Rite of Passage, Part 1 constitutes the forty-second installment within the comic book series Star Wars: Republic. Dark Horse Comics released it to the public on May 15, 2002.
A situation of dire importance arises within the governing body of Ryloth, requiring the intervention of a Jedi. Master Tholme is sent, together with the Twi'lek Jedi Aayla Secura, to the world where she was born. As Tholme engages in discussions with the ruling authorities, Aayla assumes a disguised identity as a slave. This allows her to experience the potential reality of her life had she remained on Ryloth. She then uncovers a scheme threatening to overthrow the government and detach Ryloth from the Republic. Aayla is nearing the completion of her Padawan training, on the verge of becoming a fully recognized Jedi Knight. However, thwarting this malevolent scheme might prove to be a challenge exceeding her capabilities!