By [ad_1]
Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy #1’s High Republic story seems triumphant, but it ultimately foreshadows a tragic loss for the Jedi Order.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the novel Star Wars: The High Republic: The Fallen Star and Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy #1, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
Marvel’s Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy #1 (by Ethan Sacks, Will Sliney, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC’s Joe Sabino) appears on the surface to mainly be a promotion for the latest Star Wars attraction, the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser experience at Disney World. However, the High Republic adventure in the first issue highlighted two Jedi who died in Claudia Gray’s Star Wars: The High Republic: The Fallen Star: Nib Assek and Stellan Gios. While Stellan’s appearance in the issue was basically a cameo, Nib Assek played a far more prominent role. Thus, the issue ultimately served as a tribute to Assek while still foreshadowing the gruesome circumstances of her later death.
Throughout the Star Wars: The High Republic subseries, Nib Assek has been a warm, nurturing figure. Her role as Padawan Burryaga’s mentor also has made her one of the subseries’ main crossover characters with other eras. Star Wars: Life Day #1 also featured a story focused on the master and Padawan pair. Therefore, she and Burryaga were possibly the most recognizable High Republic characters in the issue.
Nib Assek’s role in Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy #1 showcased both her heroism and her love for the Jedi Order, which is understandable considering that the events of the story were an anecdote told by D3-09 to highlight the Star Cruiser Halcyon’s illustrious history. In the tale, Nib helped defend the Halcyon from a Nihil attack. In the battle, the Nihil Tempest Runner Zeetar cornered Nib and declared that her “story ends here, alone in the dark.” Assek responded, “as long as I serve the light, I am never alone.” Assistance arrived just in time, and the day seemed to be a complete victory for the Republic and the Jedi.
While this statement and the subsequent arrival of backup to assist Nib seem heartwarming, this moment was actually bittersweet at best. In the issue, D3-09 alluded to the fact that the victory against the Nihil was not as clear cut as originally pictured. D3-09 stated, “No one questioned the dead Nihil on the bridge…How were we to know what was to come? Er, well, that’s not part of this story. Let’s focus on a happy ending, shall we?” Thus, even in the issue, D3-09 alluded to the horror that the Nihil would bring to the galaxy.
When Nib faced off against Zeetar, her opponent unknowingly predicted her future doom. In Claudia Gray’s novel Star Wars: The High Republic: The Fallen Star, Nib actually died a horrific death “alone in the dark,” cut off from the Force by a Great Leveler who fed off her fear and left her a literal calcified husk. Her death was revealed when Burryaga and Padawan Bell Zettifar found her corpse, which crumbled to ash as soon as it was touched. Nib’s death reaffirmed that the Great Levelers are one of the greatest threats the Jedi have ever faced precisely because of their ability to isolate Jedi from their community and the Force.
Thus, while the High Republic story in Star Wars: Halcyon Legacy #1 seemed triumphant, it actually served as a precursor to tragedy. The issue showcased Nib’s bravery and dedication to the Jedi Order, the Republic and saving lives. However, the issue also highlighted the horror of her later fate, which coincided with the deaths of many Jedi after the destruction of the Starlight Beacon. Ultimately, Nib’s fate showed that the greatest threat to the Jedi is cutting them off from their community and leaving them alone in the dark.
About The Author
[ad_2]
