Avar Kriss

Avar Kriss was born around 262 BBY, during the era known as the High Republic. As a child, she was inducted into the Jedi Order and taken to the Jedi Temple located on Coruscant, the Republic's capital world. As a Padawan under Cherff Maota, she developed a strong bond with fellow trainees Stellan Gios and Elzar Mann, with the latter becoming her closest confidant within the Order. Kriss and Mann shared an intimate connection during their Padawan years, which Kriss later outgrew. Another Padawan, Emerick Caphtor, later speculated that Gios was also involved in the intimate aspect of their friendship.

During their training years, Kriss, Gios, and Mann were inseparable. Kriss progressed through the Order, earning the ranks of Jedi Knight and eventually Jedi Master. Kriss frequently collaborated with Gios and Mann when their assignments aligned. Throughout her time as a Jedi, Kriss operated within the frontier regions of the galaxy. Her numerous accomplishments captivated younger Jedi, such as Keeve Trennis.

In 232 BBY, Kriss attended a Jedi and Republic conclave held aboard the Starlight Beacon space station to celebrate its completion, which was scheduled to become fully operational several weeks later. Shai Tennem, the project's overseer and station administrator, insisted on showcasing every aspect of the station to the visitors. He led Kriss and other dignitaries, including several Jedi and Admiral Pevel Kronara from the Republic Defense Coalition, on a tour, which delayed their planned departure. During the tour, they encountered contractors Joss and Pikka Adren, whom Tennem introduced to the dignitaries. Joss Adren greeted the Jedi, and Kriss responded by thanking the Adrens for their contributions to the station. The tour group then proceeded and eventually left the station aboard the Third Horizon, an Emissary-class Republic Cruiser and vessel commanded by Admiral Kronara.

Simultaneously, the [Great Hyperspace Disaster](/article/great_hyperspace_disaster] occurred, involving the destruction of the freighter Legacy Run while in hyperspace. The Hetzal system faced imminent danger from hyperspace debris, and the Republic received a distress signal from Minister Zeffren Ecka. Due to the delay caused by Tennem, the Third Horizon, carrying Kriss and the Jedi dignitaries back to Coruscant, was close enough to offer assistance. The ship was rerouted to the Hetzal system, and Kronara delegated control of the rescue operation to the Jedi, with Kriss assuming command.

As the Third Horizon approached the Hetzal system, Kriss contacted Minister Ecka on Hetzal Prime, informing the system's inhabitants of the impending rescue mission. Upon arrival, the Third Horizon deployed its contingent of Jedi Vectors and Republic Longbeam cruisers to aid in the rescue efforts. On the cruiser's bridge, Kriss studied a projection of the Hetzal system and the assets under her command. Kriss levitated a meter above the Third Horizon's bridge deck, utilizing the Force to establish a vast network connecting all the Jedi in the system. She maintained a clear understanding of the situation through both the Force and the communications from the officers aboard the Third Horizon. Her intense focus allowed her to monitor numerous events, briefly contemplating her friend, Jedi Knight Elzar Mann, who was piloting a Vector.

While coordinating the rescue, Kriss received a message through the Force from Te'Ami, a Duros Jedi Knight piloting a Vector above the Fruited Moon of Hetzal, indicating that the debris contained living beings. Extending her senses across the system, Kriss identified ten such pieces of debris and marked them on the Third Horizon's display screen. She informed Admiral Kronara and the Republic crew of their updated objective: to rescue both the Hetzalians and those trapped within the debris. As the Republic crew began planning rescue missions, Kriss returned to the Force, conveying the message to the Jedi.

Kriss continued to support her Jedi colleagues, experiencing the pain associated with the hundreds of deaths occurring around her. Sensing a more significant disturbance, Kriss entered a deeper state of meditation to discern its nature, opening her spirit as much as possible. Unable to identify the source, she returned to the projection wall on the Third Horizon's bridge with Admiral Kronara, observing Masters Jora Malli and Sskeer prevent a transport from colliding with a fragment. Kriss felt another wave of concern as Kronara informed Chancellor Soh that they believed the worst of the crisis was over. Suddenly, Kriss sensed a gap in her perceptions and returned to the screen, pointing out a large fragment without any survivors heading toward an R-class star. She ordered a bridge officer to obtain a scan of the object from the Hetzalian administrators, and technician Keven Tarr reported that it was a massive container of liquid tibanna. Kronara cursed, realizing that such a collision could destroy the entire system.

Kriss assisted in loading refugees onto the Third Horizon while explaining her plan to deal with the tibanna to Kronara. She believed that the combined strength of the Jedi could move the container, and despite Kronara's doubts, she remained on the planet as the Third Horizon departed with the rescued individuals. Using her comlink, she sent a lengthy message to the other Jedi, requesting their assistance in redirecting the container to avoid the sun. She sensed the strain on the Jedi around her, feeling Te'Ami and others losing consciousness, and even the death of Jedi Knight Rah Barocci. As their efforts continued to fail, Kriss felt the Force become silent before their collective push moved the container away. Kriss collapsed to her knees in relief. Unbeknownst to her and the other Jedi, their heroic efforts were broadcast across the Outer Rim, showcasing their bravery to the masses. Kriss became known as the "Hero of Hetzal."

Kriss returned to Coruscant to meet with Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh, Jedi Masters [Yarael Poof](/article/yarael_poof], Jora Malli, and Sskeer, as well as Senator Izzet Noor, Secretary of Transportation Jeffo Lorillia, and Admiral Kronara. Soh commended and thanked Kriss for her efforts, which she humbly accepted. Chancellor Soh then announced her plan to implement a hyperspace closure, shutting down hyperspace lanes for over five hundred parsecs. Soh tasked the Jedi with finding a solution to the ongoing Emergences, the term used for the instances of Legacy Run fragments exiting hyperspace and causing damage to other systems, to ensure the Starlight Beacon opened on schedule. She pledged to allocate all available resources to assist them. Additionally, the Jedi High Council placed her in charge of the Order's response to the Emergences.

Kriss sought out Elzar Mann, wanting to collaborate with him on their new mission. She met with him, as well as Lorillia, Noor, and Keven Tarr, the technician from Hetzal Prime. Tarr explained his theory about the Emergences, stating that most of the ship remained unaccounted for. As Noor lamented their situation, Kriss attempted to instill optimism, but she only amplified Noor's concerns, who exclaimed that he believed it was a deliberate attack and lashed out at Mann when he tried to respond. Kriss outlined their approach, stating that they would first implement safeguards to protect planets like Hetzal and Ab Dalis, the second planet affected by the Emergences, which had suffered over twenty million deaths. Secondly, they would identify the cause of the Emergences. When Tarr proposed using thousands of navidroids to create a network to predict the location of future Emergences, Kriss and Mann supported the idea, and Lorillia pledged to allocate resources for him. Finally, in response to Kriss admitting her ongoing curiosity about hyperspace on a larger scale, Noor directed them to meet with the San Tekka clan, known for their expertise in all things hyperspace.

After tasking Jedi Master Nib Assek with gently questioning survivors of the Legacy Run to gather any helpful information, Kriss and Mann traveled to Varykino on Naboo to meet Marlowe and Vellis San Tekka at their home. They drank attar of spinsilk while awaiting the San Tekkas. Kriss listened to Mann express his desire to retire to Varykino when he became too old for the Order. Kriss did not voice it, but she liked the idea and considered spending her own retirement with Mann. When they finally met the San Tekkas, they agreed to share their expertise in hyperspace navigation and hyperlanes, including algorithms that helped them model likely hyperspace routes, to aid in defending various systems.

Kriss gratefully informed them that they would connect them with Keven Tarr to assist him with his navidroid network. Mann inquired about their theories regarding the cause of the disaster. As Mann elaborated on the theory that the Legacy Run had collided with something in hyperspace, despite the prevailing understanding of hyperspace navigation, Marlowe immediately dismissed the idea as impossible. Kriss sensed an impulse from Mann indicating that he knew Marlowe was lying. As Vellis supported Marlowe's statement, Kriss once again felt Mann's conviction that they were being deceptive. They maintained that they could not imagine any issues with hyperspace itself and vowed to research the matter further using the data Kriss provided on a datachip. As the Jedi departed, Mann affirmed that the pair was hiding something, but Kriss dismissed any malicious intent, suggesting they were merely keeping secrets, as businesspeople often do.

Afterwards Kriss continued to help Keven prepare the network on the Rooted Moon in order to proceed with the possible prediction of upcoming Emergences. Once ready, Keven commenced to turn on the navidroid array along with Kriss and many other Jedi and important figures witnessing such an important event. During the process of predicting the Emergences Keven started to lose his composure due to the overheating of the system. In this moment, Kriss along with Mann helped calm Keven's emotions and hold back the high levels panic that were slowly settling in. Mann decided to experiment with his force abilities once again to try to cool off the navidroids. Kriss followed his lead and together they succeded in doing the impossible. They were able to push hot air upwards creating moisture and therefore a cloud that allowed rain to fall, cooling down the overheating navidroids. Due to their efforts, Keven Tarr's navidroid array was successful in determining future Emergences.

Kriss had assigned Joss and Pikka Adren along with Jedi Knight Mikkel Sutmani and Te'Ami to recover the flight recorder of the Legacy Run. After the successful retrieval of the recorder thanks to the sacrifice of Te'Ami, Kriss presented the final moments of the Legacy Run to the task force and Chancellor Soh. The holo projection confirmed that the Nihil were moving across hyperspace something that was deemed impossible by the San Tekkas while they were observing the videos. In that instance Kriss sensed something between them which led her to regret not pushing them further as Elzar Mann had suggested. Once the holo projection ended, Kriss summarized and discussed with everyone else present her thoughts on the Nihil and how the Legacy Run's destruction was purely accidental. In the end of the meeting Chancellor Soh assigned everyone to bring the Nihil to justice in order to prevent the Legacy Run accident from ever happening again.

Afterwards a coalition task force was created with Admiral Kronara leading it. Kriss was in the Jedi ship Ataraxia when the New Elite, led by Kassav Milliko, and several Nihil ships appeared in the Kur Nebula . Once the battle initiated she was instructed by Jora Malli to connect all the Jedi that went out in the Vector squadron. In the middle of the conflict the Nihil started jumping in and out of hyperspace quickly which caused the destruction and death of several Jedi. Kriss greatly felt this as she was connected to all of them directly, however this did not stop her from using the force to figure out how the Nihil were flying and fighting. Kriss shared this information through the force to the other Jedi in the Vectors helping and guiding them to possibly anticipate the Nihil movements. This tactic was of great help in the victory that ensued. The battle was later known as the Battle of Kur

Once the battle was over they all returned to Starlight Beacon for the opening ceremony. Here they commemorated the fallen Jedi and all of the other deaths that occurred previous to the event. Kriss and Mann left Gios on their own and went to take a stroll and have a conversation about where they would go next. Mann finally getting recommended for Jedi Master and Kriss being assigned the commander of Starlight Beacon would mean that they would not be able to see each other as often. Kriss was saddened by this as both have an undeniable connection through the force that is not compared to any other relationship that she has experienced before.

Following the dedication ceremony of Starlight, Kriss spoke with the Jedi Estala Maru, asking if he was able to locate Master Sskeer, Maru informed her that he could not, and Kriss expressed concern over Sskeer, having been unable to hear him within the Force. Kriss was approached by Grand Masters Yoda and Pra-Tre Veter, who she had not expected to arrive quickly at the Beacon. Veter brought up the discussion of Kriss' future path, and Kriss assumed the Grand Master was offering her a place on the Jedi High Council, which she refused. However, Veter informed her that the Grand Masters were not intending to offer her a place on the Council. Veter instead offered Kriss the position of marshal of the Starlight Beacon, surprising Kriss with the proposal. After the dedication ceremony, she said goodbye to Mann, now a Jedi Master, who was returning to Coruscant.

The morning after the dedication, Kriss was present at a briefing alongside the Supreme Chancellor and Admiral Kronara regarding the Battle of Kur. The Adrens were invited, as the Republic officials wanted to know how their Longbeam, the Aurora III, had delivered a significantly above-average performance during the battle.

Kriss was later contacted by Sskeer, who had followed a scrambled distress signal to the Kazlin system with his former Padawan Keeve Trennis and the Kotabi Jedi twins Ceret and Terec, to a damaged cruiser that was left drifting in deep space after a Nihil attack. As Sskeer explained that the Nihil had attacked the ship, which had been commanded by a Hutt, that had been transporting Vratixia renanicus, a type of barley. Master Maru informed Kriss that the ship had come from Sedri Minor, so Kriss sent Sskeer and Ceret there while Trennis and the injured Terec waited for her and Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh to join them onboard. There, Kriss spoke with Trennis about Sskeer, with Trennis saying that he was filled with rage. Kriss initially said that the young Jedi should have told her, but then admitted that she had also failed to sense the turmoil in the Trandoshan Jedi Master. Then, Terec collapsed, and, supported by Rwoh, told Kriss that they sensed something terrible had happened to Ceret. Kriss contacted Sskeer to learn what had happened, and the Trandoshan realized that Ceret had disappeared into the barley field.

Kriss subsequently traveled to Sedri Minor aboard the Ataraxia herself, sending Rwoh back to Starlight with the Hutt's corpse to do an autopsy while the Marshal and Trennis followed up on the investigation. Terec's condition worsened, and they began to rave about encroaching darkness as the cruiser landed on Sedri Minor. Kriss restrained the ranting Kotabi while attempting to get them to calm down, simultaneously scolding Sskeer for being of little help and losing Ceret. Trennis, on guard duty, learned from a few of the colony's residents that several people had disappeared and went off to investigate without telling anyone. After Terec had fallen unconscious, Kriss and Sskeer learned that Trennis had gone off when the colony's antagonistic Speaker, Kalo Sulman, barged onboard the Ataraxia and demanded to know her whereabouts. Sulman, suspicious of outsiders, demanded the Jedi leave, and Kriss ordered Sskeer to stay with Terec before suggesting to Sulman that they go looking for Trennis together.

While in the midst of her search, Kriss discerned Trennis's cries for assistance emanating from below ground. Trennis, in her exploration of a newly discovered, sizable sinkhole accompanied by a child named Bartol, had stumbled upon Ceret and Julus, one of the missing inhabitants, both bound by roots. Tragically, the young Rodian was deceased. Ceret, upon regaining consciousness, exhibited peculiar behavior and issued a warning to Trennis just prior to an assault by a Drengir, a member of a carnivorous, plant-like species. Kriss, employing her lightsaber, created an opening in the earth and descended, bisecting the Drengir while assuring Trennis that she had heard her plea. Trennis urged Kriss to focus on Ceret, who had fallen under the Drengir's influence. Kriss, utilizing the Force, reminded Ceret of their Jedi identity, prompting them to release Bartol. Ceret explained to Kriss that the Drengir had proven too formidable to combat, but as Trennis attempted to console the child, the severed halves of the Drengir regenerated into two distinct entities, chanting of inescapable doom. Reinforcing the Drengir's ranks was an infected Sskeer, who had succumbed to their influence while observing Terec, thus cornering the three Jedi.

Subsequently, the Drengir seized Avar, Keeve, Ceret, and Bartol, suspending each of them on the tunnel walls, entangled in vines. Kriss endeavored to break the Drengir's control over Sskeer, reminding the Trandoshan of his Jedi duty to safeguard the innocent and demanding the release of the captives. However, Sskeer dismissed her appeals, using the tendrils binding her to cover her mouth, silencing further attempts at persuasion. Sskeer then proceeded to recount the history of the Drengir, including their imprisonment by the Sith and their eventual liberation. Despite Kriss's failure to reach her fellow Master, Keeve, Sskeer's former apprentice, also addressed him and succeeded in overcoming the Drengir's influence on his mind. Sskeer liberated Avar and the other Jedi, and together they sprang into action, severing the Drengir to free Bartol from their grasp.

Upon returning to the surface of Sedri Minor, Avar, accompanied by Sskeer and Keeve, confronted Kal Sulman regarding the Drengir infestation. Sulman denied any knowledge of the Drengir. As an enraged Sskeer demanded that he confess the truth, Kriss received a transmission from Estala Maru, informing her of a Drengir assault unfolding on Starlight Beacon. Concurrently, a Hutt vessel arrived on Sedri Minor, announcing its intention to liberate the planet's inhabitants. As the ship touched down, its owner, Myarga Anjiliac Atirue, disembarked, escorted by a pair of rancor-riding Gamorreans. The Hutt declared dominion over the world on behalf of the Hutt Cartel.

Avar approached Myarga and, communicating in Huttese, sought to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the precarious situation. She learned from the Hutt that Kal Sulman's secret was, in fact, a contract between the people of Sedri Minor and the Hutts, exchanging grain for a promise of protection and security. Kriss's negotiations were disrupted by Sskeer. The Trandoshan, once again succumbing to his Drengir infection, attacked Myarga with vines that had grown in place of his missing arm. The Hutt then commanded her mercenary army to attack the Jedi. As the battle commenced, Kriss re-established communication with Estala Maru, requesting aid from Starlight Beacon. However, the beacon's own Drengir infestation had escalated rapidly, and Maru informed Kriss that no reinforcements could be dispatched. Avar then instructed Sskeer to release Myarga, hoping that the Hutt would cease her attack. Sskeer disregarded Avar's words, and instead, the clash between Trandoshan and Hutt was interrupted when Keeve severed the Drengir vines sprouting from her former master, and Avar levitated Myarga in midair using the Force.

As Myarga redirected her attacks toward Kriss, the Jedi attempted to reason with the Hutt once more, warning her of the mutual threat posed by the Drengir. To emphasize her point, Avar had Maru re-transmit distress calls from Starlight Beacon to her own comlink, allowing Myarga to hear the pleas for help against the Drengir's renewed attacks across the frontier. Included was a call from Bilbousa. Upon learning that even Nal Hutta was under siege, Myarga finally heeded Avar's words, but she still rejected the Jedi's warning that neither force could confront the Drengir alone. When Avar declared her intention to relinquish Sedri Minor to the Hutts, as Myarga had initially demanded, and allow them to deal with the Drengir independently, Myarga finally relented and ordered her troops to join forces with the Jedi against the Drengir, who had emerged from their underground lair and surrounded the settlement as the battle between Myarga's forces and the Jedi raged. Avar and Myarga fought together until Keeve and Sskeer drove the Drengir across the galaxy into retreat, deceiving them through the Force and Sskeer's connection to their collective root-mind, convincing them that their prey was rotten and would poison them if consumed.

Despite the temporary relief achieved on Sedri Minor, the Drengir threat persisted. Following their retreat, the Drengir eventually resumed their expansion across hundreds of planets along the galactic frontier. Marshal Kriss continued to spearhead the Jedi response to this menace. To the consternation of some Republic officials and even fellow Jedi, Avar continued to collaborate with Myarga against their shared adversary. Months after the initial Drengir awakening, the Jedi and Hutt forces confronted the Drengir on the Outer Rim planet Daivak, seeking to protect settlers from the ravenous plants. Avar, Terec, and Ceret joined Myarga on the planet's surface, Kriss and one of the bond-twins riding a pair of Myarga's rancors into battle. While the alliance managed to rescue some of the settlers, others were discovered deceased in their homes, ensnared in Drengir vines and completely drained of nutrients.

Eventually, Avar and her companions found themselves overwhelmed by the Drengir. Kriss's rancor mount was pulled down, and the creature was executed by Myarga to prevent it from being infected or consumed by their enemies. Avar reprimanded the Hutt for her callousness and contacted Starlight Beacon, requesting that all available Jedi on the station be dispatched to reinforce the team on Daivak. As the battle intensified and the Jedi on the beacon prepared to assist the Marshal, Avar was shocked to sense Keeve Trennis's Force presence intertwined with that of the Drengir. Communicating again with Estala Maru on Starlight, Avar learned that Keeve had been infested by the Drengir tendrils implanted in Master Sskeer. The young Knight, seeking a way to save her former master from his own infestation, had deactivated his stasis field on the beacon and been attacked by the Drengir part of him.

Now confined within the reactivated stasis field, Keeve and Sskeer were attempting to exploit their connection to the root-mind to combat the Drengir and locate the heart of their network. With the assistance of Maru and archivist OrbaLin, Keeve and Sskeer traced their connection back to the first Drengir, the Great Progenitor. The Great Progenitor retaliated against Keeve through the root-mind, and to protect his former Padawan, Sskeer severed his Drengir arm and broke the telepathic link between the Jedi and the Drengir. Simultaneously, the Drengir fighting Avar on Daivak began to scream. Maru informed Kriss of the reason for the Drengir's distress. While mentally linked, Keeve had discovered the location of the Progenitor: the planet Mulita in Wild Space.

In preparation for her response to the Drengir, Kriss requested that Estala Maru issue a call to all Jedi who could assist her on Mulita. Maru explained that many of the Jedi who met Avar's criteria were preoccupied with the Nihil and preparations for the Republic Fair, to which Avar responded by reminding him that the Drengir posed a significant threat and had to be addressed to ensure safety on the Frontier.

Avar, aided by numerous other Jedi, including Cohmac Vitus, Reath Silas, Sskeer, Terec, Ceret, and others, launched an attack on the Drengir Root Mind on Mulita. Before Keeve Trennis, recently acquainted with Orla Jareni, could arrive to assist, Avar ventured into the forest to confront the Great Progenitor. Keeve and Terec entered the Forest to aid Kriss, only to find her captured by the Great Progenitor. The two Jedi engaged the Progenitor, who revealed her intention to use Master Kriss to spearhead a campaign across the Galaxy, spreading the Drengir with the Jedi's assistance. Trennis and Terec, ensnared in the Great Progenitor's vines, explained that Avar Kriss united all the Jedi, and that together, they were capable of extraordinary feats. It was then that the assembled Jedi used the Force to liberate Avar, Keeve, and Terec from the Progenitor's grasp.

With everyone freed from the Drengir vines, OrbaLin and the bond-twins, Terec and Ceret, began deploying stasis-field generators around the Great Progenitor, much to the dismay of Myarga the Hutt, who advocated for her immediate execution. Avar ordered the Hutt Cartel to lower their weapons, prompting Myarga to lash out and attempt to kill the Progenitor herself, but Keeve Trennis thwarted her plan. Reath Silas then activated the stasis-field generators, trapping the Great Progenitor within the field. Orla Jareni declared that they would store the Progenitor in the Bogan Vault on Starlight Beacon. Defeated, Myarga, along with the rest of the Hutt Cartel, fled the planet, thus ending their alliance with the Jedi.

Avar's comlink then buzzed, signaling an incoming transmission from Estala Maru. She informed him that the Jedi had defeated the Drengir and requested that he notify Stellan Gios of their success. Maru, struggling to believe his own words, informed Kriss that he was actually calling regarding the Republic Fair on Valo. He explained that the Nihil had returned and successfully attacked and destroyed the Fair.

Sometime after the attack on the Republic Fair, Avar Kriss convened with several other Jedi aboard Starlight Beacon. She informed them of a significant victory against the Nihil. She then deferred to Stellan Gios, present only via holo, who announced that the Nihil were being defeated on multiple fronts in various skirmishes and were now in retreat. Estala Maru added that the Jedi had identified Lourna Dee as the Eye of the Nihil, who had recently perished during the Battle of Galov, although both claims were, unknowingly, inaccurate.

Avar inquired about the rumors that Lourna had been replaced as the Eye, to which Stellan responded with potential candidates: a Talpini, identified as Zeetar, and another, unknown individual, identified only in a garbled transmission. Stellan also stated that they lacked evidence to support the notion that Dee had been replaced. Kriss then informed those present that Starlight's Chief of Security had intercepted intelligence suggesting that Nihil forces were massing in the Soola system. Stellan dismissed this, stating that the area had been thoroughly checked by the Republic on multiple occasions. Avar countered by pointing out that they had swept over Valo, believing it to be completely safe, yet the Nihil had decimated the Fair and its visitors. She requested permission to send a team to Zallo to investigate the intelligence, but Stellan ordered her to stand down. Keeve Trennis then sided with Avar, telling Gios that she believed a swift and decisive offensive against the Nihil was the most appropriate course of action, but Stellan remained firm and denied the request before disconnecting.

Shortly thereafter, Kriss devised a plan to infiltrate the Nihil. Her plan involved two Jedi, Keeve and Terec, going undercover, posing as Nihil under attack from the Ataraxia. As the plan was implemented, Orla Jareni, aboard her ship, the Lightseeker, reported to Starlight that her sweep of the Soola System revealed no Nihil activity. Suddenly, a Nihil stormship, the Ransacker, emerged from hyperspace with Trennis and Terec aboard. The two ships then engaged in a staged dogfight. The stormship damaged one of the Lightseeker's engines, impairing its maneuverability. Orla sent a staged distress call to Avar, who was in hyperspace aboard the Ataraxia. The ship arrived in real-space, ordering the stormship to stand down and surrender, to which Keeve responded by sending her own distress call to the Nihil. The Ataraxia deployed Vectors, led by Sskeer, to engage the Nihil ship. Avar questioned whether Sskeer was fit to lead the Drift, given his recent traumatic experiences, but Sskeer insisted that he needed to atone for his past mistakes. Nooranbakarakana then informed Kriss of incoming Nihil craft, responding to Keeve's distress call.

To fully gain the Nihil's trust, Keeve shot down a Vector, one remotely controlled from the Ataraxia, to create the illusion that the two Jedi were genuine Nihil. A larger Nihil craft then secured magclamps onto the Ransacker before jumping back into Hyperspace with Keeve and Terec.

Keeve and Terec were successfully transported to Xais, a Nihil Warcloud Forge. They were greeted by Zeetar, who inquired about their Tempest affiliation. They claimed to be remnants of Pan Eyta's. Zeetar, remaining unconvinced, ordered Keeve and Terec to execute Myarga the Hutt, recently captured by the Nihil.

Aboard the Ataraxia, Ceret relayed Terec and Keeve's progress to the other Jedi using their bond-twin connection. Ceret informed Avar that Terec was concerned that Keeve Trennis was engaging in a dangerous game, possibly involving Myarga. Avar asked Ceret if Myarga was involved with the Nihil, to which they replied that they were uncertain. Kriss then instructed Nooran to follow the coordinates provided by Ceret, to which he complied.

Back on the Warcloud Forge, Keeve and Terec attempted to stall for time, awaiting Avar's arrival, but their efforts were thwarted when Myarga revealed to Zeetar that they were Jedi, not Nihil. They engaged the Nihil forces but were stopped by the arrival of Lourna Dee. Ceret informed Avar of Dee's survival, as she had been presumed dead. Lourna then unveiled a box containing the power of the Great Leveler to Keeve and Terec, a box that, when opened, overwhelmed Keeve, Terec, and Ceret with fear.

Ceret, still aboard the Ataraxia, informed Avar that they had lost their connection to Terec. Ceret stated that Terec was gone, and Avar asked if Terec had become one with the Force, but Ceret only responded that they would attempt to re-establish the connection. However, upon attempting to do so, Ceret began to succumb to the fear and pain inflicted upon Terec by the box, and they began to transform into an ashy husk, which began to fade away. Sskeer asked Avar what was happening to Ceret, but she did not know and said that she could no longer hear their song in the Force. Ceret swiftly rose to their feet and threw Nooranbakarakana from his chair on the flight deck of the Ataraxia, repeating that they desperately needed to reach Xais and rescue Terec immediately. Ceret then began altering their course to Xais.

Upon arriving at Xais, Ceret entered a Hibernation trance, slowing their bodily functions and placing themself on the verge of life and death. Avar tried to reach out with the Force to see if she could sense them, but ended up realizing that Ceret was neither dead or alive, but instead they were just simply "missing."

As the Ataraxia descended into the atmosphere of Xais, Nihil ships began to fire upon it. In response, Kriss and Sskeer headed to the hangar to board Vectors and deal with the opposition directly, while Nooran and Galdros remained aboard the Ataraxia. As the pair quickly made their way to the ships, Avar once again asked Sskeer if he was in the right condition to fly out into a war zone, but instead of answering her, he told her that nothing would stop him from rescuing Keeve from the Nihil.

The two flew out into the air when Nooran informed Avar of the position of the Warcloud Forge. The Ataraxia provided cover to the Vectors as they made their way into the Forge, hoping to rescue the other two Jedi. As they reached the Warcloud Forge, Sskeer saw the Ransacker on a landing pad beneath them, which told him that they were in the right place, but Avar still couldn't sense either of them. Multiple other Nihil ships flew up to meet the Jedi, but Sskeer blew one up, much to Avar's discouragement, before jumping out of his Vector mid-flight and crashing it into the ground. Sskeer single-handedly took on a large group of Nihil, while Avar desperately looked for a place to land her Vector and get down there to assist him.

Lourna, after spotting Sskeer cutting down the Nihil, encouraged Zeetar to get away from the Jedi, as she knew first-hand that Sskeer could be ruthless. When Zeetar refused and tried to take Sskeer on himself, Lourna left him behind and ensured that Dr. Uttersond had safely taken the Leveler away from the Jedi forces. He told Dee that everyone was ready to depart the planet, and that they were just waiting on her.

Zeetar quickly realized that Lourna had been right, as Sskeer instantly beat him in combat, and was demanding that he tell him what he did with Keeve. It was at this moment when Keeve located Sskeer, and stumbled to his side, still shaken up by Lourna's box. She quickly informed Sskeer about Terec's worsening condition, and Avar believed that Terec may not be able to be saved.

Avar then spotted a larger Nihil ship taking off; the ship that had Lourna Dee onboard. Avar, powered by the Force and her own sheer will, attempted to use the Force and drag Lourna's ship back down to the ground, refusing to let her slip through the fingers of the Jedi and the Republic once again. Kriss was struggling to make the ship budge, and so called for Sskeer and Keeve to help her. Sskeer told Avar that Keeve was not in a suitable condition to use the Force, especially for something as monumentous as this, but Avar insisted that the Force would provide. Avar summoned all of her might, all of her willpower, to bring Lourna back down, but eventually the ship got free of Avar's grip, and escaped atmosphere.

Not willing to give up that easily, Kriss contacted the Ataraxia and told those onboard that they had to track the fleeing ship so that they could figure out where Lourna was escaping to. Sskeer argued against her, telling her that they had to return Keeve, Terec, and Ceret to Starlight Beacon as soon as they could to attempt to treat their injuries. This resulted in Avar lashing out at the Trandoshan, telling him that he was in no position whatsoever to advise her on what to do, as he ignored her earlier instructions and killed many Nihil against her command. Kriss told him that his actions were not worthy of a Jedi, and demanded that he give over his lightsaber. Sskeer hesitantly complied, and Avar stated that he was now relieved of all Jedi duties pending the judgement of the Council on Coruscant.

After their failure on Xais, the Jedi group returned to Starlight Beacon. Some days later, a small group of Jedi gathered to discuss the transfer of the Beacon to the planet Eiram. Stellan Gios and Estala Maru discussed the relief effort for the planet after it had been hit by a continent-wide cyclone, laying waste to it. Meanwhile, Avar rested her eyes due to exhaustion as the rest of the Jedi were deep in conversation.

As the conversation continued, Kriss cut it off, abruptly changing the topic to the Nihil response. She asked if the Ataraxia had yet been fitted with a Nihil Path Drive that had been salvaged from the Battle of Galov. Maru told her that Jedi Goonral Monshi had completed the installation earlier in the day. Avar continued, explaining to the small group that the Path Drive contained the location of the main Nihil Base, and that their assault will go ahead. Stellan urged her to reconsider, as the Jedi Council recommended that great caution was taken in all future matters concerning the Nihil, but Avar rebuked his point, telling him that time was very quickly running out for them.

She then brought up a holo of a platform suspended in open space and protected by vacuum shields, explaining that this was the Nihil Base located in No-Space, called the Great Hall of the Nihil. Stellan once again told her to hold off, suggesting using a captured Nihil ship as a scout beforehand, but Avar reminded him that the Nihil have attacked themselves and the Republic at large time and time again, and that this time, instead of sneaking around and infiltrating them, they had to be better than them, and they had to confront the Nihil head-on as soon as they possibly could. Avar then ran off, shouting back to Stellan that the Ataraxia would be prepared for launch. Stellan, still not physically present, only there through hologram, called out for her, but she was gone.

Not long later, Estala Maru asked Keeve Trennis to watch over Avar Kriss, as he feared that Avar was allowing her feelings and personal vendettas cloud her judgement, as she wasn't taking advice or even considering it from anyone other than herself. Keeve felt she wasn't up to the task after what she had been through on Xais, and told Maru that she believed Sskeer would be a better fit for the role, but Maru reminded Trennis that Sskeer was no longer in a position to do so.

Afterwards, Keeve visited Sskeer to try to convince him to join her onboard the Ataraxia, so that he could help look over Avar, but Sskeer told her that it was her duty, and that he couldn't do it for her. In the Hangar Bay of Starlight Beacon, Avar Kriss, Nooranbakarakana, Monshi, and multiple other Jedi stood on the flight deck of the Ataraxia, awaiting for clearance to launch by Maru, which came after a short time of waiting. Just as the transmission came though, Keeve Trennis arrived onboard. Avar voiced her concern to Keeve that the younger Jedi may not be ready for another confrontation with the Nihil after what happened on Xaise, but Trennis told her that she wanted to see this through for Terec and Ceret, who still laid in hibernation aboard Starlight Beacon.

It was then that Sskeer appeared behind them, saying that as the Council were yet to decide his fate, he was still a Jedi, and so he would serve for himself and for the bond-twins. Avar was skeptical of Sskeer's condition, but after some persuading from Keeve, she gave in, and allowed Sskeer to accompany them to No-Space. Kriss ordered everyone to get to their stations, and Maru wished them well as they departed Starlight's hangar bay. Kriss counted down for Monshi to activate the Path Drive which would lead them directly into No-Space, and when she gave her mark, they disappeared from real-space and jumped into the unknown.

When the Jedi attacked the Great Hall of the Nihil, Kriss gave into her rage, cutting off Dee's hand before preparing to strike down the Tempest Runner. Horrified, Keeve yelled for her to stop.

Following the destruction of Starlight Beacon, Kriss, along with Mann, watched a hologram of the Jedi High Council speaking before other Jedi as they implemented the Guardian Protocols, which recalled all Jedi back to the Coruscant Temple. Mann believed to be a bad time as he and Kriss were in the middle of relief effort and Kriss informed him that if the Council was doing this, then the situation must be more dire than she thought.

Three months later, Kriss, along with Engle were placed on a missing in action list, though Mann believed them to be inside the Nihil's Occlusion Zone. Indeed, Kriss continued her work as a Jedi in Nihil space, attempting to provide food to hungry citizens who were likewise trapped behind the Nihil's Stormwall and suffered from the marauders' neglect and cruelty.

Kriss's likeness was captured as an interactive hologram and preserved within a Jedi holocron. This holocron contained a message from Kriss, intended for future viewers, where she offered her guidance. Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, discovered the holocron while endeavoring to re-establish the Jedi Order. Hennix, a student of Skywalker's, activated the holocron at the Jedi Temple of Luke Skywalker, thereby viewing Kriss's holographic message.

Avar Kriss stood at a height of 1.73 meters (equivalent to 5 feet and 8 inches), and was characterized by her light skin, blue eyes, and shoulder-length blonde hair. Avar Kriss embodied the ideals of the Jedi Order, serving as a source of inspiration for her colleagues through her unwavering optimism and belief in the inherent goodness of others. She prioritized compassion over strict adherence to doctrine and demonstrated a willingness to make personal sacrifices for the greater good. She preferred a path outside the Jedi Council, finding fulfillment in the challenges presented by life on the edge of the galaxy.

During the Hetzal system rescue, Kriss initially felt unease from Te'Ami's urgent message, but quickly composed herself and refocused. Despite the mission's complexity, she valued the lives of those trapped as highly as any other. She staunchly opposed abandoning them or destroying their pods to save others, believing their rescue was possible. Kriss ensured all Jedi could retreat from Hetzal's potential explosion and blocked incoming commlink orders to prevent a forced retreat. She also disapproved of excessive alcohol consumption. Despite her disinterest in joining the Jedi Council, she was surprised when Grand Master Veter entrusted her with the Starlight Beacon's leadership. As the conflict with the Nihil persisted, Kriss grew increasingly pressured to end it, even at the expense of others' needs, and risked succumbing to anger.

Kriss shared a deep connection with Stellan Gios and Elzar Mann, forged during their Jedi Temple training. Mann was her closest confidant, and she understood him despite others viewing his methods as unorthodox. They communicated telepathically through the Force, exchanging thoughts effortlessly. Their strong bond allowed for disagreements without jeopardizing their friendship. When Kriss couldn't sense Sskeer in the Force, she suspected he was withholding information.

Elzar Mann held a special place in Avar Kriss's life, serving as her most trusted friend. She never questioned his unusual "tinkering" with the Force, allowing their bond to flourish. While others found his tactics impulsive, Kriss enjoyed his company and humor. They could communicate nonverbally, sharing thoughts through the Force. Their friendship was strong enough to withstand disagreements.

As Padawans, Kriss and Mann were romantically involved, creating a unique intimacy that Stellan Gios envied. This relationship ended when they became Jedi Knights, choosing to remain platonic. They remained close, even during the Great Disaster, with Kriss valuing their teamwork.

Despite their professional agreement, romantic feelings lingered for years. This caused tension. After the Great Disaster, Elzar, disturbed by a Force vision, drank too much and became overly familiar with Avar at Starlight's reception, leading to a heated argument where Avar insisted they could no longer act like Padawans. Their relationship cooled, distressing Elzar.

They were separated during the Nihil conflict, Avar as marshal of Starlight and Elzar as marshal of the Valo Jedi outpost. Elzar missed Avar and their friendship, often reminiscing, particularly when forming a Force bond with Ty Yorrick during the Nihil attack on Valo. Avar also missed Elzar, especially during her pursuit of Lourna Dee, wishing he was by her side.

They reunited after Starlight Beacon's fall on Eiram. Seeing Elzar emerge from his escape pod, Avar rushed to him in a tearful reunion, relieved he survived. Later, they watched the stars and mourned Stellan's death, finding solace in their constellation and Gios's presence in the Force.

As a Force-sensitive Jedi Master, Kriss possessed exceptional Force abilities. She perceived the Force as music, hearing the melodies of life and death and responding in kind. Kriss had the rare ability to detect and strengthen connections between Force-users through a network called the Song of the Force, similar to a communications system. This skill, uncommon among Jedi, was imprecise but useful for transmitting locations and sensations, with occasional unbidden words or images. The Song of the Force was vital during the Great Hyperspace Disaster, guiding a hundred Jedi in coordinated debris blasting and mental connection. Kriss allowed others to shape the meld, and Jedi sometimes sensed others' fear through the network. Kriss precisely tracked the Jedi she guided, sensing their actions and the deaths around her. She could detect Jedi outside the network and extend her will beyond a star system. Sensing Wookiee Padawan Agaburry's fear from Legacy Run survivors via her Force song, she used the network's power to locate about ten survivor groups. With the Jedi, she telekinetically moved a hazardous object away from a star, but the light side power killed some protecting the Republic. Kriss also used the Force precisely, folding her hair into a mandala for focus. She could also summon rain by manipulating clouds.

She could also use the Force to float, as she demonstrated aboard the Third Horizon upon arriving in the Hetzal system. Kriss was additionally skilled in the usage of her lightsaber, which had a longer hilt that she typically wielded in a two-handed fashion. The Jedi Master was able to sense that something was off about the Legacy Run disaster and that the situation was not exactly natural (in fact the Nihil were responsible).

Kriss was able to speak Huttese. The Jedi also was thoughtful enough to combine her powers with technological updates from a ship's systems, in order to get a more wholistic understanding when she used her Force network.

Kriss's green-bladed lightsaber featured a silver-white electrum cylinder. It had a crossguard and a spiraling seastone line for grip and decoration. Besides its destructive and symbolic uses, Kriss sometimes found it a useful tool for focus. Her ceremonial attire included a white tunic with gold ornamentation, a white cape secured by a golden Jedi crest buckle (releasable if needed), a gold circlet, and brown boots. Her mission attire included protective gear, a lightsaber holster, and wrist guards with a removable comlink.

Avar Kriss was conceived for the 2021 Star Wars: The High Republic project, debuting in Charles Soule's novel, The High Republic: Light of the Jedi. She first appeared, unidentified, in a holocron flashback in The Rise of Kylo Ren 3 (comic) by Soule, Will Sliney, and Marvel Comics (February 12, 2020). After the High Republic reveal, Soule confirmed her presence in the comic and revealed her name in a StarWars.com article (April 2, 2020) detailing Jedi characters. In the 2021 audio drama The High Republic: Tempest Runner, she was voiced by Saskia Maarleveld.

Kriss was designed to represent the Jedi at their zenith during the High Republic era, exploring their unique perspective on the Force. Soule believed her ability to hear Jedi through the Force's song effectively united character viewpoints. As a musician, Soule enjoyed writing about the Force through Kriss. Diogo Saito created concept art of Avar Kriss in both temple and mission attire.