I find that full-cast audio dramas are not my favorite way of ingesting “Star Wars” stories. I’d much prefer a book, a comic or a movie. That’s not to say “The Battle of Jedha” is bad, I just realize it’s not my ideal medium for “Star Wars.” That being said, this was an intense story with a lot of interesting texture added to the “Star Wars” universe. It moves the story along, and the Battle of Jedha will undoubtedly be a lynchpin in the storytelling moving forward. It raises tantalizing questions about the inevitable future of the Path of the Open Hand as they make their way into transforming into the Nihil and it expands the gap between the Graf family and the San Tekkas.
As for the Jedi, it offers us hints of what the choices would be like in deciding whether or not to fight a war and how to get involved in a conflict with the ideals they have. It’s messy and this might be one of the first steps the Jedi make that lead to the path of them becoming Generals in the Clone Wars.
The main thing I loved about this was how propaganda works and how you can fuel hate into riots. There is a lot of contemporary political commentary in here and it’s wonderful to see it against the canvas of “Star Wars”. It goes back to the roots of “Star Wars” in that way, and it’s really a great thing to see. You can see the easily fooled starting riots just like on January 6th, based on lies and half-truths. It turns the stomach and makes you empathize with the Jedi, wondering what there can be done against such reckless hate.
For those who love audio dramas, the production is excellent, the voice acting is distinct and gives a true sense of character. They all live and breathe. It’s exciting and funny, the sound effects and music are well-produced. I listened with my daughter, and she was utterly captivated for it. For those who prefer reading, the story waits for you to read it in February.
“Star Wars: The High Republic – The Battle of Jedha” is available now wherever you listen to audiobooks and the script will be released next month in print.