The High Republic (2021) 15

Publisher's summary

EVERYTHING CHANGES! Phase one of Star Wars The High Republic reaches its galaxy-shaking conclusion. Only one person can save the Jedi from the mysterious monsters that stalk Starlight Beacon. Who will live and who will die?

Opening crawl

Avar Kriss triumphant! The Hero of Hetzal has
successfully captured the woman she believes is
the Eye of the Nihil, but as the Jedi return Lourna
Dee to STARLIGHT BEACON, a terrible explosion
tears through the gleaming space station.

With communications down and the Beacon
drifting dangerously close to the planet Eiram,
the Marshal leads a rescue mission, leaving Dee
in the hands of Jedi archivist OrbaLin on board
the ''Ataraxia''.

But the stricken space station hides a terrible
secret. The MYSTERIOUS CREATURES that nearly
cost Terec and Keeve Trennis their lives on Xais
now stalk Starlight's darkened corridors….

Plot summary

Escaping the Nameless

Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis and her Jedi comrades Marshal Avar Kriss, Jedi Master Sskeer and Knight Nooranbakarakana are attacked by several Nameless creatures aboard the stricken Starlight Beacon, which consumes their living Force. Trennis experiences hallucinations but is freed by Sskeer, who manages to drive the Nameless creatures away. Kriss agrees with Sskeer, saying that they need to go to the space station's hub to see if they can store Starlight Beacon from drifting into Eiram's atmosphere. Kriss is relieved the three survived but expresses regret that Nooran was killed by the creatures, which turned her into stone.

Sskeer tells Trennis and Kriss that the Nameless creatures are not affecting him in the same way as the other Force users. Sskeer volunteers to hold the creatures back. Trennis is unwilling to lose her master but he promises that they will see each other again. While Trennis and Kriss rush to the Hub, Sskeer makes a stand against the Nameless creatures, who launch a second attack.

Hijacked

Aboard the Ataraxia, Jedi Knight Goonral Monshi tells OrbaLin via comlink that he has evacuated several Starlight staff and Galactic Republic citizens and asks him to retract the boarding tube. In the cockpit, OrbaLin witnesses Starlight Beacon breaking in two and tells Monshi he will retract the tube. Attempting to stabilize the station's suiperstructure, he activates the Ataraxia's tractor beams. Monshi reassures the civilians but they are interrupted by several Nihil captives, who have broken out of their cells.

Monshi calls Orbalin for help but he is preoccupied with attempting to stabilize the Starlight Beacon's superstructure. However, his efforts come to no avail and the station splits in half. Orbalin is shot in the head by a freed Lourna Dee, whose blaster bolt causes a crack in his globular helmet. Vowing revenge on Marchion Ro for abandoning her earlier, she takes over the Ataraxia and flies the starship away, carrying the Nihil along with the captive Jedi crew and passengers.

Descent and escape

Meanwhile, Kriss and Trennis reach the Hub, which is touching the edge of Eiram's atmosphere. Despite the gravitational pull of the planet, the Jedi discover that Master Estala Maru is using his Force powers to hold the stricken space station together. Maru tells the two younger Jedi that the station's Jedi spire has been evacuated. They also find his astromech droid KC-78 ("Kaycee"), who informs Trennis that Terec and Ceret are still in the Healing chamber. Kriss sends Trennis to rescue them while she attempts to help Maru hold the station together. Trennis rushes up the staircase as the space station crumbles. She resolves not to give into fear and draws strength comfort from the presence of the other Jedi aboard the Starlight Beacon including Burryaga Agaburry, Torban Buck, Vernestra Rwoh, Elzar Mann, and Stellan Gios. Through the Force, Trennis also senses the Jedi who have passed away.

Reaching the healing chamber, she finds the twins Terec and Ceret strapped to their beds. Attempting to move them to an escape pod, she is almost sucked out of a hole into zero gravity space. However, the comatose twins hear the song of the Force and awake. They use their Force powers to pull her to safety.

As the Starlight Beacon enters Eiram's atmosphere, the space station begins to burn and disintegrate. Kriss and Maru sense that the song of the Force is broken. Maru tells her that the song has served its purpose and tells the younger Jedi to leave. Kriss refuses to abandon her mentor and offers to stay behind. Describing Kriss as their shining light, he orders Kaycee to carry Kriss to safety. The astromech droid activates his rocket booster and ferries an unwilling Kriss to safety.

Aftermath

Meanwhile, Trennis, Terec and Ceret escape Starlight Beacon in an escape pod before the station crashes into Eiram's ocean. They land their escape on on Eiram's surface. Trennis finds her heroine and mentor Kriss alive but in a grief-stricken state. As Trennis comforts Kriss, the Knight resolves to find out what caused Starlight Beacon's destruction and the origins of the Nameless creatures.

Media

Cover gallery

Final cover by Phil Noto

Solicit cover by Phil Noto

Variant Cover by Pasqual Ferry

Variant Cover by Ario Anindito

Second printing cover by Ario Anindito

Collected in

• Star Wars: The High Republic Vol. 3 – Jedi's End
• Star Wars: The High Republic Phase I – Light of the Jedi Omnibus

Appearances

This Appearances list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia by expanding it.

Sources

• Sabé Returns and More from Marvel's February 2022 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
• The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic Announced and New Concept Art Revealed on Star Wars: The High Republic Show on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Something Wicked Stalks the Jedi in Marvel's Star Wars: The High Republic #15 – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
• This Week! in Star Wars Obi-Wan Novel Cover Reveal, 20 Years of Attack of the Clones on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)

Notes and references

External links

• Star Wars: The High Republic (2021) #15 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)

There is No Fear: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 Heart of the Drengir: 6 · 7 · 8 The Shadow of the Nihil: 9 · 10 Jedi's End: 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 Behind-the-Scenes Exclusive Miniseries Eye of the Storm (1 · 2) Collections 1 · 2 · 3 · Omnibus Related media The High Republic Vol. 2 · Vol. 3 Trail of Shadows
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