Charles Soule Reveals New Information on ‘Star Wars’ #50, Gives Progress Update on ‘Trials of the Jedi’
Charles Soule’s July newsletter (subscribe online) packs a pair of huge punches for Star Wars readers. Earlier this year, the author outlined his 2024. We got our first glimpse at Trials of the Jedi, the final adult novel of the High Republic publishing initiative. He also teased some big things from Marvel with Star Wars #50. Six months later, we know why.
Star Wars #50 will hit shelves this September. It is the final issue of Soule’s mainline run, which comes in conjunction with Darth Vader #50, marking the end of this era for Star Wars comics. Soule didn’t give much, but he commented on the structure of the 50-page comic.
CHARLES SOULE (W) • MADIBEK MUSABEKOV (A) • Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Way down the line is Trials of the Jedi. It’s still set for release next spring, but now it’s starting to creep up on us, especially since Temptation of the Force is in the rear-view mirror. (Before we move on, here is a casual plug for our interview with author Tessa Gratton. You can check that out here. A transcribed article is coming soon.) He has previously described the book as a “cyclone,” but now Soule compares it to Light of the Jedi. Where that book may have loosened its grip after the first act’s Great Disaster set piece, Soule says Trials won’t. He wrote:
“TRIALS OF THE JEDI is awesome. It’s looking like it will be a good bit longer than LIGHT OF THE JEDI, although I’m still drafting. Things change a lot between the first draft and the one you get. It’s been incredibly fun to write so far. Every chapter is its own little mini-epic. It’s extremely action-packed. Once the various scenes are set, it just goes. I hear a lot about how the opening third of LIGHT OF THE JEDI was super intense because it never really let up on the throttle – almost all of TRIALS is like that.”
It’s crazy to think this whole High Republic ride is nearing its end. While the era is expanding with The Acolyte and Young Jedi Adventures, the publishing initiative is where it all began. Time with these characters is starting to run dry, so hopefully, Trials of the Jedi brings it all full circle.
Meanwhile, Star Wars #50 can’t get here soon enough. The post-Empire Strikes Back era at Marvel is going out with a bang. Soule described the issue as “structured like its own graphic novel.” There will be chapters, which seems to make sense given the myriad of characters on the issue’s cover. From Ben Solo to Azlin Rell, to Lando, Leia, and more, this will be a busy issue. From the solicits, it seems more concerned with Luke Skywalker’s legacy than anything. In contrast, Darth Vader #50 will deal more directly with setting up Return of the Jedi. In case you missed them, here are the solicits:
Star Wars #50
JEDI MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER must teach his student BEN SOLO a powerful lesson about the true balance between LIGHT and DARK. He offers up a tale from the days of the REBEL ALLIANCE that touches on ALL ERAS OF STAR WARS HISTORY, and brings this epic run to a thrilling, incredible conclusion!
Darth Vader #50
• The longest-running DARTH VADER comics series ever reaches its stunning conclusion as THE DARK HEART OF THE SITH comes full circle!
• Darth Vader finally unleashes the unfathomable power he’s accumulated through the SCHISM IMPERIAL against the only person in the galaxy he hates more than he hates himself – EMPEROR PALPATINE!
• Also featuring the final twists in the saga for key characters like LUKE, LEIA, SABÉ, OCHI, ZED, SLY MOORE, the members of the Schism Imperial and more!
The Star Wars chapter titles are all lines of dialogue in relation to the Death Star. It’s probably not worth reading into too much until we get our hands on the issue, but it’s still interesting. Here they are:
- “You Would Prefer Another Target?”
- “You May Fire When Ready”
- “Commence Primary Ignition”
- “As If Millions of Voices Cried Out In Terror”
Star Wars #50 arrives September 11. Keep it here at Star Wars News Net for more from Soule and other creators as we get closer to these major titles.
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
