Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #003 (comic)
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #003.
The ARC-170’s open fire on the Kasmiri, forcing Kanan to dive downwards with it. The shields held up at 18%, Kanan taking out at least one of the starfighters. As he dives, he sets the Kasmiri to re-enter hyperspace. While in hyperspace, he decides to return to Kaller, because every other place he thought of prior would have Clone Troopers awaiting him.
Back on Kaller, Janus Kasmir waited in the shadows and as Kanan leaves the ship, Janus seizes the Padawan and pins him to the ground. A furious Janus tells Kanan that he should wring his neck, but Kanan tells him that he at leat brought back the Kasmiri. Janus tells Kanan the only reason he had brought it back was because there was no where else to go, in which Kanan eventually tells Janus he’s a good guesser. Janus pulls out his blaster and tells Kanan to get out of there, aiming the blaster at the Jedi. Kanan leaves, but secretly begins following Janus around.
One night, Kanan sits on a rooftop, watching a deal go bad. Janus is surrounded by a few human, a Rodian, and another Kalleran named Tapusk. As Kanan sees this, he jumps down, igniting his lightsaber, starting the band of misfits. Janus takes this opportunity to crack some skulls and eventually the duo have Tapusk with his hands held up in surrender. They allow the other Kalleran to live and scurry away.
Slightly angry, Janus pulls Kanan by the ear and the two return to the Kamiri. There, Janus lectures Kanan that he doesn’t need any help and he had the deal covered. Now he’s out of a crew for a job and Kanan needs to help out with it. He then helps Kanan get a new look, since Kanan still was looking like a Jedi. Kanan removed his padawan braid, changed his clothes, and acquired a blaster.
On the job that Janus spoke about, the duo get caught by Gamut Key. Janus tells Gamut that he could not arrest him, since he’s a War Hero, but he could arrest the Jedi instead. This is where the issue ends.
I found this issue to be a bit uninteresting. It felt a bit short, but at the same time, nothing really happened nor did it explain much. Kanan still was known as Caleb Dume, since he has yet chosen an alias or made-up a fake name. Not much interesting things happened in this issue; however, I’ve completed the series (since I’m writing this recap and review late) and I have to say that it’s a great series, especially if you’re a Star Wars Rebels fan.
Well, off to write up on the next issue.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #002 (comic)
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #002.
The issue starts off with Kanan laying on the ground, looking at the holocron his Master had given him. As he closed his eyes to rest or in content, Master Billaba calls to him. His eyes still closed, she grabs ahold of his hand and calls him by his full name, “Caleb Dume”. As he opens his eyes, he sees the Clone Troopers that were once his allies, turn their blasters towards he and his master. She tells him to run as she ignites her lightsaber.
Billaba fends off the troopers, defending Kanan as he stays awstruck at what’s taking place. Kanan and Billaba, each, kill their share of Clone Troopers. Kanan seems to take it a lot harder than Billaba, who tells him that he must run. Kanan darts off during combat, a few Clone Troopers give him chase. Billaba is then shot down during this time.
Witnessing it all, Kanan stares a bit baffled, but he turns and runs. He hides within brush, cloaking himself from the Clone Troopers. As the troopers depart, he leaves for Plateau City, which they had just liberated. There, Kanan spends a few days eating from dumpsters and living on the streets. He meets Janus Kasmir, the Kalleran who had given Billaba and Kanan lip before Order 66. Janus gives Kanan a fruit for him to eat, knowing the kid didn’t eat for a few days.
As Kanan eats the fruit, he asks of Janus if the Kalleran can provide a safe place for him to sleep, or at least know of any. Janus brings Kanan to his ship, the Kasmiri. There, Kanan gets fed and a well amount of sleep. As Janus helps Kanan look less like a Jedi and more like a street urchin, Kanan’s Jedi emergency signal goes off. The signal is requesting all Jedi to return to the temple on coruscant. He then asks Janus to take him there, but the Kalleran refuses, telling him that he only stays in the Outer Rim. Janus then tells Kanan to leave the ship.
Arriving as Janus leaves his ship, Clone Troopers begin to question him. Kanan is confused on what he should do. He then decides to steal the Kasmiri, departs planet, and enters hyperspace. During hyperspace, Kanan receives the holovid message of Master Kenobi telling all Jedi not to come back to Coruscant because the Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen.
Emerging from Hyperspace, Kanan is surrounded by several ARC-170 Starfighters. They tell him to surrender and that the Kasmiri had been reported stolen and has a fugitive on board. Issue ends with Kanan shocked and not knowing what to do.
I really liked this issue. It shows what happens to Master Billaba, it shows what happened to Kanan when Order 66 was issued, it shows how he survived while on the run for the first few days, it shows Master Kenobis message to the surviving Jedi. That message always gets me choked up. Every time. I think it’s such a tragedy with what took place, but we wouldn’t have Star Wars without it.
Well, time to conduct the next recap.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #001 (comic)
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #001.
Book I, Part I
The Last Padawan
It is a dark time for the galaxy. It’s been a year since the fall of the Republic, when Chancellor Palpatine gave ORDER 66, wiping out the peace-keeping JEDI ORDER and rising to the role of Emperor.
Since then, the Emperor and his Imperial forces have ruled the galaxy with an iron fist. The people have lived under the yoke of the Imperial oppression and the sparks of rebellion have begun in secret. Small clusters of rebels have begun fighting for freedom.
One such rebel band is home to KANAN JARRUS, a mysterious former Jedi who has spent years hiding his Force powers and lightsaber. Not even his companions know his true past, that he was once a young Jedi Padawan named CALEB DUME, fighting in the Clone Wars under his master, DEPA BILLABA….
The Spectres are aboard the Ghost when they receive word from Fulcrum for a mission. Kanan inquires what planet they’ll be heading to next and Hera tells him Kaller.
Fifteen Years Earlier…
In a flashback, it shows Kanan as a padawan. He’s fighting off a droid army with Clone Troopers and Master Billaba. Kanan was worried that he wouldn’t make it to the Clone Wars, since he didn’t have a Master when the Clone Wars first started; however, Master Billaba had ended up choosing him for her padawan. Now they’re on Kaller, in the Clone Wars, fighting off Separatist droids in the name of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Billaba and Kanan defend the Clone Troopers as they push forward. Master Billaba orders all forces to attack and they all go charging in.
The next scene shows a Devaronian named Kleeve who held the rank of General in the Separatist army. He speaks to a Kalleran named Gamur Key and tells him that the Separatists need to leave Kaller for now.
Billaba and Kanan notice General Kleeves ship departing Kaller and they know the battle has been won.
Within the village they liberated, Billaba speaks to Gamut Key. One of the Kallerans with Gamut Key gives lip to Billaba and Kanan gets defensive, but Billaba tells the Kallerans that they’ll making camp outside the village rather than in it, then they depart.
The next scene shows Kanan and Billaba training on a mountain top. They have their lightsabers ignited and seem to be meditating as they practice forms. The two eventually look down towards the camp where the clone troopers are and Billaba instills wisdom to Kanan, telling him not to get attached to the war.
Back at camp, the two Jedi join a few clone troopers around a fire. They speak of rank and file and Billaba questions the High Council, which surprises Kanan a great deal. Billaba then states that she remembers that he, too, was known for questioning the Order. The clone troopers gathered around the fire laugh in amusement.
As the clone troopers poke fun at Kanan, Billaba hands him a holocron. She tells him to use it to study the role of questions and peaceful dissent in the Jedi Order. Kanan takes the holocron and thanks Billaba.
Commander Grey, one of the Clone Troopers present, leaves the area to receive a holocall. The image of the Chancellor appears and he tells Grey to execure Order 66. He replies, “Yes, my Lord.” and the issue ends.
Since I’m doing this recap and review very late, I just want to state that I like this series quite a bit. It transitions between current day Star Wars Rebels time line and to the Clone Wars time line through flashbacks and it’s wonderful. They do such a great job with it and the comic never gets boring.
This issue in particular is beautiful. The artwork is done well, the writing is done well, and you really get to see how Kanan and Billaba were. Great issue. Now, I shall write a recap and review for the next issue.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Star Wars: Kanan #008 (comic)
Star Wars: Kanan #008.
Kaller.
Kanan remains in the medical chamber, healing. The medroid informs the Ghost Crew that Kanan must remain in that chamber until he is fully healed or he may die. Just then, outside on a speaker, Imperials notify for them to come out and they’ve got the building surrounded.
The next scene goes back into Kanan’s memory, showing Master Billaba protecting Kanan (Caleb Dume at this time) from an explosion.
It shows that General Kleeve is one of the figures behind the attack. He and cohorts plot to bring down one of the towers of the Jedi Temple of Coruscant.
Back at the Jedi Temple, it shows some Jedi Knights and Masters protecting Younglings as explosives roll around and go off.
Due to his rebellious nature, Kanan does not listen to Master Billaba, and goes after the assassin by sensing his presence with the Force. Eventually, he finds the assassin but is nearly killed when he is thrown multiple explosives.
Escaping the explosions, Kanan falls to the ground. The Assassin standing over him. Master Billaba suddenly appears, lightsaber drawn. She tells the assassin to step away from Kanan. The assassin then drops one of the bombs, but Billaba uses the Force to hault it. In-fact, she uses the Force to cease the mixtures of the chemicals that cause the explosion in the first place. The assassin is taken aback by such a feat.
The assassin then begins to run towards a bomb that he plans to detonate, but Master Billaba uses the Force and destroys it. The Assassin then reveals himself to be Rackham Sear of Quarzite, who is the Captain of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. He thans moves in and attacks Billaba and Kanan.
Rackham makes an attempt to jump off the roof of the building, but Kanan and Billaba stop him in mid jump, levitating him using the Force. The assassin then turns around and releases a bunch of bombs, which breaks Kanan and Billabas concentrations and they both go diving to avoid the explosion.
As Billaba and Kanan lay there recovering, the Jedi Master tells him that she’ll take Kanan as her Padawan. As this is said, Master Windu and Kenobi come to the rooftop as reinforcements, but they are too late and the assassin is gone.
The next scene shows Kanan’s friends in disbelief that Master Billaba took Kanan as her padawan, but also showed reluctance and hesitation, because they feel that she is bad luck.
The final scene shows an LAAT/i dropping off whom I assume to be Billaba and Kanan, where Kanan is first introduced to Commander Grey and Captain Styles, the Clone Troopers under Master Billabas command. Issue ends.
I really enjoy the Kanan comic. I like Star Wars Rebels, so being able to see more background to the Ghost Crew and Kanan is a treat. This will be my final entry for the night. I’ll make an attempt at doing a few tomorrow, as well.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Star Wars: Kanan the Last Padawan #007 (comic)
Issue #007.
Kaller.
The Ghost crew stands around a medical chamber with Kanan inside it. A medical droid is looking after his condition. Zeb speaks to Hera in frustration, complaining about what good the Force is if it couldn’t protect Kanan getting stabbed in the back. Hera calms him down and he apologizes.
While Kanan is in stasis, he has a flashback to when he was a youngling. He’s at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, lightsaber in hand, very young. Master Yoda stands there, calling Kanan by his true name, Caleb Dume. He tells Kanan he must maintain his form. Kanan tells him that he’ll try. Yoda then states, “Do or Do Not. There is no try.” Kanan begins to ask Yoda a question, when suddenly Tai, another youngling, strikes at Kanan. Kanan exclaims that he wasn’t ready, but Tai tells him the separatists will not wait for permission. Sammo, a Twi’lek youngling, comes in and counters Tai.
Yoda stops the training, sending Kanan off to the infirmary, due to Kanan slightly bleeding, even to Kanan’s protests. Kanan is saddened, due to the fact he’ll miss the entire session with Master Yoda.
Arriving at the infirmary, Kanan speaks with the med droid there. He shows the med droid his wound and the med droid tells him that it just broke skin and he’ll be fine. Looking around the room, Kanan spots Master Billaba, who’s unconcious in a medical chamber. He asks the Droid who that is and that he feels like he knows her, but the Medical droid quickly tells him it’s none of his business and ushers him out of the infirmary. Master Billaba then regains conciousness and begins knocking on the glass of the chamber.
Masters Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan are now at the infirmary upon hearing of Master Billaba’s full recovery. Apparently, she’s been in a coma for six months. The medical droid tells the masters that her body is fully recovered, but he’s not sure about her mind. Overhearing this, Master Billaba tells them why not just ask her. She feels that her mental state is fine. Windu tells her that she’s being glib and Yoda says it’s not an attractive quality for a Jedi Master. She then apologizes.
Obi-Wan begins to speak with her, meanwhile in the back Yoda and Windu discuss that she must be tested. A full fitness assessment- Physical, mental, and emotional.
The Initiate trials begin. Kanan, Tai, and Sammo are tested. Masters Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan watch over the trio through the trials. It shows the three younglings reciting the Jedi Code during meditation. It also shows them in blinded Lightsaber wielding, meditating object levitation, and combat levitation. It then shows Master Billaba meditating and reciting the Jedi Code to herself.
The Jedi Council sits around Billaba, telling her that she passed and did well. She states that she failed the Order on a massive scale. Obi-Wan reassures her that if failure was a prerequisite to service, none of them would be there. He welcomes her back to the Council, gesturing for her to sit amongst them once again. Master Ki-Adi-Mundi questions the rest of the council about the three younglings who passed the initiate trials (referring to Kanan, Sammo, and Tai). Obi-Wan then says they should watch the three carefully.
Within the Jedi Archives, Master Jocasta Nu, Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives, teaches the younglings. This is where Kanan is shown raising his hand, asking why, to which Master Nu replies, “Excuse me?” This scene shows how Kanan questioned a lot of the teachings and ways of the Jedi. Master Nu does not look pleased, beginning to lecture the child. Within the background, Master Windu does not look pleased with Kanan, all the while Master Billaba giggles to herself at the situation.
The next scene shows Master Billaba training the three younglings with lightsabers. The trio have blinders on, lightsabers ignited, and Marksman-H seeker droids sending small blasts at them to deflect. Kanan deflects a blast, directly back to the seeker droid and destroying it. He pulls off his blinder and stares at the rubbish. Master Billaba glances at him side ways with a look of amusement on her face. Kanan then bashfully grins.
As the trio roam the Jedi Temples grounds, I couldn’t help but notice in this particular panel, it appears that Anakin and R2-D2 are there in the background. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be an easter egg, or if it’s even really them, but I feel like it may be just a nod to the timeline. Anyway, so Kanan tells Sammo and Tai that he did research and Master Billaba currently doesn’t have a Padawan and that he’s hoping he’s able to. This scenario also shows that Kanan is much younger than most people who complete the initiate trials.
Sammo pulls Kanan and Tai to the side and tells them that he heard Master Billaba was in a coma due to General Grievous and that the last mission she was on, her battalion suffered ninety percent casualties. He then questions if she was out generaled or if she was just bad luck.
Kanan didn’t know what to say, so he went straight to the source. He went directly to Master Billaba and asked her all his questions and informed her on what the talks of what he’s heard. Master Billaba looked a bit sad, questioning herself if she really is damaged goods. She then tells Kanan that she’s fully recovered physically, but the deaths of her battalion still haunt her and she fears causing more.
While the two talk, clinging to a wall outside, seems to be an assassin, dressed in ninja like apparel. This assassin enters a vent, dropping some rolling bombs into an even lower vent. The bombs split upon a T section within the vent. Kanan hears them, but Master Billaba doesn’t, however she could feel unease in the Force. Kanan and Billaba make their way out of the room they were talking in, when the area before them explodes. To be continued….
I’ve been really enjoying this series. I absolutely love the Rebels show and it’s characters and I love how the comic brings them in, as well. When I first heard about the comic, before issue one was ever released, I thought it was just going to be about Kanan when he was young. The fact that they do so, but also include parts from when he’s with the Ghost crew, maks me love this comic even more. It shows background to his character, along with the Jedi Order, and the Ghost crew itself. Great comic and one of my favorites in the new Star Wars series of comics.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Star Wars: Kanan #006 (comic)
Issue #006.
The issue starts off with the Ghost landing on Kaller. Kanan exits the ship and he immediately begins to reminisce of when he was still Caleb Dume, the Padawan. He sees memories of himself, Master Billaba, and clone troopers. He spaces out, with Hera repeatedly calling for him. When Kanan comes to, he’s obviously not happy to be on Kaller. Who’d blame him? It is where Order 66 took place for him. Where he had to run to escape the Clone Troopers. Where Master Billaba was slain. Hera then tells him that Fulcrum told them that Supply crates were supposed to be at the coordinates they were at. If you’ve been keeping up with Star Wars Rebels, you will know that Fulcrum is the alias that Ahsoka Tano has been using to communicate with Hera and the rest of the Ghost crew.
As Kanan comes to, it reveals the rest of the Ghost crew is there (Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Ezra, and even Chopper). Sabine states that the contens of the containers are missing. It’s then that they’re halted by Gamut Key, the Provincial Governor of Kaller, who’s accompanied by armed guards. He accuses them of being smugglers, but Hera detests it, showing the crates were empty. Gamut sends a guard onto the Ghost to see if the shipment is onboard, but it’s not and Gamut leaves the Ghost crew.
All the while, Kanan was worried that Gamut would recognize him, but fourteen years is a long time and Kanan has aged since then. Now alone with themselves, the Ghost crew decide to go looking for the missing crate contents. Ezra comes up with the idea that since Thieves like to get lost in a crowd, they’d be in the nearest large city.
Plateau City.
Landing in the city, Kanan seems on edge, which Hera quickly points out. Kanan is worried about someone recognizing him in the city, but he keeps it to himself. He tells Hera the team should split up. Naturally, Hera wants to go with Kanan, but he angrily declines, which draws the teams attention. He then assigns Ezra to go with Hera, Zeb and Sabine to be a team, and he and Chopper as the other.
The duo, Kanan and Chopper, wander the streets and back alleys of the city. Kanan goes to old hide aways and rats, trying to find out where Janus Kasmir, his ex-partner is, because he feels that the stolen crate contents have his name written all over it. Finally, he makes it to their old hide away and he opens the door. There, he sees Tapusk. The Kalleran who betrayed Kanan and Kasmir. He doesn’t recognize him immediately, though, and calls to him, using Kasmir’s name. Tapusk is then startled and states he hasn’t heard that name in a while. He doesn’t recognize Kanan, but continues to question the man on how he knows that name, or his own name for that matter.
An ambush takes place as Tapusk’s men come out of the shadows, blasters drawn. Both Kanan and Chopper raised their hands in defeat. Kanan tells Tapusk how dispicable it is that he would tip of the Governor to the drop site and have him wait there for the Ghost crew. Tapusk makes it clear that the supplies now belongs to he and his men and no longer to the Ghost crew.
With a headbutt, Kanan knocks back Tapusk. He then dodges blaster fire as he jumps to the lackies, taking each of them out; however, Tapusk sneaks up on Kanan and stabs him in the back with a knife as Kanan radios in to Hera, calling for a pick-up. Upon being stabbed, Kanan’s Jedi reflexes kick in and he knocks out Tapusk. As he stares down at Tapusk, Governor Gamut comes out of no where, calling him Spectre-One (his code name to the Ghost crew). He lets Kanan know that he isn’t fond of the Empire and that he’s willing to help the Ghost crew with any needs. The Governor then leaves, both men bidding each other farewell.
Bleeding out, Kanan’s voice appears to be shakey as he calls Hera, again. He touches his wound, his hand covered in blood. Chopper begins freaking out nd Hera begins panicing. The final panel shows Kanan on the floor, seeming to be unconcious.
I’m looking forward to more issues of Kanan, especially since it seems that now the Ghost crew is a part of it now. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with Star Wars Rebels, which seemed a little hard for me at first, due to being a fan of the Clone Wars, but it really got a hold on me and now I’m addicted to the show. The first episode of Season 2 aired tonight, so my next review/recap will be of that.
May the Force be with you always.
-Ehpik.
Dominate the Force 