Master Jedi Yoda has his first solo series, which will feature multiple stories starting with one set during the Jedi’s reign. Star Wars: Yoda #1 sets in motion a personal mission for Yoda as he tries to save a small group of people from raiding pirates. That story continues this week, but can it show us another side of Yoda, or will it continue to focus on the outsiders Yoda seeks to aid?
The answer is, unfortunately, the latter. While the first issue was exceptional at showing Yoda fighting at his most powerful, this issue pulls back on the fight scenes. Instead, it reveals more about the conflict between the peaceful people of Scalvi and the raiders known as Crulkon. We continue to see Yoda take great interest in the peaceful people, particularly in the opening scene of this issue, but most of this issue lacks Yoda entirely.
This is the kind of story you need to take a step back from to see the larger purpose in Yoda’s actions. The single-issue format isn’t helping since we can’t quite see what Yoda is up to, but Cavan Scott certainly writes Yoda well when he’s around. The problem is that Yoda is mainly absent outside of the opening scene and in a quick montage. Instead, we’re meant to see the Scavi survive and fight on their own. There’s a lesson here Yoda is trying to teach them, and it’ll likely pay off later. It’s a neat way to show how Yoda is incredibly wise and a good teacher, but for a book centered on Yoda, it could use more Yoda.
This issue also plays out at a slower clip as if it was written for the collected format. Paired with the first issue, the story progresses too slowly in each issue, but together it’s not bad or boring. It’s just doing less than one might expect in a series about Yoda.
Yoda is less the main character and more the supporting teacher in this narrative.
Credit: Marvel
Art by Nico Leon is good, with the alien people looking alien enough, even if they’re humanoid. The settings are particularly nice, like the raider encampment, which is like some kind of oil rig over the water. Yoda always looks great and straight out of the films, which isn’t always the case in comics. Leon has also designed the main Scavi well. It’s easy to identify who is who, even in chaotic fight scenes.
Star Wars: Yoda is certainly well drawn and has a story worth telling, but it’s telling it too slowly with too little Yoda on the page. There’s a lesson between Yoda and the people he’s helping, and that’s a neat way to show his wisdom and ability to teach, but it’s unfortunately a slower boil tale than one might expect with Yoda as the lead character.
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