Jedi of the Republic – Mace Windu 4

Mace faces a crisis of faith in the Jedi Order when a fellow Jedi challenges him!

On Mathas, many years prior to the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Cyslin Myr informs her Padawan, Mace Windu, about the plight of the Mathasians, who are suffering from the Niffin Plague. This illness, unique to Mathas natives, slowly damages their respiratory systems. Windu questions their assistance to the people, and Myr clarifies that while direct medical intervention isn't their role, they've established an outreach temple to provide emotional and spiritual support. The Jedi's presence on Mathas is primarily due to the disappearance of Jedi Master Kez Velaz, who oversaw the outreach program. Reports suggest that a man named Drooz has occupied the temple, falsely claiming to be a Jedi prophet and healer. He exploits the people's suffering for personal gain and is considered a heretic. As they approach the temple, Myr instructs Mace to only assess the situation and apprehend Drooz. Mace expresses his concern, as Drooz is twisting their sacred teachings to exploit vulnerable individuals. Entering the temple amongst the needy, Myr advises Mace to control his anger and channel his emotions appropriately, emphasizing that violence should only be a last resort.

In the present day, Mace Windu and Prosset Dibs are engaged in a lightsaber duel. Mace attempts to reason with Dibs, reminding him that they are brothers who have chosen the same path. He questions how Dibs could abandon their shared values. Dibs counters that the Jedi Council has betrayed the Jedi teachings, arguing that war in the name of peace is unjust. Mace defends their actions, stating that war is not their preferred option but the only one available. He asserts that if he must wield a weapon to protect what he believes is right, he will do so, as their lightsaber training serves a purpose. Watching from a distance, Rissa implores Kit Fisto, stating that fighting each other is wrong, as they should be leading and supporting people during this time of war. While Fisto understands her perspective, he recognizes that Dibs is facing a necessary lesson that he may be failing to learn.

Returning to the past on Mathas, a woman confronts Drooz, explaining that despite her prayers, the Force has not answered her pleas. She begs Drooz to save her child's life, but the heretic claims that the Force is a complex natural power and that he acts as a conduit for its wisdom. He questions her dedication to the Force, and when she admits that she has tried everything without success, Drooz declares to the crowd that they cannot expect handouts from the Force if they haven't fully committed themselves to it. He asserts that the Force operates according to its own will, and those who please it will be blessed. At that moment, Cyslin Myr and Mace Windu arrive and confront Drooz, who is surprised by their presence. They inquire about Master Kez Velaz's whereabouts, but Drooz claims to be the only Jedi on Mathas, denouncing the two Jedi as imposters and heretics who seek to exploit their suffering. Drooz flees and commands his followers to kill them, but as Mace pursues him, Drooz throws a thermal detonator into the crowd. Myr uses the Force to contain the explosion and protect the innocent people, instructing her Padawan to continue pursuing Drooz.

Reflecting on these past events, Windu explains that he has witnessed the destructive effects of insecurity and how it can warp a person's mind in their obsessive pursuit of power. He emphasizes that the Jedi Order exists to protect people from such malevolence and to uphold peace above all else. Dibs, blinded by his own convictions, states that Windu's words only reinforce his beliefs. He declares that he will sever his ties to the Jedi Council and forge his own path, no longer serving an organization that has become self-serving.

When Mace warns that he will not hesitate to hunt him down, the story flashes back to Mathas, where Windu chases Drooz through the temple hall and encounters his Gamorrean guards. Using the Force to guide his actions, Mace swiftly defeats them in hand-to-hand combat. However, he is soon pinned down by blaster fire from Drooz. The heretic proclaims that people are easily manipulated and need to be told what to believe. He explains that Mathas is full of such people, and he has exploited their vulnerability for money, power, and worship. Using the smoke from the explosion as cover, Mace sneaks up behind Drooz and confronts him about his exploitation of the poor, before incapacitating him. As Mace holds his ignited lightsaber over Drooz, Cyslin Myr arrives and orders her Padawan to stop, stating that Drooz will be held accountable for his actions. While she understands Mace's anger, she reminds him that they must be better than their enemies.

Mace agrees and relents. In the present, on Hissrich, Mace also defeats Dibs and finds himself in a similar situation. However, remembering his master's teachings, he stands down and takes Dibs back to their ship, where he is restrained. With the situation resolved, the Jedi can now focus on the task at hand: a two-pronged attack on the Separatist base to eliminate both the droids and the harvesters. To initiate their plan, Kit Fisto creates a diversion by attacking droids outside the Separatist base, claiming that they are under attack.

• UPC 759606087617; November 29 , 2017 ; Marvel Comics [1] 00411; Cover A; Jesús Saiz[1] 00421; Cover B; Declan Shalvey 00431; Cover C; Rachelle Rosenberg, Will Sliney