Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #24
Dark Horse Comics
Miller, Weaver, Parsons & Atiyeh
We conclude the final arc before the big crossover, Vector, with a big bang. This was the first arc I have read of this title and I was thoroughly impressed with it. While nothing about it makes it look or feel 4,000 years before the Battle of Yavin, it delivers on all levels. This issue was great cover to cover.
We begin with a flashback. Raana Tey, the Jedi Master who wants Zayne dead, is seen eavesdropping on two people talking about a vision about five individuals and how some will turn towards darkness. We don’t know much about the people in the scene, the people in the vision or the difference between light and dark in the context of this vision. It’s vague, but we get the idea. Tey uses this as the basis to later kill the Jedi students.
Back to the present, where Zayne and Shel, his love interest and the sister of his dead friend who she believes was killed by Zayne. Shel and Zayne are heading into the Jedi Tower to see if old Cassus Fett is hanging out there. Here we get a lot of airing of grievances between the two. Shel believes Zayne killed her brother, then doesn’t. The feelings are still raw that he left her to become a Jedi in the first place. This whole scene gives very good background on the two characters for those who haven’t been following this title. In the end, they make out. This was only to throw off the guards walking by though. For me, this part was a little unrealistic. Here Zayne is a guard (in disguise) arguing openly with this prisoner who then kisses him. It’s a little far fetched for the other guards to buy into and me as well.
Zayne and Shel make it into the tower. Shel is about to kill Zayne with the lightsaber that she lifts off the rack when Tey shows up. She’s mad that Shel didn’t kill him so she is going after him.
Zayne finds another guard who verifies that Fett isn’t in the tower and also suspects Zayne of being in there unauthorized. Go figure. The guard also tells Zayne that the rebels are currently under attack on the other side of the city, led by Fett. Basically, this mission is a failure. Before a confrontation manifests Tey cuts the guard in half and battles Zayne. A Jedi Master versus a failed student. Sounds like a slam dunk to me.
Gryph decides to rescue Zayne, seeing as how the whole mission is falling apart. Gadon won’t let him go alone, so they get on a speeder and head up to the tower. Zayne gets a beating from Tey.
The ending of the issue is very, very good and I can’t spoil it for you. Basically Shel enters the battle of Tey and Zayne at the same time that Gryph shows up and one of the four dies, but not in a way you’d expect. It’s a great ending.
This issue has tons of action and much of it is lightsaber based and it looks fantastic visually. I can’t commend this artwork enough. The colors make the duel all the more magnificent. I enjoyed all aspects of the art and action.
The issue itself was brilliant. It had tons of character development and interaction. It had fighting, forgiveness and mystery. It wrapped up an arc while leaving a cliffhanger for the next arc (or a future one). It was everything I could ask for in a story.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more complete story that anyone can pick up and read. This one is as good as any other out there from what I’ve seen.
5 out of 5 geek goggles.
 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #24--Knights of Suffering part 3 Dark Horse OCT070067D3 |
