Champions of the Force

In this concluding chapter of the Jedi Academy Trilogy, the New Republic is still fighting for its existence, while a dispersed but formidable remnant of the fallen Empire aims to eliminate three vital children—including Han and Leia's Jedi twins—who are the future of the Jedi Knights…

Luke Skywalker is in a state of suspension between life and death, lying in the Jedi academy. However, on the spiritual plane, Luke is desperately trying to survive, reaching out to the Jedi twins. Simultaneously, Leia is on a crucial mission, racing against Imperial operatives who want to destroy a third Jedi child—Leia and Han's son Anakin—hidden on Anoth. Meanwhile, Kyp Durron, Luke's former student, has stolen the devastating Sun Crusher for a destructive mission, believing he is fighting for a just cause. Han must track down this rogue warrior and convince him to abandon his dark path and reclaim his honor. To achieve this, Kyp must use the Sun Crusher in a suicide mission against the powerful Death Star prototype—a battle Han fears they cannot win… even with Luke Skywalker's help!

Following his obliteration of the Cauldron Nebula while under the influence of Exar Kun, Kyp Durron piloted the Sun Crusher to ascertain the fate of his brother, Zeth, who was located at the Imperial Academy. He issued an ultimatum to Ambassador Furgan, threatening the solar system's destruction unless information regarding Zeth was provided. Driven by his own desire for the Sun Crusher, Furgan commanded a squadron of TIE/LN starfighters to engage Kyp, who was momentarily misled by a fabricated account of his brother's demise. After decimating the majority of the fighters, Kyp retaliated by launching a resonance torpedo into Carida's sun, Caridan. Furgan then ordered the evacuation of Carida, prioritizing individuals based on their rank aboard the limited available transports. He managed to escape on the Vendetta, heading towards Anoth. Dauren, a low-ranking lieutenant, realizing his slim chances of escape, located Zeth. He informed Kyp, who descended to rescue them, but Dauren fatally stabbed Zeth with a plastisteel shard. Before Kyp could intervene, the sun erupted into a supernova, obliterating the planet. This event plunged Kyp deeper into the dark side due to the grief of causing his brother's death.

Leia Organa Solo and the Jedi students at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4 perceived the disturbance in the Force caused by the planetary destruction. This disturbance also facilitated the return of Luke Skywalker's spirit to his physical body, which Exar Kun had previously separated. However, Luke quickly realized his invisibility and pondered how he could save himself.

Chewbacca and Wedge Antilles commanded a New Republic task force in the Maw Installation, aiming to seize the facility now that Admiral Natasi Daala was absent. They successfully captured the Installation, but Tol Sivron and the majority of the personnel escaped aboard the Death Star prototype.

On Coruscant, Lando Calrissian and Mara Jade convened to discuss a collaborative endeavor between Lando and the Smugglers' Alliance on Kessel. They scheduled a meeting there in a week, but Mara declined to bring Lando along. Han Solo had just arrived on Coruscant, seeking information regarding Kyp's whereabouts, hoping to reason with him. Lando convinced Han to allow him to accompany him on the Millennium Falcon, with the understanding that Han would drop him off at Kessel if their search led them in that direction.

Back on Yavin 4, Exar Kun's spirit materialized to torment Luke, subsequently possessing Streen and attempting to force him to murder the Jedi Master. The Jedi students intervened just in time. Shortly after, Terpfen arrived, warning Leia that Furgan was en route to Anoth with the intention of capturing her son, Anakin. They journeyed to Mon Calamari to acquire the coordinates for Anoth from Ackbar.

Han located Kyp in the Core Worlds and attempted to reason with him, but Kyp threatened to target the Falcon with a resonance torpedo. Concurrently, on Yavin 4, the Jedi students collaborated to vanquish Exar Kun, thereby freeing Kyp from his influence and restoring Luke's spirit to his body. Kyp relented and surrendered to Han.

Leia, Ackbar, and Terpfen, accompanied by a New Republic battleship, arrived on Anoth and engaged the Imperial forces, eliminating the majority. Furgan absconded with Anakin, but Terpfen retrieved the infant and pursued the Ambassador in an MT-AT. Furgan plummeted off a cliff and died. Subsequently, Terpfen, overwhelmed with guilt for divulging the location of Leia's baby to Furgan, attempted suicide by walking off the cliff, but Ackbar intervened.

After returning Kyp and the Sun Crusher to Coruscant, Han transported Lando to Kessel. They rendezvoused with Jade, only to discover that their operation was complicated by Moruth Doole's entrenchment within the prison building. They led Smuggler's Alliance forces into the building, and Doole attempted to evade capture but was killed by an energy spider. Their situation deteriorated further when the Death Star prototype arrived in the system and destroyed the Garrison Moon. Smuggler's Alliance freighters engaged the prototype, forcing it to retreat to the Maw. The Falcon had inadvertently attached itself to the prototype's superstructure and was carried along.

At the Maw, Admiral Daala resurfaced with the Gorgon and assaulted the New Republic forces present. Luke and Kyp arrived at the Maw with the Sun Crusher, intending to destroy it by sending it into a black hole, while the Death Star prototype returned shortly thereafter. Daala targeted the Maw Installation, seeking its destruction, while Sivron prepared to fire the prototype. However, he was distracted by the Sun Crusher and gave chase, resulting in both craft being drawn into a black hole. Kyp, piloting the Sun Crusher, managed to escape in a message pod, which Han rescued using the Falcon's tractor beam just before it too was consumed. The Installation detonated, seemingly destroying the Gorgon, although it had escaped by jumping into hyperspace moments prior.

Terpfen disclosed to Ackbar that Furgan had poisoned the dying Mon Mothma with microscopic nano-destroyers. He requested Cilghal to travel to the Imperial Palace and heal Mon Mothma, which she successfully did.

Leia, Han, Ackbar, Wedge, Chewbacca, and Mon Mothma subsequently attended the reopening of the Cathedral of Winds on Vortex, while Lando and Mara returned to Kessel, and Kyp rejoined Luke on Yavin 4 to continue his Jedi training.

The 2012 publication The Essential Reader's Companion places the events detailed in Champions of the Force in 11 ABY, following Dark Apprentice (1994) and preceding the short story "Firestorm" (1997) and the novel I, Jedi (1998), which unfold concurrently with Star Wars: The Jedi Academy Trilogy. The events of the trilogy are succeeded by Children of the Jedi (1995).

Champions of the Force was initially released in September of 1994. The subsequent October saw Dark Horse Comics initiate the six-issue miniseries Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Dark Lords of the Sith, co-authored by Kevin J. Anderson, which narrates the origins of Sith Lord Exar Kun.

• ISBN 9780553298024 ; September 1994 ; Bantam Spectra ; US paperback [1]
• ISBN 9780307796134 ; June 28 , 2011 ; Bantam Spectra; US eBook [5]