During the final years of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order included a male Sunesi Jedi Master known as Aqinos. He was later branded a heretic and expelled from the Order for combining technology with the Force, becoming an Altisian Jedi. This allowed him, along with many of his Iron Knights, to survive the Great Jedi Purge. He ultimately met his end in the Yuuzhan Vong War.
Aqinos, a Force-sensitive male Sunesi hailing from Monor II, joined the Jedi Order in his youth. He began his formal training at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He became the Padawan of Jedi Jaled Dur and eventually passed the Trials of Knighthood, earning the rank of Jedi Knight. After years of self-directed study and service, Aqinos was elevated to the title of Jedi Master. He then began teaching at the Temple, where his philosophies regarding droids drew criticism. Aqinos, convinced that droids possessed a form of sentient life, delved into studies exploring the bonding of Force-sensitives with technology. Due to these controversial beliefs, the Jedi High Council ousted him from the Order. Master Aqinos then sought refuge aboard the Chu'unthor, Master Djinn Altis's praxeum ship, where he continued his teachings.
Around 60 BBY, Master Aqinos discovered Ilum, a Force-sensitive Shard, along with her twelve offspring, on Orax. He commenced training them in the ways of the Force. Residing on Dweem, Master Aqinos managed to infuse these individuals' Force abilities into the chassis of several Juggernaut war droids, FLTCH-series battle droids, and Uulshos justice droids. Master Aqinos deemed them fully trained Jedi, and these Iron Knights approached the Jedi Order, fighting alongside Jedi Mace Windu during the Arkanian Revolution in 50 BBY. Despite this, they failed to gain acceptance from the High Council and remained isolated from Coruscant and its Jedi Temple. Several decades later, the group resurfaced on the front lines of the Clone Wars, battling for the Republic against the Separatist Droid Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Although the Order did not accept them, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine bestowed upon them the titles of High Marshal within the Grand Army of the Republic.
While the Great Jedi Purge orchestrated by Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, resulted in the deaths of most Jedi, Master Aqinos and many of his Iron Knights managed to retreat to Dweem and remain hidden. In 13 ABY, Jedi Luke Skywalker contacted Aqinos and his Knights, requesting their assistance in rebuilding the Jedi Order. Joining Skywalker's fledgling Order, the Iron Knights and Aqinos aided in defeating the Red Knights of Life on Osarian and Uffel, and saved Kligson's Moon from the Yuuzhan Vong. They fought to defend Hosk Station, during which Luxum, one of Ilum's children, succumbed to the dark side of the Force and led a group of assassin droids against the Yuuzhan Vong as the aliens launched their invasion of the galaxy. During this very war, Aqinos perished at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong, becoming one with the Force after devoting nearly a century to serving the galaxy.
Aqinos's debut was in Star Wars Missions 14: The Monsters of Dweem, where his species and name were not yet established. Abel G. Peña identified him as a Sunesi. Following the example of Kathy Tyers, who named her Sunesi characters after historical figures, Peña chose the name Aqinos. This was in homage to St Thomas Aquinas due to the "overt parallels between the Sunesi religion and Christianity." Thomas Aquinas was a renowned philosopher and theologian within the Scholastic school. This methodology relied on nuanced distinctions. Ironically, Peña had Master Aqinos critique this very methodology within the essay.