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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 6: Vindication
Fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick's quest to clear his name is finally concluded in this novel-length story!
Zayne and his con-artist companion Gryph commit to a new course in exposing the dark actions of the secret Jedi Covenant. Yet doing so takes them not only to the homeworld of one of Zayne's murdering Masters, but also into the most highly guarded place on the planet—a storehouse of Sith artifacts! But his days as a renegade won't end there! Zayne's search for justice will continue to Coruscant, where he'll confront his Master, Lucien Draay, and the members of the Jedi Covenant in a showdown that will end his days as a fugitive in one way…or another.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic continues the story set nearly four thousand years before the rise of the Empire and the fall of Anakin Skywalker (and seven years prior to the events in the Knights of the Old Republic video game). This volume collects issues #29-#35.
Zayne and his con-artist companion Gryph commit to a new course in exposing the dark actions of the secret Jedi Covenant. Yet doing so takes them not only to the homeworld of one of Zayne's murdering Masters, but also into the most highly guarded place on the planet—a storehouse of Sith artifacts! But his days as a renegade won't end there! Zayne's search for justice will continue to Coruscant, where he'll confront his Master, Lucien Draay, and the members of the Jedi Covenant in a showdown that will end his days as a fugitive in one way…or another.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic continues the story set nearly four thousand years before the rise of the Empire and the fall of Anakin Skywalker (and seven years prior to the events in the Knights of the Old Republic video game). This volume collects issues #29-#35.
168 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2005
About the author
John Jackson Miller
350 books1,024 followersNew York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 9, 2015
Bullet Review:
Absolutely fantastic! It took a while to get over the bump of not reading Vector, but the move to tell Haazen, Krynda, and Barrison's story was AWESOME.
On to Volume 7!!
Full Review:
"Vindication" is the culmination of the story begun in "Commencement". Major plot elements are revealed, the characters behind the curtain step out, and a MAJOR confrontation happens.
I wasn't sure about this volume when I started, because I didn't read "volume 5"/Vector. This was a crossover comic with Legacy (not sure how that is supposed to work as Legacy and KOTOR are in COMPLETELY different eras), but I heard it was "meh" so I skipped. Instead, I perused Wookieepedia to get the gist of the book (and it does indeed seem a bit wonky).
After a bit of a bumpy start (which wasn't helped by Bong's artwork - I am just not a fan of his rounded lines, bright colors, and in general "goofy" style), I really started to get into the flow of the book. But it wasn't until I hit "Vindication" proper that things snowballed into awesomeness. (No spoilers, but some backstories that appear were FANTASTIC!) And it was "Vindication" that saved this comic from a 4 stars.
If you've been reading from the beginning, this is a great end to a major storyline, started in "Commencement". The characters are fantastic; the story unique; the art was hit or miss, but that depends on if you like the styles. Some people may like Bong's style; more power to you.
If anything, I'm a bit sad to end this storyline and wary about where the next volumes go! What can possibly top this one?!
Absolutely fantastic! It took a while to get over the bump of not reading Vector, but the move to tell Haazen, Krynda, and Barrison's story was AWESOME.
On to Volume 7!!
Full Review:
"Vindication" is the culmination of the story begun in "Commencement". Major plot elements are revealed, the characters behind the curtain step out, and a MAJOR confrontation happens.
I wasn't sure about this volume when I started, because I didn't read "volume 5"/Vector. This was a crossover comic with Legacy (not sure how that is supposed to work as Legacy and KOTOR are in COMPLETELY different eras), but I heard it was "meh" so I skipped. Instead, I perused Wookieepedia to get the gist of the book (and it does indeed seem a bit wonky).
After a bit of a bumpy start (which wasn't helped by Bong's artwork - I am just not a fan of his rounded lines, bright colors, and in general "goofy" style), I really started to get into the flow of the book. But it wasn't until I hit "Vindication" proper that things snowballed into awesomeness. (No spoilers, but some backstories that appear were FANTASTIC!) And it was "Vindication" that saved this comic from a 4 stars.
If you've been reading from the beginning, this is a great end to a major storyline, started in "Commencement". The characters are fantastic; the story unique; the art was hit or miss, but that depends on if you like the styles. Some people may like Bong's style; more power to you.
If anything, I'm a bit sad to end this storyline and wary about where the next volumes go! What can possibly top this one?!
January 4, 2020
Oh, Alek was Malak all along! Holy shit.
This was a pretty good story on the whole. All this Old Republic stuff continues to be some of the best Star Wars outside of the original trilogy.
This was a pretty good story on the whole. All this Old Republic stuff continues to be some of the best Star Wars outside of the original trilogy.
March 26, 2015
John Jackson Miller on the script, Bong Dazo is on the art work for the first story, Exalted; Alan Robinson covers the art in the second story, Turnabout; and Brian Ching, Bong Dazo, and Joe Pimentel take the final story, Vindication. What a volume! Volume 6, Vindication, is possibly the best entry into the KOTOR graphic novels series. I admit that I still wasn’t quite on board with the non-Ching/Weaver art work here, but I can’t bring myself to knock points off here when the story reaches such a brilliant climax. Let’s talk about Exalted first. Things really feel like they’re accelerating here – not that they weren’t hot enough in previous entries in this series! But events feel like they’re gaining momentum as both Lucien Draay and Zayne Carrick strengthen their positions There’s the usual mix of rollicking adventure with unexpected twists in this one, and by the end its obvious that Miller has done a great job on the script here; it’s clear that he thought out the whole storyline in advance and knew exactly what was going to happen, creating a well thought out story that is coherent at the same time as being compelling and chock full of twists, turns, and complex relationships. No LOST-style making up bullshit as you go along here! The second story, Turnabout, is a bit of a short one, but it leads directly into Vindication. As such it doesn’t really have a resolution or conclusion – it’s more of a cliffhanger, funnelling straight into the final story. But it contains its fair share of danger, risk, and quick thinking that readers would’ve come to expect from Zayne’s story.
Vindication is by far the stand out story of this volume, possibly the whole series. The plot rises to epic levels, all the while maintain the Zayne brand of clever trickery, dangerous heists, and sudden reversals. The story doesn’t pan out in the standard way, the characters don’t take the most obvious path laid out in front of them *coughPREQUELScough*. And the twists here are possibly what make Zayne’s story so refreshing and gripping. The characters here are sophisticated beings who exercise agency and choose consequences. The whole message of this series is to choose your own path no matter what others do – and that’s actually a life lesson I would tell anyone and everyone – this is not just a Star Wars story, this is excellent storytelling founded on real world principles and deep, realistic characters. I think Miller must know his ancient Greek mythology too, which contains plenty of stories of prophecies coming true in the frenzied attempt to avert them, the lesson the ancients aimed to tell being that in struggling against prophecy one actually undertook the very actions that brought it about; it’s a paradox, an ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail – something certain Jedi *coughPREQUELScough* seem to fail utterly to understand. And I really appreciate Miller’s world building here – not only is it clear he thought the whole series out ahead of time, he grounds the whole sequence in events that play out a generation before. This, ladies and gentleman, is history at work – one thing building upon another that then has consequences for what follows. I must confess also to being secretly pleased that Ching’s art work makes up the majority of this climax to the tale; there are gorgeous panels here, including some glorious full page illustrations that are just breathtaking.
10 out of 10
December 26, 2015
Star Wars Legends Project #17
Background: Knights of the Old Republic: Vindication was first released in seven issues from May to November 2008. The trade paperback was released in April 2009. It was written by John Jackson Miller and pencilled by Brian Ching, Bong Dazo, and Alan Robinson. In addition to a single issue apiece of Knights of the Old Republic and Legacy, Robinson has drawn for an incredibly eclectic range of stories, most of which I haven't heard of, but most of which also looked intriguing enough to check out.
Vindication picks up not long after Vector, Vol. 1 (my review here), 3,963 years before the Battle of Yavin. Most of the major characters are back (at least briefly), but again the focus is on Zayne and Gryph. The Jedi Knight formerly nicknamed "Squint" has begun calling himself "Malak." There is a brief reference to Jedi Master Vodo Siosk-Baas. Most of the action takes place on and around Coruscant.
Summary: Revelations by the Jedi Shadow Celeste Morne have given Zayne Carrick the key to exposing the rogue actions of the Jedi Covenant. Now he just needs to collect the evidence and somehow deliver it to the Jedi Council, but his old Master Lucien Draay has a seat on the Council now, and his reach is long. This will not be easy. One thing's for sure, though: Zayne is done running. He's going on the offensive.
Review: The best arc yet from a series that has already surpassed all of my expectations several times over. Explosive action, galaxy-changing events, shocking revelations . . . It's all here. This is the story that Knights of the Old Republic has been building towards for the past several hundred pages, and it is epic and supremely satisfying. I love that Miller has reached the point where it's time to resolve the central conflict of the series so far, and he doesn't just stretch it out, he goes for it, even though this isn't the end of the series. He doesn't tie everything up in a neat little ribbon, but there is definitely a sense of completion, and of brand-new adventures ahead. Fantastic.
A few weeks ago (after I finished reading Dark Lords of the Sith, review here), I speculated at some length about the issue of the Jedi basically not doing enough to prevent other Jedi from falling to the dark side and doing a bunch of crazy, evil stuff. This series, which is very much impacted by the events of Tales of the Jedi a few decades earlier, is like a direct answer to my questions, in the form of a brilliant story. The Jedi have recognized that more could and should have been done to prevent the tragedies perpetrated by Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma during the Sith War, and they've swung to the opposite extreme, with equally devastating consequences. There's a great moral here (heck, there are several) about the pernicious nature of the dark side, and of evil in general, and why it will never just go away, never just not be a threat.
Standing in the starkest possible contrast to this fairly dark theme, Zayne Carrick is easily one of the greatest heroes of all of Star Wars history. He is so absurdly righteous that, if he didn't have other flaws (like his lack of skill in combat), he would be in danger of being somewhat flat. But then, the tortured emotional toll that results from the choices that are forced upon him, or (even more) from the evils that he is powerless to prevent no matter how hard he tries, make him incredibly rich and incredibly relatable as a character.
So many times during the series, Zayne is faced with a situation that 99% of protagonists would handle completely differently, and we would never question their heroism. But when Zayne goes the other way, reaching out a hand of forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation to his enemies, time after time, even as they scream for his blood, it's instantly obvious that he is in the right. His moral compass is unfailing, and he follows it relentlessly, regardless of the obstacles or consequences to himself. And that is ultimately his greatest strength, and the source of his power and success.
A+
Background: Knights of the Old Republic: Vindication was first released in seven issues from May to November 2008. The trade paperback was released in April 2009. It was written by John Jackson Miller and pencilled by Brian Ching, Bong Dazo, and Alan Robinson. In addition to a single issue apiece of Knights of the Old Republic and Legacy, Robinson has drawn for an incredibly eclectic range of stories, most of which I haven't heard of, but most of which also looked intriguing enough to check out.
Vindication picks up not long after Vector, Vol. 1 (my review here), 3,963 years before the Battle of Yavin. Most of the major characters are back (at least briefly), but again the focus is on Zayne and Gryph. The Jedi Knight formerly nicknamed "Squint" has begun calling himself "Malak." There is a brief reference to Jedi Master Vodo Siosk-Baas. Most of the action takes place on and around Coruscant.
Summary: Revelations by the Jedi Shadow Celeste Morne have given Zayne Carrick the key to exposing the rogue actions of the Jedi Covenant. Now he just needs to collect the evidence and somehow deliver it to the Jedi Council, but his old Master Lucien Draay has a seat on the Council now, and his reach is long. This will not be easy. One thing's for sure, though: Zayne is done running. He's going on the offensive.
Review: The best arc yet from a series that has already surpassed all of my expectations several times over. Explosive action, galaxy-changing events, shocking revelations . . . It's all here. This is the story that Knights of the Old Republic has been building towards for the past several hundred pages, and it is epic and supremely satisfying. I love that Miller has reached the point where it's time to resolve the central conflict of the series so far, and he doesn't just stretch it out, he goes for it, even though this isn't the end of the series. He doesn't tie everything up in a neat little ribbon, but there is definitely a sense of completion, and of brand-new adventures ahead. Fantastic.
A few weeks ago (after I finished reading Dark Lords of the Sith, review here), I speculated at some length about the issue of the Jedi basically not doing enough to prevent other Jedi from falling to the dark side and doing a bunch of crazy, evil stuff. This series, which is very much impacted by the events of Tales of the Jedi a few decades earlier, is like a direct answer to my questions, in the form of a brilliant story. The Jedi have recognized that more could and should have been done to prevent the tragedies perpetrated by Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma during the Sith War, and they've swung to the opposite extreme, with equally devastating consequences. There's a great moral here (heck, there are several) about the pernicious nature of the dark side, and of evil in general, and why it will never just go away, never just not be a threat.
Standing in the starkest possible contrast to this fairly dark theme, Zayne Carrick is easily one of the greatest heroes of all of Star Wars history. He is so absurdly righteous that, if he didn't have other flaws (like his lack of skill in combat), he would be in danger of being somewhat flat. But then, the tortured emotional toll that results from the choices that are forced upon him, or (even more) from the evils that he is powerless to prevent no matter how hard he tries, make him incredibly rich and incredibly relatable as a character.
So many times during the series, Zayne is faced with a situation that 99% of protagonists would handle completely differently, and we would never question their heroism. But when Zayne goes the other way, reaching out a hand of forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation to his enemies, time after time, even as they scream for his blood, it's instantly obvious that he is in the right. His moral compass is unfailing, and he follows it relentlessly, regardless of the obstacles or consequences to himself. And that is ultimately his greatest strength, and the source of his power and success.
A+
October 7, 2011
I can't ever remember giving out four stars to a book I was disappointed in, but here is one. Vindication has a lot of action and important things going on in it which is great to see. I won't spoil what happens but there is at least one really heroic and nice surprise. Also, the greater secret behind the covenant is revealed and it was disappointing. I felt like it was more of a villain of the month (though I did like the flashback of the character's background) and not some kind of deeper revelation I was expecting with all the build up over five trade paperbacks. Another complaint is that Dark Horse cannot find someone suitable to fill in for Brian Ching on this book. Other than the second or third volume where there was some great artists, they keep bringing in people that have a cartooning style which does not fit this book. Zayne sometimes looks 40 and not 20 and the style makes the tone a little too silly. When Ching is on the book, the art is awesome, but in this volume he only did about half of a pretty thick volume. So while I really liked many parts of this volume I also was disappointed in others. I hate say that I'm worried about these last three volumes and where the story can go from here. I sincerely hope KOTOR finishes strongly.
June 23, 2022
My reread of John Jackson Miller's Knights of the Old Republic Comics continues with the grand finale of the Padawan Massacre storyline, "Vindication"!
I'm having such a good time revisiting what is easily one of my favorite pieces of Star Wars media ever created, and definitely my favorite story in the original Star Wars Expanded Universe.
So lets dive right into the three story arcs contained with this volume!
THE STORY: Vindication is divided into three story arcs.
"Exalted" is the two-parter that opens this volume. Following KOTOR's chapter of the Vector crossover, Zayne Carrick finally has the tool(s) he needs to begin moving against his old masters. He isn't running from his masters any more- now, he's taking the fight to them. This takes Zayne, Marn Hierogryph, Jarael, and the Moomo Brothers to the rainy world of Odryn, Master Feln's homeworld and the location of a hidden vault- but Feln has returned to stop them!
Next up is the one-shot story arc "Turnabout". This one really just exists to more smoothly set the stage for the next arc. Shel and Alek, having split from the party before their arrival on Odryn, have arrived on Coruscant to prepare for Zayne's arrival by meeting with Masters Vrook and Vandar. Meanwhile, the rest of the party must break through the Republic Fleet's blockade above Coruscant so they can deliver the evidence they recovered from Odryn. However... we're talking about a bunch of misfits and a padawan whom may not be as weak as he once was, but still must contend with full fledged jedi masters.
Finally, we have the grand finale, "Vindication". Zayne and Gryph are now on Coruscant, and ready to present their case to the Jedi Council- not just to clear his name, but about the hidden cabal within the Jedi Order lead by his old masters. But a secret will be revealed that unravels Zayne's meticulously crafted plan- as well as those of his adversaries.
THE BAD: When it comes to "Vindication", I really don't have anything bad to say. However, I can offer some criticism toward "Exalted" and "Turnabout". Most of this comes down to the fact that these two arcs are very plot-focused and leave little to no room to develop Zayne or our other heroes.
The other complaint I have is that I'm not a big fan of Alan Robinson's art in "Turnabout". The faces on the characters aside from Master Xamar just look.. off.
THE GOOD: This volume ended the Padawan Massacre storyline on a very strong note.
Starting with "Exalted", I really like what John Jackson Miller does with Master Feln. His character is fleshed out with an interesting background that is effectively tied into the story, especially how his arc plays into the currently trajectory of Zayne's Old Masters thematically (ie, how their actions and zeal have put such a heavy cost on themselves and others).
Between "Exalted" and "Turnabout" there's a couple of moments between Zayne and Jarael that I really love, even though there isn't significant growth otherwise. .
In addition, Bong Dazo's art for "Exalted" is great- and a massive improvement over his efforts in Daze of Hate. The characters and backgrounds look really good, and while I've seen better, the action is fun as well.
But let's face it, "Vindication" is where this volume really shines. Not only does Brian Ching return as the artist for the majority of this arc (with Bong Dazo doing issue #33), but it's also excellent from a story and character standpoint. Starting off with Haazen, he is a character who I have come to appreciate more and more every time I reread this. His plan is pretty refreshing for a villain, but my favorite part of his story has always been in the flashbacks from issue #33- and how his backstory mirrors that of Zayne Carrick. Thematically, it is another effective reminder as to how amazing of a person Zayne is, because Haazen is what he could have become if he didn't have the biggest heart in the world.
That being said, Haazen has never been what I loved most about this finale- it was Zayne and Lucien. When it comes to Lucien Draay, the direction 0f his character arc is brilliant here. Much like with Feln, Lucien's arc explores the toll that the mission undertaken by Zayne's old masters has taken on them . And then, there's Zayne Carrick- I absolutely adore his character arc on every level here. Seeing him stand up to Lucien is so satisfying, but the best part is where his arc ends in issue #35. It was a shocking direction for me when I first read it, and every reread it just gets better and better because it feels so PERFECT.
Marn Hierogryph gets developed nicely too. He has a moment towards the end that proves how close of a friendship he and Zayne have developed - but while this arc is more serious in tone than usual, he still finds room for a funny line of dialogue or two. I also love where John Jackson Miller takes Q'anila and Xamar, but I can't spoil it here .
And given that Brian Ching is back as the artist for issues #32, 34, and 35, it goes without saying that the artwork in "Vindication" is absolutely gorgeous. The characters, backgrounds, and action scenes all look amazing.
THE CONCLUSION: "Exalted" gets 4 stars. "Turnabout" gets 3.5 stars. "Vindication" gets 5 stars. Hence, the final rating for this volume of the KOTOR comics is 4.5 stars, rounded up.
When taken as a whole, this volume starts out kind of slow with "Exalted" and "Turnabout". But once "Vindication" kicks in, this volume, and by extension the Padawan Massacre story, goes out on a spectacular note. I don't think "Vindication" is as good as Knights of Suffering, but it still works excellently as a culmination of the KOTOR comics thus far.
I can't wait to keep going!
I'm having such a good time revisiting what is easily one of my favorite pieces of Star Wars media ever created, and definitely my favorite story in the original Star Wars Expanded Universe.
So lets dive right into the three story arcs contained with this volume!
THE STORY: Vindication is divided into three story arcs.
"Exalted" is the two-parter that opens this volume. Following KOTOR's chapter of the Vector crossover, Zayne Carrick finally has the tool(s) he needs to begin moving against his old masters. He isn't running from his masters any more- now, he's taking the fight to them. This takes Zayne, Marn Hierogryph, Jarael, and the Moomo Brothers to the rainy world of Odryn, Master Feln's homeworld and the location of a hidden vault- but Feln has returned to stop them!
Next up is the one-shot story arc "Turnabout". This one really just exists to more smoothly set the stage for the next arc. Shel and Alek, having split from the party before their arrival on Odryn, have arrived on Coruscant to prepare for Zayne's arrival by meeting with Masters Vrook and Vandar. Meanwhile, the rest of the party must break through the Republic Fleet's blockade above Coruscant so they can deliver the evidence they recovered from Odryn. However... we're talking about a bunch of misfits and a padawan whom may not be as weak as he once was, but still must contend with full fledged jedi masters.
Finally, we have the grand finale, "Vindication". Zayne and Gryph are now on Coruscant, and ready to present their case to the Jedi Council- not just to clear his name, but about the hidden cabal within the Jedi Order lead by his old masters. But a secret will be revealed that unravels Zayne's meticulously crafted plan- as well as those of his adversaries.
THE BAD: When it comes to "Vindication", I really don't have anything bad to say. However, I can offer some criticism toward "Exalted" and "Turnabout". Most of this comes down to the fact that these two arcs are very plot-focused and leave little to no room to develop Zayne or our other heroes.
The other complaint I have is that I'm not a big fan of Alan Robinson's art in "Turnabout". The faces on the characters aside from Master Xamar just look.. off.
THE GOOD: This volume ended the Padawan Massacre storyline on a very strong note.
Starting with "Exalted", I really like what John Jackson Miller does with Master Feln. His character is fleshed out with an interesting background that is effectively tied into the story, especially how his arc plays into the currently trajectory of Zayne's Old Masters thematically (ie, how their actions and zeal have put such a heavy cost on themselves and others).
Between "Exalted" and "Turnabout" there's a couple of moments between Zayne and Jarael that I really love, even though there isn't significant growth otherwise. .
In addition, Bong Dazo's art for "Exalted" is great- and a massive improvement over his efforts in Daze of Hate. The characters and backgrounds look really good, and while I've seen better, the action is fun as well.
But let's face it, "Vindication" is where this volume really shines. Not only does Brian Ching return as the artist for the majority of this arc (with Bong Dazo doing issue #33), but it's also excellent from a story and character standpoint. Starting off with Haazen, he is a character who I have come to appreciate more and more every time I reread this. His plan is pretty refreshing for a villain, but my favorite part of his story has always been in the flashbacks from issue #33- and how his backstory mirrors that of Zayne Carrick. Thematically, it is another effective reminder as to how amazing of a person Zayne is, because Haazen is what he could have become if he didn't have the biggest heart in the world.
That being said, Haazen has never been what I loved most about this finale- it was Zayne and Lucien. When it comes to Lucien Draay, the direction 0f his character arc is brilliant here. Much like with Feln, Lucien's arc explores the toll that the mission undertaken by Zayne's old masters has taken on them . And then, there's Zayne Carrick- I absolutely adore his character arc on every level here. Seeing him stand up to Lucien is so satisfying, but the best part is where his arc ends in issue #35. It was a shocking direction for me when I first read it, and every reread it just gets better and better because it feels so PERFECT.
Marn Hierogryph gets developed nicely too. He has a moment towards the end that proves how close of a friendship he and Zayne have developed - but while this arc is more serious in tone than usual, he still finds room for a funny line of dialogue or two. I also love where John Jackson Miller takes Q'anila and Xamar, but I can't spoil it here .
And given that Brian Ching is back as the artist for issues #32, 34, and 35, it goes without saying that the artwork in "Vindication" is absolutely gorgeous. The characters, backgrounds, and action scenes all look amazing.
THE CONCLUSION: "Exalted" gets 4 stars. "Turnabout" gets 3.5 stars. "Vindication" gets 5 stars. Hence, the final rating for this volume of the KOTOR comics is 4.5 stars, rounded up.
When taken as a whole, this volume starts out kind of slow with "Exalted" and "Turnabout". But once "Vindication" kicks in, this volume, and by extension the Padawan Massacre story, goes out on a spectacular note. I don't think "Vindication" is as good as Knights of Suffering, but it still works excellently as a culmination of the KOTOR comics thus far.
I can't wait to keep going!
September 13, 2025
This volume contains three arcs: Exalted, Turnabout, and Vindication
Average Score
5 stars
Exalted
This arc picks up right where Vector Part 1 left off. Celeste Morne, an agent of the Covenant, gave Zayne a key and told him to go to the Sanctum of the Exalted on Odryn, where the Covenant stores their Sith artifacts. She seemed to believe Zayne was innocent and wanted to help him take down the Covenant, but she also seemed to believe that Krynda had nothing to do with the massacre. This arc feels like the beginning of the end for the Padawan Massacre storyline. Zayne finally knows what he has to do to clear his name; he just needs more time to gather the evidence.
So the crew makes their way to Odryn, homeworld of the Feeorin (Master Feln's species). I absolutely love how they managed to access the Sanctum of the Exalted without raising any eyebrows. It's a little silly, but it feels right for this cast of characters.
What I love about this arc is the amount of worldbuilding we get surrounding the Feeorin. They take The Exalted about as seriously as Wookies take the Life Debt. Master Feln is the eldest and strongest Feeorin; therefore, he is The Exalted. Feln abused this power and hid the Covenant's Sith artifacts in the Sanctum of the Exalted. Due to their traditions, Feln cannot engage Zayne in a duel with weapons. Interesting thing to note for later, Gryph takes Feln's lightsaber away from him.
Ultimately, Feln was on thin ice with his people. Feln’s actions to keep the Sith artifacts out of Zayne’s hands backfired, and his people pulled out the fine print in the rulebook and used it against him. Let’s just say, Feln never got a happy ending.
On Coruscant, Lucien senses a disturbance in the Force from the events on Odryn and reckons Zayne is coming for their heads. Lucien sends Master Xamar to join Admiral Karath in forming a blockade to capture Zayne. Xamar is kinda freaked out by this, as a former vision revealed that he would die by friendly fire.
This arc was definitely more plot-focused, but it still managed to add depth to Master Feln and the Feeorin. Like I said, it’s the beginning of the end. Zayne is on his way to Coruscant with evidence to expose the Covenant, and the Covenant prepares for their final stand.
5 stars!
Turnabout
Turnabout is a single issue to transition into the next arc. It’s really nothing special. Alek and Shel meet with Masters Vandar and Vrook. Alek is now operating under the alias Captain Malak to avoid the Jedi arrest order on the Revanchists. They tell the masters the truth about Zayne and how he wasn’t involved in the murders of the Padawans, nor in any of the deaths of the members of the Covenant, nor anybody else for that matter AND that he’s on his way to deliver some evidence (the Covenant’s Sith artifacts) that’ll put the Jedi Order’s panties in a bunch.
Meanwhile, Karath, Carth, and Xamar engage Zayne and crew, but Zayne and Gryph sneak their way through the blockade with the help of their friends. Xamar intercepts them to set up the cliffhanger for Vindication.
This isn’t really significant enough to warrant giving it a score, as there’s really no arc here. My favourite parts were learning that Carth got demoted for helping Zayne in Daze of Hate and how Xamar was internally freaking out due to Karath’s comments on friendly fire. Will that prophecy come true?
Vindication
This is the end of the Padawan massacre arc. What a perfect ending. So many seeds were planted throughout this series that paid off in Vindication. Let’s dive into it.
What I find very interesting is how everyone seems to be loyal to Krynda and not the Covenant. First, we saw Celeste advocate for Krynda’s innocence in the Covenant’s wrongdoings, now we see Xamar throw his life away in exchange for Krynda’s immunity. Seems like Lucien is about to get exposed for jumping the gun on the Padawan massacre.
I don’t want to spoil much, as this is the finale. But I will say this, Krynda’s vision, the Prophecy of the Five, introduced in Knights of Suffering comes into play here. The Prophecy of the Five predicts the day when the old empire falls and another rises. All that has been built will fall when there’s a group of five people who fill each of the following roles:
-the one from the light who stands in the darkness:
-the one from the darkness who stands in the light:
-the one for the light:
-the one for the darkness:
-the one who stands apart:
Who do we have left for candidates at this point? Zayne, Gryph, Xamar, Lucien, Q’Anilia, Krynda, Haazen, and Karath. That’s more than five, so it’s not as intuitive as one might think. The one who stands apart was very interesting. We get a flashback, and their past was very similar to Zayne’s. Zayne isn’t the only one in the incompetent Padawan club, except Zayne chose the light, and the one who stands apart chose darkness. It’s a great juxtaposition. A character embodying what Zayne could have become had he not been so good-natured. Xamar and Q’Anilia get confirmation that their visions surrounding their deaths were .
In the aftermath, the Jedi Order covered up the Covenant affairs. Shocker. They can sit on their high horse and pretend like they don’t have dirty laundry. But hey, at least they cleared Zayne and Gryph’s bounties. I really like how this entire journey meant something to Zayne. The friends who stood by his side throughout the toughest time in his life are far more valuable to him than being a Jedi. Meanwhile, Malak is sent back to the Revanchists to send a message that the Jedi Order will not tolerate any more involvement in the war. The Jedi Order doesn’t seem to understand that APATHY IS DEATH!!! Their lack of involvement in preventing the return of the Sith led to the Covenant and the Padawan massacre by proxy. And we know from the KOTOR video games that singling out the Revanchists was not a good idea. It amazes me how much I used to think the Jedi were true advocates of the light, but as I've grown older, I realize that their dogma prevents them from truly achieving what they preach. Perhaps their incompetence across millennia is what makes for such great stories to take place.
Lastly, the one for the darkness gets a really interesting ending. They learned a great lesson throughout the events of this series. That is, controlling the future is not the way to go, being prepared to survive the inevitable future is what matters the most. At least someone learned a lesson.
This marks the end of the Padawan massacre arc. I left out a lot as I didn’t want to spoil anything, but this is such a satisfying end. Everyone seems to get what they deserve in the end. Friends and Foes from all walks of life. The Mandalorians, the Jedi, the Covenant, the Republic forces, the Arkanians, the Feeorin, the Beks, the Vulkar, bounty hunters, etc. We got some KOTOR video game cameos in Mission, Carth, Alek (Malak), and Revan. This arc was truly special. An amazingly diverse cast of characters, each receiving some spotlight as the series progressed while still advancing the plot. Anyone who met Zayne could instantly tell that he wasn’t capable of such atrocities. Gryph was truly a mastermind, as he always likes to point out. The way they learn to bounce off each other makes them one of the best duos in Star Wars in my opinion.
And the best part is, there’s still more story to be told. I know the other characters receive a bit more spotlight in the upcoming volumes, so I'm excited to reread them.
Thank you, John Jackson Miller!
Bravo
5 stars!!!
Average Score
5 stars
Exalted
This arc picks up right where Vector Part 1 left off. Celeste Morne, an agent of the Covenant, gave Zayne a key and told him to go to the Sanctum of the Exalted on Odryn, where the Covenant stores their Sith artifacts. She seemed to believe Zayne was innocent and wanted to help him take down the Covenant, but she also seemed to believe that Krynda had nothing to do with the massacre. This arc feels like the beginning of the end for the Padawan Massacre storyline. Zayne finally knows what he has to do to clear his name; he just needs more time to gather the evidence.
So the crew makes their way to Odryn, homeworld of the Feeorin (Master Feln's species). I absolutely love how they managed to access the Sanctum of the Exalted without raising any eyebrows. It's a little silly, but it feels right for this cast of characters.
What I love about this arc is the amount of worldbuilding we get surrounding the Feeorin. They take The Exalted about as seriously as Wookies take the Life Debt. Master Feln is the eldest and strongest Feeorin; therefore, he is The Exalted. Feln abused this power and hid the Covenant's Sith artifacts in the Sanctum of the Exalted. Due to their traditions, Feln cannot engage Zayne in a duel with weapons. Interesting thing to note for later, Gryph takes Feln's lightsaber away from him.
Ultimately, Feln was on thin ice with his people. Feln’s actions to keep the Sith artifacts out of Zayne’s hands backfired, and his people pulled out the fine print in the rulebook and used it against him. Let’s just say, Feln never got a happy ending.
On Coruscant, Lucien senses a disturbance in the Force from the events on Odryn and reckons Zayne is coming for their heads. Lucien sends Master Xamar to join Admiral Karath in forming a blockade to capture Zayne. Xamar is kinda freaked out by this, as a former vision revealed that he would die by friendly fire.
This arc was definitely more plot-focused, but it still managed to add depth to Master Feln and the Feeorin. Like I said, it’s the beginning of the end. Zayne is on his way to Coruscant with evidence to expose the Covenant, and the Covenant prepares for their final stand.
5 stars!
Turnabout
Turnabout is a single issue to transition into the next arc. It’s really nothing special. Alek and Shel meet with Masters Vandar and Vrook. Alek is now operating under the alias Captain Malak to avoid the Jedi arrest order on the Revanchists. They tell the masters the truth about Zayne and how he wasn’t involved in the murders of the Padawans, nor in any of the deaths of the members of the Covenant, nor anybody else for that matter AND that he’s on his way to deliver some evidence (the Covenant’s Sith artifacts) that’ll put the Jedi Order’s panties in a bunch.
Meanwhile, Karath, Carth, and Xamar engage Zayne and crew, but Zayne and Gryph sneak their way through the blockade with the help of their friends. Xamar intercepts them to set up the cliffhanger for Vindication.
This isn’t really significant enough to warrant giving it a score, as there’s really no arc here. My favourite parts were learning that Carth got demoted for helping Zayne in Daze of Hate and how Xamar was internally freaking out due to Karath’s comments on friendly fire. Will that prophecy come true?
Vindication
This is the end of the Padawan massacre arc. What a perfect ending. So many seeds were planted throughout this series that paid off in Vindication. Let’s dive into it.
What I find very interesting is how everyone seems to be loyal to Krynda and not the Covenant. First, we saw Celeste advocate for Krynda’s innocence in the Covenant’s wrongdoings, now we see Xamar throw his life away in exchange for Krynda’s immunity. Seems like Lucien is about to get exposed for jumping the gun on the Padawan massacre.
I don’t want to spoil much, as this is the finale. But I will say this, Krynda’s vision, the Prophecy of the Five, introduced in Knights of Suffering comes into play here. The Prophecy of the Five predicts the day when the old empire falls and another rises. All that has been built will fall when there’s a group of five people who fill each of the following roles:
-the one from the light who stands in the darkness:
-the one from the darkness who stands in the light:
-the one for the light:
-the one for the darkness:
-the one who stands apart:
Who do we have left for candidates at this point? Zayne, Gryph, Xamar, Lucien, Q’Anilia, Krynda, Haazen, and Karath. That’s more than five, so it’s not as intuitive as one might think. The one who stands apart was very interesting. We get a flashback, and their past was very similar to Zayne’s. Zayne isn’t the only one in the incompetent Padawan club, except Zayne chose the light, and the one who stands apart chose darkness. It’s a great juxtaposition. A character embodying what Zayne could have become had he not been so good-natured. Xamar and Q’Anilia get confirmation that their visions surrounding their deaths were .
In the aftermath, the Jedi Order covered up the Covenant affairs. Shocker. They can sit on their high horse and pretend like they don’t have dirty laundry. But hey, at least they cleared Zayne and Gryph’s bounties. I really like how this entire journey meant something to Zayne. The friends who stood by his side throughout the toughest time in his life are far more valuable to him than being a Jedi. Meanwhile, Malak is sent back to the Revanchists to send a message that the Jedi Order will not tolerate any more involvement in the war. The Jedi Order doesn’t seem to understand that APATHY IS DEATH!!! Their lack of involvement in preventing the return of the Sith led to the Covenant and the Padawan massacre by proxy. And we know from the KOTOR video games that singling out the Revanchists was not a good idea. It amazes me how much I used to think the Jedi were true advocates of the light, but as I've grown older, I realize that their dogma prevents them from truly achieving what they preach. Perhaps their incompetence across millennia is what makes for such great stories to take place.
Lastly, the one for the darkness gets a really interesting ending. They learned a great lesson throughout the events of this series. That is, controlling the future is not the way to go, being prepared to survive the inevitable future is what matters the most. At least someone learned a lesson.
This marks the end of the Padawan massacre arc. I left out a lot as I didn’t want to spoil anything, but this is such a satisfying end. Everyone seems to get what they deserve in the end. Friends and Foes from all walks of life. The Mandalorians, the Jedi, the Covenant, the Republic forces, the Arkanians, the Feeorin, the Beks, the Vulkar, bounty hunters, etc. We got some KOTOR video game cameos in Mission, Carth, Alek (Malak), and Revan. This arc was truly special. An amazingly diverse cast of characters, each receiving some spotlight as the series progressed while still advancing the plot. Anyone who met Zayne could instantly tell that he wasn’t capable of such atrocities. Gryph was truly a mastermind, as he always likes to point out. The way they learn to bounce off each other makes them one of the best duos in Star Wars in my opinion.
And the best part is, there’s still more story to be told. I know the other characters receive a bit more spotlight in the upcoming volumes, so I'm excited to reread them.
Thank you, John Jackson Miller!
Bravo
5 stars!!!
May 26, 2022
Great! Great! Great!
It's at this volume that I started thinking, I like Zayne Carrick too much to be done with his stories after I read #50 and it's sad. I could read this forever. Zayne and Gryph team for Life!
It's at this volume that I started thinking, I like Zayne Carrick too much to be done with his stories after I read #50 and it's sad. I could read this forever. Zayne and Gryph team for Life!
January 12, 2022
Świetny!
July 20, 2017
I had to break this one down because it might have been a 5 star if it weren't for some parts. I just really wish they kept the art writers throughout. I don't like them switching it to someone else. Overall the story was great and I enjoyed it. I am not sure where they are going to go with Volume 7 and beyond. It almost seems like the story has concluded. One disappointing point is they never really said what Jarael was going to do.
This part "Exalted" parts 1 and 2 and art by Bong Dazo. The art work...well was good and times and sucked at times. He really changed the look of Felm adn the Feeorins on Odryn, which was cool. The dude looked bad ass, although with his appearance he should have crushed Carrick. But he made Marn look like a clown, Carrick a kid at times and different looking during the story. Some with a pointing chin and others rounded. This just bothered me. And then Jarael looked liked a little too young and baby faced. At least she looked like a normal girl...
"Turnabout," with art work Robinson was just plan awful. I didn't recognize Shel Jelavan, Admial Karath body didn't make sense, Carrick looked terrible.
"Vindication" parts 1-4. with art work Brian Ching, great art work except When they went back to Arkania and had the history of who Haazen the Sith Dossa who destroyed the Jedi and disfigured Haazen looked like a cheesy bad girl like the Jokers sidekick Harley from the Batman cartoons. It just didn't make sense. Otherwise good.
This part "Exalted" parts 1 and 2 and art by Bong Dazo. The art work...well was good and times and sucked at times. He really changed the look of Felm adn the Feeorins on Odryn, which was cool. The dude looked bad ass, although with his appearance he should have crushed Carrick. But he made Marn look like a clown, Carrick a kid at times and different looking during the story. Some with a pointing chin and others rounded. This just bothered me. And then Jarael looked liked a little too young and baby faced. At least she looked like a normal girl...
"Turnabout," with art work Robinson was just plan awful. I didn't recognize Shel Jelavan, Admial Karath body didn't make sense, Carrick looked terrible.
"Vindication" parts 1-4. with art work Brian Ching, great art work except When they went back to Arkania and had the history of who Haazen the Sith Dossa who destroyed the Jedi and disfigured Haazen looked like a cheesy bad girl like the Jokers sidekick Harley from the Batman cartoons. It just didn't make sense. Otherwise good.
June 29, 2017
3963 BBY
The 6th graphic novel installment of Knights of the Old Republic contains "Exalted" parts 1 and 2, "Turnabout," and "Vindication" parts 1-4. In "Exalted," Zayne and his companions make their way to the planet of Odryn, the home of the Feeorins, the race of Feln, one of the Jedi masters responsible for the murder of the Padawan learners. On this planet is a sacred building with old Sith artifacts, items that Zayne can potentially use to prove he is not the rising Sith in question, but that someone else is. When Zayne and Feln fight, the old Jedi master finds that his ways have gone against his own people. In "Turnabout," some of the Jedi Masters on the high council learn Zayne's true story, but Zayne and Gryph are captured just as they are about to head back to Coruscant to save the prophetess. "Vindication" exhibits the main conclusion to the first part of KotOR, where the truth is revealed on all sides, and the Sith makes himself known, but some still cannot seem to accept this as truth. Will Zayne return to the Jedi?
KotOR is a bit slow and lacks excitement in many ways, but this volume really picked up the pace and finally brought justice to where it needed to be served. It is an interesting conclusive piece, yet there is more to the KotOR story, which I am looking forward to seeing where the main character end up and what they will be doing next.
May 21, 2026
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
I'm finally going through my physical tv, film etc. tie in library owned book list, to add more older basic reviews. If I liked a book enough to keep then they are at the least a 3 star.
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
January 4, 2021
This was a fairly satisfactory wrap-up (or at least so it appears) to the story arch starting with Zayne's false charges in the beginning. The mastermind is revealed and the grand plot thwarted. The Sith are still out there, of course, but the current plot is undermined, and Zayne and Gryph are finally cleared. Since Zayne has refused to rejoin the Jedi Order, presumably some Solo-esque escapades are in his future, hopefully we'll get to see some of that in future installments.
There is some decent character development in this arch, especially Draay having to fully face his choices, and realize that he hadn't really been within his mother's wishes after all.... although on her end, she obviously didn't convey her wishes that well to begin with. Lots of family and personal drama there. Not a bad story arch, drawing a lot of loose ends together. And Alek is Malek! I didn't see that coming actually, so that should be interesting.
There is some decent character development in this arch, especially Draay having to fully face his choices, and realize that he hadn't really been within his mother's wishes after all.... although on her end, she obviously didn't convey her wishes that well to begin with. Lots of family and personal drama there. Not a bad story arch, drawing a lot of loose ends together. And Alek is Malek! I didn't see that coming actually, so that should be interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2019
This was a really great ending to this chapter in the story of Zayne Carrick. Master Xamar brings Zayne and Grif to Lucien, while pretending that Zayne has fallen to the Sith. It gets a touch predictable with Haazen's demeanor and his Sith cloak being dropped before the reader's eyes, but not those of the Jedi around him. As he senses no evil in Zayne he see's through their plan, and exposes his own and identifies that the Sith who would return was him.
Haazen has spent the years converting Jedi to his cause, and he calls down the fleet's weapons on Coruscant through a back channel. Naturally a light saber battle ensues.
We get Haazen's back story and how he came to be the Steward for the Dray family.
The ending was a surprise and I quite enjoyed it.
Haazen has spent the years converting Jedi to his cause, and he calls down the fleet's weapons on Coruscant through a back channel. Naturally a light saber battle ensues.
We get Haazen's back story and how he came to be the Steward for the Dray family.
The ending was a surprise and I quite enjoyed it.
June 14, 2017
So...that was that then. That was quite a long story arc and quite the explosive finale. Zayne, Gryph
and Jarael all have excellent scenes with another reveal regarding Jarael...
Can't say more than that without giving away more.
I did read the small arc of Vector that slotted in between volumes 4 and 6, but only the chronologically relevant bit.
The artwork again was a bit all over the place as different artists gave their own flairs. On the whole, though, it was better overall than most of the previous volumes.
and Jarael all have excellent scenes with another reveal regarding Jarael...
Can't say more than that without giving away more.
I did read the small arc of Vector that slotted in between volumes 4 and 6, but only the chronologically relevant bit.
The artwork again was a bit all over the place as different artists gave their own flairs. On the whole, though, it was better overall than most of the previous volumes.
July 11, 2018
This volume actually transitions smoothly from the KOTOR portion of the Vector crossover. The myth arc for this series seems to be mostly resolved, though I suspect that a certain aspect will pop up in the later volume Destroyer. Though I have not yet played the KOTOR video games, I did recognize a familiar name that was given to a certain someone, and I thought it was a nice little revelation. I was happy with what ended up happening with Zayne. This really feels like a finale, and yet there are four more volumes after this. Curious to see where this series goes from here.
October 4, 2017
I have to say - I didn't even realize that the Vector storyline continued into other lines of SW comics. However, the chunk that happened in KOTOR was nicely self-contained and made sense within the larger KOTOR storyline. Therefore, it was a smooth transition into the next story arc.
I really liked the wrap-up of the Lucien Draay/Krynda/Covenant storyline. It was a little surprising seeing how many machinations had been going on, but the final consequences were really satisfying to me.
I really liked the wrap-up of the Lucien Draay/Krynda/Covenant storyline. It was a little surprising seeing how many machinations had been going on, but the final consequences were really satisfying to me.
September 12, 2017
This was just great and could easily have been the final volume since it wraps up most of the main story.
Checking out the next volumes and what people have said about them, I have decided to stop here. The series goes down hill from now on and I have no intention of seeing something I enjoyed being destroyed by lack of new ideas.
Checking out the next volumes and what people have said about them, I have decided to stop here. The series goes down hill from now on and I have no intention of seeing something I enjoyed being destroyed by lack of new ideas.
July 19, 2022
yeah!!! a slight end to the arc. the team up at the end surprised me and disappointed me for a bit, but then he ended up being even more evil so i’m happy about that. i think rohlan isn’t actually under that armor, and i’m interested in his interest in jarael. all in all, action packed and i really enjoyed it. art was worlds better too.
January 12, 2023
I had to sit on my thoughts about this for a minute, because most of them contained expletives (in a good way!). Because this TPB really was amazing. Zayne has gone through so much and the conclusion to this particular arc was incredibly satisfying - and it was easily some of the best content the EU had to offer. Zayne is my favourite character from the ancient past of the Republic. No contest.
June 29, 2017
Excelente final de arco.
May 27, 2018
所以当初救Haazen的那些sith去哪了。
jedi们也该长点心啦，boss们在自己的眼皮地下都发现不了
jedi们也该长点心啦，boss们在自己的眼皮地下都发现不了
October 12, 2019
A nice entry to the Star Wars series.
November 24, 2019
And that major story arc ends with a bang. The revelations, the reveals, and the art all hold up nicely, finishing this part of Zayne's saga really well!
May 15, 2021
This series is fantastic. I recommend it to everyone
August 1, 2021
Tenhle díl navazuje svou kvalitou na suprovou dvojku a čtyřku. Fakt jsem za to ráda. ❤️😍
August 10, 2021
I start read this book
March 9, 2025
Would have been a good end point but I suppose there are some things to clear up
December 19, 2025
9/10 AMAZING
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews