Yeleb, also known as "Yeleb the Protector" or "Protector Yeleb," was a male human who settled on the planet Vyndal and joined a village built there. After finding a lightsaber, Yeleb was named protector of the village, and tried his hardest to defend its people. When the Jedi Kanan Jarrus was forced to land on Vyndal he was brought before Yeleb, who tried to attack him with the lightsaber for claiming he was not a real Jedi. After Jarrus was able to avoid the attacks and save a local woman from a falling branch, Yeleb revealed to Jarrus where he had acquired the blade. The village was then visited by the Galactic Empire, and forces led by the Grand Inquisitor arrived looking for Jarrus. When Yeleb refused to reveal his location, the Inquisitor attacked him, but despite Jarrus coming to Yeleb's aid, he was fatally wounded. Jarrus managed to trick the Imperials into leaving the world, after which Yeleb died from his wounds.
Yeleb found his lightsaber in a crashed Jedi starfighter.
At some point during his life, the human male Yeleb landed on the planet Vyndal and began living amongst a village of Non-Humans. While searching around the planet, he discovered a crashed Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor with a dead Jedi pilot inside. Yeleb took her lightsaber and brought it to the village chief claiming that he was a Jedi and knew how to use it. The Chief declared Yeleb the village protector, causing the villagers to call him Protector Yeleb or Yeleb the Protector. Using the weapon Yeleb defended the village from all threats.
Many years after Yeleb first arrive on Vyndal, the Jedi Kanan Jarrus was forced to land the attack shuttle Phantom on Vyndal after being attacked by Imperial TIE/ln space superiority starfighters. Jarrus was found by a woman from Yeleb's village and her son, and once Jarrus had recovered from the rough landing Yeleb instructed her to bring the stranger before him and the villagers in one of the village's buildings. As the protector could not discern Jarrus's nature from meeting him, Yeleb activated his lightsaber to determine the truth. Surprised to see a lightsaber in the hands of someone other than a Jedi, Jarrus requested he and Yeleb speak in private. Yeleb refused until Jarrus claimed to have discovered his secret, at which point the pair moved outside. When Jarrus claimed Yeleb was not a true Jedi, the protector tried to attack him with his lightsaber; however, Jarrus was able to dodge each blow.
The pair were interrupted by the woman that had initially found Jarrus, who claimed Yeleb was needed back inside. Jarrus then managed to save the woman from a falling branch, causing her to question why Yeleb had not tried to help. Once the woman was gone, Yeleb revealed his past to Jarrus and begged him not to expose him to the village as a fraud. The sound of two Gozanti-class cruisers landing nearby then alerted the pair to the arrival of the Galactic Empire on the planet. Seeing that the Imperials were led by the Grand Inquisitor, a Pau'an who was there to hunt him, Jarrus tried to come up with a plan, but Yeleb insisted that as protector he should speak with the Imperials and pretend Jarrus was not there. Despite Jarrus warning how dangerous the Inquisitor, Yeleb went ahead with his plan and greeted the Imperials, lying about not having seen Jarrus. The Inquisitor saw through Yeleb's lie, and when the protector ordered the Imperials to leave the Pau'an ordered his stormtroopers to destroy Yeleb's village.
Yeleb fought the Grand Inquisitor alongside the Jedi Kanan Jarrus.
Jarrus then revealed himself and attacked the Inquisitor, with Yeleb soon joining the combat. Using the Force, the Pau'an pushed Jarrus out of the combat, allowing him to focus on Yeleb and slash the man across the chest with his blade. Seeing Yeleb fall, Jarrus fled from the Inquisitor to draw him away from the wounded man. The Pau'an gave chase along with his stormtroopers, and Jarrus was able to trick the Imperials into believing he had left Vyndal on one of their cruisers, causing them to leave the planet in the other. With the threat gone, the villagers were able to gather around the dying Yeleb, and after Jarrus reassured him that his actions had been worthy of a Jedi, he passed away in the arms of the local woman who had earlier been saved by Jarrus.
Yeleb lied to the village he lived in about being a Jedi and knowing how to use a lightsaber, but did his best to protect his fellow villagers. Despite this lie, Yeleb claimed that he kept no secrets from the people he protected, refusing to speak with Jarrus in private until the Jedi hinted that he knew Yeleb was not really a Jedi. Yeleb's actions also did not always befit a Jedi, as he tried to use his lightsaber to make Jarrus tell the truth, and attacked him when the Jedi claimed Yeleb was lying. After revealing the truth to Jarrus he begged that his secret not be revealed, as he believed it cause the villagers to suffer. When the Inquisitor arrived, Yeleb chose to try and lie to the Inquisitor despite Jarrus's warning that the Imperials were dangerous. He then attacked the Inquisitor for calling him a liar, but due to his poor skills with a lightsaber, received a mortal wound. As he died, Yeleb blamed himself for what had happened, but Jarrus reassured him that he had been a good man which the protector thanked him for with his last words.
Yeleb was created for "The Fake Jedi," a comic strip written by Martin Fisher and illustrated by Bob Molesworth. The comic was published in the third issue of the Star Wars Rebels Magazine in 2015.
- Star Wars: Timelines