Star Wars, You’ve Convinced Me

Star Wars


Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear #4! The lightsaber is the age-old weapon of the Jedi in Star Wars, and no other weapon can compare. Sure, a Jedi will occasionally use other weapons to complete their mission (like when Obi-Wan Kenobi reluctantly used a blaster to kill General Grievous in Revenge of the Sith), but for the most part, the lightsaber is the one and only weapon for the Jedi. Well, maybe not the only one. Honestly, in one of Star Wars’ most recent chapters, the series convinced me: the Jedi need more than just lightsabers.

In the four-part miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear by George Mann and Vincenzo Federici, three Jedi Knights are on a mission to find an artifact called the Rod of Ages, which is powered by an Echo Stone. Echo Stones have the ability to basically bend reality through the Force, granting anyone who wields one god-tier power. These Jedi want to use the Echo Stone within the Rod of Ages to defeat the Nihil, though getting the Rod of Ages is easier said than done.

A Jedi holding the Rod of Ages in Star Wars.

Not only was sifting through the Jedi Archives for hours on end challenging, but upon locating the Rod of Ages in the fourth issue of this miniseries, these Jedi had to face deadly threats. The Rod of Ages was buried in a long-abandoned temple, where guardian droids made of stone were still standing guard. The Jedi tunneled through these ancient ruins, battled the stone-droids, and passed every test that came their way. In the end, their hard work paid off. But, truth be told, they probably would have died if they didn’t use one weapon: an energy shield.

I’m Convinced That Every Jedi in Star Wars Needs an Energy Shield with Their Lightsaber

The ‘Sword and Shield’ Combo is Tried and True, & the Jedi Should Adopt It Permanently

As these three Jedi were being attacked by the stone-droid guardians (along with some drone-like droids that hit them with a barrage of blaster-fire), one of the Jedi whipped out an energy shield along with his lightsaber – and it saved all of their lives. This scene actually reminded me of Order 66, when thousands of Jedi were individually gunned down by the Clone Troopers that surrounded them. That’s how dire the situation seemed for these three High Republic Jedi, which is why I’m convinced that every Jedi should have one of these energy shields.

During the battle, these Jedi came dangerously close to being overwhelmed by the blaster fire, with multiple scenes depicting the Jedi using the energy shield to save his life and the lives of the Jedi he was with. With the shield, the Jedi was able to not only deflect blaster fire, but also use his lightsaber as an offensive weapon simultaneously – eliminating the threat while staying safe from it at the same time. With just a lightsaber, a Jedi has to choose between using it to deflect or attack. But, with the energy shield, a Jedi can do both at once.

A Sith in Star Wars wielding a red lightsaber with the Hand of Siberus behind him.

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If the Jedi still had these shields during the Clone Wars, then I’m convinced that they each would have had a better chance surviving Order 66 – and the battle depicted in this High Republic comic proves it for me. Honestly, the ‘sword and shield’ combo is tried and true for a reason, and throughout Star Wars history, the Jedi have been running into battle with nothing more than a ‘sword’. In this comic, however, they’re finally given the missing ‘shield’, and the results speak for themselves.

Star Wars Should Bring Back the Jedi’s Energy Shields in Its New Era

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Rey Skywalker with the Jedi Council behind her in Star Wars.

Of course, this energy shield was used by a Jedi in the High Republic Era, which was centuries before the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, where it was shown that Jedi no longer use energy shields. That means there’s little hope that the Jedi will actually start using the energy shields again. Though, perhaps not. Right now in Star Wars canon, Rey Skywalker is rebuilding the Jedi Order, and she’s looking to the past to help forge a new future. It’s possible that Rey will come across evidence of Jedi energy shields and decide that they are worth bringing back.

Whether through Rey in Star Wars’ future or just simply in more stories set in the High Republic Era, Star Wars should absolutely have the Jedi use these energy shields more. The shield in this story saved these Jedi’s lives, and based on the type of firefight they were in, I’m convinced that energy shields would have saved a great number of Jedi during Order 66 as well. Plus, the classic ‘sword and shield’ appearance is totally badass. In every conceivable way, I’m completely convinced: the Jedi need more than just lightsabers in Star Wars, they also need energy shields.

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear #4 by Dark Horse Comics is available now.

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