Knights of the Old Republic #28 Vector Part 4 (of 12) Story: John Jackson Miller Art: Scott Hepburn Inking: Dan Parsons Coloring: Michael Atiyeh Lettering: Michael Heisler Cover: Dustin Weaver Released: 05/14/2008 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (06/21/2008) SUMMARY: Celeste Morne is being taken over by the Muur Talisman, so she agrees to be placed inside a sleeping chamber designed to control its influence. Then Zayne and Gryph are rescued from the out-of-control Rakghouls and brought aboard the Moomo Williwaw where they are reunited with their friends. But they don't have time to go back for their new friend Celeste, as Cassus Fett's fleet arrives and launches missiles from orbit to eradicate the plague on the surface.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

Last issue, the Jedi Covenant agent Celeste Morne was attacked by the Muur talisman gained the ability to control the rakgouls infesting the Ice Citadel on Jebble. The talisman attached itself to her neck and she is now slowly being taken over by the spirit of ancient Sith Lord Karness Muur. Even so, she is still lucid enough to be friends with Zayne, who manages to convince her that her acts of destuction against the Mandalorians are a product of the Sith, whom she had pledged her life to fight against. Gryph joins them and reveals to Zayne what he discovered last issue, that Celeste works for the Covenant. Celeste is unfazed by this, as she and her leader are devoted to prevent the Sith from conquering the Galaxy. Zayne is surprised to learn that the leader of the Covenant is Lucian Draay's mother, Lady Krynda, a name he has heard Raana Tey mention as she was falling to her death in issue #24.

As Celeste feels the Sith's spirit take over her thoughts, she begs Zayne to kill her. But he has a better idea; he brings her back to Pulsipher's lab and places her inside Lord Dreypa's Oubliette, a portable torture chamber that was deisgned to contain Karness Muur. What it does is also to block out Muur's influence over the Rakghouls. Now leadrless and without goal, the raks now revert to their primal form of attacking and eating or infecting anything that moves. And that includes Zayne and Gryph! But the pair are promptly rescued by their friends aboard the Moomo Williwaw. Before Zayne can tell them to turn the ship back and pick up Celeste, the Mandalorian fleet arrives and they immediately launch warheads toward the surface, much like they did at Serocco back in issue #15 and bringing back bad memories for Zayne.

Cassus Fett did listen to Zayne's message (which he sent last issue) and did the only thing he thought logical to prevent the Rakghoul plague from spreading to other worlds. By doing so, Fett announces to Zayne that the Mandalorians owe him one, much to the young Jedi's horror. Zayne then tells the crew to head for Odryn. Before she was put inside the Oubliette, Celeste told Zayne that she was to take the Muur Talisman there at the Sanctum of the Exalted and gave him the key. She also told him to get in touch with Krynda, since she might not be aware of her son's act of killing the Padawans and framing Zayne for it. That's where they will be in the next issue, while Celeste's story will continue in the next chapter of "Vector" in Dark Times #11.

I thought this issue was kind of quiet compared to the first three installments. Not much action, but mostly tying up the loose ends and concluding the story while setting up the stage for the next story. But it doesn't mean I didn't like it. We have more time to explore the characters of Celeste and Zayne, and the dialogue as always is very well written and entertaining. On hindsight, I think the series "Vector" chapter is well thought-out, even though it felt forced in some places at the beginning. Too bad the storyline was plagued by...

THE ART

Still no improvements on this front. The characters still look like silly caricatures and even worse in this issue, we see tha artist's renditions of the Williwaw crew (who haven't been seen since issue #23-24): Jarael, Rohlan Dyre, Alek, Del and Dob Moomo, Shel and Slyssk the cook. Celeste still looks like a deformed Kathy Griffin and Zayne looks like an exaggerated portrait of Bruce Campbell. But one reader says he likes the art, so I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. For my part, I'm relieved that next issue will have a different artist. Any port in a storm...

CONCLUSIONS

Setting the stage not only for the next story arc, but also for the rest of "Vector" in Dark Times. Do not miss this important chapter in this first multi-series crossover. Unfortunately, it looses points because of the artwork.

Rating: 6.5 / 10