Notice! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #4The first chapter of Star Wars new Battle of Jakku Epic concluded with a possible tease that a powerful new villain may have been created between the original and sequel trilogies. As seen in Battle of Jakku – Rise of the Insurgencythe Rebellion that became the New Republic continues to fight against the fractured Empire following the Return of the Jediand this notably includes Moff Adelhard and his Iron Block. However, Adelhard will apparently become even more dangerous in stories to come.
As seen in Rise of the Insurgency #4 by Alex Segura and Leonard Kirk, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker infiltrates Adelhard’s blockade to save his rebel friends who have been captured by Moff’s forces before confronting Adelhard directly. Although Luke defeats Adelhard quite easily, it is revealed that the Moff survives the encounter while also revealing that he will no longer underestimate the power of the Force:
Claiming it’s time for him to embrace some darkness himself, It’s not a stretch to wonder if Moff Adelhard intends to wield the Force alone in the next chapter of Battle of Jakku – Republic under siegebecoming a much more formidable threat to Luke Skywalker, who is currently the only Jedi in the Star Wars Galaxy.
Luke Skywalker defeated Moff Adelhard in rising insurgency
Having underestimated the true power of the force
As seen throughout Rise of the Insurgency four questions, Adelhard chose to act as if the Empire was still thriving, operating in a state of denial and punishing any of its citizens in the Anoat sector who dared to claim otherwise.. Breaking down their Iron Blockade, the New Republic saw Adelhard as a great threat, while others, such as the dark side cult known as the Acolytes of the Beyond, predicted great things for the Moff. However, other factions of the Imperial Navy who chose to follow Palpatine’s posthumous orders, known as Operation Cinder, were apparently fine with Adelhard serving as a distraction to keep the New Republic occupied.
That said, Luke Skywalker had little trouble taking down Adelhard’s forces and the Moff himself. This was largely due to the Moff’s underestimation of the Force, having claimed that he had very little patience for magic and parlor tricks.and he told this to the Acolyte representative, Reyna Oskure, a long-lived Anzati who took inspiration from the Imperial Inquisitors of old, red lightsaber and all. That said, Adelhard’s perspective changed greatly toward the end of the Rise of Insurgency with this apparent tease that he will begin to trust more those who wield the dark side more, or may attempt to embrace the dark side himself, potentially being a Force-sensitive secret.
Moff Adelhard may come to exercise the dark side
A new villain that wields strength between the Star Wars trilogies?
Moff Adelhard secretly being an untrained Force-sensitive could also explain his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Empire.. After all, he joined the Imperial Navy as nothing more than a mere stormtrooper before eventually earning the rank of Moff in his own right. Adelhard also served with Grand Admiral Thrawn and found little favor with Darth Vader himself, both certainly testaments to his skill and prowess that were perhaps amplified by the Force.
“The pieces are certainly there to suggest that Moff Adelhard may evolve and embrace the dark side in future issues with Republic under siege…”
In the same way, Reyna told Luke before his meeting with Adelhard that she predicted the Moff’s greatest victory was yet to come.. Additionally, it hasn’t been shown that Reyna’s lightsaber was recovered after she was disarmed by Luke and taken into New Republic custody, so perhaps it’s waiting for Adelhard to find out after her confirmed survival. Either way, the pieces are certainly there to suggest that Moff Adelhard may evolve and embrace the dark side in future issues with Republic under siege.
Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Rise of the Insurgency #4 It’s on sale now at Marvel Comics.