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• Ranking the likelihood of each Jedi's death Charles Soule’s Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi book cover [Rebel Rouser]

Star Wars' High Republic publishing initiative is winding down with the release of Charles Soule's novel, Trials of the Jedi, on June 17. And if you've been reading the High Republic these last few years, you'd know that this particular era takes no prisoners. Your faves can, and probably will, die (RIP Kevmo Zink, in our hearts forever)! I spent the last few pages of Claudia Gray's YA High Republic novel, Into the Light, screaming, and then crying, and then crying some more. I'm a fan of rollercoasters, which is why I'm a High Republic fan. 

So! As our beloved Jedi and their allies make their final stand against Marchion Ro and his horrific Nameless beasts, who will live, and who will die? The cover of Trials of the Jedi gives us a pretty good selection to speculate on. Without much further ado, let's begin our grieving process in the inaugural installment of our Star Wars column Rebel Rouser.

Probably Safe in Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi 

Ember the Charhound 

Listen, Ember has made it this far already. If a bunch of our favorite Jedi aren't going to make it, then at least let the bestest girl in the High Republic live to see another day, Mr. Soule. Please. 

Ty Yorrick

My girl Ty Yorrick, the Tholothian wielding the purple lightsaber on the cover, is a survivor through and through. She left the Jedi Order years ago and has carved out her own path as a monster hunter. Ty fights monsters for a living, what's one Nameless more? And, SPOILERS FOR JUSTINA IRELAND'S THE ACOLYTE: WAYSEEKER BOOK, but Ty lives to be a badass old lady in a repulsor chair who still holds her own in a fight decades before The Acolyte takes place. Ty is going to walk out of here. 

In the Danger Zone for Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi 

Torban 'Buckets of Blood' Buck

The Chagrian fella with the blue lightsaber, Torban Buck, is not known to be much of a warrior by Jedi standards. Instead, Buckets of Blood prides himself on being a healer. And what would raise the stakes of a climactic fight between the Nihil and the Jedi? The Order's premier healer is getting the axe. That said, Buck could play an important role in stopping the spread of the Blight across the galaxy. So there may be some hope for him yet. 

Terec/Ceret

The bald Kotabi Jedi with the green lightsaber is either Terec or Ceret, the twin Jedi with a powerful mind link with each other. I can't imagine that the Nihil would be especially keen to kill either of them, and they've been pretty good at staying out of harm's way up until now (two heads are better than one, after all). However, the fact that there's only one of them on the cover brings me pause. Does that mean one of them dies, and the other is galvanized to take a final stand against Marchion Ro? 

Bell Zettifar

We've been through thick and thin with Bell since Soule's first High Republic novel, Light of the Jedi. We watched him develop his skills within the Force and heal after watching his mentor, Loden Greatstorm, crumble to dust right before his eyes. Since we've encountered so much loss in the High Republic from Bell's perspective, it would be full circle to see him live through this final battle, no? Bell is a fighter, and I'd hate to see him killed off in Soule's final book. If Ember is going to survive, then so should Bell. 

Reath Silas

As we all know so well as Star Wars fans, being a young person in a galaxy far, far away doesn't give you any plot armor. Reath may have just starred in Claudia Gray's final YA novel, Into the Light, where he fought side by side with Azlin Rell, but it seems that his High Republic adventures are far from over. If Trials of the Jedi's cover is to be taken at face value, it looks like Reath is going to fight by Azlin's side one last time. Reath is certainly a capable young Jedi, but I don't trust Azlin to not be devious. We do know that Reath can be overly trusting, so I worry that it's going to be a frog and scorpion folktale situation with him and Azlin. 

Start The Funeral Procession because of Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi 

Elzar Mann

Look, the last thing I want to see is Elzar Mann die. He's one of my favorite Jedi, and his relationship with Avar Kriss is beautiful. But! We all saw Stellan hit the dust (or should I say the surface of Eiram?) in The Fallen Star book. This is the High Republic y'all. If the writers give us a reason to love a character, then we give them a reason to kill them off. Looking specifically at Elzar though, there's nothing he wouldn't do to protect the Order and the galaxy at large. I'm not sure Elzar is expecting to walk out of this battle alive. 

Avar Kriss

Avar and Elzar have learned that they're stronger when they're together. In my mind, I don't really see one of them going down without the other also making the ultimate sacrifice - though one surviving would certainly have a meditative quality to it. That said, Avar's special Force ability is her Song of the Force that she can conjure by connecting to other Jedi's minds. Considering how the High Republic led into the events of the prequels and the collapse of the Order, I don't see this Song lasting for much longer. If the Song of the Force dies with Avar Kriss, it would certainly help set the stage for the dark times to come with Darth Plagueis. 

Azlin Rell

Listen, Azlin has been alive for too long. He's the crusty old man laughing like a weirdo in the Jedi's basement. Azlin has the chance to finally redeem himself in Trials of the Jedi. And based on the fact that he's standing with the Order's finest on the cover, staff in hand, he's ready for a fight. And perhaps he's also ready to die! As disconcerting as Azlin is, he is tremendously entertaining in battle (see: his use of Force lightning in Into the Light), and I would love to see him take out Marchion Ro in one ferocious display of the dark side. 

Burryaga

Oh Burry. I don't want to see Burryaga die any more than you do, but let's also remember that Wookiees live much longer than humans do. We didn't see him in The Acolyte, so that might signify that our buddy isn't going to make it out of this story alive. Burry has been with Bell through thick and thin, and knowing how strong their bond is, I can picture Burry sacrificing himself to protect Bell and Ember. That said, it isn't easy to take down a Wookiee. Woe be upon whoever hurts this fella. 

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