Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi

In the year 36,453 BBY, on the planet of Ando Prime, Talid monks belonging to the Order of Dai Bendu sense a beckoning from the Tho Yor. This enormous pyramidal starship has remained buried within the Andobi Mountains for centuries. The Dai Bendu monks embark upon the Tho Yor, as seven additional Tho Yor scattered across the galaxy issue their call to the inhabitants of their respective planets. These Tho Yor then traverse the galaxy, visiting various worlds and gathering individuals from Wookiees, Humans, Twi'leks, Selkath, Cathar, and numerous other Force-sensitive species. Eventually, all eight Tho Yor converge on the planet Tython in the Deep Core. There, the eight Tho Yor assemble around the ninth and largest Tho Yor, which hovers above a stone pinnacle. Subsequently, the starships disperse across Tython as the planet becomes enveloped in a violent Force Storm.

The pilgrims come to the understanding that their purpose in being brought to Tython is to delve into the study of the Force. Consequently, they establish the Je'daii Order—a fellowship of warriors and scholars whose designation originates from a Dai Bendu term signifying "mystic center." Tython's volatile reaction to Force imbalances compels the Je'daii to cultivate a philosophy centered on equilibrium between the light and dark sides of the Force. They name this philosophy after Tython's twin moons: the radiant Ashla and the shadowy Bogan. Over time, the Je'daii recognize the inherent dangers Tython poses to those lacking Force sensitivity. As a result, non-Force-sensitive individuals migrate from Tython across the Tython system, colonizing the ten remaining planets within the star system. However, animosity towards the Je'daii festers over the millennia, culminating in 25,805 BBY with the Despot War initiated by the Twi'lek Despot Queen Hadiya of the planet Shikaakwa in an attempt to conquer the Tython system. Although Hadiya is defeated on Tython, the wounds of the Despot War remain palpable even twelve years later in 25,793 BBY.

Elsewhere in the galaxy, the Infinite Empire of the Rakata conquers the planet Tatooine, a world discovered by Force Hound Xesh while serving his master, Predor Tul'kar. Tul'kar's superior, Predor Skal'nas, enlists Xesh's aid in pinpointing a Force-rich planet located in the Deep Core, a task that his own Force Hound, Trill, is unable to accomplish. As Xesh guides Tul'kar's warship, the Devourer, towards the Tython system, three young Je'daii Journeyers—Shae Koda, Sek'nos Rath, and Tasha Ryo—experience a vision of Xesh. This vision is also shared by the unstable Je'daii Daegen Lok, who has been living in exile on Bogan for the past seven years due to his descent into madness and imbalance. Prompted by their shared vision, the three Journeyers abandon their studies and venture into the Tython wilderness, where the crippled Devourer crashes, leaving Xesh as the sole survivor.

The antagonistic Force Hound briefly clashes with the three Je'daii, during which Shae Koda seizes Xesh's Forcesaber before he escapes into the nearby Rift—a vast chasm saturated with the dark side of the Force, teeming with bizarre creatures and intense seismic activity. Xesh's presence on Tython, coupled with his proficiency in the dark side, and the demise of numerous Force-sensitives among the slaves and crew aboard the Devourer, triggers a massive Force Storm that sweeps across Tython. Koda, Ryo, and Rath pursue Xesh into the Rift, where the injured Force Hound battles Force-induced hallucinations and terrifying beasts. Temple Master Quan-Jang of Anil Kesh, one of the nine Je'daii Temples on Tython, investigates the crash site alongside Je'daii Rangers Hawk Ryo and Rori Fenn, and they follow the Journeyers into the Rift. Meanwhile, Ketu, the Temple Master of Akar Kesh, convenes the other Temple Masters to enable the Je'daii Council to counteract the Force Storm.

The three Journeyers rescue Xesh from a saarl, a colossal worm-like creature, but Xesh abandons them to the creature after reclaiming his Forcesaber and watches them battle the saarl. However, Shae Koda's demonstration of the light side of the Force and her unwavering commitment to protecting her friends piques the Force Hound's interest. He returns to aid Koda in her fight as Rangers Fenn and Ryo arrive to provide assistance. Xesh succeeds in slaying the saarl, but the Force Storm continues to intensify, with the Force Hound at its epicenter. With the support of the other Temple Masters, Quan-Jang restores the Force to balance, effectively ending the storm. However, his apparent death during this act prompts an enraged Koda to activate Xesh's Forcesaber—a feat previously exclusive to the Force Hound—and attempt to kill Xesh in retaliation before regaining her composure. Xesh, Quan-Jang, and the others receive healing for their injuries at Mahara Kesh, the Temple of Healing. Despite the Journeyers' objections, the Je'daii Council exiles Xesh to Bogan, hoping he will find balance there.

Weeks later, on Bogan, Daegen Lok ambushes Xesh to assess his capabilities. Lok then deactivates Xesh's restraints and tracking device before sharing the vision that drove him to madness years prior: an army of dark warriors wielding blades of fire. When Xesh identifies these weapons as Forcesabers, Lok urges him to construct more Forcesabers to validate his vision to the Je'daii. The two utilize a Pho-V fighter concealed by Lok to escape Bogan after Xesh restores the ship's power using his Force lightning. Tem Madog, the Temple Master of Vur Tepe, the Je'daii Forge, tests the Forcesaber but entrusts it to Hawk Ryo when the Ranger demonstrates his ability to wield the blade. Upon discovering Xesh's absence from his confinement on Bogan, a Je'daii team—comprising Temple Master Jake Fenn, Rangers Bel Zana, Ryo, and Rori Fenn, along with Shae Koda and Sek'nos Rath—is dispatched to the moon to locate him.

Xesh and Lok arrive at the crystal planet of Krev Coeur aboard their failing starship, forcing them to parachute to the surface and commence their search for suitable crystals. On Bogan, the Je'daii search for Xesh, uncovering evidence of Lok's starfighter and his carvings depicting his vision. Hawk Ryo confesses that he shared the vision with Lok during their exploration of the Chasm. The Je'daii deduce that Lok intends to manufacture Forcesabers, prompting half of the team to pursue the fugitives to Krev Coeur, while the remainder heads to the factory world of Nox. Simultaneously, the Force Hound Trill arrives in the system, having tracked Xesh. Ranger Bel Zana attempts to apprehend Xesh and Lok upon locating them, but Lok manipulates her mind, exploiting her fear of fire to incapacitate her. Master Fenn and Sek'nos Rath arrive to assist Zana, but the confrontation takes a turn when Lok, sensing Fenn's feelings for Zana, pushes her off a nearby cliff. Rath seemingly falls to his death while saving her, allowing Xesh and Lok to escape.

On Nox, Xesh finalizes the creation of the two Forcesabers. Simultaneously, Lok endeavors to enlist Hadiya's former military leaders as allies, aiming to seize control over the Je'daii. Shae Koda plays a role in locating Xesh, but after she is rescued from a dianoga that interrupted their battle, he takes her prisoner. Xesh and Lok then make their escape, taking their captive with them to the planet Shikaakwa, where they hope to build an army. Trill, identifying herself as a ship thief, saves Rath from certain death. Trill then assists him in traveling to Shikaakwa, with the goal of reuniting with the other Je'daii. In another storyline, Tasha Ryo is working to determine the identity of the Rakata remains discovered in the wreckage of the Devourer. Despite her efforts at the Je'daii Library in Kaleth, she is unsuccessful until Master Ters Sendon presents her with the Kwa Holocron—an ancient holocron originating from the Kwa species, left on Tython. This holocron activates in Ryo's presence. The holocron's gatekeeper, A'nang, identifies the skull as belonging to a Rakata. With the assistance of Master Rajivari, the Je'daii convince A'nang to share additional information about the Rakata. The Kwa recounts that in the distant past, his kind journeyed across the galaxy using their Infinity Gates, imparting knowledge of the Force to various species. However, the Rakata exploited the Kwa's knowledge to establish a dark side-based Infinite Empire.

On Shikaakwa, Lok, Xesh, and the captured Shae Koda meet with Baron Volnos Ryo, who is both Hawk's brother and Tasha's father. Volnos Ryo had previously aided Lok in infiltrating the Despot Army and assassinating Hadiya during the Despot War, avenging the death of Ryo's father at Hadiya's hands. Lok's attempts to gain Ryo's support quickly fall apart, and the arrival of the Je'daii transforms the meeting into a full-scale battle. Sek'nos Rath launches an attack on Xesh, attempting to rescue Koda, but his efforts are unsuccessful. Trill observes with satisfaction that the memory blocks implanted in Xesh's mind by Predor Skal'nas are functioning as intended. The Force Hound fails to recognize his former brood mate when they encounter each other during the conflict. Hawk Ryo and Lok engage in their own battle, but with Xesh's intervention, Lok gains the advantage. At the same moment, Shae Koda manages to break free from her restraints and rushes to Ryo's assistance. Koda's appeals for Xesh to choose his own destiny and resist being Lok's slave resonate with the Force Hound. Xesh then turns against the power-hungry Lok, aiding the Je'daii in capturing him. With the alarming news that the Rakata are likely approaching the Tython system, the Je'daii initiate the production of Forcesabers, despite the weapon's connection to the dark side. As they prepare for war, Xesh undergoes training as a Je'daii, while Lok is once again imprisoned on Bogan. Unbeknownst to the Je'daii, Trill transmits a message to her master, who begins to prepare the Infinite Empire's forces for battle.

One year following the Infinite Empire's invasion of the Tython system, the Rakata have devastated Fury Station and seized Obri and Mawr. Although they were defeated at Tython, the Infinite Empire captured Ska Gora and established their command center, Rakatan Base Prime, there. The Je'daii have united with the Settled Worlds to defend their star system, and Master Rajivari has been appointed as the General of the combined forces. With the assistance of Xesh, the Je'daii have constructed Forcesabers. Despite the fact that these weapons compel them to abandon the Balance, they are essential for their survival. Daegen Lok is also released from Bogan and compelled to serve as a general for the Je'daii.

Sub-Predor Ceh'let initiates an assault on the planet Shikaakwa, deploying her Flesh Raider soldiers to attack Ryo Fortress through the surrounding swamps. However, the Je'daii have anticipated their attack and set up an ambush for the invaders. Xesh quickly eliminates a large number of Flesh Raiders, and when he is confronted by another Force Hound, Shae Koda intervenes to rescue him. Xesh and Daegen Lok then flee from the destructive power of Rakatan Annihilators, and Lok orders Hawk Ryo's fighter squadrons to launch an airstrike on the Annihilators, even though he and Xesh are in close proximity to the targets. Rajivari then commands the majority of his forces to engage the enemy. As the Je'daii overwhelm her forces, Ceh'let is authorized to withdraw her troops back to Ska Gora. In the ensuing battle, the Je'daii leave no survivors, and Sek'nos Rath is disgusted by Lok's victory speech and the Order's willingness to abandon the balance. On Ska Gora, Ceh'let openly questions Skal'nas's authority in front of the other commanders. Skal'nas then reveals his true objective to Ceh'let in private—the acquisition of the Infinity Gate on Tython—before killing her.

Xesh experiences a dream recalling his past as a Force Hound. Shae Koda awakens him, and he expresses his concerns about being forced back under Rakatan control. Shae then confesses her love for him, and Xesh rejects the name given to him by his former Rakatan masters, revealing that his true name is Tau. Shae and Tau share a kiss. The following day, Xesh proposes a plan to end the Rakatan invasion by assassinating their leader, Skal'nas. To locate him, Xesh utilizes his former Force Hound abilities, delving into darkness. He informs the Je'daii that Skal'nas's base is located on Ska Gora. Trill, who has been spying on the Je'daii, contacts Skal'nas and informs him of the Je'daii's plan. Skal'nas instructs Trill not to interfere and to allow the Je'daii to attack.

The Je'daii launch an assault on Ska Gora, but back on Tython, Tasha Ryo experiences a vision and realizes that the Je'daii are walking into a trap. Lok also recognizes the trap and instructs Rath to take command. Rajivari contacts the strike team and orders them to withdraw, but it is too late. Koda attacks a Force Hound with lightning, and Quan-Jang saves her life by pushing the Hound off of its mount. Koda snaps at Quan-Jang, who warns her not to lose the Balance. Xesh encounters Trill, but still does not remember her. She persuades him to take her with him. They proceed to the Rakatan base, where they discover that the Rakatan have imprisoned the surviving Je'daii, including Rath, in glass tubes. Trill shocks Xesh with lightning, stunning him.

Shae Koda and Quan-Jang continue their fight against Rakatan forces. Koda informs Quan-Jang that Rath and Lok have disappeared, and she expresses her concern for Xesh. Skal'nas restores Xesh's memory using a Rakatan device. Xesh recalls how he initially discovered Tython for Skal'nas, who then decided to send Xesh as his spy among the Je'daii. He remembers sabotaging Tul'kar's ship, the Devourer, on Skal'nas's orders, and then killing Tul'kar himself. Initially, Xesh refuses to return to slavery, but he soon reverts to his role as a Force Hound. Xesh informs Skal'nas about the Je'daii seers and Lok's vision. Skal'nas interrogates Lok, confirming that there is an Infinity Gate located in the Chasm on Tython. The Je'daii seers foresee that the Rakatan will attack Tython again, this time with Xesh leading them. Skal'nas exploits Xesh's connection to Tasha Ryo to blind the seers. Rajivari informs the strike force on Ska Gora that Xesh has betrayed them and orders them to retreat. Shae Koda refuses to believe that Xesh could betray them. Sek'nos Rath and Daegen Lok both vow to kill Xesh.

The Je'daii retreat to Tython. Shae Koda and Quan-Jang discuss whether she would be able to kill Xesh if necessary. Tasha Ryo retrieves the Holocron of A'nang, stating that she and Ters Sendon will meditate on it for guidance. Skal'nas initiates the Second battle of Tython by first destroying a strike force concealed on Tython's moon, Ashla. Rori Fenn and Hawk Ryo engage the Rakata in their fighters. Skal'nas orders Trill to lead his army, while Xesh remains at his side. She is angered by this and vows to kill Xesh. Skal'nas attempts to extract information from Daegen Lok regarding how he entered the Chasm, but Lok refuses to reveal anything. The Je'daii battle Trill's forces, but Koda senses Xesh and goes to confront him. Skal'nas lands at the Chasm with Xesh and Lok. He reveals that the Infinity Gate at the bottom of the Chasm is not a typical gate, but a Prime Gate, which does not require another gate to function. Skal'nas and Xesh descend into the Chasm.

Sek'nos Rath breaks free from his confinement and eliminates the Rakatan guards surrounding him. He liberates the Rakatan slaves and leads them in a rebellion against their former masters. Tasha Ryo and Ters Sendon activate A'nang's Holocron. A'nang declares that with the arrival of the Rakata, it is time for Tython to awaken. Flesh Raiders attack Lok, who is chained up near the Chasm. He breaks free and attacks the Raiders. Sek'nos Rath arrives and saves him from a Flesh Raider. Both express their desire to kill Xesh, agreeing that whoever eliminates the most Raiders will have the first opportunity. Shae Koda also arrives. Lok reveals that the key to safely entering the Chasm is to focus on the sigil on the Tho Yor. Koda and Lok descend into the Chasm.

Skal'nas and Xesh reach the Prime Gate. Quan-Jang finds Rath, who informs him that Koda and Xesh have entered the Chasm. As they descend, Lok encourages Koda to embrace her anger. Trill finds Rath, and they engage in combat. Rath abandons the Balance and succumbs to the dark side, despite Quan-Jang's warnings. He kills Trill. Koda and Lok reach the Prime Gate. Lok fights Skal'nas, while Koda battles Xesh. Xesh claims that their relationship was a complete fabrication and that he willingly served as Skal'nas's spy. Koda refuses to believe him and urges him to break free from Skal'nas's control once more. Lok attempts to use his mind twist ability on Skal'nas, but is overwhelmed by the darkness within Skal'nas's mind. Skal'nas stabs him and urges Xesh to finish off Koda. Skal'nas activates the Prime Gate, declaring himself the ruler of the galaxy. Tasha brings A'nang's Holocron to the lowest level of Anil Kesh. A'nang tells her that she must reawaken the Tho Yor, but it will cost her mortal body. Tasha bids farewell to Ters Sendon.

Koda makes one final plea for Xesh to return to the Je'daii. Skal'nas attacks her with lightning, asserting that love is a lie. Xesh attacks Skal'nas. Tasha steps into the beam of light in Anil Kesh, awakening the Tho Yor, which then attack the Rakatan ships. Skal'nas and Xesh duel, but the Tho Yor fire a beam that destroys the Prime Gate. Xesh kills Skal'nas, declaring that he is truly Tau. Koda informs Tau that Lok is alive. They narrowly escape the Chasm as it explodes. The Rakata turn against each other and flee the Tython system.

Following the battle, Daegen Lok informs the masters that he and his followers will continue to use the Forcesabers, despite their impact on the Balance, due to ongoing threats such as Flesh Raiders who have escaped into the wilderness. The Masters warn that he could be sent back to Bogan, but he replies that he will never return there. Shae Koda and Tau explore Tython together and share a kiss. They walk off together into the Silent Desert.

Randy Stradley, who held the position of Vice President of Publishing at Dark Horse Comics, began advocating for a comic series that would explore the origins of the Jedi as early as 2003. In that year, artist Rodolfo Migliari was commissioned to create a painting featuring two characters—a male and a female Human. At Celebration V in August 2010, John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, who had a long history of collaboration and were the author-artist team behind Legacy, announced that they were developing a new comic that would be unlike anything they had previously created for Star Wars. Their ongoing series at the time was Star Wars: Legacy—War, a six-issue miniseries that was published from December 2010 to May 2011 and served as a sequel to their popular Star Wars: Legacy series.

The public announcement of Dawn of the Jedi occurred at the 2011 New York Comic Con on October 13. Ostrander stated that the series was intended to be both epic in scope and personal in its storytelling. He and Duursema were working closely with Expanded Universe continuity, while also striving to make Dawn of the Jedi accessible to casual Star Wars fans. At Comic Con, it was revealed that, similar to Legacy, Dawn of the Jedi would feature a diverse cast of characters from various species, but would primarily focus on the Tython system rather than the larger galaxy. A preview issue 0, designed to serve as an official guide for readers, similar to Star Wars: Legacy (2006) 0, was announced with a release date of February 1 at Comic Con. The release date for the first issue was set for February 15. Rodolfo Migliari's original painting for the series was used as the cover for Issue #0.

Dawn of the Jedi consists of three five-issue miniseries. It was not released on a monthly basis, similar to Star Wars: Dark Times and Star Wars: Invasion. This was because Ostrander and Duursema collaborated on each entire arc together, rather than working on one issue at a time. John Ostrander and Jan Duursema were responsible for the story of the series, with Ostrander writing the script and Duursema creating the artwork. Dan Parsons served as the inker, Michael Heisler was the letterer, and Wes Dzioba was in charge of coloring. Duursema was the cover artist for the five issues of Force Storm, but David Michael Beck took over as the cover artist starting with the first issue of Prisoner of Bogan. Gonzalo Flores created the variant cover for issue 1, which was later used as the cover for the first trade paperback.

John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, the authors of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, aimed to ground the series in established Star Wars continuity, while also ensuring it was accessible to new readers. The series is set in a period that had been largely unexplored. Dawn of the Jedi necessitated the creation of a completely new publishing era, "Before the Republic". It builds upon the limited information that existed beforehand, specifically the fact that the Jedi Order was founded on the planet Tython in the Deep Core, the conflicts known as the Force Wars commenced in the year 25,793 BBY, and the early Jedi left Tython after the Force Wars, migrating to Ossus. Dawn of the Jedi also expands upon the Rakata, a species that ruled the galaxy before the Republic and was introduced in the 2003 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game. Dawn of the Jedi has encountered relatively few continuity errors, but there are elements in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game, which was released shortly before Dawn of the Jedi, that contradict the series.

The Old Republic provides a brief summary of the Force Wars, stating that they were a conflict between the followers of Rajivari, one of the four members of the first Jedi Council, and the rest of the Jedi Order. Dawn of the Jedi initially made no reference to any of the characters or elements introduced in The Old Republic, but The Prisoner of Bogan featured the appearance of both Rajivari and Ters Sendon, another member of the Jedi Council in the game. However, another unresolved contradiction concerns the Mother Machine, a Rakatan computer that claims to have created a number of Force-sensitive species in an attempt to restore the Force-sensitivity of the Rakata species during the Rakatan Civil War. Among the species it claims to have created are the Twi'leks and the Zabrak, but Dawn of the Jedi depicts a relatively advanced Twi'lek society on Ryloth, as well as numerous Zabrak, in 36,453 BBY, thousands of years before the collapse of the Infinite Empire.

When developing the ships, characters, and environments for the series, Jan Duursema essentially had to start from scratch, as very little of the Before the Republic era had been depicted previously. Duursema deliberately distinguished the Je'daii from the Jedi in their appearance, replacing lightsabers with the swords they were known to use at the time and exchanging traditional robes for more personalized armor and clothing. Unlike her work on Star Wars: Legacy, Duursema was unable to build upon existing designs for ships and technology. Instead, she adopted a "retrofitting" approach, developing ships and technology that would eventually evolve into the technology of the modern Star Wars era. Duursema and Ostrander also created the worlds of the Tython system from scratch, choosing to focus solely on the Tython system rather than utilizing pre-existing locations from across the galaxy.

Dawn of the Jedi also has a tie-in novel titled Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void, which was written by Tim Lebbon and begins just days before the events of Force Storm 2. The novel significantly expands on the organization and rituals of the Je'daii Order, as well as the surface of Tython. The Force Storm caused by the Devourer's crash is also featured in the final chapters. A short story titled Eruption appeared in Star Wars Insider 141, featuring Hawk Ryo and serving as a prelude to both Into the Void and the main series.

Dawn of the Jedi 0 and Force Storm 1 experienced strong sales in stores, with both issues selling out across the country by the end of February. This led Dark Horse Comics to order a second printing of both issues, followed by a third printing featuring special variant covers by Jan Duursema. However, some critics suggest that the series is geared more towards dedicated Star Wars fans and may not be as appealing to the average fan of the films. The Force Storm arc outperformed The Prisoner of Bogan in sales, with each issue selling between 18,000 and 20,000 copies worldwide upon release, compared to The Prisoner of Bogan's sales ranging from 13,000 to 17,000 copies. Force Storm 4 was the best-selling issue of the series in terms of initial release numbers, with 19,756 copies sold worldwide on May 16, 2012. Force War was among Dark Horse's top-selling comics during its release months, although The Prisoner of Bogan was surpassed by other Star Wars comics.

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• "Dark Matters" — Star Wars Insider 140
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• The Brilliance of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi on StarWars.com (backup link)
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• Dawn of the Jedi on Dark Horse Comics' official website (content obsolete and backup link not available)

• Dark Horse Announces Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)

• NYCC EXCLUSIVE: Ostrander and Duursema Unveil "Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi" (backup link)

• Star Wars Friday - Dawn of the Jedi Sketches on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)

• Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi #0 and #1 to be Reprinted Following Retail Sellout! on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)

• This Land is Star Wars Land on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)

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