Star Wars recently introduced a number of the characters appearing in their upcoming publishing initiative Star Wars: The High Republic. The first character introduced is Avar Kriss.
Avar Kriss
On StarWars.com, Kriss is described as “the brightest, most noble example of Jedi-hood.” They also describe her as “the best of the best.”
She wields a green lightsaber, has medium-length blonde hair, and wears a white garb with a yellow cloak. She has brown gloves and boots. Atop her white outfit, she sports a yellowish brown tabard. It’s all tied together with a brown belt.
Related: New Star Wars High Republic Initiative Puts Focus On “Diversity and Representation”
Here’s her full description.
“Avar is the brightest, most noble example of Jedi-hood. She always tries to see the good in people and situations, and never puts herself first. She is invigorated about life on the frontier and the challenges it brings, and is an inspiration for those who work with her. She is compassionate, not dogmatic, and always ready to sacrifice herself over others. Avar Kriss is the best of the best.”
Kriss’ stories will take place in The High Republic. The High Republic is expected to take place 200 years before the events of the Phantom Menace. It’s a time when the Jedi are still exploring the Outer Rim.
Vice President of Franchise Content and Strategy James Waugh described the setting:
“This was a golden age for the Jedi, and also a time of galactic expansion in the Outer Rim. So expect there to be rich tales of exploration; charting out the galaxy, meeting new cultures, and discovering what pioneer life in the Outer Rim was like. This is an incredible sandbox for our storytellers to play in, both within publishing and beyond, and we can’t wait to see the great fiction they build within it.”
Any Star Wars fan worth his grain of salt knows that Yoda would have been alive during this time.
In Empire Strikes Back, Yoda tells Luke Skywalker, “For 800 years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.”
Thus Yoda would be around during The High Republic and most likely trained Avar Kriss or at the very least knows who did. Given Yoda would be alive at this time it’s hard to imagine another Jedi being the “brightest, most noble example of Jedi-hood” or “the best of the best.”
Nevertheless, that’s how Star Wars describes Avar Kriss. And this appears to fit in with what the Disney version of Lucasfilm has been doing to Star Wars over the past couple of years. They’ve been radically attempting to alter and in many cases destroy some of their own iconic characters. Just look what they did to Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. They had him contemplating pre-meditated murder, and he even got to the point where he drew his lightsaber on his own nephew.
Then after Ben Solo abandons the Jedi, Luke decides to close himself off to the Force, an impossibility given the definition of the Force, and hide himself away leaving his nephew to be further corrupted by the Dark Side.
The destruction of Yoda also began in Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi as they show him tapping into the Dark Side of the Force and using Force Lightning to destroy the Jedi Temple.
In fact, Star Wars’ own website describes Force Lightning as a dark side ability. It reads, “Force lightning is a dark side ability used to torture, disfigure, and even kill one’s victims.”
This destruction of the characters is part of the Phases of a Geeker Gate outlined by Itchy Bacca at Disney Star Wars Is Dumb. The whole idea of Star Wars: The High Republic
In Step 2, Itchy Bacca explains:
“IP IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO REBOOT – or reimaging or remake, or whatever term is fashionable at the time. The rebooted production will tout “firsts,” first female, first person of color, first LGBTQ+, etc., even if the IP has already had them before. They do this to contrast their new version as far more virtuous and progressive than the previous version, which they spent years or decades labeling as racist, sexist, misogynist, homophobic, etc.”
It appears this is exactly what they are doing with Avar Kriss. She is described as the “best of the best” more than likely meaning “far more virtuous and progressive” than Yoda.
Avar Kriss is not the only character that will be introduced in the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative. Other characters include Loden Greatstorm, Keeve Trennis, Stellan Gios, and Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh.
Loden Greatstorm
Loden Greatstorm is a Twi’lek. Like Kriss he wears white robes with golden accessories. He also has a yellow cloak. His lightsaber appears to be yellow.
Here’s his official description:
“Loden is a Twi’lek Jedi Master, and is considered to be one of the best teachers in the Jedi Order. Strong and wise, with a good sense of humor, Loden looks at every moment as a learning experience, always trying to better himself and those around him, especially his Padawans.”
Keeve Trennis
Keeve Trennis wears white and brown robes and wields a double-bladed green lightsaber.
Here’s her official description:
“Keeve is a young firebrand Jedi, believed to have a great future ahead of her, if only she would believe it herself. Quick-witted and more impulsive than she should be, Keeve has only been a Jedi Knight for a few weeks and is a little starstruck around Avar, knowing many of the great things Kriss has done in the past. She is determined to prove herself to Avar and the other legendary Jedi stationed on Starlight Beacon, but first she must learn to trust in herself as much as she trusts the Force.”
Stellan Gios
Stellan Gios wears clothes similar to Kriss and Greatstorm. His robes are white and he has a golden tabard. He wields a blue lightsaber.
Here’s his official description:
“Stellan is an optimistic and well-respected Jedi Master. Stellan came up through the Order with Avar Kriss, and although they are often on different assignments for the Jedi or the Republic, when the two work together they are a powerhouse team of two noble heroes in action. Strong in the Force and a natural teacher, Stellan is currently stationed at one of the Jedi Temple outposts on the distant planet of Caragon-Viner.”
Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh
Finally, the last character, Star Wars introduces is Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh. Rwoh is a Mirialan who wields a blue lightsaber. Her garments are less elaborate, but still maintain the white and gold colors seen on everyone, but Trennis.
Here’s her official description:
“Vern is a newly-minted Jedi Knight. Vernestra, Mirialan, was Padawan to Stellan Gios. She works hard and is devoted to the Jedi Order, more so than most others her age. At sixteen she is one of the youngest Knights in a generation. She struggles to fit in with the adults while also setting a good example for the younger Jedi.”
What do you make of these new characters? Do you think Kriss is a replacement of Yoda? Why do you think Star Wars is describing her as “the best of the best” despite Yoda being around during The High Republic? Do you think they might further destroy Yoda’s character in this new publishing initiative?