Some new preview pages for the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative tease the arrival of Grand Master Yoda.
As you know, the new line of Star Wars comics and novels takes place 200 years before the events of Episode I – The Phantom Menace. In this era, known as the High Republic, the Galactic Senate and the Jedi Order are at the height of their power, revelling in prosperity across the Core Worlds. The warriors of peace and justice, meanwhile, not only resemble the Arthurian Knights of the Round Table, but also act as frontier rangers who wish to expand the Republic’s influence in the Outer Rim.
One of these emissaries is apparently Yoda, who, at the beginning of the story, is stationed at the Starlight Beacon. The new preview pages for Star Wars: High Republic Adventures #1 reveal that when an unknown force causes ships across the galaxy to abruptly fall out of hyperspace, the Jedi notify him on the space cruiser as they’re the closest ones to answer the call for aid. Now, the Grand Master has to rely on his wits and his inexperienced Padawans in an all-new quest to help out with the Great Disaster, the makings of which you can see below.
The comic series in question, by IDW Publishing, will target a younger demographic, so it’s safe to say that there’ll be a huge focus on the Jedi younglings, as opposed to Star Wars: The High Republic‘s Jedi protagonists or even Yoda himself. Writer Daniel Jose Older previously explained the reasoning behind this, saying:
“I’m so very excited to be able to tell this epic story of Padawans as the galaxy changes dramatically around them and danger lurks around every corner. Working on The High Republic has been a dream come true and getting to watch this world come to life through the brilliant art of Harvey Tolibao is one of the highlights of my career. I can’t wait for the fans to see what we’re cooking up.”
The first wave of novels and comics in the publishing initiative were delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is hardly surprising given the general state of the entertainment industry these days, but let’s just hope that Lucasfilm manages to hit the premiere date of January 5th with the first book, titled Light of the Jedi, which promises to introduce us to the golden age of the Galactic Republic.