Comic Book Review: The Monster of Temple Peak #2

After the action-packed, plot-heavy first issue, IDW’s The Monster of Temple Peak returns for the second issue of the Ty Yorrick-focused series with a much slower, more introspective installment. 

When we last saw Ty Yorrick, she was getting ready to face a Rock Weaver, a gigantic spider that lives on the road to Temple Peak, in order to rescue the unfortunate being who’s about to become rock weaver fodder. 

An attempt to create a bond through the Force with the rock weaver goes awry, so Ty scares it off instead, and rescues the being who was a few short steps away from being eaten. The kid she rescues turns out to be Drewen, the same bystander who messed up her job on Blarrum. 

The first issue gives us a peek at the kind heart Ty tries to keep hidden under the surface, and it's that same heart that allows Drewen to stick with her until sunrise so that no harm will come to him. After he confesses he lost his brother in the Great Disaster, he tells Ty that he’s always been curious about the Jedi. His curiosity, however, is a source of worry for Ty.

After she refuses to elaborate about her past, the two are suddenly interrupted by Pela, the girl from Loreth, who attempts to fight Ty. Ty holds her off, but Pela slips and falls down the side of Temple Peak. Ty’s attempt to pull her back up with the Force fails, and the girl falls to an uncertain fate. A fall like that should kill her, but Cavan Scott wouldn’t do that to us, would he?

Speaking of Cavan Scott, once again he brings the perfect blend of action, and quiet character moments, with just enough promise of sadness down the line to keep us perpetually ready for devastation. Rachael Stott’s artwork is beautiful, and brings a very dynamic flair to an issue that is otherwise very conversation-heavy. Colourists Vita Efremova and Nicola Righi do excellent work in showing what the characters are going through their use of shadows.

Though the events of the present day give more insight into who Ty Yorrick is, as with the first issue, it is the events of the past that were the most gripping. We already know that Ty rejects the title of Jedi, and that there is clearly some pain associated with that. But the flashbacks show Ty and her friend Klias entering an ancient temple belonging to the Yallow, Force users with a deeper understanding of the Dark side. Klias asserts that nothing there can hurt them, which are famous last words if I ever heard them.

The most striking feature of the issue was the direct parallel drawn between Klias saving Ty from falling off the cliff they were scaling, and Ty failing to save Pela from a similar circumstance. Though the inability to help a child is enough reason to be devastated, it’s the connection to the flashback that has me wondering how this will play out regarding Ty’s decision to leave the Order. Either she regrets not training long enough to learn the kinds of skills Klias developed, or more likely we’ll learn that she tried to help him in some way in the Yallow shrine, and failed. 

Failure might be a great teacher, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an emotionally devastating one either.

The Monster of Temple Peak #2: Weaver Attack is available now.