Kelnacca

During the High Republic Era, Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca served the Jedi Order with distinction. After the Nihil marauders destroyed the Starlight Beacon space station, causing it to crash into the ocean of Eiram in 230 BBY, Kelnacca was deployed from Coruscant to the crash site to assist in relief efforts. It was on Eiram that Jedi Master Elzar Mann introduced Kelnacca to Yarzion Vell, a Padawan whose own Master, Lulad, had perished in the tragedy. Vell expressed his gratitude to Kelnacca for accepting him for training and pledged to uphold the values of both Kelnacca and the Force. Kelnacca then began to move away from his new apprentice.

In 229 BBY, Kelnacca and Vell engaged the Nihil on Vianax, a celestial object situated within the Nihil-controlled Occlusion Zone. Following the skirmish, the Jedi duo offered their assistance to the residents of a local settlement, with Kelnacca employing telekinesis to clear debris. A group of younglings observing the scene marveled at Kelnacca's imposing size and strength. One Elomin child expressed their excitement at seeing Kelnacca, as they had never before encountered a Wookiee, particularly one capable of using the Force. Approaching Vell, a human child inquired whether Kelnacca ever spoke, to which Vell replied that he only spoke when absolutely necessary.

Around 228 BBY, Kelnacca and Vell found themselves on Naboo, a planet under Nihil occupation, where they witnessed a confrontation between a group of Nihil and the bounty hunters Lourna Dee, Quin, and Tey Sirrek. When Dee fired upon a Gloovan Nihil, Vell intervened, deflecting the shot with his lightsaber and using the Force to push the Gloovan to safety. Two other Nihil expressed their surprise at encountering Jedi on Naboo, prompting Kelnacca to raise his arm and employ a mind trick, compelling them to set their blasters to stun and fire upon each other. Dee inquired about the Jedi's identities, to which Vell responded by introducing himself and Kelnacca as allies. Kelnacca also spoke in Shyriiwook, and Dee replied that it was also nice to meet him before stating that she had heard that Mann still believed there were Jedi alive on Naboo.

Quin then informed the Jedi that they were searching for survivors of experiments conducted by the Nihil scientist Baron Boolan, and Kelnacca responded in Shyriiwook. Dee then proposed an alliance, offering to assist them in infiltrating the Nihil stronghold on Naboo and liberating the planet in exchange for the Jedi's help in locating Sister H'Tar, one of Boolan's Children of the Storm. Kelnacca questioned her motives, and Dee claimed that she was in it for the credits rather than altruism.

The group then infiltrated Naboo's Royal Palace, with Kelnacca overriding a lock within the building. Quin complained to Dee that she let Kelnacca override the lock instead of letting her do it, but Dee responded that it was sometimes better to let the Wookiee slice. Quin apologized, saying that she was jumpy, and Dee noted that she also felt a sense of fear. Vell noted that the feeling was similar to that of the Force-consuming Nameless creatures and asked Kelnacca if he believed any were present, but Kelnacca disagreed. Dee agreed with Kelnacca, noting that the Nameless would not affect her. She then attempted to confirm with Sirrek that they were feeling H'Tar, but he did not respond. Dee then witnessed Kelnacca and the others fall to the ground as she was attacked by an individual appearing similar to her past self.

In 227 BBY, Kelnacca, while at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, observed Vell gazing at a hologram of Lulad. Noticing the similarity between Lulad's tattoos and Vell's, he inquired about them. Vell explained that it was a tradition on his home planet for one to bear the name of their greatest mentor on their skin as a mark of respect. He further elaborated that after Vell had Lulad's name tattooed on his head, Lulad had chosen to have Vell's name tattooed on her as well, believing that a Jedi's most profound lessons came from those they taught. Kelnacca remained silent in response to Vell's explanation, but Vell understood that no words were necessary.

During the final year of Vell's training, Kelnacca and Vell provided assistance to Yesula, a child, and her father on Veek, a celestial object in the Outer Rim, after their home was engulfed in flames. Both Jedi employed the Force to shield the parent and child from the fire, with Kelnacca remaining inside the burning dwelling until Vell had safely evacuated. Upon Kelnacca's exit, Vell discovered that the droid Zeekay, which contained holos of Yesula's mother, was still trapped inside. Vell re-entered the burning structure and rescued the droid, earning the father's gratitude. Vell subsequently apologized to Kelnacca for prioritizing the droid's rescue, but Kelnacca responded by activating his lightsaber and severing Vell's Padawan braid, thus performing the knighting ceremony. Kelnacca then requested to be tattooed with Vell's name in the same manner as Lulad had done.

In 148 BBY, Kelnacca was assigned to the planet Brendok alongside Jedi Master Indara, her Padawan Torbin, and Jedi Knight Sol. Together, the four Jedi investigated the planet's unexpectedly thriving ecosystem, despite its previous classification as lifeless following a hyperspace disaster in 232 BBY. Seven weeks into their mission, Kelnacca prepared Nuna legs for the group, a dish that Torbin complained about due to its frequent appearance on their menu. Indara cautioned him against criticizing a Wookiee's culinary skills. The following day, Kelnacca continued his investigation of Brendok using his detector, as the Jedi suspected the presence of a vergence in the Force.

Shortly thereafter, Sol discovered the existence of a coven of witches led by Mother Aniseya and grew concerned that they were training children to wield the Force, which they referred to as the Thread. He spied on the coven and observed the twins Verosha "Osha" and Mae-ho "Mae" Aniseya, who frequently ventured outside the witches' fortress. After Sol shared this information with the other Jedi, they traveled to the fortress on speeder bikes, and Kelnacca hacked the controls of an elevator to grant them access.

The Jedi then entered the courtyard where the twins' Rite of Ascension ceremony, where they would become witches, was being held. Indara introduced the four Jedi, and stated their concerns about the witches training children against Republic law. The witches refuted Indara's claims, stating that Brendok was not part of the Republic, and that they had no children. However, after Kelnacca noticed the twins, Indara asked them to come out of the crowd. When Sol suggested that Osha be tested to train as a Jedi, she asked her mother for permission. In response, Aniseya incapacitated Torbin with a Thread ability, and threatened to not reverse the effects unless the Jedi left. However, she reluctantly agreed to allow her children to be tested. Following this, the Jedi exited the courtyard.

The next day, when Osha and Mae arrived at the Jedi's starship to be tested, Kelnacca was repairing a damaged speeder bike. While waiting for Mae to finish her testing, Osha approached Kelnacca, and he briefly spoke with her in Shyriiwook before she entered the starship. When she exited after completing her testing, Kelnacca was now performing other mechanical work. He noticed her and called out to her in Shyriiwook. In response, Osha half-heartedly smiled at him. That night, Kelnacca again made dinner for the group while they discussed the Jedi Council's refusal to allow them to bring the twins to Coruscant.

When Torbin reported the results of the twins' M-count test, Kelnacca gathered around him with Indara and Sol. After realizing the unusual results indicated the possiblity of the vergence the Jedi had been seeking, Torbin, against his Master's orders, got a speeder bike and headed to the fortress. Indara ordered Sol to pursue him on another bike, while she and Kelnacca followed on the Jedi's ship. As they approached, Indara was unable to land, and so got close enough for Kelnacca to jump, telling him to stop the other Jedi before they started a conflict.

Inside the fortress, Mae started a fire to kill Osha and prevent her from becoming a Jedi. Sol and Torbin confronted the witches, and after Sol killed Aniseya, they fought. During the fight, Kelnacca arrived, but he was controlled by the witches and attacked Torbin and Sol. He engaged them in a lightsaber duel, and during the fight, slammed Torbin into a wall, injuring his face. Sol was able to disarm Kelnacca, and then fought him in hand-to-hand combat. As Kelnacca attempted to strangle Sol, Indara arrived. She knocked Kelnacca away and was able to free him from the witches's power. Indara then ordered Sol to save the twins, but he was only able to save Osha. Kelnacca and the other Jedi then returned to Coruscant on their ship. After the fire, Osha became Sol's Padawan, although she later left the Order.

Approximately a century after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, Vell, who had since taken on his own Padawan, Ordea, found himself nearing death. Ordea expressed concern about who would complete their training after Vell's passing. Vell recounted how Kelnacca had taken him on as a Padawan following the death of his own master, along with other stories from his time training with Kelnacca. Just as Vell was about to share the story of Kelnacca's tattoos with Ordea, Kelnacca arrived at Vell's location on Tozil. Vell acknowledged his former master's presence before succumbing to death. Kelnacca then lifted Vell's body and carried it outside, where he and Ordea cremated it and held a funeral.

As they watched the flames, Ordea noticed Kelnacca's tattoos and after recalling what Vell had said about his own tattoos, realized their meaning. Ordea then began to ask if Kelnacca would complete their training, but stopped and apologized, telling Kelnacca it was not appropriate to ask him, as he had come to pay respect to Vell. However, Kelnacca responded by igniting his lightsaber, agreeing to Ordea's request. When Kelnacca asked if they were ready, Ordea ignited their own lightsaber and told their new master that they were.

By 133 BBY, Kelnacca had taken up residence on the Outer Rim planet of Khofar, where he dwelled in a shelter constructed from the wreckage of a starship intertwined with a tree. Kelnacca maintained a life of seclusion, adorning every available surface within his shelter with the symbol of the Ascension ceremony.

Sixteen years after the fire on Brendok, in 132 BBY, Osha's sister, Mae, now an assassin sought revenge against the four Jedi who had been on Brendok, and wanted to kill them to please her master, a Sith known as the Stranger, who she knew as the smuggler Qimir. When Mae requested a poison to use on Torbin from Qimir, he expressed doubts about her ability to kill Kelnacca, as she had already previously failed to kill Torbin, who was meditating during her attempt. Shortly after, Osha, who was assisting the investigation into Indara and Torbin's murders, told Sol about Kelnacca and the other Jedi that Mae was targeting. Later, Qimir informed Mae that he had located Kelnacca on Khofar.

On Khofar, Kelnacca encountered two scavengers outside his shelter. When one scavenger drew a blaster, Kelnacca Force pulled the blaster to himself and broke it in two with his hands. In response, the scavenger and his companion fled. Sometime later, Kelnacca again returned to his shelter with some plants, which he used to prepare a meal.

In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, several Jedi, including Sol and Jedi Master Holden, met to discuss Mae's murders. Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh displayed holograms of Kelnacca, Torbin, and Indara, with the two who had been killed being displayed in red. She then ordered Jedi Master Holden to extract Kelnacca from his post on Khofar and to bring in Mae. Later, Sol convinced Rwoh to allow him to bring Osha with them to Khofar. Mae and Qimir, who had landed on Khofar, began searching for Kelnacca. While they walked, they discussed how Mae's previous murders had not pleased her master, and that she would have to kill Kelnacca without a weapon.

During hyperspace travel to Khofar, Jedi Knight Yord Fandar briefed the others on the mission. Kelnacca had not been heard from in over a year, and had not responded to any of the warnings sent to him by the Jedi. They would use the Tynnan tracker Bazil to find Kelnacca. After landing, Padawan Jecki Lon spoke with locals, and learned that Kelnacca had ventured into the forest and never returned. Fandar then provided Bazil with a cloth, which he used to track Kelnacca. The others followed Bazil through the forest toward Kelnacca. Meanwhile, Mae had decided to stop her killings, and set a trap for Qimir. After he triggered it, she informed him she planned to surrender herself to Kelnacca, and left him hanging from a tree. When Mae arrived outside Kelnacca's shelter, she encountered Bazil, who alerted the Jedi to her presence. She ran and entered the shelter, where she found Kelnacca, who had already been killed by the Stranger.

Shortly after, the Jedi arrived outside and attempted to arrest Mae, but the Stranger engaged them in a lightsaber duel. Seeing this, Mae took Kelnacca's lightsaber and then attempted to escape, but was attacked by Lon, who arrested her for the murder of Kelnacca and the other Jedi she had killed. Lon took Kelnacca's lightsaber from Mae, and later used it alongside her own while dueling the Stranger, although it was destroyed during the fight.

Later on, the group consisting of Sol, Mae, Osha, and the Stranger made their way to Brendok. During a confrontation that took place within the witches' stronghold, Osha chose to stand with the Stranger, resulting in Sol's death. Rwoh, in her investigative capacity, tracked them to this location. Upon her arrival, she detected echoes of conversations that had transpired in the courtyard sixteen years prior, including Kelnacca's roar and Sol's vocal exchange with him. Subsequently, Rwoh asserted to a group of senators that the Jedi dispatched to Brendok, Kelnacca included, had instigated a conflict with the witches, leading to numerous casualties, and had conspired to conceal the truth. She further fabricated a story, claiming that Sol had eliminated the other Jedi to maintain the cover-up when exposure was imminent. She then informed the senators of Sol's supposed suicide and assured them that an independent investigation of the Order was unnecessary.

Kelnacca was a Wookiee characterized by his brown fur and gray eyes. Notably, he bore tattoos upon his head, which featured Vell's name written in runes from the language of his ancestors. His height reached 2.29 meters (equivalent to 7.5 feet). Kelnacca was known for his reticence, often remaining silent unless necessary. Vell regarded him as both courageous and powerful. Additionally, he possessed qualities of stoicism and wisdom. Lourna Dee characterized him as "good-looking."

Having achieved the rank of Master within the Jedi Order, Kelnacca possessed Force-sensitivity. He skillfully employed the Force to manipulate debris and shield others from the dangers of fire. He utilized a mind trick to manipulate two members of the Nihil into turning against each other. Furthermore, he demonstrated his Force abilities by retrieving a blaster from a scavenger's grasp and shattering it with his bare hands. In addition to his Force abilities, he possessed physical strength sufficient to breach a stone wall with a kick. Kelnacca demonstrated proficiency in technology, capable of hacking doors and performing mechanical repairs. He prepared food for his fellow Jedi on Brendok, as well as for himself while on Khofar. Despite his Jedi status, he was vulnerable to the Brendok coven's dark magic, which they exploited to control him and turn him against his allies. He was a highly skilled combatant with a lightsaber. While under the coven's influence, he could overpower Sol and Torbin in melee combat due to his bladework and superior physical strength. His Force pushes sent his opponents flying. He could also make great bounds using the Force.

Kelnacca's weapon of choice was a lightsaber with a green blade, showing signs of extensive use. He wore traditional brown and gold Jedi robes. While on Brendok, he used a detector to investigate a potential vergence. During his time on Khofar, he carried a bag for storing plants.

The character of Kelnacca was conceived for the 2024 Disney+ live-action series, The Acolyte. His debut occurred in "Revenge / Justice," the series' second episode, which premiered on June 4, 2024. His initial unveiling took place at Star Wars Celebration Europe on April 7, 2023, where showrunner Leslye Headland presented him during the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase, also featuring him in a Celebration-exclusive trailer. Joonas Suotamo took on the role of Kelnacca, having previously portrayed the Wookiee Chewbacca in the sequel trilogy and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Suotamo expressed his enthusiasm at Celebration about playing a Jedi, a role he had dreamed of since childhood. On May 29, 2024, customizations inspired by characters from The Acolyte, including hairstyle and beard options based on Kelnacca, were incorporated into the Electronic Arts massively multiplayer online roleplaying game Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Originally, the narrative placed Kelnacca in hiding on Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld. This was later changed to Khofar to allow exploration of new regions of the galaxy. An early version of the episode "Day" intended to depict Kelnacca's battle against "The Master" and his subsequent death, but these plans were altered due to budgetary constraints and narrative issues. These issues included Kelnacca's scene disrupting the point of view from the protagonist in a way that writer Claire Kiechel felt was detrimental.

Headland expressed her belief that Kelnacca was the only Jedi free of blame in the situation, deserving of a "pass," though she doubted he would grant himself one. She stated that Kelnacca's inability to forgive himself contributed to his decision to isolate himself. Suotamo suggested that, while open to interpretation, he believed Kelnacca resisted his attacker before succumbing. He also felt that Kelnacca perceived himself as an outsider, not fully integrated with the other Jedi. Suotamo added that this sense of being an outsider facilitated his choice to withdraw into seclusion. Headland did not initially disclose Kelnacca's fate to Suotamo when first discussing the role. Suotamo was taken by surprise upon learning of his character's death but acknowledged its necessity for the narrative, finding it both tragic and impactful.

While other Wookiee Jedi, such as Burryaga, had previously appeared in High Republic era media, Kelnacca marked the first live-action representation. Headland mentioned that she considered it "cool" to present her own interpretation of a Wookiee Jedi. She also drew inspiration from Suotamo's portrayal of Chewbacca in Solo, expressing her desire to see him engage in combat and action sequences as a Jedi, rather than simply serving as a sidekick.

Suotamo made a conscious effort to distinguish his performance as Kelnacca from that of Chewbacca, recognizing the distinct differences between the two Wookiee characters. He acknowledged that embodying a Jedi required "more," presenting a unique challenge. He relished the preparation and training alongside his fellow cast members, noting the ample time they had to contemplate each scene and moment. During the filming of the 2017 sequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson advised Suotamo to study the silent film actors Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to master the art of conveying his character's thoughts through nonverbal means. Suotamo sought to apply these lessons in his portrayal of Kelnacca.

Suotamo was eager to push his boundaries and explore the full potential of his role. He meticulously considered Kelnacca's demeanor, posture, and the knowledge acquired during his training as a Jedi in preparation for his performance. Suotamo explained that while Chewbacca and Kelnacca shared traits of devotion, loyalty, and a relaxed nature, Kelnacca possessed a sense of duty to the Jedi way that Chewbacca lacked. He also described Kelnacca as "proud" and a "noble being" who strived for a certain comportment and inner balance. Suotamo likened Kelnacca to a samurai master and also drew inspiration from the character Mufasa from the 1994 animated film The Lion King to achieve a harmonious blend of esteemed Jedi grandeur and inherent ferocity.

Suotamo expressed his excitement at wielding a lightsaber and executing Kelnacca's fight sequence. He performed all of his own stunts, as no one else could fit inside the suit. The stunt team provided him with instruction on the basic movements necessary for the scene. Suotamo cited the leap as potentially his favorite shot of all time. He admitted that he initially doubted his ability to execute it, requiring multiple attempts and subsequent refinements after observing its appearance. During the fight, he aimed to strike a balance between Kelnacca's refined and well-trained posture and the aggressiveness resulting from his loss of control.

Action Director Christopher Clark Cowan found the process of developing the fight sequence both enjoyable and challenging. He considered the immense strength that a Wookiee would bring to their strikes, noting that a direct clash with a Wookiee would "knock you off balance". Cowan added that because the witches were inside Kelnacca's mind and drawing out his primal instincts, he would be swinging wildly and not have immaculate form. Cowan also wanted Kelnacca to be wild and animalistic during the fight. The fight sequence was directed by Cowan and Kogonada, the episode's director. Headland was not present on set during the filming of the fight, which she regretted.

Similar to other characters in The Acolyte, Kelnacca's creation began with his design. Headland favored the concept of a Wookiee with shaved sides on his head, which ultimately became Kelnacca's defining look. Although he drew partial inspiration from other Wookiee Jedi like Burryaga, Headland gave Kelnacca a "very different character design".

Initially, Headland doubted that she would be permitted to include a Wookiee Jedi, but she persisted in pitching the idea, and special effects artist Neal Scanlan embraced the concept. Another reason Headland pushed for Kelnacca's design was because she "couldn't resist" the opportunity to be on set with a Wookiee. Headland's wife, Rebecca Henderson, who portrayed Vernestra Rwoh, was scared of Kelnacca, which Headland thought was funny.

Creature & droid FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan and his team, who had previously worked on Chewbacca, also contributed to Kelnacca's design. Given his status as a Jedi, they aimed to give Kelnacca a more dignified appearance, as well as more refined features to allow for more emotional responses. He was designed to be more refined than previous Wookiees. He was given a more articulate mouth and discreet color choices to contour the pattern of his facial fur, which both allow for more accentuated emotions. Kelnacca's Jedi robes were specially made by costume designer Jennifer Bryan and her team.

The creature department focused on enhancing the breathability of Suotamo's costume to accommodate the intense physicality required for Kelnacca's fight scene. Unlike Chewbacca, who had multiple suits, Kelnacca had only one suit, which used Yak hair. Because of this, there was always a team on set to keep the suit looking beautiful. Typically, there were two stylists working on it at a time, one on each side. To keep the curls looking consistent, everyone that worked on them was trained to do them in the same way. Days on set usually lasted around ten hours, and Suotamo tried to go the full day without removing the suit, although he usually had to remove it once a day. However, the suit was not that complicated and was fairly easy for Suotamo to take off.

Kelnacca also featured in The Acolyte - Kelnacca 1, a one-shot comic released on September 4, 2024, written by Cavan Scott with artwork by Marika Cresta. In an interview, Scott expressed his enthusiasm for connecting The Acolyte with previous High Republic media, identifying Kelnacca as the ideal character for this purpose. He also revealed that the comic would delve into the meaning behind Kelnacca's enigmatic tattoos. Suotamo played a crucial role in assisting Scott and the creative team in understanding Kelnacca. During an early brainstorming session for the comic, Suotamo provided insights into Kelnacca's character and his essence. He also shared his approach to portraying Kelnacca, highlighting the similarities and differences between his portrayals of Chewbacca and Kelnacca.

Kelnacca is also set to appear in Scott's 2025 series Star Wars: The High Republic – Fear of the Jedi as part of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project's Phase III. In an interview, Scott explained that although he was aware of Kelnacca's fate in The Acolyte, it did not factor in much to how he fleshed out the character's backstory. Scott also said that Kelnacca was fun to write. Phil Noto's cover of the first issue, which released on February 19, 2025, depicts Kelnacca with his tattoos. However, Kelnacca did not receive his tattoos until after Yarzion Vell was knighted, and the comic depicts Vell as still being Kelnacca's Padawan. The rest of the issue correctly depicts him without his tattoos.