The High Republic: Temptation of the Force

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The novel is a major story in the overall High Republic saga while also focusing on the relationship between Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann,^[5] who must confront their true desires amid the ongoing Nihil conflict.^[2]

Publisher's summary

The reunited Jedi prepare to strike back against the ruthless Nihil in this thrilling sequel to Star Wars: The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness.

For over a year, Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann were kept apart by the Nihil's Stormwall. After Avar makes a daring escape from inside the Occlusion Zone, the star-crossed Jedi are reunited. But while the physical distance between them has evaporated, their shared grief over their failure to protect the galaxy from the Nihil threat still remains.

To rally the Jedi Order, and the Republic, Avar and Elzar cling to their belief in serving Light and Life. Working together they lead a daring mission into Nihil space to liberate the planet of Naboo, and show those trapped behind the Stormwall that the Jedi will never abandon them. Now back within close orbit of one another, the two Jedi Masters can no longer deny the bond that has always drawn them back together and made them stronger.

After finally embracing their true desires and imbued with renewed purpose, Avar and Elzar devise a plan to turn the tide of the conflict with the Nihil once and for all. Accompanied by Jedi Knights Bell Zettifar, Burryaga, and Vernestra Rwoh, the Jedi begin their hunt for Marchion Ro. But to seek out the Nihil's dangerous leader the Jedi will have to survive the Nameless terrors that they have thus far been powerless to stop.

Opening crawl

Worlds suffer inside the formidable OCCLUSION ZONE, where
Marchion Ro and his band of Nihil marauders, untouchable by the
Republic, rule with an iron fist.

Jedi Master Avar Kriss has escaped from this occupied space and,
along with fellow Jedi Elzar Mann, leads the Jedi and Republic in a
desperate fight against the Nihil and their Nameless creatures.

But a new danger now threatens the galaxy. A mysterious BLIGHT
has begun to spread randomly across worlds, slowly infecting areas
and turning all life in its path to dust….

Plot summary

Jedi Master Avar Kriss visits her friend Elzar Mann the night before she leaves Coruscant to attempt to breach the Stormwall. She attempts to convince him to come with her, but he is struggling with trust in himself. They discuss the loss of Stellan Gios, as well as the fall of Starlight Beacon and the events of the following year while Kriss was trapped in the Occlusion Zone.

Marchion Ro surveys the Norisyn crystal farm, which is afflicted by an unfamiliar blight. The image of his ancestor Marda Ro accompanies him, and when Ro experiments by dropping a tooka into the blighted area, she notes that its death greatly resembles those inflicted by the Nameless.

Kriss prepares to cross the Stormwall with Friielan using the Sunvale device. They cross without issue but arrive at the rendezvous point to find the Nihil's scav droids and a starship with a Nihil designation; however, the ship reveals itself to be the disguised Brightbird moments later. Amongst those to be transported back to Republic space are Marlowe and Vellis San Tekka, as well as Belin and Rhil Dairo. The latter two bring Kriss to meet Cair San Tekka, pilot of the Brightbird, and they ask her to record messages for their "moral drops" to bring hope to those in Nihil space, to which she agrees.

Jedi Knights Burryaga Agaburry and Bell Zettifar attempt to convince the Elia-An to leave their home planet of Oanne, as they are facing imminent threat from the Nihil, but they are reluctant to leave their nativity trees. They are interrupted by a message informing them that the Drengir have been sighted in a neighboring star system.

On Coruscant, Mann sits in a storage closet in the Senate building to meditate before he can be waylaid by one of his many responsibilities, but finds himself struggling to concentrate and elects to go back to work. He receives a call from Kriss, who describes her meeting with Belin and Dairo and says she will be meeting Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh at the Axiom. Elsewhere, Cair San Tekka uses a foris alloy funnel on Rilias II to broadcast Kriss's message.

Porter Engle attempts to ambush and kill General Abediah Viess by disguising himself as a Nihil, but fails, driven back by a Nameless. He hears some of the broadcast with Kriss's message, and is cheered by it.

Aboard the Gaze Electric, Ro tells his secretary Thaya Ferr to assemble a list of any reports of blights akin to those he saw at the crystal farm, and goes through records from his family, though he finds nothing referencing the blight. As he does so, he once again sees the image of Marda Ro, and when he enters a meeting with his ministers he also sees the image of his father. He pays little attention to the meeting, as all present appear to be taken over by the blight while he watches.

Ghirra Starros, during the meeting, notices Ro's lack of attention, which concerns and angers her. As she prepares to leave the Gaze, she encounters Nan, who claims to have a message from Ro and asks where her daughter is. Ghirra interprets this as a threat, and decides she needs to locate Avon; accordingly, she messages Xylan Graf to warn him to leave the Lightning Crash, knowing that he is familiar with Avon and she can use him to find her.

Agaburry and Zettifar travel aboard the Tractate to the reported location of the Drengir, Felne 6. The two Jedi, along with Zettifar's charhound, Ember, locate the Drengir, but Agaburry, sensing the Drengir through the Force, stops Zettifar from attacking, realizing it is dying. Agaburry holds vigil for the Drengir, and suggests to Zettifar that they investigate any other Drengir appearances nearby, as he is troubled by the emotions he sensed from it.

Mann is meditating when he is interrupted by JJ-5145, who brings a summons from the Jedi Council. Bolstered by the meditation, Mann decides he must tell the Council about how he killed Chancey Yarrow during the fall of Starlight Beacon and touched the dark side of the Force in doing so. When he arrives, Grand Master Xo Lahru tells him that they would like Mann to take the seat on the Council left vacant by Gios's death. Mann confesses Yarrow's death, but they assure him that they do not feel it makes him unqualified for the seat, as well as that they would have him take his own seat on the Council, rather than just replacing Gios. Mann asks for some time to consider it, which they grant him.

Aboard the Axiom, Kriss reunites with Rwoh, who she notes looks worn. They briefly discuss the Nameless, and the missions they have been on, but are interrupted by a Nihil ship emerging through the Stormwall at the same point Kriss did aboard the Blue Range. Kriss and Rwoh board Jedi Vectors in preparation, but when they arrive they see explosions within the ship and are contacted by one of the people aboard, who introduces himself as Xylan Graf and says he has escaped the Nihil and can tell them how to destroy the Stormwall.

Engle infiltrates Viess' manor with the help of mind tricks and makes his way to her office. He searches for items of particular value or importance to her, as he plans to stop treating the hunt as any Jedi tracking any Nihil, and instead focus on her as an individual, and make the hunt personal.

Cair San Tekka arrives over Naboo, where he has been pretending he was all along, as a wealthy scion of the San Tekka clan, which Cair took advantage of both to fund his illicit activities and to protect Marlowe and Vellis. However, when he arrives at the San Tekka compound, he finds that Viess herself is present. When he lands, the Nihil take him directly to Viess, where he finds that they have bound his husband's snow dog Plinka. Viess cuts Plinka's throat, though not fatally, and tells Cair that she and Ghirra were discussing killing everyone working on the Stormwall, including Graf, which horrifies him. She then tells him that she came to Naboo to seek out the San Tekka experts on hyperspace, and found Marlowe and Vellis gone, and Plinka, who she recognizes; she asks Cair why he has Graf's dog.

Graf boards the Axiom and is greeted by Republic Defense Coalition forces, as well as the two Jedi. As the Jedi lead Graf to Captain Ba'luun's quarters to question him, they encounter Marlowe and Vellis, who are displeased to see Graf and explain that he and his family paid for the development of the Stormwall. Graf invites them to hear the story he will tell. He explains that he worked with Chancey Yarrow for some time, and both were essentially kidnapped by the Nihil, who forced them to work on the Stormwall. With the increasing frequency of travel through the Stormwall, he explains that Ro and Viess are unsatisfied with his work, and he also notes that he was the one supplying appropriate Path codes to enable those missions. He says that he did not destroy the station because it would not actually stop the Stormwall, and explains that what they need is the home key, which he has. He says he will give it to Avon Sunvale. Kriss asks what he wants in return, and he requests a full pardon and for the Republic to free Naboo, because his dog is there. Marlowe corrects that Graf's husband is there, but the Jedi choose to ignore Graf's marital situation for now and verify that he and Avon can decipher the Stormwall.

Agaburry and Zettifar investigate a potential Drengir sighting on Ronaphaven. They find what appears to be an abandoned Drengir lair, but agree this makes little sense, as they have never heard of Drengir leaving a place before they have eaten all they can. Agaburry reaches out with the Force and locates a sensation somewhat reminiscent of the dying Drengir, and they arrive to find a section of prairie devastated by the blight.

On Naboo, Cair has applied bacta patches to Plinka's wound, and notes that he himself has at least one broken rib. He determines that he needs to alert his contacts that he's been compromised before they attempt to reach him and are traced, and uses an improvised blade to kill one of the Nihil and escape his room. He encounters Ino'olo, one of the San Tekka staff, and tells her to flee, despite her protests. He also thinks of Graf and their marriage, and hopes that he is still alive despite Viess's claims. He reaches the antenna for long-range communications and successfully reaches Belin. Shortly afterwards, a Nihil ship arrives, and he destroys the equipment as Viess arrives.

Mann is at a metalsmithy when he hears from JJ-5145, who tells him that he is needed at a meeting with the Chancellor. He hurries back to find both Avon and Keven Tarr heading to the same meeting, and they enter to find Graf explaining the Paths designed by Mari San Tekka. Chancellor Lina Soh asks Avon if she believes Graf does indeed possess information she can use to break the Stormwall, and Avon reluctantly vouches for him, as does Rwoh. Graf explains that San Tekkas think with their hearts, and Avon realizes that the key is Mari's homeworld. With it, they can travel through the Stormwall more freely and potentially destroy the Lightning Crash and the Stormwall itself.

Kriss returns to the Jedi Temple to meditate and wait for Mann, who is delayed by discussion with Soh. When he arrives, they discuss the possibility of getting through the Stormwall, and Mann admits that he's struggling to be truly hopeful. They briefly discuss the deaths of Orla Jareni and Estala Maru, and Mann gifts Kriss a new diadem. She confesses that she was struggling with the loss of Gios and feeling alone, but says she is practicing hope now, and they will rescue those in Nihil space; she also says that he will come with her, but he admits the Council offered him a seat. She asks whether he feels the Council is his destiny, and thinks that when they were young, she assumed that their destinies were the same and she is beginning to believe so again. She tells Mann that he is the heart of their group, and that Gios would agree. They are interrupted by JJ-5145, who tells them Avon has been successful.

Ghirra learns from Nan that Ro is currently absent, which angers her, and tells Nan to keep her informed and try to figure out where Ro is. Nan agrees, but says she wants to bring it to Ghirra personally. Ghirra is also contacted by Viess, who tells her of Cair's capture and the confirmation Graf was providing codes. Ghirra warns Viess that they neeed to be prepared to defend the Lightning Crash, but Viess says the Stormwall is no more vulnerable than before, though Ghirra thinks she is underestimating Graf.

Ro, experimenting with the blight, finds that it has not touched a Nameless egg, though the Nameless inside seems unwell. The hatched Nameless likewise fear the blight, which Ro finds interesting. Ro finds himself excited by the prospect of the blight, which he thinks could be made into a weapon.

Mann and Kriss prepare for a first test jump through the Stormwall before Mann leads an assault on the Lightning Crash while Kriss storms Naboo. Graf and Avon finish their preparations, and they make the jump successfully. Graf uses a homing beacon to locate the Lightning Crash, and they return to the rest of the fleet. Kriss briefs the other Jedi coming on the Naboo mission and explain their plan. She is stopped after the meeting by Agaburry and Zettifar, who tell her about their recent encounters with the Drengir and their apparent departure from Ronaphaven, and they realize that the Great Progenitor was on Starlight when it fell, and is potentially once again free. Mann, aboard a Vector, begins the attack on the Lightning Crash, which they successfully destroy. Everyone involved, Mann included, feels that the attack is more straightforward than it should be; however, Graf confirms that the Stormwall is down.

On Naboo, Cair is forced to have dinner with Viess in his uncles' dining room, though he does not know why, or why he remains alive. He realizes that she is using him as bait, and is relieved at the implication that Graf is alive. He tells her that neither Graf nor the Jedi will come for him, though she maintains that the Jedi will come. Viess receives the news that the Lightning Crash is under attack, which she seems unconcerned by, and she reminds Cair when he questions this that the station only powers the Stormwall, but does not control it. Not long after, she receives a second communication telling her that a Republic fleet has appeared over Naboo. At the same time, Engle arrives in the dining room. Cair uses the opportunity to attack Viess, though he only mildly wounds her, and she attempts to use him as a hostage against Engle, but he escapes her grip, and as they begin to fight, Cair decides he should leave.

Soh listens to the assault on the Lightning Crash, alone other than her targons, and reflects on Avon and their private interview shortly after Avon arrived on Coruscant. She hears Graf announcing the Stormwall is down, and tells Vice Chancellor Larep Reza that when things are over, she would like to speak directly to Ghirra, who has been waiting to dock on Coruscant.

Kriss leads a Drift over Naboo and is engaging in combat with the Nihil when she receives word that Viess's forces are at the San Tekka compound. She, Agaburry, Zettifar, and Rwoh go to investigate, but she learns that three Stormships have arrived, and leaves the three Knights to enter the compound while she returns to the space battle with the rest of the Drift.

Cair flees the dining room towards the great library in search of the weapons stored there. Meanwhile, Engle and Viess continue their battle, and Viess orders the Nameless to be taken away so that she can duel Engle herself. Agaburry, Zettifar, and Rwoh enter the compound and encounter one of the staff, who tells them Viess is inside, as well as two of the Nameless. Before they can locate her, however, they encounter the Nameless.

Cair distributes the weaponry to the San Tekka staff and attacks Nihil where he can, despite his injuries, lack of his prosthetic hand, and increasing exhaustion. He encounters the three Jedi, who are struggling with the effects of the Nameless, and pulls Rwoh away until she regains her senses, and uses one of his blasters to shoot one of the Nameless, with his help. Meanwhile, Agaburry manages to pinpoint the other Nameless in the Force and pushes through the fear to kill it with his lightsaber.

Mann, along with the other Jedi, retrieve escape pods from the Lightning Crash. They receive word that three Stormships have arrived over Naboo, and Graf suggests they go render aid, which Mann and the others present find unusually altruistic of him, though not wrong. They agree to go to Naboo, and Mann asks Graf why he's so eager to go to Naboo, to which Graf says his dog is there. Mann says that's not the only reason, and Graf asks if he thinks it is an elaborate trap; Mann does not, and tells Graf that caring is not a weakness.

Kriss battles a Nihil cruiser, the Precipitate Fire, but the rest of her Drift are disabled and she is forced to continue alone. On the ground, Agaburry struggles with the aftermath of the Nameless. Rwoh points out they need to find Viess, and Cair leads the Jedi towards where he say Viess and Engle fighting. Viess escapes as they arrive, collapsing the tunnel behind her, but Cair says they still may be able to cut her off. They reach the shipyard in time to see her leaving aboard Cair's yacht, but are unable to stop her or disable the hyperdrive before she takes off; however, Cair realizes there is a tracking beacon on the yacht. Meanwhile, Rwoh contacts Kriss to warn her about Viess, but Kriss is focused on the Precipitate Fire. She flies her Vector directly through the Precipitate Fire just as Mann and his fleet arrive. In the aftermath of the battle, Soh contacts Ghirra to discuss potential negotiations.

Ro inspects a burned Drengir which has been calcified by the blight, and notes that two of the other worlds with the blight were places the Nihil had seeded the Drengir. He is contacted by Ferr, who informs him of the Lightning Crash's destruction and the loss of Naboo, as well as Viess vanishing. He is largely unconcerned, and also tells Ferr to tell Ghirra whatever she likes as long as it is not his true location.

After the battle, Kriss speaks with Engle, who has made soup for the fighters, and learns that he will be leaving again shortly in pursuit of Viess. Kriss senses Mann approaching, but Graf enters first, seeking Cair and Plinka. Both are glad to see him, and Cair embraces his husband. Mann enters as they reunite, and Kriss kisses him briefly, startling him.

They leave to speak privately, and Mann admits to her that he has struggled with finding balance in his emotions; Kriss says that his ability to push boundaries inspires her but he needs an anchor. Mann says that Kriss's problem has been forgetting herself, perhaps the opposite of his problem, and she says that makes them good balances for each other. She kisses him again, but Mann admits he is worried that he will succumb to attachment if they give in to their desire. Kriss does not argue, but tells him that she loves him, and despite her struggle with it, her love for him makes her better. Mann kisses her and leaves, which she does not mind.

Aboard the Gaze Electric, Ro inspects the markings on his torso, which were carved into his skin sometime before Asgar Ro's death, under the direction of Mari San Tekka: star charts, including several Paths. He locates the particular markings he is searching for, which he describes as the oldest Path, and uses it to replace Mari's home key.

Cair wakes to find Graf going through his wardrobe; Graf tells him to get dressed and hurries him out of his room towards the next departing ship. Cair, confused, notes that he seems uncharacteristically afraid, and tries to protest; Graf asks if he trusts him, and when Cair fails to answer, Graf says that it doesn't matter, as he is bringing Cair back whether he likes it or not.

As they move towards the Third Horizon, others in the compound begin to act agitated, and Cair notes that Graf had already known something was wrong. They reach the Jedi, who tell them that their communications across the Stormwall have been interrupted, possibly because the home key has ceased working; Graf says that the Sunvale device should still work, and Rwoh tells him that the Sunvale device is not there. Graf reminds her that she and Kriss are the two Jedi who have been able to cross the Stormwall without it, and says it is worth the risk to leave before the Gaze Electric arrives. Cair says he doesn't want to leave, and asks if Graf knew they could switch out the home key; Graf is incredulous that they had not predicted Ro would have a backup plan, and Cair says that they are not all practiced at thinking like monsters. The Jedi leave to discuss the problem, and tell Graf to come with them. Cair tells Graf that there is work to do which Cair is good at in the Occlusion Zone, and reminds Graf he is not asking him to stay; Graf asks why he isn't, and storms off.

On the Third Horizon, the Jedi and RDC command strategize how they may geet through the Stormwall if the home key has been changed. Rwoh describes her first trip back through the Stormwall with Avon, and Graf attempts to confirm that the Stormwall is still working as usual aside from the change in key. He asks Rwoh for more details on Avon's method, and realizes that she only did so after the Path engine died, implying they may not have to do the same if they can acquire a Path engine, of which there are several present on Naboo. Graf notes that Cair is familiar with Path engines and can bring the necessary parts, and they agree to bring him up; Graf also says to bring Plinka. Though there are two engines available, Captains Amaryl Pel of the Tractate and Mitker of the Harmonic both declare their intent to stay.

Cair arrives on the Third Horizon to bring Plinka and retrieve a Path engine. Before he can return to the shuttle, Graf pulls Cair aside, and Cair follows, though he remains angry with Graf, and knows he can neither leave with Graf nor ask him to stay, despite Graf's wishes. Graf leads him to his temporary quarters, currently containing Plinka, but unexpectedly locks Cair inside. Cair protests vehemently, and tells Graf he won't forgive him for this, but Graf says that by the time he gets himself out, they will either be in hyperspace, in Republic space, or dead, which he claims would also be romantic. Graf tells Cair that he knew who he married and leaves.

The Third Horizon prepares for its departure, as those who are staying disemark, and Rwoh prepares to input the hyperspace coordinates, bolstered by the support of Kriss and the other Jedi on board. When Kriss directs it, the Third Horizon jumps to hyperspace.

Engle tracks Viess's stolen yacht, and finds that she has left only recently, as there are torches still burning, which Engle interprets as an invitation. Inside the yacht, Engle finds a message, rigged with an explosive, saying she will be waiting for him, and giving a location written in a style from Gansevor, where Engle first encountered Viess.

Agaburry and Rwoh meet with the Council through hologram to explain their success at killing the Nameless, though Agaburry cannot fully explain what he achieved. He also tells the Council of the blight, which they agree is concerning.

Mann and Soh prepare to meet with Ghirra, which Mann and Soh agree will be unpleasant. Mann struggles with the urge to argue with Ghirra's statements, and asks what the Nihil represent as, per her claims, a nation. She tells them it is balance and options, for those who do not fit in the Republic, and Soh points out it remains to be seen whether the Nihil are willing and able to coexist with the Republic. Ghirra asks how they can convince them they can, and Soh suggests they return her son, who has been missing since the Stormwall activated. Ghirra points out that Soh knows where Avon is, and Soh says out of respect for Avon's autonomy, she will not betray her to Ghirra. Mann finds himself inspired by Soh's altruistic love for her son, and Ghirra says she will do her best to find him.

They then discuss the border, which Soh declares musts be clear and stationary, and Ro, as Soh suggests a personal message from him would do more to convince them of the Nihil's peaceful intent; Ghirra claims when asked that he is at his stronghold on Hetzal, but Mann detects that she's lying.

Ro continues to investigate the blight, and locates a desert planet he placed Drengir on long ago, which is now free of Drengir and is affected by the blight. With the Rod of Power, he is able to walk freely across the blight without being infected.

Agaburry and Zettifar return to Oanne, though both are struggling with the aftermath of their encounter with the Nameless, on the request of the local leader Arryssslesh. She explains something is devastating their nativity forests, and shows them to a vast area of forest that has been destroyed by the blight. Agaburry investigates more closely, and attempts to use the Force to push back the blight.

Mann encounters Master Yoda, who notes that Mann has made the decision not to join the Council, and asks for his reasoning. Mann explains that being in between suits him, and he feels his place is not on the Council. He also asks Yoda's advice about Kriss's words, and asks if it is possible to love an individual without attachment; Yoda says it depends on what is meant by love, and asks if Mann believes his parents loved him less because they gave him up, and he says he does not. He confesses that he worries love will overwhelm him if he allows it; Yoda says that he must choose how to serve the Force every day, and if in the moment he chooses something that overwhelms him, he can choose otherwise in the next moment. Mann thanks him for the advice and leaves.

On his way out, Mann encounters Kriss and they discuss the current state of the Stormwall and the blight, and Mann suggests that she ask Cair about the latter, since it was what took his hand. They part, and Mann goes to visit Avon and ask for her help in a matter regarding her mother, though he clarifies she can freely refuse.

Ghirra is in her Coruscant suite when one of her bodyguards alerts her that Avon has come to see her, which confuses Ghirra, though she is pleased. Avon tells her she has come to ask her to do the right thing, and Ghirra argues that she is doing the right thing, and that she has been doing it to protect her family and her planet. She tells Avon that it is better to be alive and hating herself than proud of her choices and dead. Avon tells her that she would rather be proud of her mother, and leaves.

Kriss seeks out Cair, who is at the San Tekka manor and is healing well but remains unsettled and would rather be in the Occlusion Zone. She asks about the blight, and he shows her the moon where he and his cousin encountered it, and says that if the Nihil did potentially spread the blight they could not control it.

They are interrupted by Graf, who brings with him a prosthetics specialist, as Cair only possesses a hook at present. Cair, still angry with Graf, reminds him that he does not want his help, and Graf sends the specialist away without argument and sits to observe the rest of Kriss and Cair's conversation. They discuss the blight, and Kriss realizes that multiple of the potentially blighted planets had Drengir. Cair suggests that she ask Belin and Dairo next time she goes through the Stormwall, and also says he wants to go with her, but she refuses.

On Oanne, Agaburry comes out of his meditation to find that in five hours, and expending most of his energy, he preserved only a small semicircle of unblighted land. Agaburry tells Zettifar they must try again, but Zettifar refuses, and reminds him that they will do more good reporting this to other Jedi rather than trying futilely to push it back themselves. Agaburry, uncomfortably reminded of his helplessness while stranded in the Eiram ocean, is distressed by this, and Zettifar attempts to ground him. Agaburry concedes and reluctantly tells Arryssslesh they must leave, which she says she understands.

Following Viess's message, Engle travels to Isolt and locates her base. While he observes, he avoids lingering on the thought of his sister, who he lost at the same time as he met Viess. He determines that she does not have any Nameless with her, which he also interprets as an invitation. He throws explosives into the compound, and fights off several Nihil before Viess announces that she will handle him personally.

Avon delivers a datastick from her mother to Mann, which he tells Kriss will let them find Ro, and he travels to join her and Rwoh before they enter the Occlusion Zone. During the journey, he meditates, and finds some measure of peace both in himself and his connection to Kriss.

Mann explains to the gathered Jedi, including Rwoh and Kriss as well as Agaburry, Zettifar, Master Mirro Lox, and Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo, that Ro has evidently been tracking the blight, as all the worlds he has visited in the past six weeks have experienced it. They discuss the connection between the blight and the Drengir, though they cannot decipher what the nature of that connection is, and establish that, assuming Ro can only track the blight through rumors and reports, there is a limited set of worlds he's likely to go to next. Of these, the only one which had a Drengir presence is Vixoseph I.

With their destination determined, Kriss goes to find Mann, who is waiting in her quarters. They briefly discuss that Mann got the information from Ghirra, but quickly turn instead to their relationship; both agree that it feels right, they both want this, and they can choose their relationship without it becoming selfish or dangerous. They kiss, and Kriss begins to remove Mann's robes.

Viess tells the rest of the Nihil to leave, and they begin to duel. When Engle gains the upper hand, Viess flees, surprising him. She reaches a ship, and Engle throws his lightsaber, controlling it with the Force to attack the ship. Just as he is about to destroy it, Viess says that she knows where his sister is; Engle stops attacking, shocked, and Viess escapes.

Ro is indeed on Vixoseph I, with the intent to further investigate the blight and potentially use the Drengir to spread it. He removes the clothing most vulnerable to infection, like his cape and boots, before he leads two frightened Nameless into the blight, though the image of Marda points out this is unkind to the creatures. Ro takes a chunk of blighted land and places it in the unblighted grass, and finds that it swiftly infects the area around it, as he had hoped.

Mann and Kriss are summoned from her quarters as they approach Vixoseph I, and upon arrival they find the Gaze Electric present, but already jumping away. They are discouraged, but decide to verify their guess about the blight's presence rather than leave, and they also learn that some ships have landed recently but not yet left. As Rwoh and Lox continue to investigate from the air, the other Jedi land and inspect the blight. As Rwoh alerts them that they've located a Nihil gunship, the Jedi on the ground see a huge figure walking across the blight towards them, which they realize is a Nameless.

Ro witnesses the Jedi arriving and sends one of the Nameless after them. Lox and Rwoh engage with the Nihil ship and found that it is attacking a Drengir on the ground, which Rwoh attacks while Lox focuses on the gunship. The Drengir attempt to trap her Vector, but she successfully escapes, though not without damage.

Faced with the Nameless, Agaburry tells Zettifar to retreat to the Vectors. Agaburry, Kriss, and Mann attempt to replicate Agaburry's actions on Naboo, though they struggle with the effect of the Nameless. Mann considers drawing upon the dark side to defeat the Nameless, saving Kriss and Agaburry at the cost of himself, but is stopped by Kriss.

Rwoh crashes her Vector into the Drengir and fights them on foot. Lox and Azzazzo shoot at the Drengir from their Vector, but Rwoh is injured; she uses her lightsaber to cauterize the wound. The Drengir move towards Agaburry, Kriss, and Mann, and Rwoh pursues. Kriss seems to perceive a Drengir, but realizes that it is an illusion from the Nameless. As Rwoh approaches, she begins to feel the effects of the Nameless, but realizes quickly that so are the Drengir. One of the Nameless attacks a Drengir, and begins to calcify it, but in doing so it is strangled by its vines. Rwoh attempts to put the Drengir out of its misery, but she is stopped by Ro wielding a lightsaber, who tells her not to interfere.

Rwoh attempts to attack Ro, but is still struggling with the aftermath of the Nameless, and he holds her off easily. As the Gaze Electric arrives overhead, she witnesses Ro throw a chunk of the blight at the remaining Drengir, then run into the blight.

Still struggling to defend against the Nameless, Agaburry and Kriss work together to draw the fear away from Mann and into themselves, leaving him coherent enough to act. Mann strikes it with his lightsaber, and the Nameless knocks him down as Kriss attacks it.

Rwoh alerts the RDC forces that Ro is on the ground, but is unable to follow him into the blight or attack him from afar, and watches as he returns to the Gaze. Facing the Nameless, Kriss draws upon the Force and Agaburry to bolster Mann, allowing him to kill the Nameless. Exhausted, all three Jedi collapse.

Ghirra, on Coruscant, receives a call from Ro. He tells her that he intends to address the Republic, and that he will arrive over Coruscant by the following day. Ghirra asks what sort of message he intends on bringing, and he says it is one even Soh will appreciate. Ghirra does not argue, but is angry that Ro is surprising her with this and dreads what he will do. She visits Soh and informs her of Ro's imminent visit.

After the battle, Agaburry, Zettifar, and Rwoh inspect the dead Drengir which Ro infected with the blight, and Rwoh relates what she saw to the other two. Agaburry, still attempting to learn more about the blight, tries to connect with the blight through the Force. He feels an emotion from the blight which he identifies as homesickness.

Kriss wakes on the Axiom, where she has been treated for her injuries, and finds that some part of the mental connection remains between her and Mann. He describes the other events on Vixoseph I and Ghirra's visit to Soh announcing Ro's visit. As they will not arrive for another three hours, they choose to rest together.

Ro's shuttle lands on Coruscant, met by Soh and her party. Though he has brought Nameless with him, Soh tells him they must stay back, and he agrees without argument. Ro brings with him the Rod of Power and a bundle of flowers which appear to be blighted, and he declares that he has come because of the blight, and that he is the only one who is safe from it and knows how to stop it. He claims there is no condition to his assistance, and declares himself to be their only hope. He drops the flowers, which disintegrate into the breeze.

Development

Writing process

Temptation of the Force is a major novel in the Star Wars: The High Republic program.^[5] Tessa Gratton turned in the first draft for the novel on August 10, 2023,^[7] by which point she reflected that she had spent the prior three months "overthinking" matters around Jedi Master Elzar Mann.^[8] According to Gratton, Temptation of the Force is a novel where Mann gets "what he needs,"^[9] with Gratton then remarking "a kiss on the forehead and a hug" was "a pretty good guess" all things considered.^[10] She used a word count tracker while writing in order to push herself to reach 90,000 words.^[6] The first draft^[7] featured two references to the series Scum Villain, although Gratton was unsure if they would remain in the final copy.^[11] The cover art by Grant Griffin and official description for Temptation of the Force were first showcased on February 14, 2024,^[12] as an intentional Valentine's Day reveal.^[13]

Editor Tom Hoeler teased that the novel featured "the most Elzar Mann thing" the character could do without it involving sex,^[14] explaining later it was his decision to speak with^[15] Jedi Grand Master^[16] Yoda in chapter 47 after^[15] fellow Jedi Master^[16] Avar Kriss confessed her feelings.^[15] Hoeler also thought the chapter was beautifully written and particularly enjoyed how Yoda was written.^[17] The last portion of the book Gratton wrote was actually^[18] its first chapter. That chapter features an exchange^[19] between Mann and Kriss that was released by StarWars.com on May 20, 2024, as the fandom's first tease into the novel's contents.^[18] In one early part of the novel, Kriss gives a speech to those trapped within the Nihil marauders' Occlusion Zone. Del Rey was so pleased with the speech that it decided to make the dialogue the book's black blurb.^[20] Hoeler teased several specific chapters from the book as remarkable moments in the text.^[21]

Hoeler further teased that there was far more going on the book that even its official description implied^[22] and hinted at the "cool individual arcs" experienced by^[23] Jedi Knights^[16] Vernestra Rwoh and Burryaga Agaburry,^[23] who he would further tease had "amazing" point of view scenes within Temptation of the Force.^[24] While performing editing work on the book, Hoeler created a music playlist that he believed fit its tone.^[25] He posted lyrics from the song "It's Called: Freefall" to describe the book on June 3, 2024.^[26]

Release and reception

Gratton received a copy of her novel in the mail on June 1, which also happened to be the beginning of Pride Month.^[28] In the days before release, Michael Siglain began a countdown on his Twitter account wherein everyday he would post concept art of someone from the book's cast by artists Diogo Saito^[29] and Ario Anindito.^[30] Starting on June 5, he began with Kriss^[29] and followed up on June 6 with art of Jedi Knight Bell Zettifar and his Charhound, Ember. He revealed that, within the novel, Zettifar would need to investigate a danger to the Jedi Order and Galactic Republic and be confronted with fear.^[31] The next post on June 7 featured concept art of the Wookiee Jedi Knight Burryaga Agaburry, who Siglain promised would go "through a lot" in Temptation of the Force. He further revealed that personal arc set up the rest of The High Republic initiative.^[32] On June 8, Siglain posted concept art and a description of smuggler Cair San Tekka^[30] while rushing out of his house^[33] to get to his daughter's dance recital that day.^[34] In that rush, however, Siglain posted the incorrect file^[35]—selecting art of Tekka that did not match his final, canonical description^[33]—and faced criticism.^[34]

Later that day, Siglain posted the up-to-date depiction of Cair^[36] and thanked fans for noticing the error. He remarked that the ultimate takeaway of the situation was not to rush.^[34] He further apologized for the error and thanked fans for understanding.^[37] On June 9, Siglain continued the countdown with art of Grand Master Yoda, who did not have a major role in Temptation of the Force but, as promised by Siglain, did have a major discussion with Mann or Kriss.^[38] On June 10, the day before release, Siglain posted art of Mann and promised that—if a fan loved Mann, Kriss, or love in general—they would enjoy the book.^[39] In particular, he also had deduced that Ronja, a Star Wars fan who goes by the Twitter handle @fivesgirlfriend, would enjoy the tweet about Mann, which proved to be the case.^[40] Previously, he had implied to Ronja that the art would feature Mann in his mission robes, something that had never been pictured publicly before;^[41] indeed, the June 10th tweet featured Mann in his Jedi mission robes.^[39] On the day of release, June 11, Siglain posted art of Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro, whom he implied would be more trustworthy than he seemed.^[42]

Gratton's fellow The High Republic author Charles Soule celebrated the book's release with a tweet of his own, in which he praised Temptation of the Force as "a crackling read" that was effectively the The Empire Strikes Back of The High Republic.^[27]

Media

Editions

• ISBN 9780593723098; June 11, 2024; Random House Worlds; US hardcover^[3]
• ISBN 9780593723104; June 11, 2024; Random House Worlds; US eBook^[3]
• ISBN 9780593723111; March 11, 2025; Random House Worlds; US paperback^[3]

Appearances

Sources

• SWCE 2023: 9 Things We Learned from the Star Wars: The High Republic Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Return of the Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann in Temptation of the Force — Cover Reveal on StarWars.com (backup link)
• The High Republic Authors on Authors: Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 225
• Star Wars: The High Republic: Temptation of the Force - First Excerpt on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Who Is Vernestra Rwoh? on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 226
• SDCC 2024: The Acolyte Publishing Program and Other Reveals from the Lucasfilm Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 227
• Our Star Wars Reads Picks For Every Type of Reader in Your Life on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 228
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 229
• Star Wars Year in Review 2024 on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 230
• Star Wars: Master of Evil, a New Darth Vader Novel, Turns the Page on the Sith Lord on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 231
• The High Republic Author Roundtable: "The End of the Beginning" on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Star Wars: The High Republic Chronological Reader's Guide on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
• "Star Wars: The High Republic: Phase III Companion" — Star Wars Insider 234

Notes and references

Phase III: Trials of the Jedi
Novels Adult novels The Eye of Darkness (audiobook) · Temptation of the Force (audiobook) · Trials of the Jedi (audiobook) Young adult novels Defy the Storm (audiobook) · Tears of the Nameless (audiobook) · Into the Light (audiobook) Junior novels Escape from Valo (audiobook) · Beware the Nameless (audiobook) · A Valiant Vow (audiobook) Audiobook Originals Seeds of Starlight · Haunted Starlight Audio dramas Tempest Breaker (script) Comic books Marvel The High Republic (2023) · Fear of the Jedi (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · TPB) · The Finale Shadows of Starlight (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB) Omnibus Dark Horse The High Republic Adventures (2023) · Crash Landing / Crash and Burn (TPB) The Wedding Spectacular · Phase III Annual · The Battle of Eriadu Saber for Hire (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB) · Echoes of Fear (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB) Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB) Complete Phase III Part 1 · Complete Phase III Part 2 Viz Media The Edge of Balance (3 · 4 · Premonition) Short stories Tales from the Occlusion Zone "No Big Deal" · "Friend or Foe?" · "Survivors" · "Pathogen" · "Family Ties" "The Fate of Eriadu" · "Sparks Fly" · "Out with a Bang" · "The Will to Fight" · Tales from the Occlusion Zone Chronicles of Corellia "Heir Apparent" · "Cracking the Mask" Tales of Light and Life "Light in the Darkness" · "All Jedi Walk Their Own Path" · "Rogue Element" Reference books The Art of: Volume 2 Promotional material The High Republic Show Trials of the Jedi promotional postcards Articles "Charles Soule: Luminous Legacy" · "Long Live Luminous" "The High Republic: Phase III Companion" Related media Comics Yoda: The Cave · "All the Republic" The Acolyte - Kelnacca 1 Novels The Acolyte: Wayseeker (audiobook) · The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown (audiobook) General The High Republic media · Phase I media · Phase II media
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