The Acolyte May Be Over, But Star Wars Is Far From Finished With Its Best Jedi

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The High Republic - Fear of the Jedi #1While The Acolytemay have been canceled, that doesn't mean all of its characters are wiped away from the Star Wars canon. Taking place 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace and 150 years after most of The High Republic Era books and comics, The Acolyte and its cast was largely in its own isolated time period. However, that's not exactly the case for Kelnacca, The Acolyte's impressive Wookiee Jedi Master and his species' very long lifespan.

Following a 2024 one-shot starring the Wookiee Jedi taking on a new apprentice named Yarzion Vell, Kelnacca has now returned in Marvel's new Star Wars: The High Republic - Fear of the Jedi #1 by Cavan Scott and Marika Cresta. Set during the same period as most High Republic novels and comics which feature the Jedi Order facing the galaxy-wide threat of the Nihil marauders and their various anti-Jedi weapons, Kelnacca and Vell have made an all-new appearance, joining none other than former Nihil Tempest Runner and current bounty hunter/unlikely Jedi ally, Lourna Dee and her allies:

Kelnacca Fights Nihil in Fear of the Jedi #1

Initially appearing as a cloaked figure emerging from the shadows with his green lightsaber drawn, the mighty Kelnacca uses a Jedi mind trick on two Nihil, manipulating the marauders to stun each other who had cornered Lourna, her partner Quin (also a former Nihil turned bounty hunter), and Tey Sirrek, a former Guardian of the Whills.

Kelnacca Returns To Liberate The Planet of Naboo

Occupied By The Nihil Marauders

Kelnacca and Yarzion Vell in Fear Of The Jedi #1

Having been fighting to liberate the Nihil-occupied world of Naboo, it's revealed that Kelnacca and his apprentice have been on the planet for some time. Likewise, Lourna confirms in this issue that her team is on the hunt for victims who'd been experimented on by the Nihil's mad "Minister of Science", Baron Boolan. Realizing that their objectives are aligned, Kelnacca and Vell agree to join Lourna and company to break into a Nihil stronghold located in Naboo's capital of Theed.

Palpatine in The Phantom Menace to the left and Padme Amidala in Attack of the Clones to the right in front of a golden-tone image of Naboo

Naboo Explained: Why Padmé Amidala & Palpatine's Homeworld Is So Important

Naboo may be known for being one of Star Wars' most beautiful planets, but its importance in the franchise extends far beyond its beauty.

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The result is quite an impressive roster of heroes during the High Republic Era. Beyond bringing back Kelnacca, this new Star Wars issue also provides a fascinating reveal about Naboo and its history long before the events of The Phantom Menace. As such, future issues are more than likely to show Kelnacca in action at a time when he was in his prime, long before the events of The Acolyte and the incident with the Witches of Brendok.

Kelnacca Is A Great Addition To The High Republic's Impressive Cast Of Characters

Over A Century Before The Acolyte (And Kelnacca's Demise)

While the High Republic books already had the recently knighted Wookiee Jedi named Burryaga, it's still pretty exciting to see Kelnacca's history continuing to be fleshed out beyond what was shown in The Acolyte. After all, the Star Wars show primarily had him as the manipulated puppet of Brendok's witches forced to fight his fellow Jedi, and ultimately being killed off-screen by Qimir aka The Stranger. To that end, I'm certainly hoping these past Kelnacca adventures keep going, over a century before his unfortunate demise in live-action.

Star Wars: The High Republic - Fear of the Jedi #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.