Star Wars may be giving Luke Skywalker a new Jedi Master to learn from.
The current ongoing Star Wars series from Marvel Comics has explored the gap of time between Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), where Luke is reeling from his defeat with Darth Vader, losing his hand and the bombshell revelation that the dark lord is his father. In the previous issue, Luke has gone on a journey to further his Jedi training, obtaining a holocron with recordings of his master from The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda. In a preview for Star Wars #20, the holocron leads Luke to the planet Gazian, where he meets another Force wielder.
Now, Gazian is a planet covered in mushrooms, so it is unclear if the interactions between Luke and the Force user are real or simply a psychedelic experience caused by Gazian's atmosphere. The Force user appears to be a Jedi based on his robes, and has dark hair, which could be a number of characters seen, such as Starkiller from The Force Unleashed video games. However, a more likely candidate based on the appearance would be Jedi Master Elzar Mann from The High Republic novels, being that Star Wars writer Charles Soule has written the character before in his works like Star Wars: Light of the Jedi (The High Republic).
If the character is indeed Mann or a Jedi seen before, it would mark another instance of Star Wars stretching its universe and creations across mediums (i.e. comics, film, television series). In the second episode of Disney+'s The Book of Boba Fett, Black Krrsantan -- a Wookie bounty hunter -- makes the leap from comics like Star Wars: Darth Vader to his first live-action adaptation. In the reverse, current Star Wars comics have also brought Han Solo's former love interest, Qi'ra, from the film Solo: A Star Wars Story onto comic pages, now starring in Soule's Crimson Reign series.
Being that Luke is seeking out ways to further his Jedi training, whoever this Jedi turns out to be could mark another master for the young Skywalker to learn from. He has already been taught by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, but others have learned under multiple masters before, such as Anakin Skywalker's padawan, Ashoka Tano. The full preview and solicitation for Star Wars #20 can be found below.
STAR WARS #20
- CHARLES SOULE (W) • MARCO CASTIELLO (A) • Cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
- ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
- LUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSE
- VARIANT COVER BY MARC LAMING
- DANGEROUS LESSONS! LUKE SKYWALKER has found a key piece of instruction in his journey along the JEDI path - the voice of his teacher, JEDI MASTER YODA. But the lesson Luke must learn will not be taught by Yoda, and it will take - and give - more than the young Skywalker could ever have imagined.
- 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
- Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Star Wars #20 is written by Soule with art by Marco Castiello, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg and letters by VC's Clayton Cowles. Main cover art was done by Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz and Rain Beredo, with variant covers contributed to by Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Neeraj Menon, John Tyler Christopher and Marc Laming. The issue goes on sale Jan. 12 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Marvel Comics