Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3 Review

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Cere Junda’s mission to Ontotho only gets more complicated when an ally returns from the dead in Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3.

Warning: This article includes plot points for Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3.

Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3

Writer: Matthew Rosenberg | Artist: Paolo Villanelli | Colorist: Arif Prianto | Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino | Cover Artist: Will Sliney & Dono Sánchez-Almara | Designer: Anthony Gambino | Assistant Editor: Tom Gronneman | Editor: Mark Paniccia

The Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple series is hiding a secret in the very temple that is the namesake of the series. Whatever that secret it is, the Empire in the present and corporate interests in the past are desperate to get their hands on it. In the current day, the Second Sister leads her purge troopers against the Fylari rebelling against Imperial occupation. This is an echo of the Fylari’s defense of their territory from corporate raiding during the time of the Republic. The Fylari don’t know what the temple they protect holds, but they are willing to fight for it. Dark Temple #3 adds intrigue and complications as an ally thought dead returns to aid in the investigation of the mystery.

The Hidden Temple

The last of the Fylari defenders, a Gigoran, falls to the Second Sister. Once the Imperial forces are done with the opposition, nothing appears to be left. Then the Second Sister uses the Force to clear the field and reveal a passageway leading into a cavern. She notes that whatever is there is what they were fighting for. Yet, before she can explore this area, the scene shifts to the past. It is a clever bit of writing by Rosenberg. Cere Junda’s story in the past will end in the same place in Dark Temple #3. The reader won’t get their answers here, but they are left with a cliffhanger that will keep them coming back for issue four.

Defense of the Temple

In Dark Temple #2, Cere Junda joined with the Fylari to protect their territory from the Daa Corporation. All the evidence suggested that the Daa Corporation engineered an ambush of their own caravan and the Jedi in order to secure the cooperation of the Ontotho government in invading the Fylar territory and seizing the temple that lied within. This suggestd that Dylanti Daa knows what is in the temple, or at least suspects there is something in the temple worth destroying the Fylar over.

Cere’s attempts to convince the Ontotho council of this failed. Instead, they attempted to arrest her. That didn’t work, and Cere returned to the Fylari to prepare their defense from an invasion. That invasion finally arrives in Dark Temple #3. Cere is very careful in repelling the invaders. She instructs the Fylari to only destroy the droids, but to spare the officers. The defense is a success. Cere knows though that this is only a temporary reprieve. Daa Corporation will return. Another plan is needed. She is proven correct when more Daa droids arrive, having tracked the debris the Fylari scavenged from the previous attack.

The New Plan

Cere realizes that she needs to contact the Jedi High Council and request assistance. Therefore, she plans a raid on the Daa camp in the hopes of using their communications equipment. When she gets there, she corners Dylanti Daa, and after a brief fight, it is revealed that Cere’s master, Cordova, survived. In fact, Dylanti recovered his injured body and healed him in his own personal bacta tanks.

This creates an issue. Cere sincerely believes she is fighting for the right by allying herself with the Fylari. Cordova has been taken in by Daa Corporation, and is unaware of the attacks that have transpired. Dylanti also claims that Cordova’s survival was kept secret in order to prevent other assassination attempts. So, Dylanti has a credible explanation and defense for his innocence in this matter. However, if he didn’t attack the caravan in Dark Temple #1, and it wasn’t the responsibility of the Fylari, then who is responsible?

Mediation

Given that two Jedi are convinced of the innocence of the respective parties they represent, Master Cordova believes that diplomacy is the best solution. Almost immediately, the diplomatic solution begins to fail until Cordova uses a Jedi mind trick to convince both sides that a two day recess is in order. Despite his desire for peace, he knows it won’t last, and so he plans on getting to the root of the problem with Cere by exploring the temple.

Final Thoughts on Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3

Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple #3 takes what was an entertaining story and turns it into an intriguing mystery. The second issue of the series built intrigue on top of the first, and this issue magnifies it. The question every reader wants answered is: what is inside that temple? Secondary questions include who is responsible for all the attacks? What does Dylanti really know about the temple? And, finally, are the Fylari completely forthcoming with what they know of the temple?

One of the aspects of this issue that particularly shines is the return of Master Cardova. He is cool under pressure where Cere Junda is running hot. She is caught up in the conflict and pursuing a course of action she believes to be the correct one. Meanwhile, Cordova takes a step back, assesses the situation, and then plots a course ahead where the peace can be maintained (hopefully) while a solution is sought, and the mysteries are resolved. The relationship between Cere and Cardova demonstrates the benefit of wisdom gained through experience and the difference between a padawan and a master. In this case, one can only hope that Cardova hasn’t fallen prey to Daa’s charms.