Felanil Baaks was a male Duros Jedi Knight who served the Jedi Order during the last decades of the Republic Classic era. A rarity within the Order, Baaks was considered an artisan of lightsabers.
Like most Jedi of the era, Baaks was discovered to be Force-sensitive on his homeworld of Duro and turned over to the Jedi Order at a young age. Traveling to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Baaks entered the academy and received lightsaber lessons from Grand Master Yoda. During training sessions with his clan, Baaks was told by Yoda that he was a fine practitioner of "Form Zero," that is, lightsaber combat that doesn't involve lighting the weapon. While not exceptional with a lightsaber, Baaks graduated from the academy and was selected by a Jedi Master as a Padawan. After years of training one-on-one, Baaks succeeded in passing the Trials of Knighthood and was elevated to the rank of Jedi Knight.
As a Knight of the Galactic Republic, Jedi Baaks chose to pursue further learning through his study as a Jedi Consular. Selecting a rare field of study, Baaks became one of a handful of artisans present in the Order. Focusing his work on the lightsaber, Baaks was different from other Jedi in that he focused the Force through creativity rather than the arts of diplomacy or lightsaber combat. While he refused to take on a proper Padawan, Baaks often took older Padawans or Knights aside to teach them accelerated lightsaber construction classes in order to perfect the lightsaber they had already constructed. As typical of an artisan, Baaks gave several of his lightsabers as gifts to other Jedi in the Order, including Master of the Order Mace Windu. Master Windu in turn handed the lightsaber over to an apprentice studying at the Almas Academy in the Cularin system.
Baaks traveled to Almas himself shortly thereafter in hopes of taking on five students to train as artisans. Refusing to take any Padawans, Baaks selected five Knights who already had their own lightsabers in hopes that they could enhance their tools and continue to craft more. While Baaks was on Almas, the Clone Wars erupted across the galaxy, and the Jedi High Council recalled all Jedi to Coruscant to receive placement within the Grand Army of the Republic. Like many Jedi in the Cularin system, Baaks invoked the Right of Denial, an act that was not accepted by the Office of the Supreme Chancellor. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine declared martial law in the Cularin system in retaliation against the disobedient Jedi, forcing all Jedi refusing to accept orders from the High Council to turn over their lightsabers if they wished to remain within the Order. Doing so, Baaks illegally re-equipped many of the Jedi there by constructing several new weapons.
Like most Jedi of the era, Baaks was discovered to be Force-sensitive on his homeworld of Duro and turned over to the Jedi Order at a young age. Traveling to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Baaks entered the academy and received lightsaber lessons from Grand Master Yoda. During training sessions with his clan, Baaks was told by Yoda that he was a fine practitioner of "Form Zero," that is, lightsaber combat that doesn't involve lighting the weapon. While not exceptional with a lightsaber, Baaks graduated from the academy and was selected by a Jedi Master as a Padawan. After years of training one-on-one, Baaks succeeded in passing the Trials of Knighthood and was elevated to the rank of Jedi Knight.
As a Knight of the Galactic Republic, Jedi Baaks chose to pursue further learning through his study as a Jedi Consular. Selecting a rare field of study, Baaks became one of a handful of artisans present in the Order. Focusing his work on the lightsaber, Baaks was different from other Jedi in that he focused the Force through creativity rather than the arts of diplomacy or lightsaber combat. While he refused to take on a proper Padawan, Baaks often took older Padawans or Knights aside to teach them accelerated lightsaber construction classes in order to perfect the lightsaber they had already constructed. As typical of an artisan, Baaks gave several of his lightsabers as gifts to other Jedi in the Order, including Master of the Order Mace Windu. Master Windu in turn handed the lightsaber over to an apprentice studying at the Almas Academy in the Cularin system.
Baaks traveled to Almas himself shortly thereafter in hopes of taking on five students to train as artisans. Refusing to take any Padawans, Baaks selected five Knights who already had their own lightsabers in hopes that they could enhance their tools and continue to craft more. While Baaks was on Almas, the Clone Wars erupted across the galaxy, and the Jedi High Council recalled all Jedi to Coruscant to receive placement within the Grand Army of the Republic. Like many Jedi in the Cularin system, Baaks invoked the Right of Denial, an act that was not accepted by the Office of the Supreme Chancellor. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine declared martial law in the Cularin system in retaliation against the disobedient Jedi, forcing all Jedi refusing to accept orders from the High Council to turn over their lightsabers if they wished to remain within the Order. Doing so, Baaks illegally re-equipped many of the Jedi there by constructing several new weapons.