32 BBY: Incident at Horn Station

Incident at Horn Station tells the story of what an everyday Jedi Knight does to bring peace, order, and stability to the galaxy.

Written by Dan Jolley and penciled by Sean Phillips, it’s one of the best stand-alone Jedi narratives I’ve read in a while because it’s a story about what I imagine a lone Jedi should be doing in the galaxy: freeing citizens of the Republic from oppression and warlord tyrants.  This nameless Jedi stands in stark contrast to Qui-Gon Jinn – a Jedi who feels it’s perfectly acceptable to turn a blind eye to slavery.

This Jedi ranks high in my esteem, alongside the likes of Zayne Carrick, Kerra Holt, and Gorlan Palladane – Jedi who attempt to make a real difference in the galaxy while doing their utmost to preserve the sanctity of life, not destroy it.

It’s likely this Jedi was sent to Horn Station by the Jedi Council to bring Shoto (the warlord in question) to justice.  If I were to speculate about this nameless Jedi I say it’s possible he studied under Master Yoda since he takes a page out of the old Master’s MO and hides his Jedi strength behind a veil of humility.  Aboard a stuttering ship and cloaking himself behind stuttering speech, the Jedi lays his trap for the warlord by presenting himself as a weak and cowardly miner.  Then, wounding a gunslinger in bar who tied to rob him, the Jedi knew that Shoto would hear of his exploits and invite him into his high-hilled fortress to duel him. 

It doesn’t take much for the Jedi Knight to spring his trap, wound Shoto in a blaster duel, and cart him off in his ship now a prisoner of the Jedi Order.  Before long I imagine Shoto is in front of a Republic court, answering for his crimes against innocent sentients.  Before he leaves Horn Station the Jedi even receives some fawning gratitude from a good-lookin’ blonde, who asks him his name.  However, not to be taken in by a pretty face, the Jedi Knight plays it cool and tells the attractive girl he’ll tell her his name the next time they meet.

Beside doing what I imagine a Jedi Knight should be doing in the galaxy, what I also enjoyed about this story is that if my speculation is correct, and indeed the Jedi Council did send this Jedi to Horn Station to free it from its oppressive warlord, it means that the Council is not far removed from the suffering of the galaxy – an impression I’ve been feeling since working my way through the Ride of the Empire era.  I’m going to interpret this short tale to mean that the Jedi Order, there in the centre of the galaxy and protected by their high-white walls, are in touch with the Force, and are still called to free the oppressed, argue for equality, negotiate peace, and, if necessary, BE the justice the galaxy so desperately needs. 

Out of curiosity – many Star Wars chronologists all agree to place this story at just after the events of The Phantom Menace, but I didn’t find anything remarkable in the story that would definitively place this tale at this particular point in history.  What is it about this story that places it in 32 BBY post TPM material?  Your thoughts on this would be enlightening.

For my next post I’m going to look at another Star Wars comic short: Bad Business.  Until then my friends, may the Force be with you.