Welcome back to another new comic book day, EveryWookiee!! Every week I take a look at the Star Wars comic releases and analyze for first appearances and key events that may be worth collecting or keeping an eye on for future development.
First appearances and keys from these weekly articles get added to or sister site and Star Wars comics first appearance and key issue database, Wookywiki.com!
This week, we get the cataclysmic finale of the High Republic Phase 1! It takes place across Eye of the Storm #2 by Charles Soule and High Republic #15 by Cavan Scott. Star Wars #21 is out today as well. And while it’s an awesome read, no first appearances of keys in that issue today.
There has recently been confusion surrounding the first appearance of the Nihil’s beast/weapon called “The Leveler” or “The Nameless.” So, let’s clear things up and dive right in!
Eye of the Storm 2
First of all, Marchion Ro has captured Jedi Master Obratuk!
Obratuk first appeared in High Republic Adventures #6.
Next, the Republic is debating a response and we get the first appearance of Izzet Noor in comics, a Senator from Serenno (yes, as in Count Dooku Serenno). Plus we get the first appearance of a Republic Admiral, Pevel Kronara.
Marchion’s next phase of his plan is revealed. He is using devices called “Stormseeds” to lock and blockade off sectors of the Outer Rim of the galaxy so that no Republic invaders can enter.
Some ships attempt it and there is complete cataclysm. This may play into Phase 3 of The High Republic (Phase 2 will be a prequel 150 years before these events).
Finally, Marchion is on the hunt for more Levelers/Nameless to fight the Jedi. He recruits a group of 7 ultra-loyal Nihil (loyal to Marchion himself), literally brands them on the head, then dubs them “The Shear.” This is the first appearance of this sub-group of Nihil.
Marchion takes the Shear to the Levelers’ home planet and captures more.
Eventually, sadly, using one to “husk” Master Obratuk. Sigh.
Here’s where we need to clean up some confusion. The Levelers/Nameless have been referred to throughout the High Republic run and have appeared to Force Users as hallucinations. That’s because these creatures prey on the Jedi and other Force Users’ Force abilities.
The Leveler makes a first indirect appearance (some would call a cameo, though it’s a tough call because they are mostly off screen) in High Republic #10.
This appearance continues as a hallucination to Keeve and Terec in issue #11 and Lourna refers to it as “The Leveler” while asking Uttersond to load it onto a ship:
This is how we continue to see the Leveler/Nameless up until Trail of Shadows #5. In this issue, Emerick Caphtor (a Jedi) and his sidekick, Sian Holt (not a Force User), encounter a Leveler:
In these pages, Emerick is asking Sian to describe what she sees. As a non Force User, we can trust her view of the creature as its real physical form. We see it’s claws, hands, arms, tentacled face and eyes. Pretty much the whole beast. And it’s consistent with what appears in Eye of the Storm #2. This, therefore is The Leveler’s/Nameless’ first full comic book appearance. The Baldeon 1:25 cover has the first cover appearance of the Leveler/Nameless in the background:
If Trail of Shadows #5 is not sufficient for collectors to satisfy themselves that it’s a first full appearance, then Eye of the Storm #2 would be. The reason is, because High Republic #15 does not contain anything other than hallucinations:
High Republic #15
High Republic 15 has been selling out all over online because of incorrect information that the Leveler/Nameless makes a first appearance inside. I hope our discussion here has proven otherwise to you, dear reader.
High Republic 15 has a ton of important canon points that wrap up the High Republic Phase 1 story. It does not, however, contain any first appearances of characters. Not even the Levelers:
The Leveler/Nameless appear to Keeve and Avar (too Force Using Jedis) as a hallucination on two pages. We’ve seen this type of “appearance” before in issues preceding Trail of Shadows 5. Sskeer, the Trandoshan Jedi Master, has lost his connection to the Force through a rare Trandoshan disease. So, he can cut through the twisted vision of Keeve that appears to Keeve herself. The bottom left image in the second page above shows a twisted face of Sskeer cutting through a hallucination of the Leveler. Because we see the beast from the Jedi’s perspective, this is not its true physical form.
Beyond that, High Republic 15 rounds out our roster of dead and surviving from the disaster in the Fallen Star novel. I won’t spoil who dies and who survives. I’ll just say that there are some awesome Jedi moments, including this scene of Master Maru literally holding Starlight Beacon together!
