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In this first book of the High Republic Saga, a common theme that permeates the story is that of unity. Throughout the pages of Light of the Jedi, disaster after disaster, and calamity after calamity strikes our heroes, and they are able to persevere through the pain and conflict, but only through the strength they amass as a whole. This theme, is something that is echoed through the rest of the series, but is particularly on display here.
Unity can be defined "commitment to a common culture and mission, a sense of solidarity, lack of conflict, and a generally positive attitude toward others in one’s social category" Smelser (2015).
In Light of the Jedi, this sense of unity is what permeates not only the relationships of the members within the Titular Jedi Order, but also the relationship of the Jedi to their Government, and of those two bodies to the people themselves.
At the beginning of the story, a great calamity strikes the people of the Hetzal Star System. The planets in the system are bombarded by debris making the transition from hyperspace (alternate space in which people travel large interstellar distances) to realspace.
This disaster, in many ways mirrors similar events experienced by the United States such as Hurricane Katrina, and even the COVID-19 pandemic.
The people of Hetzal are not alone in their struggle. Swiftly, the Jedi Knights, backed by the leader of the Republic, Chancellor Lina Soh arrive to lend aid. This sense of hope stirred by this, mirrors the sense of unity and enhanced well-being experienced by volunteers contributing to a variety of community well-being projects during the COVID-19 pandemic (Bowe et al, 2021)
There are several instances throughout the story that reflect this the unity of the Republic as they brave the disaster head on.
The Jedi's swift arrival to the Hetzal System is the first indication of Soule's implementation of Unity. Within hours, the people of Hetzal are no longer alone to deal confront and deal with the crisis before them, "This is Jedi Master Avar Kriss. Help is on the way" (Soule 30). This restores hope to the endangered population, and reflects a wish for the restoration of hope that was dampered by the the anxiety and dread felt during the inital year of the COVID-19. Here, Soule attempts to provide some levety from those emotions.
As Chancellor Lina Soh reflects on how many worlds and people came together to build the Government she heads, she honors their memory by continually fighting for the people she feels a communal obligation to aid.
Soule's choice to implement a governmental leader who actively cares about the lives of the populace could represent a dissatisfaction on his part and of others towards the United States President Donald Trump's perceived mismanagement of the initial US Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Kapucu and Moynihan 2021).
Here, we see the opposite: A leader who is clearly actively invested in the lives of the people, and is taking real steps to mitigate the crisis, “To Lina Soh, Chancellor of the great Republic that was bringing light to the Galaxy's many worlds, stitching them together into an enlightened union in which anything was possible...” (Soule 124).
The Nihil, the primary antagonists of the story, who are later revealed to have perpetrated the Great Disaster, are the source of the pain and misery the Republic endures. Additionally, their existence represents unity in a manner different to the Republic.
Instead of bringing together people based upon altruistic ideals such as selflessness and compassion, the Nihil are united based upon selfishness, greed, and destruction "They took what they wanted and destroyed what they didn't" (Soule 118). As outcasts from the galaxy, they subscribe to ideals that seem barbaric to the Republic, ideals that ultimately lead to the Great Disaster and a major loss of life.
Soule contrasts the optimistic hopefulness of the Republic's Unity with the despicable and dangerous unity of the Nihil, demonstrating that unity in and of itself can be a tool for good as well for evil.
The Nihil's dangerous unity is reflected in events that surrounded the release of this novel, where people united under a common goal and group stormed the US Capitol, endangering the lives of the representatives within (Moskalenko and McCauley 2021).
In the closing pages of the book, after building and presenting two opposing senses of unity, that which has the power to restore hope and that which can destroy hope, Soule closes the novel with the opening ceremony of the Starlight Beacon. A ray of light that shines equally to the people of the outer edges of the galaxy, uniting them in one inspiring beam of light and hope, "...anyone who looked would see a surging glow rush out from the beautiful, open space at its heart, pushing back the darkness. The Light of the Jedi" (Soule 372).
This perfectly encapsulates the theme of unity and its utility in fighting back the darkness, which represents any struggle that the people come across, including the struggles of the modern era.
In Star Wars: The High Republic: Light of the Jedi, Charles Soule's use of opposing representations of unity in the context of overwhelming and uncertain odds paints an optimistic picture of the human spirit's ability to endure hardship when we do so together.
Upon its release at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Light of the Jedi provided an uplifiting reminder of the power and capability we have when acting not as individuals, but as a whole, but also a brief vacation from the dour mood of the pandemic. Soule effectly demonstrates this through his portrayal of Lina Soh, a government official whom has the interests of the people at heart, and nobility, humbleness, and willingness to do good for all present within the Jedi Knights, and the unity they inspire in the galaxy ultimately allowing them to overcome the current Nihil threat despite their own unity.
1. Bowe, Mhairi, et al. “The Mental Health Benefits of Community Helping during Crisis: Coordinated Helping, Community Identification and Sense of Unity during the Covid ‐19 Pandemic.” Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2520.
2. Kapucu, Naim, and Donald Moynihan. “Trump’s (Mis)Management of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US.” Policy Studies, vol. 42, no. 5-6, 2021, pp. 592–610., https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2021.1931671.
3. Moskalenko, Sophia, and Clark McCauley. "QAnon." Perspectives on Terrorism 15.2 (2021): 142-146.
4. Smelser, Neil J. “Sources of Unity and Disunity in Sociology.” The American Sociologist, vol. 46, no. 3, 2015, pp. 303–312., https://doi.org/10.1007/s12108-015-9260-2.