Tera Sinube/Legends

"For a guy who moves slow, you always seem to get ahead of me.''" "''The value of moving slowly is that one can always clearly see the way ahead."

- Ahsoka Tano and Tera Sinube

Tera Sinube was a male Cosian who served the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars as a Master within and investigator for the Jedi Order. A native of the planet Cosia, Sinube had an intimate knowledge of the workings of Coruscant's criminal underworld and was regarded as an expert on the subject. Around 22 BBY, Master Sinube's services were called upon by the Togruta Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, whose lightsaber had recently been stolen from her. His and the young Jedi's quest to find her weapon initially led them to a thief named Bannamu, who had sold the lightsaber to Nack Movers, a Trandoshan criminal. They tracked Movers down only to find him dead in his apartment, and they discovered the premises to be occupied by two suspicious females: Cassie Cryar and Ione Marcy.

Sinube began to interrogate Marcy while Tano chased the fleeing Cryar, whom the Padawan discovered was now in possession of her lightsaber. When the Cosian Jedi determined that Marcy was in collusion with Cryar, he called for her arrest, but she too fled. Sinube met up with Tano shortly afterward, and together they continued the pursuit of both women. They eventually located the fugitives on a train platform. While Marcy was arrested by several nearby police droids, Cryar ran, only to be cornered by Tano on a train. Sinube then surprised Cryar just as she prepared to exit the train with two recently captured Twi'lek hostages. He swiftly disarmed her with his own lightsaber before returning the stolen lightsaber previously in Cryar's possession to its rightful owner, Ahsoka Tano.

Jedi Master
"That is Tera Sinube. He's an elder Jedi. He happens to be an expert on the Coruscant crime world."

- Jocasta Nu

Tera Sinube was a male Cosian who served as a Jedi Master in the years leading up to and during the Clone Wars. The Cosia native refrained from battle while many of his fellow Jedi actively participated in the war by leading the Grand Army of the Republic's clone troopers. Instead of engaging in field operations, he stayed on Coruscant and focused his talents on becoming an expert on the intricacies of the galactic capital's criminal underworld. During the war, Sinube had access to a detailed database that included the biographical information of many of the planet's criminals.

Around 22 BBY, the Cosian was in the Jedi Temple communication room when General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, contacted the Jedi and told them of his capture of Zabrak Master Eeth Koth. Although Sinube was present during the development and implementation of the subsequent rescue attempt, he did not participate in it; instead, Masters Adi Gallia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker volunteered for the mission.

Meeting Ahsoka Tano
"I haven't been on assignments in years, and if you don't slow down, you're not going to find what you're looking for. I'll come with you.''" "Okay, gramps. It would be&hellip;nice, to have company." "''Splendid!"

- Sinube, agrees to help Ahsoka find her lightsaber

Around that same year, Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, were on assignment in Coruscant's slum district G17 when Tano's lightsaber was stolen from her. Believing that she could find more information on the pickpocket in the Jedi Temple's archives, Tano went there and requested help from the library's administrator, Jedi Master Jocasta Nu. Nu was unable to assist Tano and instead pointed her in Tera Sinube's direction&mdash;who was also in the library and had fallen asleep at his workstation&mdash;citing the aged Cosian's expertise in Coruscant criminality. After being roused from his slumber, Master Sinube was greeted by Madame Nu, who introduced him to Tano. He listened as the Padawan explained how her lightsaber had been stolen by a being whom she assumed was of an aquatic species, and Sinube agreed to help her by searching the database for individuals who fit that description. He believed that the larcenist intended to sell the stolen weapon and, based on the young Togruta's visual identification, determined that a Patrolian named Bannamu had lifted the lightsaber from Tano's person. After thanking the Jedi Master, Tano abruptly bid him farewell as she prepared to go after the thief. Sinube feared that in her impatience, however, Tano's quest would ultimately end in failure. He decided to join Tano on her mission, embarking on his first assignment in years.

Plot thickens
"Patience, young one. You worry that if people die at the hands of your lightsaber, that you will be as guilty for their death as the one that strikes the blow. A valid concern, young one. And one for you to puzzle out."

- Tera Sinube

Sinube and Tano returned to Coruscant's underworld and began their search at the noodle shop of the Quarren Lauli Wahlo. After some preliminary questioning, Wahlo claimed to have access to a lightsaber. Sinube feigned interest in purchasing the weapon after the Quarren demanded twenty-thousand credits for it, much to Tano's outrage. Further examination by Sinube revealed that the Quarren did not actually possess the weapon but instead knew where he could obtain one. When shown a hologram of Bannamu, Wahlo and his companion, Jan Dez, realized that Sinube and Tano were Jedi, with whom they wanted no conflict. The Cosian and Togruta Jedi were then told that it was possible to find Bannamu in district G17's Spider Arms Hostel.

Performing a Jedi mind trick to bypass the Hostel's Rodian attendant, Sinube and Tano entered the establishment in search of Bannamu. Sinube sensed the Patrolian's distress and attempted to explain to the impulsive Tano that she would also be able to perceive Bannamu's anxiety if she simply stilled her mind to concentrate on the Force. The pair found the thief in one of the Hostel's private rooms and began to interrogate him regarding the whereabouts of Tano's lightsaber. Master Sinube had to intercede on Bannamu's behalf when Tano threatened to do the Patrolian bodily harm, but the thief eventually ceded to their questioning and confessed that he had given the lightsaber to the notorious Trandoshan criminal Nack Movers.

When Tera Sinube and his Padawan companion arrived at Movers' apartment, they noticed that someone had forced their way inside. Upon entry, they discovered the Trandoshan's dead body in the middle of an apparent crime scene. At that moment, a woman named Ione Marcy stepped out of the shadows and told Sinube and Tano that she had been hiding from the men who had murdered Movers. Even though she appeared to be visibly frightened by what had transpired, Master Sinube sensed that something else was troubling her. While he comforted Marcy, Tano searched the rest of the apartment and discovered Movers' assailant, a female Terellian jango jumper named Cassie Cryar, hiding in the Trandoshan's bedroom and in possession of the stolen lightsaber. Sinube was contacted via comlink by Tano, after the Padawan had set off to pursue Cryar as the thief immediately fled the apartment by leaping through the bedroom window.

Mission success
"You might have been distraught before, but ever since the intruder left your apartment, you've become even more nervous.''" "I'm upset. This whole ordeal I've just endured&hellip;it's upsetting." "Or is there a reason you might be concerned[&hellip;] You weren't afraid because you were in danger, you were afraid we would find your friend, hiding in the other room! You're in league'' with the bounty hunter!"

- Tera Sinube, confronting Ione Marcy

Sinube was surprised that Tano had encountered a female when Marcy had specifically said that Movers' attackers were men. He secretly notified the Coruscant authorities, and also discreetly affixed a small tracking device on Marcy's shoulder while he comforted her. He continued to investigate the crime scene as well and determined several inconsistencies in Marcy's story through further questioning. He surmised that Movers had been poisoned, despite Marcy's claim that several men had murdered the Trandoshan. Her increasing agitation suggested to Sinube that Marcy was indeed lying. He finally deduced that she was in collusion with Cassie Cryar and confronted the grieving woman about her involvement in Movers' death. Three police droids then entered the apartment, at which time Ione Marcy jumped through the window and fled in a remote-operated airspeeder. Perturbed by his interaction with yet another impatient individual, Master Sinube borrowed a BARC speeder from the police droids and leisurely set off after Ione Marcy.

Sinube eventually caught up with Tano, whose own pursuit of Cassie Cryar had ended in vain; the thief escaped capture and had disappeared yet again with Tano's lightsaber. Allowing the Padawan to join him on the speeder bike, Sinube continued the chase at a reduced speed, much to the chagrin of Tano, who believed that they would lose Cryar at their current pace. Sinube, after reminding Tano again to have patience, advised her that they would intercept their quarry at the train platform. Sinube's tracking device began to signal more vigorously when they arrived, and just when it seemed that they were getting closer, it abruptly stopped. At that moment, Sinube and Tano spotted the two lightsaber thieves, and Tano ordered several nearby police droids to apprehend the criminals. Ione Marcy was taken into custody, but Cassie Cryar escaped, forcing Tano to chase her onto the departing train. Tano was forced to relent after Cryar took two Twi'leks hostage under threat of the Padawan's ignited lightsaber. Sinube followed at his own stride and eventually caught up to the train at the next stop just as Cryar was preparing to make another getaway with her captives. Once the doors opened to reveal Cryar, Sinube immediately activated his own lightsaber and briefly dueled Cryar before disarming her and knocking her unconscious with the base of his cane. The Jedi Master then returned Tano's weapon to her while Cryar was placed under arrest.

Upon their return to the Jedi Temple, Master Sinube conversed with Tano as they walked the halls. Confident that she had learned the necessity of patience, Sinube had one final request of the Padawan before they parted ways: to pass on what she had learned. He then led her to a classroom of younglings, who were being instructed in the basics of lightsaber combat by Jedi Grand Master Yoda. Sinube greeted the diminutive Master and stood next to him, while Tano explained the importance of keeping track of one's own lightsaber.

Personality and traits
"A thief stole my lightsaber, and I only got a quick look at him. I could tell he definitely came from one of the aquatic planets. You know, one of the water worlds?''" "''So you're saying there was something fishy about him?"

- Master Sinube, making sport of Ahsoka Tano

Tera Sinube was a wizened Jedi Master of advanced years, who had yellow eyes, speckled brown-green skin, and white hair. He wore a slight variation of the traditional Jedi robes that accommodated his Cosian physiology enough to allow his lengthy tail to move about freely. He required a cane to support his gnarled frame and moved about at the same measured pace with which he approached every situation. With age came great patience for Sinube, who believed that taking his time allowed him to always see clearly what lay ahead. He believed that folly lay ahead for those who acted in haste, and that with ample planning such action was rarely necessary. Indeed, he valued these philosophies highly and imparted them on the younger and impetuous Ahsoka Tano, who in turn shared it with a class of Jedi younglings. Sinube also had a sense of humor and made light of Tano's misfortune by engaging in situational anecdotes.

Sinube was recognized by the Jedi Order as an expert on the inner workings of Coruscant's criminal underworld. Even the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives, Jocasta Nu, deferred to Sinube's superior experience in the subject and directed related inquiries to him when he was available. He was helpful to those who requested assistance from him and was more than happy to join Tano on her mission, as he had not been on one in years. Sinube was also old friends with Yoda and greeted him as such when visiting the diminutive Grand Master's classroom.

Powers and abilities
"May I help you?''" "We know where we're going." "''You know where you are going."

- Master Sinube successfully performs a Jedi mind trick on the Spider Arms Hostel receptionist

As he grew older, Tera Sinube undertook fewer field assignments and instead focused on familiarizing himself with Coruscant's expansive criminal database. By the time of the Clone Wars, he had not been on a mission in years and was delighted with the prospect of joining Ahsoka Tano in the quest for her stolen lightsaber. He was an observant Jedi Master who was able to glean information by reading a being's body language, and had a propensity for anticipating the actions of others. Sinube was an experienced detective who used the Force to assist him in solving crimes. This, along with his aptitude with deductive reasoning and interrogation skill, allowed him to catch Ione Marcy in several lies.

Sinube was skilled in the Force with regard to sensing the emotions of those around him. He taught Tano how to still her own mind so that she might be able to perceive Bannamu's anxiety. Sinube was also able to conjure Jedi mind tricks, successfully performing one on the receptionist at the Spider Arms Hostel.

Master Sinube was trained in lightsaber combat but the full extent of his lightsaber skills are unknown. He wielded a sabercane, one with an intricately designed handle made from Cosian wood, and an enlarged ferrule with which to provide the elderly Jedi Master increased support. Sinube only revealed the duplicity of his weapon when necessary, separating the cane and producing a blue lightsaber blade from its handle. When not in use, Sinube returned the handle to the shaft, effectively concealing his lightsaber from view. He also used his cane as a bludgeon, doing so to incapacitate Cassie Cryar.

Behind the scenes
"He's definitely a caricature of his own philosophy."

- Giancarlo Volpe, describing Tera Sinube

Tera Sinube first appeared in the ninth episode of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television series' second season, titled "Grievous Intrigue." He was later featured alongside Ahsoka Tano as the main protagonist in the eleventh episode, "Lightsaber Lost," wherein he was voiced by American actor Gregory Baldwin. While his first television appearance was on January 1st, 2010, in "Grievous Intrigue," Sinube's character was actually designed for "Lightsaber Lost," which was produced first but aired three weeks later. Also, the episode guide for "Grievous Intrigue" originally spelled Sinube's first name as "Terra." This was later changed in the online guide for "Lightsaber Lost" to "Tera."

The design for Sinube was based on an abandoned alien concept illustration for senators from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, while his personality was modeled to resemble that of an aged yet experienced samurai warrior who gets better with time. Giancarlo Volpe, the director of "Lightsaber Lost," correlated Sinube's constant reminders for Ahsoka Tano to trust her feelings to Obi-Wan Kenobi telling Luke Skywalker the same thing in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

Notes and references
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