Star Wars Rediscovered: Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War #4-6 Review

"Ullic! Why don't you answer me? Don't leave me! Ullic!"

Welcome to Star Wars Rediscovered and my review of Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War. Read on after the jump to find out whether Ullic and Exar have gone to far down the Dark Side to ever come back. 

Writer: Kevin J Anderson

Artist: Dario Carraaco Jr

Colourist: Rachelle Menashe, Pamela Rambo

Inker: Jordi Ensign, Mark G Heike, Bill Black, David Jacob Beckett

Letter: Willie Shubert

Cover Art: Hugh Fleming

Plot

In issue #4 Exar's corrupted students launch a devasting attack on their Jedi masters with only a few managing to survive. Aleema then leads an attack against the Jedi sent to stop her. She uses the awesome power of Naga Shadow's old ship to magically rip the core out of a star and chuck the deadly contents at the Jedi, they are killed instantly. Unfortunately for Aleema and planned by Ullic this causes a massive chain reaction in the other stars and Aleema is killed. This chain reaction continues and the planet Ossus where the ancient Jedi library is housed is at risk. The Jedi there frantically try to rescue everything but there simply isn't time. Exar and Ullic arrive to claim the Jedi library as theirs but are attacked by Ullic's brother Cay. The issue ends with Cay's ship about to crash!
In issue #5 we get to see why the ancient Jedi Ood in Dark Empire II had turned himself into a tree. He did it to protect ancient Jedi lightsabers from Exar Kun. Ullic and Cay finally have their showdown which

ends with Ullic lashing out with anger and killing his brother! This was quite a heart wrenching scene and ends with Ullic crying over his brothers body. Nomi then attacks Ullic with her newly learnt power and angrily cuts him off from the Force entirely ! He is no longer a Jedi or Sith but just a sad and angry man. The issue ends with everyone leaving for Yavin Four to confront Exar. 
The final issue shows the final battle between the Jedi and Exar, he knows he can't defeat them all so orders all his followers to sacrifice themselves and uses that power to free himself of his physical body and become a spirit in order to survive. This is done just before the Jedi send a massive wave of power down to the planet that destroys all of Exar's evil. Mandalore and his followers are also defeated on Onderon. The issue ends two years later with Ullic roaming the galaxy in the hopes he will be forgiven and given his access to the Force back. He revisits Yavin Four but cannot feel anything 

other than the sadness he can see. We are finally left with Exar who had survived but was left trapped in darkness, screaming for Ullic to hear him. An epic end to an epic series!

Interior Artwork

The artwork within this series is consistently fantastic. I would happily put much of the art on my walls. The final page in this issue was my favourite. With Cay's ship heading for a crash landing. The use of perspective works well and the level of detail in Ullic's ship is impressive. 
I love the panel in issue #5 of Exar facing off against Ood, the way he is moving his lightsaber makes it look like he has three at once. 
The panel of Ullic fatally striking his brother is epic! The sense of motion and anger is palpable and Cay looks like he is being striked by lightening! An amazing piece of art. 
The full splash page of Ullic cradling his dead brother is done really well. The level of detail is excellent. 
I love the final page in issue #6 with Exar surrounded by darkness and screaming for Ullic to hear him. Amazing art and a haunting ending.

Conclusion & Rating

To conclude this series lived up to every hope and expectation I had for it! Amazing story and art. A must read for any Star Wars fan!

Rating: 9/10 - Sith Lords

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