Marvel returns to the Prequel Era and the golden age of the Jedi in Star Wars: Jedi Knights #1, written by Marc Guggenheim with art by Madibek Musabekov and Luis Guerrero.
The series begins with a diplomatic mission to the planets Syrinx Prime and Vekura. Vekura has invaded Syrinx Prime and their armies are ravaging the Syrinxian landscape, but as the Jedi investigate deeper into the conflict, they find that between the two worlds aren’t what they seem. And who’s the mysterious masked assassin gunning for Qui-Gon Jinn?
If you love the Jedi, you’ll love this book. As any Star Wars fan knows, the Prequel Era was the height of the Republic and the Jedi, with thousands of Jedi Knights patrolling and maintaining order across the galaxy. And boy do we get a LOT of Jedi here! All the familiar Knights are here: Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu and Adi Gallia, along with some new Jedi, some of whom were recently knighted. There are almost TOO MANY Jedi featured in this issue, but as each new face pops up, writer Marc Guggenheim thankfully provides a description box for them, giving their name and a little information on their personality.
I feel the book might have been better with a bit fewer Jedi. The mission they were on didn’t seem to justify the vast number of them running around and using fewer new Jedi characters would have given more room to have more moments with them. Some of the new characters are intriguing though, like Berem Khana and Vetna Mooncrest.
Berem is brash and arrogant, kind of like young Luke Skywalker if he had been 1000 times more confident. He accompanies Qui-Gon Jinn to the planet Vekura and Qui-Gon seems to be in constant exasperation of Berem’s cavalier manner.
The two Jedi make a fun duo, and reading their dialogue and exploits felt like watching a good buddy cop film set in the Star Wars Universe. Their partnership brings out Qui-Gon’s wicked sense of humor that we barely got to see in The Phantom Menace and enriches his character. It looks like this partnership will continue into next issue.
Marvel
Vetna has a visually striking design and is brutally efficient in combat. Though we see very little of her this issue, I hope she has more page time in future issues. Both she and Berem seem like ideal candidates for shifting to the Dark Side, but time will tell.
No one in the Star Wars Universe sees more action than the Jedi Knights, and this first issue is no exception. There are a couple of great battle sequences where the Jedi launch a Guns of Navarone-style assault on both worlds in a last-ditch effort to get the worlds to broker a peace treaty.
There are tantalizing glimpses into Vekuran and Syrinxian culture, with both species appearing lizard-like. Artist Madibek Musabekov brings both worlds to life, giving them a Native American feel, the terrain covered in sinewy vines and thick fauna, with dwellings looking very much like the adobe buildings of the American Southwest.
Though the issue wraps up the main story by the conclusion, there’s a subplot where a masked assassin is targeting Qui-Gon. The character’s design is striking, with the assassin wearing a cowl and a Cyclops-like visor and wielding a pair of laser scythes, curved blades made of energy that look especially formidable. The assassin carries a small arsenal of other weapons on them too and they skirmish with Qui-Jon this issue.
Overall, this is a great start to the series and though it’s fun seeing Qui-Gon and Mace Windu again, I hope the series will focus more on new Jedi characters and their stories. Yoda should always be there, of course. After all, he’s the Jedi of Jedis. But I’m looking forward to seeing other Jedi characters having time to shine and possibly becoming legends themselves.
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