Tahl

"I pledge myself to you, Qui-Gon."

- Tahl to Qui-Gon Jinn

Tahl was the first Jedi Master of Bant Eerin and a librarian of the Jedi Archives. Tahl was also a close friend of Qui-Gon Jinn, with whom she fell in love. She was blinded in a prison during a mission on Melida/Daan. However, her improved hearing and Force-sensitivity helped her get back on her feet.

Biography
Tahl had an immense knowledge of galactic history, politics, and the backstory of practically everything and anything going on in the Galaxy. She often assisted Qui-Gon on knowledge about the planets he was sent to by the jedi council. Tahl was great at cracking codes and interrogating, which proved to be very helpful to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

Tahl was sent to act as a peacemaker to the broken world of Melida/Daan, where the Melida and Daan people were murdering each other. She was rescued by Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi from Melida/Daan after she was blinded by the blow of a lightsaber. Upon returning to Coruscant, she was given TooJay, a 2JTJ personal navigation droid by Yoda to assist her in her blindness, though the droid annoyed her and was part of a plan by Xanatos to destroy the Jedi Temple. Sometime after this, Tahl and Qui-Gon worked together the uncover a saboteur in Clee Rhara's flight system on Centax 2. They eventually found who the saboteur was, Tarrence Chenati, the alias of a man that had died twenty years before.

Death
Tahl was killed by Balog on New Apsolon in 41 BBY. She was still alive when Qui-Gon arrived to rescue her, but he was unable to save her. This loss, magnified by Qui-Gon's close relationship to her, drove him to the edge of the dark side. Qui-Gon was bent on seeking revenge. He hunted down Balog in order to kill him, but as he was about to deliver the fatal blow to Balog's chest Tahl's voice came to him warning him not to.

After she was killed, Kit Fisto became Bant's new Master. Tahl was the closest friend of Qui-Gon Jinn next to the bond shared with his apprentice, Obi-Wan.

Behind the scenes
The New Essential Chronology misdates her death 39 BBY.

It is possible that Tahl discovered the secret to immortality in the Force along with Qui-Gon from the Whills. Evidence of this comes from when Qui-Gon heard her voice warning him to beware of the dark side following her death.

Appearances

 * Jedi Apprentice: The Defenders of the Dead
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Uncertain Path
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Captive Temple
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Deadly Hunter
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Evil Experiment
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Dangerous Rescue
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Ties That Bind
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Death of Hope
 * Jedi Apprentice Special Edition: Deceptions
 * Legacy of the Jedi
 * Secrets of the Jedi