Brianna

Brianna's birth occurred in 3976 BBY, resulting from a prohibited relationship between General Yusanis and Jedi Master Arren Kae. Yusanis, a skilled Echani warrior from the Republic planet Eshan, was already married and had five daughters. Kae, as a member of the Jedi Order, was prohibited from forming strong attachments. Despite these restrictions, they engaged in a clandestine affair, risking their reputations by continuing their meetings. Despite Kae's efforts to maintain secrecy regarding the affair and Brianna's existence, the Jedi Council eventually discovered the situation, resulting in Kae's expulsion from the Jedi Order as punishment.

Subsequently, Kae chose to join her former apprentice, Revan, in the fight against the Mandalorians, who were determined to conquer the Outer Rim. Yusanis also joined them, despite being responsible for the care of Brianna and his other five daughters. Yusanis and Kae gained recognition as heroes of the conflict, but Kae ultimately perished in battle. Yusanis returned a broken man, abandoning combat to become a senator. He avoided discussing Kae, leaving Brianna with no memories of her mother. Later, Yusanis's former ally Revan declared himself the new Dark Lord of the Sith and turned against the Jedi, initiating the Jedi Civil War. He sought to weaken the Republic, targeting the Republic worlds of Serroco, Corellia, and Eshan for destabilization. Revan achieved his goals by assassinating a senator from each world, and the death of an Echani senator drew Yusanis's attention. Upon discovering evidence of Revan's actions, Yusanis challenged him to a duel but was ultimately killed by the Dark Lord, leaving Brianna an orphan.

Following Yusanis's death, Brianna and her five half-sisters entered the service of Jedi Master Atris, one of the few Masters who survived the Jedi Civil War. The Jedi Order had been significantly divided and weakened by the war, with further attacks by a resurgent Sith Order after the war's conclusion leaving very few Jedi remaining. Atris aimed to revitalize the Jedi Order after most of the other Jedi Masters had been killed during one of these attacks on Katarr, and she established a secret academy on Telos IV, a planet that had been devastated by Sith forces during the Jedi Civil War. The sisters joined her at the academy and agreed to serve as her handmaidens, assisting Atris in collecting Jedi artifacts from across the galaxy. At some point during their service, Brianna and her half-sisters pledged an oath to Atris, promising never to study the teachings of the Jedi or receive any instruction from a Jedi. Brianna was the only handmaiden with any Force-sensitivity due to her heritage. Although Atris was aware of Brianna's family history and her sensitivity, she never acknowledged Brianna's potential, and the handmaiden remained unaware of her innate abilities.

To those unfamiliar with Echani customs, the offspring of Echani parents appeared identical to their parents, particularly those of the same sex. As such, Brianna resembled her Jedi mother rather than Yusanis's original wife, distinguishing her from her sisters and serving as physical evidence of their father's infidelity. Her father's infidelity had brought shame upon him; and, after his death at the hands of Revan, that shame was passed on to her, as the Echani believed that betrayal and shame were inherited through bloodlines. Despite her efforts to disprove this stigma, Brianna was branded the "Last of the Handmaidens" by her sisters, indicating she was the least valued and skilled in combat among them. Consequently, Brianna felt unworthy of any individuality and renounced her name in favor of her title.

Due to its seclusion in the remote polar regions of Telos IV, the Jedi Academy remained unnoticed, even as the Republic initiated the Telosian Restoration Project to restore the ecosystem of the ravaged planet. The project was led by the Ithorian Chodo Habat and his herd, and a massive space station was constructed in orbit as a staging area for the project. When Atris learned that the planet Peragus II, the station's primary fuel source, had been destroyed and that the Telos Security Force was holding suspects in the planet's destruction, who had recently arrived in the system, she ordered Brianna to investigate. Acting covertly, Brianna infiltrated Citadel Station and stole the suspects' ship, the Ebon Hawk, along with their droid, T3-M4, which was aboard because the ship had been impounded upon arriving at Citadel Station shortly after the destruction of Peragus II. Brianna then transported the ship to the secret academy, where Atris hoped to investigate the events surrounding the planet's destruction. Atris was unaware that the ship's new owner was a former friend from the Jedi Order, Meetra Surik, also known as the Jedi Exile, another hero of the Mandalorian Wars who had been exiled for defying the Jedi Council and joining Revan in the war. Surik was released from custody after it was discovered that Peragus II had been destroyed as a result of her escape from the Sith Lord Darth Sion, and she began searching for her stolen ship.

Surik, accompanied by Kreia and Atton Rand, whom she had met on Peragus II, eventually located the starship with assistance from a technician of the Restoration Project and entered the academy. Brianna, accompanied by two of her sisters, confronted the group and demanded their surrender. Surik complied to avoid conflict, and Brianna escorted her to meet with Atris. Atris, who had been one of the masters who decided on Surik's punishment for her involvement in the Mandalorian Wars, was displeased to see her again. After a tense discussion about Surik's seemingly unrepentant attitude toward her actions in defying the Council, Surik informed Atris of the Sith's involvement in the destruction of Peragus II and offered her assistance. Atris suggested that she seek out the other surviving Jedi Masters and gather them at the ruined Enclave on Dantooine to formulate a plan of action, and then sent Surik away. Brianna was surprised to see her mistress become so volatile, which strengthened her growing belief that the Jedi were not the emotionless beings Atris had described them to be.

Before Surik left Telos, Brianna had the opportunity to speak with her in private. Initially wary of Surik, Brianna began to speak more freely when Surik convinced her that, contrary to Atris's opinion, she had not turned to the dark side of the Force during the Mandalorian Wars. Brianna confessed that she was the only one of her sisters who did not question Surik's combat prowess and was more open to Surik's views. Brianna also mentioned her frequent distraction by the Jedi teachings that Atris had rescued and stored at the academy, and as a result, she was eager to learn about life as a Jedi. She inquired about various aspects of a Jedi's life, including the issue of attachment. Brianna also informed Surik that she always trained to improve herself, and they discussed the Echani perspective on expressing feelings through combat. Finally, Brianna asked what it was like to feel the Force, and she was satisfied with the answers provided by both Surik and Kreia.

Atris ordered Brianna to secretly board the Ebon Hawk and assist Surik in her mission to find the missing Jedi Masters, a journey that took them to the worlds of Dantooine, Nar Shaddaa, Onderon, and Korriban. Additionally, Brianna was tasked with monitoring Surik's activities for Atris to confirm that Surik remained aligned with the light side. Brianna revealed herself after learning that Surik had downloaded some of Atris's records, indignantly protesting what she considered theft before regaining her composure and explaining her orders. While Rand vocally opposed allowing a spy to travel with them, Surik welcomed Brianna to the crew. At this point, however, Brianna remained wary of Surik, as Atris had warned her not to trust her. She secluded herself in the cargo bay to refine her fighting style while remaining separate from the rest of the crew.

While Surik attempted to get to know Brianna, the Echani remained hesitant to trust her, but through acts of kindness and charity during their journey, Brianna eventually came to believe that Atris had been wrong in her judgments. Brianna occasionally clashed with Visas Marr, a former Sith assassin who had initially been on a mission to capture Surik. Although Marr joined the crew after her defeat at Surik's hands, Brianna did not trust her due to Marr's ties to the Sith. After some persuasion from Surik, Brianna learned to accept her presence, although she continued to keep a watchful eye on the Miraluka.

During their travels, Brianna agreed to teach Surik Echani fighting techniques. As they trained, Surik questioned Brianna's Echani tradition of sparring while wearing only undergarments; Brianna conceded that bulkier clothes would be more practical. She then surprised Surik by changing into a heavy set of grayed robes, a style associated with a Jedi Master. When asked, she finally revealed that they were the last keepsake of her mother that she had never known. She opened up to Surik and shared the story of her past, but she requested that it be kept secret from the rest of the crew, as she had come to trust Surik more than anyone else. Unexpectedly, after their private discussion, Surik was approached by Kreia, who revealed that she had known Arren Kae. Kreia speculated that because Kae had been strong in the Force, the potential to become a Jedi also resided within her daughter. However, Kreia discouraged Surik from training her as a Jedi, because it would mean breaking her oath to Atris.

Surik decided to leave the choice to Brianna and offered to train her to use the Force. By this point, Brianna greatly trusted Surik and realized that she had always hoped to follow her mother's path. Consequently, she accepted the offer. Surik warned her that she would be breaking her oath to Atris, but Brianna was committed, feeling that she would be betraying her heritage if she did not accept the training. With Brianna's acceptance, Surik passed on her knowledge of the Force to Brianna and trained her to become a Jedi Guardian. During this time, Kreia sent a message to Atris through the Force, informing her of Brianna's decision to become a Jedi with a single word: "Betrayal." As a Jedi, Brianna continued to assist Surik, who eventually succeeded in gathering the Jedi Masters Vrook Lamar, Zez-Kai Ell, and Kavar on Dantooine. Brianna returned to the Enclave on Dantooine with Surik, who went to meet with the Masters alone. Unfortunately, when the Masters revealed their intention to strip Surik of the Force due to the danger she posed by her particular ability to feed off the life energy of others, Kreia was forced to act and killed the Jedi Masters. Before incapacitating the Exile, Kreia revealed that she had been manipulating Surik all along, and that her ultimate goal was to utilize Surik's unique nature to end the influence of the Force on all sentient beings.

Following the incident on Dantooine, Brianna, believing Surik to be dead, took Kreia directly to Atris, knowing that her mistress would execute any Sith. However, Atris's belief in the Jedi Council's decision during the Mandalorian Wars, as well as her belief in the Order itself, had been shaken after she observed Surik's conviction. In addition, she had been slowly corrupted by her collection of Sith holocrons, which she had gathered in hopes of using their teachings to fight the Sith. Instead, the influence of the artifacts proved too strong, and they slowly twisted Atris's thinking, causing her to fall to the dark side.

Atris finally admitted her fall to the dark side after a conversation with Kreia. Simultaneously, the other handmaidens confronted Brianna. She learned that Atris had told her sisters that Brianna had fallen to the dark side and joined Surik against Atris's wishes. Brianna could not convince her sisters otherwise and was forced to fight them. In doing so, she proved herself to have surpassed her sisters in ability, as she managed to defeat them all without killing them. Shortly thereafter, Atris arrived and attacked Brianna. Though Brianna was initially able to keep the corrupt Jedi Master at bay, she was eventually overwhelmed. Atris began torturing her handmaiden with Force lightning; but, before she could deliver the final blow, Surik arrived and defeated Atris in a duel. After the duel, Brianna pledged undying allegiance to Surik, renouncing her title of Last of the Handmaidens, and embracing her true name as well as her status as a disciple of the last Jedi.

Before leaving Telos, Kreia manipulated the Sith into attacking Citadel Station, forcing Surik to fight off an assault and help defend the station before she could follow her teacher. Brianna aided Surik and the Telos Security Force in fending off the Sith assault on Citadel Station before joining Surik in pursuit of Kreia. Surik had learned from Atris that Kreia had gone to a secret Sith academy on Malachor V, the site of the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars, and the site where Surik had previously lost her connection to the Force after killing countless combatants on both sides by activating the Mass Shadow Generator superweapon during the battle. On this occasion, the Sith Lord intended to use Malachor V—a site where the Force still echoed from those killed by the Mass Shadow Generator—to create a wound in the Force, which in turn would allow her to carry out her goal of destroying the Force itself. When the group arrived at Malachor V, however, the massive storms surrounding the planet damaged the Ebon Hawk, causing it to crash. In the crash, the members of the group were separated, and Brianna was unable to help Surik, who went on to confront Kreia alone.

Kreia, shortly before her death on Malachor V at the hands of Surik, foresaw that Brianna would abandon her warrior ways and play a critical role in the Jedi Order's restoration. According to Kreia, Brianna would pursue her passion and assume Atris's role as historian, educating future Padawans about the Jedi who relinquished the Force and became better for it.

Centuries later, the New Jedi Order would also remember Brianna for her contributions to the Order's history. Brianna was recognized as one of the Lost Jedi and a valuable ally who supported Surik. Due to the incomplete records of the era, the New Jedi Order tentatively identified her as one of the potential slayers of Sith Lord Darth Nihilus, along with another possible candidate, Visas Marr.

As Yusanis and Arren Kae's daughter, Brianna had white hair and blue eyes. She carried the burden of her parents' illicit affair, striving to prove her worth to her sisters and Atris. Her shame and status as the least worthy among her sisters led her to prioritize the greater good and her oaths to Atris above herself, forsaking her name and identity. It was only after defeating her sisters in combat and confronting Atris that Brianna gained a sense of self-worth, embracing her name and casting aside the shame of her parentage. She believed that combat was a pure form of self-expression and that a person's fighting style reflected their character.

Brianna was fiercely loyal to her superiors, completely devoted to Atris until Meetra Surik earned her trust. Initially hesitant to trust Surik due to Atris's warnings, Surik's kindness and Brianna's assessment of her through combat eventually led her to open up. When Surik saved her life, Brianna completely severed her ties to Atris. However, her trust did not extend to Surik's other companions, and she remained wary of both Kreia and Marr throughout their journey.

Furthermore, despite being criticized by her sisters for her passion, Brianna was typically reserved and did not interact much with the crew, preferring to seclude herself in the cargo bay. Despite this, her irritation with her fellow crew members occasionally surfaced, particularly with Rand and Marr. She expressed her passion through combat and developed a desire to feel the Force, eventually receiving Jedi training from the Exile. This curiosity stemmed from her examination of some of Atris's Jedi holocrons, and her interest in these artifacts may have led to her becoming a Jedi historian as Kreia predicted.

Having lived a sheltered life in the secret academy on Telos, Brianna displayed some naïveté about the workings of the galaxy, as noted by Atton Rand. She also struggled to understand jokes made by Surik and the bounty hunter Mira, as well as Rand's sarcasm. Brianna tended to view things in terms of black and white, and she argued with Surik over some of her decisions, believing that any act of questionable morality was unacceptable, a mindset likely developed from following Atris's strict beliefs.

Despite being called the "Last of the Handmaidens" by her fellow sisters, Brianna was highly skilled in Echani martial arts combat. She demonstrated her extensive knowledge of the style by successfully training Meetra Surik. Brianna found that training helped her maintain focus, and she often practiced while traveling with Surik, especially when she was irritated by Surik's other companions. Furthermore, Brianna was adept at using Battle Precognition, which allowed her to anticipate her opponents' moves a split second before they happened, giving her a significant advantage in battle. Recognizing Surik's potential with precognition, she also taught her how to use this ability. Her combat skills extended to various weapons, including Force pikes and blasters. Brianna also wielded a unique staff with properties similar to a saberstaff, which was a gift from her father. In addition to her weapons, Brianna's proficiency in Echani allowed her to fight effectively even without any equipment.

As Arren Kae's daughter, a Jedi, Brianna possessed Force sensitivity and eventually underwent Jedi training under Surik, becoming a Jedi Guardian. As a Jedi Guardian, Brianna concentrated on combat, mastering lightsaber techniques and Jedi abilities, while enhancing her skills with powers like Force Jump. Her combat prowess increased significantly with Jedi training, surpassing even her sisters in skill, and she was able to defeat them all in a single fight. Brianna even managed to hold her own in a duel against Jedi Master Atris for a period of time before being overwhelmed by Force Lightning. She also displayed remarkable resilience, remaining standing after being struck by Force Lightning and appearing relatively stable despite the ordeal.

Brianna owned several items given to her by her parents, including Jedi robes from her mother and a staff from her father. The Jedi robe, passed down from her mother Arren Kae, was light-grey. It also provided some improvements and protection. The staff inherited from her father, Yusanis, resembled other staffs used by Handmaidens, featuring the ability to be folded into the handle.

Brianna made her debut in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, a video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and released in 2004. Like most companions, her character was written by Chris Avellone. She stood out as the only party member whose visual design was not initially conceived by artist Brian Menze. Brianna is a non-player character who becomes a member of the player's party if the main character is male. If the main character is female, Meetra Surik will instead be joined by Mical, also known as "the Disciple," and Brianna will only appear in cutscenes on Telos. Her voice was provided by Grey DeLisle, who also voiced Padmé Amidala, Asajj Ventress, and Shaak Ti in the Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series. Despite numerous in-game allusions to Brianna's distinct appearance compared to her sisters, and her "honoring the face of her mother", Brianna's character texture is identical to that of her five sisters, although her head model features beaded strands of hair on both sides.

When Leland Chee was questioned about whether Brianna still traveled with Surik if Surik was female, he simply responded with "maybe." However, a preview for the Star Wars Miniatures Knights of the Old Republic set confirmed that Brianna did indeed accompany Surik. It also included roleplaying statistics for Brianna for the Saga Edition. Tionne's statements in The Essential Guide to the Force suggested that Brianna killed Darth Nihilus, although the accuracy of these accounts is questionable, as Nihilus is actually fought and killed in the game by Surik, Marr, and Mandalore the Preserver. This discrepancy is most likely due to Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force being written from an in-universe perspective, resulting in inaccurate records of the battle within the New Jedi Order. This explanation is further supported by the guide also mentioning Visas Marr as another possible slayer of Nihilus. A game update for Star Wars: The Old Republic in 2013 later made Brianna's outfit, known as "The Last Handmaiden Set," available for players to purchase through the game's Cartel Market system.

Similar to most of the player's allies, the player has the option to wait until they have built sufficient influence with Brianna to train her as a Jedi at a low level. Since she joins Surik at level 6, waiting allows her to potentially learn more Force powers and abilities. A glitch exists in the game that can cause a male Surik to accidentally kill Brianna during her training. If this happens, her character selection space will lack a picture, and the name will be replaced with the phrase "I am so very very broken." Additionally, if the player tries to speak to Brianna when Surik has more influence with Visas than Brianna, she will become upset and refuse to speak to him for the rest of the game.

Due to Meetra Surik's unique ability to forge strong connections with her companions and even manipulate their motivations, Brianna can be influenced to embrace the dark side. If Brianna joins Surik and subsequently falls to the dark side, Kreia predicts that she will lose respect for the Jedi and become completely consumed by battle. She will abandon her Force training and instead seek to punish the Jedi for being overly emotional. Should Brianna turn to the dark side and become a Dark Jedi Guardian, she will also replace her pure white clothing with a similar garment that is entirely black and secured with leather.

Although it has been established as canon that Brianna accompanied Surik on her travels, in the game itself, she only joins Surik if the player character is male. Otherwise, she is replaced by Mical. At some point, Surik requested Brianna to teach her Echani fighting techniques, and throughout their journey, they sparred three times, each time gaining a deeper understanding of each other and growing closer. This closeness was noticeable and commented on by both Atton and Kreia.

The primary difference in Brianna's journey with a male Surik is the development of romantic feelings towards Surik, as well as her rivalry with Visas for his affection. When Visas is first accepted into the group by Surik, Brianna questions his decision, fearing that Visas might betray them to the Sith. She also displays jealousy at Surik's willingness to accept another woman so readily. If Surik has higher influence with Visas than Brianna, she will confront the Miraluka out of jealousy, accusing her of plotting to betray them to the Sith, and disregarding Visas' attempts to reassure her. Brianna's envy intensifies to the point where Kreia exploits it, manipulating the handmaiden's feelings and preparing her to confront Visas when Kreia deems the time is right.

With a male Surik, Brianna also accompanies Kreia to Atris, with her grief over Surik's death clouding her judgment. She confronts her sisters, as well as Atris, who eventually uses Force lightning. Brianna is caught off guard and knocked to her knees by the initial blast, but Atris continues to torture her with another round of lightning, fueled by jealousy over Brianna's closeness to Surik and accusing her of falling in love with him as Brianna lies writhing in agony. Hurt and defenseless, it appears Atris is about to deliver the final blow when Surik suddenly appears and challenges Atris to a duel. Further enraged by Surik's display of concern, Atris strikes Brianna one last time with lightning and, leaving her for dead on the floor, retreats to her chamber to battle Surik.

After Surik's duel with Atris, Brianna surprisingly survives the brutal assault. Without the oath to her sisters or her mistress to bind her, she once again pledges herself to Surik out of gratitude. This time, she resolves to no longer let the stigma of her family prevent her from following her heart. She renounces her title as Last of the Handmaidens and embraces her true identity for the first time, including her name (which she had kept secret even from Surik until this point).

In an earlier iteration of the game, Brianna was originally intended to join Meetra Surik regardless of gender, as long as Surik aligned with the light side (dark side players would have been joined by Visas Marr instead).

Brianna was meant to fight her sisters in the Telos Academy, with the option to either kill them or stun them, allowing them to live. In the final release, when her sisters become hostile and a fight seems imminent, the scene cuts to black, then fades back in to show all the handmaidens except Brianna lying prone on the ground.

Several scenes involving Brianna were ultimately removed from the game. If the player had more influence with Visas Marr than the Handmaiden, or if the PC was aligned with the dark side, Brianna would attack Marr in the Trayus Academy on Malachor V, accusing her of seducing Surik. If the PC had more influence with Brianna than Visas and the Mass Shadow Generator was not activated, the PC would leave her in the Trayus Core to wait for others and teach them as Kreia taught Surik. Like Mira, Rand, and Marr, Brianna was intended to be one of the members to confront and attack Kreia at Malachor V, only to be defeated and imprisoned by Darth Sion. Rand would have been the only companion to escape.