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In Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #7, Farzala Tarabal faces his fears using lessons that could’ve helped Luke Skywalker during his training.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #7, on sale now.
Throughout the Star Wars franchise, fear has been painted as the enemy of the Jedi. In the prequel trilogy, Yoda viewed fear as the first step on a slippery slope to the Dark Side. However, there are different ways to manage fear. And Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #7, Padawan Farzala Tarabal uses memories of lessons with Jedi Master Obratuk Glii to work through his fears, not by refusing to acknowledge them, but instead by working through them alongside his friends.
This focus on managing fear forms the backbone of Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #7 by Daniel José Older, Harvey Tolibao, Rebecca Nalty, Jake M. Wood, Heather Antos and Riley Farmer. Farzala, captured by the Hutts and blamed for crimes he did not commit, begins to feel afraid, both for himself and for his friends. However, during his time in custody, he focuses on memory with his Jedi Master Obratuk Glii in which Obratuk reframes Farzala’s view of fear, teaching him a lesson that Luke Skywalker would take a lifetime to learn.
Obratuk does acknowledge that fear can be the beginning of a path to the Dark Side. However, instead of saying that a Jedi should never feel fear, Obratuk explains that each time a Jedi feels fear “is an opportunity to become better at overcoming fear.” He states that it is foolish to think that anyone could go through life without ever feeling fear, and avoiding situations that make Jedi fearful make them less able to handle those fears later on. Obratuk also explains that Jedi become one with the Force when they die, so Farzala will always be surrounded by Jedi of the past even when they are gone, helping them on their journey, and when Farzala himself dies, he also will become a part of the most powerful Force in the galaxy as well.
This approach differs greatly from the approach to fear found in the prequel and original trilogies. In both the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy, Yoda frames fear as the enemy. In Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, he proclaims “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” The Jedi Council uses Anakin Skywalker’s fear as a reason he should not be taught instead of coming up with a plan to help Anakin work through his trauma.
In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda still teaches along the same lines. He states, “Anger, fear, aggression- the Dark Side of the Force are they, easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight.” When Luke tries to ask him questions about this particular lesson, Yoda cuts him off and tells him to clear his mind of questions for the day. Then, he sends Luke into the Dark side cave, where Luke strikes down a vision of Darth Vader, but when Luke looks at Darth Vader’s decapitated head, Luke sees his own face. Luke and Yoda do not discuss the vision afterward on screen, but Yoda later refers to Luke’s cave vision as a failure rather than a learning opportunity for Luke to confront his own fears. This avoidance for discussing the vision may also stem from the fact that Yoda is keeping Luke’s parentage a secret from him, and a discussion actually working through what Luke saw might tread closely to revealing that truth.
Unlike Yoda in later eras, Obratuk instead works with Farzala to help him manage his emotions and give him the tools to grow. This approach might also have been more helpful for Luke Skywalker, especially after he faced his fears in the cave on Dagobah in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda does not really work through what Darker emotions are not actually the main problem for Jedi or even the main reason for their fall. Instead, the issue is internalizing those fears and letting those emotions fester rather than working through them constructively, possibly with the help of their mentor or their friends.
For Farzala, Obratuk’s approach is highly effective. Using Obratuk’s advice, Farzala is able to break himself and Leox Gyasi out of prison, defend his jailers against the Drengir and reopen negotiations with the Hutts. While Farzala began this arc idolizing the lone hero Jedi Master Tal Bota from holovids, Farzala ends the issue believing that the best way to overcome fear is to work with other people to grow stronger together. He reflects that “The Jedi becomes a Master by facing our fear, not by pretending we don’t feel it… And the only way to do that is by realizing… that a true Jedi is never really alone.” Thus, Farzala rejects the idea of the lone hero in favor of recognizing the importance of connection and friendship to facing one’s fears.
Thus, Obratuk’s approach involves managing fear rather than make the emotion of fear the enemy, and through this approach, Farzala becomes a stronger Jedi. With the Great Leveler under Nihil command, Farzala will need these tools to survive upcoming Nihil attacks. The Great Leveler feeds upon Jedi’s fear, and more Jedi may fall to its horror as the Nihil continue their rampage throughout the galaxy.
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