaos. But seeing a group of Jedi who come to their aid by utilizing the Force, Zeen realizes that this power can be used for good and unleashes her own in an incredible fashion, especially for someone who has fought wielding the Force for so long.
Luckily for Zeen, she comes to this realization much quicker than Elsa did and chooses not to separate herself from the rest of the world once she accepts her destiny. When Elsa eventually embraces her powers, she secludes herself in what can only be viewed as her own Fortress of Solitude and doesn’t wield her powers to help others until much later in Frozen II (besides ending the winter she herself created in the original film).
Zeen may be fortunate enough to have come to terms about the powers within her so early in life, but she does risk losing her best friend as a result, who is obviously angered and disgusted at Zeen for possessing and hiding these abilities from him. If Zeen is so unfortunate enough to lose her dearest and closest friend, hopefully the Jedi will embrace her just like how Anna and the people of Arendelle accept Queen Elsa in Frozen.
