A male Human, Thame Cerulian was brought to the Coruscant Jedi Temple as an infant and sorted into the Thranta Clan as a Jedi Initiate, receiving his early lessons from Grand Master Yoda himself. In approximately 115 BBY, Cerulian was given a copy of The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, a guidebook to life in the Jedi Order. Making several notations in its pages, Cerulian aspired to master the theory of Control abilities, something he believed his contemporaries glossed over. He also believed that he would be a master at the Soresu lightsaber form. Always inquisitive and sometimes playful with his comments, Cerulian boasted that he could challenge and win a competition of smashball between himself and Jedi High Council member, Master Omo Bouri, with the use of the a Five-point defense. His apprentice Dooku later stated in the book that Thame knew little about smashball.
When Cerulian passed the Initiate Trials and graduated from the Jedi academy, he was selected by the esteemed Jedi Master Unskette as a Padawan. Proud to wear the robes of a Padawan alongside his master, Cerulian followed Unskette around the galaxy, practicing to master the third form of lightsaber combat on the way. During their travels, Cerulian and Unskette encountered three chain-sickle wielding assassins on Filve, and were barely able to escape alive. Later, the pair wound up on Orto where they encountered a Force-sensitive child worthy of entering the Order. Because the child's parents refused to turn the infant over, even throwing stones at them, the Jedi referred the case to the High Council. At some point late in his apprenticeship, after having run into a Matukai adept, Cerulian helped to broker peace with the Colicoids of Colla IV; a feat he thought worthy of counting as part of his Jedi Trials. When Cerulian had learned all that he could from Master Unskette, he was set to take the Trials at the Temple in the year 103 BBY. While some of his peers failed to complete the tasks assigned, such as Rouggle and Half-Moonsing, Cerulian made it through each test and was knighted by Grand Master Yoda. Upon ascending to knighthood Cerulian was presented with a special Jedi Credit, a gift given to all Corellian Jedi. He stored it in his copy of The Jedi Path for safe keeping.
As a Knight, Cerulian became extremely interested in the dark side of the Force and the study of ancient Sith holocrons. As a researcher, Cerulian had access to a number of texts and forbidden documents housed within the Jedi Archives. Cerulian was eventually made a Master and appointed to sit on the Jedi High Council, giving him access to the Holocron Vaults of the Archives. Convinced that the Sith would eventually return, Cerulian intended to learn everything he could so as to be prepared to face them. In 89 BBY, Cerulian was impressed by the Initiate Dooku and chose him as his Padawan. Before they could formally meet and begin their partnership, Cerulian was called away on an important mission and departed the Temple. While he was gone, Dooku and his peer, Lorian Nod infiltrated Cerulian's quarters and rifled through his collection of texts on the Sith. Fascinated, Nod was encouraged to break into the Temple's Vaults and steal the Dark Holocron. Discovering this, the Council expelled Nod for lying and blaming Dooku for the theft. Cerulian returned and the apprenticeship of Dooku began; lasting until around 82 BBY. Having given Dooku his copy of The Jedi Path, Dooku annotated the text, stating that Cerulian lacked knowledge of the fundamentals of being a Jedi.
Cerulian was confident and sure of himself, as was evident in his comments that he wrote in the Jedi Path book. Cerulian also believed that he could teach much of his own skills to a Padawan, but his own apprentice believed he lacked the fundamentals of training. His status as a researcher indicates he had an inquisitive and thoughtful nature. The fact that he was permitted access to Sith Holocrons suggests he was strong-willed to resist the effects of these Dark side artifacts. Despite his more playful and cocky nature, he believed the Jedi had not truly defeated the Sith.
Upon becoming the Padawan to Jedi Master Unskette, Cerulian focused on the third form of lightsaber combat. Cerulian was also adept at meditation, often meditating in a room in the Reconciliation Quarters. Judging by his private library, Cerulian was highly knowledgeable about Galactic history.
- The New Essential Chronology
- Star Wars Annual 2008
- Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 34
- The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force