“Consequences”
Creative Staff:
Story: Cavan Scott
Art: Nico Leon
Colors: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
What They Say:
Has Yoda turned his back on the galaxy? Why has the legendary Jedi Master abandoned his usual place on Coruscant to settle on a backwater world on the Galactic frontier? What lesson does he hope to teach? And who will come to his aid when disaster strikes?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
With some Yoda-focused storytelling in the past from Marvel that was interesting, the opening issue helped to ease some of my concerns about it, especially since it has Cavan Scott on board to write it. I’ve enjoyed a lot of their comics work over the years, but they’ve also been a key player in the High Republic novel side, providing a different approach to writing in this universe than strictly comics. As it moved forward, it was good to see how it separated Yoda from Coruscant for a chunk of it while still ensuring some of the politics from there peek in from time to time. Joining him on this project is artist Nico Leon working with colorist Dono Sanchez-Almara and they’ve got a good look here for it. It still feels very much Star Wars overall for the Marvel brand of it but there are some neat moments and layouts for how events unfold and the color design breathes some really good life into it as a whole.
This issue brings this particular storyline to a close and I’m glad that it played with just three issues instead of going on longer. Shorter and tighter stories can be done well and there’s definitely appeal there, especially from the mostly standalone Clone Wars TV show approach. With this issue, it’s been decades since the events of the previous issue happened, though we see some of the end of what happened playing out as a tale told between two kids, one of which is a nephew to Bree from that. The story isn’t quite as the kids know it and as the way the tale has spread among the Scalvi and that frustrates Bree. Particularly since there’s less kindness toward Yoda who left just as things played out back then, disappointed in Bree for the violence he brought to the moment in freeing Yoda who was never actually in any danger.
Naturally, things are happening again with Cruklon after decades of no interaction between the two. The problem is that the kids, now seeing them for the first time, opt for being proactive and aggressive whereas the adults are more defensive and cautious. But the kids end up creating a situation – through kidnapping! – that makes it all worse as the Cruklon, now starving and on the edge of disaster – are shifting from staying away to taking action. It’s a good sequence for Bree as he finally learns what Yoda was trying to teach him decades ago and it’s hard for the kids to understand because they didn’t live through the events and horrors of the past, but it comes together well and is a teaching lesson on both sides. Yoda’s return was nicely done, with him handling the puzzle toy even years later, and it serves to remind those on the council that their dismissive nature at times or just looking for basic easy solutions is just as bad as what happened on this world years ago and that they need patience.
In Summary:
While I wasn’t hugely excited for this book or even this storyline going by the first issue, it certainly grew on my as it progressed and drawing it to a close with this release helps even more. This is something that makes for a really good read in full because it’s not overly drawn out or trying to make it into something bigger than it needs to be. It’s small but important and lets the medium work well with the designs, color, and approach. Yoda’s definitely playing something of a Gandalf role here to a degree and I really just liked the way he seemingly wandered in decades later to help see if the lesson was finally learned. It’s a good read with great and distinctive artwork that delivers a fun story. I’m looking forward to seeing where it shifts next.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 26th, 2023
MSRP: $3.99
