Asajj Ventress

"Oh, I have a story all right. Quite a lot of stories, actually. But none of them end well."

- Asajj Ventress, to Quinlan Vos

Asajj Ventress was a Dathomirian female who, at various points throughout her life, was a Jedi Padawan, a Sith apprentice, a Nightsister, and a bounty hunter. Born into Mother Talzin's clan of Nightsisters on Dathomir, Ventress was relinquished during infancy to Hal'Sted, a criminal who was menacing her clan. She was raised as a slave on Rattatak, but after Hal'Sted perished in a pirate raid, Jedi Knight Ky Narec found her and took her as his Padawan, educating her in the ways of the Force. For ten years they protected the people of Rattatak, culminating in Narec's death during a pirate attack. Bereft of guidance, Ventress embraced the dark side of the Force, deposing the local warlords and ruling in their stead. In that state, she fell under the guidance of the Sith Lord Count Dooku, to whom she was apprenticed. As an enforcer for Dooku's separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems, she became embroiled in the intergalactic Clone Wars against the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order.

As Dooku's most trusted assassin, Ventress frequently crossed sabers with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, as well as the latter's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, developing an acute enmity with the Jedi. She also became rivals with another Confederate agent, General Grievous, particularly during a joint assault on Kamino that they oversaw. All the while, she was forced to prove her allegiance and abilities to Dooku, who&mdash;much to her chagrin&mdash;refrained from fully immersing her in the teachings of the Sith. Her hopes of becoming a true Sith were shattered when Dooku betrayed her at the Battle of Sullust as an act of loyalty to his own Master, Darth Sidious. Left to die, Ventress limped back to Dathomir, where she and Mother Talzin concocted a scheme to exact revenge on Dooku. Ventress handpicked the Nightbrother Savage Opress and forced him to aid her in a confrontation with Dooku, but Opress overcame her spell of control, costing her a potential victory and instead forcing her to flee.

After devoting time to self-reflection, Ventress returned home to Dathomir and resolved to be baptized as a full-fledged Nightsister, the same day that Dooku sent Grievous to wreak his vengeance on the Nightsisters. Save for Talzin, Ventress was the sole survivor of the ensuing slaughter, which left her more broken and lost than ever. She embarked into the realm of bounty hunting, temporarily joining the adolescent Boba Fett's syndicate of mercenaries for a job on Quarzite. Her work led her into an encounter with Opress and his brother, Darth Maul, during which she rescued a captive Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Sith brothers. Another unexpected alliance presented itself in the form of Ahsoka Tano, who had been framed for murder and was on the run in the Coruscant underworld. Despite intending to claim the Republic bounty on Tano, Ventress ended up aiding the fugitive Padawan&mdash;in the process losing her trademark lightsabers to Barriss Offee, the Jedi responsible for Tano's alleged crimes.

Ventress later entered into a partnership with Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, whom the Jedi Council had assigned to assassinate Dooku. Though she and Vos became lovers, Dooku defeated his would-be murderers with the aid of Grievous, and Ventress narrowly escaped. She worked with Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to rescue Vos from Dooku, and the Jedi Council in turn pardoned her for her crimes. Yet, she believed that Vos had not broken free of the dark side during his months of torture at Dooku's hands, and though Vos convinced her otherwise, she was correct: Vos had become a Dark Lord of the Sith. Matters came to a head on Christophsis, where Vos compelled Ventress to help Dooku evade being executed by the Jedi. When Dooku attacked Vos, Ventress shielded him from Dooku's barrage of Force lightning, an act that claimed her life and caused Vos to finally renounce the dark side. He and Kenobi brought her body back to Dathomir, where they laid her to rest in the waters of her clan's village.

Early life
"I remember the day we were forced to give you up in order to protect the clan. Your sacrifice has never been forgotten."

- Mother Talzin

Ventress was born to a member of the Nightsisters of Dathomir. When she was still an infant she was given to a criminal named Hal'Sted as part of an agreement to ensure the survival of the Nightsisters clan. Ventress lived as a slave to Hal'Sted, though she would later regard him as a "surprisingly kind master." When she was still a child, Hal'Stad was killed on Rattatak during a conflict with the Weequays. Ventress used the Force to push aside a Weequay about to fire on a stranded Jedi present during the conflict. The Jedi, whose name was Ky Narec, chose to make her his Padawan, and the two of them spent the next ten years helping the people of Rattatak.

During one another skirmish with Weequays Narec was shot and killed by a sniper. Consumed by grief and hatred, Ventress took his lightsaber and killed the sniper. Ventress vowed vengeance, and killed the warlords responsible to become the new ruler of the planet. This led her on the path to the dark side, and as an adult she was found and recruited by Dooku to become his enforcer, and an apprentice with whom he would overthrow his master, Darth Sidious.

In Dooku's service
"I don't fear you, Jedi!''" "''Strong you are with the dark side, young one&hellip; but not that strong."

- Ventress and Yoda

At the time of the Battle of Christophsis. Ventress was sent to the crystalline planet to gather intel from a traitor among the clone ranks. After luring Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to her location, the three engaged in a brief duel. Ventress ended the duel by jumping out the window and landing on her ship and flying away. Ventress's real mission was to kidnap the son of Jabba the Hutt.

Ventress went to Tatooine and snatched up the Huttlet. She took him to Teth. Once there, she contacted her master, who told her to stay there and that the Jedi must not get the child, because they planned on blaming the kidnapping on the Jedi. After Republic forces stormed the monastery, she met Anakin and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano. They gave chase but quickly escaped. Not too long after, Obi-Wan Kenobi dueled her around the monastery to keep her occupied and allowed Tano and Skywalker to escape with Rotta.

Some time later, Ventress was tasked with setting up an agreement between the CIS and the Toydarians. Soon after arriving on the moon, Jedi Master Yoda was making his way to also have a meeting with King Katuunko. After spotting the shuttle, Ventress had it shot down. Ventress made a bet with the king that if Yoda could not defeat her battle droids and be there by sun down then he would join Dooku.

After several failed attempts at killing the Jedi Master, Ventress became increasingly angry. She informed Dooku of her failure to which he was most displeased. Angry at her failure and on orders from her master, she attempted to kill Katuunko. Right at the last minute he was saved by Yoda, stopping Ventress's blade from slicing his head off. Yoda took her sabers from her, telling her she was not strong enough with the dark side to be of any threat then gave them back. She then left angry at her failure and awaiting further orders from Dooku.

After the Republic had captured Nute Gunray, Dooku sent Ventress to "take care of" Gunray. Ventress led an assault on the ''Tranquility. ''She was able to sneak aboard the ship. When she arrived at the cell block, she was met by Ahsoka Tano who faced her head on. After a quick duel, she escaped. Ventres went off to the power generator and planted bombs. Master Luminara Unduli engaged her there. Tano got involved after the explosion. It was revealed that there was a traitor amongst the Senate Guards that helped Gunray escape.

Later during the war, Ventress and General Grievous were assigned to attack the cloning factories of Kamino and steal the clone DNA, which would make the creation of more clones impossible for the Republic. Grievous arrived in the capital city of Tipoca with a fleet, while Ventress arrived underwater in a trident drill. Once in the city, Ventress and Grievous went over the plan- Grievous and his droids would invade the city, causing the Jedi and the clones to focus on them, while Ventress would steal the DNA undiscovered.

Ventress assured Grievous disrespectfully that she needed no help and will succeed. Indeed, she managed to steal the DNA, but was intercepted by Anakin Skywalker, leading to a lightsaber duel. Finally, Skywalker managed to retrieve the DNA, and Ventress was surrounded by clones, but she managed to escape along with Grievous in a spaceship, and the pair was forced to leave unsuccessful.

Dooku's betrayal
"You have failed me for the last time. You are no longer my apprentice. And now, you shall die."

- Dooku

However, Sidious became aware of Ventress' growing power, and ordered Dooku to kill her to prove his loyalty. While Ventress was engaging Kenobi and Skywalker in battle over Sullust, Dooku appeared via hologram to inform her that he had grown tired of her failures, and ordered the troops under her command to bombard the ship she was dueling the Jedi on to eliminate her.

Ventress escaped in her damaged starfighter. She was found unconscious inside it by a salvage team, and she commandeered their ship by Force choking the crew. Flying to Dathomir, she was welcomed by Mother Talzin, who assuaged the other Nightsisters' concern about the "stranger". Talzin learned of Ventress's experiences through the Water of Life, and offered her help in gaining revenge on Dooku. Ventress, Naa'leth and Karis underwent a ritual to become invisible, and were armed with lightsabers and poison darts to assassinate Dooku. Infiltrating his palace on Serenno, the Nightsisters fired a dart into Dooku's neck, clouding his vision, but even in a drugged state, he proved to be a formidable opponent. The assassins managed to disarm him, but Dooku simply used Force lightning to throw them through a window and over a cliff. Ventress used the Force to save her sisters, and they returned home, dejected.

Mother Talzin conceived a new plan, to provide Dooku with a new apprentice from the Nightbrothers, who would betray him to Ventress at an opportune moment. Dooku agreed to Talzin's offer, and Ventress set about selecting their agent, putting the Nightbrothers through brutal tests of strength and skill. Savage impressed her the most, and she took him to Talzin to be transformed into a hulking brute loyal only to her. She tested out her new power by having Savage kill his own brother, Feral.

Talzin took the newly christened Savage Opress to Dooku, who accepted him as his new apprentice. However, with his mind enslaved by the Nightsisters, he proved little more than a dimwitted beast. While Dooku berated him over accidentally killing King Katuunko of Toydaria, Ventress arrived on their ship and ordered Opress to help her kill him. As Dooku continually outmatched them in combat, Opress grew frustrated and Force choked both of them. Exhausted, Ventress fled in an escape pod.

After some time alone, contemplating her next course of action, Ventress returned to Dathomir, just as Dooku sent General Grievous to lead a revenge attack. The severely outnumbered Nightsisters were slaughtered: the only survivors were Ventress and Talzin, who disappeared, leaving Ventress alone and feeling uncertain once more.

Bounty hunter
"These are strange times."

- Ventress to Ahsoka Tano

Finding herself at the cantina in Mos Eisley on Tatooine, Ventress had an altercation with the bounty hunter Oked, whom she killed. His fellow bounty hunters Bossk and Latts Razzi, impressed, invited her to replace him on their mission to Quarzite. Although she was unimpressed by their leader, Boba Fett, due to his age, she agreed to join them.

Their mission was to guard a large chest to be delivered to the planet's ruler, Otua Blank via subtram. Ventress helped fend off Kage Warriors who came to steal the chest, but relented when she discovered it held a captive girl named Pluma Sodi, whom Blank had kidnapped and intended to marry. Ventress turned on her fellow bounty hunters and tied up Fett, placing him in the box instead. She delivered the chest, received her payment and left before Blank opened it, and returned Pluma to her brother, the Kage Warrior leader Krismo. She then met up with the other bounty hunters to drop off their share of the payment.

Afterwards, Ventress learned Opress had joined his brother Darth Maul in a massacre on Raydonia. Taking the bounty on Opress, Ventress flew to Raydonia, watching them capture Kenobi, and snuck aboard their Turtle Tanker. She revealed herself, and Maul ordered she be destroyed. She slipped away and reemerged to untie Kenobi, and the former enemies dueled Maul and Opress. Overwhelmed, they fled to the command module and used the escape pod before Maul and Opress cut through the airlock with their lightsabers. Ventress reemerged in the Coruscant underworld, where she donned a helmet to conceal her identity. She encountered Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker's Padawan who was on the run after being framed for murder. Ventress was going to turn her in for the bounty, but began to sympathize with her betrayal, and decided to help her find the real killer. After helping her, Ventress left, only to be knocked out by a hooded assailant, who took her lightsabers and helmet. The assailant ambushed Tano, who was then arrested by arriving clone troopers.

Subsequently, Skywalker ventured into the underworld and tracked down Ventress. She explained what happened, pointing out her lightsabers had been stolen. She noted Tano had contacted her friend Barriss Offee, leading Skywalker to find Ventress's lightsabers in her room and discovering she had framed Tano.

Attempt to assassinate Dooku
Towards the end of the Clone War the Jedi Council decided to assassinate Count Dooku to hasten the end of the war. It sent Quinlan Vos under the guise of a bounty hunter to recruit Ventress, who previously came close to killing Dooku and knew much about him, to aid him in the assassination. She soon figured out he was a Jedi, but worked with him anyway as a bounty hunter until he proposed killing Dooku and disclosed his identity. She also lied about Dooku killing Vos' former mentor Master Tholme, when she had actually been the one who killed Tholme. During their time together they fell in love and Ventress began teaching Vos to use the Dark Side without being controlled by it by taking him to her home on Dathomir. Their first attempt on Dooku ended in failure with Vos being captured.

While Dooku's prisoner, Vos learnt that it had been Ventress who killed Tholme, pushing him further into the Dark Side. Ventress teamed up with Boba Fett's syndicate to try to rescue Vos but failed. She later teamed up with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and succeeded in rescuing him. Ventress realized that he was still under the influence of the Dark Side, but the Jedi did not sense it. Vos rejoined the Jedi but was secretly sabotaging them. Vos then recruited Ventress again to finish the plan to kill Dooku. Vos' overall plan was to rescue Dooku only to be led to Darth Sidious and to kill both Sith, but that plan failed when Vos, Dooku, and Ventress crashed on Christophsis. Pursued by the Jedi, Dooku learned of Vos' plan and tried to kill him with Force lightning, but Ventress stood in the way and saved Quinlan's life, getting mortally wounded. After Dooku escaped, Ventress' sacrifice helped Vos break the dark side's grip on him completely.

Ventress died in Vos' arms, and he and Obi-Wan took her body back to Dathomir where she was laid to rest in the waters of her village.

Personality and traits
"At first I admit I was just interested in the money and a little bit of revenge, but then I realized your fallen Padawan and I had a lot in common." "How dare you compare yourself to Ahsoka." "It's true! My master abandoned me, and that's exactly what you did to her. You and your precious Jedi Order."

- Ventress, interrogated by Anakin Skywalker

As a child she was kind and caring, but became dark and brooding after the death of her master, Ky Narec. Giving into rage and resentment, she subsequently spiralled into darkness. Known to be quick to anger, Ventress could easily be infuriated, such as when her formidable lightsaber skills were described to her as those of an amateur by Luminara Unduli. Despite her quick temper, she was very cunning and swift, allowing her to outsmart most foes.

Ventress could also be vindictive and inconsiderate. After being betrayed, abandoned and nearly killed by Dooku, Ventress desired to kill him and went to the Nightsisters to find a way to defeat her former Master. She recruited Savage Opress and treated him like a slave which ultimately caused him to turn against her.

After becoming a bounty hunter, her attitude had softened somewhat, as seen when she allowed Pluma Sodi to return to her people. Likewise, she had lost interest in killing some of her former enemies, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. In fact, she rescued Kenobi from Darth Maul and Oppress, more interested in the latter's bounty reward than her previous enmity with the Jedi Master. On the other hand, she helped Tano, as she empathized with the Padawan's situation, likening it to her own with Count Dooku. She also incapacitated a group of clones without seriously harming any of them, and implied that not killing people was her new modus operandi.

Near the end of the war, as she traveled with Quinlan Vos to assassinate Count Dooku, her more compassionate and trusting side was even more strengthened - to the point of her developing a romantic attraction to him.

Powers and abilities
"She is a gifted assassin. You have my word, she will complete her mission to the letter."

- Darth Tyranus, speaking of Ventress to his master, Darth Sidious

Asajj Ventress was a master of Jar'Kai, a style she acquired after the death of her first master, Ky Narec, taking up his lightsaber alongside her own.

Under the tutelage of Count Dooku, Ventress developed a fighting style very similar to that of her master. However, her technique still was not without its flaws; notably her version was criticized by a temporarily-blinded Luminara Unduli as being "unrefined," "amateurish," and "sloppy." By the time of their duel, Ventress had already developed a physical strength to hold up simultaneous bladelocks with multiple duelists at a time, and Ahsoka Tano recognized her as "too powerful for any one Jedi to fight alone." She was even able to contend with Grievous, whom she was able to defeat.

Force powers
Though noted for her skill in physical combat, Ventress was by no means lacking in Force strength. Darth Sidious himself noted that she was powerful, and feared that Count Dooku would use her to help overthrow him as Dark Lord of the Sith.

Ventress displayed a great deal of aptitude with Force-enhanced jumps, frequently doing so during her duels. She was also skilled with telekinesis, as witnessed when she lifted Captain Rex in the air, while simultaneously choking him. Later, the Dark Jedi proved herself capable of Force choking and telekinetically levitating Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, both of whom were very powerful Jedi, at the same time. Ventress demonstrated an aptitude for using mind tricks, though Rex was able to avoid her influence when contacting Skywalker.

Other abilities
Ventress also displayed considerable skill in unarmed combat, notably being able to easily fight a group of Nightbrothers when she was looking for a suitable servant on Dathomir. Her hand-to-hand combat skills were later displayed when she fought Savage Opress and Darth Maul alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, dodging Opress's aggressive blows and striking back with a flurry of punches and kicks until Kenobi returned her lightsaber to her.

Behind the scenes
Ventress was created for the Legends animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, and reappeared in the second, canonical  The Clone Wars series, where she was voiced by Nika Futterman.

Her design comes from early Attack of the Clones brainstorming sketches by Dermot Power for the design of Palpatine's apprentice that would later become Dooku. He wanted her earlier designs to look almost as if she was a samurai. The concept art can be seen in The Art of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

The 2015 novel focusing on Ventress is based on episodes planned for the unproduced seventh season of The Clone Wars: the first illustration revealing she grew out her hair was also developed for the series. Dave Filoni explained Ventress' shaved head symbolized her loyalty to the Sith philosophy.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * Dark Disciple
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