Johun Othone

In 1019 BBY, Othone's birth occurred in Addolis, which served as the capital of the agriworld Sermeria. 1019 BBY was the year of his birth. Othone, along with his family, was involved in farming a few miles outside Addolis. They were responsible for producing food for the general population of Sermeria, as well as for other, more developed planets that lacked sufficient land to grow crops for their large populations. In 1009 BBY, at the age of ten, the Jedi Order discovered Othone, and he departed Sermeria with the Jedi. General Hoth became Othone's apprentice, taking him to numerous planets on Jedi missions. These planets were typically located in the Outer Rim; Hoth preferred to avoid the politics of the Republic, the dominant interstellar government of the time. Consequently, Othone never experienced worlds like Coruscant, the Republic's capital, but instead visited planets similar to his home world of Sermeria, which were generally less developed and agricultural.

During Othone's lifetime, a war raged between the Jedi and their adversaries, the Sith. The Jedi, allied with the Republic, fought against the Sith Lord Skere Kaan, a former Jedi Master who had established the Brotherhood of Darkness. In response, Hoth, Othone's master, formed and led the Army of Light, composed of Jedi. As Hoth's Padawan, Othone participated in the series of battles on Ruusan with the Army of Light, which were decisive for the war's outcome. Darth Bane, a Sith who sought to dismantle the Brotherhood of Darkness and restructure the Sith, convinced Kaan to create a thought bomb, a weapon designed to target and vaporize the flesh of Force-sensitive individuals. Hoth, realizing Kaan's intention to destroy both the Jedi and Sith on Ruusan, evacuated thousands of Jedi from the Army of Light, including Othone, whom he sent with Jedi Lord Valenthyne Farfalla and his warship, the Fairwind. Othone volunteered to stay with his master, but Hoth refused. Hoth retained a hundred Jedi to confront Kaan; all of the Jedi and Sith were killed when Kaan activated the bomb. The only Force-sensitives to survive were the cousins Rain and Darovit, who were separated at the time, and Bane, who discovered Rain abandoned in an isolated area of Ruusan after witnessing her remarkable proficiency with the Force. Non-Force-sensitives, such as Sith mercenaries and Republic soldiers, also survived the blast, as the bomb did not affect them.

Aboard the Fairwind, Othone found himself among five hundred other Jedi, despite the ship's comfortable capacity being only three hundred. Navigating through the crowded ranks, Othone located Farfalla and requested to join the rescue teams heading to Ruusan to search for survivors of the thought bomb or capture Sith mercenaries left behind by the Brotherhood of Darkness. Farfalla denied his request, citing the unknown after-effects of the thought bomb and the potential danger to Othone if he went to Ruusan. Othone argued that some members of the Brotherhood of Darkness might have survived, but Farfalla dismissed this idea. Realizing he wouldn't be allowed to go to Ruusan despite his arguments, Othone took matters into his own hands. He used a mind trick on a female soldier named Irtanna, who was scheduled to pilot an Envoy-class shuttle, named the Star-Wake, to Ruusan. Othone convinced her that he was joining her, and the Jedi joined Irtanna's crew, which included the Ruusan native Bordon and his sons Tallo and Wend, on their journey to the planet.

During his descent to Ruusan with the Army of Light's rescue crews, Othone encountered a pair of Sith mercenaries. Bordon, whose wife had perished fighting Sith mercenaries, sought to kill the two soldiers mercilessly. Othone, witnessing Bordon's descent into hatred, instructed Irtanna to allow him to leave the Star-Wake, apprehend the two mercenaries, and await pickup by another ship. On Ruusan's surface, the thought bomb's after-effects did not harm Othone, proving that Jedi could safely land on the planet again. Othone met the two mercenaries, who recounted a Sith who had killed two of their comrades with Force lightning and another two with his lightsaber. Intrigued, Othone believed this story confirmed his suspicions that a Sith Lord had survived. Later, Major Orten Ledes, a high-ranking non-Jedi in the Army of Light, extracted Othone and the two mercenaries from Ruusan, taking the mercenaries into Republic custody.

Upon returning to the Fairwind, Othone was reprimanded by Farfalla for disobeying orders and using his Jedi powers to manipulate others. Othone shared his fears about a Sith surviving on Ruusan and how the mercenaries' testimonies reinforced his suspicions. Despite Othone's concerns, Farfalla dismissed the mercenaries' stories as lies and attributed Othone's beliefs to his desire for revenge against the Sith for Hoth's death. Due to Othone's blatant disregard for Farfalla's direct orders, the Half-Bothan Jedi Master took Othone to Coruscant to serve as his aide in a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor, Tarsus Valorum. Farfalla offered to make Othone his Padawan, which Othone accepted.

Upon arriving at Coruscant, the location of Farfalla's meeting with Valorum, Othone experienced the city-wide planet for the first time. En route to the Chancellor's office, Othone was awestruck by Coruscant's city, its bright lights, the sheer number of people, and its numerous buildings. Following their arrival, Farfalla and Othone met with Valorum for their scheduled meeting. During the meeting, Valorum informed Farfalla of his plans to disband the Army of Light due to the Brotherhood's defeat and the damage the Jedi and Sith's wars had inflicted on the Republic and the galaxy. Othone opposed the proposal but complied when Valorum's political arguments prevailed. Valorum also proposed that the Jedi answer to the Senate of the Republic, as the Republic's citizens viewed the Jedi as instigators of war and feared them. The Supreme Chancellor would not control the Jedi; the Jedi Council would still oversee the Jedi Order's actions but would do so under the Senate's supervision. Farfalla agreed with Valorum's requests and promised to present them to the Jedi Council.

After the meeting, Othone expressed his anger to Farfalla, believing that the discussed proposals insulted the memory of Hoth and the Army of Light and that Hoth would never have agreed with Valorum's requests. Farfalla calmed Othone, reminding him to control his anger, and explained that the Jedi needed to lay down their weapons after the war and embrace peace. Later, after the Ruusan Reformation, which encompassed Valorum's proposals to Farfalla during their meeting, passed through the Senate, Farfalla informed Othone of the murders of Irtanna, Bordon, Tallo, and Wend. Unbeknownst to Othone and Farfalla, Darth Zannah, Darth Bane's new apprentice and a survivor of the Ruusan blast, was responsible for their deaths. Despite being shocked by the news, Othone maintained his composure by reciting the Jedi Code. As he grieved, Farfalla informed Othone that he was to be knighted as a Jedi Knight. Farfalla also outlined Othone's new mission as a Jedi: to protect the Chancellor's life by serving in the Chancellor's Guard. By serving with the Guard, Othone would demonstrate the Jedi's support for Valorum. Farfalla knighted Othone after their discussion, having received prior permission from the Jedi Council, who believed Othone had passed the Jedi Trials. Following his knighting ceremony, Othone reflected on his dissatisfaction with his future as Valorum's guard but resolved to accept the position willingly and serve to the best of his ability.

In 990 BBY, a decade after the Ruusan Reformation, Valorum's changes took effect. Hundreds of planets lost during the war had been reintegrated into the Republic, and Othone witnessed these changes firsthand at Valorum's side. Othone remained with the Chancellor's Guard throughout both of Valorum's terms and afterward. Valorum refused to have a security team accompany him on political missions after stepping down as Chancellor, but Othone remained by his side, convinced that Valorum still faced danger. Officially, Othone held the position of a Jedi Advisor, but he rarely offered Valorum advice. One of the political missions that Othone accompanied Valorum on was to the planet Serenno. Serenno's inhabitants were wealthy and frequently sponsored separatist movements. Valorum needed to meet with Serenno's ruling families to persuade them to cease funding these separatists. As Othone and Valorum arrived on Serenno's surface, members of the Anti-Republic Liberation Front, a powerful separatist group, were waiting to kidnap the diplomat.

After Valorum's ship, the New Dawn, landed, the ARLF members attacked the Chancellor. A Chiss female, Cyndra, and a human ARLF member, Paak, detonated an explosive, destroying the New Dawn and killing its crew. However, before the four members waiting on the landing pad could kidnap Valorum, Othone deflected a blaster bolt aimed at him using his lightsaber. Three members advanced, attacking him with vibro-weapons lined with cortosis, a lightsaber-resistant metal, but Othone used Niman, a lightsaber form, to defeat them. Othone then engaged an ARLF member who had held back, a Twi'lek named Kelad'den. Using crescent-shaped blades, Kel managed to inflict three cuts on Othone—one on the right arm, one on the face, and one on the left side—and matched Othone's blade in combat. However, Othone managed to kill Kel by grabbing the Twi'lek and jumping fifty meters into the ocean below, sacrificing himself to kill Kel. The impact killed his enemy, but Othone, using the power of the Force, survived and climbed back up. Cyndra and Paak, who had not engaged Othone, fled after witnessing Kel's death. Valorum thanked Othone for saving his life and offered the Jedi assistance with whatever he needed or desired.

After Othone saved Valorum's life, the two appealed to the Jedi Council and the Senate to construct a memorial to commemorate the sacrifices Hoth and the Jedi had made on Ruusan. Valorum did this for Othone because he had saved his life, although Farfalla, Othone's former master, disapproved of the memorial. Farfalla believed Othone was building it to elevate the status of his former master, Hoth, and, by extension, Othone himself. Othone disagreed, explaining that the memorial on Ruusan would serve as a symbol of the Republic, inspiring its people. Following his conversation with Farfalla, Othone approached the Jedi Council regarding the project. They rejected Othone's request, preferring that the Jedi's deaths on Ruusan be forgotten. However, Othone had the support of the Republic's media, who were appalled by the Council's decision, and the Senate also backed Othone.

The proposal for funding the memorial passed through the Senate, and Othone began constructing the memorial on Ruusan. The Jedi Knight allocated considerable funds to the construction and designed it to honor the Army of Light's victory over the Sith and remind the Republic's citizens of the Jedi's honor and sacrifice for the seemingly ignoble Republic. Othone adorned it with memorials and statuary for each Jedi who had died there, creating a sense of solemnity at the site, another of Othone's intentions. At the heart of the Valley, a pinnacle-shaped building was designed for meditation, and at its far end was an Adegan crystal that pulsated with Force-energy.

While Othone oversaw the construction of the Valley of the Jedi, as Ruusan's memorial was named, Darovit, a Force-user who had failed to become either a Jedi or a Sith, hindered the memorial's progress. Darovit had been living on Ruusan for ten years after surviving the thought bomb's detonation, adopting the identity of the "Healing Hermit," known for healing Ruusan's inhabitants. He vandalized the memorial because he believed it was pointless; the Jedi were merely reopening old wounds that had been closed at the end of the New Sith Wars, and he did not want to see another war further devastate Ruusan. After Darovit vandalized the Valley's property three times, Othone decided to stay at the construction site himself to watch for intruders. Soon enough, Darovit arrived to wreak havoc on the Valley of the Jedi again, accompanied by a Bouncer. As soon as Othone spotted Darovit, the hermit sprinted towards his hut, but Othone kept pace, finding him at his home.

At Darovit's hut, Othone demanded to know why the man continued to vandalize the Valley's property. Darovit explained that the Jedi did not deserve to return to Ruusan and that he believed if he continued vandalizing the Valley of the Jedi, Othone would run out of funds and have to cancel the project. Darovit and Othone argued about the Jedi's involvement in the New Sith Wars and their responsibility for Ruusan's downfall. When Othone argued that the Jedi had destroyed the Sith when Hoth forced Kaan's hand with the thought bomb, Darovit retorted that the Sith still existed. Darovit recounted how he lost his hand: he had encountered a surviving Sith, Darth Bane, and his new apprentice Zannah, who was Darovit's cousin. During Darovit's confrontation with the Sith, Zannah had destroyed her cousin's hand using the dark side of the Force. Darovit had recognized Bane; he had once been a Sith and knew Bane's identity. Othone, realizing that his fears of a surviving Sith were valid, convinced Darovit to accompany him to Coruscant to reveal the Sith's survival to the Jedi Council.

Having arrived at Coruscant, Othone left Darovit, who wished to delve into healing arts, within the Jedi Archives, and then conferred with Farfalla regarding the Sith's resurgence. Farfalla remained highly dubious about the Sith's existence, questioning Darovit's credibility due to his past as a Sith. When Othone identified Bane as Zannah's master, Farfalla recognized the name, and upon hearing it, Othone convinced him to, at the very least, hear what Darovit had to say. After being persuaded, Farfalla and Othone sought out Darovit in the archives, where he had been researching ancient Jedi healing techniques. However, Darovit had vanished, having been abducted by Zannah after he discovered the Sith apprentice was searching the archives for information about orbalisks, which had plagued Bane. Darovit cautioned her that the Jedi would locate Bane, who was on Tython, and eliminate both her and Bane.

Discovering Darovit's disappearance, Othone and Farfalla initiated a frantic search for him within the archives. In hopes of locating the missing Darovit, they questioned Master Qiina, a Jedi known for her studies in the archives. She scolded them for the disturbance their frantic search was causing, but when questioned about Darovit's whereabouts, whom Othone described as a man with a missing hand, she recounted Darovit's conversation with Zannah to Farfalla and Othone. Qiina revealed that Darovit and Zannah addressed each other as "Tomcat" and "Rain," which Othone instantly recognized as their childhood nicknames. Accessing the computer terminal Zannah had used, Farfalla and Othone learned that the Sith were on Tython, a Deep Core planet renowned as the Jedi Order's birthplace. Realizing the Sith's continued existence, Farfalla instructed Othone to locate Jedi Masters Worror Dowmat and Raskta Lsu, who had fought alongside Farfalla on Ruusan. They were to accompany Farfalla and Othone to Tython, where the Jedi would bring an end to the Sith.

The assembled group, consisting of Othone, Farfalla, Worror, Lsu, and Sarro Xaj, a Jedi Knight and former apprentice of Lsu, boarded the Justice Crusader and set course for Tython. Simultaneously, Zannah was taking Darovit to the same planet, intending to warn Bane that the Jedi were aware of the Sith's presence. The Jedi trailed the Sith apprentice to Tython, where they engaged Zannah and Bane in lightsaber combat within Belia Darzu's fortress. Othone and Xaj faced Zannah, while Farfalla and Lsu confronted Bane. Worror Dowmat, the group's final Jedi, augmented the four Jedi using the rare skill of battle meditation. Despite Dowmat's enhancement of Othone's Force abilities, he was still no match for Zannah, and interfered with Xaj's movements. Zannah noted Othone's inadequacy, which hindered Xaj's attacks on her; had Xaj fought Zannah alone, he would have truly tested her abilities.

In the meantime, Farfalla and Lsu were being decisively defeated by Darth Bane. The Sith Lord proved too powerful for Farfalla and Lsu to land a blow, and Farfalla was compelled to call upon Othone for assistance in defeating Bane. Othone, still empowered by Dowmat's battle meditation, managed to cut Bane's unprotected wrist with his lightsaber. This both wounded and enraged Bane, who threw the three Jedi away with the Force. With the Jedi out of his way, Bane targeted Dowmat, but before the Sith could kill the unprotected Jedi, Othone Force-pushed Dowmat out of harm's way. However, this action disrupted Worror's battle meditation, enabling Zannah to kill both Lsu and Xaj. Bane then sliced off Othone's hand, beheaded Farfalla, and killed Dowmat. Othone, the last surviving Jedi in the duel, was impaled by Zannah, his desperate pleas ignored.

The victorious Sith Lords initially claimed Othone's lightsaber, along with Lsu's two lightsabers, Farfalla's lightsaber, and Xaj's lightsaber, as trophies. Zannah deceived the Jedi on Ambria, who had been dispatched to capture Darth Bane, into believing that Darovit was the Sith Lord, leading to his death at the hands of the Jedi. To safeguard their continued existence, the Sith were compelled to abandon their lightsaber trophies for the Jedi to discover. The Jedi recovered the five lightsabers and enshrined them at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in their honor. The fallen Jedi's lightsaber hilts were integrated into a large white stone block within the gardens surrounding the base of the Tower of First Knowledge. Beneath each hilt was an inscription depicting its owner, accompanied by their name. Following Othone's demise, the Jedi Order named the ninth planet of the Hoth's Brand system in his memory.

Othone's assertions regarding the surviving Sith never gained acceptance, as both Darth Bane and Zannah successfully evaded the Jedi. Nevertheless, despite his death, the Valley of the Jedi was established according to Othone's vision. Although the Valley of the Jedi initially enjoyed popularity, even becoming a tourist destination for a time, the Republic eventually overlooked its significance. Consequently, the Valley's intended purpose of inspiring the people of the Republic was not realized, as it fell into obscurity. It was remembered only by Jedi scholars and historians. The Valley of the Jedi evolved into a potent Force nexus, which the Imperial Inquisitor Jerec attempted to exploit in 5 ABY, but was thwarted by Kyle Katarn.

As Hoth's Jedi apprentice, Othone mirrored Hoth's impulsiveness and proneness to anger. While Farfalla consistently reminded Othone to manage his temper, Hoth often complained that Othone was too reserved. However, after Hoth's death from Kaan's thought bomb, Othone unleashed his anger, directing it at the Sith, whom he held responsible for Hoth's demise. In his later years, Othone gained control over his emotions, demonstrating composure in the face of the Star-Wake crew's deaths, yet he still harbored affection for Hoth, for whom he wished to erect a memorial. Farfalla suggested that Othone sought to elevate Hoth's status, thereby enhancing his own reputation, but Othone refuted this, clarifying that the memorial was intended to honor the sacrifices of Hoth and the Jedi who perished on Ruusan. Farfalla also observed that Othone could be obstinate at times.

Othone, as a Jedi, dedicated himself to selflessness and frequently demonstrated it, such as when he attempted to sacrifice himself for Chancellor Valorum, and when he defied Farfalla to assist Ruusan refugees. At times, Othone's selflessness blinded him to potential dangers; he disregarded the potential threats posed by the thought bomb's aftermath, even though no actual danger materialized. Another factor that clouded Othone's judgment was the perceived threat of the Sith's survival on Ruusan; he dismissed logical explanations from his superiors that suggested the Sith could not have survived. Othone's claims of the Sith's return were eventually validated, but they ultimately led to his death when he and four other Jedi were slain by the Sith on Tython.

Othone was a physically imposing man, standing at 1.85 meters, and sported a black beard. He retained only one feature from his adolescence: the long, blond hair he had during the New Sith Wars. Othone was also a Jedi who prioritized loyalty to the Chancellor and the Senate over the Jedi Council, as evidenced by his defiance of the Council during the construction of the Valley of the Jedi. Othone also served Valorum willingly, despite his initial reluctance; he remained with the man for a decade and was prepared to sacrifice his life for him.

Othone, a fully trained Jedi Knight, possessed considerable skill with the Force; he could [Force push](/article/telekinesis-legends] individuals and employ mind tricks. Throughout his Jedi career, Othone practiced Form VI: Niman and demonstrated some aptitude with that lightsaber form. However, Othone was unable to singlehandedly defeat the non-Force-sensitive Twi'lek Kelad'den and barely survived the encounter, and was unable to penetrate either Zannah or Bane's defenses. In fact, Othone's awkwardness hindered Sarro Xaj's progress against Zannah. Othone managed to strike Darth Bane while under the influence of Worror's battle meditation, but after the Ithorian was killed, Bane and Zannah easily dispatched Othone. One reason for the Jedi Knight's difficulty in dueling the Sith was that he focused on developing his diplomatic skills while serving as Valorum's aide, instead of practicing the fundamentals of lightsaber combat. Consequently, Othone excelled at political discourse and diplomatic address, influenced by Valorum during his decade-long service as his guard.

The character of Johun Othone was initially mentioned in the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook; Othone's backstory was used to explain the Valley of the Jedi, detailing his creation of the monument and his defiance of the Jedi Council to secure funding from the Senate for its construction. His subsequent mention, in the final installment of Kyle Katarn's Tale on Wizards.com, also elaborated on Othone's creation of the Valley of the Jedi, although the story offered no new insights. On the site, the author mistakenly spelled Othone's first name "Jothun".

Othone's debut in a Star Wars novel, Darth Bane: Rule of Two, penned by Drew Karpyshyn, significantly expanded upon Othone's character. The book presented details about Othone's life, including his creation of the Valley of the Jedi and his motivations for building the monument, his apprenticeship under the Jedi vs. Sith characters Hoth and Valenthyne Farfalla, and his pursuit to locate and destroy the Sith, which he failed to achieve in the novel. The novel also misspelled Othone's first name once, referring to him as "John". Othone's character was generally well-received, with people praising him as an original character, despite his mediocrity, as noted by Darth Zannah in the novel itself.