Last week I read Escape from Valo as I catch up on Phase III of the High Republic, and I really loved it! It was heartwarming to see these kids that have been through so much come together and use the best of their Jedi teachings to not just save themselves, but others as well. It was interesting to see them be put in a situation (under the thumb of warlords being hunted for being Jedi) that we typically see in the Imperial era versus the High Republic, and it was definitely a great read!
Spoilers ahead for Escape from Valo by Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong!
Ram Jamoram was always an endearing character in his other appearances, but I especially got attached to him here. I was very proud of him, watching how he took a terrible situation and still stayed strong, still kept the light going and still stayed true to himself as a Jedi. Seeing him become a leader and a fighter was a wonderful part of this journey, and I am so glad for it.
I also really enjoyed Zyle Keem's character. Zyle is the child of a pirate, who themselves has strong aspirations to be a great pirate themselves. Their grandmother was famous for being a Force-sensitive pirate, and while Zyle doesn't have that they still want to live up to her legacy. Zyle is a funny and charismatic character who also has a great depth to them, and they were always a treat to read.
The book also has three Jedi younglings who are trapped behind the Nihil stormwall- Tep Tep, Gavi and Kildo. It was equally fascinating and sad to see these younglings forced to scrounge and survive on their own before Ram finds them and is able to help, but even then they're all kids. Each of the kids has a really great arc and fun personality to explore, but Gavi really stood out to me- I loved reading through his struggles as he figures out what it means to be a Jedi as well as what it means to be himself.
Driggit was another new character- while not always quite as prominent as the Jedi and Zyle, still a really fascinating one. She's a native to Valo, who would play with the Jedi kids from the Temple and was an especially close friend to Gavi. However, when the Nihil take over the planet, she's devasted believing that her Jedi friends were killed. To try and protect her family, she joins with the Nihil so she can take their resources and keep them away from those she loves- even though this means doing terrible things and earning scorn from her community. Her arc was very interesting, as she clearly does not believe in the Nihil but becomes more and more like one, especially when she's enraged by learning that her Jedi friends are alive but just weren't with her. Her story is one we see often in Star Wars in some form, but no less great for it. I hope to see more of her in the future and see where her story goes.
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