Knights of the Old Republic #18: Nights of Anger, part 3 (of 3)

Duh, in the KOTOR II flashback, Zayne is on trial in the next chamber over. Masters Thon and Sunr*der and Willum are overseeing his trial.

 

Randy, use this suggestion.

Next time we see her, it's VIMA DA BODA, she got married and got killed but took his name to honor him. The line has the name da Boda from that point on.

 

Why does everyone assume that just because he's showing flashes of Jedi abilities now that he's gonna stay that way. What person is born evil? They all work their way to it. Nihilus or not, he will go down the dark path. And this isn't the era for good things, other than the Exile turning away from war.

 

Let me explain it to you in simple terms. Dark Times, Empire, Legacy, and so on are depressing and nihilistic series about the corrupting power of the soul. Knights of the Old Republic is a light hearted if serious story about a genuinely good person on the run.

I could imagine Cade being corrupted to the Dark Side. Why do you suggest it'll be the only series with a sense of humor and FUN that will be the one with the most horrible ending?

 

That's the beauty of the series. JJM knows how to make good characters with depth. Build the protagonist up to be a straight-edged Jedi that people will love and not want to go dark because of his good qualities. And then put him with people who would corrupt him(Haazen, Krynda, and even with his old master Lucien). It means nothing to me to make a cocky, cold-hearted Jedi fall to the darkside. But when it's a character with heart and something to lose...It makes the storytelling more powerful. It's what TOTJ lacked with Ulic Qel-Droma. It's what Legacy lacks with Cade. That's why I think Legacy is too dark.

 

I think it'd be a lousy story though.

And Ulic Qel Droma was always a hothead and rage.

Frankly, I just don't see it and wonder why NIHILUS of all people though.

 

But Zayne becoming Revan wouldn't be lousy?

The whole TOTJ thing seemed like rushed storytelling and was more Indiana Jones than Star Wars. Really the only depth you get from Ulic as a character is in Redemption, but then he's killed off.

And Nihilus is just a theory, its not me guaranteeing, but here's why I think he's going dark/maybe Nihilus:

A)The Covenant's vision shows a figure in the red environmental suit destroying the order. While their vision might not have come to fruition right out, their handling of it is what I think ultimately sets it in motion. I believe everyone that wore the suit(still alive) will have a hand in it. They call it a destroyer of worlds. Which Malak & Nihilus had a hand in that. But it wasn't until the destruction of Katarr that the Jedi were completely annihilated. The remaining Jedi were in hiding and it took the Exile to rebuild the order herself with her followers.

B)Zayne's own viision has him hunting down all the Covenant that doesn't confess. Raana is the first one to have a vision and the first one on Zayne's list. He even tells Raana Tey that her vision is actually his. He doesn't seem very Jedi like in it either. And right now he's 1 for 1 on his visions.

C)When Jarael calls him a "Jedi killer" he flips out and covers his ears. Jarael specifically asks "What is that? Is he dangerous?" The fact that she even acknowledges what he's doing, says to me that it means something more than meets the eye. Master Vandar even calls Zayne's relationship with the force as "Complicated. And its dark side can be seductive for the less experienced. The mind can decieve itself." We all know Zayne didn't kill his fellow students. But I still get the feeling that Vandar knows what he's talking about when he uses the words "diseased mind" in reference to Zayne. Zayne's flipping out after his vision of the destruction of Serroco is reminiscent of Nihilus flipping out on the Ravager. They both drop to their knees and act like the life has just been sucked out of them.

D)Haazen seems very interested in Zayne's "special relationship" with the force and that the Jedi didn't know what to do with it. Plus Vandar calling it "complicated" and saying that he has a "marginal proclivity" for the force. We all know Haazen wouldn't be a positive influence in Zayne's life and given the 2 different descriptions that each side gives about Zayne, it wouldn't turn out too well for him if he was brought before the leaders of the Covenant. Because like Nihilus, I suspect that Zayne has a power that he can't control.

This is all my own speculation on the facts and not factual speculation. So don't take this as me saying i'm right, end of story. I could be totally wrong and off base, but I strongly feel he's going dark, sooner or later. And unless he goes into exile and forgets the force, his days as a Jedi would be numbered eventually anyway. "Sometimes you have to enter the darkness to save the light" Squint.

 

Where are the spoilers?

 

It's not out until tomorrow. Or today I should say.

 

I was very much under the impression that Zayne did not actually have a vision. He was just talking smack. The whole speech is very much "I got yer vision RIGHT HERE!"

 

I was never actually sure on that point myself, actually. My impression of that scene was that Zayne was telling them "I'm coming for ALL of you!", also mocking their vision and belief in the future, as well as their willingness to throw away their moralilty for this, and insulting their actual ability as Jedi by saying he'd personally hunt down all of them. This being the same Zayne who they had all ridiculed for most of his life, and who had escaped from them multiple times against almost impossible odds.

Also, Zayne himself said he's not so good with visions, as when he got the Serocco one, he said that if he could see a vision that clearly, then that means really, really big trouble (and he was right, with nuclear devastation and all). So, he never had a vision at the end of Commencement, he simply swore he would bring his former teachers to justice.

And I don't think having Zayne end up as one of the KOTOR Sith Lords (even Revan, though by now that's near impossible anyway, given the timeline and their events that have already happened). I think it would be too dark to have Zayne, who's been this nice, likable kid, end up as a Sith Lord. This time period already has enough dark stories, given how the next decade or so of galactic history is going to go, according to KotOR 1 and 2, not to mention Exar Kun and his campaign still being in living memory.

True, Anakin Skywalker kind of had the same story (nice kid ends up as Sith Lord), but that came from the OT, no need to repeat it here. And LotF is already bashing the fans over the head with a prequel rehash already, no need for the KotOR comics to go with a plot that unoriginal.

Also, Zayne falling would also kind of send the subtle message that the Jedi Convenant was right in the first place to stop Zayne's reign. Or in a more horrible twist of fate, the Covenant would be ultimately responsible for everything.

I'm hoping we get to see Zayne in this issue, after his escape from yet another dire situation last issue, though this issue sounds Arkanian focused (which isn't bad by itself either).

 

I'll leave the spoilers for someone else, but will say this.
*Camper's secret is more biological than anything else.
*Not only is the Demagol switcharoo theory stronger than ever, but so is the answer to what race he is. To put it metaphorically, he seems to fit right in on the Arkanian Legacy.
*This issue is really more of a setup for the next arc.

 

I wouldn't rule out the possibility of Zayne becoming a Sith, though I doubt it will happen. If it does, I think it will have to be done with a very strong sense of irony in the situation, and the Jedi Covenant will all have to have a moment where they realize "Crap! This is my fault!"

 

Another thing I found cool was the backpage. It shows the new Revan, Malak, and pre-cyborg Grievous action figures.

 

I liked this issue okay, but not as much as normal. After all the suspense, I found the revelation of what Adascorp is after to be rather underwhelming. My response was something like "really, deep space monsters? Are those the things from TESB? And another power mad, speciesist megalomaniac? Hooowahh ha ha ha haa!" This is one of those things that was really far more intriguing when it was a mystery. Hopefully there is still another level to all this yet unrevealed, b/c if there isn't, I'm disappointed. And, if this really is all there is to it; if Adasca simply wants to make Arkania the center of the galaxy by wielding the monsters as a weapon, then why, after manipulating her so carefully for days, is he suddenly spilling the beans about the whole plan to Jarael? That also seemed surprising and somewhat too quick, I would have liked to have seen him continue his subtle seduction and manipulation of Jarael for a few more issues. As it is, after such care taken, he seems to have suddenly given up and fallen victim to talking criminal syndrome.

Also, further clues re: "Rohlan" in this ish. Probably the most intriguing part. Definitely agreeing now that either he's not Rohlan or Rohlan is not who he says he is. If the proposed switcheroo happened though, I'm trying to figure out when.

 

I think Quinine Vos that you're expecting too much from what amounts to a Star Wars comic book. I'm pleasantly surprised that the story is now moving forward and we've got a clear enemy to the safety of the galaxy as explained by the storyline. It'll allow for some old fashioned anyx-kicking and taking names.

It's a bit like saying "Oh, it's just a space station that blows up planets?"

 

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion. Just expressing mine.

 

I know, I'm just pointing that Adasca is probably a villain that's not meant to be a permanent part of the story.

Like the Moomo Brothers.

 

Since I'm unable to get this issue for the next week or so, could you elaborate on that "what race he is" part (even if it is technically just speculation at this point)?

 

Adas...

basically hints that he thinks he's an Arkanian underneath the armor

 

Thanks Charles!

 

In a series with so many loose threads already, I hardly doubt the Jarael seduction needed to be drawn out longer than it should have. And I doubt Adasca will be a central character by the end of the next arc. That's probably why Lucien and Zayne will have to join forces for atleast an issue. Then it's back to Taris. Besides, you think if these spaceworms played as vital of a role as Adasca is making them out to be, then it would of been mentioned by Carth, Canderous, Kreia, etc. in the games. It seems in #21 that there will be some significant losses in characters. Maybe Camper will come to his senses and either sabotage the project or sacrifice himself for the greater good.

 

I think that its important not to rely on Kreia and Revan's storylines for too much. Both of them mostly talk about stuff that the Exile and Revan wouldn't know. In Revan's case, he has amnesia but everyone is dancing around him who knows anything while the rest are concerned with more important matters.

Gigantic Space Worms devouring worlds may just not have come up in the storyline.

 

D'oh! That would explain Demagol's appearance and behavior much better than him being a Muun.

 

Yeah, especially the way Demagol positively drooled over experimenting on Jarael when he had her in his custody. There's some nice bits between the Mandalorian and Adas. It's fairly clear that the Executive is not really playing with a full stack and is only now getting to brag about what must have been positively bursting in him before. He's also a titanic racist too. Some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth is positively Nazi-esque.