The High Republic — The Blade 2

The High Republic — The Blade 2 is the second issue of the canon comic miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic — The Blade. The issue was written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Jethro Morales, Marco Castiello, and Jim Campbell, and published by Marvel Comics on January 25, 2023.
==Publisher's summary==
UNMATCHED! Jedi Master PORTER ENGLE has journeyed with his sister, Barash, to a planet far on the Republic frontier in response to a desperate request for aid. They are certain they will succeed. No one in the galaxy fights like Jedi Porter Engle. No warrior can stand against him. No one even comes close. They are certain…until they see what awaits them.
==Plot summary==
===Entering a siege===
At Gansevor's capital of Horatio, Jedi Knights Porter Engle and Barash Silvain are greeted by Envoy Seleen, who thanks them for answering her call for help. Seleen tells them that she is from Firevale, a walled city on the edge of the Nomad Plains. She explains that Firevale originated as a mining town centuries ago, that was built in a box canyon that was home to a rare mineral called baudraxite, which is central to the planet's energy infrastructure. Firevale traded baudraxite to the rest of the plant in return for food and technology. 
A few months earlier, an army from a rival land called Bethune lay siege to Firevale, allow no communications or traffic in and out of the city. Seleen explains that Gansevor's central government is unable to help because it lacks a military authority, leaving the city-states to resolve their own disputes. Seleen had appealed to the Jedi out of desperation. Seleen invites the two Jedi to accompany her aboard a fleet of transports carrying food to the besieged city. These transports are attached to several [[large winged dragons. 
Upon arriving above Firevale, the two Jedi find a large Bethune army laying siege to the city. The Bethunians fire rockets at the transport fleet. The Jedi use their Force powers to deflect the rockets. Silvain convinces their Firevale hosts to take them out of race and bring them down. She and Engle intend to negotiate with the Bethunians. The Bethunian soldiers initially shoot at them but the Jedi deflect their blaster bolts with their lightsabers. Engel deflects their blasts, causing their blaster pistols to drop out of their hands. Engle convinces the soldiers to let the Jedi speak with their commander.
===Flashback===
Seventeen years earlier, a teenage Padawan Engle tells Silvain that Razere overheard the Jedi Masters discussing plans to separate the two of them because they are concerned that the two Padawans are getting attached. Silvain says that they can't do much since the are Padawans unless they leave the Jedi Order. Engel is unwilling to leave the Order since he loves being a Jedi. Silvain suggests that they show the Masters that they are not very good Jedi when they are not together. 
When Engle asks if this would be deceptive, Silvain disagrees and says that they want to send the Jedi Masters the message that they are better Jedi together. Engle accepts Silvain's reasoning. Silvain hopes to convince the Jedi leadership that the two of them perform best together. When Engle asks how bad they have to be, Silvain replies that they should be "bad enough for them to see it our way." 
===The Bethunian perspective===
At the Bethunian camp, Silvain introduces herself and Engle to the Bethunian Field Marshal Tozen, who criticizes the Galactic Republic for neglecting his homeworld of Gansevor's trade and communications and interfering in a local dispute. Silvain explains that the Republic did not send the Jedi but that they came at the request of someone from Gansevor who was concerned about the siege of Firevale. Engle objects to the Bethunians attempting to blow up an unarmed supply convoy. Tozen counters that the Jedi approached a military encampment without identifying themselves. 
Silvain explains that her colleague Engle was saying that violence is the last resort for a Jedi. Tozen criticizes the Jedi for their perceived lack of understanding of warfare. In response, Silvain reassures Tozen that the Jedi are not here to take sides but to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, citing the successful Jedi diplomacy between Eiram and E'ronoh. When Silvain asks the Bethunians for their perspective, a purple-skinned humanoid officer explains that the conflict was triggered by Firevale kidnapping their princess and selling them baudraxite at extortion rates. 
Silvain asks Marshal Tozen for a more detailed briefing of the conflict and asks if his forces could let them ferry supplies to Firevale. Tozen is reluctant to let supplies into enemy territory but Engle and Silvain reassure him that the Jedi only care about justice. When Tozen warns that the Firevale folk would lie to them, Engle reassures him that Silvain is good at seeing the truth. Silvain manages to convince the Marshal to let the food convoy into Firevale and the Jedi to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. 
After the Jedi depart for Firevale with the food supplies, Marshal Tozen instructs his droid Sevens to make a call to an unknown contact. Tozen tells the contact that the Jedi presence has complicated the conflict between Bethune and Firevale. Still seeking a military solution to the conflict, he asks the contact how long they will be here. The contact responses that their forces are parked behind one of Gansevor's big moons and promises to arrive soon. 
===Landing in Firevale===
The Jedi arrive with the food convoy in Firevale where they are greeted with relief by the starving citizens. Silvain and Engle are greeted by Chief Magistrate Renata and Prince Colden of Firevale's royal family, the heir apparent to Queen Keraan. When Colden asks the Jedi what they are doing on Gansevor, Engle explains that Envoy Seleen petitioned the Office of the Frontier for help. Renata praises Seleen's resourcefulness and asks why Tozen permitted them through the siege. Silvain explains that the Jedi had promised to resolve the situation of Bethune's kidnapped princess without bloodshed. 
In response, Colden explains that the Bethunian princess had claimed asylum in Firevale and that she is his wife. Before Engle can probe further into the matter, the civil defense alarm begins ringing. When Silvain expresses surprise given that Tozen had promised he would give them time to find a peaceful solution, Colden replies that they cannot trust the Bethnians. While flying over the city on winged reptiles, the two Jedi find that the Bethunians have summoned a fleet of mercenaries to help them. 
The mercenaries' leader Abediah Viess exits a starship with numerous mercenaries from various species including Advozse, Aqualish and Mon Calamari. Having brought her "warrior-kin" to the "planet of knives," she asks who she is going to kill.
==Media==
===Cover gallery===
File:The-Blade-2-Final-Cover.jpg|Final cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
File:TheBlade2-solicit-cover.jpg|Solicit cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
File:TheBlade2Unlettered.jpg|Unlettered cover
File:TheBlade2-variant-Lopez.jpg|Variant cover by David López
File:TheBlade2-variant-Suayan.jpg|Variant cover by Mico Suayan
File:TheBlade2-secondprinting.jpg|Second printing cover by Jethro Morales
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: The High Republic - The Blade
*Star Wars: The High Republic Phase II – Quest of the Jedi Omnibus
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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