Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
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| Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi | |
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| Attribution | |
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| Schedule |
Monthly[19] |
| Format |
Completed[20] |
| Issues |
35[21] |
| General information | |
| Canon |
C[22] |
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| Timeline | |
- "With Tales of the Jedi, the potential is as vast as the galaxy itself. We haven't scratched the surface of what TotJ could be. It's so far back in the past, that there is no reason to fear that any story we tell could interfere with core continuity."
- ―Chris Gossett, Tales of the Jedi artist[src]
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, abbreviated as TotJ,[16] is a comic book series covering eight story arcs, and published by Dark Horse Comics. The first story arc, entitled Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon, was written by veteran Star Wars author Tom Veitch, and was part of the first series of comics which would eventually be known as Knights of the Old Republic. Veitch would go on to write the next two story arcs, The Saga of Nomi Sunrider and The Freedon Nadd Uprising, and would co-author the fourth story arc, Dark Lords of the Sith, with fellow author Kevin J. Anderson. With the successful completion of Dark Lords of the Sith, Anderson would continue the TotJ series as the sole storyline writer, with Veitch opting to not continue writing for the series. Anderson would go on to write the final two story arcs involving the main protagonist Ulic Qel-Droma, completing The Sith War in the spring of 1996, and Redemption in the fall of 1998. In the years between the writing of The Sith War and Redemption Anderson would pioneer two more story arcs, both taking place 1,000 years before the other TotJ stories, and introducing readers to the events surrounding the Great Hyperspace War. The events written by both Veitch and Anderson remain the earliest chronological Star Wars sources.
Set during the Old Republic era, six of the eight Tales of the Jedi story arcs takes place during the time surrounding the events known as the Great Sith War, a war instigated by Sith forces aimed at galactic domination. These six story arcs nominally focuses on the Jedi Knight turned Sith Lord Ulic Qel-Droma, his romantic love interest Nomi Sunrider, and a cast of supporting characters, including Ulic's own brother Cay Qel-Droma. Likewise, first appearing in Dark Lords of the Sith, the fallen Jedi Exar Kun would go on to become a Dark Lord of the Sith and wage war against the Republic and Jedi. The remaining two story arcs, The Golden Age of the Sith and The Fall of the Sith Empire, occur in the year 5,000 BBY and revolve around Sith Lord Naga Sadow and his schemes to invade Republic space through his manipulation of the Daragon siblings, Gav and Jori.
The Tales of the Jedi saga would also produce a several non-comic productions, such as the Tales of the Jedi Companion, a source book for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, and two different audio dramas based of various TotJ comics. Tales of the Jedi was the inspiration for the popular Knights of the Old Republic video game series, and a bridging comic is currently being published by Dark Horse Comics.
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[edit] Conception
- "I came up with the idea and I contacted [Lucasfilm Ltd.] about doing it as a follow-up to Dark Empire. "Oh, George will never go for this," they said. Well, he loved the idea, of course, and gave us free-reign to imagine the Star Wars universe of 4000 years before Luke Skywalker."
- ―Tom Veitch, commenting on his conception of creating Tales of the Jedi[src]
[edit] Production
- "We would do sketches of each page with a rough mosaic of the panels and stick figures inside just to help the artist (Chris Gossett for the first 5 issues of DLOTS). When we received pencils back, we would make sure the dialog fit with the images and tweak it as necessary. Sometimes we would very carefully map each panel, other times Chris would plan it himself with his artist’s eye (especially the battle scenes). He made some particularly effective changes in how he wanted to draw the death of Master Arca."
- ―Kevin J. Anderson, describing his work with artist Chris Gossett[src]
[edit] Main characters
- "Four Millennia is such a long, long, long time. It's total freedom. We could explore some in-depth Jedi philosophy from a backwater system that was lost over the span of the millennia. We could show conflicts between certain aspects of the Republic itself. We could tell more stories of Rogue Jedi. If Ulic Qel Droma is out there, wandering the perimeter systems, finding whatever adventure comes his way, then there are countless others out there as well."
- ―Chris Gossett, commenting on the freedom that the Tales of the Jedi timeline provides[src]
[edit] Ulic Qel-Droma
Ulic Qel-Droma is the main protagonist for five of the eight Tales of the Jedi story arcs. First mentioned in the endnotes of Dark Empire 5: Emperor Reborn,[25] the character of Ulic Qel-Droma would be expanded upon by writer Tom Veitch in the first story arc of the TotJ comic series. Veitch would take Ulic Qel-Droma through numerous battles and experiences in this initial comic-appearance,[26] and would resume Qel-Droma's story in the third story arc, entitled The Freedon Nadd Uprising. Working in conjunction with artist Tony Akins, Veitch would continue the chronicle of Ulic Qel-Droma, in which he and his fellow Jedi Knights would fight against the spirit of Freedon Nadd, a former Dark Lord of the Sith.[27] Eventually, Tom Veitch would team up with fellow author Kevin J. Anderson, and together would propel Qel-Droma, along with many other TotJ characters, into the next story arc, Dark Lords of the Sith. It was during the writing of this story arc that Ulic Qel-Droma would begin his fall to the dark side of the Force; eventually, in the last issue of the Dark Lords of the Sith, Veitch and Anderson decided that Qel-Droma would be anointed a Sith Lord, and made apprentice to Exar Kun, a character created by Anderson who was another fallen-Jedi turned-Sith.[28] With the climatic conclusion of Dark Lords of the Sith, Anderson would continue the story of the Qel-Droma in the fifth TotJ story arc, The Sith War.[29] After completing The Sith War, Anderson choose to work in a close partnership with artist Chris Gossett to produce Redemption, the final story arc to feature Ulic Qel-Droma. This story arc would witness both the redemption and death of Qel-Droma.[30]
[edit] Nomi Sunrider
The character of Nomi Sunrider was created by Tom Veitch,[17] and initially drawn by artist Janine Johnston for the first issue of The Saga of Nomi Sunrider. This story arc introduced Nomi Sunrider, along with various other core TotJ characters, and told the story of her road to Jedi knighthood.[31] Tom Veitch would eventually comment that he always harbored a "soft spot" for Nomi Sunrider's,[17] and with regards to her character he had "…wanted to do at least one Jedi character with complex emotions and motivations".[32] Using this frame of thinking, Veitch continued his work with Sunrider when he was contracted by Dark Horse Comics to write a 48-page graphic novel to build off his work done on previous TotJ stories.[17] The end product was The Freedon Nadd Uprising, which allowed Veitch to bring the characters of Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider together[27] in preparation for future TotJ stories and tales, and allowed him to continue building a network of complex characters like he had always envisioned.[32] The story of Nomi Sunrider would continue throughout the story arcs Dark Lords of the Sith, The Sith War, and finally Redemption. By the time of Redemption, Sunrider's character had been styled into the leader of the Jedi Order,[33] and it was in this story arc that author Kevin J. Anderson would portray the Conclave on Exis Station, which was led by Nomi Sunrider.[9]
[edit] Odan-Urr
Odan-Urr first appeared in issue three, entitled Descent to the Dark Side, of the Dark Lords of the Sith story arc. Co-created by Tom Veitch, Kevin J. Anderson, and Chris Gossett,[34] Odan-Urr first appeared as a millennium old Jedi Master, who presided over the Conclave of Deneba. Eventually, following the conclusion of The Sith War line of comics, Kevin J. Anderson would write two more TotJ story arcs which would feature a young Odan-Urr as one of the central characters. These two story arcs, The Golden Age of the Sith and The Fall of the Sith Empire, takes place 1,000 years prior to the events already expanded upon in the previous TotJ stories, and provides details surrounding the back story for Odan-Urr in which he takes part in the Great Hyperspace War. Within these two story arcs, Odan-Urr was portrayed as a battle-shy Jedi Knight, who was more interested in studying Jedi lore than using his Force talents in the field.[35] However, readers would eventually witness the transformation of this shy Jedi Knight into one of the leading figures of the Jedi Order.[36] The character of Odan-Urr would later be expanded upon in various non-TotJ works, where his story would continue.[33] Details would be written about how he clarified and refined the Jedi Code, where his version of the Code would be used for almost 4,000 years, right up until the Great Jedi Purge.[37]
[edit] Naga Sadow
Naga Sadow was created by Kevin J. Anderson,[34] and first appeared in a flashback within issue one of the Dark Lords of the Sith story arc. This issue, entitled Masters and Students of the Force, showed Sadow as a Human while stating that he was of pure Sith blood; his appearance would later be changed by Anderson to reflect his Sith heritage during the writing of The Golden Age of the Sith, thus contradicting the original portrayal of Sadow. The Golden Age of the Sith, written by Anderson, would detail the events prior to the Great Hyperspace War, a war waged against the Galactic Republic and instigated by Naga Sadow.[24] Provided by Lucasfilm Ltd. the freedom to write his stories the way he wanted,[34] Kevin J. Anderson created an entire back story for Naga Sadow, expanding off the brief mention he gave the character in the first few pages of Masters and Students of the Force, and writing a detailed explanation about the rise and fall of both Naga Sadow, and the Sith Empire. The Golden Age of the Sith detailed the events which saw Naga Sadow usurp the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith, and enter into a civil war with fellow Sith Lord Ludo Kressh. Eventually besting Kressh, Sadow would manipulate two young siblings, Gav and Jori Daragon, into helping him launch a brutal, but brief, war against the Galactic Republic. Sadow's efforts at toppling the Republic would be detailed in the story arc The Fall of the Sith Empire, which would also tell about Sadow's defeat and exile to the moon of Yavin 4.[36]
[edit] Freedon Nadd
The character of Freedon Nadd was first created by Tom Veitch for use as a catalyst in the first TotJ story arc, Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Riders of Onderon. In this story arc, it was the tomb and mummified corpse of Freedon Nadd which acted as an agent for the dark side actions of the Onderonian royal family, more specifically Queen Amanoa. Veitch would continue with this story during his writing of The Freedon Nadd Uprising, the third TotJ story arc, in which the story was centered around a dark side cult on Onderon which worshipped Freedon Nadd. The character of Nadd would be influential in the joint Veitch-Anderson venture Dark Lords of the Sith. In this story arc, the spirit of Freedon Nadd was used to help propel Exar Kun down the dark path towards becoming a Sith Lord. Nadd's spirit would eventually be destroyed by Kun on Yavin 4, thus bringing his story within TotJ to an effective end. Nevertheless, Nadd's character and back story would be expanded upon in various reference[38] and source books,[39] as well as novels.[40]
[edit] Exar Kun
Exar Kun's character was first conceived by Kevin J. Anderson for his novel series The Jedi Academy Trilogy. During the course of writing these novels, Anderson and Tom Veitch found themselves in communication with one another. During the course of their conversations, it was revealed the role that Kun's character would play in The Jedi Academy Trilogy, and it was felt that Kun's back story would fit perfectly into the storyline that Veitch had drawn up for the Tales of the Jedi comic series.[34] While Anderson worked on Exar Kun's story for his novel trilogy, both Veitch and Anderson co-authored the TotJ story arc Dark Lords of the Sith which explained how Exar Kun was a fallen Jedi who had decided to sate his curiosity of the dark side by searching out ancient Sith artifacts. Eventually, Kun would proclaim himself the Dark Lord of the Sith, and would escalate the already on-going galactic conflict to new heights.[28] Under the penmanship of Anderson, Kun's character would be defeated in the story arc The Sith War, and reinforce the facts stated in The Jedi Academy Trilogy about how Kun, and eventually his spirit, would come to be trapped in the Massassi temple of Yavin 4.[29]
[edit] Gav Daragon
Gav Daragon is one of the main protagonists, along with his sister Jori, for Kevin J. Anderon's two story arcs The Golden Age of the Sith and The Fall of the Sith Empire. Gav's first appearance was in issue zero of The Golden Age of the Sith, entitled Conquest and Unification in which he and his sister were forced to accept the fact that their parents were killed during the final stages of the Unification Wars. Throughout the Golden Age of the Sith story arc, Anderson would take Gav's character on a journey which spanned new worlds and new characters. Running from authorities, Gav and his sister would make a blind hyperspace jump and find themselves in the center of the Sith Empire, and at the center of a power struggle between Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh. Using Gav's character as a catalyst for the action, Anderson's story would place Gav on the side of the Sith, with Jori being allowed to escape back to the Republic.[35] With the end of the Golden Age of the Sith, Anderson wrote The Fall of the Sith Empire to continue the story of Gav and the other characters previously introduced. Throughout The Fall of the Sith Empire story arc, Gav would ignorantly prove a pawn of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Naga Sadow, and be a key player in helping set off the Great Hyperspace War. Gav would eventually be killed while helping the Republic defeat the Sith forces of Naga Sadow.[36]
[edit] Jori Daragon
The character of Jori Daragon, like her brother Gav, was created by Kevin J. Anderson for his epic story arcs The Golden Age of the Sith and The Fall of the Sith Empire.[34] Jori's first appearance was in Conquest and Unification, issue zero of The Golden Age of the Sith story arc, and she would become one of the central figures in these two story arcs. The daughter of Hok and Timar Daragon, Jori and her brother became orphans when their parents were killed at the Battle of Kirrek, while on a run to resupply Empress Teta's army.[41] Along with the character of her brother Gav, Jori's character would be used by Anderson as a vehicle to help push the events of The Golden Age of the Sith story to climax. Having gotten themselves into financial troubles, Jori helped her brother steal their ship, which had been impounded by the authorities, in order to set out and hopefully find an unknown hyperspace route, thus making them rich.[42] However, their search would take them into the middle of the Sith Empire, where they would become prisoners of the Sith Lords.[43] Eventually, Jori would be allowed to escape from the Sith Empire, unknowingly leading the Sith forces of Naga Sadow back to the Republic, thus sparking off the Great Hyperspace War.[44] Eventually, Jori would instrumental in helping defeat the Sith forces of Naga Sadow.[36]
[edit] Story arc summaries
[edit] The Golden Age of the Sith
In the year 5,000 BBY, in the Koros system, a conflict known as the Unification Wars was underway in an effort to unite the seven worlds located in that system. The main effort was being led by Empress Teta, the leader of the Koros Major forces, who were fighting against various armies from other Koros system worlds. To help aid Teta in her fight for unification, the Jedi Knight Odan-Urr was sent by Master Ooroo to lend his support to the Koros Major forces. Arriving at the city of Cinnagar, located on Koros Major, Odan-Urr was instrumental in helping defeat the armies of the last planet to offer resistance—the world of Kirrek. Utilizing a Force-technique known as battle meditation, which he had learned in his studies back on Ossus, Odan-Urr helped demoralize the enemy forces, thus allowing an almost bloodless-victory to be had.[41]
Having lost their parents in the Unification Wars, two siblings, Gav and Jori Daragon, managed to acquire a ship, the Starbreaker 12, which had belonged to their deceased parents.[41] Using their newly acquired ship, the Daragon siblings set out to make a fortune in mapping out new hyperspace routes.[42] However, in course of their adventures, Gav and Jori found themselves on the run from Ssk Kahorr, a merchant lord who had lost a fortune using one of the Daragon's newly mapped hyperspace routes. Due to this, the duo were forced to plot a completely random set of hyperspace coordinates to escape the authorities, thus jumping to parts unknown.[42] Eventually, the Daragon siblings random coordinates landed them in orbit around the planet of Korriban, where a funeral procession was being held for Marka Ragnos, Dark Lord of the Sith. Landing their ship on the outskirts of the procession, Gav and Jori were immediately taken prisoner in the belief that they were spies.[43] Through a series of events put into action by the Sith Lord Naga Sadow, the Daragon twins were unwittingly used as pawns to help further Sadow's own plans for absolute power over the Sith Empire.[45]
Taking their prisoners to the fortress world of Ziost, the Sith Lords gathered to discuss the Daragons and what their true purpose was for showing up at Korriban. After a long and passionate debate between those present, it was decided that the potential threat that Gav and Jori represented was too much, and that because of that they were to be executed. However, believing that Gav and Jori Daragon possess the key he needs to expand the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow sent one of his Massassi warriors to retrieve the prisoner's weapons from the Starbreaker 12; developing a plan through which he would gain control through lies and deception, Sadow started events in motion which would have long-lasting consequences for the Sith Empire. Utilizing only the most loyal of his Massassi warriors, Sadow managed to free both Gav and Jori from their prison cell. As part of his plan, Sadow and his warriors kill a number of Massassi guards, as well as the Sith Lord Simus. Planting an acquired Republic blaster at the scene of Simus's murder, Sadow effectively sowed the seeds needed so that the other Sith Lords would believe that the Republic was responsible for the both the Daragon's escape, and the various murders that had taken place. Following their "escape" from the Ziost prison, Gav and Jori were sent to Sadow's personal stronghold on the moon of Khar Shian. Meanwhile, Sadow, along with all other Sith Lords, had been summoned to Ziost for an emergency meeting to discuss the missing prisoners, and the murders that had occurred. The majority of the other Sith Lords were indecisive about what to do, and petty squabbles began to break out among various factions. During the chaos and confusion of the meeting, Sadow took the opportunity available and claimed the vacant title of Dark Lord of the Sith. Believing that leadership was now required in the face of the dangers present, the majority of the other Sith Lords acknowledged Sadow as the new Dark Lord, thus swearing fealty to him. However, Ludo Kressh and those loyal to him refused to accept that Sadow was the new Dark Lord, and stormed out of the meeting.[45]
Believing that the first phase of his plan was coming to fruition, Naga Sadow ordered his Massassi warriors to retrieve the Starbreaker 12 from the Ziost hangar, and plant a hidden tracking beacon on it. and then travels to his decoy fortress on Khar Delba, where Jori Daragon had since been transported to. Through Sadow's own designs, Ludo Kressh discovered that the new Dark Lord of the Sith was the one who was actually behind the prisoner's escape, as well as the murder of Simus. Rallying together with the Sith Lords who supported him, Horak-mul and Dor Gal-ram, Kressh prepared his fleets for an attack against Sadow's fortress of Khar Delba. Having arrived at Khar Delba, Kressh's fleet commenced a bombardment of the apparently defenseless fortress.[46] During the initial stages of the attack, Sadow was able to convince Jori Daragon that she had return to the Republic before the fortress is destroyed and it was too late. Ever reluctant to leave Gav behind, Jori agreed to leave after Sadow presented her with a holocron in which her brother told her that they would be together again, one day soon. Following Jori's jump to hyperspace, Sadow sprung his pre-arranged trap on the attacking fleet of Ludo Kressh. Unbeknown to Kressh, Sadow had previously hidden his fleet on the dark side of Khar Shian; recalling his fleet to action, Sadow's forces were able to hem in Kressh's combined fleets. It was during this time that Sadow sent out an order to the Massassi warriors on the ships of Horak-mul and Dol Gal-ram, ordering them to kill the Sith Lords. With the assassinations complete, the Massassi warriors then directed their ship's fire on the ships of Ludo Kressh. Realizing what had taken place, Kressh was left with no choice but to retreat from the onslaught. With his power firmly established, the Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow prepared his armies for an invasion of Republic space, intending to use the hidden tracking beacon that had been placed on the Starbreaker 12.[44]
[edit] The Fall of the Sith Empire
Having arrived back on Koros Major, Jori Daragon attempted to radio Cinnagar control to advise them of the Sith Empire's plans for invasion. However, she was quickly arrested by the local authorities, her warnings dismissed as lies, and the Starbreaker 12 was given to Ssk Kahorr as compensation for his losses in using one of the Daragon's hyperspace routes.[47] As payment for her and Gav's crimes, Jori Daragon was sentenced to work on the colony world of Ronika. However, not long after arriving on the prison planet Jori was able to escape by breaking free of her guards and stealing a nearby ore shuttle. Believing that it was her duty to inform Empress Teta and the Jedi about her experiences within the Sith Empire, Jori managed to fly the stolen shuttle back to the royal palace in Cinnagar, and managed to infiltrate the throne room. Though Empress Teta was skeptical of the information at first, the Jedi Knight Odan-Urr was able to confirm Jori's claims due to their striking similarities with the visions he had been having of an impending war with the Sith.[48]
Meanwhile, under the command of Naga Sadow, the Sith invasion fleet entered Republic space and immediately began various attacks, including an invasion of the Republic capital, Coruscant. Under the direction of several Jedi, including Memit Nadill, Tuknatan, and Sonam-Ha'ar, the Republic ground forces were able to mount a hasty defense against the swarming legions of Massassi soldiers and Sith war beasts which had landed on the planet. Realizing that the Sith numbered too many, Nadill ordered the Jedi and Republic forces with him to retreat to the Senate hall, where he would rally the defenders for a final stand against the invaders. Coinciding with the attack on Coruscant, Sadow's forces focused their efforts on other key Republic worlds, including the planet of Koros Major. Under the leadership of Teta, the Sith forces which invaded Koros Major were temporarily halted, while she threw her entire military might into the fight. Realizing that the third prong of the Sith invasion was aimed at the planet of Kirrek, also in the Koros system, Odan-Urr left Teta and, along with his Master Ooroo, took command of the defense of Kirrek.[49]
Witnessing the devastation and strife caused by Sadow's invasion, Gav Daragon was able to finally realize that he had simply been a pawn to the Dark Lord of the Sith from the very beginning. Understanding that he alone would be able to halt Sadow's invasion, Daragon was able to use his ships weapons against Sadow's meditation sphere, where the Sith Lord had been using battle meditation to influence the war. Immediately following Daragon's attack run, Sadow lost his concentration in the Force, causing much of the Sith army on Coruscant to simply fade into nothingness. Realizing that a vast portion of the attacking force were merely illusions, Nadill and the other commanders were able to inspire the defenders into pushing back, and eventually defeating, the remaining Sith forces.[50] Wanting to see the remaining Sith forces defeated, Daragon transmitted the coordinates of Sadow's core fleet, including his meditation sphere, to fleets of Empress Teta. Knowing that his defeat was at hand, Sadow fired a super weapon aboard his meditation sphere, causing several stars around his fleet and that of the Republic to begin to explode. Using the impending devastation as cover, Sadow was able to retreat back to the Sith Empire, only to be confronted by the presumed-dead Ludo Kressh, who had used a decoy ship to fake his own death. Sadow, however, managed to finally kill his longtime rival by crashing one of his remaining ships into the hull of Kressh's flagship, destroying it instantly.[51]
Knowing that the fleets of Teta and the Republic would be able to follow him back to Sith space, Sadow gathered together those Massassi still loyal to him, and fled to the uninhabited jungle moon of Yavin 4. Believing that he could one day bring about a new empire for the Sith, Sadow began construction on Yavin 4, in preparations for the Sith's return to power.[51]
[edit] Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon
A thousand years after the defeat of the armies of the Sith Lord Naga Sadow, three Jedi apprentices, the brothers Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma, and the Twi'lek Tott Doneeta, were busy learning the ways of the Jedi from Master Arca Jeth on the planet Arkania. Following a lightsaber training match, in which Ulic demonstrated his skill with the blade, Master Jeth gathered his three apprentices to tell them the history of a planet called Onderon; thousands of years before, Jeth explained, the atmospheres of Onderon and one of its four moons, the moon of Dxun, briefly came into direct contact with one another, thus allowing the native flying beasts from the jungles of Dxun to migrate to the surface of Onderon. Even though the primitive native Onderonians proved to be easy targets for these gigantic animals, the Onderonians eventually learned to hunt the great flying beasts which had invaded their world. Jeth continued by explaining how the arrival of the Dxun beasts had forced the primitive tribal cultures of Onderon to evolve into a modern civilization, establishing themselves in the great walled city of Iziz, thus allowing for an easier defense against the flying beasts. As the city of Iziz grew, so did its laws and customs; the criminals were cast out into the wild, beyond the protection afforded by Iziz's walls. However, these criminals eventually learned to tame the flying beasts, and managed to organize themselves into war bands against city of Iziz.[1]
These exiled criminals, who Master Jeth explained were called "Beast Riders", eventually found themselves in open warfare with the forces of Iziz in a conflict which would come to be known as the Beast Wars. This conflict, the three apprentices learned, had been raging for hundreds of years, and the Onderonian Royal family had requested the aid of the Jedi to help bring an effective end to the conflict. Following this, Arca Jeth explained that he had been chosen as the Jedi Watchman for the Onderon system, and that he was going to send his three apprentices to Iziz to help bring about a peaceful end to the Beast Wars. At first, Ulic, Cay, and Tott were surprised at this revelation, but then jumped on the chance to prove themselves on their first mission.[1]
The trio departed Arkania, and soon arrived at Iziz on Onderon, and were granted an audience with Queen Amanoa, who was the ruling monarch at that time. However, during their meeting with Amanoa, several Beast Riders burst through the large palace windows and attacked the Jedi and Royal Guards. During the ensuing struggle, a special unit of Beast Warrior Commandos entered the fray and managed to kidnap the Princess Galia, daughter to Amanoa. Demanding that the Jedi find and rescue her daughter, Amanoa sends the three Jedi outside of Iziz to pursue the fleeing Beast Riders. Accepting Amanoa's demands for help, Ulic, Cay, and Tott Doneeta made their way into the Onderon wilds, and eventually make their way to the citadel of Beast Lord Modon Kira. There the Jedi discover that Galia's kidnapping was actually an elaborate plot planned by herself and Oron, Modon Kira's son. The kidnapping, they explained, took place so that Galia could be rid of the dark influence of her mother and the Onderonian Royal family, and also so that she could marry Oron. Explaining how her family had been influenced by the dark side for generations, beginning with a fallen Jedi named Freedon Nadd, Galia and Oron were able to enlist the help Ulic and his companions in helping overthrow the current government of Iziz.[52]
Believing that a peaceful resolution to the Beast Wars should be attempted, the Jedi, Galia, and Oron made their way back to Iziz and were able to speak with Amanoa, pleading that she help bring an end to the war. Despite their best intentions, the Jedi and their allies were expelled from the royal hall by Amanoa, who had called upon the dark side to drive them away. Sensing that the peaceful solution had failed, Modon Kira gathered together the various other Beast Lords from across the whole of Onderon, and together, the combined armies of the Beast Riders attacked the city of Iziz. The battle turned into a fierce affair, seeing Cay Qel-Droma's left arm cut off, and Amanoa forced to retreat below the royal palace to the tomb of Freedon Nadd. Meanwhile, having sensed that his apprentices were in trouble, Master Jeth had travelled to Onderon and arrived during the Beast Rider's assault on Iziz. Using the art of battle meditation to help turn the tide of the battle against the dark side forces of Amanoa, Jeth was able to bring a swift victory to the Beast Rider armies. Joining his apprentices, Galia, and Oron in the royal palace, Master Jeth confronted Amanoa in the dark side tomb of Nadd. Overwhelmed by the power which Jeth possessed, Amanoa was instantly killed by the effects of the light side of the Force. Following the death of Amanoa, Princess Galia was able to marry Oron Kira, thus effectively bringing an end to the Beast Wars which had plagued the planet for generations.[52]
[edit] The Saga of Nomi Sunrider
In the year 4,000 BBY, the Jedi apprentice Andur Sunrider, along with his wife Nomi, their daughter Vima, and their droid A-3DO left their home on the planet H'ratth in order to seek out the reclusive Jedi Master known as Thon on Ambria in the Stenness system. Having been sent his old Master, Chamma, to learn from Thon, Andur carried several rare Adegan crystals, which he was to present to Thon as a gift from Chamma. Midway through their trip to the Stenness system, the Sunriders stopped at a hyperspace terminal to gather food and supplies for the final lag of the journey to see Thon. During their time on the hyperspace terminal, it was discovered by Bogga the Hutt, a known gangster, that a Andur was in possession of several rare Adegan crystals. Wanting the crystals for himself, Bogga ordered a gang of his thugs to attack the young man and bring the crystals back to him. Bogga's gang managed to surprise and kill the young Andur, but were unable to gather the Adegan crystals from the corpse. Following his death, Andur reappeared as a Force ghost to his wife Nomi, and told her to pick up his fallen lightsaber and defend bother their daughter and herself. Through her dead husband's insistence and knowledge that she was Force-sensitive, Nomi was able to defeat most of the criminals, and gather up Vima, A-3D0, and the crystals, and depart once again for Ambria.[3]
Having arrived on the desolate world of Ambria, Nomi ordered A-3DO to stay behind with their ship, the Lightside Explorer. Gathering up her daughter Vima, Nomi set out to follow her feelings in the hopes that they would lead her to that whom she sought—Jedi Master Thon. Eventually making her way through the harsh deserts of Ambria, Nomi and Vima encountered a lone being riding atop a fierce looking beast. Knowing that this being was a Jedi, Nomi followed him back to his modest dwelling, a small farm in the middle of the desert. Meanwhile, at the order of Bogga, who still wanted the elusive Adegan crystals, several gangsters managed to track Nomi to Ambria, where they found A-3DO inside the Lightside Explorer. Believing that the crystals they sought were inside the ship, the thugs shot A-3D0 while in the process of looking for the hidden treasure, unaware that Nomi had taken the crystals with her. Following their query's trail to the dwelling where Nomi and Vima were, Bogga's men were confronted by Nomi's host. However, the Jedi was overwhelmed by the sheer number of thugs, and Nomi prepared for the worse. Despite the apparent advantage held by the gangsters, the beast which Nomi had seen the Jedi riding intervened in the struggle. Using surprise as a weapon, the beast was able to trample several of the criminals, thus forcing the remainder of the gang into retreat. Safe for the time being, it was soon revealed that the being whom she had met was actually a Jedi Knight by the name of Oss Wilum, and that it was the fierce looking beast who actually Master Thon.[3]
Under the guidance of Master Thon, Nomi began her training as a Jedi Knight, alongside the continued education of Oss Wilum. While the Jedi training continued on Ambria, a ship of Bogga the Hutt's was hijacked by the pirate Finhead Stonebone, who was intent on capturing the valuable ore which was contained aboard the ship. However, Bogga himself, aboard his flagship Enforcer One, was able to thwart Stonehone's plans and captured both him and his pirate gang. Believing that Bogga was going to execute him for his crimes, Stonebone was surprised when Bogga decided that the pirate and his gang would pay for their crimes by traveling to Ambria, where Stonebone was to kill Master Thon and anyone with him, and retrieve the Adegan crystals which had previously eluded Bogga's best efforts.[4] Stonebone, as the leader of both his pirate crew and several thugs of Bogga, lead an attack on Thon's homestead, and managed to capture Thon due to Nomi's reluctance to engage in violence following her husbands murder. However, upon realizing that Thon was not going to fight back, in order to show her the path of the Jedi, Nomi decided to use her Force abilities and lightsaber to attack Stonebone and the rest of his gang. Though the combined efforts of Nomi and the released Thon, the pirates were soon driven from Ambria, never to return again.[53]
[edit] The Freedon Nadd Uprising
Following the defeat of Queen Amanoa in the bowels of the Iziz palace, Jedi Master Arca Jeth, along with various other Jedi and Beast Riders, attempted to move the sarcophagi of Freedon Nadd and Amanoa to the jungle moon of Dxun. During the funeral procession, the group were attacked by a large group of Naddists, a dark side cult which worshiped Freedon Nadd. The attackers were led by the large armored figure of Warb Null, and proceeded to lay siege to the procession. During the attack the sarcophagi of both Nadd and Amanoa were stolen by the Naddists, while Null held off the various Jedi Knights. With their intended targets in the grasp, Null and the Naddists retreated aboard their groundborers, and escaped back into the ground beneath Iziz.[5]
Realizing that the dark side influences of Amanoa had not ended with her death, Jeth, Ulic Qel-Droma and Queen Galia approach the apparently ailing King Ommin, father to Galia and husband to the late Amanoa, for assistance in finding the Naddists. However, the trio were soon betrayed by Ommin who had actually been using Sith magic, taught to him by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, to keep himself alive. Using his dark side powers, Ommin was able to knock unconscious Jeth, while Qel-Droma and Galia were confronted by the spirit of Freedon Nadd and Warb Null, who, it was discovered, was apprenticed to Ommin. The ensuing confrontation saw a short but fierce duel take place between Qel-Droma and Null, during which Null was killed when Qel-Droma cut off his head. Even though his apprentice was killed, Ommin was provided enough time to spirit away the unconscious body of Jeth to his hidden fortress.[5] Believing that he and his fellow Jedi were in need of assistance, Qel-Droma put forth a call to both the Jedi leadership back on Ossus, and the Republic Defense Committee on Coruscant, requesting that additional aid be sent to Onderon.[54] In response to the call for help on Onderon, the Jedi leadership assign the Jedi Knights Nomi Sunrider, Dace Diath, Shoaneb Culu, Kith Kark and Qrrrl Toq to travel to their fellow Jedi outside of Iziz, and to help bring an end to the Freedon Nadd Uprising.[5]
Meanwhile, on the Republic capital of Coruscant, two aristocratic cousins by the names of Satal and Aleema Keto, traveled to the Galactic Museum in search of ancient Sith lore and artifacts. Among the pieces harbored within the museum was an ancient Sith book, its pages capturing the attention of Satal; sensing its importance, Satal managed to steal the book from the museum. However, neither he nor Aleema could read it due to the fact that it was written in the ancient Sith language. The duo, though, noticed on a local news cast that there were reports of Sith practitioners who were active on the planet Onderon, and who were currently engaged in an uprising. Believing that these Sith could hold the key the reading the book, the Ketos flew to Iziz to in search of assistance.[5] The Ketos would eventually be granted an audience with Ommin, and the old man would give Satal the gift of a Sith amulet. With the amulet Satal and Aleema found that they could read the contents of the book.[55]
While Ommin was meeting with the cousin Ketos, the Jedi reinforcements from Ossus arrived on Onderon and joined their fellow Jedi already there. Along with the Republic attack fleet, the Jedi were able to storm the fortress of Ommin and free to the captured Arca Jeth. During the attack on the fortress, the Jedi and Jeth were again confronted by the spirit of Freedon Nadd. Realizing that Ommin could no longer be a vessel for his means, Nadd withdrew his dark side support from the old man, causing Ommin to be die. After a brief war of words with Jeth, the spirit of Nadd would once again retreat into his sarcophagus. With the death of Ommin, and the apparent defeat of Nadd, the Naddist rebellion was effectively put down by the Republic and Jedi forces. Following this, the sarcophagi of Ommin, Amanoa, and Nadd were all successfully transported to Onderon's fourth moon of Dxun, and interred there by the Jedi.[55]
[edit] Dark Lords of the Sith
Occurring in the year 3,997 BBY, a violent coup was masterminded in the Empress Teta system by the cousins Aleema and Satel Keto, who managed to overthrow the Tetan royalty and establish their own rule over the seven worlds of that sector. Calling themselves the Krath, the two cousins utilized Sith magic that they had learned from an ancient Sith tome which they had stolen from Coruscant, thus effectively cementing their control and demonstrating that nothing would stand against them in their quest for absolute power. Word of the Krath coup eventually reached Master Arca Jeth, and he learned that the political uprising was in part related to the work which he, and the Jedi Knights under his command, had done on Onderon. Learning that the Krath leaders had received help from the Sith forces during the Freedon Nadd Uprising, Jeth believed that it was his responsibility to help quell the chaos that had engulfed the Empress Teta system. To this end, Jeth dispatched several of the knights on Onderon around the galaxy in an effort to halt the growing threats he could feel in the Force.[2]
Meanwhile, following orders from Master Jeth, Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider took control of a joint Republic-Jedi task force whose mission was to lend aid, if possible, to any worlds in the Empress Teta system who were still resisting the Krath takeover. Arriving in the system, they found a large Krath fleet in orbit around Koros Major, which was the final planet to not be subdued during the coup. The ensuing battle saw a Krath victory against the Republic and Jedi fleet, which retreated back into hyperspace after sustaining heavy casualties. During the retreat, a Krath fighter imbued with Sith magic crashed into the command deck of the ship that Qel-Droma was on. Shrapnel from the ship embedded itself in his side and, unbeknown to him, the Sith magic had opened up his aggressive emotions, thus allowing him to use the dark side of the Force more freely.[15]
With the defeat of the Republic-Jedi task force in the Empress Teta system, a Jedi convocation was organized on the planet Deneba to discuss what to do about the rising threat of the Krath. However, the events of the conclave were interrupted when a force of Krath war droids managed to infiltrate the assembly and wage a brief, but bitter, battle, it was decided that Qel-Droma would infiltrate the Krath leadership in an attempt to destroy the cult from within.[56] Qel-Droma's infiltration, however, was soon discovered by Satal Keto, a leader of the Krath, and a confrontation broke out between the two which ended in Qel-Droma using the dark side to strike down and kill his opponent. Though several of his friends, including his lover Nomi Sunrider, attempted to rescue him when they realized that he was falling to the dark side, Qel-Droma shunned them and aligned himself with Satal's cousin Aleema, who was well aware of his mission but who believed that they could both serve each other's ends.[57] Having lost site of his original mission, Qel-Droma became warlord of all the Krath forces and prepared for war against the Republic and Jedi.[6]
Nevertheless, Sunrider and the other Jedi refused to give up on their old friend. Gaining the Jedi Master's blessing to attempt to rescue Qel-Droma again, the Jedi Knights organized a large force of Beast Riders and Jedi to attack the Krath palace on Koros Major. The proceeding battle witnessed a second confrontation between Qel-Droma and his former friends, though it too was unsuccessful in returning Qel-Droma to the light. Following the retreat of the Jedi and Beast Rider forces, Exar Kun, a fallen Jedi who had gained powerful Sith knowledge studying artifacts on Korriban and Yavin 4, arrived on Koros Major in an effort to destroy Qel-Droma and any other threat to the rise of his would-be Sith empire. However, during the duel the ancient Sith spirit of Marka Ragnos appeared and declared that both Kun and Qel-Droma were the heirs to the Sith legacy, and that they were now both anointed as Dark Lords of the Sith.[6]
[edit] The Sith War
Six months after the joining of forces by Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, the two Sith Lords had set out to begin their plans of galactic conquest. Kun had arrived on the planet of Ossus intent on preaching his new found beliefs with regards to the Force, hoping that he would be able to attract a large number of Jedi to his cause. Speaking to a large group of Jedi, many of whom, following the death of Arca Jeth, had begun to question their roles in the Jedi Order, Kun was able to convince a majority among them of what he was saying; believing that Kun possessed secrets which the Jedi Masters had so far withheld from them, this group of Jedi accompanied Kun to the moon of Yavin 4, where they believed that Kun would instruct them in the ways of the Force. Meanwhile, a brief confrontation with Mandalore the Indomitable, Qel-Droma was able to gain the allegiance of the Mandalorian clans, thus adding their manpower to those of his Krath forces. With the clans of Mandalore combined with his already enormous army, and with Kun busy gaining Sith converts, Qel-Droma and Aleema Keto planned for a massive invasion of Coruscant, with the intent of toppling the reigning galactic government.[7]
Under the guidance of Kun, the Jedi converts travelled with him to Yavin 4 where he advised them that he needed their help in destroying an ancient dark side holocron, thus freeing the moon from the dark side's grasp. Once on the ground, the Jedi watched as Kun made a spectacle of destroying the holocron. In reality, however, Kun's destruction of the Sith holocron unleashed a strong wave of dark side magic which infected all those around him, excluding the Cathar Jedi Crado who had already sworn fealty to Kun. Under the control of Kun's Sith magic, the new Sith acolytes were dispatched from Yavin 4 with the mission of finding, and killing, their old Jedi Masters. Kun believed that such a blow against the Jedi Order would weaken it to the point where it could no longer resist his efforts at galactic domination. Meanwhile, Qel-Droma and Keto had launched their invasion of Coruscant, however due in a large part to treachery by Keto, who believed she could usurp Qel-Droma and claim his power, the invasion was stalled by the Jedi and Republic. Under orders from Keto, the Krath and Mandalorian soldiers retreated from the surface, leaving Qel-Droma to face capture by the Republic Inquisition.[8]
Though Qel-Droma was captured and placed on trial for his war-crimes, he steadfastly denied the charges brought against him, claiming the Republic was a weak and corrupt government. During the proceedings, Exar Kun, and a party of Massassi warriors, had arrived to help free the captured Sith Lord. Mandalore the Indomitable, who had learned of Keto's treachery against Qel-Droma during the attack on Coruscant, had traveled to Yavin 4 to seek out Kun in the hopes that he would help rescue Qel-Droma from the Inquisition. After a dramatic entrance, in which he used Sith magic to paralyze all those non-Jedi present, Kun killed the Republic Supreme Chancellor and confronted his former master, Vodo-Siosk Baas. While other Jedi battled Kun's Massassi warriors, Baas dueled with Kun, but was soon bested by his former student. With the death of Master Baas, Kun and his remaining warriors gathered up Qel-Droma and departed Coruscant.[58]
While Kun was busy on Coruscant rescuing Qel-Droma, the various Sith acolytes had departed Yavin 4 and launched their pogrom against their former masters. With great efficiency, almost all of the targeted masters were assassinated, and at least one, Thon, was able to best his assassin and survive the attack. Nevertheless, the deaths of so many Jedi Masters garnered worry among the remaining Jedi, and when word of a Sith attack against Kemplex IX arrived, a team of Jedi was hastily dispatched to deal with it. The ensuing battle at Kemplex IX witnessed the deaths of all participants on both sides, as the Sith, under Aleema Keto, used Sith magic to set off a chain reaction of explosions in the nearby Cron Cluster. The resulting supernova could not be controlled, and utterly destroyed everything surrounding it;[59] the resulting supernova was on a collision course with the Jedi held planet of Ossus, and Kun and Qel-Droma believed that once the Jedi had evacuated the world, they could then swoop in a plunder the remaining Jedi secrets.[60] Though the Jedi were caught unaware by the catastrophe, Nomi Sunrider was able defeat Qel-Droma and strip him of his use of the Force. Powerless now, Qel-Droma agreed to help the Jedi end the war by leading them to Kun's secret base on the moon of Yavin 4. Catching the Dark Lord of the Sith unprepared, the Jedi were able to completely level the moon, causing an enormous firestorm to spread across the planet, thus effectively destroying Kun and his seat of power.[61]
[edit] Redemption
Ten years after the devastating defeat of Exar Kun on the moon of Yavin4, the Jedi Order was called to a its first convocation since the Great Sith War by its new leader, the Jedi Master Nomi Sunrider. Since the end of the war, both the Jedi and the Republic had focused on helping to restore the damaged parts of the galaxy. The Jedi, however, lacked direction, and so Sunrider hoped that, through a conclave, the Jedi Order could begin to build a united front and start about replenishing the numbers they had lost during the conflict. And so, heeding the call of their leader, masses of Jedi began descending upon Exis Station, the location chosen for the conclave.[9]
The conclave, however, was soon manipulated by one of the Jedi present: a Cathar by the name of Sylvar, who had fought during the Sith War, and how lost her mate due to Ulic Qel-Droma. Angry that Qel-Droma had not been apprehended and brought to trial for the crimes he had committed during the war, Sylvar managed to successfully turn the focus of the conclave away from rebuilding the Order, to the question of "What should be done to Ulic Qel-Droma?"[62] During the proceedings, a young Vima Sunrider, daughter to Nomi Sunrider, grew bored with the assemblies' banter and decided to steal a spacecraft from Exis Station and enjoy a joy ride. However, Vima soon found herself in trouble when she lost control of her ship, and was in danger of being pulled into a nearby sun. Nevertheless, Tott Doneeta, a Twi'lek Jedi who had arrived late to the conclave, appeared in system at that very moment and managed to save young Vima from death.[9]
Following her rescue by Doneeta, Vima felt that her Jedi training could not continue under the guidance of her mother, who, she believed, cared more about leading the Jedi Order than she did about the future of her own daughter. Believing that her mother could not finish her training, Vima made the decision to seek out the only person whom she thought could help her: Ulic Qel-Droma. Eventually making her to Rhen Var, the planet which some believed Qel-Droma had exiled himself to, Vima began her search for the former Dark Lord of the Sith.[62] Eventually, Vima made found her way to what appeared to be an abandoned fortress in the middle of the desolate frozen wastes of Rhen Var. Making her way inside, Vima is finally confronted by Qel-Droma. The fallen Jedi initially refuses to train Vima in the ways of the Force, believing that since he can no longer touch the Force he can not adequately train her. Qel-Droma, though, soon changed his mind and took the young Jedi as his apprentice.[10]
Meanwhile, Sylvar's anger at Qel-Droma and his war crimes, specifically his involvement with her mate's death,[9] drove her close to the dark side of the Force.[10] Unable to solace, Sylvar set out to find Qel-Droma and confront him about everything he had done. During this time, Nomi discovered what her daughter had done and who she was with, and departed Exis Station in an effort to bring Vima home.[63] Arriving on the frozen planet, Nomi made her way to the fortress where Qel-Droma and Vima were, and proceeded to meet with her former lover for the first time since the end of the Great Sith War. Initially angry that Vima had chosen to seek out Qel-Droma, Nomi was able to realize both the reasons behind her daughter's choices and also what Qel-Droma had been able to teach her thus far. Qel-Droma, believing that he would finally be able to find peace now through the efforts of both Vima and Nomi, was soon confronted by the angry form of Sylvar, who had managed to make her own way to Rhen Var. A fierce lightsaber duel ensued, but Sylvar was unable to continue fighting when Qel-Droma made her realize that she was slowly walking down the same road that he had walked during the Sith War. Finally releasing her anger, Sylvar admitted how close she had come to falling. However, at that moment the pilot Hoggon, who had transported Sylvar to the planet, shot Qel-Droma from behind, proudly proclaiming that he had been the one to kill Ulic Qel-Droma. In the arms of Nomi Sunrider, and despite his inability to touch the Force and his fall to the dark side, Qel-Droma died and became one with the Force, showing those present that he had finally been redeemed.[64]
[edit] Media
[edit] Comics
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