Cere Junda

As an infant, Cere Junda was discovered by a Jedi seeker and subsequently trained in the Jedi arts at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. While at the Temple, Junda acquired basic computer skills, including how to search the galaxy for Force-sensitive individuals. Like many younglings, Junda journeyed to Ilum to construct her lightsaber. Yoda was present to guide the younglings during this trip, but he departed after they entered the Jedi Temple. Although she was used to being left to complete tasks, she still found the ordeal challenging. During the reign of the Galactic Republic, Junda served as a Padawan to Jedi Master Eno Cordova.

In 41 BBY, Junda and Cordova traveled to Nameel in an attempt to resolve a conflict between a Trandoshan gang and a group of Dupei monks. As the verbal sparring continued, Junda was easily provoked by the situation, using the Force to push the two sides away from each other during the heated confrontation. Cordova intervened and called her impulsive. Junda told her master she was simply de-escalating the conflict. Before Cordova left to record the account of the Dupei monks, and potentially discover more about their culture, she retorted back to him that they were on a peacekeeping mission and not a quest to attain a deeper knowledge of the monks.

Left with the Trandoshans, Junda instructed them to be patient before their opportunity to explain their part in the argument, but Trandoshan warlord Vurrsk was displeased at someone younger than him handing out orders and her intervention was seen as unwelcome. When Junda attempted to quell an argument between Vurrsk and a member of his gang who challenged his authority, the whole gang temporarily united against her and a skirmish broke out.

She commented that the Trandoshans had slowed in their old age and her youth would be an advantage. Junda subdued the tribe before Cordova emerged from his interview with the monks and revealed that they had confessed to having stolen credits from the Trandoshans who were trying to purchase weapons from them. Junda became apologetic to the gang and self-conscious about having jumped to conclusions too soon.

Later on Coruscant, she attempted to explain her actions to the Jedi High Council, telling them that whilst she was too quick to judgment, she acted in self-defense as per her training. Yoda posited that being provoked into battle went hand-in-hand with speaking out of turn, an idea Cordova agreed with though he ultimately defended his padawan. Junda feared she would be asked to leave the Order, however, Mace Windu told her the Council took a more measured approach to decisions and concluded that the situation was rather complicated. Junda and Cordova were then provided with their next assignment, overseeing the exploration of a recently discovered temple on Ontotho. Yoda quipped that he hoped Junda would refrain from hitting anyone on the mission, but Junda nonetheless saw the assignment as a punishment.

Three days later, Junda and Cordova arrived on Ontotho where they were met by Dylanto Daa, the founder of Daa Corporation who had entered into an agreement with the Ontothon government to explore the temple. Junda took in the planet around her and marveled at the falling pink snow until Daa informed her it was the result of tambic gas freezing in the atmosphere. After he stated that it became highly poisonous if consumed in high quantities, Junda spat out the snow that had landed on her tongue.

As they made their way to the temple, Junda questioned the need for a heavy-armored vehicle to transport them to their destination. Daa explained the temple was in the Fylar region, which had not agreed to join the Republic as the government itself had. En route through the Forests of Fylar, the transport was ambushed. Junda raced outside to confront the attackers but became overwhelmed at sensing everything around her clearly through the Force - except for the assailants. Cordova instructed her to trust her natural talents before she ran off into the forest, where she found a corpse and heard voices around her. Returning to explain what she had found to her master, Junda was incapacitated by a mysterious assailant following the destruction of the transport.

Junda awoke in a cell watched by the droid En-Threelo, and immediately used the Force to pull her lightsaber to her and destroy the cell door where she was met by members of the Fylar Freedom Fighters. Angered, she destroyed the blaster belonging to Moroo - who told her they did not want trouble - and threatened to throw a table at them with the Force. She was interrupted by Neralli and was informed that her cell door was always unlocked and she had been placed in there for her protection against those who attacked her. Neralli then introduced her to Fylar and told Junda that they were a peaceful people who believed the Republic offered them nothing of value. Junda became intrigued by a group of children who could commune with animals and Neralli confirmed that they were Force-sensitive. After Junda commented she could not reach Cordova through the Force, En-Threelo informed her that he had died in the explosion. Neralli quickly added that they were not responsible for the attack on her transport.

Neralli took Junda to the temple in the Forest of Fylar and stated her belief that history should remain buried, regardless of what Daa or the government believed. She then revealed that some of Junda’s assailants wore the mark of Daa on their clothes. Shocked, Junda decided to head to Ontotho City to contact the Jedi Council and inform them of the revelation.

Joined by En-Threelo in Ontotho City, Junda used the Force to create a distraction that enabled her to sneak into the parliament building where she overheard government officials confirming their full support to Daa Corporations' pursuit of the temple and fight against the Fylar. She dropped into the chambers and accused Daa of being behind the attack on her transport, showing the cloth bearing Daa’s mark provided by Neralli. Daa waved off the accusations and security forces were summoned to arrest Junda to prevent her from contacting the Republic. Junda destroyed many of the security droids with her lightsaber and fled the building. She informed En-Threelo to return to Fylar to warn them of the imminent attack while she stayed behind to buy time. Despite suffering a blaster bolt wound to the leg, she eventually overcame the forces and returned to Fylar, telling the freedom fighters they would need her help in the battle ahead.

When the Ontothan security forces marched upon the temple, Junda was sat outside of the entrance. She warned them to leave the independent nation of Fylar before revealing herself to be a Jedi and summoning the freedom fighters as the fighting began. She demanded that the enemy droids be destroyed but no harm should come to the humans. Together, Junda and the Fylari drove Daa’s forces back and were able to salvage valuable scrap in the process. Following the skirmish, Junda attempted to reassure the freedom fighters that the Republic would not fight back against them if she was able to contact them and describe what was happening, but the freedom fighters remained skeptical. When the Daa Corporation forces subsequently ambushed them, having tracked their whereabouts using the stolen scrap, the freedom fighters agreed to unify and strike back.

Junda later confronted Daa in his quarters, where he questioned whether she truly was a Jedi given her aggressive actions on the planet. She destroyed his security droids in response before Cordova returned to intervene. Shocked, Junda enquired how he was still alive. Daa told her he had demanded his men take the injured Cordova to a bacta tank to heal and protect him, though Junda argued that he was being kept to prevent him from contacting the Council. However, Cordova told her he had already spoken with them and had vowed to bring the Fylari terrorists to justice. Junda then informed her troubled master that she was fighting alongside them. A two-day ceasefire was brokered by Cordova on the Ontotho-Fylar border to stop the fighting and to secretly allow Junda and Cordova the opportunity to see what was inside the temple that was seemingly the root of the planet’s unrest.

Junda was instructed to wait outside to keep watch after Cordova questioned her belief that the Fydari’s interest in the temple was purely for historical reasons. She eventually headed into the temple to aid Cordova and came up against Daa security forces who intended to kill her master. When she engaged them, a Tomb Guardian attacked and began slaughtering the forces. One of the security troops communicated to comrades that the Jedi had been responsible for killing the troops before Junda was saved by Cordova.

Cordova told Junda to guard the temple exterior from the full force of Daa’s soldiers, and Junda was incredulous that she was being forced to fight whilst Cordova remained inside to study the temple further. She asked her master what good the truths of ancient civilizations were to the natives who were dying on the planet.

Junda confronted Daa and his forces outside the temple and demanded they leave per the agreed truce, but Daa refused and opened fire. Neralli told Junda that if she could get inside the temple, she knew of a way to defeat the might of Daa’s forces. Junda agreed and held the assault off long enough for Neralli to access the temple.

After demanding the freedom fighters fall back to safety, Junda headed to the command center to confront Daa once more and offered him a deal. She requested that he pull his fighters out of Fylar once and for all, and in exchange she would provide him with access to the Jedi Library on Coruscant and convince Neralli to grant him access to the temple. Daa agreed and began to explain how he devised a plan to stoke the fires of war between the Ontothans and Fylar before he was killed by a blast from Neralli. Junda pleaded with Neralli to stop fighting as Daa had called off the attack, but Neralli fired on her instead. As the Fylari attack intensified, Republic forces arrived to aid, led by Mace Windu, Luminara Unduli, Maslo-Skaff and Odu. Junda explained that she convinced Daa to cease fighting but the Fylari had continued with their assault. She was tasked, along with Odu, with finding Cordova and extracting him from the temple whilst the remaining Jedi and Republic forces pushed back against the Fylari.

Inside the temple, Junda found the stricken body of Cordova, who had earlier been stunned by Neralli. Before they could leave, they were trapped inside an energy sphere by Neralli and En-Threelo. The droid dropped a gas grenade into the sphere, and the Jedi quickly manipulated the Tomb Guardians into destroying the sphere and freeing them after Junda compared their situation to her holochess tactics. A blast from a Republic cruiser then pierced the temple, causing a chain reaction that began the collapse of the temple. Junda, Cordova, and Odu were able to escape, however, Odu perished in the resulting explosion. Junda and Cordova saved Neralli and her troops from death by using the Force to prevent debris from the temple from crushing them. As they boarded their Republic transport and left the planet, Junda noted that Neralli did not board her transport and believed she had failed her and the natives. Cordova told her that they saved who they could and, whilst it was never enough, it would have to do.

Days after returning to Coruscant, Junda was summoned in front of the Jedi Council following the completion of the Ontotho mission. After Yoda asked whether she thought the mission had been a success, she replied that she had no excuses for the events and that no matter what they had done, they would have made things worse. Windu informed her that the mission was not seen as a victory, but that some of the Fylari had agreed to help form a joint government with the Ontotho. He also told her that he had spoken with Cordova, the Daa security forces, and many of the Fylari she saved who commended her actions and informed her that the Council were particularly interested in her ability to commune with the Force-sensitive children of the planet.

When she asked Windu what the mission meant for her, the Jedi Master instructed her to kneel and proceeded with the Knighting Ceremony, officially proclaiming her a Jedi Knight. Junda later met with Cordova in the Jedi Library where he told her that he was proud of her and that they were now equals in the eyes of the Order. He stated that he would spend the rest of his time learning and exploring and that she had many great adventures ahead of her that he would chronicle for the future generations of Jedi.

Junda served the Order as a Jedi seeker, and eventually took Trilla Suduri as her Padawan.

During the Clone Wars, following the implementation of Order 66 and the declaration of the Jedi as traitors, Junda and Suduri's clone troopers betrayed them. However, they managed to gather several Jedi younglings and go into hiding. At some point during this time, Junda witnessed the Jedi Archives on Coruscant burning. Junda was eventually captured while trying to draw the Empire away from Suduri and the others. She was tortured at the Fortress Inquisitorius on the moon Nur. Junda initially resisted the harsh questioning, even when the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader became personally involved. Ultimately, Junda broke and surrendered Suduri to the Empire. Suduri then fell to the dark side of the Force under similar torture and became an Inquisitor, adopting the name "Second Sister."

After Suduri's transformation, she was brought into the Interrogation Chamber to mock and taunt Junda and her failed protection efforts. As she looked upon her fallen apprentice, Junda became overwhelmed with anger and regret, and tapped into the dark side in her rage, killing everyone in the room, except Suduri herself, and all that she came across during her escape. During her breakout, Junda managed to steal several Imperial code clearances.

Over the years, Junda decided to suppress her connection to the Force. She had felt the power of the dark side and was overcome with fear of falling completely into it, as well as becoming burdened by guilt over Suduri's fate.

Sometime after escaping from the Empire, Junda hired Greez Dritus, the Latero captain of the Stinger Mantis, as she began her efforts to restore the Jedi Order. She chose the Latero specifically because he was cheap, had no qualms about breaking the law, and she had a hunch that he would not betray her. She had her doubts about him when she initially went on board the ship as, prior to hiring him, Dritus had told her the Mantis was the best luxury cruiser in that part of the galaxy, though she quickly warmed to the ship.

After a short while together, the pair were involved in a scuffle with a group of smugglers in the Slag Pit cantina on Nar Shaddaa and bonded over a flask of lum in an alleyway. Junda would later tell him that was the best night she had had in years and Dritus recognized this as the point when their dynamic began to change for the better.

Junda would regularly monitor Imperial communications in the hope of procuring information on potential surviving Jedi. The pair traveled to the planet Todola following a lead that a Jedi was hiding on the planet and felt confident that their mission would be a quick success. When they arrived on the planet, they discovered that it was the site of a secret off-record Imperial walker production outpost. At the risk of being fired upon, Junda apologized to the Imperials below, stating that they were lost due to their ship's sensors being down and because her co-pilot was sick. As they were not on the Empire's scope at that point, the ruse worked and they were able to get away.

The pair were mistaken for smugglers by the Empire at one point and only escaped after Dritus told them they were delivering a shipment of Kaadu Ribs and proceeded to list eighteen different ways to prepare the meat. The Imperials were so confused they let them go, but only after paying the Latero for his list of recipes.

Junda attempted to pay off Dritus' gambling debts to the Haxion Brood, a bounty hunter group that the Latero had fallen foul of. Despite selling the group the kyber crystal from her lightsaber, the Brood was not satisfied that the debt had been covered.

After years of living in seclusion, in 14 BBY, Junda and Dritus were still monitoring Imperial channels for word on any remaining Jedi. They traveled to the Mid Rim planet of Bracca after they discovered that Inquisitors were heading to the planet as they was believed a Jedi had been identified. Upon reaching the planet, they found former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis on the run from Imperial forces. As he was escaping atop the roof of a high-speed transport train, Junda called to him, telling him to keep moving and that they were there to help him. Whilst they followed Kestis' route, the Ninth Sister was in hot pursuit of the Mantis in her TIE/rp Reaper attack lander.

When Kestis was in a position to reach the Mantis, Junda lowered the ramp and instructed him to jump aboard. As he attempted his jump, he was sent plummeting to the scrapyard below following a blast from an incoming ship that caused him to lose his grip. Upon his landing, he came face to face with the Second Sister who quickly overwhelmed him in a duel. Before the Inquisitor could defeat Kestis, the Mantis arrived and opened fire on the Inquisitor. The distraction allowed Kestis to board the Mantis safely, and as the ship began to lift off, Junda fired her blaster multiple times at the Second Sister, who deflected her bolts back at her and nearly made her way aboard the ship.

Following his narrow escape, Kestis was on edge as Junda and Dritus introduced themselves to him. She knew that the many years Kestis spent alone trying to survive would make it near-impossible for him to trust anyone, but Junda attempted to calm his nerves and ensured him that he was safe aboard the Mantis. She explained that she was attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order and instructed Dritus to pilot the ship to the planet Bogano.

Whilst they traveled to Bogano, Kestis found Junda's hallikset and, using psychometry, began to play a song Junda had written previously. She explained to him how she was once a Jedi, and that she knew his master Jaro Tapal, calling him a true guardian of the Republic. Before arriving at the planet, she reassured him that he was not alone anymore.

Cordova had repeatedly spoken to Junda about Bogano, yet never guided her there. She pondered the fact that she might be the only other individual aware of the planet's whereabouts. Upon their arrival, Junda instructed Kestis to locate and enter the Bogano Vault, convinced it held crucial information for the Order's restoration. Furthermore, she revealed the existence of someone on the planet whom he should meet, while she would remain aboard the Mantis during his excursion. Upon his return, she promised to divulge more details about her strategy.

Eventually, Kestis came back, bringing with him a BD unit droid called BD-1, as well as the understanding that the Vault was a temple constructed by an ancient civilization known as the Zeffo. He also learned that a Jedi by the name of Eno Cordova had previously hidden a holocron within the archive, containing the locations of all known force-sensitive children in the galaxy, and that only someone who mirrored Cordova's journey would possess the insight and trustworthiness to obtain the artifact.

Junda disclosed to Kestis that Cordova was her former Master and presented her holocron as an illustration for Dritus. Cordova's message directed anyone seeking the holocron to find the hidden tombs of the Three Sages, beginning their quest on Zeffo. Recognizing the holocron's potential as a key to reviving the Jedi Order, Junda decided to mentor the former Padawan and finish his training. She informed Kestis of a transformative experience she had as a Jedi, which led her to sever her connection to the Force. Nevertheless, she maintained her belief that rebuilding the Order offered the best defense against the Empire. Kestis felt he lacked agency in determining his path forward, but Junda countered by asserting that as long as he lived, he would always have a choice.

During their voyage to Zeffo, Junda inquired with Dritus about her missing datapad. Dritus denied any involvement, suggesting instead that an undetected stowaway was on board. While Kestis explored Bogano, he rescued a bogling from the planet and secretly brought her onto the ship, unbeknownst to the captain.

While Kestis explored the windy planet and followed Cordova's guidance, Junda stayed on the Mantis. The planet was heavily patrolled by the Empire, and the Mantis was eventually spotted by an All Terrain Scout Transport. Junda radioed Kestis, urging him to return to the ship as their weapons were offline, leaving them defenseless. Cal managed to destroy the walker before informing the crew that, following his discovery of a Zeffo sage's tomb, their next destination would be Kashyyyk. The Zeffo had traveled there long ago, and Cordova had a Wookiee friend named Tarfful who could assist them. Junda observed that Kestis was growing more confident in his skills and briefly recounted why she had cut herself off from the Force, including the capture of her padawan, Trilla, and her own torture, which left her feeling fundamentally changed.

En route to Kashyyyk, Junda reprimanded Dritus for his lack of empathy towards droids after the Latero questioned their purpose, likening their greasy, oily scent to Dritus'.

The crew immediately witnessed the extent of the Imperial occupation upon reaching the planet. Before their arrival, Junda had modified the ship's transponder to transmit Imperial signals, confirming that something on the planet was diverting the Empire's attention. As the Mantis entered the planet's atmosphere, they saw the devastation inflicted by the Empire. When Junda informed the crew that All Terrain Armored Transports were attacking freedom fighters on the surface, Kestis hijacked a walker and helped to capture an Imperial landing pad.

On the platform, they encountered Saw Gerrera, who was fighting against the Imperials to liberate the enslaved Wookiees. Given the Mantis's lack of close-combat capabilities, Junda remained with the ship, monitoring Imperial transmissions and distress calls. She considered Kestis's decision to follow Gerrera risky, having heard rumors in cantinas about his Partisans and the bounties placed on the group.

After Kestis successfully freed the imprisoned Wookiees and Gerrera's guerilla fighters, Junda intercepted Imperial communications confirming the reactivation of Project Auger, a mining operation ordered by Emperor Palpatine, and the Empire's search for a second Zeffo tomb. As they returned to Zeffo, Junda scolded Dritus for his gambling habits after he lamented missing a high-stakes game, warning him that the Haxion Brood would eventually find him if he continued.

Junda stayed aboard the Mantis while Kestis ventured out to find the second tomb. Before he departed, Junda told him that the journey ahead would challenge him in unprecedented ways, but that she and Dritus would support him. Although he ultimately succeeded, he encountered the Second Sister near the Tomb of Miktrull, who revealed herself as Trilla Suduri, Junda’s former padawan. Before Kestis could confront Junda about this, he was captured by the Haxion Brood and forced to fight in the Haxion Fight Pit on Ordo Eris. He was eventually rescued when the Mantis extracted him from the Brood’s headquarters.

Back on the ship, Kestis informed Junda and Dritus that the Empire had learned about Cordova’s holocron. He then confronted Junda with the news that he had met her former padawan, who accused her of betraying her to the Empire. Before their argument could escalate, a transmission arrived from Mari Kosan, Gerrera’s lieutenant, reporting that they had located Tarfull, who had agreed to meet Kestis back on Kashyyyk. With this information, Junda and Kestis agreed to address their conflict later.

While Kestis met with Tarfful and scaled the Origin Tree, Junda remained on the Mantis. There, he obtained further clues from Cordova about accessing the Bogano Vault, which pointed to Dathomir and the Tomb of Kujet in order to acquire a Zeffo Astrium.

During a meal, Junda recounted to Kestis how, after her capture and torture by the Empire, she resisted and vowed to die before divulging information, even after Darth Vader’s intervention, but eventually broke and betrayed Suduri. She acknowledged that she could not undo the past but that they still had a chance to save the children on the holocron. Kestis, still angry at Junda for her initial deception, asserted that they would retrieve the holocron.

As the crew journeyed to the planet, Junda described the Nightsisters of Dathomir and their powers to a nervous Dritus. The Latero later told Kestis that Junda believed in him before he embarked on his mission.

While searching for the tomb, Kestis encountered Nightsister Merrin, who had been manipulated by the former Jedi Taron Malicos into believing that the Jedi were her enemy. Following a harrowing flashback experienced in the Tomb of Kujet, a traumatized Kestis returned to the ship, and Junda revealed why she had severed her connection to the Force. She explained that after witnessing what Suduri had become on Nur, she lost control and succumbed to the dark side of the Force. She became a shell of her former self, unable to forgive or escape her past, despite attempting to suppress her rage, and longing for death. The discovery of the holocron offered her a glimmer of hope for the future. She urged Kestis to stand, asserting that she could not undo her actions any more than he could undo his master's fate, but that he had to choose to move forward, starting by rebuilding his lightsaber.

The crew traveled to Ilum, a planet where Jedi younglings – including Junda and Kestis – were taken to find their kyber crystals in a tradition known as the Gathering.

She cautioned Kestis that he would face trials, not only on Ilum. She explained that every Jedi confronted the dark side, and failure was common, but the struggle was the test, and the choice to persevere defined them. She gave Kestis her lightsaber for protection as he ventured into the snow.

As Kestis completed his task, Junda remained aboard the Mantis. She bypassed Imperial encryption and disrupted their transmissions to delay the growing Imperial presence on the planet as Kestis returned to the ship. She reminded him that Ilum was their planet and that the Empire should not forget that. He eventually returned with a restored lightsaber and a renewed sense of purpose. He confided in Junda and Dritus that the hopes of the Jedi Order rested on a gambler, a fallen Jedi, and a failed padawan, collectively describing them as a group of misfits. With the crew growing closer, they returned to Dathomir to allow Kestis to confront his past directly.

As Dritus panicked about the dangers awaiting them on Dathomir, Junda joked that the Haxion Brood might be waiting for him, adding that if he were not such a skilled pilot, she would have turned him over to the group herself, given the trouble he had caused. Cal returned to the Mantis after completing his mission with the Astrium, allowing them to return to the Bogano Vault. To the crew's surprise, he also brought Merrin, who had decided to join the fight after years of isolation on her homeworld.

Junda welcomed her aboard, but informed the Nightsister that she would need to earn the crew's trust. During their journey to Bogano, Junda and Merrin discussed music and the magick involved in performing certain Nightsister songs. Before they reached Bogano, Junda acknowledged Dritus's contributions, thanking him for his efforts and stating that they would not have come this far without him.

Before Kestis departed for the Vault, Junda reminded him of the trials he had overcome and the unknown dangers that still lay ahead. She cautioned him that Cordova had built danger into his test to protect his secrets. When Kestis joked that she was concerned for him, she retorted that she did not want to train all the younglings on the holocron alone. Junda warned him that this test might be unlike anything he and BD-1 had faced before, urging them to protect each other. She noted how much he had grown since their first visit to the planet, and after Kestis expressed his desire to train the younglings his way, she explained that learning required willingness from both parties. She affirmed her readiness for whatever came next, but clarified that she would not enter the Vault with him. Kestis assured her that she would be with him, just in a different way. She expressed her gratitude for finding him and wished him luck, advising him to think before acting, as she suspected Cordova had left behind a test that not just anyone could solve.

Inside the Vault, Kestis experienced a Force vision that depicted him becoming an Inquisitor and the younglings being killed or captured. After acquiring the holocron, he promptly lost it in a duel with the Second Sister. Returning to the ship, Kestis apologized to Junda for his arrogance in failing to understand her and Suduri's experiences. Junda, sitting to steady herself, accepted responsibility for Suduri's path and believed that her former padawan's actions were the price of her mistakes. Kestis then shared Junda's wisdom, stating that their mistakes were in the past, their current situation was their shared responsibility, and their future actions were what mattered. Junda agreed, knowing that Suduri would take the holocron to Fortress Inquisitorius, the facility she had escaped after her capture and torture following Order 66, though she never expected to return. Kestis assured her that she would not be alone, but Junda corrected him, stating that she would be with a Jedi.

Reconnecting with the Force, Junda used it to summon Trilla's lightsaber and instructed Kestis to kneel. When he complied, she ignited the saber and declared him a Jedi Knight by the authority of the council and the will of the Force, concluding that he was now ready, to which he replied that she was too.

As the Mantis departed the planet, she spoke with BD-1 about his time on Bogano with Cordova, surmising that her old master must have left soon after the droid was activated. She inquired if BD-1 remembered Cordova's last words to him and seemed surprised when Cordova's final message to whoever found the droid, his last log, was played.

As the Mantis approached Nur, Merrin performed a cloaking ritual to bypass the Imperial presence orbiting the moon. Junda informed Kestis that she would engage their defense level and sabotage their sensors once inside, allowing the Mantis to extract them, while his mission was to retrieve the holocron. When Kestis suggested they stay together, Junda refused, explaining that she still felt the pull of the dark side, given the lives of every child on the list were at stake. She instructed him not to worry about her, regardless of what happened in the Fortress or what he witnessed, his only objective was to secure the holocron and escape. They both entered their individual escape pods and launched into the oceans of Nur.

Upon entering the base from different locations, Junda contacted Kestis to report that she had located the holocron and sent the coordinates to BD-1. After Kestis cleared the Defensive Perimeter, he contacted Junda for further instructions, as the Empire had sealed him in. She directed him to find a control room, as she had a plan. After Kestis restored power to the Control Room, Junda disabled the shields on the outer sections of the Fortress and instructed him to flood the base and swim to the central keep, where they could meet. After Kestis defeated waves of troopers in the Prison Block, Junda informed him that she was near his location but trapped behind a blast door.

When Kestis activated a nearby console to allow her to proceed, he watched as Junda skillfully eliminated three Purge Troopers using Suduri's lightsaber and her blaster. While impressed by her abilities, she reminded him of their mission but admitted that dismantling the Fortress felt satisfying. She noted that the prison had previously held captured Jedi and lamented that there was no one left to save. When Kestis apologized for her return to the facility, she responded that they had no choice. They agreed to continue moving, though there was no sign of Suduri. Junda informed him that the holocron was secured in the Interrogation Chamber in the Fortress Citadel, the most secure location in the facility, and that she had cleared a path for him. While Kestis headed to the chamber, Junda diverted reinforcements before heading there herself.

Upon entering the Interrogation Chamber, Kestis dueled the Second Sister and eventually defeated her, securing the holocron. With Suduri wounded, Junda entered the chamber and told Kestis that she needed to speak with Suduri. She told her former padawan that her struggle was over, and though Suduri snarled that nothing was ever truly over, Junda calmly told her that the fight was over. She told Suduri that she knew of the darkness that was eating away at her and how every day they chose to either feed it or fight it. Still, Suduri told her former master that it was too late for her to turn back. Unperturbed, Junda replied that it was not too late. She admitted to Suduri that she knew the choices that she made took all of her Padawan's away, and that she had ultimately failed her.

She took the opportunity to apologize to Suduri, who replied that she had carried so much hate for her former master. Before she could continue, Suduri was held in place by the Force as Darth Vader approached from behind. Junda told Kestis that this was not good and they both ignited their sabers as the Sith Lord approached the Second Sister. Vader coldly told Suduri that she had failed him before striking her down in one blow with his lightsaber. In her last moments, Suduri implored Junda to avenge the Jedi. Enraged, Junda demanded Kestis flee the scene as she charged towards Vader. However, her attack was interrupted when the Sith Lord nonchalantly threw her aside with the Force and she tumbled over the edge of the platform into the fiery void below, though she was able to save herself.

Kestis escaped Vader and fled to the Tower Transit Passage to contact the Mantis for extraction. Unbeknownst to him, Vader was waiting for him, and the two engaged in a duel with Vader quickly disarming Kestis and using his lightsaber against him. Before he could finish Kestis, Junda arrived and launched Suduri's lightsaber towards Vader, who parried the move. She told Vader that she would not let him take the children, but he overpowered her with ease and knocked her back. He could feel the hatred within Junda and announced that she would have made an excellent Inquisitor. At that moment, Junda called upon the dark side to temporarily incapacitate Vader, bringing him to one knee with the power of the Force despite the protestations of Kestis.

Vader was able to slowly break through and stalked towards the two Jedi. When Kestis told Junda she still had a choice, she relinquished her control over the dark side and instinctively created a Force barrier to prevent Vader from striking her down. Again, the Sith Lord began to break her defenses, but before he could finish his adversary, Kestis smashed one of the corridor windows which allowed the ocean waters to flood in. Whilst Vader was preoccupied with holding back the water, Kestis took Junda, rendered unconscious due to the sheer exertion she had committed and began to swim to the surface. As he had given Junda his breather, Kestis did not make it far before succumbing to a lack of oxygen. However, Merrin was able to locate them and bring them to safety before the ocean could take them.

After their ordeal, both individuals were brought aboard the Mantis to recuperate. When Kestis came to, he found Junda waiting for him in the ship's central area and immediately approached. They exchanged a silent, respectful greeting, and Junda informed Dritus that her contract was complete and his charter had concluded. Expressing gratitude for his services, she was surprised when the Latero chose to remain, continuing to pilot the crew on their journeys. Merrin then inquired about their next course of action with the holocron, to which Junda responded that they would use it as a foundation to revive the Jedi Order. Acknowledging the profound impact it would have on the lives of the children listed, Kestis asserted that their fates should be entrusted to the Force. Following a confirming nod from Junda, Kestis decisively destroyed the holocron with his lightsaber, preventing its potential acquisition by the Empire.

In the wake of the events on Nur, Junda's dedication to the Jedi Order's preservation and restoration deepened, strengthening the bonds among the crew as they pursued their fight against the Empire. The years following the holocron's destruction saw them undertake numerous missions, though not all were successful, with some leads proving fruitless and dampening the crew's spirits. During these operations, Junda primarily focused on assessing and understanding the technology present at each location.

The Haxion Brood relentlessly pursued the crew, eventually uncovering the existence of a Haxion Brood base in the Outer Rim sometime between 12 BBY and 11 BBY. Determined to dismantle it, they planned an infiltration. As they commenced their operation, Kestis observed Junda's composure, marveling at her seemingly normal demeanor despite believing her to be one of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy. He also noted the toll their years on the run had taken on her, evidenced by the pronounced dark circles under her eyes. Before they split up to carry out their objectives, Junda reminded the crew that the Brood's devastating attacks on local systems would only escalate if left unchecked. She urged them to proceed cautiously, emphasizing the importance of returning safely before declaring their intention to obliterate the base.

Junda strategically positioned herself overlooking a deep chasm, monitoring the base's operational mechanisms. She possessed the ability to control turbolift movements and door access with ease. When Merrin requested access to the central heat distribution system, Junda promptly granted her request, enabling the Nightsister to confront a Brood hunter who had discovered her presence.

During the infiltration, Merrin and Kestis encountered a large contingent of stormtroopers within the base. Junda, remaining calm, instructed them to adhere to their plan of planting explosive charges and returning to the Mantis. Although recognizing the potential to gather intelligence from the troopers, she opted against it. However, before Kestis and Merrin could proceed, they were detected, leading to a large firefight. Over the comms, Junda, while understanding their excitement, urged them to deploy the charges and immediately head back to the ship.

Junda was not present when the Mantis began its ascent. The crew, confident in her return, were relieved to see her sprinting towards the ship, pursued by a contingent of stormtroopers whom Kestis and Merrin engaged. As Junda leaped towards Kestis, seeking to reach the landing ramp, Merrin assisted in pulling them both aboard. Unexpectedly, Junda reached down to assist a Keshiri stormtrooper, whom Merrin had previously encountered within the base.

Junda proceeded to the co-pilot seat to aid Dritus, who was struggling to navigate the ship out of the planet's atmosphere. She then confronted the Keshiri, holding Kestis' lightsaber to her throat, demanding assurance that she was not there to sabotage the crew. Despite hearing her claim to Merrin that she was a deserter, Junda deemed it too risky to have a potential liability on board. Merrin, in a gesture of trust, used her magick to create a barrier between the weapon and the Keshiri, advocating for her to have a chance to explain herself. Kestis also voiced his confusion as to why Junda was threatening the Keshiri, as it was she who brought the Keshiri on board. Junda responded with disbelief that Kestis was not doing the same, given they may have allowed an Imperial agent in stormtrooper gear onto their wanted ship, and cited the safety of her crew as paramount. Kestis reminded her that all of the crew had been in similar situations previously, and Junda agreed to let the trooper stay but would dump her at the first sign of funny business.

The Keshiri quickly identified herself as Chellwinark Frethylrin, or "Fret," claiming to be merely an analyst and offered the crew a plan to escape. Following the successful execution of the plan and the ship's jump to hyperspace, Junda inquired about any other inside knowledge Fret possessed that could be used against the Empire.

Fret proposed a mission that she believed was well-suited for the team. Junda and the rest of the crew discussed whether or not to hear out the proposal, and disagreements took place over the risks, their long-term plans, and whether they should keep chipping away at the Empire. Eventually, Junda intervened to calm the situation and stated that there was a middle ground. She felt the crew had a responsibility to the galaxy, but she would prefer to not die in the process. She had spent a lot of time meditating on the best way to move forward and to preserve what was left of the Jedi and their teachings but knew there were no easy answers. She was also aware that the crew needed a new mission and to ignore a potentially big lead could be a mistake, thus she instructed the crew they would be taking the mission.

The assignment Fret described was located on the Core Worlds planet of Hosnian Prime. Junda and the crew traveled to a supra-atmo skytower in Chikua City to rendezvous with Fret's contact, an Omwati named Qeris Lar. Junda recognized Lar's name, recalling his previous funding of a successful operation that had saved a system from Imperial oppression years prior.

Lar and Fret's plan revolved around stealing the sole datacard containing schematics for a cloaking device known as the Shroud from an Imperial garrison on the planet Murkhana. Lar assured the crew that the schematics would be used for benevolent purposes, with Fret adding that its inventor had been killed by the Empire. As the crew absorbed the information, including the unwelcome news that Inquisitors were also heading to Murkhana to retrieve it, Junda started to think whether fighting the Empire was the task she needed anymore. She knew she was getting older and had begun to think about what might happen after she was gone. She mused on what she would be leaving behind for Kestis, Merrin, and for the galaxy when she was no longer around. However, she believed that the Shroud could potentially be a huge asset if it were in the right hands.

Junda had previously heard of Murkhana following her fascination with the Circlet of Saresh, a powerful crown that resided in the Jedi Temple before it was taken following Order 66. She had followed a lead regarding the item shortly before they infiltrated the Brood base to a black-market art dealer on Wells, who told her that it was being held by its current owner on Murkhana. She saw the Circlet as a link to the Jedi of the past and believed it could be the first piece in her very own archives that she envisaged becoming the coals on which the Empire would burn.

The crew returned to the Mantis, where Junda told them this was a chance to do something meaningful for the cause. Though Dritus had doubts, the remaining crew decided to accept the job. As they prepared for the mission, Kestis asked Junda whether the love they all felt for each other contradicted the Jedi Order's rule of no attachments. She could not answer his question, instead telling him that she was unable to simply not care, and that she did not know if the galaxy was worth saving if there were not people in it that she cared about saving it for. She figured the answer probably painted her as a poor master.

Upon the Mantis' arrival at Murkhana, the crew convened for a mission briefing, outlining their standard approach: reconnaissance on the first night, followed by execution of the plan the next day. Junda and Merrin conducted their reconnaissance mission ahead of the operation, and en route back to the Mantis, Junda enquired about Fret and Merrin's burgeoning relationship, remarking that Merrin’s fire had returned since the Keshiri entered the fray. She said if there was something about Fret that made Merrin happy, then she too was happy. She told the Nightsister that the Force united them all, but she had come to see that some people were tied together more tightly by the galaxy than others.

Before returning to the Mantis, Junda headed to a downed All Terrain Tactical Enforcer where, after forcing her way inside, she met a Sugi and traded a small mandolin for the Circlet of Saresh. She promised Merrin she would explain her actions at a later time, but told her the crown belonged to the Jedi. Kestis was not pleased that Junda had carried out a secret mission of her own and was even less enthused when Junda informed him she saw the Circlet as a symbol rather than a weapon. She told him there had been those who came before and there would be those who would come again and maybe that would be her. Kestis noted that Junda seemed so deep in her thoughts that he was concerned that he could not follow her where she was going, whether through words or the Force.

As the mission later unfolded, Junda reported through the comms that Fret had used that day's new security codes to gain access to the garrison for Kestis and Merrin. An angry Kestis confronted the Keshiri, but she explained her motives stating that she had not deserted so she could utilise the information she knew against the Empire. Junda ordered the mission to continue despite the new information and instructed Dritus to track the Keshiri’s movements.

To ensure the crew could find the plans with less attention solely on them, Junda created a riot by remotely unlocking all of the prison cells and directed her crew to their destination. When they arrived, they were shocked to find a Nikto in the cell where the Shroud plans should have been. The Nikto was identified as Irei, Fret’s ex-girlfriend whom the Keshiri thought long dead but was being kept alive by the Empire. In the confusion that followed, Fret and Irei escaped into the riot as the Fifth Brother arrived and began searching for Kestis. Unbeknownst to Dritus, Junda left the ship to provide support to the rest of her crew and to aid Kestis in his fight with the Inquisitor. Dritus later headed into the fray in search of Junda.

Junda arrived to help Kestis just before the Fifth Brother could execute him, telling the Inquisitor that a master is never far from her padawan. She wrestled the Artemesian away from Kestis and sensed a connection to the energy around and through him which showed her his openings and weaknesses. Deciding to use his own hubris to her advantage, Junda reached into the Force and held the Fifth Brother in stasis, feeling his panic as she did. She was aware that with one movement of her hand, she could choke him to death but fought back against her darker instincts. Instead, she fought the Inquisitor with his own stance as Kestis rejoined the fight. With the Fifth Brother getting desperate as the battle was slipping away from him, Junda told him it was not too late to come back to the light. Enraged, the Fifth Brother broke free of Junda's coercion and slammed Kestis into the ceiling, leaving him unconscious.

Junda reached deep into the Force, and through the sheer will of empathy for Kestis, the Fifth Brother, and for the Sith who she believed misused and misunderstood the Force, unmade the Inquisitor's lightsaber until it was nothing more than several pieces laying on the floor. She used the Force to hold the Fifth Brother in place while trying again to convince him to turn back to the light. Dritus arrived and pleaded with her to help him get the injured Kestis back to the Mantis, but Junda pressed on, wanting to gain some recompense for not helping Suduri years prior. She eventually listened to Dritus' pleas, but seeing her momentarily distracted, the Inquisitor slammed her against the far wall and summoned her lightsaber. Before the Fifth Brother could kill the helpless Kestis, Dritus maneuvered between them which resulted in the loss of one of his arms.

Junda recovered and was able to summon all of the metal in the room and wrapped the material around the Fifth Brother, trapping him long enough for the crew to escape. As Junda and Kestis carried Dritus back to the ship, she instructed Fret to assume piloting duties. Junda felt incredible guilt that her lack of decisive action resulted in Dritus’ injury. At that moment, Junda knew she was tired of the fight. Skirmishes with the Empire would never have the lasting impact that she wanted to make on the galaxy and she did not know if she was the right person to lead the Mantis crew anymore. She understood then that she wanted to build a legacy and a foundation on which the next generation of fighters could grow. The crew then took time apart on the ship to recover from the operation mentally and physically. After Dritus later blamed Fret for the outcome of the mission, Fret turned the blame on Junda, stating her actions were to blame for Dritus' injuries. Merrin quickly stood up for Junda and the crew began to argue about their motivations for being there. Junda decided for everyone to spend forty-eight hours away from each other to rest and for Dritus to receive medical help.

Upon their arrival at a village on Zimara, each member of the crew dispersed in their own direction. Junda sought refuge in the local library, delving into any fragments of lost Jedi knowledge she could unearth. Eventually, she sought out Kestis in his quarters, hoping to steer them back on course, knowing that their continued discord would jeopardize their mission. She emphasized the necessity of resolving their disagreements, stating that their mission would be jeopardized if they continued to argue as they had on the Mantis. When Kestis wryly enquired what the actual mission was, Junda told him it was to guarantee that the wisdom of the Jedi lived on and to establish a legacy, something that might help the people who take up the fight after them. She said that there had to be a permanent haven out there for people like them, and Irei, and told him she was worried about his single-minded obsession with taking down the Empire, conceding they had barely made a dent in the Imperial machine. They discussed Fret, Irei, and Suduri before Kestis told her about a lesson Jaro Tapal gave him which ended with the need to take things piece by piece. The pair agreed that was the action they needed to follow in their predicament and to always be open with each other.

When the time came to return to the Mantis, Dritus did not arrive at the agreed time and Junda and Fret readied the ship in case he did not return. Junda was filled with guilt thinking she had driven Dritus away, however, the Latero eventually arrived later than planned. Junda, Kestis, and Merrin all rushed to embrace him, and Junda noted that whilst he looked hurt, and older even, he looked good.

With the crew reunited, they devised a plan concerning the Shroud and how they would confront Lar, anticipating his betrayal and potential attempt to kill Fret upon their return. As part of their planned ruse, Kestis and Irei created a fake Shroud prototype rigged with an explosive charge which they planned to present to Lar back on Hosnian Prime.

Junda and Dritus maintained the Mantis in low orbit above Hosnian Prime, monitoring the events unfolding with Lar through specially-crafted cams as Kestis, BD-1, Merrin, Fret, and Irei met with the Omwati. Irei presented the fake prototype to Lar, however, he demanded they leave the prototype and plans with him, before he fired a small but powerful blaster at Fret's armored chest, knocking her out. Junda and Dritus were engaging Haxion Brood ships that Lar had ordered when Kestis manipulated the Omwati into describing how he had purchased most of the galaxy's mirkanite mines with the intent of selling the rare mineral to the Empire to mass produce the Shroud. Lar’s unwitting confession was recorded by Junda and Dritus aboard the ship as they squabbled over who was responsible for the loss of Dritus' arm.

The Fifth Brother then arrived, having previously placed a hidden tracker on Irei. The Inquisitor immediately impaled the Omwati with his lightsaber and dueled again with Kestis. Irei tweaked the faux Shroud to produce a more damaging explosion as Merrin faced off against the Fifth Brother. Kestis used the Force to launch the explosive at the Inquisitor which triggered a devastating explosion that left Merrin unconscious. Junda and Dritus arrived shortly after and Junda immediately went to check on the Nightsister, instructing everyone to give Merrin the space she needed. Upon returning to consciousness, Merrin confirmed that the Inquisitor had fled through a window.

Following the tribulations they had all faced, Fret and Irei decided to go into hiding together. Junda worked on making sure the pair's communications were untraceable and could monitor Imperial channels. She saw them as two more seeds that would grow the revolution in the fight against the Empire. The Mantis returned to Zimara and the crew briefly discussed what their overall goal was. Junda told them it was about getting up every day, choosing to survive, and surrounding themselves with people who were going to help achieve that. Before leaving, Fret and Irei gifted Junda a new blaster. The crew knew they would never see the pair again but took solace in the knowledge that they had all survived.

Between 11 BBY and 9 BBY, the crew attempted to infiltate an Imperial labour camp on Mazah. After the completion of the mission, Junda remarked to Kestis that he had become reckless ever since Dritus' injury, and told him that whilst it was good to acknowledge fear, he should not let it determine his path. She implored him to focus in the moment, choose his direction and act with certainty, and trust that whatever the odds, he would pull through. She finished by telling Kestis to trust himself and to trust in the Force.

At some point after the events on Murkhana and prior to 9 BBY, the Mantis crew went their separate ways. Whilst Kestis was determined to continue his crusade against the Empire, Merrin departed to explore the galaxy, and Dritus headed to the planet of Koboh to open Pyloon's Saloon with a loan of credits from Junda. However, Junda made the decision to begin rebuilding the Jedi Order on Jedha.

She began working in the holy city of NiJedha alongside the Narkis Anchorites, a group local to the planet. They set out to preserve whatever they could find of the Jedi tradition until one too many close calls with the Empire convinced Junda and the Anchorites to relocate to the abandoned monastery located in the Narkis Highlands region of the Narkis Desert which eventually became the Archive. The base took a few years to build, but once Junda understood her calling, she knew she had to do it. The underground compound was expanded to over ten times its original size, maintaining some of the old mountain tunnels within. The natural terrain encasing the Archive provided protection from desert storms and Imperial scanners.

Her Archive was operated with the help of many Anchorites, including Brother Armias and Sister Taske, who also helped Junda connect with the Hidden Path, a network of safe houses that protected those persecuted by the Empire. Through their connection with the Path, Junda unexpectedly reunited with Cordova, who joined Junda in maintaining the Archive. Junda described seeing Cordova again as terrifying as she had assumed he died at some point following the Purge. When he walked into the Archive alive and well, she felt like a padawan again and carried shame that his desire to see the Order rebuilt had not been accomplished. She did not know how he would react to his holocron being destroyed, however, Cordova reacted like she believed a master should - with questions, trust, and understanding. Junda said it was a blessing being able to spend time with Cordova again, though she was bemused that the Anchorites fawned over him.

Following her involvement with the Hidden Path, Junda's name was seen scrawled in a safehouse on the planet Mapuzo, along with other members of the network, such as Quinlan Vos.

At some point prior to the mission on Coruscant, Merrin visited the Archive after her conflicts with the Empire led to her eventually assisting the Hidden Path and reuniting with Junda.

In 9 BBY, Kestis, BD-1, and Dritus, along with Kestis' mercenary friend Bode Akuna, sought out Junda for her expertise in locating Jedi temples as well as information on the High Republic Jedi Dagan Gera and the hidden planet of Tanalorr. The Mantis crew were reunited in the Archive after years spent apart from each other. Junda confirmed to the crew that the fight against the Empire was never her goal, but restoring the Jedi Order was, and acknowledged that she had hurt Kestis by leaving.

The records concerning Gera were scarce, and information about the world of Tanalorr was nonexistent. Cordova learned that Gera had established a refuge on Koboh and frequently visited a laboratory located on Koboh's Shattered Moon. Before departing on his mission, Kestis extended an invitation to Junda, asking if she would accompany them on their journey. Junda responded to Kestis by affirming her support for his pursuit of knowledge about Tanalorr, but conveyed that she would remain on Jedha, where her presence was essential. Cordova also made the decision to stay at the Archive to continue his research.

Upon Kestis and his team's return to the Archive, they brought with them a pair of enigmatic artifacts. Cordova took custody of these items for analysis, while Kestis and Merrin made their way to the Path's hideout in the Pilgrim's Sanctuary to rescue Brother Armias, who possessed the Path's communication codes, from an impending Imperial assault. Although the pair successfully obtained the codes, Armias perished during the operation. Junda expressed her sorrow at the loss, acknowledging that it was not the first casualty in their struggle, nor would it be the last. Junda expressed that Armias' legacy would endure through their unwavering commitment to persevere.

Cordova's examination of the artifacts revealed that they were compasses capable of safely navigating the Koboh Abyss that concealed Tanalorr. While the two compasses provided to Cordova were irreparably damaged, the crew embarked on a quest to locate the sole remaining intact compass, while Junda and Cordova once again stayed behind on Jedha. Ultimately, Kestis and Akuna succeeded in recovering the final compass, resulting in Gera's demise. However, the compass sustained damage during their final confrontation with the fallen Jedi, and it was brought to the Archive with the intention of Cordova repairing it.

While Cordova dedicated himself to repairing the compass, Junda and the crew gathered around a bonfire outside the base and shared tea, relishing each other's company. She conveyed to the crew her belief that Tanalorr could serve as a sanctuary for those persecuted by the Empire and declared her intention to join them on the hidden planet. She viewed this opportunity as a means of confronting the future together and forging a new path for all of them. She assured Kestis that Jaro Tapal would have been proud of the Jedi he had become, to which Kestis responded that he had a great teacher in Junda. She confessed that her relationship with the Force was a constant challenge and that the dark side had not yet been fully overcome, but in those moments, she thought of Kestis and Suduri and remembered she had the choice to do better, which gave her strength. The crew then raised a toast to the Hidden Path for discovering a new home on Tanalorr, along with the Anchorites.

The following morning, Cordova informed the crew that he had successfully repaired the compass. Their joy was short-lived as Junda received a warning that Imperial forces were converging from all directions, indicating that their location had been compromised. Kestis urged her to evacuate before they turned to see Akuna—revealed to be a former Jedi now affiliated with the Imperial Security Bureau to safeguard his daughter—aiming his blaster at Cordova. He apologized for his impending actions before fatally shooting Cordova at close range. Akuna then attempted to shoot Junda, who erected a Force barrier to deflect the blaster bolts. She then informed the bewildered Kestis that Cordova was beyond help and instructed him to pursue Akuna, who had escaped on a speeder bike with the compass.

Simultaneously, Junda initiated the evacuation of the Archive. She found herself engaged in combat in the Arid Flats outside the base as the Imperial assault intensified. Along with the Anchorites, she repelled numerous waves of stormtrooper battalions and employed the Force to bring down one of the troop transports. She then joined Merrin after discovering the Imperials were attacking the main gate.

The pair took a shortcut through the base and learned the Archive security defenses had been breached. Upon exiting the base, Junda, Merrin, and the Anchorites encountered further waves of stormtroopers, KX-series security droids, and Purge Troopers as they advanced toward the main gate, where two AT-AT walkers were attempting to breach the entrance. To neutralize the walkers, Junda utilized the base's external defenses, employing the Force to propel large spherical explosives down the inclined hill and onto the approaching machines.

Junda and Merrin then reentered the base to secure the hangar and recover the Path contact codes. They overcame additional troopers en route to the hangar, where Junda instructed Dritus to remain in the Mantis until they had secured the area. The Imperials breached the hangar, compelling Junda, Merrin, and the Anchorites to defeat multiple waves of stormtroopers, Purge Troopers, and rocket troopers, as well as a number of All Terrain Scout Transports. Junda ultimately employed the Force to collapse the ceiling and impede the Empire's advance.

With the hangar secured, Dritus emerged from the Mantis with four blasters raised and thanked Junda for the assistance. When she inquired whether he had heard from Kestis, the Latero assured her he had probably turned off his comlink, however, he had been knocked unconscious during a fight with Akuna. Junda told the crew they needed to escape to the rendezvous point before the main Imperial forces arrived, but that she needed to retrieve the Path contact codes first. She instructed Merrin to stay and protect the Mantis and told Dritus to keep the engines warm. He told her she had this and to hurry back.

Accompanied by BD-1, Junda returned to the now-burning Archive to retrieve the contact codes. She placed them within BD-1 and, sensing an approaching presence, instructed the droid to return to the Mantis immediately. Preparing for combat, Junda turned to the opposite entrance and observed Darth Vader's arrival. As he approached, Junda remarked that it had been a while and expressed her hope that he had perished after they breached the Fortress Inquisitorius on Nur. He retorted that it was delusional of her to believe her actions had had any impact. He informed her that the Fortress still stood, the Inquisitorius continued its work, and that he had come for her. Junda activated a control, causing the platform on which they stood to descend, creating a battle arena. She declared to Vader that she had been awaiting his arrival before engaging the Sith Lord in a fierce duel. Vader adopted a one-handed stance as the pair assessed each other. He Force pushed Junda away and commented how convenient it was that they were dueling surrounded by the burning remnants of the Jedi Order. After launching fiery debris at Junda, the two continued their duel. Whilst Vader was considerably stronger physically, Junda used her speed and know-how to maneuver around the Sith Lord.

As their lightsabers clashed, Vader shifted to a two-handed stance and noted that Junda had grown stronger, to which she responded that she had only let go of her fear since their last duel. Vader then initiated a powerful assault, driving Junda back against the Archive units. She managed to evade the Sith and employed the Force to bring down the burning shelves upon Vader. Believing she had vanquished her nemesis, Junda paused to catch her breath and examine the debris.

However, a weakened Vader emerged from the pile, his suit and cape partially ablaze, with a renewed sense of rage. As the battle raged on, the intensity escalated. Vader held Junda's lightsaber in position, but she broke free and swiped his away before he could land a killing blow. Emboldened, Junda went on the offensive and managed to breach Vader's defense, Force pushing him aggressively into an Archive unit. Sensing victory, Junda lunged toward Vader with all her might, aiming for the final blow. However, Vader was one step ahead, and, moving Junda's lightsaber just enough to avoid spearing him, impaled Junda with his saber, mortally wounding her. Vader staggered away in victory and left Junda to eventually succumb to her injury.

Later, Kestis returned to the Archive and discovered his former master's lifeless body amidst the ashes of her Archive. He cradled her in his arms and witnessed her final moments through the Force. He also heard her last words, “Cal” and “Trilla”, before weeping uncontrollably at the loss of his mentor.

Junda's body, along with Cordova's, was enshrouded by Kestis and transported to the hangar, awaiting the arrival of the Mantis, which had assisted in evacuating numerous Anchorites from the base. As the ship landed and Merrin, Dritus, and BD-1 disembarked, they were immediately overwhelmed by grief as they beheld their fallen comrades. Dritus tearfully approached his friend Junda's body, unable to speak, and the surviving crew knelt beside the bodies in silent, yet supportive sorrow.

In the wake of her death, the Mantis crew was overcome with grief. Dritus and Merrin fondly reminisced about the joyful moments they had shared, while Kestis sought vengeance against those responsible for her demise. As the Mantis later navigated the Koboh Abyss, the arrays that carved a path through the nebula began to malfunction. Kestis heard Junda’s voice through the Force, guiding him on how to safely exit the Abyss and reach Tanalorr. Guided by Junda's instruction, the ship blindly jumped to hyperspace and successfully escaped, arriving at the hidden planet. Kestis and Merrin subsequently confronted and defeated Akuna on the planet and took his daughter, Kata Akuna, under their care.

Following the crew's arrival on Tanalorr and the death of Akuna, a funeral and cremation ceremony was held on the planet. Junda, Cordova, and Akuna were placed upon individual pyres, with Merrin employing her magick to ignite each one. The crew, now including Kata, paid their respects individually. Eventually, only Kestis remained, having stayed by the pyres throughout the night. He addressed Junda, acknowledging that she had taught him the true meaning of being a Jedi, but expressed his concern about his ability to handle what lay ahead. He heard Junda's voice, urging him to guide Kata through the darkness. Assured, he departed from the graves—leaving behind Junda's lightsaber—to begin preparing Tanalorr to serve as a haven for the Hidden Path.

During her time as Cordova's Padawan, Junda often acted impulsively and recklessly, a trait that Cordova noted was particularly pronounced when it came to judgments about her character. As a result, she had a tendency to escalate situations when provoked. Despite her impulsive nature, Junda proved to be a proactive and capable Jedi. As she matured, Junda became more wise, stern, and a caring mentor figure, and proved to be an unconventional Jedi. Possessing a fondness for art, she spent time in the Jedi Archives during her younger years, examining various art pieces. As a Jedi seeker, she enjoyed encountering arts and architecture from different cultures. She was fascinated by the mysteries of the galaxy, even if her Master did not always share his knowledge with her, though together they explored many planets, tombs and temples that were related to the Zeffo. Junda had also begun playing the hallikset during her time as a Padawan which she found soothing. She believed that music could be used to heal, even those who were in the darkest places and planned to teach Kestis how to play when they had completed their overall mission.

During her lifetime, Junda experienced a moment of weakness while being interrogated by Darth Vader and tortured in an interrogation chair when she revealed the location of her hidden apprentice and younglings, leading to their capture and the induction of one of them into the Inquisitorius. After she witnessed the cost of her mistake, used the dark side of the Force to escape imprisonment. Her guilt for her betrayal was insurmountable, and she developed suicidal thoughts, eventually choosing to cut herself off from the Force for a time. She later admitted that the very idea of her using the Force after that was considered dangerous. After her former apprentice stole Cordova's holocron and she understood the stakes in the Emperor having a list of Force-sensitive children, she was able to repair her connection to the Force upon Cal's reminder of a lesson she imparted onto him.

As an unconventional Jedi, she grew to have reservations about the traditions associated with the Jedi Order and thought it to be flawed and held back by dogmatic tradition; she once revealed she found it strange for the creation of lightsabers to be a bonding activity among Jedi despite their role as peacekeepers. She also recognized that despite Jedi being trained to disregard accolades, successful leaders like Taron Malicos still grew accustomed to fame and glory. Over time she had gained a preference for a blaster and preferred to wear different clothing later in her life compared to Jedi robes. Despite this, she willingly led a quest to restore the Jedi Order with the intent of building a better future rather than restoring the past and wished to end the tyranny of the Galactic Empire. She was also an opponent to High Human culture, disapproving of the notions that droids and non-humanoids were inferior to humans.

Despite not presenting herself as a Jedi following the Purge, she still carried much of the wisdom that was passed down to her. She believed that people should remember the mistakes of the past and change things going forward to make sure they never happened again, and the adaptation was important - whether that was a course of action or a idea, people had to be ready to change. She would encourage Kestis to put his trust in the Force and allow it to sharpen his instincts.

Cere was a extraordinarily skilled lightsaber duelist whose skills improved over the course of her life, demonstrating the ability to redirect blaster with her lightsaber and during her later years, proved to be considerable enough to combat Purge Troopers with ease. Believing herself to be among the most able of surviving Jedi during the Imperial Era, her abilities were advanced enough to outmatch and intimidate Inquisitors such as the Fifth Brother and engage in battle with the Sith Lord, Darth Vader, in a grueling duel and nearly prevailed. Cere exhibited an aggressive combat style characterized by brute strength and was similar to the style employed by Fifth Brother performed but in a effective manner. Alternatively, she was also capable of an unorthodox lightsaber-blaster hybrid style, combining her abilities with a lightsaber and a blaster with her agility to gain an advantage.

Junda possessed tremendous power and potential within the Force, with her connection to the dark side of the Force apt enough for Darth Vader to consider her a prime candidate for an Inquisitor. Her abilities matched or surpassed Fifth Brother, whom specialized in using force abilities. Towards the end of her life as a Jedi Master, her force abilities also made her a match for Darth Vader enough to contend with him.

She was skilled in telekinetic abilities such as Force push, Force pull, and could use Force Dash in offensive situations. These telekinetic abilities were advanced enough to stop a Double-bladed spinning lightsaber to a halt and break down each part of the lightsaber to disassemble it in battle as well as use Force Stasis powerful enough to halt Inquisitors. Junda could also create a Force barrier similar in appearance and potency to a ray shield, a barrier that was capable of stopping Darth Vader's lightsaber briefly. For a time, this would leave her unconsious though she later improved, able to perform so without being incapacitated from the effort. With the dark side of the Force, she proved capable of inflicting mass destruction and killing a multitude of people when giving in to despair, fear and rage by involuntarily releasing a shockwave that broke her free from her interrogation chair, killing all but her fallen Padawan. Though it was not enough to stop him, Junda was notably capable of slowing the incredibly powerful Vader down with the power of the dark side for a few seconds, something the Sith Lord was impressed by.

Cere was a skilled slicer, having taught her skills to her former Padawan, Trilla, and was also a capable marksmen.

During the time of the Galactic Republic, Junda possessed Jedi robes and a lightsaber with a green blade, both of which she abandoned the use of during the first years of the Empire in favor of a DL-18 blaster pistol. During this time, she also acquired from Kestis her former apprentice Trilla's Inquisitor lightsaber, which she made use of in conjunction with her pistol during her incursion on Nur with Kestis. During the five years separated from Cal, Junda created a new lightsaber with a blue blade. She possessed a seven-string hallikset that Kestis once found and used psychometry to play.

Cere Junda is a character created for the Star Wars video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, released on November 15, 2019. She is portrayed by Debra Wilson. In the initial design phase for the character, Junda had a cane and physical scars. The production team originally planned on giving her a debilitating physical wound that came as a result of the Imperial torture but ultimately decided on following the story arc of a crisis of faith in herself and the Force.