Notice! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #3Star Wars surprisingly brought back an Imperial Inquisitor during the New Republic Era. As seen in new and canonical Marvel Comics stories Battle of Jakku series, a mysterious, hooded Inquisitor emerged after Return of the Jedi. That said, I have a good idea who it could be.
In Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Rise of the Insurgency #3 by Alex Segura, Leonard Kirk and Jethro Morales, the team of Rebels sent by Princess Leia to investigate Moff Adelhard’s Iron Blockade is captured by Imperial forces. Although they managed to escape their cell thanks to a mole among Alelhard’s officers, the rebels were quickly defeated by Adelhard’s commander Bragh, as well as a hooded figure wielding a red lightsaber.
Surprisingly, Commander Bragh refers to this lightsaber-wielding figure as an “Inquisitor,” a name typically reserved for Vader’s Jedi hunters during the Dark Times, before the start of the Galactic Civil War. With that in mind, I’m feeling pretty confident that I know who this new “Inquisitor” is in this new Star Wars series.
What we know about the Empire’s inquisitors
Did anyone survive the Galactic Civil War?
The Imperial Inquisitory was formed by Palpatine even before the Revenge of the Sith and Order 66, having corrupted a good handful of disenfranchised Jedi to their cause in secret before seducing Anakin Skywalker to the dark side at the end of the Clone Wars. Placed under the command of Darth Vader himself, the Grand Inquisitor and his fellow hunters were tasked with killing or transforming any surviving Jedi they encountered.. However, it was said in canon that the vast majority of their order was exterminated and practically unnecessary by the time of A New Hope and the Galactic Civil War.
That said, there were some Inquisitors who “survived” beyond the Dark Times. This includes the Grand Inquisitor, whose spirit was tied to an ancient Jedi temple by Vader himself to attract and trap Force-wielders (like Luke Skywalker following The Empire Strikes Back). Likewise, there was also the Inquisitor called Marrok in Ahsoka who was actually deceased and was being puppeted by Nighsister Morgan Elsbeth.
“I’m more inclined to think that this new Inquisitor did not serve Palpatine or Vader during the Dark Time and only recently assumed the classic name in Star Wars timeline…”
That being said, Ahsoka occurs about 5 years later Return of the Jedi while this new series takes place just days and weeks after the Battle of Endor. As such, it’s possible that this new Inquisitor could very well be Marrok, who has yet to be killed and turned into a dark side zombie. However, I’m more inclined to think that this new Inquisitor didn’t serve Palpatine or Vader during the Dark Ages and only recently took on the classic name in Star Wars timeline.
Who is this new inquisitor working with Moff Adelhard?
I have a major hunch about who’s behind the hood…
If I bet money, my best guess is that this new Inquisitor in Battle of Jakku #3 is none other than Anzati Reyna Oskure. Reyna was recently sent to Moff Adelhard at the request of Yupe Tashu, once a confidant of Palpatine and leader of the dark side cult, The Acolytes of the Beyond. Although Adelhard is resistant to the concept of the Force, Reyna is tasked with showing what the dark side can offer Adelhard, who has chosen to operate in a state of denial with his Iron Block, as if the Empire is not currently fractured by the New. Republic on the rise.
To that end, Reyna was defending the Force right before the Inquisitor debuted and subdued the rebels. Furthermore, the Inquisitor denies Bragh’s offer to take the rebels to Adelhard, wanting to use them as an example of what the dark side can do and the power Adelhard could wield if he trusted the Force. Keeping these sentiments in mind, I would be extremely surprised if the like-minded Reyna Oskure wasn’t revealed as the new Inquisitor. (who may have been inspired to take on the classic title due to the existence of a new Jedi Knight operating in the galaxy).
It looks like Luke Skywalker will soon face Star Wars’ newest Inquisitor
The Light vs The Dark Side of the Force
It’s also worth noting that Luke Skywalker himself is shown taking down a squad of stormtroopers at the end of this issue, while the Inquisitor speaks to Commander Bragh. It certainly seems like Luke intends to save these rebels who are apparently being used as bait by this new Inquisitor. With this in mind, future questions of Battle of Jakku will likely see this new Inquisitor’s identity revealed as he faces off against Luke Skywalkerresulting in a new epic lightsaber duel for this post-Return of the Jedi was.
Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Rise of the Insurgency #3 It’s on sale now at Marvel Comics.