Human Lens #14: Charles Soule's Brilliant Introduction to a New Star Wars Era
Action is the centerpiece of characterization in Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi
In almost every creative writing class, they teach you to develop your characters through their actions, not their words. There’s no better example of this, and no larger amount of characters covered in this sense, than the first novel in Star Wars’ new High Republic era, Light of the Jedi.
While many Star Wars films open with an action scene or high pressure sequence as its inciting action for the film, Light of the Jedi covers a galactic disaster that immediately pits our Jedi heroes against the most cinematic opening in the franchises history.
The first section of the novel, aptly titled “The Great Disaster,” opens its first chapter with a transport yacht commanded by a stoic, courageous woman, Captain Hedda Casset, leading thousands of travelers to the outer rim. What ends up being the slowest chapter in the first part of the book is devoted to building the backstory of this character that could fit the bill of a main character in the novel. Despite not being a Jedi, this character comes across as a possible relatable character to the reader. She would act as someone the Jedi explain things to as the events of the novel transpire.
Something on the ship goes wrong, alarms blare, people are hurt, and instead of the ship continuing to safely travel through an almost foolproof path of hyperspace, the ship is somehow knocked off course. Despite Captain Casset’s best efforts to address the situation, the ships dismissal from the path causes a massive explosion. And just like that, a character we already started to like and were ready to go on a journey with, is dead.
On the ninth page of the novel, the final one in the first chapter, chaos opens up and sets the stage for our main players in this new saga to flourish in our minds.
This hyperspace disaster leads to multiple chunks of the space yacht falling out of hyperspace and smashing into planets and settlements across the outer rim at speeds greater than a meteor.
When all is lost, the defenders of peace in the galaxy, the Jedi, are sent to mend the situation.
It takes until the thirtieth page for the Jedi to literally announce their arrival. After witnessing the beginning of the destruction that this disaster is causing, “hope” arrives like a gentle breeze on a summer’s day.
In my article title, I teased Charles Soule’s brilliant introduction to these characters. The next ninety pages of storytelling are all devoted to witnessing these Jedi save lives, establish order, and end a crisis before it can get worse than it already is. I mentioned developing characters through their actions, this is putting them into the thick of the action.
While extremely fast paced and bouncing between many characters, the great hyperspace disaster never feels rushed or solely dedicated to action. It is here that the groundwork must be laid for an entire new era of Star Wars, completely created from scratch by Project Luminous. This code name story group consists of the aforementioned Soule, Claudia Gray, Daniel Jose Older, Justina Ireland, and Cavan Scott. All Star Wars writing legends in my eyes. While I give credit to Soule for his name being on the cover, and his incredible work in the opening of this new saga, I have to applaud this group for the passion they have always shown to Star Wars and the tenacity they have shown in developing insane layers of depth to this era that they have built together from the ground up.
With that being said, I can say that Charles Soule uses the events within the opening of this novel to masterfully bring to life some of the most compelling and genuine Jedi knights I’ve ever absorbed. Leading the recovery is Avar Kriss, a tactician of the force and a Jedi Master. She is level headed in a time of great distress, while also being able to command her voice and stature in a way that entrances people. Everyone is forced to listen to her leadership. This can be a great description of many Jedi but, for her, it is the reason she is able to take charge without anyone second guessing or ignoring her voice.
My favorite character in this novel is Master Loden Greatstorm, accompanied by his apprentice Bell Zettifar. Loden doesn’t shy away from using anything as a teaching moment. What better way to have someone learn than to throw them into a do or die situation. Loden’s levelheadedness serves him well, as it shows why he was elevated to the status of Master. Bell has a great connection with his master, praising how much he has pushed him to become his best self. Loden teaches a great lesson through helping Bell master a Jedi trick during turmoil in this portion of the novel: no matter how perilous a situation you may be in, you may discover something within yourself that helps you along your journey and your mental landscape. Essentially teaching him that growing up is full of obstacles, you just need to embrace them to succeed. While Bell is upset they will split ways once he becomes a Jedi Knight, Loden knows that Bell is ready. They are both proud of each other.
A lurid amount of new characters accompany the pages of Light of the Jedi than can be covered in the detail I would love to give them. For now, just know that the force is strong with this one. I’m currently halfway through the second novel in this new series and am loving it. The aftermath of what occurs in the opening of Light of the Jedi is still resonating into a completely separate novel. I have always loved Star Wars, but this is the first time in a while I’ve felt as if something new and redefining is being crafted for the IP of over forty years.
If you love Star Wars, or even just love sci-fi or great storytelling, you need to pick up this book. I look forward to many more adventures from Charles Soule and his cohorts and can’t wait to continually see praise raining down on this series for as long as this series runs and a thousand generations more.
For light and life.