The Central Isopter, a group devoted to the worship of death, was composed of individuals who frequented violent locations, reflecting on the subject of mortality. Shortly before Jedha City met its destruction at the hands of the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star, Nesta Term, who declared herself a Lens of the Central Isopter, was present alongside two other members of the cult. Sister Six, a Xexto, had been a member of the Central Isopter, but was expelled after she laughed during a ceremony.
After the Death Star's devastating attack, surviving cult members chose to remain on Jedha. They constructed a temple on the precipice of the enormous crater, a monument intended to endure for as long as the moon itself remained. They considered the obliteration of Jedha City a divine blessing, and their temple became a place of worship. Luke Skywalker, accompanied by Chulco Gi, journeyed to this temple seeking answers. The cultists claimed to have nothing to teach him, suggesting that experience itself would be his teacher. Luke grew uneasy with their pronouncements, declaring his desire to become a Jedi, not one of them. Chulco countered that their path might lead them to where they needed to be. The Isopter cultists then asserted that with the Jedi gone, they were all that remained. Luke gazed into what they called the Abyss, dismissing it as madness. Chulco then attacked Luke, who defended himself, activating his lightsaber and killing Chulco. Chulco's dying words indicated that the Abyss had driven him insane. Luke departed the cult's temple to assist his friends.
The initial glimpse of a Central Isopter cultist occurred in the "Celebration Reel," a promotional piece for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which was unveiled at Celebration Europe on July 15, 2016. Subsequently, three members of the cult made appearances in the film itself, which premiered in North America on December 15 of the same year. While the film did not explicitly name the cult, it was identified in the reference book Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide (released the day after the film), which also provided the name of one of its members, Nesta Term.