Star Wars: The High Republic–The Eye of Darkness

The third phase started off with a bit of a bang. The Nihil have created on impassable barrier called the Stormwall. This region they control is called the Occlusion Zone. Some Jedi are trapped in the zone, and the Republic is desperate to find a way inside to put an end to the Nihil threat, who can use their path drives to travel in and out of the Stormwall. 

So here are some of my favorite parts, and my theories…there will be spoilers.

-One minor complaint, I think this story would have started off better if the short stories did not spoil so much of it. The moment Burryaga pops up, Bell just mentions that he found him. I think one of the stories also mentions the Stormwall. 

-Porter Engle and General Viess battling at the end was probably my favorite part. I think their earlier encounters are told in the comics, might be time for me to purchase Marvel Unlimited.

-The reunion of Avar and Elzar at the end was very touching. I wonder if the comics that have Luke meeting Elzar’s ghost, I wonder if Elzar has misgivings about the Jedi’s prohibition on attachment. My guess is that Elzar will realize he and Avar cannot be together, that he is dedicated to the Jedi. Or my guess is that she dies at some point.

-I loved the whole Azlin Rell coming to the Council. He was a minor character in the second phase, who was driven mad after his encounter with the Nameless. We learn that he fell to the Dark Side, and has been on a quest to learn everything about the creatures. 

-I do not like the whole Girra Starros subplot. The worst part of the book is when she starts thinking about the Nihil deciding to come to her way of thinking, and then one of them whispers to her that they believe her way is the right way. Just idiotic. Look, the Nihil most likely get wiped out completely. I mean, if her way worked, we would hear about them later. Either as some part of the Republic, or as an outside group that has an uneasy alliance with the Republic. 

-So how does this end? Well I am guessing the Jedi will learn about some Force artifact from Rell, that can control the Nameless (or maybe counter the effects). That will be a quest for some of the Jedi. There will be another group that has to find a way inside the Occlusion Zone and somehow figure out how to bring down the Stormwall once and for all. My guess is Avar Kriss leads that group, while Elzar heads in search of the weapon (I can see Bell and Burry going with Avar, while Reath Silas and maybe Vernestra Rwoh go with Elzar).

I know what you might be thinking. Wouldn’t Yoda just lead one of the teams since this is such an important mission? From what it seems, the High Republic seems to use Yoda like Gandalf in The Hobbit. You know, he leads them somewhere, then has to go for a minute, then shows up at the right moment to save everyone. My guess is that Yoda must go on another mission, and when things seem hopeless, and Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann are about to die, Yoda will show up and kick some ass. 

-Final prediction: I am still convinced that we will get a glimpse of this era’s Sith. Either looking to recruit an apprentice, OR they are secretly involved somehow with the Nihil. I could see this phase ending with an epilogue, something like “the hooded figure knew that Marchion Ro had failed, but it did not matter, the fall of the Jedi was not going to come from some band of pirates. The fall of the Jedi would be at the hands of the Sith. Darth _________ had many plans in motion, the Nihil were just one. It was time for him to find an apprentice…” Something like that, but written better, by someone with actual skill.