Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Volume 2: Flashpoint. Written by John Jackson Miller. Art by Dustin Weaver, Brian Ching and Harvey Tolibao.

What has gone before May contain spoilers for Volume One Commencement.

The year is 3,964 Before the Battle of Yavin. The Republic has just emerged from the last Great Sith War and is now facing a growing threat from the Mandalorians, an aggressive and expansionistic race of armoured warriors. (Jango and Boba Fett were Mandalorians)

Taris is a world on the outer rim, a planet sized city, like Coruscant. A Jedi Academy is stationed there, with five masters, and five Padawans. This is the story of one of them, Zayne Carrick. Zayne has a very…special relationship with the force. He is not a very good Padawan and in his own words “My luck ranges from barely tolerable to cataclysmic. Master Lucien says I’m living proof the force has a sense of humor.”

However when he arrives late for his own graduation ceremony, he finds his classmates slain by their own Masters, and his, Lucien, is coming for him.

Zayne escapes with the help of the prisoner he arrested before, a Snivvian named Marn Hierogryph, and two of his associates, a pair of Arkanians, a young nubile female with an attitude named Jarael, and an old crazy coot called Camper, who mumbles and talks to himself, but can fix anything.

Zayne evades the Jedi, the law, and escapes off planet in Camper’s ship, the Last Resort. He tries to figure out why his Masters would ever do such a thing.

Four of the Masters are the greatest Seers in the Order. Together, they can see further and farther ahead than anyone. They see the Sith rising, wearing the Spacesuits that their Padawans are wearing for a training exercise. They HATE the Sith, and so they move to destroy them.

But the problem here is this. They hate the Sith. And Jedi do not hate, because that is the path to the Dark Side. After many adventures and narrow escapes, Zayne has finally had enough. He contacts his former Masters to give them a message: “Hello, Master. I’m running now…but I’ve had time to reflect on your teachings. You say the living sometimes have to suffer to serve the larger goal. I’ve seen how you live by that.”

“Well, I have a goal now, too. Justice. For myself. For my friends. For the people sacrificed to the plans of the so-called Infallible. And it will definitely involve some suffering. Because you see, I’ve had a vision of my own.”

“One day, one of you is going to confess and clear my name. And to make sure, I’m going to hunt down each and every one of you. The one that confesses, lives. I don’t care which one of you does it. It doesn’t matter were they send you, you have a death mark, same as me.”

“Don’t look for me, Lucien, because I’ll find you. And if I do end up collapsing the Jedi Order, just remember one thing.”

”You Started It.”

Here ends the summary of Commencement. Spoilers over.

The story opens in a mining camp on the Outer Rim planet Vanquo, a pathetic refugee from the Mandalorian War front begs supplies, and receives short hospitality. Suddenly, an emergency message comes through. A female Jedi (the evil Master Q’Analia?) announces that the Mandalorians have just landed on the Day side of the planet; they are to evacuate immediately! Take nothing! Just run!

And they do. Which is great for Zayne and his friends. They sent the message. Mining colonies are rich in supplies, all the food and medicine they need, and tools and equipment that Marn can sell for capital. There is just one little problem. The Mandalorians really are attacking!

Jareal, disguised as Q’Analia is mistaken for a Jedi, and captured, and spirited away. In the meantime, Zayne, Camper and Marn have to deal with the entire Mandalorian army. Worse, one of them is trying to desert by stealing the Last Resort, their ship!

Zayne may not be a brilliant Jedi, but he is a great friend, and they go after Jarael, with the help of their new semi-ally, the Mandalorian Warrior, Rohlan Dyre.

This story has an interesting parallel to the last issue in the graphic novel. While Jarael is held by the Mandalorian Dr. Mengele, the final issue deals with…well, first, remember the Hammerhead in the Cantina in the first movie? That’s an Ithorian. Now take a pair of those, brothers, and give the personalities of the two guys from the Movie Fargo. That about describes the Moomo Brothers, Dob and Del. And wait until you see who they kidnap!

This story also gives us some insight into the childhood of Master Lucien and the Infallible Seers. It is very interesting, and explains much. I have a prediction to make about Lucien’s mother’s loyal servant Hazen. I predict he is a Sith. Time will tell if I am right.

The writing on this book is superb. It has plot, it’s well paced, and the characters have distinct personalities, speaking with unique voices. It’s well crafted, reads easily, and involves one quickly, then holds your interest through out. It is a bit lighter that the first; Zayne has adapted to life on the run.

The Art of Brian Ching is also excellent, very realistic, not at all “cartoony” and in point of fact, much more realistic than your average super hero title. The colorist, Michael Atiyeh deserves kudos on this as well as his shading word really pops the characters out into the third dimension. Brian Ching has excellent proportion and perspective, and his portraiture, (the ability to give everyone a recognizable face so if all you see is head shots, you can still tell who is who) and he loves filling in the backgrounds, giving the piece a realistic feel in keeping with the movies.

The other two artists, Dustin Weaver and Harvey Tolibao work hard to match the style that was laid out in the first book. Unfortunately, they graphic novel format does not attribute by issue, so even though if you are paying attention, you can see where the art changes, you can’t tell who did what. Suffice it to say, there are no disappointments, though I do prefer if an artist sticks with a title throughout the run that makes the graphic novel. It lends continuity.

All and all, an excellent read, continuing a great title. I highly recommend it.

May The Force Be With You.

The New Frontier: Younglings.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season One
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Two

Check out the other completely different Clone Wars cartoons.
Star Wars Clone Wars Volume One. and
Star Wars Clone Wars Volume Two.

Check out these Star Wars Novels:
Tatooine Ghost
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Invincible
The Cestus Deception.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
Republic Commando Order 66

Check out these Star Wars Comics:
Tag and Bink Were Here
Jango Fett: Open Season.
Rites of Passage
Star Wars Rebellion: My Brother, My Enemy.

Check out my reviews on Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.
Commencement
Flashpoint.
Days of Fear, Nights of Anger.

Check out the Future of Star Wars in Legacy:
Star Wars Legacy: Broken.
Star Wars Legacy: Shards
Star Wars Legacy: Claws of the Dragon
Star Wars Legacy: Alliance

The Star Wars Role Playing Game:
Star Wars Role Playing Game
Star Ships of the Galaxy
Threats of the Galaxy
Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
Scum and Villainy
The Clone Wars Campaign Guide

Check out all the Star Wars Saga:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Recommended: Yes