The next phase of the Battle of Jakku Star Wars comic recently began, with issue #1 of the four-part Republic Under Siege mini-series, written by Alex Segura. It begins with Luke Skywalker on the hunt for another old Jedi relic, bringing him into conflict with the Acolytes of the Beyond – and an unexpected familiar foe.
In the issue, Luke is on the planet Lehanis, in the Outer Rim, with his companion, Rebel pilot Rynn Zenat. He’s on the hunt for an old relic, one he doesn’t want falling into the Empire’s hands. As he explains it, “The compendium belonged to a Jedi Master named Ky Narec. His death sent one of his students down a dark, irredeemable path. The device’s legacy and power can’t be ignored.”
It’s not entirely clear what the compendium is, but we do know who Ky Narec and his apprentice were. Narec was the Jedi Master to Asajj Ventress, but he was killed on the planet Rattatak, a world he protected, in a battle against invading Weequay pirates. His apprentice held him in her arms as he died, and this tragedy began her on the path toward the dark side – which would later be taken advantage of by former Jedi Count Dooku, who made her his new dark apprentice. Ventress served Dooku early in the Clone Wars, even coming into conflict with Luke’s father, Anakin, until Darth Sidious ordered her killed, fearing she had grown too powerful. Ventress went on the run, returning home to the Nightsisters and then working as a bounty hunter.
Notably, she recently re-appeared in The Bad Batch, revealing that she actually survived beyond the Clone Wars. It is unclear what exactly she is up to following that series, which takes place not long after the prequel trilogy, so we don’t know what she would be up to by this point in the timeline (after the Battle of Endor), if she is even still around. But Luke is familiar with her story, and her master’s, showing his continued learning of the Jedi Order.
This is a huge theme of what we know Luke Skywalker is up to in-between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, as he scours the galaxy looking for Jedi artifacts and history. As the steward of the Order and the one tasked with its future, Luke feels the obligation, and the desire, to learn as much as he can about the Jedi. And that means tons of opportunities for fun connections with familiar figures, like this one.
Of course, it doesn’t always go smoothly, like in this encounter. The Acolytes of the Beyond attack, forcing Luke to fend off their advances, and by the end of the comic, Doctor Aphra shows up to steal the artifact from Luke. I have a feeling he’ll end up with it, but not without a headache.
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