"High Republic Adventures: Annual 2021" by various

"High Republic Adventures: Annual 2021" by various

This was such a fun collection of High Republic stories!! It spans a wide swath of time and covers a wide variety of characters. Despite it being a lengthy 45 pages, the time flew by while I was reading this--everything was just so incredibly enjoyable. Each story felt short and sweet and yet packed a punch. Definitely pleased with this one!

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"Set for Life" written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Sam Beck

This takes place sometime before all hell broke loose in the Republic because Loden Greatstorm is still alive for one, and there is no discussion of the Nihil. Loden and his Padawan Bell Zettifar, along with Bell's pet charhound (Ember, see below), rush off to save the day when a mining accident on Elphrona causes one of a crew of Er'kits to be trapped in the mines. They take a Vanguard (or V-wheel) to travel to the site (see below). Really cool to finally get eyes on what a Vanguard actually looks like! Not at all what I expected.

Turns out the trapped Er'kit is super selfish and all he cares about is liberating a hefty Kantak crystal (a red glowing affair) which will allow him to be "set for life"--hence the title. Even when Loden holds up the partially-collapsed tunnel, freeing the Er'kit and telling him to get out of there quickly, the miner stays behind, hacking away at the rock, causing the whole mine to begin to collapse all over again and more permanently this time around. 

Loden and the Er'kit make it out alive just as the tunnel finally collapses for good and Loden asks Bell (who he had sent away when things looked especially dangerous) if he would have gone in the tunnel and attempted to help if he had known beforehand how selfish the Er'kit would be. Bell of course says that he doesn't know what he would do in that case and I certainly cannot blame him. Loden reassures him that one day he won't question and will just do what is right. Jedi are a weird breed. I just don't see how it's possible to feel no fear...Force or not!

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"No Stone Unturned" written by Claudia Gray, illustrated by Jason Loo and Megan Huang

Leox, Affie, and Geode are the stars of this one. They are on a treasure-hunting job that has taken them to a supposedly abandoned site to steal a crystal of sorts called the Sun Jewel. Well, after they steal it, a huge mob of people attack and they begin running for their lives...except Geode--lol--who camouflages himself in a rock crevice!! See him hiding below!

The Vessel crew learns that the crystal is a sacred object and shines a light for the "prophetess" every year. The people worry that without it, her light will not shine. Leox of course returns the Sun Jewel and he, Affie, and Geode are invited to a feast.

Very succinct but anything with Geode makes me smile big!

I believe this story takes place before Into the Shadows (the first High Republic YA novel) because at the end, Leox mentions that they just got a job taking a group of Jedi to Starlight Beacon!

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"First Mission" written by Justina Ireland, illustrated by Yael Nathan

This one covers Vernestra's time as a Padawan!!! And I mean the literal first day of her apprenticeship. Her master, Stellan Gios, is amazed with her abilities and even asks her to teach him a few tricks!!

They are on Hynestia and a treaty has just been brokered between the Hutts and the Hynestians but it's all a ploy a.k.a. a trap by the Hutts to attack the Hynestians. The Hutts planted Povo Punch amongst the beverages, something highly poisonous to Hutts, so that they could proclaim that the Hynestians were trying to kill them! Vernestra figures out the plot and her, Stellan, and Master Lynela (a Kel Dor) save the day...along with a very brave Queen Nyla.

I love Vernestra so much!! She's a young prodigy of a Jedi, but never lets that go to her head. She's also asexual and I have decided that next week's (Mon at 6pm central on YouTube) Aphra's Artifacts will be about her! So be sure and check that out.

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"Crash and the Crew Do What They Do" written by Daniel Jose Older, illustrated by Jesse Lonergan

Not surprisingly, this story connects to the main "High Republic Adventures" plot as Daniel Jose Older is the author of both. We see Respiler again (see HRA #11 and him pictured below) and he's working with Sabata so I'm assuming this story takes place after issue #11. He sends scav droids out to disrupt the crew that is running security for Chancellor Lina Soh's visit to Corellia. 

Luckily Crash's crew is able to stop the droids and prevent Soh from getting hurt...well, one of her pet Targons manages to snag the disabled scav droid headed straight downwards toward her (see below). Despite disaster being averted, Respiler and Sabata seem to agree that they got the information they needed and can begin the real work...dun dun dun!!

It appears that we're only getting two more issues of "High Republic Adventures" before the switchover from IDW to Dark Horse so I'll be curious to find out how they wrap up the Krix storyline...or if they just seamlessly continue it on to the next publishing company...

Oh! And there's a Grindalid!!! Think Lady Proxima and Moloch from Solo: A Star Wars Story. He's named Prybolt and even has a couple of Corellian hounds. See below.

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"The Haul" written by Cavan Scott, illustrated by Stefano Simeone

I'm gonna say this one was the funniest. We have some Nihil attempting to crack a vault containing supposed vast treasures on the planet Quilken in the Outer Rim. But it's a trap!! And the trap is the Blade of Bardotta himself, Porter Engle!!

Somehow I had forgotten that Porter Engle was Ikkrukkian and had to do a double take when I saw the large flat bumps, one on either side of his head. Besides that, he looks totally human.

Lourna Dee also makes an appearance but gets out as soon as things go bad, leaving a blubbering Storm named Slombo behind. He kept proclaiming that the haul was his and his alone and that he should take it to The Eye. And Lourna throws this right back in his face when she realizes there is no treasure. Smart cookie, that Lourna!

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Overall, a fantastic collection of stories!! So much fun and a joy to get to spend time with some of my favorite High Republic characters.

-Marie E. Wilson a.k.a. @AliaMorgaine