Star Wars: The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #1 by Charles Soule came out today and I absolutely loved it. It’s the first issue in a 4 part mini-series that chronicles what happened in the first year after the fall of Starlight Beacon.
In this issue we got all of the Jedi showing back up to Coruscant for a briefing on what’s next after the Nihil and their Nameless creatures took down Starlight Beacon, killing many jedi in the process and leaving dozens missing.
See all Star Wars The High Republic variants for all for phase III here
I’m not going to go through the entire issue here. For two reason:
- It would take forever (a lot happens)
- And you should get it and read it yourself
Instead I’m going to focus on all of the first appearances in this issue and explain who that creepy guy is that showed up with Master Yoda at the council meeting.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Star Wars: High Republic – Shadows of Starlight #1 First Appearances
Ok here are the first appearances in this issue…
First comic appearance of Master Soleil Agra, Master Ry Ki-Sakka, Grand Master Xo Lahru, Master Teri Rosason, and Master Ada-Li Caro.
First appearances of 3 unnamed Jedi younglings who also are on the cover of Charles Soule’s upcoming children’s book, Jedi Brave in Every Way. Out next week.
First appearance of Master Govena who seems to be some sort of lightsaber expert or smith. Next to her is Kirak In’Fila who first appeared in Charles Soules Darth Vader run in issue #3.
First appearance of Amadeo Azzazzo. A padawan who is featured in a short story in the Star Wars: High Republic – Tales of Light and Life anothology book.
First appearance of Master Adampo
First appearance of Jedi Knight Ady Sun’zee
Who is Azlin Rell?
The creepy guy who shows up with Yoda reaking of the Dark Side is Azlin Rell, a former Jedi Knight from phase II of the High Republic. First off, he’s a human, he shouldn’t be alive. He’d be well over 150 years old. It appears he’s used some sort of Dark Side ability to extend his life.
In phase II Azlin Rell is trying to unravel the mystery of some recent Jedi deaths (by the Leveler) on Dalna and Jedha. Why they were getting turned into husks.
He was on hand at the Night of Sorrow (Battle of Dalna) and during the chaos was almost consumed by the nameless. The intense fear he experienced put him into a shock like state where he was incoherent and inconsolable. He became obsessed with learning about the nameless falling deeper and deeper into his fear. He eventually disappeared from the facility he was being treated at and was never seen again, until now in the timeline.
Azlin Rell is also the mysterious hooded figure that Master Yoda finds in Daniel Jose Older’s Star Wars: The High Republic – Midnight Horizon novel. That was just hours after Starlight’s fall and Azlin was still off his rocker. Apparently in the months after Yoda was able to make a breakthrough to him and provide clarity.
Clarity he used to kill the ancestors (maybe) of 2 hyperspace prospectors from Phase II, Dass and Spence Leffbruk, in an effort to stop Yoda from finding Planet X, the planet the nameless come from, to stop anyone from ever go back there to get more.
It will be super interesting to see where they go with this. Azlin is clearly lost. He’s justifying terrible acts in the name of “good.” That being said I don’t think he ever becomes a full Sith or anything. But he could be related to the eventual reemergence of the Sith if he decides to pass on his knowledge.
That’s all for today!
Grand Admiral Frik
