Antarian Rangers

The Antarian Rangers were a paramilitary force established around 620 BBY to assist in the Jedi Knights.

Founded by Jedi Master Marus Timpel and Gotal Kaskutal on Antar 4, the Antarian Rangers were volunteer soldiers that aided Jedi Knights primarily in situations requiring military force, but used their diverse skills to advise and aid the Jedi in a variety of fashions. While not an official segment of the Jedi Order, the Jedi Council implicitly approved of their use by individual Jedi Knights as soldiers, spies and covert agents.

During the Clone Wars, the Antarian Rangers acted in support of the Jedi that took leadership roles in the Grand Army of the Republic. But the Antarian Rangers' ranks were thin and whole branches were destroyed in the fighting. When Palpatine began the Great Jedi Purge he deemed that supporters of the Jedi, like the Antarian Rangers, equal targets to the Jedi themselves. Few in numbers, the remaining segments of the organization went into hiding for the duration of the Imperial Era] and the Galactic Civil War.

After the defeat of the Emperor and the establishment of the Jedi Praxeum, Luke Skywalker uncovered the history of the Antarian Rangers and sought the survivors out. Branches began to rebuild their ranks, although New Republic politicians showed concern for another independent, paramilitary group aside from the new Jedi.

As the New Republic weathered Imperial remnants, the reborn Emperor, warlords and a variety of other external and internal threats, the number of paramilitary and mercenary forces grew steadily, including the Antarian Rangers. By the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong in 25 ABY, the organization was almost back to its pre-Clone Wars numbers. The new Antarian Rangers were essential to the protection of the Great River and the scouting of alternative routes to the ones established by Han Solo.