Duels in the Jentares system

The duels in the Jentares system were a series of two battles between the Sith Lord Darth Maul and the reclusive Jedi warrior, Siolo'urmanka.

Prelude
In preparation for his eventual takeover, Darth Sidious dispatched his apprentice, Darth Maul, to hunt down Siolo’urmanka. Manka was one of the greatest Jedi warrior’s living, and one of the few individuals capable of threatening his power play.

Following coordinates provided by his master, Maul found Siolo’urmanka in the Jentares system on an unspecified jungle world. Manka had since gone into seclusion to meditate on the Force, renouncing the lightsaber to focus on what he felt was a “purer technique”.

First duel
Maul quietly approached his target from behind, his lightsaber already out. Believing that he could quickly assassinate the meditating Manka, Maul ignited his lightsaber and prepared to kill the Jedi Master. At that instant, Manka sprang into action.

Wielding a simple wooden staff, Manka beat Maul across the face with the weapon as he swiveled to face the Sith Lord. Maul quickly countered with a quick vertical slash, though Manka managed to evade it. Attempting to focus through the pain, Maul extended his lightsaber aggressively. However, he only opened himself up, and Manka batted his lightsaber out of his hand. Unarmed and injured, Maul was at Manka’s mercy. Manka, hoping that the Sith Lord was competent enough to realize his own inferiority, allowed him to flee.

Retrospective assessment
Maul quietly left the planet while determining what to do. Knowing that Manka possessed greater physical speed and his weapon possessed better range, Maul resolved that he had to get inside the Jedi Master’s guard and strike before Manka could defend. To this end, Maul required a more specialized weapon.

Inspired by the Zhaboka, a traditional Zabrak weapon, and using Sith blueprints that he possessed access two, Maul created this weapon. Fabricating two lightsabers, Maul welded them together, pommel to pommel, creating a double-bladed lightsaber.

Second duel
Returning to the jungle world, Maul again approached Manka, who stood ready. Lamenting Maul’s lack of honor or art in favor of pure skill, Manka took up a combat stance and offered Maul one last chance to flee. Maul ignited one of the blades of his weapon. Manka attacked first, charging with his staff. Maul barely managed to sidestep before countering.

Seeing no point in waiting, Maul used the exact same maneuver he used previously, allowing himself to be disarmed. As Maul caught the weapon in his left hand, Manka rushed inside the Sith Lord’s guard, with Maul’s extended arm and the “pommel” of his lightsaber pinned against his own back while he held his staff to Maul’s throat. Declaring Maul beaten, as he could crush Maul’s throat long before the Sith Lord could bring his lightsaber around to attack, Manka was caught utterly off-guard when Maul triggered the second blade of his weapon, igniting it through Manka’s chest. As he died, Manka asked if Maul used some sort of trick. Maul replied that he simply achieved victory.

Aftermath
Maul returned to his master and reported his success. Presenting his new weapon to his master, Maul impressed Sidious with his skill and tact. Foreseeing that Maul’s weapon would “tell great tales”, Sidious advised Maul to name the weapon. Maul decided against this, feeling that the weapon was little more than what he was; an instrument of murder.

Behind the Scenes
The duels in the Jentares system were originally featured in the short story Nameless, released in the comic anthology, Star Wars Tales. As most stories published in the Star Wars tales comics were essentially fanon creations by various comic book writers and illustrators, the events of the duel were considered non-canon until referenced in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, canonizing the duel.

Appearances

 * Nameless