Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers
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| Lightsabers | |
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Paperback |
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Lightsabers is the fourth book in the Young Jedi Knights series.
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[edit] Synopsis
Luke Skywalker has come to a grim conclusion. With the threat of a new generation of Dark Jedi being trained at the Shadow Academy, he knows the New Republic will need all the fighters it can muster. At last, it is time for the young Jedi Knights to build their lightsabers.
But there is more to mastering the ancient weapon than mere swordsmanship. Each student must learn about the mysterious bond between Jedi and lightsaber. For Jacen and Jaina, success will mean growing stronger in the Force. But for one of their friends, failure will mean tragedy...
[edit] Summary
With the growing threat of the Second Imperium and the Dark Jedi being trained at the Shadow Academy, Luke decides, against his better judgment, to accelerate the training of his students, and asks them to build and start using their own lightsabers. The young Jedi Knights proudly rise to the challenge, but tragedy strikes when Jacen injures Tenel Ka while sparring, resulting in the loss of her arm. The princess is carried back to Hapes in shock.
On Hapes, Tenel Ka is once again exposed to her grandmother Ta'a Chume's schemings, as the old woman tries to initiate her to Hapan politics, and persuade her to renounce her Jedi training. Jacen, Jaina and Lowbacca arrive later in a welcome respite, but this does not last; after an unknown assassin detonates a bomb in the royal palace, Ta'a Chume determines that their lives are all in danger, and she and the Jedi trainees retire to an isolated Island in the middle of the Hapan ocean.
Even there, however, they are not safe; they barely escape another assassination attempt from a group of Bartokk killers. Upon their return to the mainland, the Queen Mother orders Ambassador Yfra, who was responsible for the attacks, arrested. Tenel Ka has determined that she wishes to continue her training, and returns to Yavin 4 with her friends, and constructs a new lightsaber.
[edit] Character development
The main characters exhibit perhaps the most growth of the entire series in this book, particularly Tenel Ka. On Hapes, the conflicts that have haunted her entire life come back to plague her; most notably, between her heritage as a Hapan royal and her chosen path as a Jedi, and between her Hapan and Dathomiri heritage. On top of this, she also has to decide whether to accept a prosthetic replacement for her arm, as Luke Skywalker did (she eventually decides not to).
Tenel Ka's decisions by the end of the book show much more maturity, and greater comfort with her mixed heritage, than she displayed in earlier books. While she decides to return to Yavin 4 and continue her Jedi training, she also listens to her grandmother's teaching, accepting that she may one day "find a use" for these political skills. She also decides to integrate both her Dathomiri and Hapan heritages, something she intentionally displays in her lightsaber; she carves it out of a rancor tooth (from Dathomir), while using rainbow gems from Gallinore, in the Hapes Consortium, as its focusing crystals.
The other three also develop in the book, especially Jacen, who has to deal with the guilt of having injured Tenel Ka. Jaina also has her issues to deal with; she is deeply affected by Zekk's recent conversion to the dark side, and is still terrified at the thought of having to meet him in combat. They also have to deal, for the first time, with the knowledge that Tenel Ka is a princess and heir to a mighty throne; until then, she had concealed her Hapan heritage, wishing to be judged on her merits alone by her friends and the Academy, not by what her lineage was.
Zekk, finally, is also featured in the book, though he never encounters the main characters or enters the main plotline. However, we see him progress in his training, quickly becoming one of the best pupils of the Shadow Academy. His growth culminates when he wins a fight to the death against Vilas, the Academy's other rising star. Following this, Brakiss hails his victory and crowns him the Emperor's Darkest Knight.
[edit] Appearances
[edit] Individuals
- Ackbar (Mentioned only)
- Artoo Detoo
- Augwynne Djo (Mentioned only)
- Brakiss
- Lando Calrissian (Mentioned only)
- Chewbacca (Mentioned only)
- Ta'a Chume
- Cilghal (Mentioned only)
- Tenel Ka Djo
- Teneniel Djo
- Em Teedee
- Gantoris (Mentioned only)
- Garowyn (Mentioned only)
- Isolder
- Tamith Kai
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (Mentioned only)
- Exar Kun (Mentioned only)
- Lowbacca
- Norys
- Palpatine (Appears as hologram)
- Peckhum (Mentioned only)
- Qorl
- Vonnda Ra (Mentioned only)
- Naga Sadow (Mentioned only)
- Luke Skywalker
- Han Solo (Mentioned only)
- Jacen Solo
- Jaina Solo
- Leia Organa Solo (Mentioned only)
- Tionne Solusar
- Andur Sunrider (Mentioned only)
- Nomi Sunrider (Mentioned only)
- Vima Sunrider (Mentioned only)
- Thon (Mentioned only)
- Raynar Thul
- Darth Vader (Mentioned only)
- Vilas (Mentioned only)
- Yfra
- Zekk
[edit] Locations
- Bespin (Mentioned only)
- Cloud City (Mentioned only)
- Coruscant (Mentioned only)
- Imperial Palace (Mentioned only)
- Dathomir (Mentioned only)
- Death Star I (Mentioned only)
- Denarii Nova
- Gallinore (Mentioned only)
- Hapes
- The Dragon's Teeth (First appearance)
- Fountain Palace
- Reef Fortress Island (First appearance)
- Reef Fortress (First appearance)
- Kashyyyk (Mentioned only)
- Maires (Mentioned only)
- Shadow Academy
- Vergill (Mentioned only)
- Yavin
- GemDiver Station (Mentioned only)
- Yavin 4
[edit] Creatures
- Abyssin (Mentioned only)
- Bantha (Mentioned only)
- Crystal snake
- Dragon (Mentioned only)
- Ewok (Mentioned only)
- Feral rat (First mentioned)
- Granite slug (Mentioned only)
- Krayt dragon (Mentioned only)
- Mynock (Mentioned only)
- Piranha beetle (Mentioned only)
- Spider-roach (First mentioned)
- Stinger lizard (First appearance)
- Stintaril
- Wampa (Mentioned only)
[edit] Droid Models
- Assassin droid (Mentioned only)
- Dueling droid (First mentioned)
- Medical droid (Mentioned only)
- Miniaturized translator droid
- Protocol droid (Mentioned only)
- R2-series astromech droid
[edit] Events
- Battle of Yavin (Mentioned only)
- Bombing of Fountain Palace (First appearance)
- Clone Wars (Mentioned only)
- Raid on the Adamant (Mentioned only)
- Duel on Cloud City (Mentioned only)
- Raid on GemDiver Station (Mentioned only)
- Raid on Reef Fortress (First appearance)
- Second Imperium Crisis
- Splitting of Denarii Nova (Mentioned only)
[edit] Organizations and Titles
- Alliance to Restore the Republic (Mentioned only)
- Galactic Empire (Mentioned only)
- Jedi
- The Lost Ones
- New Republic
- Nightsister
- Royal House of Hapes (Mentioned only)
- Second Imperium
- Sith (Mentioned only)
[edit] Sentient Species
- Bartokk
- Calamari (Mentioned only)
- Human
- Mairan (First mentioned)
- Massassi (Mentioned only)
- Rancor (Mentioned only)
- Tusken Raider (Mentioned only)
- Vergill (Mentioned only)
- Wookiee
[edit] Vehicles and Vessels
- Adamant (Indirect mention only)
- Express-class ambassadorial shuttle
- Hapan Battle Dragon
- Hapan Water Dragon
- Millennium Falcon (Mentioned only)
- Shadow Chaser
- Star Destroyer (Mentioned only)
- Stinger security escort vehicle (First appearance)
- T-23 Skyhopper
- TIE Fighter (Mentioned only)
- Thunder Wraith
- Wavespeeder
[edit] Weapons and Technology
- Bacta tank (Mentioned only)
- Blaster Pistol
- Chronometer (Mentioned only)
- Death Star (Mentioned only)
- Enhancement jewel (First appearance)
- Focusing lens
- Fibercord (Mentioned only)
- Glowrod
- Grappling hook (Mentioned only)
- Hydrospanner (Mentioned only)
- Lightsaber
- Remote
[edit] Miscellania
- Adegan crystal (Mentioned only)
- Corusca gem
- Kaiburr crystal (Mentioned only)
- Massassi tree
- Syren-plant (Mentioned only)
- Ultima-pearl (Mentioned only)
[edit] Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Lightsabers.
