“The capacity for selfishness and cruelty exists everywhere across the galaxy.”
Vernestra Rwoh
Young Jedi knight Indara is dispatched on a mission to recall the Wayseeker Jedi master Vernestra Rwoh to Coruscant. Together, Vernestra and Indara are sent on a mission full of complicated politics, experimental weapons, and deception all around.
Lightwhip combat! Seasoned bounty hunters! And fighting for Light and Life!
Justina Ireland serves up a story that takes one of our favorite Jedi from the young prodigy she was during The High Republic to the Jedi Master we see in The Acolyte.
Holocron Keeper
Indara is a young Jedi archivist who hesitates to take on responsibilities outside of the temple. This younger version of Indara is much less confident and direct than the Jedi Master we meet in The Acolyte. Ireland does an excellent job of laying many seeds into Indara that feel like they will blossom into the future Indara fans of the show already know. The chemistry between Indara and Vernestra is amazingly well done, and while it might be predictable that Vernestra would be a wonderful mentor to Indara, it’s cool to see that a young Indara can teach a wise Jedi master a few things too!
I, Jedi
Vernestra Rwoh is an aloof Jedi master who communes more with the Force than her fellow Jedi. As a Jedi Wayseeker, she has been satisfyingly absent from Jedi politics for years at a time. She seems more connected to the younger version of her character seen in The High Republic books. But again, Justina does an excellent job of planting seeds that might just grow into the Vernestra we see in The Acolyte, who works much more closely with Jedi politics.
Future Past
If you are familiar with other connecting pieces of Star Wars storytelling, you might have questions about Vernestra and the events she is connected to. There were no direct spoilers here. Some of the events of the Nihil conflict were referenced in a roundabout way if you’ve read those stories. If you haven’t, I would hope the references might pique some curiosity. The other mystery of Vernestra’s former apprentice also got a few mentions. Nothing but a few vague thoughts, but it is clear that this book takes place after Vernestra and a certain Padawan had parted ways.
Bits and Pieces
Wayseeker might seem like a standalone story, but for fans of these characters, this book is so much more. Justina Ireland has given us a fascinating character study of Vernestra and Indara. Vernestra’s chapters are told from a first-person point of view, and the rest of the book is told in a more common third-person storytelling style. It’s a bold choice that does an excellent job of framing Vernestra’s story in a deeply personal way and instantly takes you straight to that headspace when the story shifts over to her.
The story deals with themes of what makes a good mentor. What it can take for a person to willfully take the next step on their journey. What can hold a person back from reaching their potential. What we can learn from each other. Threaded throughout are pieces of the past: masters, mentors, and even padawans. A good Jedi takes heed of all the knowledge imparted, and this story makes a point that learning is a lifelong lesson.
This is a must-read for Vernestra fans and those looking to see the Jedi order change from The High Republic books to The Acolyte show!
- Sal P.
“Sometimes the easier path is just that, easier.”
Vernestra Rwoh
The Acolyte: Wayseeker is available now!
You Might Also Like:
- The Acolyte
- Master and Apprentice
- The High Republic: A Test of Courage
- The High Republic: Defy the Storm
- Ahsoka
The Rogue Rebels 
One thought on “The Acolyte: Wayseeker Review!”