Before the Great Galactic War by approximately seventy-five years, a lightsaber battle unfolded on Coruscant, the Galactic Republic's capital planet. This lightsaber duel involved Jedi Master Barel Ovair and Eison Gynt, a Nautolan who was once his Padawan. Gynt, having been left behind by Ovair on Yavin 4 many years prior, had become the vessel for the spirit of Naga Sadow, the ancient Dark Lord of the Sith who had long been dead. Sadow's objective was to eliminate Ovair, who secretly served as an operative for the reconstituted Sith Empire, functioning as a spy within the Republic to pave the way for the impending Sith invasion. On Coruscant, the possessed Gynt launched an assault on Ovair, but he was ultimately defeated in their combat. By ending the life of his former student, Ovair also accomplished a task given to him by the Sith Emperor: to eliminate the spirits of past Sith in order to prevent issues when the Empire's invasion started.
Following the conclusion of the Jedi Civil War and the subsequent Dark Wars, a time of tranquility and growth dawned upon the Galactic Republic. However, the Republic remained oblivious to a mounting menace lurking within the Unknown Regions: the re-established Sith Empire, actively preparing for armed conflict. As part of the war preparations, the Sith Emperor deployed Imperial agents to infiltrate the Republic, aiming to destabilize its governing body before the Sith military arrived.
Among these agents was the Ovair family, entrusted with the mission of infiltrating the Jedi Order. Under the guise of Jedi, the Ovairs journeyed across the galaxy, ostensibly researching locations saturated with the dark side of the Force. In reality, their objective was to neutralize the spirits of deceased Sith Lords who might potentially challenge the Sith Emperor's authority upon his return to known space. In 3756 BBY, Barel Ovair, a Jedi Master, and his Padawan, Eison Gynt, embarked on a mission to Yavin 4, the jungle moon serving as the final resting place for the ancient Dark Lord of the Sith, Naga Sadow. Although Ovair's intention was to eradicate Sadow's lingering spirit, his strategy was disrupted when the Jedi were ambushed by Sadow's surviving Massassi warriors, forcing them to seek refuge deep within Sadow's tomb. Ovair deserted Gynt there and returned to Coruscant, falsely reporting that his apprentice had been killed.
After several years had passed since the events on Yavin 4, Gynt made his way back to Coruscant. Possessed by the malevolent spirit of Sadow, the young Jedi was determined to locate and assassinate his former mentor. Dressed in the clothing of a Massassi warrior, the Nautolan boldly attacked Ovair during daylight hours. As they fought, a crowd gathered, with Gynt wielding his single green lightsaber and Ovair defending himself using his purple double-bladed lightsaber.
Despite the dark abilities Sadow granted to Gynt, Ovair defeated his apprentice by slashing him across the torso. Gynt's demise also resulted in the neutralization of Sadow's spirit.
The Jedi celebrated Ovair's triumph, and the Jedi High Council believed that the situation had resolved itself, despite the tragedy involving young Gynt, and that there was no cause for further alarm. Ovair continued his duties as a Jedi Master, and roughly seventy-five years later, the Sith launched their invasion of the Republic. It wasn't until after the Treaty of Coruscant concluded the Great Galactic War that inquiries were made into the events surrounding the duel. It was during this time that Gnost-Dural, a Jedi historian, uncovered the Ovair family's history and their involvement in preparing for the Sith Empire's invasion. Satele Shan, the Jedi Grand Master of that period, corroborated Gnost-Dural's findings and included notes about the duel on Coruscant in a wartime journal that was submitted to the Jedi Archives on Tython.
The Coruscant duel was initially presented in the seventh installment of the Galactic Timeline, a collection of online video entries created to provide backstory for the LucasArts/BioWare video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. The entry, entitled Peace for the Republic?, can be found on The Old Republic's official website. Jedi Master Gnost-Dural narrates it, with actor Lance Henriksen providing his voice.
Peace for the Republic introduces a canon discrepancy concerning the destruction of Naga Sadow's spirit. While The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia asserts that the Dark Lord Freedon Nadd destroyed Sadow's spirit in 4400 BBY, the Timeline suggests that the destruction occurred during this duel instead.
- Timeline 7: Peace for the Republic? on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link) (First mentioned)
- Peace for the Republic? on The Old Republic's official website (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link) (First mentioned)
- The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural
- Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia (Picture only)