Jaro Tapal

Before the onset of the Clone Wars, Jaro Tapal became a member of the Jedi Order and was assigned as the Padawan of Jedi Master Yaddle. He progressively advanced, eventually achieving the rank of Jedi Master himself.

During the final years of the Galactic Republic, Jaro Tapal, a Jedi Master, served within the Grand Army of the Republic, holding the military rank of Jedi General and acting as the commanding officer for the 13th Battalion. Following the start of the Clone Wars, Tapal briefly spoke with Anakin Skywalker as the youngling Cal Kestis followed behind them after Skywalker's Knighting Ceremony, as well as news regarding a bombing on Cato Neimoidia. Besides his military obligations, Tapal made time to continue training Kestis, who had become his Padawan, even while away from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. At some point, Tapal became friends with Jedi Knight Cere Junda, who viewed him as a true protector of the Republic. During the war, Tapal and Kestis encountered droidekas, among the most lethal droid models employed by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Because the strong deflector shields of these droids made them a significant challenge, even for the Jedi, Kestis could not participate due to it being his first time facing them, leading Tapal to defeat them alone.

Tapal and Kestis fought together in the Clone Wars until 19 BBY when, after the Bracca Invasion and as they traveled on the Albedo Brave to Mygeeto to aid Ki-Adi-Mundi and the 21st Nova Corps, Order 66 was transmitted to the clone troopers by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, declaring all Jedi to be enemies of the state. Tapal, however, sensed the impending betrayal and managed to kill the Clone Commander beside him, protecting himself and his apprentice. Realizing the clones had turned against them, Tapal decided to evacuate his Venator-class Star Destroyer with Kestis.

Tapal quickly formulated a plan to escape the warship by separating from his apprentice as they headed to the escape pods. He instructed Kestis to use the maintenance halls to avoid the clone troopers, while Tapal confronted his former [soldiers](/article/soldier], eliminating multiple squads and also saving his Padawan from being shot by two troopers in the turbolift shaft. Along the way, Tapal seized the opportunity to sabotage the Star Destroyer's reactor, ensuring the Albedo Brave's destruction would conceal their escape.

Tapal and Kestis arrived at the escape pod bay simultaneously, but the remaining clones overwhelmed and fatally wounded the general. Nevertheless, Tapal managed to save his apprentice's life before they escaped in a pod. Tapal gave Kestis his damaged lightsaber, as Kestis lost his own lightsaber during their escape, and told him to await a signal from the Jedi High Council, unaware it was nearly defunct, and to only trust in the Force. Subsequently, the Albedo Brave's reactor exploded, destroying the ship as Kestis returned to Bracca.

Tapal was remembered in the years following his death. Though traumatized by the horrors of Order 66 and haunted by his Master's death, Kestis considered Tapal a hero.

By 14 BBY, both the Jedi Order and the Republic Tapal served had fallen, replaced by Sith rule through the Galactic Empire. Although Kestis kept his deceased Master's lightsaber, he concealed his true identity to avoid becoming another victim of the Great Jedi Purge. With Cere Junda's help, Kestis moved on from his self-imposed exile on Bracca and embarked on a secret mission to restore the Jedi Order.

During Kestis' journey, memories of his time as Tapal's student resurfaced, helping him recall various techniques as he reawakened his connection to the Force. During his mission on Dathomir, an apparition of Tapal appeared to Kestis, calling him a weak and failed apprentice. But after creating a new lightsaber on Ilum, Kestis confronted his fears in the form of his dead Master, finally overcoming the tragedy of his past. He vowed to never forget Jaro Tapal, whose teachings he would honor as he moved forward to find his own destiny.

In 9 BBY, Senator Daho Sejan mentioned Tapal and called him a traitor to Kestis' face during Kestis' mission on Coruscant.

Jaro Tapal was a physically imposing male Lasat characterized by gray hair, green eyes, and purple skin. As a member of the Jedi Order, Tapal adhered to a strict and disciplined doctrine, which he passed on to his apprentice, Cal Kestis, through their training. He served as a general and defender of the Republic during the Clone Wars, believing that while the Jedi did not seek conflict, they would oppose it. He also had faith in the Force; with his last breath, he urged Kestis to also trust in the Force.

Among his troops, Tapal was not known for his patience. Shortly before Order 66, clones Kestis passed on his way to training warned the Padawan not to keep his Master waiting. During their training, Tapal was not upset by Kestis' mistakes, even when Kestis felt discouraged. Instead, he taught his apprentice to embrace failure, learn from it, and not be burdened by ego. Tapal valued persistence and encouraged Kestis to keep trying until he succeeded. Although Tapal was demanding in his training, he cared for his apprentice's safety, so much so that even wounded, he continued to resist the clones who betrayed them and tried to kill them. As a Jedi, he believed it was important to let go of one's fears to overcome them.

As a Force-sensitive individual, Jaro Tapal was proficient in various Force powers, especially telekinesis. During Order 66, Tapal heavily relied on his telekinetic abilities, using the Force to levitate and incapacitate multiple clone troopers simultaneously. Even after being wounded by several blaster shots to the torso, he could still use the Force, lifting three clones and slamming them into the ceiling with enough force to kill them instantly. His connection to the Force allowed him to sense a great disturbance in the Force, enabling him to kill the clone commander attempting to shoot him from behind.

As a Lasat, Tapal was also physically strong and resilient, subduing several former troops with simple kicks or headbutts and surviving an albeit-fatal barrage of blaster shots, notably shrugging off the first wound as if it were nothing.

Additionally, he was highly skilled in lightsaber combat, particularly with a double-bladed lightsaber. He used his lightsaber effectively to defend himself and his apprentice, killing numerous troopers before a group of clones overwhelmed him with blaster fire.

Jaro Tapal first appeared in the 2019 video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. He is voiced by Travis Willingham. Jose Daniel Cabrera Peña created the concept art for Jaro Tapal.