Vodo-Siosk Baas

Vodo-Siosk Baas, a Krevaaki male Jedi Master from his species's homeworld of Krevas, dedicated centuries to serving both the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic leading up to the Old Sith Wars. Baas, a respected teacher and formidable warrior, committed himself to preparing future generations of Jedi Knights to combat the inevitable return of threats wielding the power of the dark side. As a historian deeply familiar with the history of the ancient Sith, Baas recorded much of his knowledge in the Tedryn Holocron, a Jedi heirloom created by the ancient Jedi Master Tedryn. By 4000 BBY, the Krevaaki Master had begun instructing apprentices at the Jedi training center on the world of Ossus. Baas's teaching involved exploring the Force and its application, as well as creating and refining proficiency with the Jedi lightsaber. He became the Master of several promising young apprentices, including Dace Diath, a young Human male from Tatooine; Qrrrl Toq, the Nazzar Crown Prince; and Shoaneb Culu, a timid, Force-sighted Miraluka girl. While Diath had previously received training from his father, a renowned Jedi Master named Sidrona Diath, and Toq had been a disciplined philosopher among his people, Baas sensed misgivings in Culu, whose limited ability with the Force had somewhat diminished her dream of bringing the Jedi arts back to her homeworld of Alpheridies. Initially disturbed by the young girl's passion for knowledge, Baas soon realized that her desire for enlightenment was genuine, so he dedicated many hours each day to private instruction with her. Although her ability to command the Force was less than that of her peers, Culu achieved an unmatched understanding of its nature and became more knowledgeable in the lore of ancient Jedi through Vodo-Siosk Baas's instruction.

That same year, centuries of civil war on Onderon, an Inner Rim world that had been under the influence of the dark side since its subjugation by a Dark Lord of the Sith named Freedon Nadd, ended with the intervention of Jedi Knights led by the Arkanian Master Arca Jeth. The planet remained plagued by terrorism in the following two years of relative peace, as remnants of the defeated regime continued to disrupt efforts to restore planetary civilization and stability. By 3998 BBY, worshipers of the dark side had once again risen to prominence on Onderon, and many Jedi came to Ossus as the Order sought to gather their forces against the new Sith threat. Baas met with Thon, a Tchuukthai Master, and took on his apprentice, Nomi Sunrider, to guide her in creating her own lightsaber. Upon their first meeting, Baas sensed that the Force was strong with the young woman, whose late husband he had known, and he also sensed great potential in her infant daughter. He introduced Sunrider to Shoaneb Culu, who had also reached the next level in her training but had further damaged the already flawed lightsaber crystal she had intended to use to focus her weapon. Sunrider offered one of her many pontites, crystals that Baas recognized as the rarest of specimens. Over the course of a week, Baas observed as Dace Diath, Culu, Sunrider, and others fine-tuned their individual designs until each had created a fully functional lightsaber for battle.

Tensions on Onderon escalated into open warfare when Jeth was captured by the planet's sorcerer-king, Ommin, and the revealed Sith spirit of Freedon Nadd himself. In response, a convocation of Jedi was called on Ossus to plan a rescue mission for their beleaguered comrades on the other side of the galaxy. Of all the volunteers, five were chosen: Kith Kark, the Gotal, Dace Diath, Shoaneb Culu, Nomi Sunrider, and Qrrrl Toq. Before their departure, Baas spoke with Culu privately, expressing his doubts about her confidence in her abilities to serve effectively on Onderon. When she calmly replied that she believed the Force was guiding her toward something important, Baas gave her his blessing. Baas's students successfully completed their mission and permanently removed the dark side's influence from the planet. Around the same time, Baas interviewed a young woman named Krynda Hulis, whom he later accepted as an apprentice. With both Human and Miraluka lineage, Hulis demonstrated exceptional powers of prognostication, and the Krevaaki Master often referred to her as the "eyes of the Jedi."

Following the events on Onderon, Baas became more vigilant in his efforts to prevent the Sith's resurgence, recording the history of the fallen Jedi-turned-Dark Lord Nadd in his holocron, which was only intended for access by fellow Jedi Masters. He had since moved to the barren world of Dantooine, where he agreed to serve as the system's Jedi Watchman, although he occasionally returned to Ossus. In a dilapidated training compound that had been abandoned long before Baas's arrival, he established a new environment for students to learn the ways of the Jedi from him. Only those destined for Knighthood were trained at the Dantooine academy, and among Baas's new pupils were the Cathar mates Crado and Sylvar, and Exar Kun, a remarkable young Human with exceptional talent in both the Force and with the lightsaber. Baas relentlessly trained them, and Kun, whom Baas quickly recognized as the greatest student he had ever had, regularly outperformed his classmates in practice combat. Baas noticed that the young Human had developed an arrogance and a thirst for forbidden knowledge. On one occasion, Kun took the Tedryn Holocron and immersed himself in stories of Freedon Nadd and his fall to the dark side. Baas confiscated the device and admonished his curious student, who believed that his superior skill in all areas made him eligible for such closely guarded knowledge. The Krevaaki Master rebuked Kun's haughtiness and instructed him to prove his claims in another lightsaber combat practice session against Crado and Sylvar.

Kun dominated his Cathar opponents from the start of their bout, especially Crado. He then faced Sylvar, with whom he seemed evenly matched until she slashed his face in a fit of rage. Kun retaliated, but Baas intervened and challenged his apprentice, who thought so highly of himself, to prove his skill against a Master. Armed with a utilitarian quarterstaff that belied its Force-augmented strength, the Krevaaki Jedi easily humiliated his overconfident student. Kun then retrieved the defeated Crado's lightsaber to reengage the Jedi Master. Overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of blades wielded in tandem, Baas was quickly defeated by Kun, his staff broken in two. It was then that he sensed a subtle darkness within Kun, which he believed even the young man was unaware of.

While the dark side had been defeated on Onderon, many Sith artifacts escaped the Inner Rim, taken by individuals eager to continue practicing Sith magic elsewhere. By 3997 BBY, the Empress Teta star system had fallen under the tyranny of the conquest-driven Krath, a cult of Sith sorcerers taught by the ghost of Freedon Nadd. Two Jedi who had served on Onderon, Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider, participated in the Republic's offensive against the Krath, but the Republic forces were defeated by the Krath's Force illusions and forced to retreat. A conference of all members of the Jedi Order was organized on the planet Deneba to address the threat posed by the new Sith, during which they were to discuss an age-old prophecy that spoke of the return of the Dark Lords of the Sith. Baas answered the summons, accompanied by Crado and Sylvar, but not Exar Kun, who had abandoned his apprenticeship to pursue long-forgotten Sith lore.

As Baas's courier vessel approached Deneba, an intense wave of agony passed through the Force, which the aged Master recognized as indicative of Kun's fall to the dark side. He relinquished control of the vessel to Crado and Sylvar as he attempted to surround his wayward pupil with protective light side energy, only to be attacked by the malicious presence of Freedon Nadd, whose spirit had seduced Kun and lashed out at Baas with a potent blast of hatred. Powerless against the Sith spirit's influence over his student, Baas refrained from further attempts to assist Kun as he and the two Cathar made their way planetside. They arrived shortly after a recess had been called, and Baas approached Knights Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma to inquire about the whereabouts of their own Master, Arca Jeth. However, the assembly was ambushed shortly thereafter by an army of Krath war droids accompanied by planetside servant droids that had been secretly reprogrammed by the subterfuge of Krath warlord and Tetan Emperor, Satal Keto. The automatons were ultimately destroyed, but not before the Jedi ranks suffered casualties, including Jeth. In the battle's aftermath, Baas recorded the day's events in his holocron, as well as details provided by Cay Qel-Droma about the origins of the Krath's war droids.

Grief-stricken by the loss of his former Master, Ulic Qel-Droma was determined to infiltrate the Krath in hopes of destroying them from within, despite the warnings of Baas and the conference of Jedi Masters that gathered after the massacre on Deneba. The Krevaaki Jedi was among those worried about the smoldering anger within Qel-Droma, emotions that Baas had once identified in his own former student–turned–Dark Jedi Exar Kun, emotions he knew led dangerously close to the dark side. Because of the perceived folly in Qel-Droma's plan, Baas, on behalf of the Jedi Assembly, denied the young Human permission to undertake such a dangerous mission. The insubordinate Qel-Droma declared his intention to carry out his plan, regardless of the orders of the Jedi leadership. Unable to sway the determined Knight, Baas offered his blessing before he and the Masters departed for Ossus to develop a strategy against the Sith threat.

Qel-Droma carried out his mission, and over the next several months, Baas and the other Masters of the Jedi Assembly gathered each day in communal meditation on the Force. The months passed without any report of Qel-Droma's progress before a team of Knights ventured to the Tetan capital world to extract him. Their mission failed, as Qel-Droma had been seduced by the very dark side he had desired to conquer, exactly as Baas had predicted. The repelled Knights returned to Ossus for guidance from the Jedi Assembly. While many of them felt that Qel-Droma had been beguiled by the powers of the Sith, Baas cautioned the Knights against attempting to force the Human back toward the light. They approved another rescue attempt but gave strict instructions not to extract Qel-Droma by force if he refused to leave willingly. All felt the despair of Qel-Droma and the sinister triumph of Exar Kun through the Force at that moment, and Baas immediately inferred that both men had been inextricably taken by the power of the dark side. The subsequent rescue attempt was indeed refused by Qel-Droma, who drove his comrades from Empress Teta before joining forces with Kun as the apprentice to the new Dark Lord of the Sith, with whom he conspired to take over the galaxy.

In the months that followed, the new Sith Brotherhood began consolidating their resources to prepare for war with the Jedi and the Republic. Kun traveled to Ossus to recruit for his fledgling Sith Empire, while Qel-Droma supplemented his already formidable Krath armies with the warrior clans of Mandalore the Indomitable. As raids against Republic shipyards and military installations were reported throughout the galaxy, rumors circulated about a renegade Jedi perpetrator, and the Republic's Ministry of Defense planned to address what they considered a new terrorist threat. However, the Masters of the Jedi Order on Ossus were convinced of a certain fallen Jedi's involvement. Accompanied by Knights Shoaneb Culu, Dace Diath, Tott Doneeta, Cay Qel-Droma, Nomi Sunrider, Sylvar, and Qrrrl Toq, Baas went to Coruscant, determined to convince the Galactic Senate to allow the Jedi to personally handle what they considered an internal affair. Baas met with both Supreme Chancellor Sidrona and Minister of Defense Netus, the latter of whom had just received a report from Naval Fleet Captain Orley Vanicus confirming Ulic Qel-Droma's complicity, much to the dismay of the Jedi present.

Reports indicated the Sith's impending assault targeted the shipyards located at the Kemplex Nine space station within the Cron system; consequently, the Republic Navy strategized to engage Qel-Droma's forces at that location. It became clear to Baas that Kun and Qel-Droma's actions were fulfilling an ancient prophecy that spoke of the Sith's return, so he readied himself to confront them. A battle fleet emerging suddenly from hyperspace into Coruscant's atmosphere brought his preparations to a halt: the supposed attack on Kemplex Nine had been a deception, and the Sith forces had instead attacked the galactic capital. The safety of Baas was prioritized as the Jedi Knights and Republic forces quickly organized a defense against the Mandalorian-supported Krath invaders. However, the Krevaaki Master, having foreseen that the battle's outcome hinged on events within the war room, hastened to the planetary Command Center. The Jedi fought their way into the war room, discovering Qel-Droma using the Force to manipulate unwilling Republic soldiers into serving him. With Baas and Nomi Sunrider leading the charge, the Jedi imprisoned the Sith Lord within a temporary wall of light, a technique that cut off a dark-side Force-user from their power. Qel-Droma was subsequently taken into Republic custody to face trial for his offenses against sapient life. His capture led the remaining Krath forces, under the command of the Sith sorceress Aleema Keto, to withdraw from Coruscant, leaving their warlord to the mercy of his captors.

While some Jedi remained on Coruscant to support Ulic Qel-Droma and attend his impending trial, Baas went back to Dantooine, where he pondered the events that had led to the galaxy's current state of conflict. Although Qel-Droma's actions seemed most destructive, Baas understood that Exar Kun was the true instigator of the galactic chaos, a consequence of Baas's own failure to recognize the dark intentions of his former apprentice. Before departing Dantooine for Coruscant, the Krevaaki Master reinforced his simple quarterstaff, accepting the likelihood of a final confrontation with Kun, which he believed would occur during Qel-Droma's trial.

On Coruscant, Qel-Droma, remaining unrepentant, responded to the Senate's accusations with Sith propaganda and a refusal to acknowledge the illegality of his actions, much to the dismay of the Jedi supporting him. Kun, accompanied by Mandalore the Indomitable and a group of Massassi warriors, then stormed into the Senate Hall and used a Sith spell to paralyze the gathered senators, seizing control of the proceedings. He murdered Sidrona just before Baas arrived, interrupting Kun's plan to restore a Golden Age of Sith glory to the galaxy. Ignoring the Jedi who came to his defense, Baas blocked the Sith's escape, which pleased Kun, who had foreseen the necessity of the confrontation as part of his planned elimination of the Jedi leadership. Armed only with his quarterstaff, Baas implored Kun to reject his dark side practices, but in vain; the Dark Lord ignited his lightsaber, and a fierce duel began. Realizing he was outmatched, Kun revealed a modification to his weapon, producing a blue blade from each end. The double-bladed lightsaber quickly overwhelmed the Krevaaki Jedi, and he knew his end was near. Vowing to return one day and defeat Kun, he became one with the Force as the Dark Lord delivered the killing blow. The Jedi mourned his death on the Senate Hall floor before the powerless masses, as the Sith left to continue their campaign of galactic domination.

The dark side's power fueled Kun's war effort as he sought to destroy the Republic and establish his tyrannical Sith Empire. He was ultimately betrayed by Qel-Droma, who led the combined forces of the Jedi Order and Republic Navy against Kun's stronghold on Yavin 4, where the Dark Lord, defeated, bound his spirit to the walls of his temple. Of Baas's apprentices who survived the Great Sith War, Sylvar became famous on her homeworld, while Nomi Sunrider's name became legendary throughout the galaxy. The Sith's atrocities were largely blamed on Baas's failure to prevent Kun's fall to the dark side. One of his students, the seer Krynda Draay, who suffered greatly in the war, dedicated herself to the same vigilance as her Master against the resurgence of the dark side. A statue of Baas was erected in his honor on the grounds of her estate, which housed a secret covenant of Jedi, organized by Draay and tasked with watching for any sign of the Sith's return. One of the Covenant's many groups of diviners, "WatchCircle Vodo," was named after the late Krevaaki Jedi Master. However, the Covenant's mission was flawed from the start, as one of its founders was a Sith in disguise, whose secret schemes nearly led to the Jedi Order's destruction from within.

Baas's academy on Dantooine was reestablished as a prominent center for Jedi learning in the years leading up to, during, and after the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars, and his philosophies endured for millennia through recordings in the Tedryn Holocron, of which he was one of many interactive gatekeepers. A descendant of his, Bodo Baas, also practiced and mastered the Jedi arts, storing much of his knowledge and gatekeeper simulacrum in the Tedryn Holocron, like his ancestor. By 11 ABY, Baas's teachings were crucial to the curriculum of Master Luke Skywalker's newly founded Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Interaction with his gatekeeper likeness was brief, however, as the Sith spirit of Exar Kun destroyed the holocron and corrupted several of Skywalker's apprentices before attacking the Jedi Master himself. Skywalker's students ultimately defeated Kun with help from Baas, whose spirit joined them in creating a wall of light that shattered the Dark Lord's ghost and banished him from Yavin 4 forever. A ballad about the Krevaaki Master's struggles and achievements was later written by Jedi historian Tionne Solusar, who used it as a training lesson for Skywalker's next generation of Jedi Initiates.

Vodo-Siosk Baas was an elderly Krevaaki male, somewhat flat-footed, with a deep-red, slightly speckled exoskeleton. He once possessed wispy dark gray hair, but it was entirely gone by the time Dantooine became his primary residence. His large, black eyes were particularly expressive when he was sorrowfully reflecting. Baas sometimes wrapped his hands in bandages, but not always. Although he occasionally went without clothing, Baas often wore attire reminiscent of traditional Jedi apparel: a dark brown robe, embroidered around the shoulders and adorned with loose-hanging straps attached to metal rings and buckles, worn over a full-length, long-sleeved, sand-colored tunic, all designed to accommodate his species' unique physiology. In his later years, he used a wooden quarterstaff to support his aged frame, but he remained surprisingly spry for someone of his advanced age. While Baas dismissed such concerns, his age often prompted younger Jedi Knights to defend him in dangerous situations.

Vodo-Siosk Baas was a devout warrior in his fight against the forces of the dark side, regardless of their form. His commitment to the Jedi way extended beyond direct conflict with the enemy to preparing future Knights for the dark times he believed were inevitable. The speed with which the Krath caused galactic chaos greatly dismayed him, but he quickly recognized that Ulic Qel-Droma's vengeful ambition was less influential than Exar Kun's insatiable desire for chaos. Kun's deliberate turn to the Sith troubled Baas deeply, and he felt considerable guilt for his failure to adequately train what he considered an inadequately trained apprentice, a blame others also placed on him. Still, he felt compelled to help Kun, which Freedon Nadd considered foolish naiveté. Baas took full responsibility for ending the threat posed by his fallen apprentice and accepted whatever outcome resulted from their confrontation. His experience with Kun gave him a deeper understanding of the dark side's seductive nature, and he recorded his findings in the Tedryn Holocron so that future generations could learn from them.

Baas firmly believed in the importance of lifelong, continuous training for a Jedi Knight, and he readily shared wisdom with both the curious and the uninterested, without discrimination. He was so respected that other Masters often sent their apprentices to him for further instruction, and Baas was frequently seen surrounded by actively engaged students. He was deeply attuned to the emotions of others: he offered comfort and reassurance to those who were dejected or doubtful, swiftly admonished overconfidence in those with great potential, and misunderstood—and pitied—darkness and emptiness. His wisdom, gained from a distinguished career spanning centuries, earned him the respect of Jedi young and old. By the time of the Great Sith War, he was a vocal and influential member of the loosely organized Jedi Assembly of great Masters, and his advice was often sought on important matters.

Vodo-Siosk Baas was a skilled Jedi Master with a broad Force sense, which he used in a variety of ways, from making quick character assessments to perceiving impressions of despair in distant places. Preferring non-aggressive Force techniques in combat, Baas often used abilities ranging from disarming telekinetic maneuvers to walls of light side energy that severed another being's connection to the Force. Baas possessed farsight, focused resolve augmentation, bursts of incredible speed, and Force-empowered battle meditation. After his death, he gained the ability to appear in spirit form. A true scholar, Baas was intimately familiar with the lore and histories of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order, and the Sith, much of which he recorded in several holocrons. In addition to his numerous Force talents, the Krevaaki Master was fluent in Galactic Basic Standard, the Vultan native tongue, Tchuukthese, and Kreva, his species' language, which he could also write.

As a Jedi Guardian, Baas's primary skills were in combat. His reflexes were exceptional; his six tentacles used for locomotion allowed him to perform highly acrobatic maneuvers and recoveries, while the two appendages that served as arms struck targets with blinding speed. His unparalleled knowledge of armed combat earned him recognition as a consummate weapon handler and expert lightsaber craftsman, and he often instructed aspiring Jedi in both the weapon's construction and use. Despite his reputation as the greatest of a formidable fighting species and his legendary status as a duelist, Baas was one of the few known Jedi who preferred not to carry or wield a lightsaber. Instead, he used a long wooden quarterstaff ambidextrously, imbuing it with the Force when combat was necessary. Able to shatter stones and withstand repeated strikes from a lightsaber blade, Baas's quarterstaff served him well in combat, allowing him to disarm underestimating opponents, such as the inexperienced Exar Kun, whom Baas also made unsure and clumsy through superior speed and skill. However, his staff broke under Kun's relentless Jar'Kai attacks, and Baas's unfamiliarity with the Dark Lord's double-bladed lightsaber led to his ineffective use of his own weapon, resulting in the Jedi Master's death.

Vodo-Siosk Baas first appeared as a holocron gatekeeper in Dark Apprentice, the second novel in Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Academy Trilogy, released in July 1994. A month later, Baas appeared as a supporting character in the first of two issues comprising the Freedon Nadd Uprising comic book story arc. Written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Tony Akins, the comic marked the character's first and only appearance with hair. Champions of the Force, the third novel in Anderson's Jedi Academy Trilogy, was released in September of that year and featured Baas's spirit in a minor role. Baas remained a primary character throughout the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi comic series. The Dark Lords of the Sith story arc, a collaboration between Veitch and Anderson, portrayed Baas as a significant figure in Exar Kun's backstory, a character who debuted in Anderson's Jedi Search novel. For the 1995 release of Jedi Assault, the final issue of Dark Lords of the Sith, Baas was drawn by Art Wetherell, a departure from Chris Gossett's illustrations in the previous five issues. That same year, Baas was featured in Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 1, an article in the twenty-sixth issue of Star Wars Insider. The second and third issues of Anderson's subsequent Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi – The Sith War story arc were Vodo-Siosk Baas's final appearances as a living character, with his likeness rendered by veteran Star Wars artist Dario Carrasco, Jr.

In July 1997, Baas was included in John Whitman's audio adaptation of Dark Lords of the Sith, though the voice actor was uncredited. Minor changes were made between versions, including Baas already being present on Deneba when he attempted to assist Exar Kun, contradicting Tales of the Jedi – Dark Lords of the Sith 3, which depicted the confrontation occurring while he was still aboard his courier ship. Additionally, in the audio version, Baas assumed all of the dialogue of the character Thon, who was absent. Aside from works in which he appeared, Baas was mentioned throughout the rest of The Sith War comic series. He was referenced in issues six, nine, eighteen, and thirty-three of the Knights of the Old Republic comic series and appeared through other means, though not alive, in the thirty-second and forty-seventh issues. He also received minor mentions in the stories Knight Errant, The Ruins of Dantooine, Firestorm, I, Jedi, and Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force, in which a song about him is sung.

Baas's relationships with several other characters from his initial Freedon Nadd Uprising appearance were expanded upon in the Tales of the Jedi Companion Star Wars Roleplaying Game sourcebook by West End Games. The Power of the Jedi Sourcebook and the Ultimate Alien Anthology provided significant details about the physical composition of Baas and his species, which were later expanded upon by the Jedi Academy Training Manual. In addition to being included in various source and reference books, Baas received brief acknowledgments in several issues of The Official Star Wars Fact File and mentions in the StarWars.com Databank entries for Dantooine and Exar Kun. He was featured in the Star Wars Encyclopedia and its updated version, the latter of which incorrectly stated that he created the Tedryn Holocron. A mini-statue of Baas was also included in the Jedi Academy set of Star Wars Miniatures.