Knights of the Old Republic #10 Flashpoint Part 3 Story: John Jackson Miller Art: Dustin Weaver Coloring: Michael Atiyeh Lettering: Michael Heisler Cover: Brian Ching, Michael Atiyeh Released: 11/22/2006 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (07/21/2007) SUMMARY: Zayne Carrick and the Last Resorts manage to infiltrate the Mandalorian-occupied Flashpoint station, thanks to the Mandalorian turncoat Rohlan Dyre. Passing as Rohlan's prisoner, Zayne is brought into the Mandalorian doctor Demagol's research chamber. After that, Rohlan knocks out Demagol and Zayne puts on the doctor's armor. With the help of Marn Hierogryph, they manage to fool the Mandalorians into leaving the planet after the solar shield generators explode. They are then left alone with Jarael and the Jedi prisoners, and get them all off planet.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

It seems like our heroes are very good at pulling off scams. This story arc started with a scam they did on the mining colony of Vanquo to aquire supplies. Now they pull off an even better and more elaborate scam to rescue Jarael from her captivity at the hands of the Mandalorian doctor Demagol, and they do it even before she is subjected to any torture. Whether it is true that Gryph comes up with those plans remains to be proven. Zayne keeps the promise he made to Camper that he would rescue Jarael, and he does it with some help from Rohlan and the Gryph, but Camper and Elbee take a back seat in this last part of the story arc. But the scam greatly relies on Rohlan: as a Mandalorian himself, he uses his knowledge and position to land the ship at the station and then to take Zayne into custody directly to Demagol (and they came right on time as Jarael was to be Demagol's next "subject"). The doctor even trusts him enough to stay alone with him and the Jedi prisoner, so he is completely taken by surprise when Rohlan strikes him from behind.

Jarael and her fellow prisoner Jedi Squint, whom she finds out has met Zayne before (in issue #0), suspect that something is going on but are clueless at what the plan is if there is one. When Zayne comes out of the chamber dressed up as Demagol, she has no way to know so she immediately attacks. But using the Force, Zayne tells her it's him and proceeds to go outside the research station with Rohlan. Once there, Zayne again uses the Force to manipulate some of Gryph's explosive charges into strategic positions. So when the Snivvian "Admiral" calls to the Mandalorians as a Republic officer, he can convince them that the Republic still has control of Flashpoint Station and the ships that the Mandalorians stole from them. To prove his point, he detonates the charges that Zayne has placed. It doesn't take a lot of convincing the Mandalorians once they see the solar shield generators explode that they should take off A.S.A.P. "Demagol" then convinces them he has to get back inside to get his research and that's it, the strategy worked. Now the heroes are left alone with the Jedi prisoners.

The Jedi are given one of the Mandalorians' ships, and Rohlan decides to go with them to keep watch over Demagol, now himself a prisoner. But as the ship takes off, Rohlan sneaks out and boards the Last Resort. He probably sees a better chance to stay with them than going to Coruscant with the Jedi. This issue seems to have a lot of characters interested in Jarael: aside from her friends who want to rescue her, Demagol knows about the Arknanian race and is fascinated by her pointy ears in one scene, and Squint seems to have an interest in her as well but for different reasons. As they say goodbye, he tells her his name is Alek but his last name is "a bit of a mouthful". I guess we'll see more of those two later on. The rescue is pulled off, and the story has a very satisfying ending. It's full of Miller's intelligent dialogue, humor and action.

THE ART

I am still very impressed by the amazing art and coloring of this story arc. The panels have so much detail and the backgrounds and environment have such depth to them. And the characters are very convincing and their poses are lifelike. Speaking of characters, when Hierogryph has that red Republic officer's uniform, it reminds me of the old Kenner Snaggletooth action figure...

CONCLUSIONS

This story arc was too short! Very high quality.

Rating: 8 / 10 Highly Recommended