Qui-Gon Jinn: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Qui-Gon Jinn was approximately 60 years old at the time of his death.

He never sat on the vaunted Jedi Council and he was never known to be extraordinarily strong with the force.

So, what’s so special about him you might ask? Well, for starters Jinn might be the most important Jedi not named Luke Skywalker.

Qui-Gon Jinn was certainly talented and experienced enough to be on the Jedi Council but his “radical” beliefs of the living force and his unorthodox ways repeatedly put his peers at odds with him.

It was commonplace for Jinn to be told how to go about a mission by some of the eldest Jedi and how to conduct himself in certain situations only for him to completely go against his instructions and do things his own way.

Now this might all seem like criticism and maybe it is, but it’s also who Qui-Gon was…and he knew it as well.

So why is this rebellious Jedi so important you might ask?

It’s quite simple really, it can be described in three words…

HE WAS RIGHT

For many years the Jedi Master continuously did things his own way as he believed in his own ways of the force.

Basically, the reason why this enigmatic Jedi is so relevant in the grand scheme of things is his beliefs of the living force were spot on.

On that fateful day when Jinn’s midsection and the Sith apprentice Darth Maul’s lightsaber were united, Qui-Gon Jinn’s long stubbornness and boldness finally came to fruition.

The Jedi found life after death…

Something no Jedi had done before.

Through his abilities and beliefs in the living force, he was effectively able to remain in the mortal world mentally-speaking through his conscience and soul.

Now that brings me to my main point.

As the show Star Wars: The Clone Wars shows us, Qui-Gon’s new ability is taught and given to his former Master, head honcho of the Jedi Order, Master Yoda.

If you remember the last three episodes from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Yoda embarks on a secret mission throughout the Galaxy.

It is here where Yoda learns of the living force and its importance.

Ironically, it was Yoda who was one of Jinn’s critics during his lifetime as the Jedi refused to bend to the Council’s ways.

Yet it was Yoda who could be harshly criticized himself for being too stubborn in not seeing the Jedi’s ways and how they were inevitably doomed to fail for the lack of progressiveness.

Nonetheless, Yoda gives credit where credit is due as he figuratively becomes the apprentice of his own former pupil, Qui-Gon Jinn.

It is here where Yoda learns the skills and abilities as well as the significance of the living force .

If you recall at the end of Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Yoda tells Obi-Wan of the contact he has made, the resurfacing of Qui-Gon Jinn.

After Obi-Wan’s forever-changing bout with Anakin/Darth Vader, Kenobi goes into hiding on Tatooine as he watches over young Luke Skywalker from afar.

It is here where he practices and perfects his former Master’s teachings and learns the ways of the living force.

The real significance of this is when Obi-Wan is “cut” down by Vader in Episode IV yet is able to communicate through the force to Luke and Yoda.

Most importantly, with Obi-Wan still able to sporadically help his pupil, Luke Skywalker, the fate of the Galaxy is eventually restored.

Do you realize that without Qui-Gon Jinn none of that would have been possible!?

Out of every Jedi in the Order, none of them were able to achieve the level of brilliance that Jinn reached.

So, before you say who is the most powerful Jedi, remember there is power in knowledge.

Do not forget about Qui-Gon Jinn and all he did for the Jedi, for the good of the Galaxy and the future of existence.

-Sith Pacify out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Story Friday: Gentle Assassin

The sun was setting off in the distance as its rays leaked over the tree tops and sprayed the long concrete walkway.

Admiring the cool crisp weather, Count Dooku, leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, stood at the bottom of the steps leading to his massive Palace.

His gaze was stern almost expecting.

In fact, the Count of Serenno was indeed expecting someone.

His young apprentice, Asajj Ventress was en route and he was growing impatient.

Dooku enjoyed his training and shaping of Ventress. He often instructed the young Sith one thing and expected another.

He expected her force abilities to show her his true intentions.

But now it was getting late and Dooku’s patients were running thin.

***

A mix of darkish green leaves and vines whipped by her face as she practically glided just above the land.

Using the force to augment her speed, Asajj Ventress knew her presence was expected, even though she was instructed to rendezvous with  her master in a little over two hours.

Difficult to predict and impossible to plan for, her master trained her to always expect the unexpected, and today was no different.

Her senses were telling her that Dooku was getting restless which meant Ventress had to hurry.

Taking it up a notch, she began to jump from place to place in an attempt to get to her destination faster.

Six meters here, nine meters there seven meters over there, Ventress was zooming through the Serenno forest.

She was close now, all that stood in her way of being in the line of her master’s sight was seven giant trees that were six feet in diameter.

Sparing no time, she took a mighty leap and landed no more than 10 meters away from the end of the forest, planted her feet firmly in the cool ground and cleared her mind.

At that instant she tapped deep into the Dark Side and allowed her past experiences of painful memories, times of sadness and heartbreak to pull her deep into the force.

She saw nothing but red, as fury and pure hate filled her heart. Ventress let out a blast of pure energy through the force that sent the humongous trees flying through the air, clearing her path.

In the near distance, Dooku sensed it before it happened.

He felt the massive output of relentless energy followed by the first row of the trees in the Serenno forest launched.

Staring to the sky, with his hands evenly clasped behind his back, Dooku calmly watched as chunks of wood and clumps of soil rained down on the stone deck.

Like a meteor shot out of the space, Asajj Ventress came crashing down directly in front of her master, already kneeling on one knee with her head bowed.

“Master?” She said with a half-smile.

Dooku slowly lowered his gaze to meet his apprentices, “We have little time for games Ventress, this act of showing up when you decide to is getting tired.”

“Yes my lord,” She responded.

Eager to continue his plans, Dooku said, “The Confederacy’s manufacturing plants on Charros IV is in danger. I have received word from my master that the Republic is launching a full offensive. We will match them in firepower and outnumber them three to one.”

“It will be your responsibility to covertly make your way to the Republic staging area and sabotage the heavy machinery that will be used in the ambush,” Dooku bluntly stated.

Ventress lifted her head, with a blank expression on her face she simply said, “Consider it done, my lord.”

***

Piercing through the blackness of space, Ventress was in deep meditation, anticipating the events of what was to come.

She had her mission.

She was to land in a hangar hidden to the Republic that was designed for diplomats visiting Charros’ government.

The hangar was seized by the CIS when the planet was hijacked by the Separatists and was now a key strategic point to an impending battle.

As her Ginivex-class starfighter eased to the floor, she remained in the cockpit and meditated.

She was a master assassin, with the power of the Dark Side to guide her, Asajj Ventress was in her element.

All at once, she flashed her eyes open, activated the craft’s hatch and burst through in the air.

When she hit the ground, she was already running. The sky was gray, the trees were leafless and the Sith apprentice was picking up speed as she bolted through the Charros forest.

It didn’t take long for her to find a path towards the Republic staging ground. She looked on as tracks of heavy machinery of the Grand Army of the Republic winded down, through the forest.

Right at that moment, the currents in the force lashed out as her as a warning, she could feel the immediate danger through the force as she froze and observed her surroundings.

The air was still and all was quiet when she saw no more than 15 meters away, a Republic scout marking the land for the imminent attack.

“Too easy,” she told herself as the corners of her mouth curled to form an evil smile.

Launching herself through the air, she ignited her twin lightsabers and rapidly approached the lone trooper.

At the last second, the clone turned around, looked up and saw her. He was too late. Reflecting on his visor, she could see her own reflection and her own wicked smile plastered on her face.

Altogether, Ventress gracefully landed on the forest floor while the clone’s body and head audibly did the same.

There was no time to admire her craft however as she continued her pursuit for the staging area.

***

Count Dooku lowered himself to the ground on one knee as he bowed his head.

“My lord?” Dooku formally stated.

Above the Count was a large hologram of a dark figure with a pasty white face, covered from just above the nose by a black hood, the image was surrounded by darkness.

For a moment, the figure just hovered there without saying anything.

Then with a slow deliberate almost angry tone,”Darth Tyranus, a predicament has arisen.”

“A pair of Jedi are leading the assault on the CIS factories of Charros IV.”

Dooku tilted his head towards the image and said,” Ventress will dispose of them with ease, my lord.”

Almost impatient, the shrouded figure retorded,”Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker are the Jedi leading the assault.”

His voice was sharp and bitter.

Struggling with what to say, Dooku did his best to respond.

But without warning, the opposing figure ended the transmission.

The last image Dooku saw was a flash of teeth in a fury-filled scowl.

***

Hydraulic engines and clanking and clashing metal filled the air. Republic AT-TE and HAVw A6 Juggernauts dominated the landscape.

Asajj Ventress was taken aback at the sight but almost instantly regained composure.

The Republic forces were flexing their might with all this fire power. Ventress was unsure if she could ravage the machinery in time.

As she was plotting her first move, her next discovery left her in shock.

Walking side by side, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were quarreling over what seemed to be a childish argument.

“Master, with all do respect, I was on my way but you wanted all of those battle droids destroyed,” Skywalker said.

“Oh please Anakin, just admit you were taking your time. There was more than sufficient time for someone of your caliber to get the job done,” Kenobi returned.

“What are these idiots doing here,” Ventress said to herself as she grinded her teeth in anger.

She had many battles in the past with Jedi and almost all of them she emerged victorious.

But with Kenobi/Skywalker, she was lucky to escape with her life.

Now she had no choice, her master gave her a mission and failure was not an option.

Easing out of the tree line, Ventress crept towards the first giant vehicle.

She planted the charges right next to the fueling apparatus and moved on.

One by one she sabotaged the Republic equipment as she heard the clone commander issue the order for the assault to begin.

Many Republic and Confederate spies/assassins were good at what they did but Asajj Ventress was the best.

Retreating back towards the camouflaging tree line, her advance was blocked.

“Hello there,” Obi-Wan Kenobi sarcastically welcomed Ventress.

“Oh Kenobi, you can put an end to the charade. You are a pest that will never catch a hint!” Ventress said through gritted teeth.

“Charming as always,” Kenobi replied with a smiile.

To Kenobi’s surprise, Ventress returned his smile and said,”You’re too late to stop me this time.”

With that, Ventress took off in a dead sprint, leaving the Jedi Master behind her.

Abruptly, a figure came crashing down in front of her, knocking the Sith down.

“I should have known our presence would draw out a coward like yourself,” said a stern-faced Anakin.

But instead of Ventress jumping to engage Skywalker in a duel as he expected, she took another course of action.

“Leave me, you imbecile!” Ventress shieked almost frantically.

Puzzled and confused, Obi-Wan caught up with Anakin saying,”It appears our friend is in a hurry.”

Ventress then made a desperate attempt to rid herself of the Jedi as she smashed the ground with a shockwave of pure surging dark energy.

Sensing impending danger, the two Jedi went into motion.

Anakin and Obi-Wan augmented their abilities as they launched themselves away from the area as a massive explosion detonated.

Enormous scraps of metal flew in all directions as clone troopers succumbed to the explosion, igniting into clone fire balls.

Before the Jedi even reacted, Ventress was on the move.

She didn’t even attempt to look back as she felt a wave of heat at her back as the putrid stench of gasoline filled the air.

Ventress knew her strike was a direct hit, her mission was done.

She had little interest in reengaging her Jedi adversaries and desired to leave the planet as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for Ventress, Kenobi and Skywalker had another idea.

Ventress, who already finished her mission, knew if she could take the two Jedi Generals away from the battle, the Separatist factories would have a much higher chance of survival.

As she sensed the Jedi tandem rapidly approaching behind her, Ventress stuck her foot in the ground, pivoted towards the Jedi and unleashed her dual lightsabers.

“Come and get it boys,” Ventress said egging on her pursuers.

Confident in her ability and with a burning hatred in her heart for Jedi, Asajj Ventress had a passion for disposing their kind.

This time would be like no other.

Ventress thought of herself as unstoppable, the Jedi were about to get a taste of the Gentle Assassin.

Story Saturday: Picking up the Pieces

The winds were howling outside his window. The room was encased in bleak darkness that seemed impenetrable.

Obi-Wan Kenobi tossed and turned on his bed. His mind was everywhere and yet nowhere, wandering through the galaxy, searching and exploring.

It had been 10 minutes since Kenobi’s eyes left the same spot he regularly stared at. The space on the wall where the concrete swooped up and lifted itself in what was like a peaking island among the waves.

As the minutes began to progress into hours, the young Jedi began to drift off into a demoralized sleep.

Obi-Wan found himself sitting across from his Master in meditation. The image of his master immediately gave Kenobi a sense of calm and created a feeling of perfect serenity.

Qui-Gon Jinn opened his eyes and stared piercingly into Obi-Wan’s.

“He is the chosen one Obi-Wan, you must do what I cannot.” Qui-Gonn said firmly.

Kenobi knew his Master was referring to the freed slave boy that Qui-Gon raved and proclaimed was a savior to the force.

Confused and distraught, Kenobi’s voice felt like it was chained and suppressed, unable to respond.

Finally, mustering up his strength, Kenobi hesitantly replied, “But, Master…you are here. Will you not train the boy?”

All at once, Qui-Gon’s chest arced forward, a grimace of pain on his face as a crimson blade perforated the Jedi Master.

As the blade remained in his midsection, Qui-Gon’s expression of fear disappeared. In its stead, a solemn smile as his eyes met his apprentice’s.

Out of nowhere, a horned monster came into view behind Qui-Gon’s head. A smile of smug content crossed his face.

The last thing Obi-Wan remembered was his own voice shrieking in a mix of astonishment and agony.

Flying up from his bed, Kenobi almost smacked head-first into a young boy leaning over him.

“Master Obi-Wan sir, I heard you yelling from outside. Are you alright?” the youthful Anakin Skywalker timidly said.

Catching his bearings, Obi-Wan scolded his new apprentice for barging in unannounced.

Anakin originally tried to reason with the older Jedi but thought better of it and bashfully apologized.

It had been two weeks since Obi-Wan’s Master was killed. He promised Qui-Gon he would train the boy but he repeatedly questioned his ability as well as the youth’s readiness.

Later that afternoon, Obi-Wan wandered the Jedi temple looking for Master Yoda. He needed some guidance on his dreams.

The loss of Qui-Gon haunted him.

More and more Kenobi found himself calling on the force to help him get through his days as he had little to no sleep since his master’s death.

Kenobi was walking towards Yoda’s usual meditation quarters when he sensed a presence around him that was seeking his own counsel.

All in one motion Kenobi flung himself around to find little Anakin standing behind him, looking up at Obi-Wan with a puzzled look on his face.

“Master Obi-Wan sir, what should I do? I meditated like you asked. Can I walk around with you?”

Feeling more and more annoyed at the boy, Kenobi took a deep breath and steadied himself in the force.

“You really must listen to me more carefully Anakin. I told you to remain in the chamber until I joined you. How are you supposed to learn the ways of the force without centering your mind?” said Obi-Wan with his voice rising.

He could see the boy’s shoulders physically slant and could feel his acknowledgment of his actions.

As much as Obi-Wan disliked his orders to be disobeyed, he knew the boy was just a curious youth.

“Anakin, please do as I say. I only want what is best for you now please, go back to your meditation chamber.”

The boy then responded with a comment that caught Obi-Wan off guard.

“But why? I keep seeing the same images. I keep seeing Master Qui-Gon too.”

At that moment, the boy paused, then looked up at him and said, “Master Obi-Wan, why did Master Qui-Gon die?”

Unsure what to say, Obi-Wan shifted his stance on responding and scolded the boy instead.

After, Anakin reluctantly went on his way to return to his studies.

As Anakin was walking away, a thought came to Kenobi…

What if Anakin was suffering too? After all, Anakin was promised by Qui-Gon to be trained…by him.

Obi-Wan knew he had to provide some kind of comfort, but he just couldn’t.

Kenobi had never been a soothing presence and since he too was suffering from the loss of Qui-Gon, he might be little help to Anakin.

Obi-Wan continued his search for Yoda when it was Yoda who found him.

A inquisitive look was on the aged master’s face.

Yoda told Obi-Wan that he and Master Windu desired his presence.

But for the first time, Yoda told Obi-Wan something he’d never heard before…the conclave between him and the Jedi masters was to be off record.

Obi-Wan walked calmly with Yoda in his usual slow-paced fashion.

As they arrived to the meditation chamber, Master Windu was already waiting.

The Korun master, standing at 6’4, gazed at Obi-Wan with a stoic look. He knew Kenobi was the only Jedi alive to best a Sith.

Not even Master Yoda had encountered a Sith in battle in his long extensive past.

As the three of them ventured inside the chamber, Master Yoda stopped short and paused.

Studying him closely, Master Windu could feel his next move.

“The boy, you feel him too?” Windu said to Yoda.

“Yes, his thoughts, his presence, near they are,” proclaimed Yoda.

Obi-Wan butted in and said, “Well, Masters, I instructed Anakin to meditate. I’m sure he is in his chamber .”

As Obi-Wan finished his sentence, he immediately began to worry and hope that Anakin had obeyed him and would be in deep mediation.

“Obi-Wan, your padawan, bring him here,” Yoda announced.

Kenobi lifted himself from his meditation cushion and made his way to the door. As he activated the door, he was taken back by Anakin’s shocking presence.

Skywalker was standing behind the door, with his head pressed up against the metal, listenting.

The two masters watched him as well as Obi-Wan’s look with great interrest. Seeing how Kenobi would react to his padawan’s actions would be a curious scene.

As Obi-Wan looked down on Anakin, he felt his own face warming and his embarrassment growing.

Obi-Wan knew this was most certainly a test from the Masters as well as an important learning experience for Anakin.

Kenobi began to scold Anakin as he told him exactly what he did wrong and precisely what he should have done when Yoda abruptly interrupted him.

“Anakin, sit with us, you may,” said Yoda in his usual wise manner.

Anakin, without saying a word, apprehensively walked over to the seat beside Yoda.

Now that everything was seemingly settled, Yoda carried on with why he summoned Obi-Wan.

Yoda explained to Kenobi that he had felt his mind through his own meditations. The old master understood what Kenobi was feeling.

“It is understandable that you’re upset, Obi-Wan. But tell me, have you had further observations on your fallen Masters assailant?” Mace Windu said clearly looking for more of an answer than his words let on.

As Obi-Wan took in the question, his thoughts shifted to the dreams he had earlier in the day….

His original thought was to hide that information from Anakin’s ears but thought better of it when he felt Yoda and Mace’s contemplating eyes on him.

As Kenobi retold the tale in great detail, leaving nothing out, Yoda continued to stare at him with no reaction.

When Obi-Wan finished his description of the ordeal, it was Anakin who broke the silence…

“I saw that evil man too, in my dreams, that is,” Anakin shyly stated.

With great anticipation, Master Yoda altered his gaze from Obi-Wan to Anakin. A grim look on his face, Yoda made his intentions clear.

“Young Anakin, know of this, I did. Forseen it, I have. Your reaction is what Master Windu and I required,” Yoda stated prophetically. “The Sith, they have returned, wary we must all be.”

To that comment Mace responded, “A cloud has formed over us all, we must proceed with caution.

Story Saturday: The Failure of Exile

It’s common knowledge that Yoda went into a self-imposed exile after Chancellor Palpatine betrayed the Jedi and announced himself as the infamous Darth Sidious.

What isn’t so well known however is what happened to Yoda immediately after he arrived on Dagobah.

Well, the following short story will give you a better idea.

The premonitions were inevitable. A feeling long felt, dreamt, thought of, even daydreamed, yes he saw it coming.

Yoda, former Grand Master of the Intergalactic Jedi Order stands alone in his new home. While in exile on the Outer Rim remote planet of Dagobah, the nightmare of the demise of the Jedi replay in his head over and over.

Torture amongst solitude is enough to make even the strongest break.

But the once all-powerful leader of the respected Jedi, is now cracking under the sheer guilt and immense weight that reality has left him.

It was like a bad dream that plays over and over in his head. The faces of his slain comrades, their emotion of being caught off guard, surprised.

It was exactly three weeks since the Jedi were extinguished. To this point, Yoda’s journey to remain isolated from the rest of the galaxy has gone unexpected.

The impeding guilt of what happened mixed with the constant quiet that is Dagobah has started to deteriorate the mighty warrior’s mind.

Yoda knew being alone would certainly present its challenges but this situation he was unprepared for.

He could feel the force but it now felt different, very different.

A master of the force, a being of almost 900 years and for the first time, what he knew best was alien to him.

He felt as if all of his former padawans, his Jedi compatriots, were now submerged in a world of nothingness.

Almost as if their very existence now bear one thing in common: failure…

This “stinging wound” inflicted by the once so-called “chosen one”, Anakin Skywalker, brought Yoda unexplainable pain. The pain he felt was as if his body was impaled with a thousand singeing lightsabers held by all the former and current Sith Lords of the galaxy.

Today, Yoda woke up in the usual fashion. After intense mental clashing with his own conscience and psyche, the small creature found himself back in a deep sleep forced on him from pure exhaustion.

As if he was lifting 10,000 stones with his mind while sifting through his once vaunted Jedi archives searching for a single word of a foreign tongue in dozens of intricate yet different texts.

The short time he had been away from all he once knew had already began to deteriorate Yoda’s mind, spirit and body.

Yes the egregious results of the near past mentally scarred Yoda far worse than any physical injury could cause.

Yoda sat down on a branch gazing into the greenish gray forests as the morning sun mixed with rain sprinkled upon the trees and the moss that filled the planet’s ecosystem.

As Yoda prepared to allow his mind to fall back into a trance of mental meditation, he froze. He could feel the prodding mind of the all powerful Emperor mentally searching every crevice and interstice around.

His gaze was expanding, filling everything with awareness.

He was searching for someone, he was searching for Yoda.

However, the former Jedi champion knew he was safe. The boundaries of Dagobah protected its inhabitants with a one of a kind force concealment.

As the Emperor’s wave unknowingly washed over the planet with Yoda unscathed, the former Jedi sat back in deep reflection of his thoughts once more.

He knew over 98% of all beings who called themselves Jedi in any capacity were exfoliated, but he also knew within that very little known 2%, some holdouts remained.

Specifically, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Three weeks ago, the Jedi master dueled the spewing-with-hate Darth Vader on the volcanic planet of Mustafar and cursed the fallen Jedi to inexplicable punishment.

Unbeknownst to Obi-Wan, Vader survived the bout and went through emergency surgery to save and repair what was left of the once almighty body of Vader’s.

Yoda studied this new mechanical monstrosity that was now Darth Vader.

He could feel his dilapidated body stained with shame, confusion and anger. The last few months before the purge of the Jedi yielded great amounts of alienation for Skywalker.

Struggling to come to grips with his rapidly growing connection with the force and his second to none physical prowess, he became more and more unhappy with his role as a Jedi knight.

The gifted Skywalker demanded more.

More responsibility, more attention and more respect.

In the end, these feelings would push the very limits of reality and unfathomably joining the dark side of the force as Darth Sidious’s pawn.

In trying to come to grips with his situation, Yoda stretched his mind to the future.

The change of direction felt refreshing and for once in many years, the future existence of reality was no longer clouded.

Since the Dark Side had already struck, its great shadow of “unknown” was lifted.

Yoda saw decades ahead of intergalactic submission forced upon by the new regime.

However, he foresaw a meeting that shook him to the very core.

It was the offspring of Anakin Skywalker, the boy, Luke.

While Yoda was alone on Dagobah, young Luke was being carefully watched from a distance by Obi-Wan.

The boy would learn the force and eventually come to grips with his situation through Yoda himself.

This was the astronomical vision that Master Yoda could see!

As it began to fade out, Yoda regained an emotion that felt as if it was absent for centuries, happiness.

Deep in his heart and mind, Yoda knew of a secret, a new hope has arisen. Yes, Yoda knew…

Story Saturday: Commander Cody

From now on, Saturday and Sundays will be reserved for short stories!

I sincerely hope you all enjoy them as much as I enjoy writing them.

Millions of miles away from his home world of Kamino, Commander Cody stood on the outskirts of the gigantic structure known as Hangar 10.

Cody, a Marshall Commander of the 7th Sky Corps, 212 Attack Battalion was feeling unusually uneven.

A man of Cody’s significance and ability was used to being thrown into a war zone where thousands of his own would be killed.

But today, something was out of place.

The Commander looked down at his hands. Encased in his uniform shell, he could feel them trembling.

The night before, Cody had a dream that seemed more like a premonition.

In his dream, there was darkness, silence permeating the nothingness that surrounded him.

Cody was certain he was trapped under water since his movements were slowed by what felt like a goo.

Then it happened. Like a flash, images of rock and mountain began to spew out of his mind. Racing around his brain like flames leaping through a fire.

Normally a battle-tested veteran like Commander Cody would have his feelings and emotions under wraps but in this situation they were running free.

“Execute…execute…execute,” he kept on hearing. His mind in a flux of confusion as puzzlement ran rampant.

Suddenly more visions started to burst into his mind.

This time, Cody was standing on a landing platform.

Perfectly blue and puffy white clouds with radiating sunlight shone down past his helmet through his visor and directly into his eyes. Cody saw himself staring into a holovid of a dark shadowy figure.

A Commander of Cody’s stature didn’t get to his position without being a good judge of character and this figure he saw  emanated a pure evil and malicious hate.

Colors of light brown and tan and green and blue washed together as whatever it was he was staring at continued to move and rapidly at that.

And then he heard it. “Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute Order 66.”

Unable to decipher what he was seeing, Cody was at a loss.

Abruptly, unable to control his own movements,he raised his arm while saying “on my mark”.

Seconds passed that felt like hours then it happened. He could hear his own voice shout “FIRE!” in an even and under control manner.

At that very instant a blast from an AT-TE no more than five meters to his left rang out blasting the mountain top.

Without a second longer Cody was knocked from his vision within his dream and he was back in the liquid. The strange goo immediately started to drain and a long-necked, intense-eyed creature reached for Cody. Behind the creature there was nothing but intense white.

All at once, Commander Cody’s mind flashed back into his body. There he was again, standing on the boundary of Hanger 10. 

There wasn’t time to make sense of his memories of his dreams the night before as General Kenobi’s homing beacon was activated signaling the invasion was about to begin.

Without hesitation Cody locked and loaded his DC-15 standard issued rifle and took a leap of faith as he descended amongst his brethren.

He could feel the rush of the cool air sifting through the creases and cracks of his heavily worn uniform.

Like cool water quenching a burning flame, the Republic forces spearheaded the Confederacy with astonishing efficiency.

Quickly cutting down their counterparts the clones moved on through the several waves of oncoming droids. With renewed fire and will as well as sensing the end of the war nearing, the Clones were relentless.

As the battle continued, Commander Cody and his forces exposed the weaker droid army. In every single way, the Clones were superior to their counterparts.

It soon became evident that the Confederacy of Independent Systems were on the edge of collapse as the battle for Utapau was closing.

Cody felt an alert on his hip as the Jedi General, Obi-Wan Kenobi attempted to contact him.

The clone commander answered instantly as Kenobi alerted Cody that he had just put an end to the droid Supreme Commander, General Grievous.

With a second wind of renewed strength, Commander Cody blasted away what remained of the Droid forces.

No more than 10 minutes later did Kenobi approach him on his dragon-running beast.

Exchanging pleasantries as well as returning the General’s lightsaber, Kenobi proclaimed victory and urged Cody to move to the upper levels as victory was imminent.

Suddenly, a weird sensation came over Cody. He felt like he had been here before. Almost as if in this very moment, he knew how it would play out exactly.

With the General racing up the mountain pass towards the upper levels, Cody was receiving an incoming signal.

As he tapped the holovid on, he was momentarily shocked to see the figure of the Supreme Chancellor. The next words that were uttered from the Chancellor’s mouth had the impact of separating Cody’s soul from his body as he heard the “Execute Order 66”

With intense efficiency, Cody felt like he’d been here before. Then it all came back to him. This was his dream, exactly as he dreamt it.

Just like before, he raised his arm while saying “on my mark”.

The same seconds passed that felt like the same hours then he gave the order. It was his own voice although it sounded foreign to him as he heard “FIRE!” in the even and cold manner as before.

Up the mountainside he saw the effect of his actions. The AT-TE blast decimated the vicinity as the rock came crashing down.

There was General Kenobi, his friend, falling to his death.

Uncertainty clouded his thoughts but on the outside Commander Cody was resolute in his actions, the direct image of determination.

He was not sure what or why he just did what he did but he knew what’s done is done.

After all, he was a soldier. His purpose in life was to take orders, carry them out to his best ability and obey his superiors.

At that very second, Commander Cody made a very conscious decision to put his actions behind him and continue to do his duty. For his brothers. For his Republic. For his new Emperor…

The Sad Life of General Greivous

Grievous

The legendary General Grievous. Just the very name is fearsome and evil but the man? Well, he’s all of that and more.

General Grievous was the cyborg Supreme Commander of the Droid Army of the Confederacy of the Independent Systems, better known as the CIS.

Most Star Wars fans know Grievous as the merciless, temperamental leader that preyed and mutilated Jedi and clones alike. But what’s not commonly known about him is the dismal life he was literally forced to lead.

Beginnings 

Grievous was born as a Kaleesh on the planet of Kalee. His birth name was Qymaen jai Sheelal.

On his home world, he was a major hero to his people as they battled the dreaded Huk. From the beginning, Sheelal was an exceptional warrior. So much so that his people looked at him as a demigod.

Soon after he established his reputation as a hero among his people, Sheelal met a female Kaleesh, Ronderu Iij Kummar. Kummar, a sword master, became Sheelal’s love as they fought the Huk side by side.

Grief 

Unfortunately, Kummar would go on to be killed by the Huk.

Dejectedly, Qymaen jai Sheelal would go on to change his name to Grievous, signifying his forever lasting agony and despair for his lost love.

It was at this time that Grievous’s good times were behind him. The once proud leader of his people would fall down a path of horrific bereavement until the end.

Revenge

Grievous looked to the Huk with a burning passion of pure hatred. With the help from his fellow Kaleesh combatants, they managed to push back the Huk to their own planet.

The Kalee-born fighters engaged the Huk in a fierce and relentless assault on the Huk home world officially conquering them.

This is where the image of the General Grievous we know from the Clone Wars starts to come into picture.

Jedi Hatred

Backed into a corner, the Huk communed their struggles to the Galactic Republic.

In response, the Republic dispatched the Jedi to answer the Kaleesh and in turn, liberated the Huk planet and forced the Kaleesh back to Kalee.

The difference in this situation however was the fact that Kalee was now barren and desolate from war. With no food, the Kaleesh were left to starve.

Seemingly defeated, Greivous turned to the InterGalactic Banking Clan where he took a job as a enforcer to defend his people. Soon after, he learned that the Huk were back on the offensive and had attacked Kalee, Grievous departed for his home world.

The story gets worse as San Hill, IBC head, with support from CIS leader Count Dooku, planted a bomb on Grievous’s ship.

Mortally wounded, Grievous clung to life as he was approached by Hill. Given an ultimatum, Hill promised Grievous that they could rebuild him and make him a cyborg form of himself.

Angry and confused, Grievous had no choice.

After reconstruction, Grievous was introduced to the Count as a powerful weapon as a new conflict neared, the Clone Wars.

Unbeknownst Torture

After Grievous was named Supreme Commander, he was subject to relentless and inequitable treatment.

Little did Grievous know, the war was staged. Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord had manipulated both sides of the struggle with Grievous enduring times of great confusion, panic and gloom.

Grievous was meant to fail. He was secretly and confidentially put in situations to fail throughout his three years in the war.

What’s more, Grievous’s master and mentor Count Dooku, secretly despised the General. Dooku in being part of the same thought process as his master, the architect of the Clone Wars Darth Sidious, hated all creatures that weren’t human. Especially droids.

Strange enough, Grievous too had a hatred for droids but even more so than Dookus. Grievous actually still considered himself a man through these harrowing times.

Dooku harbored an intense hatred for the General and looked at him as a insufficient, weak piece of meat that was meant to plummet the galaxy further into chaos.

Grievous had the ultimate loyalty to his master yet Dooku continuously put him in situations where his hands were tied and he would fail.

General Grievous was a military genius. Someone who made all the right moves but rarely saw them play out because of the nature of the Clone Wars.

As the War raged on, The Jedi Order quickly took notice of the General as he quickly became their number one target.

It’s pretty amazing that Grievous lasted as long as he did. He was endlessly pursued by the Jedi and had dozens of close calls in which he barely escaped with his life.

End of Grievous

As the General carried out his master’s orders with flawless precision, he’d soon find out that he was doomed regardless of his actions.

It was Darth Sidious and Count Dooku’s doing who allowed Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to enter the General’s Flagship The Invisible Hand.

What many don’t know is it was Dooku’s intention to have Grievous go down with the ship and perish. In fact, some time after the two Jedi knights confronted Dooku, Grievous attempts to contact him to no avail.

Grievous discovers from the security cameras that Dooku was bested by the combatants. If not for Grievous going against his master’s orders, he would have succumbed to the fiery mess of the battle above Coruscant.

We all know he flees to the Utapau system which ultimately is his final stand.

It was all meant to be, it was all predetermined. Which unfortunately doomed the General.

What Could have been

You never really think about it like this but General Grievous, Qymaen jai Sheelal, really had a tough life.

After his beloved was killed, everything went south and fast. He never was able to have complete control of any situation he was in from that point on.

Grievous was one of a kind. His leadership skills were unmatched, the fire in his heart burned brighter and stronger than any other and he was as fierce as anything..EVER really.

Just imagine if the Clone Wars were really a fair fight, no manipulation, no predestination, just an all out war between two sides.

The picture above pretty much sums it up with Grievous. The man is a killing machine standing at exactly seven feet and weighing in around 350 pounds.

Forget a lightsaber, the man would just tear your head off with his own claws! But you get the point.

Life was unfair to General Grievous, he never stood a chance. He didn’t start off evil but he sure ended so.

But really, can you blame him? I mean, come on. The man lost the love of his life to the invaders of his home world, was completely blown apart for just trying to return to his planet to help and was always lied and manipulated which at long last caused his death.

In the end, Grievous made to suffer.

-Sith Pacify out

Where does Darth Maul fit into the grand scheme of things?

Introducing Darth Maul

The great Darth Maul. Sith Lord and apprentice to the master of chaos, Darth Sidious. Maul was a creature of the dark, a weapon of evil and a warrior unmatched.

His abilities are astronomical and his prowess second to none, but when it comes down to legacy, what is Darth Maul’s?

If we’re talking strictly talking movie legacy, then it’s rather weak but extremely significant. He’s killed in Episode I and that’s the end of him onscreen. As for his impact, well that goes far beyond his quick exit.

Darth Maul first comes into focus when Darth Sidious demands Trade Federation head, Viceroy Nute Gunray and his Lieutenant Rune Haako force Queen of Naboo Padmé Amidala to sign their invasion of Naboo treaty.

The treaty when signed, was to officially authorize the Trade Federation’s invasion of Naboo. This detail was absolutely imperative to Sidous’s master plan or else the Senate would have legitimate cause to intervene.

As Sidious is told by the Neimoidians that the Queen Amidala has somehow slipped through the planet-wide lock down and has escaped Gunray’s demands for her to sign a treaty.

When the inept Neimoidian’s alert Sidious to their failure of the Queen’s escape, Sidious introduces the two leaders to his apprentice, Darth Maul.

At first sight of the shadowy figure, the viewer is introduced to the fiery eyed, evil looking Darth Maul.

As Episode I goes on, Maul is sent to Tatooine to track down the fugitive Queen.

It’s not till the heroes are making their way to their ship to leave the planet when Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn is ambushed by Darth Maul.

This scene is the realization of the Jedi Order’s worst nightmare. The Sith have finally reveal themselves after a thousand years of assumed extinction.

At the conclusion of the Sith/Jedi battle, Qui-Gon barely escapes with his life as he lands on his low flying ship’s landing ramp (thanks to Obi-Wan’s quick thinking) .

Darth Maul’s final appearance in the movies comes at the end of Episode I as he confronts Qui-Gon and his apprentice, the aforementioned Obi-Wan Kenobi. Maul ends up fatally impaling the Jedi Master but eventually loses the bout as he is severed at the waist by Kenobi.

After Death

As Maul’s character fades from the big screen, the apprentice of Sidious seems to be completely forgotten.

The only mention of the warrior at a later time is in the consequent film, The Attack of the Clones when the Jedi council is still discussing whether Maul was indeed a Sith.

Now that that’s settled, we can get to the good stuff. My favorite depictions of Darth Maul’s true character.

He is subject of various writings but the two books that shed the most awesome of light onto Maul is Michael Reaves, “Shadow Hunter” and Joe Schreiber’s “Lockdown”. 

Within these two books, the true identity of Darth Maul is revealed.

From the very beginning, Darth Sidious intends the assailant from Dathomir to be exactly that, an assassin! But don’t tell this to the Sith Lord as he hates to be titled an assassin rather than a Lord of the Sith.

If you think of it however, it’s pretty odd that he is called a Sith Lord since the assignments Darth Maul receives from his master are well below the capabilities of a Sith.

After all, Darth Maul isn’t one who highly relies on the force such as his master or other force users.

Not saying he doesn’t EVER use his force capabilities, instead he’s more reliant on his physical aptitude. The animation below illustrates a combination of both.

With this being said, it’s very important to understand that his physical abilities are simply more impressive than any other character in Star Wars…period!

From assassinating a runaway Neimoidian and tying all the loose ends of the job to locating the fabled arms dealer Iram Radique in the arena-like prison of Cog Hive Seven. It’s these two tales that identify Darth Maul as the terrorizing animal he is.

The physicality of the highly intelligent Darth Maul ranges from an expert tracker to an acrobatic fighter zooming through the air around his opponents.

But if you ask me, and in this case we are, his most devastating capabilities come from his physical tolerance of pain and his vigorous understanding and mastery of the martial arts.

Best example of this happens in Lockdown when Darth Maul’s limbs are tied to machinery that’s slowly ripping apart the Sith Lord. As his master demands Maul to keep his mastery of the force hidden, he has no choice but to dislocate his own shoulder in order for him to escape his perilous situation of impending death.

When I read this, I was just in awe over the awesome power and quick thinking of this guy. I mean, the man disjoints his own SHOULDER for goodness sakes! What an awesome scene!

I just find it unbelievably awesome that Darth Maul, one who heavily relies on the talents of his body and less on his mastery of the force, is still considered a Sith Lord! Yet I understand why and I agree!

That’s how much respect Maul garnishes. He’s a phenomenon and an anomaly all mixed together creature of dread and horror.

Another characteristic he represents that even furthers his prowess is the fact that he is a true warrior.

I mean, of course Darth Maul is. He’s the only formidable Sith or Jedi who is capable and very capable at that to wield a Saber staff.

But forget his physicality and understand this. As Maul trains on Coruscant, before he duels any Jedi, he salivates at the chance to take on the famed and sworn enemy of the Sith, the Jedi. He begs Sidious to give him a chance, to unleash his terror but he doesn’t give him the chance…not yet, that is.

The Difference between Maul and all the others

When Maul finally is given his chance, he brings a sort of samurai-like mentality into the confrontation. Of course to a certain extent. I mean when he faces Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, he does snarle like a wild animal but there are other instances of him giving his respect to a fellow warrior.

The notion of a Sith warrior respecting his opponent to the point of slight bow in mid-combat just shows how awesome this guy is. I mean, let’s be real. Could you ever imagine Darth Sidious giving a nod to Yoda as they do battle!? Of course not!

Darth Maul also believes in fairness too, another trait that sets him apart from past and future Sith Lords.

I’ll give you an example…

In the book Lockdown, Darth Maul is pitted against the Cog Hive Seven inmate, an Aqualish known as Rook.

The two combatants duke it out until Rook is pressed against the wall, knocking on death’s door.

In Maul’s search for the prison weapons dealer, he needed some vital information. As Darth Maul has Rook pinned, he offers a quick and painless death for a bit of information.

As Rook reveals a vital piece of info, the Sith Lord mercilessly snaps his adversary’s neck.

Why is this so significant? Well, for starters, the Sith preach to their own the triviality of a single life. Not to mention the literal teachings of “no mercy”!

The great part of Darth Maul’s actions though is that he went against his own teachings but for good reason. In doing so, he received vital clues to which led to his furthering of his mission.

All of these little personas in Darth Maul all add up to a super badass fighting machine.

Now to the case of his legacy.

Final Legacy

Sadly, in the end, to his master Darth Maul is a pawn in a game. A game that is ran by Darth Sidious.

In seldom occasions, Sidious talks about “The Grand Plan” and entices Maul to keep his head down and keep working by enticing him enough in saying that his involvement will soon be needed.

But of course, Maul eventually falls to the blade of Obi Wan Kenobi. In the animated series, The Clone Wars, which is excellent by the way, Maul does return to his former glory as a reborn rogue fighter only to be ironically tortured and destroyed by his Master.

I do wonder if Sidious really meant it when he allowed his apprentice to believe his future was to be heavily involved with “The Grand Plan”. It’s really difficult to say since he spent more than two decades in training Darth Maul, would it be that necessary to throw that all away with false promises and lies? I don’t know.

Of course he was trained and molded into the perfect, obedient assassin the galaxy has ever known but still. What would have happened if he defeated Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo? Would Sidious realize that this guy has the ability to take on more and more importantly, give it to him? Or would he just continue to allow his apprentice to think that and then ultimately silence Maul with his own blade?

It’s tough to say but if I were to really force myself to draw a conclusion I would say this…

It’s the way of the Sith. Deception, cruelty, betrayal, you name it. It’s just what they do, it’s how they’ve survived and it’s what they’re made of.

Darth Sidious is the master of all these dark traits. From killing his master, Darth Plaguis, to acquiescing Anakin Skywalker into believing that everyone is against him.

I believe that Sidious would NEVER have allowed a non-human, a seldom used force wielder and an assassin to join him on his quest to rule the galaxy and become the apprentice of the ultimate Emperor of all.

Still, one has to wonder, Darth Maul certainly had the ability and the loyalty to serve his master well.

Darth Maul’s legacy boils down to this.

He was the first Sith revealed since long before any living Jedi’s time. After all, he was the cog in the well-oiled machine that carried Darth Sidious from Senator of Naboo to Chancellor of the Republic.

It’s that last point, that is to not be overlooked…

End Game

Unfortunately, that’s where Darth Maul’s importance ends.

It’s just hard to credit him with anything more, he’s just not around long enough to really have any major effect on a major scale.

As for when he was alive, before that fateful meeting of his midsection and Obi-Wan’s lightsaber, he moved in darkness, in secrecy and in silence…and for good reason too.

It was vital for him to stay hidden and only reveal himself at the right time. This also had a unique twist on his legacy. Not negatively or positively, but just a man in the darkness, That’s who Darth Maul was, a man of darkness.

Darth Maul’s ultimate downfall was his failure in grasping the potential of his opponent (Kenobi) as well as his overconfidence.

His lack of humility would end up killing him and with that, the most unique yet extraordinary Sith Lord in Star Wars would be gone forever.

-Sith Pacify out