Jedi Academy: Leviathan

Jedi Academy: Leviathan was a four-issue series of comics published between October 1998 and January 1999 by Dark Horse Comics. The story was written by Kevin J. Anderson and the comic was illustrated by Dario Carrasco, Jr. and Mark Heike. It takes place eight years after the fall of the empire and follows a group of four - Streen, Kyp Durron, Dorsk 82 and Kirana Ti.

Publisher's summary
''In the eight years since the fall of the Empire, Luke Skywalker has trained a new group of Jedi Knights, among them Kirana Ti, the sky-hermit Streen, the scholar and lore-master Tionne, and Luke's greatest student, the brash Kyp Durron. Once trained, a Jedi must go where he is needed, to defend the New Republic and use the Force to help those in need. And on the harsh world of Corbos, help is desperately needed after mining excavations awaken something ancient, powerful...and hideously evil!''

Plot summary
On Corbos, the miners that live at mining colony are working. Deciding to get one last blast in while the storms keep away, they find the bones of a huge creature. Not seeing anything worthwhile having they go back to their domes in which they live, but not before hearing a huge growl, which they presume is the storm which has just started.

A few hours later on Coruscant, Princess Leia Organa Solo and Ackbar are talking when they suddenly receive a desperate message from the Corbos Miners.

"Corbos... Mining Colony! We are under attack! Some sort of... creature. Destroying our entire city! We have no weapons against-- Send help, please!"

- One of the Corbos miners as the leviathan destroys them

Leia tells Ackbar that the military is still a shambles and that she feels helpless but Ackbar suggests calling the Jedi Academy that Luke Skywalker has set up, and asking Luke to send some Jedi.

At the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, young Jedi Knight Kyp Durron is present for the arrival of the Academy's newest student&mdash;Dorsk 82. So striking was his similarity to Dorsk 81 that Kyp momentarily confused the two. Kyp soon took the new trainee under his wing, taking him out into the jungle to visit Dorsk 81's grave. There he presented Dorsk 82 with the lightsaber of his deceased predecessor. Impressing Dorsk by fighting off a battle hydra in the jungle, the new trainee pledged to become a Jedi Knight, with Kyp declaring his support.

Luke then received the message from Leia and decided that this would be an excellent way for the students to learn. Luke asks Kyp Durron to go and Kyp asks whether he can take Dorsk 82 with him. Luke consents and tells Kyp and Dorsk to make sure they call for help if they need it. They then leave to go to Corbos.

Kyp and Dorsk arrive to find a scene of desolation and destruction. The whole of Corbos Mining City is completely destroyed. As they search through the ruins they find broken weapons and blood, showing that the miners were killed. However Kyp is troubled because he can hear the miners screaming for help through the Force, causing him to think they are still alive. However upon finding more blood he realizes that they must be dead. Kyp then suggests that they sleep in the ruins and search for the creature the next day. Dorsk 82 goes to sleep but Kyp cannot get the screaming and wailing out of his head. Deciding that it is too dangerous for Dorsk 82 to try and tackle the creature that caused this Kyp goes outside to try and find it himself.

When Dorsk 82 wakes up and finds Kyp gone he rushes back to the ship to use the comm system. He calls the Jedi Academy and ask for help.

Meanwhile Kyp slowly follows the screams in his mind around Corbos. Finally he realizes he is getting closer and climbs up a steep cliff. He then finds the fossil of the creature, the same fossil that the miners found. Realizing that if a monster that size came the miners wouldn't of had a chance, he again senses the screams and decides that he must continue to follow it.

Meanwhile on Yavin 4 Kirana Ti and Streen are dispatched by Luke to go and help on Corbos, having received Dorsk 82's call for help.

Kyp has now accepted that all the miners are dead but he still follows the screaming that he can still hear. Climbing another cliff he finally sees the monster.

"We've got a score to settle, you and I. Come and get me monster!"

- Kyp Durron taunts the leviathan



Kyp engaged the creature in a vicious battle inflicting numerous lightsaber wounds on it before finally using a grappling hook to climb onto its back. There, within a milky portal, the ghoulish faces of the miners spirits stared out at Kyp. Plunging his red saber down into the portal Kyp released the spirits&mdash;and was flung off the leviathan's back. Losing his grip on his lightsaber, Kyp was plucked up by one of the leviathan's tentacles, which proceeded to force him down its maw.



Meanwhile Kirana Ti and Streen had joined Dorsk 82 are were now searching for Kyp down below in the mines. They discover a whole bunch of Leviathan larvae. Having fought these off Dorsk 82, Streen and Kirana Ti climbed out of the mines.

Kyp was struggling to defeat the grown leviathan and then, calming himself, he brought down the lightning with the Force which fried the monster. He then released the miners spirits from the now dead body of the monster. By now the other Jedi had succeeded to climb out of the mines and found Kyp standing by the body of the monster. Dorsk 82 gave Kyp his lightsaber back, which he had picked up on the way out. Suddenly a much larger leviathan appeared and the three Jedi began to fight it.

After a terrible fight they managed to force the monster into a lake of larva and, believing it to be dead, stood around the lava. Kyp commented that he could still hear the terrible screaming in his head and his words were confirmed as the monster emerged from the lava. The Jedi continued to fight it, trying to avoid the drops of lava now falling all around them. Eventually Dorsk 82 discovered a still working power generator and suggested to Kyp that they try to attach the cables to the monster to fry it. This the Jedi did and Dorsk 82 hit the switch. Instantly the huge monster was engulfed with electricity and was killed.

"All I hear now is silence... peaceful, blessed silence in my head."

- Kyp Durron after slaying the leviathan

Issues

 * Jedi Academy: Leviathan 1
 * Jedi Academy: Leviathan 2
 * Jedi Academy: Leviathan 3
 * Jedi Academy: Leviathan 4

Collections

 * Jedi Academy: Leviathan (TPB)

Jedi Academy – Leviathan pl:Jedi Academy: Leviathan