In Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance, Volume 2 – geschreven door Shima Shinya en Daniel José Older, en geïllustreerd door Mizuki Sakakibara – volgen we net als in Volume 1 de Jedi Knight Lily Tora-Asi. Na de Drengir aanval is Master Arkoff naar Starlight Beacon vertrokken om Stellan Gios te helpen en heeft Lily de leiding over de werderopbouw van het dorp op Banchii gekregen. De dorpelingen zijn hun dorp, met hulp van Lily, haar Padawan Keerin Fionn, Jedi archivist Ru-Ru en de Younglings Viv’nia en Nima, aan het verstevigen en bunkers aan het bouwen voor het geval de Drengir aanval slechts een eerste stap was en de Nihil een grotere aanval gepland hebben.

Jedi Master Sav Malagán arriveert ondertussen op Banchii omdat ze van de Drengir aanval gehoord heeft en ze na de Nihil aanval op Takodana, en de verstoorde communicatiesystemen bij Banchii, verwacht dat een aanval hier veel dichterbij is dan Lily verwacht. Ze probeert Lily aan te sporen om een veel grootschaligere verdediging op te zetten en de burgers gereed te maken om terug te vechten. Een ongeval tijdens de constructie van een bunker overtuigt Lily dt het verstandig is om met de Younglings naar Starlight Beacon af te reizen om daar Master Arkoff op de hoogte te stellen van de gebeurtenissen en zijn advies te vragen, terwijl Sav de voorbereidingen op Banchii verder op zich neemt.

The Edge of Balance, Volume 1 voelde als een compleet losstaand verhaal, los van het tijdperk en de aanwezigheid van de Drengir was er eigenlijk niets dat het verhaal met de rest van de High Republic verbond. Het verhaal omvatte nieuwe personages en een nieuwe locatie. Volume 2 is meer verweven in het grotere geheel, het is een direct vervolg op Volume 1 maar we reizen af naar Starlight Beacon waar bekende personages zoals Stellan, Lula, Zeen en zelfs Buckets of Blood voorbij komen. En Lily en de Younglings doen zelfs mee aan de Great Jedi Rumble Race uit The High Republic Adventures #11. Dit alles geeft dit deel van de manga wat meer het gevoel echt onderdeel te zijn van de High Republic in plaats van een verhaal dat zich toevallig in hetzelfde tijdperk afspeelt.

Het schrijfwerk van Shinya en Older past perfect met het het werk van Shinya en Ireland uit Volume 1. De personages voelen hetzelfde als voorheen, er is geen grote verandering in hun motivatie of manier van doen. Zoals we van Daniel José Older mogen verwachten zit er wel wat meer humor in Volume 2 ten opzichten van Volume 1, maar dit deel is ook veel zwaarder en emotioneler. Het verhaal zelf neemt een duistere wending en omdat het zich gelijktijdig met The Fallen Star afspeelt zal duidelijk zijn dat ook de gebeurtenissen uit dat boek de personages uit The Edge of Balance bereiken en het er voor hun niet makkelijker op wordt.

Mizuki Sakakibara heeft het artwork weer verzorgd en dat is net zo indrukwekkend als in Volume 1. De gezichtsuitdrukkingen spreken – zoals je van een manga mag verwachten – boekdelen, de personages zijn allemaal uniek en makkelijk van elkaar te onderscheiden en de achtergronden en omgevingen zijn ontzettend gedetailleerd zonder dat de panelen onoverzichtelijk worden. Er wordt weer gespeeld met teksten buiten spraakgalonnen voor gedachtes of dingen die personages binnensmonds of op de achtergrond uitspreken.

The Edge of Balance Volume 2 eindigt onverwacht in een cliffhanger en het verhaal zal in The Edge of Balance Volume 3 vervolgd worden, al is er nog geen publicatiedatum bekendgemaakt. Dus het is nog even afwachten of dit verhaal afgesloten wordt voor Phase 2 van de High Republic begint, of dat we Volume 3 pas na de start van die tweede fase gaan krijgen.

Als je van The Edge of Balance, Volume 1 genoten hebt zul je ook van het vervolg genieten. Het verhaal staat los genoeg dat je het kunt volgen als je het eerste deel niet gelezen hebt, maar uiteraard is het makkelijker te begrijpen en gewoon veel leuker als je het eerste deel wel gelezen hebt en het complete verhaal beleeft.

The High Republic: The Edge of Balance, Vol. 2 is op het moment al als e-boek te koop (let wel, het is in Europa momenteel helaas zo goed als onmogelijk om de e-boek versie aan te schaffen) en zal op 24 mei 2022 ook als paperback verschijnen.

The Edge of Balance manga is one of the most slept on parts of the entire High Republic publishing initiative and era. People have loved the Star Wars manga adaptations, and loved Star Wars Visions, so I wish more people knew about this. The art is beautiful, and the story ties in so well. No spoilers for the book, but this second volume has some shockers on the level of the Fallen Star. I am, as always, a huge fan of Daniel’s work, and of how THR conceptualizes the Force, attachment, and the Jedi, and reading this after Midnight Horizon was especially bittersweet. Also I hope we get to see our beloved Wookiee Jedi master in Phase II in the past in his younger days!
PS: a special shout-out to the artists here for manga Stellan Gios. He is a snack and a half. Thank you for your service.

Well, it was only a matter of time before the quietest, most peaceful corners of the galaxy became embroiled in tragedy.

Following the disastrous Drengir attack instigated by the Nihil, Jedi Master Lili Tora-Asi is striving to ensure the refugee and settler community under her care on Banchii are protected against any further threats. In her staunch determination to do right by them, Lily corners herself into the kind of rigidity she can’t afford. While Lily worries about everyone, her padawan Keerin Fionn worries about her in turn, but just as she’s assuring him not to, a new face arrives on Banchii.

Master Sav Malagán, who makes the leap from the High Republic Adventures comics, arrives to check on them in the wake of a Nihil attack on the Jedi Temple on Takodana. While Lily tries to demonstrate what she’s setting up to keep the people of Banchii safe if an attack happens again, Malagán warns her not to be too rigid and expect even the attacks to go to plan. Her point is proven immediately when one of the bunkers explodes and they find a planted bomb within.

Cut communications mean that Lily, along with younglings Nima and Viv’nia travel to the Starlight Beacon to report the incident to Lily’s mentor Master Arkoff.

I would also be remiss if I let this go by without thanking everyone involved for giving me not one but both of my faves in this issue. Terrifying Marchion and a surprise Stellan? Yes please.

While in the first installment, the connections to the larger High Republic happened in the form of Stellan Gios visiting Banchii, here we get to see familiar locations and characters from the story as rendered by artist Mizuki Sakakibara - including a little peek at a certain rules-free Jedi race!

Written by Shima Shinya and Daniel José Older, Edge of Balace vol. 2 is ultimately the story of one Jedi’s determination to stand strong in the face of unprecedented threats. The important lesson Lily draws - which honestly applies to the Jedi of this era as a whole - is that for them to have any chance of winning she can’t be as immovable as stone, but rather to be like water. A lesson that serves her well in the face of the unspeakable tragedy that brings this volume to a close.

With the mounting Nihil threat moving to Banchii, thanks to a spy hidden among the settlers, Lily’s troubles are far from over. But she goes into Edge of Balance vol. 3 (no release date yet) a stronger, more focused Jedi, setting her apart from counterparts like Vernestra Rwoh, who are still learning the hard lessons.

The Edge of Balance series feels like one of the more underrated parts of The High Republic and that feels like a genuine shame. While nothing can ever truly be “slice of life” in the middle of constant catastrophe, this series is as close as it gets. With the characters so removed from the people and events of the main run of books and comics, the manga is a peek at how the people on the fringe of the big events are coping with everything without the resources afforded the others. It’s a small glimpse into a much larger picture, and fills in the lines of the larger universe, while telling a complete, character-driven narrative all its own.

Edge of Balance vol. 2 is available digitally now, and in print May 24th.

Special Thanks to VIZ Media for the advance copy for review purposes.

For the conclusion of The High Republic Phase I, VIZ Media released The Edge of Balance Volume 2, the continuation of Jedi Knight Lily Tora-Asi and her Padawan Keerin Fionn’s tale on the planet Banchii. After surviving an attack by the carnivorous sentient plants known as the Drengi, the Jedi are helping the Bachiians to prepare for a potential attack by the Nihil—which have proven to be more than simple marauders after the tragic events of the Republic Fair. In The High Republic: The Edge of Balance Volume 2, our heroes’ values are tested once again—Lily, Keerin, and even the younglings Viv’nia and Nima were faced with difficult tasks and hard lessons along the way. Joining the efforts in protecting Banchii is Master Sav Malagán (whose first introduction was in The High Republic Adventures #8), bringing challenge and wisdom to Lily as she is still learning how to be a leader while left in charge of the temple by her master Arkoff. The rebuilding and preparation efforts are in vain as our heroes come face to face with the Nihil, resulting in more destruction and even painful loss.

Writer Daniel José Older joins Shima Shinya and manga artist Mizuki Sakakibara for the second installment of The Edge of Balance. If you have enjoyed reading Volume 1, then you will absolutely love its sequel. Older not only brings some of his characters and events from The High Republic Adventures (noteworthy are a welcomed cameo of Lula and Zeen during the Great Jedi Rumble Race), but also his ability to elevate and enrich each character through love, compassion, and overall strong emotions. In particular, Lily’s character development is meaningful and resolutive—her path to become a leader and Jedi master filled with relatable lessons and challenges. Bringing Sav into the mix really impacts Lily’s story as the master continues to raise conflicting questions about what should or should not be done in the midst of an emergency, sometimes in ways that could seem harsh or even wrong but ultimately wise nonetheless (who hasn’t had a teacher like Sav?) Besides the strong characterization and logical connections to The High Republic main storyline, Older and Shinya surprise the readers with unexpected turns of events, with death and destruction that will make the fans shed tears of sadness while still maintaining a level of hope that is at the core of Star Wars storytelling.

The art of The High Republic: The Edge of Balance Volume 2 is stunning. Very much like Volume 1, Mizuki Sakakibara does wonders with character and environment design. From Lily’s facial expressions describing her internal conflict and eventual determination to the beautiful and elegant lightsaber action, Sakakibara perfectly captures and elevates the emotions of Older and Shinya’s tale. The artist’s character designs are further showcased in the manga with The Art of The Edge of Balance gallery (replacing the bonus chapter from Volume 1) featuring all the heroes and villains concepts, including but not limited to Lily’s various Jedi attire and detailed lightsaber, ships, and creature designs.

The Edge of Balance Volume 2 is yet another amazing addition to The High Republic Phase I. For readers who have consumed pretty much every form of media of this publishing initiative, this manga is an absolute must read. However, it is also a standalone tale that can be enjoyed without knowing too much about the main plot (besides the big events), and might even spark the reader’s interest to explore more about the all-new era of Star Wars. Have you read the manga? If not, swoop down to your favorite book store to pick up the second volume of The Edge of Balance today!

The Edge of Balance Volume 2 by Shima Shinya and Daniel José Older is a great follow-up of the first volume and further establishes these characters in the High Republic. Older brings characters from his IDW’s High Republic Adventures comic run to the manga, and it was great seeing familiar faces interact with Lily on Starlight. I’m definitely looking forward to the third volume and will share this excitement with my audience.