The High Republic: The Hunted: Chapter 3: Balm of the Luminous
What is it ? : Following on from last issue, Terec reached out for the child Sskeer had been protecting and released a burst of energy, Keeve calls out for Terec, but he has protected himself using the Force. But reacts by igniting his lightsaber, but Sskeer ignites his to protect the child.
As they clash, Keeve calms the two, and reveals that in the display of anger, the child actually reached for and is being calmed by Lourna Dee. Keeve asks the pair if this is what the Jedi are becoming, when a woman who has killed without mercy and terrified half the galaxy is more comforting.
Orbalin speaks, but no one is in the mood for another lecture from him, so tell him to be quiet, but he reveals that they have a duty to do, as Goonral Monshi has passed away during the conflict, and no one even noticed.
They light a pyre for him, and Tey Sirrek offers Sskeer a Balm of the Luminous to heal his arm, but it also calms the dark side within those it treats. As they watch Keeve is worried that she has led her friends into danger and doom, but they point out she has also rescued Sskeer, and they followed willingly so she carries no blame. They decide to head for Sirrek's ship to return to the Ataraxia in orbit, but it will be a long hike, so they rest for the night within the temple.
Keeve takes watch, and sees undead versions of her friends blaming her for bringing them here, and she realises she is suffering a nightmare brought on by a Nihil Child of the Storm, and she wakes the group who spot the child is missing, and then spot a Child of the Storm escaping with her.
Tey Sirrek tries to lash out with his lightning, but Lourna Dee stops him from harming the child, after losing the Child of the Storm in the chaos, Sskeer strikes Lourna Dee, claiming she is still working for the Nihil.
But Lourna reveals she slipped a tracking bug onto the child when she was comforting her, so they can get her back.
Later, and Far Away, the Nihil Child of the Storm delivers the kidnapped child to a small creature called Reek, who turns out to be working for Boolan, the Nihil Minister of Advancement who has been working to improve the Nameless for Marchion Ro. . . .
High Points : While I'm not convinced by Lourna Dee's turn in behaviour, suddenly seeming to be willingly working along with Keeve rather than being forced to work with her. I really liked that the Jedi in their distress and dislike for Force use outside their order made her look like the sympathetic option to the child, rather than those clashing, shouting and flailing lightsabers about.
And bringing Boolan into the story adds some real threat, as the fate of becoming a medical experiment should make our heroes rush to the now kidnapped childs aid.
Low Points : We've been stuck on this planet for so long now, with the Nihil being a threat to the Galaxy, and other heroes from the earlier parts of The High Republic comics still being missing (specifically Avar Kriss), this seems to unimportant. Especially as we've only got 3 more issues of this series to go, and I was really hoping for Keeve to be involved in solving the Nihil threat.
This really seems to be the problem with this series, that Keeve Trennis although being the main character, is being constantly sidelined. The story she's involved with seems pretty unimportant on the galactic scale of things, and even within that story, Tey Sirrek and Lourna Dee seem to be the ones which are doing everything, while Keeve worries she has gotten everyone into trouble.
So what do you really think ? : Perhaps my assumptions above are totally wrong, as perhaps this trivial storyline will lead to the defeat of the Nihil. And this would very much match the tone of the early stories about Keeve. In the first few issues of The High Republic, Keeve solved the problems with the help of minor, seemingly powerless and unimportant characters. A child who was tagging along with her and being generally annoying led her to the Drengir. Some small aliens annoying her while she was climbing, led her to realise the threat to their entire planet due to the side effects of the Starlight Beacon.
So it would be pretty great and right for the character, if an entire quest which seems to trivial actually led to a discovery or action which swung the balance of the fight against the Nihil, and became the one with turned out to be key to the entire conflict.
Although I have my doubts that the writers have that in mind.
Final Words : I did find it ironic that Tey Sirrek gives Sskeer the Balm of the Luminous to treat his arm, the arm which has entirely grown back since Phase 1 of the comics.
And just to write it down, I'm wondering if the writers might have an interesting plot line set up for Sskeer. He's still suffering from his Magrak Syndrome, which is turning him towards anger and rage. It might be interesting if Boolan had a cure, and the concept of returning to rationality and his former power and prestige might lure Sskeer into performing some act for it in exchange. And when he's cured, he would realise what he did, and although did that action while he was sick, it's shadow would hang over him even though he has been restored to normality.
Anyway, just a thought.
Score : 8.5/10
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