The High Republic — The Blade 4

The High Republic — The Blade 4 is the fourth and final issue of the canon comic miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic — The Blade. The issue was written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Jethro Morales and Jim Campbell, and published by Marvel Comics on March 29, 2023.
==Publisher's summary==
To save the innocent, to save his sister, to save himself…Jedi Master Porter Engle must embark on one of the most epic instances of lightsaber combat ever recorded in the Chronicles. It will change him, and Barash, forever.
==Plot summary==
===The thick of batttle===
Outside Firevale, General Abediah Viess tells Jedi Knight Porter Engle that she has previously fought and killed members of the Jedi Order. She adds that everyone in her army knows that and will be watching to see her fight Engle. In response, Engle counters that he will remember her name and will not be intimidated by her. Viess counters that she is wearing beskar armor and has a beskar spear. 
Viess lunges at him with her weapon but the Jedi deflects her attack. Unwilling to kill an enemy, Engle gives her one final chance to call off her attack. Unwilling to concede defeat, Viess hurls a grenade at Engle. Several of Field Marshal Torven's soldiers are caught in the vicinity and react with shock and confusion. However, Engle uses the Force to deflect the grenade into the air. 
At the Firevale royal palace, Prince Colden calls on Queen Keraan to open the city gates in order to negotiate. Keraan rejects the idea since that will be tantamount to surrendering the city. Colden counters that if they resist, the mercenaries will plunder and murder them. He proposes negotiating with the Bethunians but Keraan fears that she will be forced to abdicate. Jedi Knight Barash Silvain reassures them that Engle will keep the mercenaries from breaching the city and destroy their heavy cannons. She believes that Engle will convince the mercenaries that there is no profit in remaining on Firevale.
===The moment of truth===
Meanwhile, General Viess proposes redirecting the heavy cannons at the city. When Tozen protests that will destroy the city, Viess reveals that she plans to level Firevale in order to make it easier for her army to sack the city. Tozen counters that he needs to capture Firevale's infrastructure intact and refuses to support her plan. Taking advantage of Gansevor's lack of connection to the galactic communications network, Viess decides to frame Tozen for the destruction of Firevale and orders her mercenaries to kill him and his officers.
Meanwhile, Queen Keraan allows Colden and her courtiers to evacuate the city's population into the mines. Princess Sicatra is distraught by the devastation being brought by her people. Using his droid Sevens, Tozen contacts Sicatra and warns her that Viess has betrayed them and intends to destroy Firevale and plunder the city. Sicatra is upset because their plan to hire the mercenaries as an extra show of force is falling apar. She asks Tozen what they should do but the field marshal breathes his last. Seven informs Sicatra about her death.
A devastated and guilt-ridden Sicatra tells Silvain that she and Colden engineered the conflict between Firevale and Bethune in order to facilitate Colden's ascension to Firevale's throne. Silvain is upset at Sicatra's deception and seeks an audience with Queen Keraan. Together with Sicatra, Silvain informs Keraan and Colden about the truth behind the conflict. Queen Keraan is enraged by the revelation of her son colluding with Sicatra to overthrow and attempts to kill Sicatra with a dagger. Silvain manages to restrain the Queen and mentions Sicatra's alleged pregnancy. Colden is shocked to learn about his wife's alleged pregnancy since they had been waiting until the solstice to consummate their marriage. Sicatra admits that she lied to Silvain about being pregnant in order to curry the Jedi's sympathy. 
===Taking out the mercenaries===
Meanwhile, Engle uses one of his lightsabers to destroy one of the mercenaries' artillery pieces. Seeking to make amends, Sicatra addresses the Bethunian army and orders them to end the assault on Firevale. She tells them that the latest attack on Firevale was ordered by General Viess and that it is not in Bethune's interest to destroy the city. Sicatra tells the Bethunian army that Viess' mercenaries murdered Field Marshal Tozen and seek to plunder Firevale for themselves. Despite their differences with the people of Firevale, she reassures them that they are all from the same planet. She urges them to attack and kill the mercenaries, turning the tide of the battle.
In private, Silvain remarks that the mercenaries will soon choose to leave in the face of opposition from Engle, the Bethunians and Firevale's defenses. When Sicatra says that she did the right thing in in urging the Bethunians to halt their attack on Firevale and attack the mercenaries, Silvain chastises her for lying and blames her and Colden for causing the deaths of numerous people. Silvain also blames herself for being manipulated by Sicatra and Colden.
Meanwhile, Engle joins the fight against the mercenaries, disarming some Bethunians in the process. With their plan to sack Firevale in tatters, Viess orders her mercenaries to retreat but allows them to kill as many of their enemies. While an exhausted Engle kneels, Viess attempts to kill him with a laser cannon. However, the Jedi Knight uses the Force and his remaining lightsaber to deflect the laser bolt. Viess vows to kill Engle the next time they cross paths.
===The Barash vow===
Following the battle, Silvain speaks with Engle. She explains that Prince Colden and Princess Sicatra had conspired to force Queen Keraan to abdicate. At that point, Colden would intervene to negotiate a pre-planned truce with Bethune. His plan was to take the throne from his mother and open Firevale to trade. However, Colden and Sicatra did not expect the envoys in Horatio to contact the Jedi for assistance, which caused the conflict to escalate out of control. Silvain describes the situation as ugly. 
Engle reassures Silvain that they did their job in ending the siege of Firevale and protected the light side of the Force as best as they could. He hopes that the people of Firevale and Bethune can resolve the conflict on their own. When he suggests they should return to the capital Horatio to rendezvous with the Pathfinders, Silvain tells him that she is not returning with Porter. When Engle asks what she is talking about, Silvain blames herself for telling Engle to confront the mercenaries based on Sicatra's disinformation.
She blames herself for not listening to the Force and instead letting her personal history cloud her vision. 
Silvain says she is wrong and blames herself for causing the deaths of many civilians and combatants. Believing that she is unfit to lead other Jedi, Silvain decides to go. When Engle asks if she is leaving the Jedi Order, Silvain explains that she does not intend to leave the Order but has decided not to take any action of behalf of the Order. When Engle says that the two of them can't work when they are apart, she reassures him that he can operate independently and reiterates that he is not alone.
Returning to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Engle tells the Jedi High Council about Silvain's vow. He explains that while she remains in the Jedi Order, she has chosen to remove herself from their work until she is certain she understands what the Force wants her to do. A Mikkian Council member expresses surprise due to Silvain's strong connection to the Force while a Pantoran Council member asks about Silvain's whereabouts. Engle is unaware about Silvain's whereabouts and says that Silvain is a special person who has become uncertain. Jedi Master Yoda thanks Engle for his report and dispatches Engle to deal with a situation on Bardotta. Following the meeting, he meditates at the base of the Great Tree.
==Media==
===Cover gallery===
File:The-Blade-4-Final-Cover.jpg|Final cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
File:TheBlade4-solicit-cover.jpg|Solicit cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli
File:TheBlade4-variant-Lashley.jpg|Variant cover by Ken Lashley
File:TheBlade4-variant-McKone-final.jpg|Variant cover by Mike McKone
File:TheBlade4-variant-McKone.jpg|Reveal variant cover by Mike McKone
File:TheBlade4-variant-Momoko.jpg|Women's History Month variant cover by Peach Momoko
File:TheBlade4-variant-Manhanini.jpg|Black History Month variant cover by Mateus Manhanini
==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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