Jai Maruk, a Human male hailing from the world of Druckenwell, distinguished himself as a Jedi Master during the tumultuous period of the Clone Wars. In the vicinity of 19 BBY, while on patrol in the Outer Rim, he pursued a questionable vessel to the surface of Vjun, only to be taken prisoner by Asajj Ventress, a Dark Jedi aligned with the Separatists, following a brief confrontation. Maruk was then presented to Count Dooku, the Confederacy's Head of State, who, surprisingly, set him free with the task of conveying a message to Grand Master Yoda at the Jedi Temple.
During his recovery from the ordeal, Maruk observed the annual Apprentice Tournament as one of the many spectators. He remarked to Yoda about Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy, one of the apprentices, suggesting that her tenuous connection to the Force would be a detriment to her as a Jedi Knight. As fate would have it, Enwandung-Esterhazy emerged victorious in the tournament, leading Maruk to reluctantly accept her as his Padawan due to a bet he had made with Yoda.
Some weeks afterward, Maruk and Enwandung-Esterhazy joined Yoda on a mission to Vjun, alongside Master Maks Leem and her Padawan, Whie Malreaux. Their objective was to persuade Dooku to return to the Jedi Order, a desire the Separatist leader had expressed in the message Maruk had previously delivered to Yoda. The group made a stop at Phindar Spaceport and was ambushed by Ventress and a squad of assassin droids. Ventress engaged Maruk in another lightsaber battle, during which he nearly succumbed to the influence of the dark side while struggling against her. However, a silent plea from Leem made Maruk realize how close he was to betraying his principles. Resolving that death as a Jedi was paramount, Maruk smiled as Ventress delivered a fatal blow to his chest.
Jai Maruk was a Human male born on the world of Druckenwell. In his formative years, he underwent Jedi training at the Jedi Temple located on Coruscant, the Galactic Republic's center of government. His peers knew him as "the Hawk-bat" because of his ability to win staring contests against other Jedi Apprentices. By 22 BBY, Maruk had achieved the rank of Jedi Master, which was the same year that the Clone Wars erupted between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
During 19 BBY, Maruk was a Jedi General within the Grand Army of the Republic. While commanding clone troopers on a reconnaissance mission in the Outer Rim, he observed small, unremarkable transports consistently arriving from peculiar coordinates. Driven by curiosity, he piloted the Seltaya-class fast courier Limit of Vision and followed one of the transports to its destination on Vjun. Despite landing discreetly, he was discovered by Asajj Ventress, a Dark Jedi aligned with the Separatists, who engaged him in a lightsaber duel.
Maruk underestimated Ventress, who overwhelmed him with relentless attacks, leaving him with a lightsaber burn on his cheek. Disarmed, Maruk was taken prisoner by Ventress and brought to Château Malreaux, where Count Dooku, the Confederacy's Head of State, was residing. Despite Ventress's desire to kill Maruk and add him to her list of Jedi victims, Dooku allowed him to leave with a message for Grand Master Yoda. Maruk returned to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple, summoning all available members of the High Council to deliver Dooku's message.
A few weeks later, while Maruk was recovering from his injuries, he attended the annual Apprentice Tournament held at the temple. After the first part of the competition, Master Ilena Xan, the tournament's organizer, informed Maruk that the second part would be held in the refectory. Maruk went to the dining room and was invited by Yoda to join him and Master Maks Leem at their table. During their conversation about the tournament, Maruk expressed his reservations about one particular participant: Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy.
Maruk believed that her weak connection to the Force and her tendency to use trickery made her a liability as a Jedi Knight. He felt that she would be better suited for the Agricultural Corps, where she could contribute positively for many years instead of dying quickly on the battlefield.
Yoda disagreed and proposed a bet: if Enwandung-Esterhazy finished in the bottom half of the tournament, she would be sent to the Agricultural Corps. If she placed second, third, or fourth, she would remain an apprentice, and if she won, Maruk would take her as his Padawan. Maruk reluctantly agreed, and when Enwandung-Esterhazy won, he was obligated to accept her as his Padawan.
Shortly after the tournament, Yoda chose Maruk, Enwandung-Esterhazy, Leem, and her Padawan, Whie Malreaux, who was from Vjun, to accompany him on a secret mission to Vjun, hoping to convince Count Dooku to return to the Jedi Order. Their journey began at the Chancellor Palpatine Spaceport, where they boarded the starship Reasonable Doubt incognito to travel to the Outer Rim. During the journey, Maruk began to appreciate Enwandung-Esterhazy despite his initial reservations. In a private conversation with Malreaux, Maruk expressed his admiration for Enwandung-Esterhazy's commitment to honor despite her limitations and her refusal to cheat.
During the second part of their journey, the group arrived at Phindar Spaceport, the gateway to the Outer Rim, where they were ambushed by Ventress and a platoon of assassin droids. Six droids attacked Maruk and Leem, with two using hard-sound guns to incapacitate the Jedi Masters with deafening noise. Meanwhile, Ventress and another group of droids pursued Yoda, who had escaped. Leem overcame the pain and destroyed one of the hard-noise projector dishes using the Force, allowing Maruk to recover and destroy the remaining droid with the other gun. Amid the chaos of fleeing civilians, Maruk fought with a rage close to the dark side and destroyed two more droids, while Leem eliminated the rest.
Injured, Maruk faced Ventress again. Despite preparing for the fight and selecting his opening moves, Maruk realized she was a superior lightsaber duelist. He changed tactics and used the Force to throw a piece of debris behind her, but she sensed it and evaded it, striking him in the leg instead. As his hatred fueled his attacks, Maruk fell into a rage and drove her back.
Ventress continued to tempt him to the dark side. Leem, unable to help due to her injuries, silently pleaded with him not to fall. Maruk realized how close he was to losing himself and decided to die as a Jedi. He smiled as Ventress fatally slashed his chest. Enwandung-Esterhazy begged him not to leave her, and with his last breath, Maruk promised he never would and would be with her in spirit. Afterward, Enwandung-Esterhazy and Malreaux rejoined Yoda and continued their mission to Vjun under his guidance.
Jai Maruk had fair skin, brown hair, and a beard by the Clone Wars. His typical Druckenwellian appearance allowed a spaceport guard to identify his homeworld correctly. After his first duel with Asajj Ventress, he had a lightsaber burn on his cheek, leaving a white scar from his jaw to his ear.
Maruk was strong-willed even as a child in the Temple. He won staring contests by refusing to close his eyes, enduring the pain until his opponent gave up. His fierce stare earned him the nickname "the Hawk-bat." As a teenager, he was attracted to fellow Jedi apprentice Politrix and remembered her fondly after her death shortly after the Battle of Geonosis.
Maruk was a serious and intense Jedi who rarely smiled. He considered himself private and disliked crowds. He acknowledged his flaws of having a temper, being quick to judge, and slow to forgive. He valued honor and was bothered by Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy's trickery during the Apprentice Tournament. Besides defending the Republic, he believed in caring for his ship and weapon.
Although a Jedi Master, he felt unprepared to take a Padawan, seeing himself as a doer rather than a teacher. He dedicated his life to justice, truth, and knowledge. Maruk firmly believed in the light side and would kill a Jedi who fell to the dark side. However, he almost succumbed to the dark side during his second battle with Ventress, his desperation and hatred rising as he faced death. Resisting the pull and staying in the light was paramount, and he died smiling.
Trained as a Jedi since childhood at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Jai Maruk could use the Force in various ways, including Telekinesis and Force jumping. He was also skilled in lightsaber combat, defeating formidable assassin droids despite being injured. Additionally, Maruk was an accomplished pilot, flying the Limit of Vision despite injuries from his first duel with Ventress.
Jai Maruk used a lightsaber with a crystal.
Jai Maruk's first appearance was in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, a novel by Sean Stewart published in 2004. His visual depiction debuted in Star Wars: Battle for the Republic, a mobile game by Amplified Games in 2005. He is a playable hero in the game, providing combat modifiers to units for attack and defense.
There are conflicting accounts of Maruk's capture by Asajj Ventress. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (2008) states that he and his force were patrolling near Vjun when Ventress intercepted them. However, Dark Rendezvous depicts him patrolling the Outer Rim and sneaking onto Vjun alone before being defeated and captured by Ventress.
Another contradiction exists in The Essential Reader's Companion (2012), which states that Maruk escaped Ventress and delivered Dooku's message to Yoda. In the novel, Ventress delivered Maruk to Dooku, who released him to deliver the message. This article follows the events in the novel as the canonical timeline.