Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews


Star Wars Dark Times #5

Dark Horse
Harrison, Wheatley, Pattison

The conclusion to the Path to Nowhere sees two stories wrap up. Bomo's wife and child were taken from him by the Empire and Jedi Dass Jennir is faced with trying to live with himself as he drifts away from the religion of being a Jedi.

For those not familiar with this title, it takes place immediately after all of the Jedi have been wiped out in the movie, Revenge of the Sith. Jennir has survived but is struggling to be just a man rather than a Jedi Master.

This issue opens with Vader deep in thought even while he takes his orders from the Emperor. Amazingly enough, even wearing a mask Vader's expression reveals how little interest he has in what he has become. He seems to just be wishing the old man dead already.

We learned previously that Bomo's wife died and that his daughter was sold to some scumbag on some Galactic Core planet. The cast of aliens in this title is amazing and each planet Jennir, Bomo and their crew visit broadens the scope of the aliens used. It's fantastic use of the Star Wars galaxy.

Jennir learns where Bomo's daughter is and he orchestrates an attack. While infiltrating the fortress-home of said scumbag we see even more "aliens" in the form of droids. We even see some droids that resemble the IG-88 bounty hunter droid in Empire Strikes Back. It's excellent use of that vast galaxy again.

Jennir confronts the slave trader and we learn the gruesome fate of Bomo's daughter. It's just heart-wrenching. I couldn’t believe it when I read it. It's almost surprising to see this level of brutality in a Star Wars comic. But it's necessary to help drive Jennir over the edge. Jennir loses his Jedi way for sure.

Deflated, Jennir decides to continue to follow his new crew, but decides to hang on to his lightsaber and with it, some shred of his Jedi mindset. This to me didn’t make sense, but when intertwined with shots of Vader on the Star Destroyer contemplating his eventually descent or even destruction it all comes into focus. Vader has given up, accepting the "inevitable" while Jennir is still holding on to some hope, even if its just his lightsaber.

I have some complaints. For one: how about releasing this book once in a while? Five issues over fourteen months is not cool.

As always, I would like a run down of the story and this issue gives me that. I would have also liked a nice re-intro to the characters that Bomo and Jennir travel with. I cant remember their names seeing as how I was four months younger when this comic last came out. Name tags would have been fine.

I cant use the lateness of the comic against this particular issue's rating because its an overall title problem and the use of the aliens clearly outweighs the lack of mentioning some names so my complaints are for not.

I do doubt that a stranger can read this issue and know what's up, but it is a really great story all by itself so I would recommend it. I may not like the ending at all, but it surprised me and kept me very entertained. Between this title, Legacy and Rebellion I'd say Dark Horse is making some of the most classic Star Wars stories yet.

5 out of 5 geek goggles.