Lene Kostana
Lene Kostana was a Jedi Master of the Jedi Order, a female Altiri who possessed Force-sensitive abilities, and served before the Invasion of Naboo. Her task for the Jedi Order involved the search for and analysis of ancient Sith relics, to be ready for when they would eventually return. As she progressed within the Jedi Order, the young Dooku developed a peculiar interest in Kostana and the work she was doing.
Biography
Lene Kostana, a female Altiri, was born to Galdrim and Sula. During the era known as the High Republic Era, she resided on the planet called Temerancé. She was abducted by the Nihil during one of their raids because she was sensitive to the Force. Subsequently, Sula requested that Ty Yorrick, a mercenary, undertake a rescue mission to free Lene along with the other children taken by the Nihil, which Yorrick successfully did. Later, she became a member of the Jedi Order and advanced to the rank of Jedi Master. At some point in her life, she became deeply interested in locating and studying Sith artifacts to prepare for the possible return of the Sith Order. Her intense interest in the discovery and analysis of Sith artifacts was driven by her strong belief that the Sith would reappear. These beliefs put her at odds with Grand Master Yoda and the other members of the Jedi High Council, who did not agree with her. Yoda, specifically, thought that searching for relics was unnecessary and disagreed with Kostana's view that younglings and Padawan learners needed to be ready for a potential Sith return. Initially, the young Jedi Dooku believed she might be aligned with the Sith due to her intense focus on their relics.
Kostana later chose Sifo-Dyas to be her Padawan (which initially disappointed Dooku, who had hoped to be chosen). The two of them once went on a mission to infiltrate a smuggler organization on the world of Karazak. Kostana and her apprentice intended to track the smugglers' supply routes in order to find any Sith relics being sold on the black market. However, the pair were lured into an ambush on Asusto, set up by the last remaining group of the Presagers of Hakotei.
Lene Kostana also served as a mentor figure to the young Dooku, and on one occasion, she used the fictional character Darth Sakia as a teaching tool to evaluate the young Jedi. She later told Dooku that Sakia had used a curved-hilt lightsaber.
Soon after Kostana taught Sifo-Dyas to open his mind to the Cosmic Force, the young Jedi started experiencing Force visions. One of these visions, which showed a planet consumed by flames, proved to be a warning about the coming Protobranch solar storm before it happened. Kostana urged Sifo-Dyas and Dooku to take the former's visions seriously, but she also tried to keep her apprentice's talents a secret from the Jedi Council, fearing they would see his ability to foresee the future as dangerous. Her fears grew even after Sifo-Dyas was knighted, when she learned the Jedi had opened a new correctional unit in the Citadel prison for Jedi who possessed the ability of foresight.
During his time as a Padawan, around 82 BBY, Kostana, Dooku, and Sifo-Dyas attended the funeral of Dooku's mother, Anya, on Serenno, despite the Jedi High Council's objections. Afterward, the three Jedi traveled to Hakotei in search of a relic, where they encountered a dark-side cult. This resulted in Dooku's brief capture for use in a ritual. Dooku experienced several visions of his future and unknowingly used Force lightning to free himself and his Jedi companions. Kostana then had to console Dooku, who was terrified by the visions he had seen.
Some years after Dooku's second apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn, was knighted, Kostana and Sifo-Dyas agreed to assist Dooku in liberating Serenno from Abyssin raiders. This mission went against the wishes of the Jedi High Council, who had chosen to abide by the Galactic Senate's decision not to help Serenno because they had failed to pay their seasonal taxes. Ultimately, the three Jedi were successful in driving the raiders away, and Dooku managed to defeat his brother Ramil. However, in the aftermath, Dooku chose to reject Kostana's suggestion that they seek assistance from the Republic, instead deciding to help the Serennians rebuild as their new leader. Kostana was disappointed by Dooku's decision but accepted it.
Behind the scenes
The character of Lene Kostana was created by the author Cavan Scott and was first introduced in the 2019 audiobook titled Dooku: Jedi Lost, which was written by Scott. In the audiobook, she was voiced by Carol Monda. Her first visual depiction was in the second issue of the comic miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Saber for Hire. This comic was written by Scott, illustrated by Rachael Stott and Nicola Righi, and published by Dark Horse Comics on May 29, 2024. Dooku: Jedi Lost told the story of Dooku's past, and Scott wanted to provide him with another mentor figure besides his already established Jedi mentor, Yoda. Instead of bringing back the character of Thame Cerulian, who was Dooku's Jedi Master in the Star Wars Legends continuity, Scott decided to create Lene Kostana. While she was not a practitioner of the dark side of the Force herself, Kostana was designed to be a factor that contributed to Dooku's eventual corruption.