Comics Commentary – Kanan #5

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Goodbye, Caleb Dume.

This review and commentary contains general spoilers for issue #5 of Kanan.

Kanan: The Last Padawan #5

Writer: Greg Weisman | Artist: Pepe Larraz | Colors: David Curiel | Cover: Mark Brooks | Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

The concluding issue of the first arc of Kanan finds Caleb tethered by the Clones and brought aboard their vessel to be returned to Kaller and execution. Kasmir and Kleeve attempt to stage a rescue by attacking the Imperial vessel as it arrives in the Kaller system. Just prior to the attack, Caleb pleads with Grey and Styles, the leaders of the squad that had captured him, and beseeches them to remember they were once comrades, and not the traitors that the Emperor has claimed them to be. Styles is not swayed, but the message strikes a chord with Grey. Caleb manages to escape by leaping out of the ship into the void of space and is rescued by Kasmir. Moved by Caleb’s words, Grey sabotages the Imperial vessel, which leads to its destruction and the deaths of Grey and Styles as Kleeve and Kasmir strafe it in an attempt to escape. Freed from Imperial clutches, Caleb informs Kasmir that they are done, and he strikes out on his own, with The Escape, and officially abandons the name of Caleb. Back in the present day, Hera snaps Kanan out of his reflections as they arrive at the planet Kaller.

The first arc of the Kanan series has been more than just a story a young Padawan. Thus far, Kanan has told the story of how another Jedi Master fell as Order 66 was executed, offered insight as to why the Clones so easily accepted their orders to betray and exterminated the Jedi, and given us a tale as to how a self-interested smuggler could learn to invest in something more than himself. Issue five brings a close to the opening arc of this story.

This issue provides the first clues since the Order 66 arc of The Clone Wars to the mystery of how the clones could so easily turn on the Jedi once Order 66 was executed. Caleb’s plea got to Grey. Upon reflection, he couldn’t recall exactly why they didn’t question the order to exterminate the Jedi. It was like they were “under some kind of spell.” Furthermore, another bit of clone upbringing and programming came into play. Style quickly answers Grey’s question as to why they didn’t question the Order by replying with the dogma that “when soldiers question orders, people die!” While on the battlefield, that may most certainly be true. However, in this case, the clones were encamped with the Jedi after Kaller had been liberated. There was no imminent danger. The clones had been conditioned, and genetically altered from the Jango Fett template to be more compliant with obeying orders. They didn’t stop to think for a single second that they should ask for clarification.

Caleb was very confused over Grey and Style’s deaths. Despite the intention of Styles to execute him, Caleb was not prepared to kill either of his former comrades. Caleb hoped that a joint attack on the Imperial vessel would disable the ship enough to give Caleb, Kasmir, and Kleeve a chance to escape. Caleb showed no satisfaction with the destruction of the Imperial ship. In fact, the shock on his face leaps from the page. Unknown to Caleb, Grey took Caleb’s pleas to heart and sufficiently disabled the ship to “make it right.” While it was good to learn that the Kaminoans couldn’t engineer all the clones without a conscience, it was also good to see that even though Caleb had changed since his days as a Jedi Padawan, he had not lost his respect for his former comrades and friends.

This issue further propelled Caleb towards becoming the Kanan seen in John Jackson Miller’s A New Dawn. In the closing panels of this issue, Kasmir nailed it. Caleb was shaken by the deaths of Grey and Styles, and he was afraid of suffering yet another loss, so he lied. He pretended he had been staying with Kasmir in order to learn the ways of the galaxy. He tried to tell Kasmir that his defacto apprenticeship was over, and he had learned from Kasmir all there was to learn. However, the deaths of Grey and Styles, clones that were comrades in arms during the Clone Wars, and after the Jedi the closest thing he had to family, shook him up in ways he wasn’t expecting. Kasmir was the closest thing to family Caleb had now. He witnessed the deaths of nearly everyone else that had mattered to him, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing anyone else close to him. He preferred to leave Kasmir and treasure the memory of his friend rather than one day witness his death and suffer yet another grievous loss.

The conclusion to the first arc of Kanan is very satisfying.  This arc answered two prominent questions: how did Kanan survive Order 66 and how did a Jedi fall so far to become the character we meet in A New Dawn? The first arc of Kanan is quite possibly the best arc of any of the Marvel series so far. Weisman did an excellent job educating the reader on Kanan’s former life in five issues. We learned that Kanan, in his previous life as Caleb, had troubles in the Jedi Temple, and it wasn’t until Depa Bilaba took him on as a Padawan that he got to participate in the war. While fighting beside his master and the clones, he found his place in the galaxy and with it peace. In the aftermath of Order 66, he came to understand an unforgiving galaxy, how to make it without relying on his Jedi abilities, and a cruel lesson that those who are important to us can be taken at any moment. He hardened along the way, and when he was forced to kill his former comrades in arms, he couldn’t take it anymore.

The next question is “How does Kanan become the man we meet in Rebels?” That question begins to get an answer in A New Dawn. However, there are plenty of stories for this series to explore. Kanan can tell the tale of how he met the rest of the crew of the Ghost after A New Dawn and prior to Spark of Rebellion. The further adventures of the Ghost crew are ripe for this series. This issue leaves room for plenty of stories of Kanan on his own as he tries to make his way in the galaxy.

Favorite Panel:

Larraz turned in consistently great work throughout this entire arc. As with his other issues, it is always hard to pick one single best panel. The group shot of the crew of the Ghost at the conclusion of the issue was tempting. Many of the shots of the space battle between the Imperial vessel and Kasmir and Kleeve’s ships were also tempting choices. Grey’s attempt to reason with Styles nearly made the cut. However, the panel that stood out the most for me was Kasmir’s parting appearance. Caleb/Kanan was not the only character to experience any growth in this series. Kasmir evolved from a war weary smuggler looking out for himself while trying to make his way in the galaxy to an individual with a great deal more compassion. He knows why Caleb believes he has to strike out on his own, and although he thinks Caleb is wrong, he also possesses the wisdom to know that there is no changing his mind. Kasmir was an excellent addition to the Star Wars canon. His final panel, at least the one showing his face, conveys so much: compassion, regret, understanding.

Travel well, Kasmir. I hope to see you again.