Warning! Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #2!
A powerful Force-user who just helped Yoda save Trymant IV has been recruited by the Jedi, likely to begin her training as a Padawan in the latest issue of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures. Written by Daniel Jose Older with art by Harvey Tolibao, the book ends with Zeen Mrala – a girl who, despite having little experience with the Force, was still able to help prevent a giant ball of flaming debris from careening into her planet – leaving her home with Yoda and his class of Padawans towards Starlight Beacon.
Zeen Mrala is expected to fully embrace this new path as she no longer has any ties to her old life, which, interestingly enough, instilled a profound fear of the Force in her. Most especially, Zeen believes that her childhood friend Krix hates her for lying to him about possessing this power that their elders taught them to distrust others. So with the remnants of her past now in shambles, Zeen will undoubtedly try anything that will help her leave all the pain behind.
It’s also helpful that Zeen shares a deep connection with Jedi Padawan Lula Talisola, which some have theorized could be the result of them being a dyad, a phenomenon when two Force-users share untold powers through a state of heightened connectivity. Whether or not this is true, Lula undoubtedly shows great kindness to Zeen on numerous occasions even though they just met during a quite hectic and perilous situation. The most touching moment between the two occurs when Lula comforts Zeen upon the latter’s realization that she just lost everything that matters to her.
While definitely heartbreaking, Zeen leaving everything behind will undoubtedly serve her well in the coming days and years as she trains to eventually become a Jedi Master. Although the Jedi were fairly lax about forming attachments during the High Republic era, Jedi who find themselves less intertwined in the world beyond the Order are less susceptible to the tantalizing call of the Dark Side.
As most fans are aware, the first step towards a Jedi succumbing to the Dark Side involves experiencing fear. This unpleasant emotion usually derives from a Force-user fearing the loss of a loved one or place. And, as of now, Zeen has no one. In fact, Zeen admits that the one place she actually regarded as home didn’t accept her for who she was because she possesses an inherently strong connection to the Force. Plus, she believes that her childhood friend hates her, so Zeen now can no longer become fearful of losing them as she no longer has them to lose. But she’s still young, and there are plenty of opportunities for the Dark Side to bewitch her in the expansive world of Star Wars’ High Republic era.
