Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 8: Destroyer

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

by John Jackson Miller, Brian Ching (Artist), Bong Dazo (Artist)

Knights of the Old Republic: Destroyer begins with an untold chapter from the lives of Malak and Revan - stars of the Knights of the Old Republic video game! From there, it takes us to a death-defying shootout on the face of a comet and into the heart of one of the cruelest organizations in the galaxy - the Crucible. Former Padawan Zayne Carrick risks not just his life, but also his sanity, to help his friend Jarael face her dark past. Zayne may have set off for adventure, but what he finds are irreversible consequences for himself and his crew in a dangerous, unforgiving galaxy.

Collects Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic #42-46

Genres: Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

New 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.

Reviews

[CS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bullet Review:

I really feel JJM stepped it up with this volume. He embraced his new plot and dove in which is exactly what KOTOR needed. Exploring Jarael's background - as well as Chantique's - was really a keen move too.

Jarael is one of the best written female characters in Star Wars, up there with Mara Jade and Princess Leia. Maybe not the most glowing of compliments, but true.

Full Review:

This volume embraces the Crucible storyline dealing with Jarael's past (set up in the previous volume) and runs with it. Zayne and Jarael are determined to bring down the Crucible, the crew that has been abducting people and forcing them to fight for years.

After the Covenant storyline was wrapped up in "Vindication", I was wary about the direction of KOTOR. Many series lose their way when their primary storyline ends - and even KOTOR felt like it might have fallen that way with the beginning of "Dueling Ambitions" volume 7. Fortunately, JJM started exploring Jarael's character, really pushing the envelope there (how often do you see a main character being a former SLAVER?).

"Destroyer" takes that concept and runs full bore with it.

The first story, drawn by Ron Chan, addresses Malak and the Republic. The Jedi are now neck-deep in the war with the Mandalorians and Malak wants Jarael to join. Art is a bit weird at times here, though it was a great break from Bong. I thought it odd that Malak only tried to sway Jarael and not also Zayne, but what do I know?

The second story is where the Crucible plot really takes off. This is drawn by Bong Dazo, and while there was some of his typical goofiness in the panels (in one panel, Jarael looks more like a dancing slave girl than the lead slaver, which lead to some confusion on my part when she took the reins of the conversation), the story was great.

But the last one - WOWSER! Brian Ching draws this, and it's dark and gritty, and absolutely wonderful! The end of this one was heart-breaking and aggravating - I wanted to grab Zayne and yell, "WHY ARE YOU BELIEVING HER??!"

To some, that may sound like my similar complaints in other books, where I actually didn't like the characters or the story. While Zayne isn't my favorite character here (he's a bit too bland for my tastes), that's not why the scene generated that reaction. People in real life make MISTAKES. We believe the person we shouldn't, listen to advice that is bad, and aren't perfect. When I see a loved one say something that I know is wrong, I similarly want to grab them by the shoulders and go, "No, listen to me, you have it wrong!"

THAT is much different than wanting to strangle a character who is too stupid to live, who constantly makes the wrong decision (and yet always ends up coming out OK in the end) or who has to rely on someone else to constantly save his/her skin.

Really, this whole series is about nuanced, intrigue, complicated characters. Jarael isn't a damsel in distress. Sometimes she needs to be saved - but so does Zayne or Gryph or Rohlan or Slyssk. Zayne isn't perfect; sometimes he is duped by those around him. Gryph may be greedy for money, but there is also some compassion in him. And so on. And so forth.

These are the types of characters I love to see in a story - characters who aren't perfect Mary Sues, but aren't also the anti-Mary Sue (nobody likes me, everybody hates me, why don't I eat some worms? type of character). They are characters with depth, with strengths and weaknesses that the author isn't afraid to let them mess up once in awhile.

Rambling aside, this was really good, not as good as the Covenant storyline, but much better than volume 7. Definitely excited to move on to Volume 9! I can't believe I'm getting so close to the end!

[Iset · Rating 5 out of 5]

As per usual, John Jackson Miller on the script, and this time we have Ron Chan, Bong Dazo, and Brian Ching on the artwork. The first story, Masks, is another short and sweet one. It doesn’t really have too much of its own plot; Jarael struggles in the aftermath of revealing to Zayne the secret of her past, but the story mainly serves as a vehicle for allies in the Republic and the Jedi Order to catch us up on events elsewhere in the galaxy, and the direction the war is going in. The flashback is what held my attention here, with plenty of cameo action to please my inner KOTOR fan. I liked Chan’s environments, but the characters were a bit more up and down – sometimes their expressions looked spot on, other times, not so much. But hey, it’s a staple for me to grumble about any artwork in this series that isn’t Brian Ching’s, or at least Dustin Weaver’s so…

The second story, The Reaping, is a bit more extensive. We’re back to the dangerous heist and a whole host of things getting unexpectedly more complicated. Classic KOTOR stuff, in other words. I enjoyed this one, despite the fact that it’s somewhat of a prelude to set up us getting into Jarael’s story proper. There’s a couple of poignant moments in this one, and a couple of laugh out loud moments too. It has that mix of the bold and the absurd that I adore in this series. This story also drops the first really big clue about a plotline that has been going on for quite some time in this series. I have to admit; the very first time I read the series, I didn’t see it coming until this story when that particular strand starts to be revealed. Re-reading it however, as I’ve done many times now, the earlier clues are clearly there to be picked up on, and it’s obvious that Miller planned this out from the beginnings of the series, for which a tip of the hat in admiration is deserved.

The third story, Destroyer, plunges us fully into the meat of Jarael’s dark past. After a break of a few more light-hearted stories, which the characters and possibly the series itself needed as a bit of a comedown from the high stakes of Vindication, the tension and danger levels start ramping up again quite significantly here. I have nothing but praise for Ching’s artwork here, of course, especially his rendering of the shady environments in which our protagonists move. It looks gloomy, it looks shabby, and it sets just the right atmosphere for the story. The story has just a tinge of the chilling about it too, when we find out more about the Crucible’s history. I like the twist in Zayne’s character here too; he makes a mistake, and I want to shake him for being a bit of an idiot. He really ought to know better. But at the same time I liked its inclusion because it highlights his humanity; Zayne had some pretty damn epic moments in Vindication, and over the course of the series he seems to have learned greater control over his peculiar brand of luck which throws huge misfortune and good tidings his way in equal measure – but here we see he still trips up and is flawed as well as a complex and awesome character. This volume doesn’t reach the highs of some of the entries earlier in the series, but you can feel it building towards another high in the next volume.

9 out of 10

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great change of pace with new adventures and more story that has to do with Jarael, which at first I thought I didn't care at all about the character, but of course JJM made it interesting and fun to read so... great read again!

[Lance Shadow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, we've hit a good one! After the slow patch with Vol. 7: Dueling Ambitions, Volume 8: Destroyer is a triumphant return to form for the Knights of the Old Republic Comics. It also marks the point where the Crucible storyline, or the "Freelancer" arc reaches the same storytelling and character heights that the Padawan Massacre did. This volume is dark, emotional, and epic.


THE STORY: Much like Volume 7, Destroyer is divided into three different story arcs.
Issue 42 is a one-shot titled "Masks". Admittedly this one is more concerned with Revan-related fanservice than Zayne and friends, but I digress. The team, especially Jarael, is in need of a vacation, so the Hot Prospect goes to Wor Tandell. Zayne tries to ask Jarael more about her past, but his inquiries are cut short when the Revanchists arrive on the planet to recruit.
Issues 43 and 44 cover "The Reaping". Zayne and Jarael begin to go on the offensive against The Crucible by going after a mining vessel that runs on the backs of their slaves.
The story arc "Destroyer" gives this volume its name and covers issues 45 and 46. In a daring gambit to help take down The Crucible once and for all, Zayne purposefully gets himself captured, in order for Jarael to be able to track him and bring with her an army to finally end their centuries-long villainy.

THE BAD: There's very little to complain about in this volume. Any nitpicks I have come from "The Reaping"- namely Bong Dazo's artwork, which while it's better than his efforts in the story arc "Prophet Motive", doesn't reach his best from "Exalted" (Though at least he draws Marn Hierogryph properly this time). Ultimately, "The Reaping" has that "middle of a season" feel when compared to the bigger developments in "Masks" before it and especially "Destroyer" after it.

THE GOOD: Volume 8 has two of the best arcs in the whole series.
Lets start with "Masks", which manages to accomplish so much for a one-shot. There's a reason why "Masks" is the most iconic issue in this entire series. I absolutely LOVE how this issue handles Revan. We see the origins of Revan's iconic mask and rather than just being a predictable "Check out how badass Revan is!" moment, John Jackson Miller actually takes it in a direction that adds an interesting and poignant layer of nobility to the character.
But "Masks" has far more to offer than just the Revan fanservice. It also prominently features Malak and we the readers get to see the true beginnings of his fall towards the dark side. He's excellent here.
Anyway, what about our characters we've been following since the beginning? Well, Miller writes them fantastically of course. I love how Zayne tries to help Jarael work through her past trauma and goes through some trial and error in doing so.

And then there's "Destroyer", which is an emotional gut punch that hit me so, so hard. First you have snout, who is just such a tragic character. He brilliantly shows how there's no such thing as survival in the Crucible- if you don't die on the outside, you live long enough to die on the inside. And we see this happening to Zayne Carrick too. So far, our heroes' aptitude for impeccable plans have pretty much always placed them on top. But Chantique is no ordinary opponent our heroes have faced. She is an AMAZING villain. Her backstory is compelling, and her methods are cruel. For this part of Zayne and Jarael's story, she's the perfect adversary for both of them. I love the ending to the 2nd issue of Destroyer SO. MUCH. Chantique doesn't need to kill Zayne. She knows that leaving him behind for Jarael to "rescue" will hurt so much more for BOTH of them than death ever would. The lies that Chantique put in Zayne's head and the final reveal about what Jarael's tattoos mean... it's all absolute perfection. "Protector"! it's so obvious yet so fitting! .
And its only enhanced by Brian Ching's artwork. He does such a great job conveying the the characters' emotions here. The atmosphere complements it perfectly, and the few moments of action are absolutely brutal.

THE CONCLUSION: "Masks" gets 5 stars. "The Reaping" gets 4 stars. "Destroyer" gets 5 stars. Hence, the final rating for Volume 8 rounds to 4.5 stars, rounded up to a 5.
This volume of the KOTOR Comics is absolutely outstanding. Fanservice? Check? Story progression? Check. Character development? Check. Emotional devastation? CHECK. It is here that the Crucible storyline finally proves itself worthy of the KOTOR Comics pedigree. Most importantly, we only have one final story arc and one final volume to go. "Destroyer" is the closest thing you'll get to an "Empire Strikes Back" entry in the KOTOR comics with the relentlessly dark ending where our heroes could not be at any lower of a point. I can't wait to experience the conclusion to this amazing story all over again!

[David Sarkies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slavery in the Modern World
28 July 2012

I think I might have a discussion about the nature of modern slavery here because this seems to be what this second story arc is about. In a way many stories these days seem to be involved with gunrunning, drugs, or slavery. Well, okay, not really though drugs seem to be a very popular topic for police stories, and while we do get some stories of slavery, these stories make us very uncomfortable because we like to think that slavery vanished after the American Civil War and that it is something that we do not encounter these days. However the truth of the matter that it still does exist in more subtle and hidden forms.

The last graphic novel revealed that Jarael used to be a slaver, which is what those marks on her face reveal. As such there is a sudden conflict between Zayne and Jareal as Zayne, having been in training to be a Jedi, does not like slavery. In any case slavery is illegal in the Republic, and it seems as if it exists as it does today: behind closed doors. However, much of the story involves Zayne and Jareal attempting to bankrupt these slavers, though things don't work out as planned. In the end we see what appears to be Jareal and Zayne parting ways.

I will mention this idea of wage slavery where we employees are effectively slaves to our employers. While it may be perceivable that that is the case, in reality it is not. We are always free to quit our job as well as being able to look for another job. Obviously things can be difficult if we are unable to get a good reference (for whatever reason) or whether our skills are not that broad, however, at least in Australia, there are laws about how employees are to be treated, and we also have to be paid. These days, in Australia, if we are slaves then it has more to do with being debt slaves (ie we are in debt and we cannot quit our job because we are in debt) rather than chattel slaves (that is being the property of our employer).

However slavery still exists, and usually takes the form of debt slavery, but this is not debt slavery in that we get so far into debt that we are not able to get out of it, but rather where vulnerable people (such as poverty stricken people in the developing world) who are given 'opportunities' to travel to a developed country (such as Australia) for a new life. However the catch is that the journey costs money, and while many of these people cannot afford the journey, they are given a 'debt' to repay once they reach their destination. However, when they do arrive, they discover that they simply cannot go out and get a job because they already have a job lined up (which may include prostitution) and while they are given accommodation, they discover that any pay that they may receive is taken up with living expenses and repayment of debt. This type of slavery is especially evident in some of the less developed countries (such as China).

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Wars Legends Project #19

Background: Knights of the Old Republic: Destroyer was first released in five issues from June through October 2009. The trade paperback was released in January 2010. It was written by John Jackson Miller and pencilled by Brian Ching, Bong Dazo, and Ron Chan. This is Ron Chan's only work in Star Wars to-date, but he's done a lot of other rather interesting looking things, including a "Plants vs. Zombies" comic (I'd read it!) and "The Guild" (based on the hit webseries), both for Dark Horse. He's also done a few things for Marvel, including some Avengers and X-Men titles.

Destroyer picks up soon after Dueling Ambitions (my review here, still 3,963 years before the Battle of Yavin. Malak and Revan both return, along with Cassus Fett, for some crazy business on the planet Cathar, and Doctor Demagol makes a long-awaited reappearance as well.

Summary: An unexpected encounter has forced Jarael to reveal secrets about herself that she hoped to keep hidden forever. However, with Zayne's help, she is convinced that she must face the evils that she has run from for so many years, and that means tracking down "The Crucible," an organization of unimaginable violence and cruelty, and confronting an old archnemesis that she once left for dead.

Review: I knew the relative mediocrity of Dueling Ambitions couldn't be more than a blip on the radar for this series. Knights of the Old Republic is back in pretty fine form. Like the previous collection, Destroyer brings together three separate stories, but this time they all feel like they are of a piece, and they work together to tell a larger story and connect to an ongoing arc.

In the single-issue "Masks," Zayne and Jarael deal with the fallout from the revelation at the end of Dueling Ambitions, but they are interrupted when Revan's apprentice Malak shows up. He is hoping to recruit Jarael now that Revan has officially convinced the Jedi to sanction his group of Jedi in joining the war effort against the Mandalorians, leading him to lock horns with an increasingly (and weirdly) protective Rohland Dyre. Ron Chan's art fit really well with this story and with the rest of the series, and I enjoyed it.

In the two-issue story "The Reaping," Zayne and Jarael get much more than they bargained for when they try to disrupt a mining operation fueled by expendable slaves. There are some really neat concepts in this story, most notably the sinister "Skyreapers" used by The Crucible. Finally, in the two-issue story "Destroyer," Zayne and Jarael face an unexpected challenge to their friendship, in addition to deadly danger . . . but telling any more than that would be spoiling it.

This collection is still very much a bridge to a lot of loose-ends being tied up in Demon, but it's a really good read in its own right, and there are a lot of revelations that fans of the series have been waiting a long time to get. Very enjoyable.

A-

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth volume of the KotOR series of graphic novels. It contains "Masks," "The Reaping" parts 1 and 2, and "Destroyer" parts 1 and 2. "Masks" is short and revolves around Malak, one of the Jedi Zayne and Jarael previously met in their adventures. Now he is recruiting for the war against the Mandalorians, but Zayne won't go and he will not allow Jarael to go either. They end up discussing her past of being a Slaver and how it affects her in the present. "The Reaping" had Zayne and Jarael searching for the Crucible, a slaver group that Jarael was once a part of, if nothing more than to bring the group down from the inside. When Zayne brings eighty slaves abourd, his hidden motives are revealed to Gryph, and Jarael reveals who she once was to the rest of the group. "Destroyer" features Zayne being purposely taken in the the Crucible group so that he can get an inside glimpse. When one of Jarael's enemies manipulates him with the Force, Zayne questions Jarael's character and why she still have the name meaning "Destroyer," but Jarael tells him the name has a different meaning: "Protector." With Zayne and Jarael looking to go their separate ways, what will become of the Crucible?

The art is a bit different in this one (different artists do different issues of the comic). The story is interesting in that we get more on the mysterious Jarael, and leads the reader into wanting to find out more and to see what will be come of Jarael...and Zayne.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the original plot line. After they wrapped that up, I kind of fell off this series. Still going to ride it through to the end.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masks: Kind of disappointing. Solid art, and it's nice to have another look at the Mandalorian Wars stuff... but does anyone really like the KOTOR game-related "lore drop" here? Feels like it was made out of obligation rather than any particular storytelling desire, and while I'm not sure when exactly JJM got the news re: KOTOR's cancellation, this does feel like a victim.

also still no Demagol despite the title lololol

The Reaping: Bong Dazo always had it tough with this fanbase. His artstyle, which I always reckoned to have been inspired by manga to an extent, always seemed more controversial than those of the series defining Brian Ching and fan favorite Dustin Weaver. Reading these two issues, I am unsure why - solid grasp of the characters, some truly moody panels, and one of the best two-page spreads in the entire series. It's such a shame this was his last work on SW; on the other hand, he left with perhaps his best work yet.

The story is rather good. It's probably the best multi-issue story of the Crucible arc so far, entertainment from front to back. I am - once more - unsure about its pacing with regards to the overall issue count, but at least now I feel like things are happening. Notably, though, I'd put these two issues alongside Faithful Execution as far as the art perhaps trumping JJM's writing goes.

alas, a Demagol tease at the end

Destroyer: FINALLY! The exact type of story the Crucible arc needed. Perhaps forcibly so - the news about KOTOR being cancelled dropped between both issues. Still, I am absolutely enamoured with this one. It validates everything that came before - well, more or less - by bringing every thematic and character-related plot thread we've been working towards together. Zayne confronting this type of enemy is simply genius, the best direction they could have gone with him at this point, and it rhymes quite well with another one of my favorite young Jedi who may or may not truly define themselves by way of that title. Jarael shines, too, and makes a really good point against Zayne. Great drawings, the best atmosphere this series has exhibited yet... I might be gushing a bit too much here, but this might be my favorite individual KOTOR storyline so far. Apparently, Demon is supposed to be even better!

but Jay Jay Emm y u no Demagol :/

[Sacha Valero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masks:

In the first story the crew is chilling out on some planet getting some well deserved R and R, when Malak shows up.

He explains how the Jedi visited the Cathar homeworld and there was a shared vision of the past where Mandalore was going to kill every last Cathar by driving them into the sea, but a lone Mandalorian took up there cause to protect them. Mandalore agreed, and Revan found the mask and took it up, vowing to take it off only when the Mandalorian's had been defeated.

Because of this, the Jedi were now officially part of the Mandalorian war effort, and they were on the planet recruiting. Much to Zayne's disappointment.

The Reaping:

The crew finds themselves imitating slavers from the Crucible and infiltrating a mining operation looking for some answers. Jarael remembers this place, and when the Crucible is notified they show up, and are led by a former Republic captain who was responsible for Jarael being delivered to the Crucible as a child.

Destroyer:

As stories go, this is one of the best in the entire series. Zayne allows himself to be captured by the Crucible in order to be taken to the ruins on Volgax where they conduct a single operation with all they have kidnapped. That is to fight.

He's forced to fight a Caamasi who remebers every fight from all of his people. All the pain, the suffering he carries, he show's it all to Zayne, and as a Jedi, he can't help but see it and feel it.

All of this is done intentionally by Chantique, the slaver who's looking for Jarael, and she does this to sow mistrust between two of them by telling him that the name tattooed on Jarael's face means Destroyer.

Great artwork in these books, and some really good story telling.

[Malcolm Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, this is more a short story collection with our heroes bumbling from one thing to the next. This series seems to be lacking something now the main story-arc has ended.
There are three main story arcs:
Masks:
Malak and Rohlan face off and Revan's motivation for wearing the mask is revealed.
This was a nice little story that finally had Revan in it. It also shows that Malak is on the slippery slope to the dark side. I've appreciated the evolution of Alec as he becomes Malak in this series.
The Reaping:
When attempting to scam a slaver organisation, Zayne attempts to rescue the slaves instead.
This one had some good character development for Zayne as he strives to remain true to his Jedi upbringing. Gryph is classic Gryph.
Destroyer:
Zayne learns, first-hand, about the Crucible.
This is one of the darker stories in the series as the true nature of the Crucible is revealed. There's lots of spoilers here so I'll zip it. Good stuff though.
On the whole, I think this volume is stronger than the previous one. The focus on Jarael's backstory and the meaning of her facial tattoos helped a lot. The discordant artwork was pretty good throughout.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a title like "Destroyer," this volume didn't really tie into the Jedi Covenant prophecy like I thought it would. Kinda felt like a bait and switch, especially when it came to something that got lost in translation between characters. Regardless, I like the exploration of Jarael's past and who she and Zayne are to each other.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm actually really liking this story arc, delving into Jarael's past, trying to figure out how to take out a centuries-old evil organization, facing past deeds, even ones committed in our youth or under duress, facing who we were and are now. And of course, how the Force can be manipulated for different points of view, that gives it that unique Star Wars twist.

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This TPB is quite good, though it is let down somewhat by an ending that I felt was out of character for Zayne. This darker storyline - strange to think the series could get darker after the original arc! - is engaging, so I am looking forward to reading more of it. I think it will be worth it. Either way, I can cross off more titles in my epic EU re-read.

[Octavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interludio un poco cansino.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really a mixed bag here. The art work in the first one 'Masks' by Ron Chan was terrible. My 5 year old does better. No detail, curves, lines, etc. Story is short and lame.

The Reaping and the Destroyer are much, much better. Without giving away things they expand the background history of Jarael and how and why she is. The art is great and because of these two is says itself from the first story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of Jarael's story, and how her past finally gets resolved. Suuuuuper interesting, with twists I hadn't expected. Great stuff.

[Evey Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Volvemos al relleno aunque algo mas interesante que el volumen 7 que era del todo olvidable e incluso caótico.

[Sam Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Ekenedilichukwu Ikegwuani · Rating 4 out of 5]

still going strong after finishing the main story arc of the series!

[Books_gang_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟/5🌟 Fajn díl. Spíše založený na charakterech.

[chloë womble barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

much better art. the style of the first issue i enjoyed the most. why is rohlan so fiercely protective of jarael? love the drama. wish it had more of L***** like it hinted at the end of volume 6.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This new storyline of going after the Crucible, the slaver group who kidnapped Jarael as a kid is working for me. Some good twists and turns here. Bring on volume 9.

[Matt Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grew on me as it went along, a lot going on and gives some context as to the wider fallout of all the galaxy spanning wars

[Madeline Rossell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The dialogue is corny, but I'd give it 4 stars if Jarael wasn't an absolute lamp-post.

[Cameron Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

9/10 AMAZING

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the Revan and Malak origin story. I can sympathize with their cause. I know Zayne faked the kiss with Jarael to get Malak to stay away but I hope they do end up together. Why is Rohlan so protective of Jarael?

I guess Geothar’s leak didn't take down The Crucible. Zayne and Jarael need to learn to be honest with their fellow crew members. Lying to them isn't right. I hope that Jarael gets revenge on Golliard for kidnapping her as a child and giving her to The Crucible. Demagol is awake and I don't know what to expect from him.

I felt bad for Ralthar. He saw entire lifetimes of torture and passed that on to Zayne as well. I understand why Zayne is conflicted but he should give Jarael the benefit of the doubt. After everything they've been through together, she deserves that at least. Zayne knows that Chantique is manipulative, so there’s no reason to believe what she’s saying. I wonder what else Zayne was up to during his “vacation?” He made it sound like he was doing something sinister and that's why he is hiding it from Gryph. If he was just forming alliances with Shel and Senator Goravvus then there’s no reason to keep that from Gryph.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The focus of this series is turning towards the secrets of Jarael's history. From the beginning, she seems to have had more secrets then most other characters and has been trying to bury her past. Miller deftly maneuvers the characters into a position where she has no choice but to open up and face the consequences.

Again, this volume has some great action - namely the shootout and escape from the surface of a melting comet - but the best moments come between the characters. Jarael and Malak have several ups and downs in the first chapter as he heads off to combat with the Mandalorians, but her heart is elsewhere.

Zayne learns some harsh lessons about perception when he goes undercover on the Crucible training world of Volgax. Lessons about trust and truth come hard to the young former Jedi as he faces off against a prisoner with memories of every battle ever fought by a member of his species; Not to mention Zayne's own conversations with Chantique, the leader of the Crucible.

Again, I stress this is one of the best Star Wars comics out there, and a must-read for all fans!

[Jeff Lanter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! I was very concerned this series was tanking, but John Jackson Miller righted the ship. While the art was mostly inconsistent with Brian Ching only taking the last two issues, the first story did something I hoped KOTOR would do a lot more of. It referenced characters from the video game and filled in some of the backstory. Seeing Malak enter the Mandolorian wars was very cool fan service. Its too bad we couldn't get HK-47 to make an appearance! The exploration of Jarael's history was nice too. There were a lot of plot points which were by the numbers, but overall, this was a very solid set of stories which move the overall story closer to its conclusion.

[Yves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zayne Carrick connait maintenant la passé de Jarael. Elle était dans le passé une esclavagiste. Elle veut essayer de s'amender en s'attaquant à son ancienne organisation et en libérant les esclaves. Ce qu'elle ne savait pas c'est que l'organisation a grossi avec les temps et qu'elle est devenu plus puissante.

Ce tome est l'avant-dernier de la série. Après un tome précédent un peu moins bon, l'auteur de la série est revenu à la base et offre une bonne histoire remplie d'action. Je suis vraiment attaché aux personnage et je trouve ça triste de savoir que le prochain tome est le dernier.