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The High Republic: Defy the Storm

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This article is about the novel. You may be looking for the audiobook.

The High Republic: Defy the Storm is a Star Wars: The High Republic young-adult novel by Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton. It was published as part of Phase III of the multimedia project on March 5, 2024.

Publisher's summary[]

Nowhere is safe within the eye of the storm….

The Galactic Republic is in chaos following the Nihil's shocking destruction of the gleaming space station Starlight Beacon. Capitalizing on their victory, the Nihil have erected a barrier called the Stormwall around a section of Republic space and claimed it for themselves. Within this Occlusion Zone, people live at the mercy of the Nihil–and the Nihil are not known for mercy.

Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh, believing her Padawan, Imri Cantaros, to be among the casualties of Starlight Beacon, has retreated to a peaceful planet where she hopes to nurse her wounds and regain some sense of equilibrium. But her old friend Avon Starros has other plans. Avon knows that Imri is alive inside the Occlusion Zone–and she and Vernestra must be the ones to find him.

With the help of former frontier deputy Jordanna Sparkburn and the extremely untrustworthy Xylan Graf, Avon and Vernestra set out to breach the Stormwall and enter the Occlusion Zone in search of Imri. But within Nihil territory, danger lurks around every corner…as do terrifying creatures known as the Nameless.

How can Vernestra find her lost Padawan when her very strength in the Force becomes her ultimate weakness? And what are Avon's true motivations behind enemy lines?

Opening crawl[]

STAR WARS
THE HIGH REPUBLIC
TRIALS OF THE JEDI 
It is a time of great turmoil. A year
has passed since the destruction of
the STARLIGHT BEACON station by the
nefarious Marchion Ro and his Nihil
marauders.

The Nihil have established an
OCCLUSION ZONE in the Outer Rim,
stranding hundreds of worlds behind
their Stormwall. Communications are
blocked, and ships that enter are lost
to the void or destroyed by the Nihil.

The Republic is helpless against this
sinister threat, and the brave and wise
JEDI KNIGHTS remain fearful of Ro's
fabled NAMELESS creatures, which the
Jedi have learned are very real, and
very deadly….

Plot summary[]

Behind the Stormwall[]

Avon Starros, in the Nihil base on Hetzal Prime, tries to persuade her mother that she is in danger amongst the Nihil, despite the protection of her bodyguard, Deva Lompop. Ghirra is not receptive, and tells Avon that if she does not attend the evening's celebration, she will not allow her to go to university on Coruscant. After Ghirra leaves, Lompop reminds Avon she must get to Coruscant and informs her that her friend Imri Cantaros, currently on Aricho, may soon be in danger from the Nihil's Nameless. On her way to the dinner, Avon is attacked by a member of the Nihil, but is protected by Lompop, who then eats the body, other than the head. Avon, frustrated by the repeated murder attempts, carries the head into the Hall of the Eye, throws it on the table in front of her mother and Marchion Ro, and declares her intent to leave.

On the Lightning Crash, Xylan Graf delivers a report to General Abediah Viess, who is frustrated over Avar Kriss's escape through the Stormwall. Graf, who is working for the Nihil unwillingly and is not the technology's original inventor, is unable to fully explain how Kriss escaped but gives his best guess. Afterwards, Graf requests clearance to return to Republic space to acquire resources and meet with Ghirra Starros.

Within the Republic[]

Avon joins a student group visiting the Jedi seed vault in order to gain access to the Jedi Temple and uses a terminal in the Jedi Archives to search for her friend Vernestra Rwoh. She is interrupted by Reath Silas, who tells her that Rwoh has stepped away from the Jedi Order and is currently missing.

Jordanna Sparkburn and Sylvestri Yarrow, aboard the Vengeful Goddess, land at a Republic Defense Coalition station. While Sparkburn unloads their cargo with M-227, she contemplates her desire to fight against the Nihil, both as a member of the San Tekka clan and to locate her brother, who is trapped behind the Stormwall with his family. Sparkburn and Yarrow notice a Jedi Vector landing nearby and have dinner with Jedi Master Mirro Lox and his Padawan, Amadeo Azzazzo. They discuss the two Jedi's time patrolling the Stormwall, and learn that while Kriss returned from the other side of the Stormwall, it is not yet repeatable. When they return to the Vengeful Goddess, they receive a message from Maz Kanata.

A message of hope[]

Rwoh, on Ibbe, practices with her lightsaber, and contemplates the grief which drove her to distance herself from the Order after the loss of her master, her friends, and (as she believed) her Padawan during the fall of Starlight Beacon. She hears a crashing sound and alarm from the Ibbeets, and investigates to find them threatened by a lomba lizard, which she then lures further into the forest and drives off by pushing it over a waterfall. She notices a ship approaching and is greeted by Avon, who tells her Cantaros is alive and needs their help.

Rwoh and Avon leave Ibbe aboard the Vessel, and Avon convinces Rwoh that they should look for Cantaros on their own rather than returning to Coruscant. Avon describes how during the fall of Starlight Beacon, Ghirra sent Nihil to retrieve her, and she smuggled Cantaros off the station with her by discarding anything that marked him as a Jedi, including his lightsaber, and after they left with the Nihil, Avon made Cantaros leave along with her droid, J-6. Avon, thinking she looks haunted, asks Rwoh if she's ready to come back, and Rwoh admits that she doesn't know but feels she must.

Xylan Graf's kidnapping[]

Graf prepares for a party hosted by Ghirra on Hosnian Prime and converses with his bodyguard, Corax Oreli, who informs him that she will not be attending the event, but places a tracker on his vest. Graf notices that all of the alcohol offered is from planets within the Occlusion Zone. He takes Ghirra aside to discuss the current state of the Nihil, which they agree is not sustainable, and suggest sharing information, which she agrees to. As he exits the party, he is seized by an unseen figure and held at knifepoint.

Separate journeys[]

Rwoh struggles to sleep, concerned she may have a Force vision while in hyperspace. She decides she owes the Order a message, and Affie Hollow gives her use of the Vessel's comm system, which she uses to send a brief message to Silas. When she finishes, though she does not sleep, she has a vision of Mari San Tekka, who reminds her of the Path she gave her and tells her to keep track of Avon.

Sparkburn and Yarrow prepare for the event held by Ghirra, as their target is Graf himself, and get inside with help from Ziravi Chant. They decide to scare him, although Yarrow notes he would probably go with her willingly, and Sparkburn forces him to exit with an improvised knife. He attempts to stall as they are pursued by Oreli, but Sparkburn and Yarrow successfully bring him to the Vengeful Goddess and take off.

While they travel, Graf tells Sparkburn he hid a bottle of spice liqueur behind a panel of the ship, and deliberately opens the wrong panel at first so he can hide and activate the tracker he was given by Oreli. He speaks to Yarrow, and tells her that he's sorry about her mother, Chancey Yarrow. Sylvestri, who did not know for certain that Chancey was dead, is distressed by this, and both she and Sparkburn demand more information. He explains that he worked with Chancey for some time before she and Nan were imprisoned on Starlight Beacon, and while Nan reappeared, Chancey did not. Upon learning that Graf worked on the Stormwall, they ask if he could get them across. He says he could not, because he does not have the pass code memorized, although he does not disclose that he does keep the pass codes encoded in his ring.

The client[]

They arrive at the location where Sparkburn and Yarrow are to meet with their client. Graf suggests that they act as his prisoners, as the tracker means Oreli will be arriving soon (which they are not pleased to learn) and her ship has a Path engine which could get them across the Stormwall. He suggests that one of them stay aboard the Vengeful Goddess while the other returns to Nihil space with him and Oreli. Though Yarrow dislikes the plan, they reluctantly agree that Sparkburn will go.

A Nihil ship arrives, but when Graf contacts it, they find that the pilot is Lompop aboard her ship the Dreadful Day, who Yarrow realizes is the client who hired them to seize Graf. Graf is dismayed by this, and Sparkburn and Yarrow discuss whether they can work out a way across the Stormwall with Lompop instead, but before they come to a decision, Oreli arrives, and Lompop swiftly destroys her ship. Graf pleads with them not to hand him over to Lompop, afraid of being eaten, but they are not receptive. They open communications with Lompop, who asks them to wait until others arrive who she claims will make some of them feel better.

Rendezvous above Seswenna[]

Avon and Rwoh exit the Vessel on Thelj, where Avon, realizing how little Rwoh knows about the current state of the galaxy, finds a public holo with the necessary information and instructs Rwoh to watch it while she finds her contact. Avon finds a message from Lompop, who tells her that the handlers are uncertain about delivering their cargo and gives her coordinates at which to meet. Avon convinces Rwoh that they need to acquire a starship, and upon locating one owned by the Graf family Rwoh uses the Force to convince the pilot to give it to them.

Avon and Rwoh arrive at the rendezvous point to find the Dreadful Day and Vengeful Goddess, and Avon worries that her mother has sent the Goddess to retrieve her, which Rwoh assures her is unlikely. Avon gives Rwoh Cantaros's kyber crystal from his first lightsaber, and suggests that Rwoh build a lightsaber for him before they reunite. The pair board the Dreadful Day, and Lompop explains the situation to Rwoh, who is uneasy about the kidnapping and suspects Lompop is hiding something. Rwoh speaks with Yarrow and Sparkburn and assures them they will not kill Graf. Sparkburn asks if she comes with them, which Avon agrees to. Rwoh tries to decipher Avon's plan, and decides that she genuinely does need her to assist Cantaros but has some other motive as well.

Sparkburn and Yarrow say their goodbyes, and Sparkburn and Graf make their way to the Dreadful Day. Sparkburn notes that he was much more agreeable once she decided to go as well, and asks why; he tells her that he has a contact from the San Tekka clan he knows is on Seswenna and says that he can put her in contact with the contact if she keeps the others from killing him. Sparkburn agrees if he tells her which San Tekka he's referring to, and he says it is Cair San Tekka, who is a distant cousin of hers. Graf gives the codes to Lompop and tells her to leave him and Sparkburn on Seswenna, which Avon agrees to.

Lompop suggests they have a drink, as both Rwoh and Sparkburn are clearly uneasy, and Avon questions Graf about the mechanics of the Stormwall before bringing him to meet with the others. Avon lays out her, Rwoh, and Graf's reasons for traversing the Stormwall, and asks for Sparkburn's, which she refuses to give, but Sparkburn does say that her plans will not interfere with Avon's, and Avon reluctantly concedes.

Behind enemy lines[]

On Seswenna, Rwoh observes the suffering around her and struggles with the urge to help people, but is discouraged by both Avon and Lompop. Sparkburn and Graf leave to go meet Graf's contact, and Avon gives Rwoh the controls of the tracker on J-6. Rwoh questions why Avon is giving this to her now, but Avon does not tell her. As they head towards the marketplace, they come near a Nameless, and Rwoh begins to panic. The Nameless and its handler locate another Force-sensitive, who the Nameless chases instead, and Avon guides her away and to a nearby lodging house, where Rwoh falls asleep, and finds upon briefly waking that Avon has left.

As Graf and Sparkburn approach the Violarza, where they will meet San Tekka, Graf tells her that he will enter alone, set up the meeting, and come back. Sparkburn protests, but agrees when he doesn't back down. Graf speaks to Rismo and asks when the zitherist will be performing. Rismo says he will be on in two hours, and asks if it is a personal meeting or with an associate; Graf says it is an associate, and says that Sparkburn will sit in the same seat when the band comes on, order a cloud gin, and ask to meet the zitherist. While Graf finishes his drink, he contemplates the risk that Sparkburn, Rwoh, and Avon are undertaking for their loved ones. Graf decides that he loves his dog, and that while he loves his grandmother he would not risk his life for her. He tries to avoid considering whether he would risk his life for his unnamed other loved one, who he thinks likes him for inexplicable reasons and sees the best in him.

Graf finishes his drink and goes to a set of rooms upstairs to change. While he's there, Cair San Tekka arrives and kisses him in greeting. Graf tells him that he can't stay and that he has someone who needs his help waiting outside; San Tekka asks him to stay and introduce them properly, but Graf says he can't, and that some people have followed him to the planet who cannot know about their relationship. Graf leaves and reunites with Sparkburn, who he tells the passcode, and travels to the Riparian Gardens Hotel. After a short time, Avon arrives and says she has something for him. What she has is an epitaxial discharger, which she locks onto his wrist and tells him that if he does not follow her instructions, it will cut his hand off.

The wrong coordinates[]

Avon, having left Rwoh at the lodging house, brings Graf back to the Dreadful Day and takes off while Lompop is absent. She tells Graf that he will sneak her onto the Lightning Crash, where she plans to destroy the space station and the Stormwall with it. Graf refuses, and says that he will not destroy the station, particularly while his dog Plinka is still on it. He suggests instead that they find a way to destroy the Stormwall that does not hurt anyone on the station, as there are good people on the station who have no choice but to help the Nihil. Avon does not believe this, but tells him that they will do it his way.

They arrive at the supposed location of the Lightning Crash, which turns out to be empty space. Avon asks Graf about it, and he tells her that they have arrived in a "kill zone" where ships ejected by the Stormwall are destroyed, as the coordinates Avon and Lompop acquired were fake. They are contacted by the Poldon Bain, a Republic Defense Coalition cruiser which is stranded, but are forced to jump to hyperspace before they can fall victim to the Nihil's scav droids.

An unexpected family gathering[]

Sparkburn enters the Violarza, and speaks to Rismo, who provides her with a cloud gin and informs her that the supposed zither is actually a hammered dulcimer. When San Tekka finishes performing, he finds Sparkburn, who he recognizes as a cousin upon hearing her name, despite never having met. Sparkburn tells him that she has arrived from Republic space in search of her family and needs to get to her family's holdings on Arli. San Tekka agrees to help, and takes her to his ship, the Brightbird.

Avon and Graf arrive at the Lightning Crash, and Avon disguises herself as a Nihil to sneak on board. They go to Graf's quarters, where Avon meets Plinka, and Graf directs her to the appropriate console. Meanwhile, Graf sends a message to the Gaze Electric and asks to speak to Nan. He asks her what happened to Chancey Yarrow, which she tells him in exchange for an unspecified future favor. When he returns to find Avon, however, she is gone.

Separate journeys[]

Rwoh wakes on an unfamiliar ship in hyperspace and has another vision of Mari San Tekka, who tells her that she is safe and that Lompop can tell her where the Path she was given leads. When Rwoh asks why, San Tekka tells her it is because Lompop's people come from a place beyond the known routes, like the Path. Rwoh asks if this means Wild Space, but San Tekka does not answer, and the vision ends. Rwoh awakens for real to find Lompop, who tells her they will arrive on Aricho shortly, and shows her a message from Avon, who tells Rwoh that the locator really will take her to Cantaros, and that Avon herself is going to destroy the Stormwall and kill Zadina Mkampa.

The pair land on Aricho. Shortly afterwards, they witness two Nihil attempting to kidnap a small girl for Kara Xoo. Rwoh intervenes, successfully preventing the kidnapping. Afterwards, as Rwoh revealed herself as a Jedi during the fight, Lompop kills both Nihil to avoid word getting out. Rwoh asks why Xoo wants children, which Lompop says she doesn't know but is presumably something terrible. Rwoh convinces Lompop to help stop Xoo, but Lompop tells her that she must keep a low profile and avoid General Viess learning there are Jedi on Aricho.

Avon realizes that the Lightning Crash is powered by her crystal array, which angers her. She heads towards the array, and encounters Klinith Da. She attempts to knock her out with her dart gun, but accidentally shoots her with a lethal dose of Lompop's venom instead, killing her. Avon, overcome by shame and guilt, realizes she can't bring herself to kill everyone on board the Lightning Crash, even if they are Nihil. When she enters the room with the array, she encounters Mkampa, who tells her that destroying the array will not prevent them from rebuilding it. Avon realizes she is right, and attempts to kill Mkampa the same way she had Da.

Sparkburn and San Tekka depart Seswenna aboard the Brightbird, which Sparkburn learns was originally owned by a Graf, and head towards Arli. Sparkburn asks San Tekka how he ended up in the Occlusion Zone, and he claims to have eloped with a gorgeous princess, though for tax evasion rather than love. San Tekka asks about Sparkburn in return, who explains that she was a family representative on Tiikae before the danger of the Nihil grew too great, and she feels like she had to come back to find her brother and his family.

Fight and flight[]

The Brightbird arives over Arli, but are told not to land on the moon by Nihil aboard the Fearless Rain. They attempt to do so anyway, and though the Nihil fire, they do not pursue the Brightbird, which Sparkburn finds concerning, particularly as San Tekka received no acknowledgement from the moon.

Rwoh and Lompop travel towards Ytrecht. When they arrive, Lompop goes to find out what Xoo is doing and tells Rwoh to stay put; instead, Rwoh searches for Cantaros and J-6. She locates a droid repair shop indicated by the tracker, and cuts her way inside, only to be immediately shot at; when she gets inside, she finds that the shooter is J-6 herself, who asks if Rwoh has come to join the revolution. She explains that the Nihil found glaka root on Aricho, and Xoo has subsequently been forcing people to work in either harvesting or processing the root. J-6 says she has been building an army, as despite Cantaros and the two other Jedi Knights present, Lyssa Votz and Yacek Sparkburn, they are heavily outnumbered. She also tells Rwoh that Cantaros is unlikely to want to return to Republic space, as he is determined to help the people of Aricho. J-6 shows Rwoh the K-series droids and explains that they will be attacking the processing facility at sunset.

On the Lightning Crash, Avon's dart misses Mkampa, who attacks her in retaliation. Avon survives, and is about to kill Mkampa when Graf enters and interrupts her.

The Blight[]

The Brightbird flies over Arli's moon, and Sparkburn and San Tekka find that the surface has been largely devastated, leeched of color by an unknown affliction. San Tekka follows a signal towards Birage, which remains intact, and upon landing they meet Selli, quickly followed by the few other remaining residents of Birage, including Harth Sparkburn, his wife Essren Sparkburn, and their children Peach and Misi. They discuss the destruction, and the Birage residents tell them they do not know what it is or how it began, but it affects everything, including people, and those who could leave did so. Sparkburn asks Harth to take her to the edge of the destruction, which he does. She attempts to convince him to evacuate, which he is reluctant to do. As they are talking, the ground cracks, and a fissue opens beneath them.

Fighting the Nihil[]

On the Lightning Crash, Graf shoots Mkampa, though nonfatally. Graf tells Avon they should leave, and she says she needs to destroy the array first, despite the fact that they can recreate it. After doing so, they head towards the Dreadful Day, Avon choosing not to destroy the station. On their way out, Graf gives Avon a datastick containing the past seven weeks' worth of Path codes, which he suggests she can use to decipher how they work. When she asks why, saying that he doesn't care about people's lives, he tells her that he cares about a very few people's lives, and that he cares about money, which it is impossible to make under the Nihil.

Rwoh helps J-6 to equip the K droids before they travel to the processing facility, where Rwoh finds several Nihil attacking a man on the ground. She drives off the Nihil and rescues the man, who scolds her for interrupting the plan, but introduces himself as Jaffrey Knoice and invites her to join them in rounding up the other Nihil. She distracts the Nihil while Knoice and the other Arichoans go to free the children in the facility. After she subdues the Nihil, she hears the Arichoans shout for someone to stop a fleeing Quarren Nihil and pursues. The Nihil shoots at and destroys her speeder bike, but Rwoh is caught before hitting the ground by Cantaros, who is delighted to see her but focuses on pursuing the Nihil, who Rwoh learns is Xoo. They are not able to catch up with Xoo, but her ship has been taken over by Yacek Sparkburn, preventing her from leaving. Knoice and the other Arichoans take custody of Xoo, and Cantaros and Rwoh embrace.

On Arli's moon, Sparkburn and Harth manage to avoid falling into the fissure, but are forced to run as the ground continues to decay, collapsing into the cave system which formerly existed beneath the valley. Harth recalls that the cave system reaches under all of Birage, and San Tekka runs to get the Brightbird prepared for takeoff while Sparkburn contacts Essren and tells her to get all of the residents onto the ship. They successfully return to the Brightbird and take off, and they battle briefly with the Nihil before they successfully jump into hyperspace.

The amputation[]

As they are discussing where the new refugees will go, Peach notices something on San Tekka's hand, and they realize he has been infected. They discuss their options, and Essren tells them that no medical solution helps. San Tekka suggests that he isolate himself in the escape pod and launch it when they exit hyperspace, which Sparkburn protests. She suggests they cut off the affected hand, as perhaps that will save the rest of San Tekka's body, and they agree to try it. San Tekka locates a beam-generated containment field they can keep the hand in once it's removed, and Sparkburn says that the Merry Maker can cut it off. After sending the children away and numbing San Tekka's wrist, Sparkburn performs the amputation. When she does so, she realizes that the blight closely resembles the body of Jedi killed by the Nameless.

Reunion and escape[]

On Aricho, Cantaros explains the resistance movement in further detail to Rwoh, and they return to the town where Rwoh found J-6, where they reunite with Lompop, who notes they didn't need her help, and Yacek and Votz, who greet Rwoh amiably. Cantaros takes her to a waterfall, which she finds very beautiful, and she tells him that while she wants to bring him back to Republic space, he must forge his own path. She grants him the rank of Jedi Knight in a brief ceremony and offers him the lightsaber, which he refuses, saying that the Nihil have made the Jedi too much like them, and he will not fight anymore; instead, he will find a new way to help the galaxy.

Avon and Graf leave the Lightning Crash, and Avon thinks about her actions, particularly killing Klinith Da, and begins to analyze the data on the Paths that Graf gave her, though with little success. She also thanks Graf for preventing her from killing Mkampa, and discusses the data with him; she suggests that there may be a key which would help them decipher the data. Unfortunately, she also receives a message from Lompop, who informs her that because of their attack on the Lightning Crash, the Nihil are resetting all of the codes, and neither Lompop nor Graf's codes will get them back across the Stormwall. Avon tells her that she will figure something out, though she does not yet know how, and they proceed towards Seswenna.

Return to Seswenna[]

The Brightbird arrives over Seswenna to find that the Nihil presence has increased, but are able to land without incident. Despite Harth's protests, Sparkburn says she must return to Republic space without them, as despite the danger, she needs to get San Tekka's hand and the information about the new blight back to the Republic. She contacts Graf, who has also returned to Seswenna, and he reports that Rwoh and Lompop will be returning soon and Avon is developing a plan to get them out. Before she leaves, San Tekka gives Sparkburn Graf's personal comm codes, so that the cousins can stay in touch even across the Stormwall. She returns to the Dreadful Day and reunites with Graf, who she realizes is the "princess" San Tekka claimed to be married to by his concern about San Tekka; she tells him that he is fine, but he should check in as soon as possible. As Avon tells them that they need to leave, Graf gives Sparkburn the datastick containing Nan's explanation of Chancey's fate and leaves.

Lompop and Rwoh arrive over Seswenna and attempt to dive through the scav droids before they can destroy the ship; however, they quickly begin to crash. Lompop tells Rwoh to use the escape pod, as it is designed for one person, but Rwoh refuses to leave her behind, and they both squeeze into the pod. The pod engines do not activate, so Rwoh uses the Force to control their descent and keep them from being killed by the fall. They fight their way back to the Dreadful Day and successfully board.

Breaching the Stormwall[]

They take off, and Avon reprograms one of the sublight engines to enhance the shields and get them past the scav droids. They attempt to break through the Stormwall, but are thrown out of hyperspace, and Avon realizes that the navicomputer cannot hold the data for the Stormwall and their actual route at the same time; instead, they decide that Rwoh will manually input the coordinates as they travel. However, before they are ready to go, they are swarmed by scav droids.

Sparkburn elects to don an enviro-suit and personally fight off the droids. She successfully delays the droids, though with significant difficulty, until Avon is ready to make the jump, and resturns to the ship, but is forced to abandon the Merry Maker in the process, which is embedded into the hull.

Family intrigue[]

Graf, still on Seswenna, returns to the Riparian Gardens Hotel, where he checks for an indication that the others were caught, and sends messages to the Violarza and to Ghirra Starros, to whom he explains that he was indeed involved in the events on the Lightning Crash but was ensuring Avon's safety. Shortly after, San Tekka arrives, who Graf thinks looks somewhat unwell. He tells San Tekka that the last time he saw him so drawn, he had just used San Tekka's spycraft to blackmail him into marriage; San Tekka says that it was his plan all along, and that he has something important to tell him. San Tekka says that he wil no longer be a safe way to hide Graf's assets, and explains that he and Sparkburn will be setting up a way to smuggle people safely back through the Stormwall. Graf begins to argue, but then sees San Tekka's amputated hand for the first time and is horrified. Graf remains unsettled by San Tekka's decision to actively oppose the Nihil, and San Tekka disapproves of Graf's choice to return to the Lightning Crash, but they do not argue, and instead take advantage of the hotel's luxury.

Refuge on Takodana[]

The Dreadful Day, heavily damaged, arrives on Takodana. While they wait for Yarrow to come in the Vengeful Goddess, Rwoh takes the opportunity to ask Lompop about the Path she was given by Mari San Tekka. Lompop tells her that it leads to a place "beyond logic" and that in old Shani stories, it is said to be full of treasure. Afterwards, Sparkburn pulls Rwoh aside and shows her the footage of Nan, who explains that Chancey was killed by Elzar Mann, and San Tekka's hand, which Rwoh says she will take to the Jedi Council.

Yarrow arrives on Takodana and reunites with Sparkburn, who tells her about Chancey's death and about her time beyond the Stormwall. She also explains her plan to smuggle people across the Stormwall with San Tekka, and Yarrow agrees to help, on the condition that they coordinate through Maz Kanata.

Homecoming[]

Avon, on Coruscant, has been working on deciphering the data of the Stormwall, this time alongside the other scientists at the University of Coruscant. While leaving, she encounters Rwoh, who has come by to see her progress. She apologizes to Rwoh for not telling her the full plan on Ibbe, and tells her about killing Klinith Da. Rwoh tells her that her remorse is a good thing, and that they should always consider the why behind their actions.

Rwoh meets with the Jedi Council to discuss her time away and her time in the Occlusion Zone, which she finds unnecessary and frustrating. Afterwards, she goes to meet with Elzar Mann, and she shows him the recording of Nan and tells him he needs to tell the Council about it. They speak briefly about Stellan Gios, and Rwoh leaves.

Development[]

Cover artist Corey Brickley estimated painting the cover took over 150 hours.[5] Jennifer Günthel provided reference for the main characters' posing.[6] Brickley also used images of actress Kristen Stewart as reference for Vernestra Rwoh.[7] Rwoh's phase three design was designed by Ario Anindito,[8] although Brickley drew concept art for the cover in which she had different boots, knowing they would be covered up on the final cover. However, images of that alternate design spread around the internet after Brickley shared them on their Patreon page.[9]

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Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 StarWars.com SWCE 2023: 9 Things We Learned from the Star Wars: The High Republic Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
  2. ↑ Corey Brickley (@CoreyBrickley) on Twitter (post): "Mama mia this was a big one. I present to you the artwork I painted for Star Wars: The High Republic: Defy the Storm" (backup link)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star-Wars-High-Republic-Storm on Amazon.com (backup link)
  4. ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates Starlight Beacon's destruction to 230 BBY. The implementation of the Guardian Protocols, which Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia places in 229 BBY, took place one week after Starlight Beacon's fall according to The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight 1. As The High Republic Adventures (2023) 4 takes place one year and two weeks after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, it must be set in 228 BBY. Since the events of The High Republic Adventures (2023) 6 are set immediately following the fourth issue and depict the expansion of the Stormwall, the expansion must have taken place in the same year. Meanwhile, the events of "Tales from the Occlusion Zone: No Big Deal" include the Stormwall's expansion and also depict the start of Pikka Adren's pregnancy. A later story, "Tales from the Occlusion Zone: Sparks Fly," states that Adren is eight months pregnant during its events, indicating that it is set eight months after "No Big Deal," and therefore one year, eight months, and two weeks after the fall of Starlight Beacon. "Sparks Fly" is set during the Battle of Eriadu, an event that begins in The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular. As StarWars.com Star Wars: The High Republic Chronological Reader's Guide on StarWars.com (article) (backup link) places The High Republic: Defy the Storm between the events of "No Big Deal" and The Wedding Spectacular, its events must also be set in 228 BBY.
  5. ↑ Corey Brickley (@CoreyBrickley) on Twitter (post): "I'd estimate I put between 150 and 200 hours into this so any likes and retweets are more than appreciated 🙏🙏🙏🙏🥲🥲🥲" (backup link)
  6. ↑ Corey Brickley (@CoreyBrickley) on Twitter (post): "Sorry! Really should have done this when I originally posted the artwork originally. I'd also like to give a big thanks to @JookpubStock for offering their incredible and professional services providing reference photos for the main character of the piece. Commission them!" (backup link)
  7. ↑ Corey Brickley (@CoreyBrickley) on Twitter (post): "lol ty! Idk how obvious it is I had kristen stewart pics up on the screen when I was painting her (In response to: it's so mind-blowing. emo vern has my heart. and the girls all teaming up? squad of the century)" (backup link)
  8. ↑ Ario Anindito (@arioanin) on Twitter (post): "I had the honor of designing the concept art for phase 3 Vern -and many other characters- and looking at other amazing artists version of the design is always an amazing experience!! 🥰 #StarWars #starwarsthehighrepublic #vernestra" (backup link)
  9. ↑ Corey Brickley (@CoreyBrickley) on Twitter (post): "This full body shot of Vernestra is floating around bc it's a bts shot I posted on Patreon and she has the wrong boots (unlike @arioanin's concept work) bc I knew the boots would be covered up. It will haunt me for ages" (backup link)
  10. ↑ The High Republic: Defy the Storm on Hardie Grant Publishing's official website (backup link)

External links[]


Phase III: Trials of the Jedi
Novels
Adult novels
The Eye of Darkness (audiobook) · Temptation of the Force (audiobook) · Trials of the Jedi (audiobook)
Young adult novels
Defy the Storm (audiobook) · Tears of the Nameless (audiobook) · Into the Light (audiobook)
Junior novels
Escape from Valo (audiobook) · Beware the Nameless (audiobook) · A Valiant Vow (audiobook)
Audiobook Originals
Seeds of Starlight · Haunted Starlight
Audio dramas
Tempest Breaker (script)
Comic books
Marvel
The High Republic (2023) · Fear of the Jedi (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · TPB) · The Finale
Shadows of Starlight (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB)
Dark Horse
The High Republic Adventures (2023) · Crash Landing / Crash and Burn (TPB)
The Wedding Spectacular · Phase III Annual · The Battle of Eriadu
Saber for Hire (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB) · Echoes of Fear (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB)
Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone (1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · TPB)
Viz Media
The Edge of Balance (3 · 4 · Premonition)
Short stories
Tales from the Occlusion Zone
"No Big Deal" · "Friend or Foe?" · "Survivors" · "Pathogen" · "Family Ties"
"The Fate of Eriadu" · "Sparks Fly" · "Out with a Bang" · "The Will to Fight"
Chronicles of Corellia
"Heir Apparent" · "Cracking the Mask"
Tales of Light and Life
"Light in the Darkness" · "All Jedi Walk Their Own Path" · "Rogue Element"
Reference books
The Art of: Volume 2
Promotional material
The High Republic Show
Related media
Comics
Yoda: The Cave · "All the Republic" · The Acolyte - Kelnacca 1
The Acolyte: Wayseeker · The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown
General The High Republic media · Phase I media · Phase II media
[edit]
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