Tales of the Jedi 5: The Saga of Nomi Sunrider, Part 3 represents the fifth installment within the Tales of the Jedi comic book series. Dark Horse Comics released it to the public on February 1, 1994.
On the moon Vo Dasha of Taboon, Finhead Stonebone, a pirate, witnesses Ktriss slay his first mate, Roko, and subsequently pledges allegiance to Bogga the Hutt. Bogga elevates Finhead to the status of his vassal and assigns him the mission of retrieving the Adegan crystals and assassinating Jedi Master Thon.
Simultaneously, on the planet Ambria, Master Thon commences Nomi Sunrider's instruction in the ways of the Jedi training. He imparts to her the understanding that a Jedi must not only be knowledgeable about the light but also experience the dynamic tension between the opposing facets of the Force. He elucidates that the dark side presents trials and tribulations, compelling them to surpass their limitations, mirroring her actions when she saved her daughter Vima Sunrider.
Upon Nomi's recollection of Oss Wilum's statement that Thon selected Ambria due to the presence of the dark side, Thon clarifies that the planet once harbored significant darkness, which was subsequently confined to Lake Natth. Thon expresses his desire to rest in proximity to the lake, but Nomi voices her apprehension, given that this is the habitat of the hssiss that launched an assault on her offspring. Instead, Thon escorts Nomi and Vima to a nearby rift for meditation.
Within this location, Master Thon reveals that the Force possesses greater depth within the rift. He further informs her that Jedi possess the capacity to employ their lightsabers as a tool for meditation, facilitating mental focus and reinforcing their bond with the Force. He instructs her to construct a lightsaber utilizing the adegan crystals she has brought. Still burdened by guilt over the killing of two criminals in self-defense, Nomi adamantly refuses any involvement with lightsabers.
In deference to Nomi's preferences, Master Thon opts to present Master Arca Jeth's holocron to educate Nomi and Vima on the historical context of the Force and the Jedi. At Thon's urging, the holocron's gatekeeper, Master Ood Bnar, delivers an account of the Jedi Order's conflicts with the forces of the dark side. He conveys that the Force has consistently been present, encompassing and permeating everything. Those with Force sensitivity possess the ability to harness it for both benevolent and malevolent purposes.
Bnar elaborates that malevolence originated prior to recorded history when sorcerers exploited dark side energies to establish themselves as rulers and deities, preying on the vulnerable. Bnar further elucidates that dark siders also employed their dark powers to instigate warfare, resulting in the devastation of entire nations and civilizations. Some of these dark siders were Jedi.
When Master Thon informs Master Ood that the Jedi of his era whisper of a coming conflict, Bnar prophesies that the shadow of the dark side will inevitably envelop the galaxy in their time. Bnar also foretold that Nomi would assume a pivotal role in the forthcoming battles. Uncomprehending of the situation, the youthful Vima experiences fear in the presence of the holocron.
In exchange for the adegan crystals, Master Thon bestows upon Nomi his lightsaber, which he himself trained with under his master. Hesitant to proceed with her Jedi training due to her apprehension regarding lightsabers, Nomi contemplates returning to her home planet to embark on a new chapter in her life.
While Nomi grapples with Ood Bnar's prophecy, Finhead Stonebone's pirate gang and Booga's enforcers journey to Ambria aboard their E-2 Asteroid Miners Marauder Starjacker and Stenness Raider. The pirates deploy Armored skiffs and launch an assault on Master Thon's dwelling. A-3DO escapes the bombardment. Master Thon perceives this as an opportune moment for Nomi to wield her lightsaber, but she remains steadfast in her refusal.
Despite Nomi's objections, Master Thon rides with her and Vima in the direction of the pirates' armored skiffs. Continuing to refuse to wield her lightsaber, Nomi guides her child to a secure location. She takes cover behind a rock alongside A-3DO, and they strategize their escape aboard the Lightside Explorer. With his apprentice unwilling to engage in combat, Master Thon surrenders to Finhead's pirate gang and Bogga's enforcers.
Through telepathic communication, Master Thon persuades Nomi to employ her battle meditation skills to incite conflict between the pirates and Bogga's enforcers. Finhead desires to deliver the crystals to Bogga, while other gangsters seek them for their own gain. Observing the gangsters engaged in combat, Nomi experiences a shift in her resolve and decides to wield Master Thon's lightsaber. She eliminates several pirates and gangsters. Thon joins the fray and unleashes potent waves of Force energy. The pirates retreat aboard their skiffs. Standing amidst the remains of fallen pirates, Thon remarks that while enemies are undesirable, they can prove beneficial by compelling us to transcend our limitations and discover courage.
Later that evening, Master Thon notes that the holocron prophesied Nomi's ascension to the status of a great Jedi. He commends her for her proficient utilization of her Jedi abilities. While embracing her daughter Vima, Nomi acknowledges that she could not have achieved it without Master Thon's assistance. She posits that his Force powers amplified her own. Thon disagrees, asserting that he left her entirely to her own devices. Nomi resolves to join the Jedi in their struggle against the dark side.