Hidden Ones

In 19 BBY, the Clone Wars reached a sudden conclusion with the implementation of Order 66 and the transformation of the Galactic Republic into the first Galactic Empire. The Emperor Palpatine's unexpected extermination of the Jedi Order prompted several leaders of the Baran Do Sages—a Force-based organization situated on the planet Dorin—to be apprehensive that their own Order might suffer the same fate. To avert such a scenario, Tokra Hazz, a Baran Do Master, resolved to establish a secret division within the Baran Do, dedicated to preserving the Order's knowledge, ensuring its potential restoration in the event of the Baran Do's destruction.

Hazz journeyed deep beneath Dorin's surface, discovering and expanding a series of caverns, which he named the Caverns of the Hidden One. He designated these caverns as the headquarters of the sect, which he named the Hidden Ones, and assumed the role of their first leader, adopting the title of the Hidden One. Hazz concluded that maintaining the sect's secrecy required that Sages who joined could never be permitted to leave the caverns. Therefore, Hazz determined that the sect's members would have to regard themselves as deceased to the outside galaxy, eliminating any desire to depart the sect. Consequently, a farewell ritual was established, wherein a Sage would feign death before secretly traveling to the caverns, where they would assume a new name and become a member of the Hidden Ones. Hazz also decided to establish a telepathic method for communication with the Baran Do on the surface, as a means of reinstating the Baran Do Order if it were ever destroyed.

Over the ensuing decades, the Hidden Ones expanded to include approximately fifty members, with several prominent Baran Do Masters joining their ranks, including the former Master of the Baran Do Order Koro Ziil, who ascended to the leadership of the Hidden Ones by 43.5 ABY. Other respected Baran Do who had joined the Hidden Ones by that time included the proficient combatant Ithia and an elderly Baran Do named Burra. In 43.5 ABY, Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker was exiled from Coruscant and the Jedi Order for neglecting his duties. He and his son, Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker, embarked on a journey to retrace the steps taken by Jedi Knight–turned–Sith Lord Jacen Solo during his five-year sojourn following the Yuuzhan Vong War, hoping to gain insights into Solo's descent to the dark side of the Force and his transformation into Darth Caedus. Their travels led them to the Baran Do Order on Dorin, where they hoped to locate Koro Ziil, who had instructed Solo during his travels. The Skywalkers were informed that Ziil had passed away, but they remained on Dorin nonetheless and trained with the Baran Do for several days.

During their stay, senior combat instructor Charsae Saal announced that he would be holding his farewell ritual. The Skywalkers attended his ceremony, but Luke was not deceived by Saal's apparent death. After searching the area behind the Baran Do temple, the Jedi discovered a secret underground chamber, where they found Saal alive and well and were permitted to accompany him to the Caverns of the Hidden One. Upon their arrival, the Skywalkers discovered that Ziil had also joined the Hidden Ones and had become the sect's leader.

The Skywalkers met with Ziil, who informed the Jedi that they would never be allowed to leave the caverns. Saal, meanwhile, adopted the name Chara and refused to be addressed by his former name, asserting that, like the Skywalkers, Charsae Saal was dead. Saal provided the Jedi with a tour of the Caverns, explaining the sect's history and confirming that the Caverns had been designed to prevent its inhabitants from leaving; the only entrance to the Caverns was the 200-kilometer tunnel through which they had arrived. Given the necessity of crawling the entire distance, it would be impossible for any Kel Dor or Human to carry sufficient provisions to survive the return journey to the surface.

The Skywalkers began excavating their own chamber to serve as their private quarters in the Caverns. They spoke again with Ziil, who recounted his time with Jacen Solo. However, when Ben inquired whether Ziil would eliminate the Jedi who would inevitably come searching for the Skywalkers, the discussion escalated into a heated argument that concluded only when the Hidden One departed. From the meeting, the Skywalkers concluded that Ziil was paranoid. Nevertheless, they resided among the Hidden Ones for several more days, continuing to excavate their chamber and explore the Caverns. While living among the sect, the Skywalkers observed that the Hidden Ones lacked a sense of purpose; instead, the sect's members were rather bored and devoid of the energy and vitality that should characterize living beings. During that time, Ben discovered that each major chamber of the Caverns contained a secret trigger that—if pushed upward—would activate a signal to detonate the explosive that would collapse the tunnel leading to the Caverns.

During their stay, the Skywalkers attended one of the Hidden Ones' combat training sessions. There, they encountered a servant named Wyss, who informed them of the Hidden Ones' philosophy of preserving only existing skills, rather than acquiring new ones. During the session, Ben fought with Chara, enduring considerably longer against the Kel Dor than he had when he had received lessons from him with the Baran Do on the surface. In a series of three matches, Chara also defeated Ithia, a Hidden One who had previously been more talented than Chara in combat before she had joined the sect.

The Skywalkers then announced that they would be holding their naming ceremonies. However, once the Hidden Ones had assembled in the Caverns' throne chamber, the Jedi revealed that they had no intention of changing their names; rather, they hoped to rename the Hidden Ones. To Ziil's great displeasure, Luke attempted to demonstrate to the Hidden Ones that they were wasting their lives in the caverns by explaining that since the Force thrived on life, energy, and vitality, and the sect's members had rejected these things, they had effectively turned their backs on the Force itself.

As evidence that the Hidden Ones were weakening, Luke pointed out that Ithia, who had consistently defeated Chara during their time in the Baran Do Order, had just lost three straight matches to him. The elderly Hidden One Burra replied that they had debated the philosophy that Skywalker proposed, but that the Hidden One had decided not to accept it. Ziil attempted to terminate the meeting, but Skywalker continued to argue that the Jedi had only survived the Purge because their members and their knowledge were dispersed throughout the galaxy; by concentrating all of their members in one place, the Hidden Ones would be far easier to destroy.

To further substantiate his claim that the sect's members were weakening, Luke Skywalker proposed a duel between his son and Chara, who was far more experienced and talented than the younger Skywalker. Luke promised that if his son lost, he would concede his argument. Ziil reluctantly accepted the proposal, and the two combatants were armed with hardwood staffs. Chara quickly gained the advantage; however, as the duel progressed, the former combat instructor began to lose the will to fight, and Ben eventually defeated him. The Hidden Ones began to experience dissent, although Ziil still refused to accept the Skywalkers' philosophy. Chara admitted that he believed the Skywalkers were right, but Ziil announced that he had commed the Baran Do on the surface, informing them that the Skywalkers had died in an accidental cave-in. As such, he revealed he had discontinued the order of oxygen-nitrogen canisters that were sent down so that the Humans could breathe in the planet's helium-rich atmosphere. Without those canisters, the Jedi would run out of air and die within a few days.

Ithia, Burra, and many other Hidden Ones began to protest against their leader's decision, and Ziil, deeply angered by the unrest, attacked the elder Skywalker. The two dueled in a battle of Force powers, with Skywalker emerging the victor. Ziil, however, still attempted to control the situation, stating that he would appoint a board of advisers, allow the servants to be taught the ways of the Force, send for more oxygen-nitrogen canisters for the Skywalkers—although he refused to let the Jedi or any of the rest of the sect leave—and concluded that in a year or two, they could review the situation. Frustrated with Ziil's denial, Ben then activated the explosives that collapsed the tunnel that Ziil claimed was the only entrance to the Caverns.

Surprised by Ben's action, Ziil said that the Jedi had only doomed themselves, but the young Skywalker then began to expose all of the lies that Ziil had told the members of the sect. The first was that they were self-sufficient for food; in reality, they had storerooms full of food shipped to them from the surface. The second was that the blast doors that led to the chamber itself had been made on Dorin; in actuality, the metal pieces would have had to have come from another planet, and they would not have been able to fit down the entrance tunnel. Ben then added that the tunnel that he had just collapsed wasn't the only entrance and that the telepathic technique for communicating with the Baran Do on the surface didn't exist—if it did, Ziil wouldn't have needed a comlink to communicate with the Sages.

Ziil still refused to expose the Caverns' secrets, but Burra, to Ziil's great dismay, finally revealed his knowledge of the location of the secret exit: a turbolift chamber above the garment storeroom. The Skywalkers and the Hidden Ones found the exit, and the sect's members performed some maintenance on the turbolift generator to make it operational again. The Jedi and Kel Dors then returned to the surface, with the Hidden Ones rejoining the Baran Do Order.

The Hidden Ones were directed by the Kel Dor known as "hu'aac-du'ul-staranjan"—which, when translated from the Kel Dor language into Basic, meant "the one who dwells in darkness"—also simply known as the Hidden One. The Hidden One functioned as an absolute ruler, possessing complete authority over the Hidden Ones. While sect members were permitted to engage in discussions and consultations with their leader, the Hidden One ultimately made all decisions for the sect. Nevertheless, certain senior members of the sect and those who were particularly close to their leader were granted access to more information than other members of the Hidden Ones—such as the existence of the secret turbolift exit. The Hidden Ones also employed servants, such as the Force-sensitive Wyss, although they refused to instruct their servants in any Force techniques.

The Hidden Ones were established with the exclusive purpose of preserving the knowledge of the Baran Do Order. Consequently, the sect's members were compelled to accept the fact that they would never again be permitted to leave the caverns, as doing so would risk the sect's discovery by the outside galaxy. This led to the creation of the farewell ritual, which allowed sect members to resign themselves to their deaths by convincing the outside galaxy that they were actually deceased. These customs enabled the Hidden Ones to perceive themselves as having already died, and upon their arrival in the Caverns of the Hidden One, they adopted a new name, refusing to use their original name—the name of a deceased being.

The Hidden Ones' approach to preserving knowledge was strictly traditional—they did not believe in frequently practicing their Force techniques or acquiring new powers; rather, they simply existed to retain the skills that they already possessed. The Hidden Ones considered this goal to be just and noble and took pride in their task, but—due to their acceptance of death and subsequent lack of vitality—they approached their duties with great solemnity. The Skywalkers found the sect's members to be exceptionally somber. This absence of energy and audacity had a profoundly detrimental effect on the Hidden Ones' ability to utilize the Force. By embracing death, the Hidden Ones lost their will to live and to continue fighting, effectively turning their backs on the vitality and life that constituted the Force itself. As a result, their ability to control the Force weakened, and their powers and skills deteriorated over time.

Some of the sect's members recognized these shortcomings, and at some point, the Hidden Ones engaged in debates regarding their philosophy. However, no vote ever took place, because the Hidden One, who made all of the sect's decisions, chose not to alter their approach. This autocracy was widely accepted, however; the sect's members tended to be staunchly traditionalist and rarely questioned their leader's decisions. Even when the Skywalkers began presenting evidence of corruption within the Hidden Ones, many members of the sect steadfastly disagreed with the Jedi or simply chose to disregard their evidence entirely.

As former Baran Do, the Hidden Ones were proficient in various Force techniques. At least some of the Hidden Ones had also undergone combat training with the Baran Do and were skilled in dueling with staffs. However, as their sole purpose was to preserve knowledge, they rarely utilized their combat skills. Because they considered themselves dead to the outside galaxy, members of the sect lost their conviction and their will to win, causing their Force powers and fighting skills to decline.

Chara, who was formerly the Baran Do senior combat instructor, lost in a duel to Ben Skywalker despite possessing superior fighting prowess, having served as Skywalker's instructor at the Baran Do temple just days earlier. However, the Hidden One formerly known as Koro Ziil was able to wield an exceptionally potent form of white Force lightning and was also adept in telekinesis techniques. He had the ability to conjure a vigorous Force Whirlwind, even while applying his Force lightning. However, despite these powers, Ziil proved to be no match in combat for the Jedi Grand Master, Luke Skywalker.

The Hidden Ones, being a secret division of the Baran Do, existed exclusively on the planet Dorin. Their headquarters were located in a series of caverns known as the Caverns of the Hidden One, deep underground beneath the Baran Do temple. These caverns were discovered by Tokra Hazz shortly after the formation of the Galactic Empire, and over several years, he expanded them to include numerous chambers, including private quarters for the caverns' residents and a large throne chamber containing several pillars and a blast door entrance.

There were two entrances to the caverns—the only commonly known one was a narrow tunnel that extended for 200 kilometers. The tunnel was designed so that any escaping being would have to crawl the entire distance back to the surface, making it impossible for any Kel Dor or Human to carry enough provisions to survive the journey. The other entrance, the existence of which was known only by the Hidden One and at least one of the senior members of the sect, was a hidden turbolift chamber located above the garment storeroom.

Tokra Hazz was a prominent and respected member of the Baran Do Order. He was deeply concerned with the safety and continued existence of the knowledge and philosophies of the Baran Do, leading him to prioritize the preservation of the Order's knowledge over the well-being of individuals. Following the rise of the Empire, he feared that the Baran Do would suffer the same fate as the Jedi and therefore formed the Hidden Ones, to ensure the preservation of his Order's wisdom and knowledge. He discovered and expanded the caverns that became the sect's headquarters and assumed the title "hu'aac-du'ul-staranjan," meaning "the one who dwells in darkness"—also known as the Hidden One—becoming the first leader of the Hidden Ones.

Koro Ziil served as the Master of the Baran Do Order around the time of the Second Galactic Civil War. As a member of the Baran Do, he served as Charsae Saal's Master and also instructed Jacen Solo in several Force techniques during the Jedi's five-year sojourn following the Yuuzhan Vong War. Eventually, Ziil joined and became the leader of the Hidden Ones, assuming the title of the Hidden One by the time of the Skywalkers' arrival in 43.5 ABY. Ziil proved to be a cautious and rather conservative leader, sharing Tokra Hazz's earlier concerns for the sect's safety. Believing that allowing the Skywalkers to leave would lead to the sect's discovery and the loss of their purpose, Ziil attempted to force the Jedi to join the Hidden Ones, falsely claiming that there was no exit from the Caverns.

Ziil believed the Hidden Ones' goal to be highly virtuous, and when the Jedi resisted his rule and incited unrest within the sect's ranks, Ziil was prepared to allow the Skywalkers to perish rather than admit to his lie and permit the Jedi to leave. As the Skywalkers continued to encourage the Hidden Ones to question Ziil's rule, he became increasingly enraged and ultimately confronted Luke Skywalker in a duel of Force powers, which the Hidden One lost. The secret exit from the caverns was then revealed by another of the sect's senior members, Burra, and the Hidden Ones were dissolved.

Charsae Saal was a well-liked and respected member of the Baran Do Order. Apprenticed to Koro Ziil, Saal was introduced to the Hidden Ones early in his training. He became the senior combat instructor at the Baran Do temple on Dorin, eventually holding his farewell ritual in 43.5 ABY. The Skywalkers were present during his ceremony, however, and were not deceived by his apparent death. They found Saal in an underground chamber soon after and, upon request, were allowed to travel with him to the Caverns of the Hidden One. Among the Hidden Ones, Saal adopted the name Chara and served as the Skywalkers' guide, explaining the core beliefs, functions, and history of the sect. Chara proved to be loyal to Ziil, and stood behind his former Master even when the Jedi began to question the wisdom of the sect's purpose. However, after his defeat at the hands of Ben Skywalker—whom he had trained in the Baran Do temple just days previously—Saal came to realize that the Jedi were telling the truth.

Ithia was renowned as one of the most skilled combatants of the Baran Do Order. However, during her time with the Hidden Ones, her powers deteriorated. Shortly after Saal joined the sect, she dueled with him, and although she had been able to defeat him in the majority of the matches they had fought during their time with the Baran Do, he managed to beat her in three matches straight. This caused Ithia to realize that the Skywalkers' theory that the Hidden Ones' powers were fading because of their loss of a will to live was correct. When few other Hidden Ones stood up to Ziil, Ithia was one of the first to confront him about these issues, and she debated in open support of the Jedi.

Burra was one of the eldest members of the sect. He was deeply trusted by Ziil and was one of the few Hidden Ones—perhaps the only member of the sect besides Ziil himself—to know the location of the secret turbolift entrance. Burra was rather set in tradition, and although he had at one point questioned the Hidden Ones' wisdom, by the time of the Skywalkers visit he had accepted Ziil's answers and turned a blind eye to the problems with the sect's philosophy. Still, Burra protested when Ziil was prepared to kill the Skywalkers in order to preserve the sect's secrecy, and eventually came to see that the Skywalkers were right about the sect's mistakes. Nevertheless, the elderly Kel Dor was very loyal to Ziil and remained hesitant to betray him, even after the Skywalkers revealed the many lies he had concealed. Eventually, however, Burra gave in and revealed the existence and location of the secret entrance to the caverns, allowing the Jedi and Hidden Ones to return to the surface once more.

The Hidden Ones made their first and only appearance to date in Aaron Allston's Fate of the Jedi: Outcast, the inaugural novel in the 9-part Fate of the Jedi series, released on March 24, 2009. In April of 2009, the sect was mentioned in the "Blaster" section of Star Wars Insider 109. In creating the Hidden Ones, Allston drew parallels to the ghosts of the underworld in Greek mythology; he aimed for Luke to undergo an experience similar to the visits to the underworld undertaken by figures in Greek myths such as Theseus, Orpheus, and Odysseus.