The Greatest Weapon Against The Jedi Has Been Revealed
The Stuff Of Nightmares
Spoiler Warning for High Republic #10 and 'The Rising Storm'
While the Jedi are some of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, they are not without dangerous foes. The life of a Jedi is not an easy one, and is often short, ending in a violent, painful manner. We have seen Jedi be stabbed, shot, blown-up, decapitated, and perish in various other macabre ways. It is only recently, however, that a new and terrifying adversary has been unleashed upon the Jedi Order, and already has claimed the life of a Jedi Master in a near unspeakable fashion. The High Republic sets out to ask and answer the question "what do the Jedi fear?" In the comic run Star Wars: The High Republic #10, fans finally have a fearful answer.
The High Republic Era, set roughly 200 years before the events of Phantom Menace, shows the Jedi in their golden age. The Jedi Order is at the peak of their power, before the corruption, dogma, and politic poisoning seen in the prequel trilogy. The High Republic features a unique blend of western frontier and Italian Renaissance themes and motifs; for the Jedi Order, it is a time of education, exploration, and discovery. While many of their advancements are for the good of the galaxy, such as the Starlight Beacon, the Jedi also find new adversaries lurking in the dark as they expand their borders. Among these are the Nihil, a group of raiders and anarchists who prey upon civilizations, striking from the edges of the known galaxy. These "space Vikings" are opposed to the expanding Republic, led by the Jedi Order, as they see them as an over-reaching government, denying the inhabitants of the galaxy of true freedom. As a result, the Nihil began to wage a guerilla war against the guardians of peace and justice, striking at transport ships and settlements, and unleashing lethal beasts on unsuspecting populaces.
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One of the leaders of the Nihil, known as Tempest Runners, was a Twi'lek named Lourna Dee. This former slave and Republic convict was able to unleash a nightmarish beast upon the Jedi. While its true name has yet to be revealed, the Nihil refer to it as "the Great Leveler". Extremely little is known about the creature, both in-universe and from a fan's perspective, but the Nihil have employed it as a terrible weapon against the Jedi. The Leveler has the ability to overwhelm those attuned to the Force, nullifying their connection to the Force and replacing the hope and light of an individual with fear, pain, and darkness. As if this isn't traumatic enough, the way the Leveler kills its prey is a method of myth. Much like the Greek gorgon, Medusa, the Leveler turns its adversaries to stone as it feeds off their emotions.
During the Battle of Grizal, as Loden Greatstorm attempts to escape the Nihil with his padawan learner, Bell Zettifar, the Great Leveler is unleashed upon the Jedi. Master Greatstorm is consumed by the creature, petrified into stone and crumbling into dust by the unnatural abilities of the Leveler. Fortunately for Zettifar, the Leveler is called back by its master before it can turn these horrific abilities on the young Jedi. Zettifar is still negatively impacted by the attack of course, overwhelmed by the power of the creature and traumatized by the bizarre death of his master.
The Leveler's abilities, power, and the danger posed to the Jedi are still an unquantified enigma, although it is clearly something to be feared and defeated as soon as possible. It was unleashed upon the Jedi again by Lourna Dee, focusing its attack on Jedi Knights Keeve Trennis, and the Kotabi Bond-Twins Ceret and Terec. Even though Ceret was not directly in the path of the Leveler, they were subjected to its powers via the telepathic link between the Bond-Twins.
It is clear that the Leveler is a great and terrible weapon against the Jedi, striking them at the very core of what makes them who they are; their connection to the Force. How many more Jedi will crumble to dust before this terrifying creature and how many of the Order will be left to stop the Nihil remains to be seen. The High Republic continues to expand the universe in creative and bizarre new directions, providing a story smorgasbord for those of use who love good, off-the-wall science fiction and know that Star Wars is at its best when it tries new things and forges bold, new paths in storytelling.
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Source: CBR
Written by Weston Erickson
Syndicated from Culture Slate
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