Jedi Temple Veranda

The Jedi Temple Veranda was an area upon the roof of the Jedi Temple Ziggurat on Coruscant. With access to the open air of Coruscant, the veranda was a relaxing area for meditation and lightsaber instruction.

History


Constructed as a part of the Temple Ziggurat, the veranda was complete as of 1,000 BBY and serviced the needs of the Jedi Order for the next millennia.

During the Separatist Crisis Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi brought his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, to the veranda for training with remotes. During the training session, the visiting Supreme Chancellor Palpatine stood and watched with interest at Skywalker's proficiency with the blade.

In 22 BBY, Jedi Kenobi woke up early and began his morning meditation on the Grand Balcony. Unable to find clarity he sought out Grand Master Yoda, finding him in the midst of instructing lightsaber practice on the veranda. Politely interrupting the lesson, Kenobi greeted the Bear Clan before asking Master Yoda about the missing star system Kamino. Using a hologlobe, Kenobi accessed a map reader in one of the veranda's small antechambers and displayed the section of space that Kamino should appear. After posing the quandary to the Bear Clan, the older Jedi deduced that the information must have been erased from the Temple Archives.



At the end of the Clone Wars Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, was revealed to the Jedi High Council to be none other then Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious. While members of the Council moved to arrest him, the attempt was in vain and the Grand Army of the Republic was sent to siege the Temple. Under Operation: Knightfall, the Temple was to be laid waste and its occupants killed on the crime of treason. The clone troopers of the 501st Legion stormed the halls of the Temple killing all within. Darth Vader, leading the onslaught from the front, made his way to the veranda and slaughtered the younglings hiding there. As their minder, a blond Zabrak Jedi, lay dying he decried Vader as a traitor and whispered that traitors only betray themselves before the Sith Lord killed him.

For the next several decades the Temple would be occupied by the Galactic Empire, its interior chambers crumbling and gathering dust from disuse. It wasn't until 2 ABY that the veranda was the scene of another slaughter when the secret Sith apprentice, Starkiller, made his way from the main entrance hall up to the veranda. Killing the [[stormtroopers stationed on the veranda, Starkiller used the veranda to reach the Jedi Trials Chamber, Archives, and High Council Tower during three of his trips to the abandoned edifice.



Throughout the rest of the Galactic Civil War, the Temple did not have many visitors as the Empire struggled with the Rebel Alliance. However, following the Battle of Endor and the deaths of Sidious and Vader, the Empire lost balance and the New Republic drove the Imperials from the galactic capitol. Luke Skywalker, recently deemed a Knight by the deceased Yoda reformed the Jedi Order on Yavin IV and eventually led an recovery mission to the crumbling Temple. While the new Order occupied the old Temple, their main training facilities were kept on Yavin. Skywalker commissioned the construction of a new enclave on the roof of the Ziggurat following the fall of the five towers, covering up the old veranda.

Following the utter ruin of the Temple during the Yuuzhan Vong War, the newly formed Galactic Alliance reclaimed Coruscant and Chief of State Cal Omas donated a new Temple to the Jedi Order for their sacrifices during the war. While the Temple was rebuilt to old specifications, it is unknown if the veranda was included or remodeled.

Layout
A large open space around the base of Tranquillity Spire, the veranda was carpeted in blue which covered the golden stone blacks that made up the floor. A large staircase led out onto an area upon which light poured through the transparisteel ceiling. The veranda walls were lined with balcony areas with wide sweeping staircases leading down to the main level. Each staircase was flanked by tall bronzium statues of ancient masters while a doorway between the stairs led into a small chamber in which meditation and lightsaber training was encouraged. These small, windowed rooms were equipped with a map reader, capable of displaying maps of the galaxy.

The veranda served as a hub of activity for the Temple's rooftop. Granting access to the Ziggurat roof, the veranda was also walking distance from the Grand Balcony, and passages ran from the area to the Council Towers as well as the Jedi Trials Chamber.

Behind the scenes
The veranda scenes has many inconsistencies in regards to the layout of the Temple. Outside of the practice chamber's window, the top of one of the Jedi Council towers is visible, which is impossible to see from the roof of the Temple Ziggurat. Also, through the window, a wooden wall is visible, which would later appear outside the High Council Chamber (which is in a circular tower) and is not consistent with the Temple's architecture.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones comic
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
 * Star Wars Rebellion: The Ahakista Gambit