Eeth Koth/Legends

"Eeth's talents were great&mdash;as was his heart. He was a great Jedi and a good friend. I loved him then, and love him still."

- Sharad Hett, to Ki-Adi-Mundi

Eeth Koth was a Zabrak Jedi Master, and member of the Jedi High Council during the final years of the Galactic Republic. Iridonian Zabrak such as Eeth Koth were renowned for their mental discipline, which allowed them to tolerate great physical suffering. This ability was born of surviving their harsh environment. Koth was born in the violent slums of Nar Shaddaa, and was deemed too old to begin Jedi training at age four.

His natural abilities were his ticket into the Jedi Order, and Koth would go on to become a leading member of the Jedi Council. Koth participated in the Battle of Geonosis, the opening battle of the Clone Wars, as part of the Geonosis strike team consisting of 212 Jedi. Koth narrowly survived a LAAT gunship crash which took the life of Tarados Gon, and was initially believed to be dead following the battle. After returning to his duties, Koth would go on to lead his men in the Battle of Korriban. A chance encounter with the General of the Separatist Droid Army, Grievous, led to his capture in the Outer Rim. However, using sign language hidden in a holotransmission sent to the Jedi Council by Grievous, Koth led the Republic Navy to his location over Saleucami, where Anakin Skywalker and Adi Gallia freed Koth from his imprisonment.

Early life
Born into the violent slums of Nar Shaddaa, the young Zabrak Eeth Koth lived as an orphan for the first years of his life. At the age of four, Koth was discovered to be Force-sensitive and exceptionally strong in the Force. Brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by a representative of the Order, the High Council was reluctant at first to accept him based on his age. However after further examination the Council reconsidered based on the boy's determination and clarity of mind. Inducted in the academy at the Temple, Koth graduated and was selected as a Padawan by an esteemed Jedi Master. Over the course of their time together, Koth's master honed the young Zabrak's natural talents with the Force and tested his strength of will and resistance to pain. After years of travel together on behalf of the Council, Koth's master petitioned the Council to allow the boy to take the Trials of Knighthood. Passing the Council's tests Koth was knighted as a Jedi and eligible to accept solo missions that would take him across the stars.

As a Knight, Koth chose to enhance his already formidable skills with a lightsaber by studying as a Jedi Guardian. Taking on the most dangerous missions that came from the High Council, Koth undertook long journey-missions on the Outer Rim of the galaxy. Eventually Koth was recognized by the High Council for his exceptional skills with the Force and a lightsaber and was appointed to the esteemed rank of Jedi Master.

Jedi Master
As a Master, Eeth Koth took on the young Sharad Hett as his Padawan. Passing down his skills to Hett, the duo were assigned to far-flung worlds to quell civil war and dethrone tyrants. While Koth would have liked to allow Hett time to return to his homeworld to spend time with his birth family, both were far to loyal to the Order to turn down the constant stream of missions they were assigned. After Koth trained his student to knighthood in 47 BBY, Jedi Hett told his former mentor of his great longing to return to his homeworld. Petitioning the Council to allow for a leave of absence, Master Koth bid farewell to his friend and student for the last time as Hett exiled himself to Tatooine once he learned of his family's murder.

Appointed to the High Council himself sometime during this period, Master Koth continued to accept extremely dangerous missions as he grew older. Accompanying fellow Masters Mace Windu and Adi Gallia in a mission during the Stark Hyperspace War, Master Koth fought in the Fifth Battle of Qotile during the conflict.

Yinchorri Uprising
In 33 BBY Master Koth was one of ten Jedi that volunteered to travel to the Yinchorri system to quell the uprising there. Assigned to one of three groups, Master Koth joined fellow Masters Adi Gallia, Tsui Choi, and Padawan Theen Fida as they approached Yitheeth in search of the rumored command center. Acting as traders peddling plans for the new T-21 Hyper Particle Exchange Chamber, the group was ambushed by Yinchorri immediately upon their arrival. Defeating their opponents the group was able to capture a fleeing Devaronian, Olmar Grahrk and take him aboard their ship as they rushed to rescue Masters Plo Koon and Micah Giiett on Yibikkoror.

Piloting the only remaining Consular-class space cruiser, the group headed to Yinchorr to rescue Master Windu's task force. Landing on the planet in the midst of battle Koth led the offensive as they paved a way to Windu's group on foot. Once they met with Windu, Master Koth led the retreat back to the ship where they found Padawan Theen Fida dead. Carrying the Anx's body aboard the ship with Master Gallia, Koth and the others sensed the death of fellow Councilor Micah Giiett through the Force. Making their way into space the Jedi's ship was attacked, but with the help of the Republic Navy, the Jedi landed in the Yinchorri Command center and ended the conflict. Leaving the situation in the hands of the Navy and Judicial Department, Master Koth and his comrades returned to Coruscant.

Return of the Sith
When the High Council discovered that the terrorist group known as the Jin'ha were synthesizing cortosis ore on the planet Obredaan, Masters Koth and Plo Koon were dispatched to investigate and put an end to the production of the illegal substance. While on planet the Masters were discovered by the terrorists and captured; the Council immediately sent Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi when they lost communications with the two Councilors. Master Jinn was able to locate the Masters in a holding facility and released them, joining his Padawan at the synthesizing facility to defeat the terrorists there. After the fighting and the destruction of the facility, Master Koth joined his comrades in witnessing a Trade Federation shuttle fly over the planet, something that seemed to support Master Adi Gallia's reports of illegal Federation activity. Around this time Master Koth and Master of the Order Mace Windu entered into the Concordance of Fealty, exchanging their lightsabers for a duration of time as an act of trust. Koth was on Coruscant soon after when Master Jinn brought news of a tattooed Zabrak assassin that had attacked him on Tatooine. The assassin was highly skilled with a lightsaber and wield the Force as a weapon, leading Jinn to believe that the man was a Sith Lord. Startled by this revelation, the Council was even more surprised by Jinn's claim to have discovered a vergence in the Force, centered around a boy named Anakin Skywalker. The Council agreed to test the boy and judge whether he would be trained; while Master Koth saw himself in the nine year old, the majority of the Council voted that Skywalker was to old to begin the training. When reports came in that Master Jinn had been slain on Naboo by the Zabrak assassin, Koth and the majority of the Council traveled to the world for his funeral and to be briefed by his surviving Padawan. Padawan Kenobi detailed the duel fought between Jinn, the Zabrak, and himself, leaving little doubt that the Dark Sider was indeed a Sith. While Kenobi managed to kill him the Council was deeply disturbed that the Sith had survived and decided to knight Kenobi and appoint Skywalker as his apprentice.

Shortly after the crisis on Naboo, Master Koth assigned Master Ki-Adi-Mundi to track down the nearly reemerged Sharad Hett on Tatooine. Because the Council had decided Koth's connection to Hett was too strong for him to act effectively, the rest of the Council agreed on the assignment for Mundi. Immediately before the Jedi delegation left for Malastare in 32 BBY, Masters Windu and Koth concluded the Concordance of Fealty and returned each others weapons as well as their trust in each other.

Several years later in 27 BBY, Master Koth agreed to travel to Alderaan to prevent a possible terrorist plot by the renegade Annoo-dat general Ashaar Khorda. The attack however did not come to Alderaan, instead Master Yarael Poof was able to defeat the general on Coruscant itself, but not without sacrificing himself.

Battle of Geonosis
Koth was present on Coruscant when Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, reported on the failed assassination plot against Senator Padmé Amidala. Over the next few days the Council was made aware that Kenobi had been captured on the Outer Rim planet Geonosis and was in need of rescue from his would-be executioner. Joining Master Windu's task force, Master Koth and his fellow Jedi fought through the Petranaki arena cutting down the battle droids of the Separatist Droid Army in what became the opening battle of the Clone Wars. When the surviving Jedi were surrounded by their mechanized foes, Grand Master Yoda arrived with the Grand Army of the Republic and rescued the Jedi. Boarding one of several LAAT/i gunships that landed in the arena, Master Koth was accompanied by Masters Sora Bulq and Tarados Gon and took off to take the battle to the plains. While in transit the Jedi's gunship was hit by Separatist artillery fire and brought down. While both Koth and Bulq survived the attack, only Koth was rescued by the Republic, leaving the wounded Bulq to be collected by the CIS and Count Dooku.

Following his return to Coruscant, Master Koth returned to active duty and was dispatched by the Council to lead a squad of clone troopers in the Battle of Korriban. While the squad suffered startling casualties, Master Koth made it out alive and returned to Coruscant soon after.

Grievous's prisoner
"Eeth Koth, isn't it? I've been looking forward to meeting you!''" "Your reputation precedes you, General. A reputation of a coward, and a murderer&hellip;" "''Murderer? Is it murder to rid the galaxy of you Jedi filth?!"

- Master Koth and General Grievous, just before their duel

Later dispatched to the Outer Rim once more, Koth was given command of a task force charged with hunting down Separatist raiders attacking shipping lanes. Near Arda Master Koth's fleet was engaged by the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies, General Grievous, who proceeded to board the Jedi's Venator-class Star Destroyer, the Steadfast. Koth, stationed on the bridge, ordered Captain Lock and his troopers to flee in escape pods while he remained on board and dealt with the General. As Grievous cut his way to the bridge, Koth stood ready for the upcoming battle, emerging himself deeper and deeper in the Force. As Grievous burst into the chamber his commando droids rushed the Zabrak Jedi and opened fire on the troopers that remained on the bridge. Slaughtering all the troopers save one while Koth engaged some of the commandos, Koth took a blaster bolt to the hand as four IG-100 MagnaGuards stepped into the fray. Killing the last clone, the droids surround Koth as Grievous watched, brandishing their electrostaffs at the outnumbered Jedi. Believing his enemy to be subdued, Grievous at last came forth and taunted Koth before attacking him with two lightsabers of his own. Engaging the Kaleesh cyborg, Koth used the Force to shove the general across the bridge so he could deal with the remaining droids. While Koth fought valiantly he was eventually taken out of the fight by the MagnaGuards and rendered unconscious by a triumphant Grievous.

Taking Koth captive, Grievous intended to slowly torture the renowned Jedi to death. In typical fashion, Grievous sent a transmission to the Coruscant Temple to gloat over the Councilor's capture, depicting a weakened Koth being tortured by his MagnaGuads. The cyborg's self-indulgent message was his undoing as Koth was able to communicate his coordinates using sign language that was picked up by the members of the High Council. Recognizing the coordinates as that of the Saleucami system, the Council dispatched Masters Kenobi, Gallia, and Jedi Skywalker to rescue the Master. Boarding Grievous ship secretly, Gallia and Skywalker were able to rescue the Master relatively easy as Master Kenobi engaged Grievous elsewhere on the ship. As they made their escape the group was surrounded by a group of droid commandos. Enduring the taunts of the T-series tactical droid, TV-94, Gallia and Skywalker destroyed all of the droids including TV-94 and the Jedi raced to their ship before Grievous returned. While Skywalker continued on with the Zabrak, Gallia rushed to slow the general so as to provide cover for her allies. After a brief duel, Grievous disengaged from the battle with the Corellian Jedi and fled, leaving Gallia to rendezvous with her comrades and escape the doomed CIS flagship. Returning Koth's lightsaber to him, Master Kenobi and Jedi Skywalker parted ways with the two Councilors as Gallia escorted Koth to a medical frigate.

Later in the Clone Wars, Master Koth's hologram was present in the Jedi Council when it received an ancient Jedi distress code. The Council decided to send Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano to investigate. It is unknown where Master Koth really was at that time.

Personality and traits
A devout member of the Order, Koth had strong ties to his fellow Masters but no bond was stronger then between him and his former Padawan, Sharad Hett. Master Koth's bond with Master Mace Windu was strengthened through their completion of the Jedi ritual known as the Concordance of Fealty shorty after the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY.

Powers and abilities
Trained as a Jedi Guardian, Koth was a talented swordsman and tactician, wielding a lightsaber with a green crystal to produce its emerald blade. Capable of wielding the Force proficiently Master Koth's greatest strengths lay in his natural ability to hone his mind into a disciplined weapon. He was an extremely skilled duelist, capable of holding off the ferocious style of infamous Jedi-killer General Grievous, despite being forced on the defensive and having to wield his lightsaber one-handed due to an injury to his forearm. At the conclusion of their duel, Koth demonstrated a proficiency with unleashing powerful telekinetic blasts, which he used to temporarily subdue the Confederate General.

Common to his species was an innate ability to endure great physical pain, a trait developed as a way to survive the harsh wilds of Iridonia. Enhanced through his connection to the Force and his Jedi training, Koth was a master of the rare technique known as Crucitorn.

Behind the scenes
"Now, we're going to get into a detail here. You know, there's the whole thing, 'Dave, is Eeth Koth still alive? 'Cause I thought he was on a gunship, in Geonosis.' [&hellip;] I didn't see him die."

- Dave Filoni, after resurrecting Eeth Koth's character

Eeth Koth was created by Star Wars creator George Lucas as a member of the Jedi Council in the 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In the initial development of the character, Koth was slated to be the leader of the Council. In the film, he was played by Hassani Shapi.

Koth was slated to appear in 2002's Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but as the majority of the film was being shot in Australia, local actor Tux Akindoyeni was used to play the character. Archival footage of Shapi from Episode I was used for scenes involving the Jedi Council, while Akindoyeni portrayed the character during the Battle of Geonosis. However, visual differences between the two incarnations of Koth prompted Lucasfilm to establish Akindoyeni's character as Agen Kolar, a second Zabrak Jedi Master. Kolar went on to appear in 2005's Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, while Koth did not; most production paperwork for Episodes II and III referred to Kolar as Koth, however. A Zabrak Jedi High Council member that appeared in two episodes of Star Wars: Clone Wars was animated with Koth's likeness, despite being credited as Kolar. A 2009 update to Koth's Databank entry on StarWars.com later stated that Koth's character design appeared in Clone Wars.

Inside the Worlds of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, published in 2003, stated that Koth died during the Battle of Geonosis when his gunship was brought down by enemy fire. However, Koth was mentioned as fighting in the Clone Wars in the 2008 novel Wild Space. When "Grievous Intrigue," a 2010 episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars was being written, series supervising director Dave Filoni wanted to use Koth, but was told by both Leland Chee, keeper of the Holocron continuity database, and Pablo Hidalgo, Internet Content Manager for Lucas Online, that the character was dead. Filoni then received permission from George Lucas to resurrect the character. Koth had been slated to die at the beginning of "Grievous Intrigue," but Filoni decided that he was an interesting enough character to use in future episodes of the series. In the episode, Koth was voiced by actor Chris Edgerly, who gave the character a soft Indian accent that he identified as tricky to do, yet gracious and noble.