Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear #1! The Star Wars universe is rooted in the manipulation of cosmic energy that is as mysterious as it is powerful, as the Force moves through all living things, with certain objects and artifacts acting as conduits for the universal current – meaning it should come as no surprise that the franchise is establishing its own ‘Infinity Gauntlet’. Both the Jedi and the Sith are in a mad-dash to acquire all three pieces of the Echo Stone, as whoever wields it will have untold strength in the Force, just as the Infinity Stones offered Thanos god-like power in Marvel Comics.
In a release from Dark Horse Comics announcing the upcoming comic book Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear by George Mann, Vincenzo Federici, and Vincenzo Riccardi, it’s revealed that a Sith from before the High Republic era, Darth Ravi, is searching for the three shards of the Echo Stone. Jedi Reath Silas and Padawan Azzazzo are scouring the Jedi Archives in order to ascertain the location of these shards before they can be used by a dark side wielder – and they already have their work cut out for them.
The official description of the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear offered by Dark Horse Comics reads as follows:
Quest of the Jedi tells the story of a Jedi Master and his Padawan learner who visit a planet called Angcord in search of artifacts with connections to the Force. Their story takes place entirely in flashback while a Jedi goes through the archives, and is set some time before the High Republic era. When these two Jedi visit Angcord, they find that the entire planet has been altered by the Echo Stone, as it not only made life flourish there, but it also granted each citizen immense power in the Force – the likes of which even the Jedi have never seen.
While the Echo Stone initially granted this world prosperity, Angcord has recently faced some hard times. Plants have stopped growing, fish have stopped biting, and everyone on the planet has grown sorrowful and angry. It’s quickly confirmed that the Stone was a conduit for both the light and dark sides of the Force, and while it once offered extreme light, it now plagues Angcord with utter darkness.
To save the planet, the Padawan sticks her lightsaber right at the Stone’s core, splitting it into three. The Jedi then scatter the three pieces to separate, remote areas in the galaxy, as anyone who is able to unite them will have untold power in the Force. Indeed, the Echo Stone fueled an entire planet and all who lived there, so if it was concentrated on one individual, they would truly become unstoppable.
The ancient Sith Lord who’s spoken about in both Quest of the Jedi and the description of Echoes of Fear, Darth Ravi, will act as Star Wars’ own personal Thanos during the High Republic Era. It’s unknown exactly how Darth Ravi is still alive, as they’re described as an ‘ancient Sith’, but it’s clear that the Dark Lord will be a problem in Echoes of Fear, as they will be hunting for the three pieces of the Echo Stone to become the strongest Force-wielder in the galaxy – just like Thanos with the Infinity Stones during Thanos Quest.
Star Wars might be crafting an ‘Infinity Gauntlet’ event following the introduction of its own Infinity Gauntlet-like artifact with the Echo Stone. However, if Darth Ravi will, in fact, play the role of ‘Thanos’ in this comparison, here’s hoping things don’t go that far, as a Sith Lord wielding the Echo Stone could mean untold cataclysm across the Star Wars galaxy.
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Echoes of Fear #1 by Dark Horse Comics is available August 21, 2024.
Source: Dark Horse Comics