The Phantom Bully

Roan Novachez is eager with anticipation as he begins his third and final year at Jedi Academy Middle School. This year, every student is assigned to a Jedi mentor for direct instruction. Roan, hoping to work with Master Yoda, is disappointed to learn that his mentor is the stern, often grumpy Mr. Garfield. And not long into the semester, a mysterious bully begins a series of pranks to get Roan in trouble.    

Much like Jedi Academy and Return of the Padawan, The Phantom Bully is a graphic novel that tells Roan’s story through diary entries, comics, sketches, Holobook posts, Holomail, and poster clippings that fill every page. Much like its predecessors, The Phantom Bully is largely split between Roan’s diary entries and his comic strips, with the former featuring more words than the latter. As always, Jeffrey Brown’s charming, humorous illustrations bring Roan’s world to life and make each page a treat. 

In The Phantom Bully, Roan’s primary obstacle is his assigned Jedi mentor, Mr. Garfield, who is incredibly stern, and the unknown “phantom bully” wreaking havoc across the Academy. Roan has trouble getting through to Mr. Garfield, who prefers a “hmph” (his trademark expression) to a hello. Over time, Roan learns that while Mr. Garfield may have a gruff exterior, he does genuinely care about his students’ well-being and growth. By the end of the year, their relationship evolves from frustration to respect—a good lesson for students on how to adjust to difficult teachers, who often look out for their students’ best interests.  

The identity of the mysterious “phantom bully” keeps tensions high throughout the school year. His antics include letting the school pet, Voorpee, loose, stealing Roan’s backpack, and sabotaging Roan and Gaiana’s talent show performance. The truth is revealed during the climactic Jedi Labyrinth Trial, the Academy’s final challenge. Cronah, who had bothered Roan ever since his first arrival, had been pulling the strings all along. Cronah laments, “Ever since you arrived here, you’ve loved getting all the special attention. . . I don’t even have any good friends now. I’m not even going to become a Jedi, probably, because of you.” Roan tells Cronah that he would have more friends if he didn’t spend his time messing with people. Roan’s reply demonstrates his growth over the last two books. 

Over the course of the Jedi Academy series, Roan has grown tremendously as a character. In the first book, Roan arrives at Jedi Academy feeling like a fish out of water; his classmates had been students of the Force for years, leading Roan to worry not only about fitting in, but also whether he’ll be able to catch up to them. In Return of the Padawan, Roan struggles socially as a series of misunderstandings leads his two closest friends, Pasha and Gaiana, to ignore him. By the conclusion of The Phantom Bully, Roan has become a more mature, confident, and empathetic person through his many tribulations – all traits that suit a Jedi well. 

Roan Novachez’s final year at Jedi Academy isn’t all challenges. One constant bright spot is his budding relationship with Gaiana, and by the end of the book, they’re officially a couple. Many classic middle school crush and first-date tropes are both awkward and endearing. In the end, Roan demonstrates his growth as a person and as a Jedi, graduating from Jedi Academy Middle School on a high note. While the book doesn’t reach the same heights as Jedi Academy or Return of the Padawan, it still brings the trilogy to a satisfying close.  

Sexual Content 

• Roan and Gaiana grow closer and begin a relationship. They display affectionate behavior like hugging and holding hands. They kiss a few times, both on the cheek and lips. This is depicted in the comic panels and is more playful than sexual. 

Violence 

• There is minimal violence during lightsaber training sequences and especially in the Jedi Labyrinth Trial. These are shown in the comic panels; no one is hurt. 
• On a field trip, Cronah pranks Roan by whipping him with a towel while at the pool. This is depicted in a panel. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

• None 

Language 

• Like the previous books, there are some light verbal insults thrown between the characters during altercations, as well as by Roan in his journal. For instance, the words “suck,” “jerk,” and “idiot” are used infrequently. 

Spiritual Content  

• The Force, the source of a Jedi’s power, can be interpreted as a sort of supernatural entity. As described in a brochure in the first book, “The Force is an invisible energy field created by all living things. The Force gives a Jedi his power, allowing him to do extraordinary things like moving objects with his mind.” 

by Nicholas Paragano