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vergencescatter · 8 months

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Marda and Kevmo: anti-Juliet to Romeo

To continue the thought: if we see Marda as a deeply tragic figure (as emphasised in my last post), I think it becomes natural to see her as the anti-Juliet to the Romeo of Kevmo.

Marda's need to prove herself to everyone around her, to be strong for the Littles (coming from her drive to care for others), and to prove her worth to the Mother, means she cannot allow her conviction to waver. She genuinely loves the people of the Path, because since a young age many of them have been like family. There are also many aspects of the Path as a missionary order, such as believing they should provide for each other as the Force would provide for them in return, that I think attracts and speaks to Marda's better nature. These sorts of principles - like the notion of "gifts freely given" and the belief to always open an extended hand to others - reinforce Marda's resolve that the Path represents fundamental good in the galaxy (a lot of these principles precede the Mother's ascension to power, by the way).

Of course, so much of this becomes saturated by the Path as a cult, and thus by violent ideology. If it is Marda's innocence and endearing nature that drives her blind love for the people of the Path; at the same time, it is Marda's naivety in believing that the Mother has these ideals at heart that translates into her blind ideological devotion, with the Mother seen by members of the Path as a prophet sent by the Force.

That said, her affection for Jedi Padawan Kevmo Zink almost saves her from her eventual fall into the purely ideological component of the cult. Zink has a way of connecting with Marda through their mutual care for others and their mutual respective for the Force. They are able to discuss the Force and debate their respective interpretations in a manner where they can question each other respectively. Through their engagements there is no hint of violence in Marda's view, with Zink able to extract and focus the good of Marda's deeper nature. In fact, through her relationship with Kevmo we see Marda begin to think that maybe, along with Yana, they could leave Dalna and work as missionaries. In their most intimate moments, one can see Marda opening up (however tentatively) to a different view of the world (while at the same time carrying forward the good principles she sees in the Path); she even begins to imagine being with Kevmo on Jedah. At no point here does she accept the way in which the Jedi use the force; but she at least begins to contemplate and reflect more openly about the world. Kevmo also seems to take a lot from Marda, particularly her altruistic views of the Force.

As the book unfolds, we see the bond between Marda and Kevmo grow stronger. They begin to develop intimate feelings for one another. Toward the final chapters, it appears as though the ideological grip on Marda is beginning to loosen and her many endearing qualities will be redeemed. I mean, one would be forgiven to think that there is hope for her - that she might actually leave Dalna and find a new direction (or extract a peaceful missionary element from the Path and become a speaker for basic values of care and compassion). Indeed, with Yana exposing the Mother and telling Marda that what the Path has become is wrong, there is a moment where it seems they are about to leave the cult and runaway to Jedha (with Zink and his Master). Marda had even prepared to leave by saying goodbye to the Kessarine family to which she had grown close.

I think this is why, in the final pages, her actions and her decisions are so infuriating. When Kevmo is tragically killed alongside Jedi Master Zallah Macri - they are the first Jedi to encounter the Leveler in the High Republic era - I was left somewhat shocked by Marda's decisions. Upon learning of Kevmo's fate, she is clearly upset - and with Yana recently disclosing uneasy truths about the Mother - I thought this was Marda's moment to finally break free. I thought together they might even try to kill the Mother, and perhaps even rescue their ideal view of the Path. Instead, the death of Kevmo - truly her lost love - is framed by the Mother as though the Jedi's use of the Force was at fault, and that the Leveler is simply an agent of the Force ("the Force must be free"). Pressing on the fresh wounds in Marda's heart, the Mother seems to finally twist Marda into something more extreme - something violent. And it is out of our naivety that Marda believes the Mother, perceiving the loss of her love as a result of Kevmo being a Jedi. So, the Jedi are to blame. Hence, her burning hatred for the Jedi begins (and for all those who abuse the Force). And just like that, the tragedy of Marda Ro is sealed.

Marda is thus the anti-Juliet to the Romeo of Kevmo. Her tragedy becomes rooted in how she cannot recognise her betrayal of Kevmo. Instead, Kevmo's death fuels a blind sense of hatred, going against her better nature and also what brough her and Kevmo together in the first place.

#star wars #star wars books #Marda Ro #path of deceit #The Path of the Open Hand #The Mother #The Leveler #anti-Juliet #Yana Ro #the high republic #My chronological reading of SW canon

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