Kanan #7 Review

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Kanan’s adventures on Kaller are hereby interrupted to bring you the following backstory…

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Kanan #7.

Kanan #7

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

After being stabbed in the back in the last issue, Kanan has been rescued by the crew of the Ghost and is recuperating in a bacta tank. While Zeb fumes over the injustice of Kanan’s condition, Kanan experiences a flashback to his days at the Jedi temple on Coruscant. The issue continues with Kanan’s reflections on his past as Caleb Dume, the Jedi Padawan.

Those reflections take the form of a flashback issue that finds Caleb preparing for his initiate test under the watchful eyes of Master Yoda. There is the classic homage of Yoda admonishing Caleb: “Do or do not. There is no try.” This is classic now for two reasons. First, everyone recognizes this line from The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda scolded Luke that there is no try after the later expressed doubt in his ability to lift his X-Wing out of the swamp by using the Force. Second, this line was revisited in a first season episode of Rebels, “Rise of the Old Masters.” In that episode, Caleb was struggling to instruct his own apprentice, Ezra Bridger, and bestowed the classic line of “Do or do not; There is no try” on him after Ezra failed in one of his lessons. Ezra, frustrated, asked what many fans have been asking for decades: what does that mean, and how can one do anything if they don’t try? When Ezra asked, Kanan didn’t know the answer, but by the end of the episode Kanan delivered the best response to that line yet. By only trying, you don’t believe you can succeed. Therefore, Kanan vowed that he wouldn’t try to teach Ezra. He would teach. He might fail, Ezra might fail, but there would be no try.

After a minor injury, Yoda sends Caleb to the infirmary over his protests. The medical droid is unimpressed with Caleb’s injury, which has already clotted, and demands he leaves, but not before Caleb notices someone floating in a Bacta tank: Jedi Master Depa Billaba. Caleb feels a connection to Depa. Despite this connection, the medical droid throws Caleb out of the infirmary and Depa awakens from what had been a six month coma. It seems that Master Yoda may have had an ulterior motive in sending Caleb to the infirmary. Caleb’s injuries were really only minor scratches that didn’t concern Caleb and completely unimpressed the medical droid. They had clotted by the time Caleb even got to the infirmary. At this point it is only speculation, but it seems likely that Yoda had another motive in sending Caleb to the infirmary, and that motive was for Caleb to find Depa. Perhaps Yoda knew more about Depa than he let on to the Jedi Council, or perhaps he knew Depa and Caleb were kindred spirits. It just seems odd that Yoda would vehemently insist that Caleb report for medical attention for such a minor injury.

The other Jedi masters, including Mace Windu, Yoda, and Obi-wan Kenobi, are concerned about Depa’s well-being. They question the medical droid about her recovery, and express disbelief that she had made such a miraculous recovery after being in a coma for so long in the bacta tank. Depa speaks up and tells them if they question her recovery, they should “go directly to the source.” While Obi-wan expresses his relief that Depa has recovered, Yoda and Mace determine she should be tested to determine whether she has recovered and fit to resume her role as a Jedi Master. At this point, it is unclear what caused Depa’s coma in the first place, and many speculate it was the events portrayed in the Legends novel Shatterpoint. This scene successfully captures the personalities of both Obi-wan and Mace. Obi-wan, while a Jedi forbidden from making attachments, usually displays warmth and fondness for his comrades and friends. He does just that here, almost in a pacifying manner after he and the other masters talked about Depa as if she weren’t in the room. Meanwhile, Mace Windu is much more calculating. He is concern is for the order and whether the Jedi the Jedi Council supervises are capable of carrying out their responsibilities. Weisman captured both characters.

But wait..Mace Windu! Obi-wan Kenobi! The appearances of the two popular Jedi Masters are a real surprise for this issue. Obi-wan has been featured in an issue of Star Wars, but Mace Windu had yet to grace the pages of a Star Wars comic prior to this appearance. Larraz and Curiel have done an amazing job illustrating them.

As Caleb and his fellow younglings face their initiate tests under the watch of Yoda, Mace, and Obi-wan, Depa also is tested and scrutinized at the hands of the trio. Depa passes her tests and is reinstated to the Jedi Council. Yoda notes that despite her recovery she still hides from her fear. Depa alludes to her failure, which she states was “on a massive scale.” Similarly, Caleb and his fellow younglings have passed their initiate tests.

Caleb’s reputation for having an inquisitive mind that was referenced in the first issue of this series is illustrated in this issue. After Jocasta Nu explains the process by which Jedi Padawans are matched with their masters, Caleb questions how that process came to be. As much as Jocasta Nu is annoyed, Depa Billaba seems to be pleased. Later, Depa instructs Caleb and the others in lightsaber defense, and if Depa is taking an interest in Caleb, the feeling appears to be mutual. Caleb eagerly informs the other initiates that Depa has no Padawan, and expresses a desire to become hers.

At long last, the mystery surrounding Depa Billaba may have been revealed. One of the other initiates catches up on rumors from the Clones and discovers that Depa apparently suffered a major defeat at the multiple hands of General Grievous. Furthermore, her losses included ninety percent casualties of her battalion. Troubled, Caleb proves that he is a kindred spirit with Depa and “goes directly to the source” to find out the truth…the Jedi Master herself. Depa opens up to Caleb and reveals that her greatest fear is causing the death of more soldiers, and that limits her usefulness. Before Caleb and Depa can conclude their conversation, a masked assailant has infiltrated the temple and detonated bombs within the structure.

This is an outstanding issue. Some more of Kanan/Caleb’s backstory is revealed as is the story of an under-appreciated Jedi Master. Weisman develops great characters, and Larraz illustrates them wonderfully. This issue, as most issues in this series, ends on a cliffhanger. The infiltration of the Jedi Temple is intriguing, but it risks retelling similar stories from The Clone Wars. That said, seeing the spin Weisman puts on it through the eyes of Caleb Dume should prove interesting.

Favorite Panel:

After a one issue absence, Larraz returned for issue seven. I’ve never particularly been a fan of Depa Billaba, but I didn’t have anything against her either. In the movies, she was predominately a background character. Her portrayal in Shatterpoint was not my favorite. However, between Weisman’s writing and Larraz’s artwork, an interesting character with personality has emerged. Therefore, I looked for a panel featuring Depa, and I chose one in which she was being tested by the Jedi Council in much the same way that Caleb and the other initiates were being tested. That is the favorite panel of this issue.