Star Wars: The High Republic novels and comics will feature villains called the Nihil who are equatable to “Space Vikings.” This information comes off the heels of Lucasfilm’s much-hyped reveal of Project Luminous, a storytelling initiative that will bridge the gap between the end of the Skywalker saga and Star Wars’ theatrical future. However, instead of exploring the future in a literal sense, Project Luminous will use adult and young adult novels, children’s books, comics, and more to tell stories set during the High Republic—200 years before the Skywalker saga.
The age of the High Republic is being described as a golden age of peace and calm in the galaxy; the Jedi of this period being comparable to Knights of the Round Table. The inspiration for this idea is very much derived from Obi-Wan Kenobi's line in Star Wars: A New Hope, “for over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.” While the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic will be at its pinnacle throughout The High Republic publishing campaign, no Star Wars story is without conflict. To create this conflict, the writers supposedly asked themselves what the Jedi might be afraid of. The answer to that question appears to revolve around a lack of order; the Republic's borders are threatened as they do not extend from one side of the galaxy to the other.
Outside of the Republic lies a new frontier. A different type of Jedi will patrol this area as well as a different type of villain, one purposely different than the organized Empire or First Order. The main villains encountered by the High Republic’s heroes are a group called the Nihil. Their motto is “you can’t take it with you but we can take it from you." Check out the antagonists courtesy of a comic book cover and some concept art below:
The Nihil are said to use Hyperspace in such a way that makes them really dangerous. These "Space Vikings" are reckless and lawless; they're not a bunch of uniform soldiers serving a higher purpose, they're in it for themselves. The Nihil are thematic opposites of familiar villains like stormtroopers; as opposed to clean and institutionalized, the Nihil appear dirty and chaotic. Fans will learn more about the Nihil in comics like The High Republic Adventures by Daniel José Older which follows two Padawans that receive a crash course on the new foe.
The material published by Disney Lucasfilm Press, Marvel, and IDW publishing will not overlap with any past Star Wars stories or ones currently in production. The intentional distance between what we know of Star Wars canon and this new era allows the writers free reign to tell original stories. Much like the Nihil, fans are in uncharted territory. Hopefully, the Nihil will prove to be a worthy enough adversary to not only tide those fans over but peak their interest in upcoming Star Wars films.
Source: StarWars.com