Fixing The High Republic

 

The High Republic just celebrated it's 1st anniversary and while I wanted to be fair and give it a chance, it just didn't really connect with me. I never really got how a ship breaking apart in hyperspace could harm millions, possibly billions of people across the galaxy. While this is the first time we have a look into this era (232 years before The Phantom Menace), and we have some familiar characters like Yoda who we already know a little bit about, we also have a lot of new characters. Jedi like Avar Kriss, who is the most powerful Jedi of her generation, Marchion Ro, a villain who rules the Nihl, a group of what appears to be space pirates/anarchists. While those are compelling and interesting characters we also get plant life who mimic the Borg (and Yuuzhan Vong to a lesser degree) and a navigator who is a rock (Geode). Yeah. So what should it be about? Phase 1 is coming to an end. Do I have any clue of what's happened? No. Do I care at this point? No. So how can that change? I have ideas. So here is what I would do to make the High Republic more interesting.

1. A Jedi Civil War. Maybe not actual fighting but the Jedi should be facing some sort of crisis that rocks the Order to its core. How do the Jedi become the monk like Order they are like in The Phantom Menace? But having Jedi talk about disagreements about things like love, emotions, attachments, etc would be interesting. I do like that the Jedi of this era have different views and interpretations of the Force, but what about how they practice it? Avar and Elzar Mann have a very close relationship (I'm convinced they have banged), and I wouldn't mind seeing similar relationships like that get explored. I doubt they're the only Jedi in that era who have, or may have made the beast with two backs. But a unified Jedi Order just seems, boring. Which takes me to my 2nd point. Maybe several Jedi leave over a difference in philosophy similar to how Martin Luther led the protestant movement in breaking away from the Catholic church. Different Jedi groups would be interesting as The Covenant was in The Knights of the Old Republic Legends comic book series.

2. The Republic should be in a state of panic. Sure the hyperspace disaster and Drengir invasion and the Nihl offensive counts as panic, but I'm talking about something more. Not quite a separatist movement, but maybe how the various elements leading up to the Clone Wars. How did the Techno Union get its start? Or the Trade Federation? Mining Guild? Corporate Sector? It is interesting there is a Republic Navy at this time, yet it isn't around when Episode 1 begins. But everyone seems to be all in on the Republic, and I find it boring.

3. Yoda should be an emotional connection. In Legends, Yoda suffered a severe injury, and the fate of the galaxy changed. We always assumed Yoda used a cane because of his age, but what if an injury or illness caused him to do that? We know Yoda survives, but we don't really know all that much about him. He's shown up a few times, but only in cameo roles for the most part. If he suffered a tragic event, it would get people interested. Yoda hurt badly, or very ill? How?! See? You're interested.

4. Too many characters. I read all the synopsis of the novels and I read about Jedi Knight A's adventures while Jedi Master A and his Apprentice Jedi Padawan A have an adventure. Then random detective meets Jedi Knight B for some work. I'd rather they focus on Avar and Elzar instead. There needs to be more of them. Every story goes from character to character. The Marvel comic focuses on a Jedi Padawan turned Knight and while it's interesting to see her interactions with the other characters across the other stories, it just feels like information overload. Focus on Avar for the Jedi. Then maybe give a bounty hunter his or her own book series. Then another smuggler who has a connection to a high powered official. I like the Starlight Beacon Station as it reminds me of Starbases in Star Trek. But focus on that! Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 focused on space stations, Star Wars has yet to do something like this. It doesn't have to copy it necessarily but keeping the focus there would be a start.

5. Relationships. One thing missing from the sequel trilogy was a romance. Whether it would be between Rey and Finn, Rey or Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, or Rey and Poe. Or even Poe and Finn, there wasn't any relationship to intrigue us between the space battles, politics, etc. Say what you want about the prequels but Anakin and Padme's relationship was an intriguing plot point, even if the lines used were, well, awkward. I mentioned Avar and Elzar, and would like to see that explored. Marchion Ro and Lourna Dee may or may not have had one. Maybe a Jedi meets someone that makes him or her want to leave the Order. Maybe a Jedi has a "friend with benefits" as one of Qui-Gon's fellow Jedi did in Master & Apprentice. I feel that most of the relationships in this series that I've read/heard about seem a bit forced. Except for Avar and Elzar's.

6. Sith need to show up. The Sith orchestrating the events would be great. If they get revealed it would be a problem. Now the Disney Plus series Acolyte will take place at the end of the High Republic Era, about 50 years before The Phantom Menace, and maybe they show up there. But having a Sith presence, even a small one, reminds us they are there. Planning the catastrophic events in this era would be fun to read, and knowing who the Sith Master & Apprentice in this era would be fun to know. Having this be the Ascension of Darth Plaugies from Apprentice to Master would be a good side story, but as I said, maybe that is being saved for Acolyte.

So there are my suggestions. Admittedly I have checked out, I had been reading the Marvel comic but it has lost my interest. There is an orgin about the Nihl villain Marchion Ro which I am interested in, but other than that, no. I wanted to, and in some ways still do want this to work. But for now, I'm out. If the stories take something similar to my suggestions and put them in action, I'd be back on board.