Trials of the Jedi is the final novel of The High Republic publishing initiative, which started back in 2021. It carries the massive task of wrapping up not just Phase III but the overarching story of this entire era (at least the story that was told in the three phases). The big question, of course, is: does it succeed? For me, it’s a solid ending, but not without issues. This review contains spoilers, and I’ll also take the opportunity to reflect on the initiative as a whole.If you’ve made it this far into The High Republic, reading Trials of the Jedi is a given. It closes the circle and brings the story back to where it started both literally and thematically paralleling  Light of the Jedi, also written by Charles Soule. George Lucas would say: “It’s like poetry, it rhymes.”The plot focuses on a Jedi mission to “Planet X,” the homeworld of the Nameless, hoping to stop the ever-growing Blight that has been spreading since the end of the first wave of Phase III. Naturally, Marchion Ro shows up to oppose them, and we also get the Battle of Eriadu (also seen in the Adventure comics), along with the political aftermath of the Stormwall and how the Republic handles the threat of the Nihil. It all connects nicely to the beginning of the era.But it doesn’t reach the heights of Light of the Jedi or The Rising Storm and maybe that’s unfair to expect from me but still.. Especially toward the end, the book starts to feel rushed. There’s a lot to cover, and not enough space. Sometimes it reads as if Soule was working from a broader outline for Phase III that didn’t quite make it through the rest of the publishing line. Suddenly, we’re told that the Jedi have captured multiple Nameless and are keeping them in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant despite how dangerous they are specifically to Jedi. And of course, one breaks loose. Security? Containment procedures? Nowhere to be found. Is this a TCW Episode?The whole connection between the Nameless and the Blight is also expanded in a way that feels rushed and confusing for me. Maybe it was established in the Marvel Comics (I haven’t read them) Apparently, killing a Nameless causes the Blight to manifest elsewhere in the galaxy. Why? How? No real explanation. The Blight itself still doesn’t work for me as a concept. It was introduced late, spreads incredibly fast, and threatens entire worlds. I’m not sure it was necessary. The Nihil and the Nameless already offer enough tension adding the Blight on top makes it feel like too many elements were crammed into a short timeframe.Character-wise, the nine Jedi sent to Planet X each get enough Room in the Book, which I appreciated, but sadly the other Jedi that are the Backup Team are like not there at all after a few Chapters. Some Characters also feel a bit out of Character. Reath, in particular, makes some pretty reckless choices. Elzar and Avar’s story ends in a way that left me confused and underwhelmed. They decide to remain on Planet X as avatars/incarnations of the dark and light sides of the Force, respectively maintaining balance against the Nameless. But they’re not allowed to touch or even see each other. It’s… weird? I don’t know. Elzar’s struggle with the dark side was part of his arc since the end of Phase 1, sure, but making him the embodiment of it? Doesn’t sit right with me. If there only was another Dark Jedi with them on the Planet…Porter Engle also felt a bit wasted. He once again fights General Viess, which now makes it the fourth time across both Phase II and III. At this point, it’s like a cartoon rivalry. Perry the Platypus vs. Dr. Doofenshmirtz like.On the other hand, Bell and Marchion Ro were handled really well. I loved the conclusion of Marchion’s story. It felt like exactly what he deserved. Political characters like Lina Soh and Ghirra Starros also play major roles, and yes, my favorite Glup Shitto, Jeffo Lorillia, makes a glorious return, which genuinely made me smile. It’s still a shame everyone else seems to forgot about him. Authors and Fans alike. The book also brings back some deeper worldbuilding, something that had been missing since Phase I. One of the biggest strengths of The High Republic early on was how much new material was added to the galaxy. We see how corporations like the Trade Federation, Techno Union or my beloved Bankin Clan gained influence after the Nihil War, setting the stage for the politics of the prequels. But also this could’ve been worked in more in the other books. That’s exactly what the initiative originally promised: a slow shift from the “High” Republic into the flawed system we see in The Phantom Menace.What’s still missing, though, are the Sith. No, not every story needs them, but in a conflict this large and significant, it’s odd that their role remains so vague. We’ve had multiple hints that they’re somehow linked to the Nameless and the Blight especially in Into the Light, where both react to a Sith superweapon. Azlin Rell mentions them by name in Shadows of Starlight and even uses Force lightning in Trials. And now he Bleeds a Lightsaber crystal. Clearly, something’s there but we’ll have to wait for another story to get answers. A novel? A comic? An audiobook? Who knows.Also, apparently all of Phase III takes place over just a few weeks? That really doesn’t make sense, especially given how Phase I’s timeline was much more spread out. Trials keeps telling us that major events from the start of the phase happened only “weeks ago,” but that doesn’t line up with anything we’ve seen before.Despite all of that, I genuinely think that The High Republic is a phenomenal achievement. It's not perfect, especially Phase III, but it’s still something unique. It brought me into canon Star Wars literature. It gave me friends I hope to have for life. I started cosplaying because of it.Trials of the Jedi isn’t the flawless ending I hoped for but it’s a good one. And The High Republic as a whole is something truly special. I’m glad I was here for it.May the Force be with you.

Es macht mich schon ein wenig emotional, dass die High Republic Bücher mit Totj ihr Ende gefunden haben. An und für sich kann man sagen, dass die Reihe einen schönen wenn auch emotionalen Abschluss bildet. Aus meiner Sicht hätten das ganze Buch gerne noch ein paar mehr Seiten haben können um an machen Stellen nochmal tiefer einzutauchen und manchen Charakteren mehr Screentime zu geben.