Matta Tremayne

Matta Tremayne, a Human female hailing from the planet of Corroth, lived before the outbreak of the Great Sith War. Her innate Force-sensitivity led to her enrollment in the Jedi Order, where she ultimately attained the esteemed position of Jedi Master. In her later years, Tremayne resided on the library world of Ossus, dedicating much of her time to refining her skills with the lightsaber. She cultivated her proficiency with the weapon to such an extent that, by 4400 BBY, she was widely celebrated as a master lightsaber duelist. When not engaged in personal training, Tremayne served as a lightsaber combat instructor for the students of the Jedi Order. Among her pupils was a remarkably talented young Human named Freedon Nadd, whose Jedi training she personally oversaw.

Many Masters on Ossus regarded Tremayne's apprentice as possessing an exceptional natural aptitude for understanding and utilizing the Force. Consequently, they believed that Nadd would achieve Jedi Mastery at a pace far exceeding that of any previous student. However, when the time came for promotion to Knighthood, he was passed over. Disheartened, Nadd departed from the Knighting ceremony and sought out Tremayne to understand why he had not been promoted. The aged Jedi was practicing lightsaber cadences in a garden on the outskirts of Ossus City, and she initially ignored him as she continued her exercise, maintaining a state of meditation throughout. For a full half hour, she paid Nadd no attention as he stood there, until his impatience finally erupted in a tirade. With a dramatic flourish, Tremayne positioned the tip of her lightsaber a mere few centimeters from his chest. She then resumed her drills as if she had not even noticed him, leaving Nadd to stare at her in astonishment.

At that moment, Tremayne's apprentice was overcome with frustration, and he prepared to leave in a fit of rage. The Jedi Master then called out to Nadd, deactivating her lightsaber when he responded. She began to explain to the young man that certain lessons could not be taught but had to be learned through personal experience. She repeatedly refused to provide him with the answers he sought, leading Nadd to accuse Tremayne of deliberately withholding the truth out of fear of losing her power to him. He declared that he no longer needed her assistance to become a Jedi and that he would become the greatest Jedi who had ever lived. Viewing the situation as an ideal test for him, Tremayne challenged Nadd to prove to her that he had rightfully earned the rank of Jedi Knight. He hesitated briefly as Tremayne ignited her lightsaber and reiterated her challenge. Nadd then accepted the summons by activating his own weapon, and an intense lightsaber duel ensued. Tremayne nearly struck him down in their initial exchange of blows, and the Jedi Master's superior skill forced her apprentice to adopt a defensive posture for much of the contest. Towards the end of the duel, Tremayne presented Nadd with an opportunity to strike her down. Perceiving Tremayne's move as a miscalculation, Nadd seized the opening she had provided. Tremayne intentionally disregarded the incoming strike, gazing into her apprentice's eyes as his blade descended towards her shoulder; Nadd was unable to halt his weapon in time, and it struck and killed Matta Tremayne. She then vanished into the Force, leaving only her Jedi robes where she had once stood.

Initially, Nadd mourned Tremayne's death but quickly convinced himself that she had brought her death upon herself. His grief transformed into hatred for the Jedi Order, and in his anger, he embraced the dark side of the Force. Tremayne was merely the first Jedi slain by Freedon Nadd; he subsequently became a Dark Lord of the Sith, leaving countless Jedi corpses in his wake until his own physical demise.

Matta Tremayne was a woman of small stature who, by 4400 BBY, was considered elderly for a Human. She possessed an inner tranquility that allowed her to perceive the universe in what she believed to be its true form, unmarred by the distorted perceptions of most individuals. Although she was aware of the internal conflict plaguing her apprentice, she refused to resolve it for him. She recognized the necessity of gaining wisdom through personal experience and attempted to impart this philosophy upon a less-than-receptive Freedon Nadd. The elderly woman remained unperturbed by her apprentice's accusations and stood her ground as he advanced towards her in a blind rage. When Nadd declared himself a Jedi despite the Masters' denial, Tremayne sought to administer one final test, subtly attempting to teach him the importance of self-discovery. Nadd failed to comprehend the wisdom of her lesson, and the Jedi Master ultimately lost her life as a result.

Matta Tremayne was highly regarded among her peers as a quintessential lightsaber duelist, having mastered the weapon's various combat forms. Her skill was such that she was entrusted with training other Jedi in its use. She executed her technique with expert proficiency, flawlessly repeating her lightsaber sequences as a form of meditation. In combat, she performed effortlessly with great speed and precision. The aggressive nature of her assault forced her opponents to constantly defend themselves, providing them with few opportunities to retaliate or even seize the offensive. Tremayne became one with the Force upon her passing, as was the way of Jedi Masters.

Matta Tremayne was initially mentioned in the Tales of the Jedi Companion within the narrative of Freedon Nadd's descent to the dark side. In the Companion, Tremayne is portrayed as a Master from whom Nadd merely sought counsel, rather than specifically as his actual Jedi Master. She received similar ambiguous recognition in The Official Star Wars Fact File 90, in a section entitled "The Shadow of Freedon Nadd." Both The Dark Side Sourcebook and Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force allude to Tremayne as being the Master of Freedon Nadd whom he slew shortly before abandoning the Jedi Order. Although she does not receive her own entry, she is mentioned in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, again within the entry for Freedon Nadd, where she is explicitly identified as Nadd's Jedi Master.