Once a Force-sensitive Human male, Xesh was taken as a young child by the Infinite Empire of the Rakata species and forced into slavery. He was branded with the Aurebesh letter Xesh across his face, back, and arms, and then trained in the ways of the dark side of the Force to become a Force Hound, the personal warrior for the Rakatan Predor Tul'kar. Despite this, he secretly adopted a new name, Tau, meaning "soul" in his original language, sharing it only with Shae Koda. Xesh was a powerful and talented warrior, and while serving Tul'kar, he located numerous planets with significant Force presences. By 25,793 BBY, he was considered one of the best Force Hounds in the Empire, and was given the task of discovering a Force-rich planet within the Deep Core. His friendship with a fellow slave, Trill, devolved into a fierce rivalry after they both became Force Hounds.
Xesh succeeded in his mission, finding a route to the world of Tython. However, the starship of Tul'kar, the Devourer, was destroyed above Tython, leaving Xesh as the lone survivor. He was immediately confronted by Shae Koda, Tasha Ryo, and Sek'nos Rath, three young Je'daii Journeyers who were members of the Je'daii Order, an order of Force-sensitive warriors, scholars, and healers. Mistaking the Je'daii for warriors like himself, Xesh engaged them in combat before fleeing into the Rift, a canyon. Xesh's arrival on Tython triggered a powerful Force storm that spread across the planet, prompting the Je'daii to chase him into the Rift. Witnessing Shae Koda's use of the light side of the Force to protect her companions, a power that was both alien and captivating to him, Xesh joined the Je'daii in fighting a saarl, a massive creature within the Rift.
After being defeated by the Je'daii, Xesh was banished to Bogan, a moon, to contemplate the Force. There, he was recruited by Daegen Lok, a crazed Je'daii who had also been exiled, to help him build new Forcesabers, the powerful weapons used by the Force Hounds. They escaped Bogan and traveled the Settled Worlds of the Tython system, gathering the necessary materials for the Forcesabers. However, Xesh became increasingly uneasy about his "ally" as their journey progressed and as they were pursued by Je'daii, including Shae Koda and Sek'nos Rath. After rescuing Koda from death on Nox, Xesh captured her. But when Lok's attempt to gain the allegiance of the Twi'lek warlord Volnos Ryo failed, Ryo betrayed Lok, and their Je'daii pursuers caught up to them. Persuaded by Koda to take control of his own destiny, Xesh turned against Lok and aided the Je'daii in capturing the deranged warrior.
Xesh, a Human male who was a slave of the Infinite Empire ruled by the Rakata species, was discovered to be Force-sensitive and subsequently placed among a group of other Force-sensitive children. He was branded with a tattoo of the Aurebesh letter Xesh on his face, upper arms, and back. Within this group, the boy befriended another slave named Trill, who defended him from Yirt, the group's leader, when the larger child tried to harm him. While the other slaves turned on Yirt and began to attack him, Trill and Xesh left Yirt to face the slaves' wrath. The two became friends and swore blood oaths to protect each other and never to kill one another.
In the following years, Xesh and the other children in the group were placed inside the machines of the Rakata. These machines harnessed their power in the Force to power the Rakata's ships. It was during this time that he first experienced the dark side of the Force, his abilities unknowingly amplified by the pain, anger, and hatred he felt. The pain inflicted by these machines also stripped Xesh of his capacity for empathy, leaving him unable to feel emotions like love or compassion. Tul'kar, a Predor among the Rakata, sensed Xesh's power and separated him from the group, training him to become a Force Hound. Shortly after, Tul'kar forced him to fight Trill, who was also training to be a Force Hound. The two battled aboard Tul'kar's ship, the Devourer. Xesh emerged victorious, and Tul'kar ordered him to kill Trill with his new Forcesaber. However, in an attempt to save Trill's life, Xesh suggested that Tul'kar offer Trill as a gift—but also as an insult, since Trill would be less powerful than Xesh—to his superior, Skal'nas. Impressed by his slave's cunning, Tul'kar agreed, and Xesh left the chamber without acknowledging Trill's calls. Trill viewed Xesh's actions as a betrayal, and their battle created a lasting hatred in her heart for Xesh.
During his training on the planet Byss, Xesh was pitted against Isk, a Force Hound who served Skal'nas, Tul'kar's superior. Initially, Xesh was on the defensive against Isk, who was rumored to be Skal'nas's best Force Hound. However, when Isk attempted to use darts against Xesh, the Human caught the darts in mid-air before launching an offensive. Xesh won the battle, but he refused to kill the defeated Isk when he begged for mercy and a honorable death in combat.
As Tul'kar's Hound, Xesh lived a solitary existence, becoming the most skilled Force Hound in the entire Infinite Empire. Dressed in black and grey armor, Xesh sought out planets with strong Force signatures. The Rakata would then conquer these planets and eliminate the Force-sensitive individuals among the native population. Among the planets Xesh discovered was Sriluur, inhabited by the Weequay species. Xesh commanded the Flesh Raiders, mutated Rakata soldiers bred as soldiers for the Empire, in numerous battles, including one where they conquered the Givin species. In 25,793 BBY, Xesh located the planet Tatooine and led Tul'kar's forces in its conquest, targeting the native Kumumgah. Xesh identified the Force-sensitive Kumumgah, but his selection of Lonai prompted Lonai's father to attack Tul'kar.
Subsequently, Skal'nas summoned Tul'kar and Xesh to his personal stronghold on Byss, informing them that he needed Xesh's abilities. Trill had detected a Force-rich world in the Deep Core, but she couldn't reach it due to the region's hyperspace disturbances and astronomical anomalies. When asked if Trill's claim was accurate, Xesh stated that only she was unable to find it, which enraged Trill and caused her to attack her former friend. Xesh responded by using the Force to throw her before attempting to kick her. His second kick knocked her to the floor. As Xesh prepared to execute the pinned Trill with his Forcesaber, Skal'nas intervened, using the Force to separate the two Force Hounds. Skal'nas repeated his question to Xesh, and the Hound confirmed that he could find the world. Xesh was then placed in the mind rack to locate Tython and the Je'daii. Unbeknownst to Xesh, Skal'nas placed memory blocks in the Force Hound's mind, turning him into an unwitting spy.
As the Devourer arrived at Tython, Tul'kar instructed Xesh to scout the planet using force shadow. However, Xesh unknowingly appeared in visions to five individuals: Sek'nos Rath, Shae Koda, Tasha Ryo, Daegen Lok, and Lanoree Brock. Koda, Rath, and Ryo were Je'daii Journeyers, students of the Force within the Je'daii Order on Tython, and Lok was a deranged Je'daii who had been exiled to the moon of Bogan. Xesh sabotaged the Devourer and killed his master along anyone on his way for his escape to Tul'kar's escape pod. The three Journeyers were drawn to a volcanic area of Tython by the Force, where they witnessed the Devourer crash, but they discovered Xesh's escape pod nearby, intact.
Upon exiting the pod, Xesh removed his helmet and brandished his Forcesaber, scoffing at the Journeyers' claims of peace when he saw their weapons drawn. The Force Hound then attacked Rath, slicing through the Sith's Madog steel sword. He did the same to Koda's weapons when she kicked him in the back. Xesh grazed Koda's arm, but Ryo stopped him with the Force and again asked him to surrender. Refusing, Xesh threw Ryo against a rock and resumed his battle with Koda and Rath. Rath was surprised when Xesh absorbed the ball of Force lightning that Rath cast at him. Growing tired of the duel, Xesh unleashed the absorbed energy against Koda and Rath, injuring Koda's pet rancor, Butch. Xesh used her distraction to send her flying with the Force, but Rath managed to stop Xesh's attack with his Forcesaber and take the weapon from him. However, Rath was unable to activate the weapon, and in his fury, Xesh summoned Force lightning and a storm of wreckage from their surroundings to attack Rath.
Rath tossed the weapon to Koda, who had returned. Enraged, Xesh pinned his opponent to the ground, threatening to burn the Sith with lightning unless Koda returned the Forcesaber. To Xesh's surprise, Koda channeled her anger and activated the weapon, causing Xesh to realize he had underestimated her powers. Smashing his fist into the ground, Xesh used the Force to tear apart the surrounding rocks before fleeing into the Rift, a nearby canyon. However, Xesh was weakened by his injuries and concussion, and he collapsed, unconscious, while traveling through the Abyss of Ruh section of the Rift. Xesh's presence on Tython also triggered a massive Force storm, as his intense darkness had disrupted the planet's balance. The storm centered on Xesh's unconscious body in the Rift.
Xesh's unconscious mind replayed the events on the Devourer, but the screams of the dying awoke the Force Hound, who discovered that he was being encased in a cocoon of webbing by a swarm of spiders. As the creatures tried to climb into his mouth, Xesh summoned Force lightning and tore through the webbing, blasting away the spiders. As he tore the rest of the webbing from his armor, Xesh was confronted with a nightmarish vision of those who had died on the Devourer, and he fled deeper into the Rift. Battling through the nightmares and the twisted creatures that pursued him, Xesh found that his lightning had no effect on the beasts. This caused his mind to flash back to the fight with Isk years earlier and how Force Hounds were trained to fight on and with any weapon when the stakes were conquer or die. In the absence of his lighting, Xesh resorted to telekinesis. But when one of the creatures bit his arm, Xesh fell to the ground in pain, only to grab spines off of a nearby plant and use them as projectiles, felling all but one of the attacking creatures.
However, the beast was plucked off of Xesh by a saarl, an enormous worm-like creature that proceeded to attack Xesh after eating the smaller creature. Fortunately for Xesh, the saarl was struck by a large rock thrown by the newly-arrived Sek'nos Rath as Koda and Ryo pulled Xesh to safety. The two held back the saarl with the Force as it attacked them, but Xesh slipped away while the three Je'daii were distracted in battle, believing that they had only saved him because they sought to kill the Force Hound himself. Xesh stopped his ascension of the nearby cliffs to savor the Je'daii's fear, but Koda's anger drew his attention as she struggled to activate the Forcesaber. Xesh called for her to give him the weapon, and despite her reservations, she tossed him the blade, only for Xesh to walk away from their fight with his weapon. Xesh did not leave, however, but remained hidden at the top of the cliffs while he observed the Je'daii fight with the saarl. Xesh was confused as to why Koda and Rath did not simply sacrifice Ryo, the weakest of the three, so that they could escape, and he grew even more confused when Koda did not flee after Ryo and Rath were both knocked unconscious.
The Force Hound watched in amazement as Koda, her fear vanishing, stood strong against the saarl and drew powerfully on the light side of the Force in her desire to protect her fallen friends. Intrigued and captivated by the sensation of her power, Xesh leapt into battle and stabbed the saarl, joining Koda in the fight. Three more Je'daii—Master Quan-Jang, Ranger Hawk Ryo, and Master Rori Fenn—arrived moments later, and Fenn and Hawk Ryo joined Koda and Xesh in battling the saarl as Xesh leapt onto the saarl and stabbed it through the eye with his Forcesaber. However, Xesh was caught in a storm of energy that exploded outward from the dying saarl and spiraled up to join the Force storm overhead, and the storm began to fuel his power in the Force as the Je'daii demanded that he stand down.
Xesh refused to surrender as the storm continued to grow in power, but Master Quan-Jang, working in conjunction with the other Je'daii Temple Masters across Tython, channeled the Force through the storm and struck down Xesh with lightning, shifting the planet's balance back towards the light and causing the storm to fade. An enraged Shae Koda, believing her master Quan-Jang to now be dead, grabbed Xesh's fallen Forcesaber and prepared to execute Xesh in her anger, but when Xesh informed Koda that she should have the honor portion of his body because of her bravery, Xesh's words confused Koda and brought her to her senses, causing her to deactivate the weapon and walk away. Xesh was taken to Mahara Kesh, the Je'daii Temple of Healing, where his wounds were tended to by a healer named Calleh, though Xesh did not understand what a "healer" was or why the Je'daii did not kill him.
For the next ten days, Xesh declined all offers from the healers to help restore his shattered memory, which they attributed to the concussion he sustained in the crash of the Devourer. Tasha Ryo visited Xesh, who still couldn't comprehend why the Je'daii didn't treat him as a prisoner or kill him. Ryo helped Xesh recall fragments of his memory, but she was horrified to discover that Xesh had been without empathy since childhood, as the darkness and violence of his life had long suppressed his emotions. When asked why he helped Koda defeat the saarl, Xesh struggled to explain, but stated that he simply could not have allowed Koda's "light" to be extinguished. However, the Masters' Council of Je'daii decided that Xesh, due to his intense inner darkness, should be exiled to Tython's moon, Bogan, to meditate on the Force and restore his balance.
Rangers Ryo and Fenn escorted Xesh to Bogan in a Peacemaker-class cruiser. On the moon, Xesh was provided with a compound to reside in, received regular food deliveries, and was supervised by sentry droids. Two months after arriving on the moon, Xesh was returning to his compound after learning from a sentry droid that a food shipment was due in one week when he was suddenly attacked. Xesh found his own robes turned against him, attempting to smother him, and reality seemed to distort, leaving him without air. Reacting, Xesh connected with the stranger who had attacked him, ending the strange effects of the attack. The stranger grinned and explained that it was a mind twist—he was inside Xesh's head—and he was pleased when Xesh attacked him, as he wanted to see the Force Hound's power. Xesh pinned the man against the wall, summoning lightning to his hand to kill him, but Xesh lowered his hand when the stranger asked why the warrior had appeared to him two months ago. Realizing that the man had seen him in a vision like the Journeyers, Xesh released him and listened as he introduced himself as Daegen Lok.
When Xesh questioned the absence of Lok's cuffs, Lok used the Force to remove Xesh's cuffs and hid them under the blankets of Xesh's bed. He then took the younger warrior across the surface of the moon to a hidden cavern containing a crashed starfighter. Lok explained that he had been exiled to Bogan after experiencing a vision of a dark army wielding blades of fire, and Xesh recognized one of the carvings Lok had made in the wall as a Forcesaber. An excited Lok demanded to know if Xesh could create more Forcesabers. After Xesh admitted that he could, Lok showed him the crashed Pho-V fighter that was drained of power. To Lok's surprise, Xesh used Force lightning to restore power to the starship, fueling the ship and refilling its power cells. However, when Lok pulled Xesh away to prevent him from overloading the power cells, Xesh warned Lok to never again attempt to command him while he was using the Force. Drained from his efforts, Xesh collapsed in the ship's bunk while Lok piloted the ship and lifted off from Bogan, setting course for the crystal planet of Krev Coeur so that Xesh could find the crystals needed for the Forcesabers.
Xesh's sleep was plagued by dreams of the Devourer's crash, but he awoke to find that the ship was on fire and breaking apart as they entered the atmosphere of Krev Coeur. Lok and Xesh grabbed parachutes and leapt to safety as their ship crashed into the planet. Lok then sought out an alien named Slug who showed the two a crop of particularly valuable crystals. While Lok negotiated with Slug, Xesh surveyed the crystals and selected two that were suitable for use in the Forcesabers. However, when Lok attempted to kill Slug to eliminate a loose end, a Je'daii Ranger named Bel Zana arrived and threw Slug to safety before attempting to arrest the two fugitives. Xesh leapt into battle with the Ranger, but Lok reached into her mind and preyed on her fear of fire, using a mind twist to convince her that she was on fire.
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Initially, Xesh dismissed Lok's assault as a base and craven tactic, but suddenly, they found themselves confronted by Temple Master [Jake Fenn](/article/jake_fenn) alongside Sek'nos Rath. Xesh prepared to battle Rath, but he requested the Journeyer to withdraw, expressing no desire to kill him, while also acknowledging that their conflict would inevitably lead to Rath's demise. Rath, however, refused to yield and instead attacked Xesh, triggering a brief skirmish that concluded when Lok hurled a Bel Zana, still under mind control, off a nearby precipice, prompting Rath to leap after her to save her. With Rath seemingly perishing in his attempt to rescue Zana, Xesh and Lok made their escape, eventually arriving at the industrial planet of [Nox](/article/nox_(planet)). Through mind manipulation, Lok secured them access to the [Gratz Foundry](/article/gratz_foundry) by influencing its owner, [Gratz](/article/gratz), enabling Xesh to commence work on the Forcesabers. Meanwhile, Lok attended to his personal hygiene and procured sets of armor for both himself and Xesh. Employing alchemy and the foundry's machinery, Xesh successfully crafted two Forcesabers, meticulously tuning their crystals. Following the completion of these weapons, he acceded to Lok's request by cutting his hair and donning the newly acquired armor.
With Forcesabers now at their disposal, Lok embarked on a mission to assemble an army, leading Xesh to Skrag's Cantina. There, the Je'daii introduced Xesh to four of the [generals](/article/general-legends) serving the [Despot Queen](/article/despot_queen) [Hadiya](/article/hadiya), the figure responsible for initiating the Despot War within the Tython system twelve years prior. [Bakko](/article/bakko), [Shri-Lan](/article/shri-lan), [Gav Vannar](/article/gav_vannar), and [Ka'un Damm](/article/ka%27un_damm) immediately opened fire upon recognizing Lok, holding him accountable for Hadiya's death. However, Lok and Xesh swiftly neutralized their assailants' weapons using their Forcesabers. Lok then attempted to persuade the four to join him in raising an army to seize Tython. However, Xesh, sensing Shae Koda tracking him through the Force, interrupted Lok, alerting him to their pursuers. The pair departed the [cantina](/article/cantina-legends) just moments before Hawk Ryo's arrival, and Lok and Xesh separated to evade capture.
Much to Xesh's surprise, he found himself being hunted, with Shae Koda relentlessly pursuing him, seemingly able to anticipate his every move. Unable to elude her, Xesh came to the realization that he did not wish to engage her in combat—a sentiment unfamiliar to the Force Hound—as they traversed the streets of the [city](/article/city-legends) of [Boneyard](/article/boneyard_(nox)). Obstructing Koda's path by collapsing a stack of barrels, Xesh then leaped into a nearby garbage chute, using the Force to slow his descent, only to discover that Koda had already reached the bottom, delivering a swift kick to his jaw. As he struggled to regain his footing, Xesh cautioned her that a fight would result in her death, urging her to withdraw. However, an enraged Koda drew her swords, reproaching Xesh for betraying the trust she and Rath had placed in him, before pointing one of her swords at his throat. Xesh effortlessly deflected it with the Force, reiterating his request for the Je'daii to leave. Yet, Koda remained resolute, reminding Xesh of their past friendship with the other Journeyers.
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Xesh saves Shae Koda from the dianoga.
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Drawing his Forcesaber, Xesh made a final plea for Koda to withdraw, and the two engaged in a duel. However, after Koda managed to wound Xesh with a slice to his side, both were thrown off balance by violent tremors as the tentacles of a [dianoga](/article/dianoga-legends), a colossal sewer creature, erupted from the ground, seizing Koda. Despite his instincts urging him to let her perish, Xesh dove into the hole created by the dianoga, plunging into the murky depths of the creature's subterranean lair. Upon witnessing Koda seemingly lifeless in the dianoga's grasp, Xesh employed the Force to seize the beast's hearts, crushing them until it succumbed and released Koda. The Force Hound then pulled Koda to the surface, discovering that she was not breathing, though he detected a faint pulse. Driven by reasons he couldn't comprehend, Xesh administered air back into her lungs, and upon her revival, he took her captive, transporting her to the nearby [spaceport](/article/spaceport-legends) where he and Lok were scheduled to meet.
The pair then absconded with a ship, journeying to the planet [Shikaakwa](/article/shikaakwa), where Lok intended to persist in his efforts to amass an army. The deranged Je'daii clouded Koda's mind to ensure her cooperation as a prisoner. Lok brought Xesh and Koda to [Ryo Fortress](/article/ryo_fortress), the stronghold of [Clan Ryo](/article/clan_ryo)—one of Shikaakwa's [nine crime families](/article/nine_houses)—where Xesh was taken aback when the guard granted them entry upon Lok using a mind trick to convince him that he possessed the seal of Ryo. Xesh guided Koda as the trio proceeded to the private chambers of [Baron](/article/baron-legends) [Volnos Ryo](/article/volnos_ryo), who expressed his displeasure at seeing Lok, though Lok reminded Ryo of his assistance in infiltrating the [Despot Army](/article/despot_army) during the Despot War and assassinating Queen Hadiya.
Ryo's security droid targeted both Xesh and Lok with tracking lasers, but when the baron questioned Xesh about his allegiance to the man he "served," the enraged Force Hound used the Force to pull Ryo into the line of fire. Xesh deflected the droid's fire, destroying it and saving Ryo from certain death, making it clear that he served no one. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Sek'nos Rath, Trill, Rori Fenn, and Hawk Ryo, who demanded their surrender. Lok used the Force to collapse the chamber's ceiling and instructed Xesh to follow him with Koda as he leaped to the roof. Xesh pulled the girl along as he retreated to a shadowy area of the roof to await Sek'nos Rath, sensing his approach.
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Sek'nos Rath battles Xesh on Shikaakwa.
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Xesh informed Rath that he was pleased to see the Je'daii had survived, but Rath dismissed the comment as sarcasm and demanded Xesh's surrender. The Journeyer attempted to slam the Force Hound against the nearby wall using the Force, but Xesh responded with a flying kick to Sek'nos's jaw. As the two argued over what Rath perceived as Xesh's servitude to Lok, Xesh blasted Rath into unconsciousness with Force lightning before taking Koda with him to find Lok. As he departed, Xesh noticed Trill tending to the fallen Rath, but he failed to recognize his former brood mate due to mental blocks imposed by Skal'nas. Xesh arrived just in time to drive Hawk Ryo away from a fallen Lok, who used Ryo's distraction during the duel to summon his Forcesaber and sever Ryo's lower leg.
Hearing Ryo's cry of pain, Koda broke free from Lok's mental control and seized Ryo's Forcesaber, attacking Lok in defense of Ryo. Lok ordered Xesh to kill Koda so that he could kill Ryo, and Xesh ordered the Journeyer to surrender—but Koda berated the warrior for his continued servitude to Lok and pleaded with him to make his own choices in life. Koda's words were cut off when Lok sent the girl flying with the Force, but his proclamation that he was Xesh's master convinced Xesh of the truth of Koda's words and he turned on Lok, slicing the mad Je'daii across his chest. Lok grabbed Xesh by the throat and delved into his mind, but doing so was a mistake—Xesh's mind overwhelmed Lok, knocking him nearly unconscious and sending him to his knees. Xesh prepared to execute Lok with his Forcesaber, but Koda convinced him not to, and Xesh helped the Je'daii take Lok prisoner instead.
### Becoming a Je'daii
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Xesh duels his former Rakatan overlord, Skal'nas, on Tython.
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In the ensuing days, Xesh consented to the Je'daii's assistance in restoring his memory, hoping to glean information about the Rakata, whom the Je'daii suspected were planning an invasion of the Tython system. After evaluating Xesh's actions, the Council determined that he was ready to undergo training as a Je'daii. Xesh then commenced his training in the ways of the Balance, while the Order initiated the construction of Forcesabers in preparation for the impending conflict. Some within the Order believed that Xesh was destined to lead the Je'daii in the coming battle, and Hawk Ryo—who had shared Lok's vision of the dark army—confided in Temple Master [Ketu](/article/ketu) that in his vision, it was Xesh, not Lok, who had led the Je'daii against the dark army. However, Trill, still feigning allegiance to the Je'daii, informed Skal'nas that the Predor's memory blocks on Xesh were functioning as intended: the Force Hound remained unaware that he was, in fact, Skal'nas's spy.
Living among the Je'daii, Xesh began to realize that the Force encompassed more than just the dark side; however, when the Rakata [invaded the Tython system](/article/invasion_of_the_tython_system), Xesh found himself increasingly relying on the dark side. Xesh ambushed a group of Flesh Raiders in the swamps of Shikaakwa, and he quickly dispatched most of them. Xesh was killing the last Flesh Raider as a Force Hound arrived riding a winged creature, but Shae Koda came to Xesh's rescue atop her [rancor-dragon](/article/rancor-dragon) [Butch](/article/butch). He quickly dispatched the Force Hound but had to fall back with Lok when they were attacked by Rakatan war machines, Rakatan Annhilators. Xesh requested an air strike despite being in the battlefield and reminded Lok that the Rakatan eat their enemies. Soon, the Je'daii air squadron strafed the battlefield and destroyed the enemy's cavalry. Soon, the Rakatan force retreated due to sustained casualties, with the remaining Je'daii left to clean up the remaining Flesh Raiders.
Lok celebrated the victory over the Rakatans with the many of the Je'daii exhausted from the battle. As Trill took Rath to a bath, Xesh struggled to remember Trill and confided with Shae. Shae thanked Xesh for showing that the Forcesabers were capable to stand against the Rakata, while Xesh thanked Shae and the Je'daii for showing him the light side of the force. They almost kissed, until Shae decided to rest for the day.
At night, Xesh had a nightmare on his repressed memories of the Rakata Empire and was reminded of his duty for them. He soon was woken up by Shae, whose force bond with Xesh woke her up as well. Xesh feared his nightmare would turn him back to the Rakatan side and that he would betray the Je'daii, but Shae denied this and admitted that she was in love with him. Xesh was confused about the concept of love, due to his Rakatan past, and he admitted that being near her calmed him. He soon shared a secret, that Xesh was not his true name, and was merely designation for the Rakata to mark their slaves. He remembered his true name, Tau. Tau was the only word from his native langauge and it meant soul. Shae thanked Tau for sharing his name and kept it a secret, and they slept together for the rest of the night.
Xesh attended the war council with Rajivari and Lok, where they discussed Ryo's attempt at peace with the Rakata, under the assumption that they target Tython only. Xesh explained that it was a foolish action, as Rakata are merciless in their conquest and that those without the Force will most likely be food. Soon, Tasha saw another force vision of the future regarding the fortress falling. While the Je'daii couldn't fight a war of attrition, Xesh offered a solution, to kill the Predor Skal'nas, as killing the leader would cause chaos in the invasion hierarchy with the Sub-Predor fighting for power, Xesh offered to use Force to find Skal'nas location in Ska Groa. He located the Predor in the Valley of Kraau and he prepared a Je'daii strike force. However, the Rakata ambushed and captured many of the Je'daii. Xesh fought the attacking Flesh Raiders using Force Lightning, and he reminded himself that he fought for his home and friends, along with his connection with Shae. He caught Trill using the Force to detect him and her attempt to attack him. He stopped her and interrogated her, with her stating that she thought he was a Flesh Raider. He entered the cave where the Flesh Raiders came from, with Trill wanting to come with Xesh. Eventually, they found the Force battery with the captured Je'daiis. Trill revealed her true nature and knocked out Xesh.
Soon, Xesh's memories were returned to him by Skal'nas, who demanded Xesh return to serve the Rakata. Xesh argued that there was the light side of the force and balance. His Predor cruely reminded Xesh of his duty for the Rakatan Empire. Out of fear that the Je'daii would never accept him with his newfound atrocities, he returned to the dark side and began to serve under Skal'nas. Xesh then attended Lok's interrogation about the chasm below Anil Kesh, along with the vision. He used a mind trick to force Lok to remember his vision of the chasm and he confirm edthe legends of the Infinity Gate. Then, the Predor used the Force Hounds as conduits to blind the Force Seers, giving them an advantage in their invasion.
Xesh became Skal'nas' personal Force Hound, replacing Trill. He followed his master along with Lok to the chasm with Xesh, reminding the begging Lok that everything will be under the Rakatan rule. They arrived in the chasm, proceeded to the Infinity Gate in Tython, leaving behind the chained Lok. As they arrived at the Infinity Gate, Tau could hear Shae through the force bond. Shae and Lok arrived at the gate, with Shae dueling Xesh while Lok dueled Skal'nas. Xesh told Shae to flee the battle, and Shae reminded Xesh that his mind was in conflict. Xesh expressed his guilt for destroying the world, and told her that he was nothing more than a Force Hound. Shae argued that Tau's feelings for her were true, and that he embraced the light side of the Force, and she tried to convince Xesh to embrace his identity as Tau. Shae gave a choice to be Xesh: To be a Force Hound, or Tau, a free man. However, the Predor managed to open the Gate, which interrupted the duel. Xesh begged Shae to surrender, or else she would die. She instead chose to forgive Xesh for his crimes, for he will forgive himself, as they get closer. Skal'nas attacked Shae from behind, and dismissed the Je'daii beliefs. Tau turned against his master and dueled with him. During the duel, the Thor Yor destroyed the Gate, destroying the Predor's ambition, with Tau killing him in the process. He cast aside his former identity as Xesh and became Tau. Then, he managed to escape the collapsing gate, along with Shae and Lok.
After the war with the Infinite Empire, Tau and Shae were allowed to explore Tython, starting from the Silent Desert. He expressed his surprise that the masters allowed him to return to the Je'daii Order.
## Personality and traits
A Human of fair complexion, characterized by black hair and blue eyes, Xesh had endured enslavement under the Rakata since childhood, possessing no recollection of his original name. He and his fellow brood members were identified solely by the letter branded upon them. In Xesh's instance, the Aurebesh letter Xesh was tattooed in purple ink upon his forehead, back, upper arms, and legs. This mark served as an indicator of his status as a Force Hound of the Rakata, enabling his masters to identify his limbs and body should he perish in combat. His physique bore the scars of countless battles within the [Arena of Byss](/article/arena_of_byss), manifested as dozens of cuts and scars. During his two-month sojourn on Bogan, Xesh's hair and facial hair grew long, but he later shaved his face and trimmed his hair on Nox, also donning a custom-made suit of armor reminiscent of his Force Hound attire.
<InsImage
src="https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/8/8f/TulkarXeshForcesaber-ThePrisonerOfBogan2.png"
alt="Xesh, as a child, is ordered by Tulkar to kill Trill."
alignment="right"
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Xesh, as a child, is ordered by Tul'kar to kill Trill.
</InsImage>
As a youth, Xesh found solace and protection in Trill, an older slave who served as a surrogate sister, defending him from their pack leader, Yirt. The two forged a strong bond, with Trill offering comfort to Xesh in times of distress. As they matured, they made blood oaths to protect one another and never to inflict harm upon each other. However, Predor Tul'kar, for his own amusement, orchestrated a confrontation between the two, resulting in Xesh's victory and subsequent order to kill Trill. To spare Trill's life, he proposed that she be given to Predor Skal'nas as a Force Hound, but Trill perceived this decision as a betrayal. She would gladly die for him, and Xesh did not look back as he left the chamber despite her calling his name. From that moment forward, Xesh's existence was characterized by profound loneliness, confined to the barbaric and merciless culture of the Rakata. As his masters practiced cannibalism, Xesh initially assumed the same of the powerful warriors he encountered on Tython, only to be surprised by their different behavior.
The dark side represented the sole aspect of the Force known to Xesh, and his life was dominated by the anger and hatred that fueled the machines of his Rakata masters. Xesh believed that the rules of the arena governed all aspects of life: survival necessitated fighting with any available means, and mercy was a weakness deserving of death. However, witnessing Shae Koda's unwavering dedication to saving her friends and her demonstration of the light side of the Force sparked Xesh's fascination with the light she embodied. Though he couldn't articulate why, he felt compelled to protect her light from being extinguished. Following his defeat, he was perplexed by the Je'daii healers' requests to restore his shattered memory, as he assumed that as the victors, they were entitled to do whatever they pleased with him, irrespective of his consent.
Xesh disapproved of Daegen Lok's reliance on mental manipulation during their journey across the Tython system, considering such tactics beneath true warriors. He made it clear to Lok that the deranged Je'daii should never attempt to command him or his use of the Force. During his encounters with Sek'nos Rath and Shae Koda on Krev Coeur and Nox, he implored them to withdraw, as his only mode of combat was to the death, and he harbored no desire to harm those who had saved him and considered him a friend. Xesh recognized that he should have allowed the dianoga who attacked Shae Koda to kill the girl, but the Force Hound was unable to let her die—he saved her from drowning and breathed life back into the unconscious girl for reasons he could not understand.
On Shikaakwa, Xesh felt uneasy with Lok's manipulation of Koda's mind, and by that time Xesh had become determined never to be a slave again: Volnos Ryo's reference to him as Lok's servant enraged the warrior, and Rath and Koda were able to convince Xesh during their later fight that he could be more than just Lok's subordinate. Refusing to be the slave of Lok or anyone else ever again, Xesh turned on the mad Je'daii, and the darkness and pain within Xesh's mind was so strong that Daegen Lok was nearly knocked unconscious. After Shikaakwa, Xesh accepted the Je'daii's offer of training so that he could be brought into balance and help them fight the coming armies of the Rakata.
## Powers and abilities
<InsImage
src="https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/9/98/XeshForceLightning-ThePrisonerOfBogan5.png"
alt="Xesh uses Force lightning against Seknos Rath."
alignment="left"
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Xesh uses Force lightning against Sek'nos Rath.
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Xesh possessed exceptional Force sensitivity, having undergone dark side training from childhood under the tutelage of his Rakata masters. Tul'kar regarded Xesh as the most skilled among the Force Hounds, and Xesh proved to be a formidable combatant in both unarmed engagements and swordplay. Within the arena on Byss, Xesh cultivated a potent survival instinct, mastering the art of utilizing any and all available resources as weapons. He exhibited particular proficiency in telekinesis, employing the Force to manipulate his surroundings during battles and in everyday activities.
During Trill's attack on Byss, Xesh successfully disarmed and defeated her solely through telekinesis. He favored the use of Force lightning in combat, capable of both generating and redirecting lightning against his adversaries. He even employed Force lightning to restore power to the depleted fuel cells of the Shikaakwan fighter on Bogan. The Force Hound held a low opinion of Force powers involving mental manipulation, considering them unworthy of true warriors. However, he managed to resist Daegen Lok's influence, aided by Lok's unpreparedness for the darkness and pain that resided within the Force Hound's mind.
## Behind the scenes
Xesh's creation is attributed to [John Ostrander](/article/john_ostrander) and [Jan Duursema](/article/jan_duursema), who conceived him for their [comic series](/article/star_wars_comic_books) _Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi_. This series unfolds nearly 26,000 years before [Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope](/article/star_wars:_episode_iv_a_new_hope), chronicling the events that paved the way for the establishment of the [Jedi Order](/article/jedi_order-legends). Xesh's initial mention occurred in _Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi 0_, a preview issue preceding the releases on [February 1](/article/february_1), [2012](/article/2012). He has since appeared in all fifteen issues spanning the series' three arcs: [Force Storm](/article/star_wars:_dawn_of_the_jedi:_force_storm), [The Prisoner of Bogan](/article/star_wars:_dawn_of_the_jedi:_the_prisoner_of_bogan), and [Force War](/article/star_wars:_dawn_of_the_jedi:_force_war). Additionally, Xesh made a brief appearance in _Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void_, a tie-in novel associated with the series.
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