Star Wars: The High Republic’s most powerful villain, the pirate Marchion Ro, caused incredible carnage in the galaxy, but how did he weaken the Jedi? TheStar Wars: The High Republicbooks and comicstransport readers to the Jedi’s Golden Age, a few centuries before darkness overtook the galaxy in theStar Warsprequel trilogy. Though the Jedi were at the height of their power duringthe High Republic era, with Jedi Temples and outreach posts scattered all across the galaxy, Marchion Ro andthe Nihil, his band of loyal marauders, undermined theirs and the Republic’s efforts to provide for the galaxy at every turn.
In fact,Marchion Ro’s violent crusade against the Jedi and the Republic was so effective that he arguably kickstarted the Jedi’s destruction.Though their ultimate downfall wouldn’t happen until 200 years after his reign of terror, he forced the Jedi and the Republic to become inextricably dependent on one another, a relationship that would cause the Jedi to become blinded to the dark side and give Darth Sidious the tools he needed to manipulate their involvement in the galaxy’s political affairs. So how did Marchion Ro manage the seemingly impossible?
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Who Was Marchion Ro, Pirate King Of The Nihil?
Interestingly, the Nihil didn’t begin as a violent gang of pirates. InStar Wars: The High RepublicPhase II, it was revealed that the Nihil evolved from what was once known as the Path of the Open Hand, a cult that revered the Force and believed that the Jedi abused its power. Marchion’s ancestor, Marda Ro, was a member of this cult until fate changed the course of her life and she realized that the Path’s leader, a woman known only as the Mother, had manipulated everyone into believing she respected the Force while “abusing” it for her personal gain.
After several confrontations with the Jedi, including one especially violent battle known as the Night of Sorrow, Marda Ro eventually took over what was left of the Path of the Open Hand and set out with them on a massive, self-built ship known as the Gaze Electric. She founded what would eventually become the Nihil, encouraging her followers to raid and plunder whatever they needed so that they may one day free the Force.
Star Wars: The High Republicis divided into three phases. Phase I is set 200 years before theStar Warsprequel trilogy, Phase II takes place 350 years before the prequels, and the final phase, Phase III, begins where Phase I left off.
A few generations later,Marchion Ro took over the Nihilfrom his murdered father, Asgar, and the greedy Evereni set out to disrupt the galaxy on the Gaze Electric, using his family’s unsettling and unique understanding of hyperspace – courtesy of a kidnapped woman named Mari San Tekka, who could see uncharted hyperspace paths with the help of the Force – and fought to take what he believed to be rightfully his. That’s when he became known as the Eye.
Marchion Ro’s Campaign Against The Jedi Was Terrifyingly Effective
After what must have been years of planning, Marchion Ro launched his campaign against the Republic and the Jedi. It all started with the Great Hyperspace Disaster, a calamitous event that kickstarted the entirety ofThe High Republic’s storytelling. Essentially, the Nihil caused a collision that led to massive chunks of debris being spit out of hyperspace at random, crashing into unsuspecting ships and even planets with deadly consequences.
Next, the Nihil launched an attack against the Republic Fair on Valo, using it to take a political stance against the Republic and its Chancellor. The fair was destroyed and many were injured and even killed in the aftermath. The Nihil used a deadly poisonous gas to subdue their enemies and those who would oppose them – especially the Jedi.
Then Marchion Ro destroyed a much bigger target: Starlight Beacon. A way station built to better connect the Outer Rim with the Republic’s Core Worlds, Starlight Beacon was, for lack of a better term, a beacon of hope for the galaxy, a signal that the Republic – and the Jedi, by extension – would provide aid and assistance to any worlds or people, no matter how poor or easily dismissed. Ro hated the Jedi and the Republic – he believed that both institutions imposed their will on the galaxy without remorse or mandate, and viewed Starlight Beacon as an extension of that so-called oppression.
Marchion Ro hated the Jedi and the Republic – he believed that both institutions imposed their will on the galaxy without remorse or mandate, and viewed Starlight Beacon as an extension of that so-called oppression.
After Starlight Beacon was destroyed, leaving thousands dead, Ro finally played his trump card. Using a technology called Stormseeds, the Nihil essentially annexed a massive swathe of the galaxy from Republic space, trapping millions of people against their will and leaving the Republic and the Jedi unable to provide aid. With this final move, Marchion Ro proved how powerful he’d become.Slowly but surely, he’d chipped away at the Republic’s resources, forcing them to scatter their relief and defense efforts until hardly anything was left.
Of course, the Jedi weren’t as easy to beat, but Marchion Ro had a terrifyingly effective contingency plan to deal with them. This, too, started with his ancestor, Marda Ro. By using mysterious ancient artifacts, Marchion was able to control creatures known asthe Nameless or Force Eaters(Marda’s generation referred to them as Levelers), horrifying monsters capable of “eating” a Force-sensitive’s life force, torturing them with fear so strong and overwhelming until they’re left as shriveled husks.The Jedi Order didn’t know anything about these creatures and their presence forced the Jedi to retreat for a time.
Star Wars: Every Major Event Of The High Republic Era
The High Republic Era is full of significant events, both for the Jedi Order and the Republic it sought to protect long before the prequels.
Each step in Marchion’s plan was carefully calculated. He weakened the Republic and the Jedi’s defenses, scattered their resources, forced the Jedi to submit to their fear, and divided the galaxy in half, both literally and ideologically.It’s hard to deny that Marchion’s strategy with the Nihil may have influenced the Jedi and the Republic’s other enemies somewhere down the line.
Marchion Ro Showed The Sith What The Jedi Would Do In A Crisis
Amid all the chaos and destruction, the Jedi and the Republic gravitated towards one another, pooling their resources to stop the Nihil’s and Marchion’s influence from causing more damage. Logically, of course, this strategy made sense – together, they could cover much more ground – but it also made them an easier target and easier to manipulate.With the Jedi and the Republic having formed an unbreakable alliance, their resources and politics were intertwined. One couldn’t operate effectively without the other, as proven by their combined efforts to break into the Occlusion Zone.
Marchion Ro’s strategy had proven that, in times of crisis, the Republic and the Jedi would inevitably turn to one another.
Hundreds of years later, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious exploited the same weakness while masquerading as Chancellor Palpatine. Marchion Ro’s strategy had proven that, in times of crisis, the Republic and the Jedi would inevitably turn to one another. Given their unnatural strength and resilience, the Jedi became foot soldiers for the Republic government. As soon as the Republic became involved in another galaxy-wide conflict – in this case, the Clone Wars – the Jedi followed them into battle, allowing violence, death, and darkness to infiltrate the Jedi Order and setting the Republic up for failure.
Marchion Ro will not succeed in destroying the Jediand the Republic.The High Republic’s third and final storytelling phase may not be over yet, but it’s clear he won’t win, as both institutions still exist inStar Wars: The Acolyteand theStar Warsprequel trilogy.His tactical prowess certainly revealed the Republic’s and Jedi’s weaknesses, however, and those weaknesses made the Sith’s victory that much easier 200 years after the events ofStar Wars: The High Republic.
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