The High Republic continues to build interesting corners of lore into the Star Wars universe, and indeed, the new miniseries featuring Marchion Ro is a peculiar dark pocket to explore. Written by High Republic staple Charles Soule, with art from Guillermo Sanna and colors by Jim Campbell, this first issue throws decades of characterization at readers, yet remains an approachable read. Most importantly, the first issue of Eye of the Storm indisputably establishes Ro as a captivating and complicated villain for the High Republic era of Star Wars.
Told in three scenes, the issue begins with the origins of the Evereni, a species whose cultural foundations were on riding the winds of the planet Everen. With that, they became accustomed to change, and as the planet’s weather turned on their people, they learned to trust no one, including each other. As their society devolved into violence, the Evereni spread out through the galaxy, taking advantage of others to aid their survival. This is the culture in which Marchion Ro will come of age.
We have seen many warrior societies in the Star Wars universe, but never one like Marchion Ro’s people. The second chapter focuses Ro’s youth, and the treacherous family dynamics that were a fundamental part of his upbringing. By the end of the issue, we have seen the role deception and violence played in making Ro a Nihil marauder, assuming leadership after the death of his father.
Not a panel is wasted getting the reader acquainted with Marchion Ro’s world and culture, nor are we overburdened with exposition. Soule and Sanna tell this tale effortlessly, letting the visuals and sparse text reveal necessary information. When one considers just how much worldbuilding they establish in this single comic, it’s a testament to this creative team’s storytelling skills. The character designs are strong, and the action is engaging and easy to follow.
Like with other High Republic tech, I wish the spacecraft had a more discernable design, something that many of the ancient Star Wars prequel eras struggle to effectively differentiate from their futuristic counterparts. Having said that, the lore they are creating is visually interesting and I look forward to seeing what else this series will reveal.
Eye of the Storm #1 is a dark and fascinating look at the complicated villain Marchion Ro, and does more than enough to establish this mini as a necessary read for Star Wars fans.
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