Temple of the Sith
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The Temple of the Sith, originally the New Jedi Temple, was a building located on Coruscant. After having served the New Jedi Order since the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, it was captured by the One Sith in 130 ABY.
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[edit] History
[edit] The New Republic/Galactic Alliance
Upon the stabilization of Coruscant by Yuuzhan Vong Shapers, Chief of State Cal Omas of the Galactic Alliance donated a new Jedi Temple to the New Jedi Order on behalf of the Reconstruction Authority, as the Jedi had been an instrumental part in defeating the Yuuzhan Vong during the horrific Yuuzhan Vong War.
Though less important with the establishment of the Jedi Academy on Ossus, used merely as shelter for Jedi negotiating with the Galactic Alliance government, as time progressed and the Order grew, more and more Jedi occupied the Temple. During the Dark Nest Crisis, Luke Skywalker summoned a trio of Joiners to the newly rebuilt Knights Billet to send them to Dagobah for meditation. The Grand Master and his wife would take up an apartment suite within the Temple, and Jagged Fel, on his hunt for Alema Rar, was based within. Leading up to and during the Second Galactic Civil War, the Jedi High Council once again convened here for their meetings. With the Order flourishing, the Jedi Temple was once again a bustling hub for Jedi and their initiates, while Ossus remained the center of teaching for the very young.
Around the time of the Second Galactic Civil War, Jacen Solo brought Lumiya to the Jedi Temple in order to see if she had conquered her anger and aggression toward Luke Skywalker and the Jedi. With little reaction besides shock and awe at the size of the Temple, Lumiya passed the test and they left, her first and only time she would be inside her enemy’s fortress.
During the funeral of Mara Skywalker, a group of Galactic Alliance Guard officers attempted to arrest Han and Leia Organa Solo. They managed to escape detainment, but this act revealed the Temple's lack of safety against the government. After the Ossus Academy was attacked the Jedi began to question their loyalties. After severing their allegiance to the Alliance at the Battle of Kuat, the Temple was invaded by GAG troops. Apprentice Seha drained the Archives of information and brought it on a datafile to safety after traversing the planet's undercity. All remaining Jedi fled the Temple, in favor of an abandoned Imperial base on Endor.
[edit] Sith Takeover
- "I heard the Sith built their Temple right over the old Jedi Temple. Right over the place I called home."
- ―Cade Skywalker[src]
It would be occupied once more by the Jedi Order when Kol Skywalker was a Jedi Master, c. 116 ABY to 130 ABY. During their childhoods, Cade Skywalker and Shado Vao explored the vast structure, learning its secrets by night, when most of the residents slept.
In 130 ABY, the new Galactic Empire fell into the control of Darth Krayt and his new Sith Order. The Temple was conquered and the structure was renamed the Temple of the Sith and renovated. The symbolic transparisteel pyramid was removed and the roof was redesigned; and like the old Temple, four towers were erected at each corner, while the New Jedi Order's four additional pyramids were destroyed.
The changes in the height of surrounding buildings made it so that only the newly exposed pyramidal roof visible. Precinct along with the Temple ziggurat were hidden from view, while the formal entrance was erected on the roof and the Processional Way was rebuilt as a bridge that stood over the old road. Because the upper portion of the Temple was the only thing to be rebuilt, the foundations and parts of the interior layout were easy to infiltrate by Cade in 137 ABY.
Darth Maladi set up her laboratory in the area where healing and scientific study were formerly performed. It was here that she interrogated Hosk Trey'lis to find the location of Cade Skywalker, setting into motion the events which led to the last Skywalker's capture. Krayt sensed Cade Skywalker entering the Temple of the Sith with the intent on rescuing the Jedi Hosk Trey'lis. Krayt ordered that his Hands, Darth Nihl and Darth Talon, capture Skywalker and present him to their master. Cade infiltrated the Temple from one of the old entrances, and eventually released the Bothan Jedi healer.
Following his capture by the Sith Hands, Cade was passed to Darth Maladi for torture. Using a lethal dose of ixetal cilona, she planned to force him into a malleable state, but her best efforts were foiled due to Cade's former use of death sticks and his great Force abilities greatly boosting his immunity to the poison. Upon hearing this, Krayt wanted Cade to join him, but Cade refused. In a show of cruelty, Krayt ordered Maladi to infect the recently captured Jariah Syn and Deliah Blue with deadly Yuuzhan Vong Yorik-Kul coral seeds. Cade saved his friends and made a deal with Krayt: he would remain with the Sith in exchange for his friends' freedom.
Krayt proceeded to feed Cade and told him, Darth Talon and Darth Wyyrlok the story of A'Sharad Hett, a Jedi turned Sith. Hett was Krayt, as Skywalker learned. At last, Skywalker accepted what Krayt believed to be his destiny, and agreed to learn the ways of the Sith. Krayt commanded him to heal Talon, for she would be his teacher. During the training of Cade, Talon would bring her student to the Sith Art Chamber and the basement where they would duel decrepit droids and Yuuzhan Vong growth. Meanwhile, Imperial agent Morrigan Corde infiltrated the Temple, and planted a number of Yuuzhan Vong bugs within the old power core. Skywalker was trained as an acolyte, forced to heal himself at even the most minor bit of damage.
After a botched attempt at rescuing Hosk Trey'lis again from Maladi's laboratory, Darth Krayt ordered Cade to execute the Jedi Master. Cade refused, and thus Krayt executed Trey'lis himself. Provoked by Krayt's ruthlessness and encouraged by the Force-ghost of Kol Skywalker, Cade used the Force to shatter a display case holding his father's lightsaber and proceeded to to duel the Sith. He then used the weapon to stab Darth Talon in the stomach, immediately taking her out of the fight. He then was attacked by Darth Nihl. Krayt stayed back and tried to persuade Cade to kill Nihl in anger and become a Sith. Eventually, Cade cut Nihl's arm off, threw him against a wall, and used Force lightning on him. Krayt then told Cade to avenge his father's death by killing Nihl. As Cade and the Sith argued, the Mynock, which was beginning it's attack was intercepted by Skull Squadron; however, Morlish Veed ordered Moff Rulf Yage to call off the attack, citing that the Sith ordered the Temple's aerial space to be left undisturbed. Unbeknownst to Yage, all of this was planned before hand in order to insure Cade's rescue. As the Mynock reached its destination, Corde detonated the Vong bugs which destroyed the Temple hangars.
Just as the duel between Skywalker and Emperor Krayt was reaching its climax, Morrigan Corde blasted open the window behind them, showering Krayt with transparisteel shards. Cade then jumped out and was rescued by Jariah Syn aboard the Mynock, who pulled him inside. The Mynock then escaped the planet and jumped to Hyperspace, but not before Corde revealed herself to Cade over a comlink. Corde revealed herself to be his mother, but when Cade demanded some answers, she replied that he wouldn't be getting any.
[edit] Layout
A dramatic pyramid of tinted transparisteel in the Rebirth architecture style, the Jedi Temple was supposed to serve as a successor to the former Jedi Temple, the Jedi Headquarters building, and the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin IV. Built upon the same ancient Force nexus as the original Temple, the building maintained its ability to permeate light side energies. The area around the Temple was restored and remained known as the Temple Precinct which once again was bisected by the main boulevard, the Processional Way. Still freely visible from far away due to the structure's height of over a kilometer high above the other buildings of Galactic City, the new architecture added a new shape to the skyline.
It was situated near Unity Green, overlooking Liberation Lake. Unlike the past Temple, the new design enclosed the five spires; instead the High Council Chambers were incorporated inside the central pyramid, which also encompassed the Sacred Spire as the central point of the Temple.
[edit] Pyramids
The new transparisteel layer gave the Temple its appearance of a pyramid. Within it, however, the structure appeared basically as it had in the days of the Galactic Republic. The open air gaps between the pyramid and the actual building allowed for balconies and outer halls to be exposed to clean, fresh air while still being protected behind the clear barrier. The natural light that poured through the glass illuminated the interior along with the original outdoor study and learning areas that were placed behind the transparisteel wall. The pyramid had retractable sections that were placed in front of hangars and other specific areas in order to allow for transports and sunlight to get in and out. Large gardens now grew on the roof and were used to service the Temple's kitchens.
Within the main pyramid, atop the Temple Ziggurat, the five spires that formed Coruscant's skyline of two decades, were still in use. While still recognizable, the towers had an array of new rooms built around them. Several open air class rooms and balconies were built in blocks around each of the five towers. The Temple Spire, once more held the ancient texts of the founding Jedi which were reclaimed from Darth Sidious' vaults. The Hall of Knighthood was rebuilt and new memorial statues were suspended in the tower by repulsorlift pads. The reformed peak of the mountain was again surrounded by a meditation balcony with a lower balcony presenting a series of holo-depictions of the history of the Jedi. Because the mountain remained intact throughout Operation: Knightfall, the mountain still retained the original meditation chambers and cave chapels; though a great deal of damage was done during the attack by Lord Nyax, much of the mountain remained intact.
New state-of-the-art high-gain communication transmitters were installed within the peak of each of the five pyramids of the new Temple, and were used to contact the Ossus Academy and for meetings of the reformed High Council. Another reconstruction was that of the Operations Planning Center, which continued to serve as Jedi Command's headquarters.
The Jedi Temple Hangars, also restored, housed X-wings, E-wing, and the new StealthX model used strictly by the Order. The ships would exit through hatches built in to the side of the complex. They would then have to travel the short gap between the structure and the surrounding transparisteel. Ships in the hangars were lowered through the floor into the Main Temple Garage or smaller storage and maintenance areas where they could be fueled, cleaned, or stored.
At each of the four corners of the ziggurat, four completely new structures were built. Four gleaming pyramids contained hundreds of new rooms that were used for the housing and schooling of the Jedi Knights. In one of the pyramids was the Morning Court, a large chamber on the first floor, that was used as a hub for foot traffic and large gatherings within the Temple. It was here that a pyre was erected for the Funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker. The pyramid's peak retracted which allowed light to flow down through a wide opening in the structure, which emptied through the roof of the Morning Court.
[edit] Temple Ziggurat
Though the outer design was different, much on the inside was a direct copy of the original Temple. As with the old temple, the ziggurat was divided into four different quarters that contained unique rooms that were designed to cover a broad set of purposes. The First Knowledge quarter continued to serve as the learning hub for the Temple, though unlike its predecessor, it was used mainly for the training and housing of Jedi over the age of thirteen. Many of the Order's initiates now begun their training at the Jedi Academy on Ossus, coming to the Temple after they were selected by a master. After being selected, they traveled to Coruscant to receive assignments from the Jedi Council and to take more specialized classes where students are assigned projects and essays on the history of the Order. The High Council quarter contained mostly conference and meeting rooms, while the Reassignment Tower's area was dedicated to the public entrance. The Reconciliation quarter had many gardens and garages and contained the Lake Level.
The Jedi Archives, restored to its former glory and updated by Tionne Solusar, once more contained holocrons and journals detailing Jedi lore and history. Every bust and statue from the original hall, were recreated and once more adorned the expansive library. With the Archives rebuilt and amble masters to maintain it, Tionne was relocated to Ossus to watch over and train the younglings there.
The Sith containment cells, rooms not used much since the fall of the Old Sith Empire were recreated to hold the numerous enemies of the Jedi. Raynar Thul, a former Jedi who sustained brain-damage after his time with the Killiks was recovering at the Temple's infirmary while staying within the containment cells.
The Temple still retained its dormitories many located in the Knights Billet, each individually built to suit the different species of Jedi's needs. The senior members of the Order had private offices and quarters with hookups to the Archives and private holoprojectors. It contained a sparring arena and many of the rooms found in the old Temple including the Meditation Gardens, communication centers, and lightsaber construction chambers. One room that was specifically desired was the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Luke Skywalker had seen it mentioned in many old documents and seen it in a hologram of Operation: Knightfall. The menagerie beneath the Temple that was used to house hundreds of fauna, was restored and animals were recollected from several thousand worlds, including some Yuuzhan Vong creatures.
The meditative walkway, a cavernous hallway surrounding the base of the Temple was decorated with a newly created arcade of stained-glass windows and statues relating the events of Jedi history. It now extended around the four additional pyramids that were erected at each corner of the ziggurat.
Other features restored and updated with modern technology were the Jedi Medical Corps Infirmary, the holographic training rooms, the research labs of the AgriCorps, banquet halls, and the Chamber of Conclave.
[edit] The Sith Pyramid
When the Sith took over the Temple, they slowly began to remove the vestiges of the old Order. The transparisteel pyramid that crowned the ziggurat was destroyed, revealing the stone pyramid that was built around the Temple Spire. Portions of the pyramid were enhanced with durasteel armor while large crimson colored windows were installed in every chamber and hall. The peak of the Temple Spire was removed and a gaping hole at the top of the pyramid emitted a constant column of smoke in its place.
The Council spires were redesigned as well, with the Tower of First Knowledge serving as Darth Krayt's Tower. Because the Temple Ziggurat was obstructed from view, a new entrance was built on the roof of the Temple, which now served as the base of the Sith Pyramid. Simple and devoid of statuary, the main entrance was guarded by two Sith Lords at all times.
[edit] Safety enhancements
To avoid another incident like that of the raid on the Jedi Temple, the Reconstruction Authority designed evacuation corridors and instructions in case of fire or invaders. Accessed through maintenance corridors or disguised wall pieces, heavy metal doors blocked the way to the hatch. A sign read: "EMERGENCY EVACUATION ACCESS. USE ONLY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. TEMPLE SECURITY WILL BE ALERTED." Once through the door, one would emerge into a short permacrete hall that led to an identical door. Through this door was a telescoping platform that was suspended in a small space between the exterior wall of the city block that was the Temple Precinct. The platform could extend beyond the Precinct's outer wall into a traffic lane for immediate rescue.
[edit] Appearances
- Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
- Dark Nest I: The Joiner King (First appearance)
- Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
- Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
- Betrayal
- Bloodlines
- Tempest
- Exile
- Sacrifice
- Inferno
- Fury (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Legacy 8: Allies
- Star Wars Legacy 1: Broken, Part 1
- Star Wars Legacy 2: Broken, Part 2 (First identified as Temple of the Sith)
- Star Wars Legacy 7: Broken, Part 6
- Star Wars Legacy 9: Trust Issues, Part 1
- Star Wars Legacy: Ghosts (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Legacy 13: Ready to Die
- Star Wars Legacy: Claws of the Dragon
- Star Wars Legacy 27: Into the Core (Appears in flashback(s))
[edit] Sources
[edit] See also
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