Odan-Urr/Legends

"To be brave in battle proves nothing. Bravery itself proves nothing. A Jedi should be prepared to put aside fear, regret and uncertainty and either fight, run, surrender or die."

- Odan-Urr

Odan-Urr was a Draethos Jedi Master who lived for over a thousand years between the Great Hyperspace War in 5,000 BBY and the Great Sith War in 4,000 BBY. Odan-Urr was a peaceful Jedi, who, from his earliest days as a Jedi Knight until just prior to his death, preferred studying ancient Jedi scrolls and documents to combat. A master of the powerful Jedi art of battle meditation, Odan-Urr was trained in the ways of the Force by Celegian Jedi Master Ooroo. He was ultimately one of the most influential Jedi ever to have lived during the height of the Galactic Republic.

Odan-Urr played a massive part in the Great Hyperspace War, where Dark Lord of the Sith Naga Sadow attempted to invade the Galactic Republic with assaults on Coruscant and the Koros system, as well as other key Republic establishments. Along with his Master, Odan-Urr suffered several precognitive visions of the pending invasion, and helped to warn the Jedi Order of Sadow’s attack. Odan-Urr helped defeat the Sith on Kirrek, though his master’s life was lost in the battle. In the aftermath of the battle Odan-Urr recovered a Sith Holocron, the only one known to have existed at the time, which he kept with him at all times so that it did not fall into the wrong hands.

Odan-Urr became a Jedi Master, and spent hundreds of years gathering and studying scrolls for the Great Jedi Library on the planet Ossus. He was instrumental in the construction of the library, and served as head librarian and Keeper of the Chamber of Antiquities for six hundred years in his great library. He also conducted extensive research and teachings on the importance and meaning of the Jedi Code, which he adjusted and refined after scrutinizing it. Odan-Urr's version of the Code laid the foundations of the Jedi Order of his era, and lasted for over four thousand years. He presided over the Jedi assembly for over six hundred years. During the Krath conflict, Odan-Urr was the head of the Conclave of Deneba, where the Krath attempted to slaughter the Jedi Knights. Later, during the Great Sith War, Odan-Urr became one with the Force among his beloved scrolls, after Sith Lord Exar Kun murdered him and stole his Sith holocron, despite the efforts of Odan-Urr. The other Jedi did not know how Odan-Urr had perished, as Kun lied, telling the others that Odan-Urr had proclaimed him a Jedi Master before dying of old age. He was over a thousand years old at the time of his death.

Apprentice


"Odan-Urr, you would be content to spend your entire life in the company of scrolls and documents...but a Jedi Knight has other responsibilities, other duties."

- Ooroo

Some time before 5,000 BBY, Odan-Urr was born on the planet Draethos, and eventually joined the Jedi Order. He became the apprentice of the revered Celegian Jedi Master Ooroo, who required a cyanogen-filled life-support tank for survival on oxygen rich worlds. Ooroo was a Jedi Instructor at a small Jedi Praxeum on a remote, mountainous planet called Ossus. Unlike most other aspiring Jedi Knights taught by Ooroo, Odan-Urr did not want to make history, and was content to simply read about it. He spent almost all of his time in Ooroo’s great library on the training planet, studying many ancient scrolls and documents, and meditating on the Force. He had a particular interest in the history of the Sith, as well as some of the more obscure branches of the Force, including the Jedi power of battle meditation, the knowledge of which he would pass on to many students. Even after he completed his Jedi training and became a fully fledged Jedi Knight, Odan-Urr was still fascinated by legend and history, and remained with his master at the Jedi Praxeum. He did go on occasional offworld excursions, though always at the urging of his master, and always with great reluctance. Ooroo let Odan-Urr study ancient documents of the Sith where most Masters would not, because he knew that Odan-Urr would never stray from the light.

Five thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, Odan-Urr was sent to the Koros system to help Empress Teta in her efforts to unite the seven planets of the star system. Odan-Urr was reluctant when his master told him of his task, but the wise Celegian replied that a Jedi has duties other than reading and studying. Ooroo chose Odan-Urr over the other Jedi at the Praxeum because he knew that Odan-Urr would help save lives and restore peace, even by his very presence. Odan-Urr then departed to meet with Memit Nadill, Teta’s green-skinned Jedi Advisor, in the city Cinnagar on Koros major.

Unification wars


Odan-Urr arrived on Koros and met with Memit Nadill outside his hangar. He warned Nadill that this was his first such assignment, and that he was more of a scholar than a warrior. Nadill responded that so far warriors had been unsuccessful against the pirates and rebels of Kirrek, and that a scholar may be more effective. Teta had managed to unite and bring peace to six of the seven planets of the system she ruled, but her attempts to defeat the rebels on Kirrek had been disastrous. They had managed to drive back all attempts to attack them, and had recently begun firing on any ship, be it civilian or military, that flew within range of their weapons. Nadill accompanied Odan-Urr into Teta’s military command center as the Empress begrudgingly announced that another full scale military assault would be the only way to gain control of Kirrek, though she feared the casualties would be astronomical for both sides. Odan-Urr then told Nadill and the Empress of battle meditation, an old Jedi art that he had learned about in his studies. The young Draethos told the others that the power would not only give Teta’s forces victory, but would also lower the death toll for the two armies. Battle meditation could drain the morale of enemies and boost the morale of allies, and skilled users could foresee an outcome that they desired. Memit Nadill agreed to use the power, and asked Odan-Urr to teach him as they traveled to Kirrek. Odan-Urr was slightly taken aback at the suddenness of it all, but he agreed to accompany Nadill to Kirrek and help the war effort with his battle meditation.

Odan-Urr taught Nadill the ancient art, which the Jedi Advisor quickly mastered. They arrived on Kirrek, and together they used their power, breaking the spirits of their enemies while boosting the morale of the Tetan forces. Eventually, Teta's men looked like they would prove victorious, eventually breaking the blockade set up by the Kirrek pirates. Although many lives were saved, the broken-spirited rebels became desperate, and attempted to take down as many of Teta's men as possible, even at their own expense. This was something Odan-Urr had feared, though the rebels were eventually defeated, and their leaders eventually reached an agreement with Teta. Odan-Urr had played a massive part in ensuring Teta was victorious, though he was greatly distressed by the death and destruction he had witnessed. He was particularly upset at the death of two humans piloting a supply ship that had been caught in the crossfire and had crashed. Memit Nadill reassured the young Jedi Knight that it could have been a bloodbath but for Odan-Urr's battle meditation, and that he should never forget that.

Although Odan-Urr wished to return to his studies in the tranquil Jedi Praxeum, Ooroo was impressed with how well his student had performed, and assigned Odan-Urr to help Teta and Nadill restore order to the newly unified worlds. Odan-Urr then accompanied Teta at many gatherings and parades to show the people of Koros that the Jedi Order supported their Empress. Odan-Urr, however, eventually grew tired of the attention and crowds. After one such procession, Odan-Urr and Memit Nadill rescued two siblings, named Jori and Gav Daragon, from two elite assassins hired to kill them by the Cha'a merchant Ssk Kahorr, who was owed money by the two siblings. The two humans were cornered by Kahorr's assassins when Odan-Urr and Nadill intervened, ordering the mercenaries to leave Jori and Gav alone. They refused, and attacked the two Jedi with their primitive weapons. Using his lightsaber, Odan-Urr lashed out at one of the assassins, killing him, while Nadill sought a more peaceful resolution: he disarmed the remaining assassin and allowed him to flee. He also advised the two siblings to leave, telling them they weren't safe in the Koros system. Odan-Urr was deeply ashamed of his vicious actions; his people were predators and he was acting on instinct.

Visions
"The banished evil Jedi are gone from the Republic perhaps, though not gone from memory...though it has been many centuries, we are not out of danger."

- Odan-Urr

Later that evening, back in Teta's chambers, Odan-Urr had a vision of the funeral of Dark Lord of the Sith Marka Ragnos on the Sith mausoleum planet of Korriban, and the repercussions for the Republic that would ensue. In the vision, Odan-Urr saw two aspiring Sith Lords, Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh, duel for Ragnos's throne. Sadow and his followers wanted to expand the borders of the Sith Empire and wage war on the Galactic Republic; Kressh and his more conservative faction, however, wanted to remain hidden from the Republic, and felt that a war with such an enemy would be devastating for the Sith. During Sadow and Kressh's vicious fight, the spirit of the late Marka Ragnos appeared, telling the two Sith that though the Sith Empire was at the height of its power, the fate of the Empire hanged in the balance. He then told Sadow and Kressh to choose their battles wisely, for if they made the wrong decisions, all would be lost for the Sith Empire. When Odan-Urr awoke from the nightmare, he quickly rushed to find Memit Nadill, so he could share the details with the Jedi Advisor. Odan-Urr eventually met Nadill with Teta in the Empress's chambers, and recounted the dream, and then told them his interpretation of it. Odan-Urr remembered his studies of the Sith back with Ooroo, and knew that even though most had forgotten about them, the Dark Jedi banished from the Republic almost two thousand years earlier still posed a great threat to the Republic. Nadill trusted his young companion where many would not, and asked Teta to raise the matter at her next visit to the Galactic Senate on Coruscant. Although she did not understand the Force, Teta trusted her advisor and agreed to talk to the Senate about Odan-Urr's vision when she visited there in three days time.

Nadill and Odan-Urr accompanied Teta to Coruscant three days later. Odan-Urr had never been to the capital before, and was in awe over the sheer magnitude and population of the city planet. Nadill, who had been on the planet previously, told Odan-Urr that the Force was strong on the capital, but so was the politics. The two Jedi and Teta then entered the great Senate Hall to speak with the assembly. Odan-Urr wanted to address the senators, as well as a small group of Jedi who had attended, himself, but Teta knew politics far better than the young Jedi, so she gave the warning. She told the assembly of Odan-Urr's dream and what it meant for the Republic, but the senators were highly skeptical, reasoning that these were simply bad dreams, and that they had far more important things to worry about. The trio left, dejected, though Teta pledged her full military support to the defense of the Republic.

When he returned to Koros, Odan-Urr remained worried and distressed with what was happening, and spent much time studying the scrolls in Teta's library. One day while Odan-Urr was studying, Memit Nadill arrived in the library, and summoned him to Teta's audience chamber. Odan-Urr was apprehensive with having to meet with Teta first; he was expecting to have to go on another parade, but Nadill persisted and Odan-Urr was pleasantly surprised when he reached Teta's chambers, where Master Ooroo was waiting for his young apprentice. The old Celegian had also been plagued with dreams of the Sith, and had made contact with the three Jedi Knights present at the senate meeting. He then contacted Teta to learn of Odan-Urr's progress, and when he heard that Odan-Urr had been having visions too, he immediately came to see his apprentice face to face. Odan-Urr was delighted to see his master again, though he expressed his displeasure at not being able to return to his studies; Ooroo replied that a Jedi Knight must learn action as well as knowledge. Odan-Urr's master then told him that should the Republic confront the Sith Empire, a devastating war would ensue; a war that would cross the fabric of hyperspace. Teta then led the others out onto a massive balcony and showed them her army, vowing never to let her system to fall to outside invasions.

Odan-Urr was looking at ancient scrolls with Memit Nadill in Teta's chambers when a female youth jumped from a window down in front of Teta. The Empress has survived many attempted assassinations in her time as ruler of Koros, so she initially thought this young girl was a particularly bold assassin. The young girl, whose name was Jori Daragon, fell to her knees and sobbed as Teta had her guards take the young girl away, but Odan-Urr's attention was caught when Jori mentioned the Sith Empire. He beckoned for the girl to be released, and then she told him how she and her brother had set foot in the Sith Empire. Hyperspace explorers, they had entered random co-ordinates into their nav-computer and ended up on the planet Korriban. Naga Sadow befriended the two siblings, before forcing Jori to flee without her brother during a skirmish between the forces of the two competing Sith Lords. She had returned to Cinnagar on the Starbreaker 12, but was arrested for the theft of her ship. She had managed to escape and thought that Teta was the only person who could help her. Odan-Urr knew this evidence could sway the senate and the Jedi Order. Sadow, however, had placed a tracking device on Jori's ship, and was ready to launch a full scale invasion on the Republic.

Great Hyperspace War


"The Republic has grown and expanded for many generations, encountering no worse than a few interplanetary squabbles and civil wars&hellip;but if we should confront the fabled Sith Empire, we will experience a war so great, so devastating&hellip;it can cross the fabric of hyperspace, a conflagration spanning the galaxy&hellip;"

- Ooroo

Memit Nadill traveled to Coruscant to meet with the Jedi Knights, while Odan-Urr and his Master helped Teta prepare for the attack on Cinnagar. Odan-Urr and Ooroo were to depart for Kirrek, where Odan-Urr had previously defeated the marauding rebels. The rebels had since pledged their allegiance to Teta in an attempt to gain amnesty for their actions, and were fighting against the Sith alongside Teta's force. Before he left, Odan-Urr gave a spare lightsaber to Jori Daragon, who wished to aid the effort to repel the Sith. Odan-Urr did not want to face real combat, and was worried about all the suffering and destruction that the war would inevitable cause. Ooroo, however, remained calm, and attempted to help his apprentice feel the same, telling him that even though he was in a tank, the Celegian would also be helping the war effort. Odan-Urr eventually calmed down, and knew that the pardoned rebels and Teta's men would triumph over the Sith, and the exiled rebels on Ronika, the prison planet of the system, would soon arrive to act as reinforcements.

The combined forces of Teta and commander Llaban, the leader of the former pirates, formed a perimeter around a great stone citadel, wielding a wide variety of primitive weapons. Hundreds of Sadow's warships flew in the sky, sending down thousands upon thousands of Sith pods, each filled with well over a hundred expertly-trained warriors. The Sith attacked on huge Sith war behemoths and Sith war worms, charging for the citadel, ordered by their leader, Shar Dakhan, to tear down the great building and leaving nothing but rubble. After much fighting, the re-enforcements from Ronika had yet to arrive, and the Massassi, a group of elite Sith warriors, were giving the Republic many casualties. Odan-Urr had tried using his battle meditation, which had helped him before, but Massassi possessed a kind of single-minded fury that Odan-Urr could not sway at all. He became very worried, and asked his master how would they fight such a vast enemy. The old Celegian told his apprentice that they would fight them to the best of their abilities, with the Force as their ally.

As the marauding horder of Massassi moved closer to the two Jedi, who had yet to engage any enemies in combat, a young soldier roared at Odan-Urr, telling him to help them fight back the Sith, who had used to ladders to climb over the citadel wall. The Sith were routing the Republic above the citadel, though Master Ooroo had foreseen this. He ordered the Tetan forces to retreat, including Odan-Urr, who reluctantly agreed to back away after receiving stern words from his mentor. The young Draethos Jedi Knight watched in horror as his master and friend approached the group of Massassi, who were encouraged by the sudden withdrawl of Republic soldiers, and punctured his cyanogen tank with one of his fleshy tentacles. The life support chamber released Ooroo's poisonous gas, killing many of the Massassi instantly, while oxygen flooded into the Celegian's chamber, slowly killing him. However, more Sith still attacked. Suddenly, hundreds of ships, originally though to be Sadow's, appeared in the sky. They turned out to be the soldiers from Ronika, and suddenly the Sith were on the back foot. The Sith eventually fled back to Korriban and the other planets of the Empire. Meanwhile, Odan-Urr grieved over the loss of his mentor, who was slowly being killed by the oxygen. Ooroo said he wished he could have floated out into the great seas of his home world one last time, and Odan-Urr replied that he wished he could have stayed with his master at the Jedi Praxeum forever. Ooroo then made a prophecy that Odan-Urr would become one of the most ancient Jedi ever, and would die among his beloved scrolls. The ancient Celegian then became one with the Force, and Odan-Urr was visible grief-stricken.

Aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War
"Do not worry my young student...you will grow old and one day die among your precious books and scrolls...one of the most ancient Jedi ever."

- Ooroo's dying words

Odan-Urr was left alone to his misery on Kirrek, as the victorious soldiers set about repairing the damage done by the attempted invasion. He commented that it turned out both better and worse than in his visions; the Republic had proved victorious, yet his master Ooroo was lost for all time. The despondent Jedi watched as the former rebels and pirates of Kirrek announced their amnesty, and that they should help bring a time of peace to the Republic. Odan-Urr eventually returned to Cinnagar to be with Empress Teta, and was with her on a balcony when Memit Nadill arrived from Coruscant, where he and three other Jedi had bravely fought off the Sith. Teta told them that great damage had been done, but Nadill optimistically told her that they could repair everything.

Odan-Urr decided to search one of the abandoned Sith ships orbiting the planet, and found a brightly glowing, fully intact, Sith holocron once used by Naga Sadow, which, knowing he would never be seduced by the dark side, Odan-Urr took, and kept safely guarded at all times. It eventually found a home in the Chamber of Antiquities of the Great Jedi Library, though Odan-Urr sometimes carried it on his person. Remembering his master's dying words, he decided to build a Great Jedi Library, full of the ancient books and scrolls which he cherished, on the planet Ossus, located in the Outer Rim region of the galaxy.

After the war, Odan-Urr used his extensive knowledge of largely forgotten Force powers to ensure that the Sith Empire would not launch another invasion attempt. Although Sadow, who had been chased to the moon of Yavin IV, and Kressh had been killed, many of the other Dark Lords and members of the Sith Council were still at large. Odan-Urr used the little known power of Sever Force on the remaining Sith. The power drained them completely of the Force, and was completely irreversible. Odan-Urr had to be careful when using the power, as this fate was to be reserved for only those who had committed truly unforgivable deeds.

Jedi Code
"Certainly a Jedi should know the Code, by word and by heart. But every Jedi is in some fashion negligent, from the lowest Padawan to the highest Master. Consequently, were some to demand, 'What is the true meaning of the Jedi Code?' the Jedi who promptly answered would be rare indeed."

- Odan-Urr

After the war, Odan-Urr began to gather many ancient documents and study the Jedi Code. He eventually became a Jedi Master around four hundred years after the death of Ooroo, and presided over the Jedi assembly for hundreds of years. He spent much time studying ancient scrolls and artifacts on Ooroo's training world, eventually became of the wisest and most revered Jedi Masters. Many of his teachings came from these years of meditating, studying and talking with the powerful Jedi Masters of the time.

Some time around when he achieved the rank of Jedi Master, Odan-Urr began to extensively study the Jedi Code. His teachings on the Code laid the foundation of the Jedi Order as it was during Odan-Urr's time, and he was described by some as the most influential Jedi ever to have lived. After examining the Code, he began to lecture and teach others on the importance and meaning of the Code. His teachings, known as The Teachings of Master Odan-Urr, and his modifications to the Code laid the foundation for the Jedi Order as it was until the Great Jedi Purge of 19 BBY. Many Jedi complained of the Code being frustratingly difficult to understand, so Odan-Urr set about clarifying and refining it, and his version of the Code lasted over four thousand years.

The Teachings of Master Odan-Urr were thought to be very important, and many Jedi studied them, though few really understood what the Draethos was saying. Odan-Urr felt that, though they may have known it off by heart, few Jedi really understood the Code, and that only with a complete understanding of the Code could release a Jedi's mastery of the Force. Odan-Urr also encouraged Jedi to meditate on the Force every day. He taught his students that by meditating often, they would be able to recognize their mistakes far quicker than if they did not meditate, and thus could set them right. Odan-Urr had other views on the matter, though he usually left them unsaid. He knew that by regularly examining his emotions, he could ensure that emotion, love or ignorance were not interfering with his clarity of mind. He also felt that Jedi who refused to meditate knew they had acted wrongly, and were attempting to lie to themselves about it.

Another of Odan-Urr's teachings was that the thought that a Jedi should never have lied, manipulated or employed deception, even for good, was nonsense. The Jedi Master taught his students that it was justifiable for a Jedi to act unscrupulously if they had righteous aims. He also said that, though he understood justice, it was occasionally necessary for a Jedi to practice discretion.

Odan-Urr also taught his students that their use of the Force to satisfy their curiosity should be frowned upon&mdash;though it was sometimes necessary to use the Force to invade the privacy of others, one should do so in moderation. Another of Odan-Urr's teachings which formed part of the Jedi Code was one entitled Honor the Jedi Order. He told the young Jedi that if one Jedi behaved poorly in front of a Republic citizen, that person might incorrectly think that this was usual behavior for a Jedi; it would take many more well-acting Jedi to change that person's opinion. Odan-Urr told his students to never act unkindly or in an undignified way in front of people. Odan-Urr had many more teachings. One of his lessons was that unswerving bravery was not necessarily a good thing. Many youthful and unexperienced Jedi thought that by being brave, they were removing fear from their lives (it was said that fear led to the dark side). He told Jedi to act as the Force saw fit, and not in what was the most brave way. Odan-Urr also said that if a Jedi decided to draw his lightsaber, he must have been ready to kill&mdash;and if he was not, he should leave his weapon at his side. He meant that a lightsaber should not be used to inflict fear upon an enemy, but to end the battle as quickly and decisively as possible. One of Odan-Urr's most famous comments, though not part of his commentaries on the Code itself, was that a Jedi should make sure to learn other skills, unrelated to their Force abilities.

The founding of the Great Jedi Library


"I remember the last words of my Master Ooroo...perhaps I can build a great learning center. A giant library of Jedi knowledge and books on the quiet world where Master Ooroo trained me. On Ossus!"

- Odan-Urr

Over four thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, Odan-Urr presided over the construction of a Great Jedi Library on the planet Ossus, where Ooroo had spent many years training him previously. After centuries of gathering documents and building up the great library, Odan-Urr had made the huge complex a great repository of knowledge of all sorts, which acted as a training center for hundreds of Jedi Knights throughout its history.

Odan-Urr had devised a categorization system for the vast amount of documents he had gathered; it was stored in separate sections, depending on its age and importance. The four main categories were "Pre-Hyperdrive," "Pre-Republic," "Early Republic" and "Mature Republic." Most of the data was contained on reader tapes and holographic media, although some of the more ancient knowledge was stored on traditional paper scrolls and books. Although the ancient books and scrolls was eventually translated onto electronic forms, the Chamber of Antiquities preserved the ancient writing for historical purposes.

Odan-Urr became the Keeper of Antiquities, presiding over the Chamber of Antiquities, which contained all sorts of ancient items, preserved in the interest in history. Odan-Urr was of the opinion that all knowledge&mdash;even knowledge of the dark side&mdash;should be kept, and might one day prove useful. He kept the Sith holocron he had found after the Great Hyperspace War, storing it in the great library, though only Odan-Urr and those approved by the Jedi High Council were allowed access to it, and strict supervision was always in place. The Chamber of Antiquities was deliberately built like a maze, so that it was difficult for those who had not been trained to access potentially harmful material. Odan-Urr also believed that any one who wished to learn should be allowed to do so, so every stair way leading to the lower levels were open.

Conclave on Deneba


"You've all heard of the join Republic and Jedi mission. Many are asking if enough military force was used."

- Odan-Urr

In 3,996 BBY, Odan-Urr called a great Jedi convocation on the planet Deneba. A rising cult, calling themselves the Krath, were wreaking havoc in the Empress Teta system (the system where Odan-Urr had defeated the Sith one thousand years previously had been re-named after the Empress who brought peace). The Krath, led by two youthful siblings of the royal family, named Satal and Aleema Keto, had overthrown the Tetan aristocracy and were using Sith powers to quash any attempts by the Republic to capture them. The wise Jedi Masters were determined to bring the Krath to justice, though they also foresaw a far greater disturbance that was about to engulf the Galaxy. As well as some senior Senators, thousands of Jedi from all walks of the galaxy attended, including such Masters as Thon, Arca Jeth and Vodo-Siosk Baas, as well as the foremost Jedi Knights of the age, Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma. As he waited for order, Odan-Urr thought of the past, and the future.

Using telepathy to communicate with the attendees, Odan-Urr eventually brought the meeting to a start, telling the masses of Jedi of the Republic and Jedi's recent failure in their joint efforts to apprehend the Krath, and asked if enough military force had been used. He then called out Nomi Sunrider and Ulic Qel-Droma, the two Jedi who led the botched attempt on Koros major. Qel-Droma, who had been made Jedi Watchman of the Teta system just prior, told the Jedi and Senators in attendance of his plan to bring down the Krath. Ulic planned to infiltrate the Krath, pretending he had joined the dark side, and learn the secrets of Satal and Aleema Keto, and then use them to bring the Krath down. The other Jedi, both Knights and Masters, blatantly wrote off the idea. Knights Shoaneb Culu and Dace Diath told Qel-Droma such an attempt would end in disaster, while Ulic's Master Arca told him the dark side would lead only to destruction.

As the Jedi discussed Qel-Droma's idea, a Tetan corsair lay hidden among the other vessels above Deneba. It released a barrage of life pods, each containing hundreds of freshly produced war droids. At the same time, modified service droids came to life, turning on the Jedi. The droids were programmed to attack the wisest and most important of the Jedi. Odan-Urr was one such Jedi, and he was too old and feeble to fight. However, shielded by many of Arca and Vodo's apprentices, he managed to survive. The same could not be said for all the Jedi Masters. Master Arca had been brutally killed by one of the war droids, something which Qel-Droma, who had been covering his Master, felt deeply responsible for. Eventually, the battle was won, though great damage to both life and property had been done. The Jedi discovered that the droids were of Tetan manufacture, and that the Krath had planned the ambush. Wanting revenge for his Master, Qel-Droma decided to carry out his plan, despite the warnings of Master Thon.

Ulic's mind was already made up when Odan-Urr and Ood Bnar showed him, and Nomi Sunrider, whom he had grown close to, a definitive history of the Teta system, written by Odan-Urr's late friend, Empress Teta. Bnar gave the book to Ulic, before introducing the Human youth to Odan-Urr, described as one of the oldest and wisest by the Neti Master. Odan-Urr showed Ulic his Sith holocron, telling him of the Jedi who once chose to conquer the dark side from within. The Jedi was ultimately seduced by the dark side, and eventually killed his own Master. Qel-Droma, stunned by the thought of a student killing his own teacher, refused to acknowledge that this was what would, in all likely-hood, happen to him. He aggressively accused Odan-Urr of disapproving him, and, despite the pleas of Nomi Sunrider, told the Masters that while they preferred to do nothing to prevent evil prevailing, he would risk his life to do so. Bnar and Odan-Urr, knowing that Ulic would not be swayed, left, telling the young Jedi Knight that the Masters had offered their wisdom, and the rest was up to him.

Death


"I...am old...evil is loose in the galaxy...and I cannot stop it"

- Odan-Urr's dying words

Ulic Qel-Droma's efforts ultimately failed. He was seduced and used by Aleema Keto, and eventually joined the dark side. A young Human Jedi Knight known as Exar Kun had strayed from the light side, and had defied his Master, Vodo-Siosk Baas, to travel to Dxun to search Sith artifacts. He was eventually pronounced a Dark Lord of the Sith by the spirit of Marka Ragnos on Onderon, and Ulic became his Sith apprentice. With Mandalore the Indomitable at their side, the two Sith waged war on the Republic. The conflict was later called the Great Sith War.

Master Thon had sent Nomi Sunrider, a Jedi with great potential, to further enhance her battle meditation under Odan-Urr, who was extremely experienced at using the power. Nomi, minding her child Vima, was discussing the situation of the Republic with Odan-Urr. He thought there were far too much war and too much fighting; war was inevitable, but they did not make a Jedi; the Force made a Jedi. Nomi then asked Odan-Urr about dark siders using battle meditation. Remembering Naga Sadow's ruthless attack on the Republic, he told her that it was not unheard of, though rarely practiced at the time. He told Nomi of the Dark Lords, like Sadow, who sat in their meditation chambers, creating illusory soldiers to scare off the enemy. Nomi was frightened with the prospect of having to deal with such powers, and Odan-Urr described to her an ancient Force power, which he was adept at using. A powerful Jedi could use the Force to sever another from the Force, blinding them from it for ever more&mdash;far more devastating for the victim than anything else. Odan-Urr then told Nomi of the little known story of the Great Hyperspace War, how he used the power to sever many of the defeated Sith's connections to the Force, and how he had obtained his Sith holocron, which was, as far as he knew, the only one in existence. Nomi then departed, and thanked Odan-Urr for his insightful answers.

Exar Kun had been on Ossus to recruit gullible Jedi to his cause when he overheard Odan-Urr speaking of the hidden treasures of the holocron. Desperate to unlock such power, Kun boldly approached Odan-Urr. Commenting to himself that dark times were ahead, Odan-Urr noticed the holocron glow brighter as it flew out of his hands, and into Exar Kun's. Realizing he was in the presence of a deeply dark being, Odan-Urr drew on the light side of the Force, and pushed Kun into the wall, believing him to be a corrupted Dark Jedi. Kun announced that he was in fact a Dark Lord of the Sith, and inflicted great pain on Odan-Urr. The ancient Master could not deal with such evil, and feebly fell to the floor. Odan-Urr had died, and became one with the Force. Appropriately, Odan-Urr died surrounded by his books.

Legacy
"I am a Jedi Master, Odan-Urr has passed his flame to me"

- Exar Kun lies to the other Jedi

Odan-Urr's death marked a period in history known as the Great Sith War. Many of Odan-Urr's were killed by their apprentices, who had defected to Kun, and Vodo-Siosk Baas was killed by Kun himself. Kun was ultimately defeated, and Qel-Droma was cut off from the Force by Nomi Sunrider.

Odan-Urr's teachings would continue to be used for thousands of years after his death. Because of his work on the Code, he was widely considered one of the greatest and most influential Jedi of all time.

Although he teachings would remain in place for a long time, his great library did not. A supernova in the Cron cluster, caused Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun, ruined the planet and destroyed Odan-Urr's sacred chamber of antiquities. However, not all of the information stored on the planet was destroyed. Through the efforts of Thon, Oss Wilum, Nomi Sunrider and many others, some of the Jedi lore contained within the great building was saved, though most of it was lost. Odan-Urr's friend and companion Ood Bnar used his Neti abilities to metamorphosize into a tree in an attempt to stop Exar Kun stealing some ancient lightsabers. Most of the knowledge Odan-Urr had spent centuries gathering and studying were lost for ever more.

Odan-Urr was one of few Jedi to become one with the Force, which meant that he could have returned in the form of a Force Ghost, though Odan-Urr chose not to. He also had the ability to create a Jedi holocron, though it was unknown if he ever did, and if he did it was likely lost in the destruction of the Great Jedi Library during the Sith War.

Personality and traits
"I much prefer to read history, rather than make it."

- Odan-Urr

Odan-Urr was an extremely scholarly individual. In his youth, he was content to study the hordes of ancient scrolls, documents and books in Master Ooroo's library, and were it not for Ooroo's constant reminders that a Jedi had duties other than reading and studying. He devoted his whole life to ancient documents, and during his thousand years alive he became a great repository for Jedi lore, often using historical stories to teach people what they needed to learn. Even while acting as the Jedi Watchman of Koros, Odan-Urr managed to find time to sneak off from proceedings and spend some time looking over the scrolls which he carried on his person at almost all times.

When he was young, Odan-Urr was quite emotional, even though he was training as a Jedi. During his time as the Watchman of Koros, he showed his emotional nature when confronting the two assassins after Jori and Gav. He lashed out at the alien with his lightsaber, letting his anger show. However, after his companion Memit Nadill told him of other ways to defeat his enemies, he managed to keep his anger in check. Odan-Urr was a deeply compassionate being, and in his youth mourned the deaths of both those that were close to him and those that he did not know. Ooroo's death had a great effect on Odan-Urr, and for days afterward he felt lonely and despondent, which was not the Jedi way. But he eventually put the death of his Master behind him, and began to distance himself from his emotions. Later, he would lecture hopeful Jedi Knights, and far more established members of the order, of the importance of ensuring that emotions did not cloud their judgment.

Odan-Urr was an inquisitive being. During his Jedi training, he sought to learn as much as possible about the Jedi of old, and even the exiled Dark Jedi, who most young Jedi believed to be a mere myth. As he grew in wisdom and understanding in the Force, he began to question the Jedi Code. Most students simply learned the Code, but Odan-Urr was one of few to study it and really gain an understanding of what it meant. He had a craving for knowledge, and spent almost a thousand years studying in his sacred library.

Throughout his many years, Odan-Urr forged many friendships with people, some of which lasted a very long time. He was extremely close to Master Ooroo, and even after he had finished his training he decided to stay with the Celegian on Ossus, to study more old scrolls. Ooroo's death caused Odan-Urr great distress. During his time of Cinnagar, Odan-Urr won the trust of Empress Teta, and her advisor, Memit Nadill. Nadill, an older and more experienced Jedi than Odan-Urr, thought Odan-Urr some skills that one picked up with experience, while Odan-Urr thought the green-skinned humanoid things he had learned in the vast library in his Jedi Praxeum. Teta also trusted Odan-Urr, and even risked ridicule by her fellow Senators when she took his word about the Sith. Another person who made friends with Odan-Urr was Jori Daragon. Odan-Urr ensured she was not imprisoned by Teta's soldiers, and, realizing her Force potential, gave her a lightsaber to defend herself with during the Great Hyperspace War. After the war, Jori did not continue with her training. Odan-Urr was also liked by many of the other Masters of his time, especially Ood Bnar. The two attempted to persuade Ulic Qel-Droma against his plan to infiltrate the ranks of the Krath, but they failed. The two companions were the oldest Jedi during their time. Nomi Sunrider was also quite fond of the ancient Odan-Urr, as was her daughter Vima, whom Odan-Urr often gave sweets to. The young Jedi Knights seduced by Exar Kun were also upset at the death of Odan-Urr.

Odan-Urr was a great teacher and leader. During his first real offworld mission, he thought Memit Nadill how to use battle meditation in just several hours, and passed his knowledge on severing one from the Force to Nomi Sunrider. The number of apprentices he trained was unknown, though he did not take any when he became too old and feeble to deal with one as energetic and inquisitive as he himself had been during his apprenticeship. However, nearly every Jedi who was trained on Ossus learned in one way or another from Odan-Urr, through his teachings on the Jedi Code or else when their Master referred them to the old librarian for instruction on a particular aspect of the Force that he was knowledgable in.

Odan-Urr was extremely fair-minded, and was of the opinion that if someone wanted to learn, they had every right to. During his construction of the Great Jedi Library, he made sure that the doors to the library were left open to all at all times. During the Conclave on Deneba, he allowed some of the younger Jedi to speak, where many more experienced Masters would not value the opinion of one so young. He also allowed people (though only those who had been approved by the Council) to examine some of the darker objects kept in the Chamber of Antiquities, while many other Masters did not let their apprentices learn about the dark side under any circumstances, even if their apprentice did not stray from the light. This was something he learned from his Master Ooroo, who allowed the Draethos to study the history of the Sith during his training on Ossus.

Through his studies of history, Odan-Urr was incredibly wise, and even among other powerful Masters such as Thon, Ood Bnar, Arca Jeth and Vodo Baas he was described as one of the wisest. His knowledge of Jedi Lore proved extremely useful when he was telling students not to do something&mdash;he could nearly always recall a similar situation where the Jedi failed. Were it not for his extensive knowledge and wisdom, the Republic would not have been warned about Naga Sadow's attempted invasion.

Powers and abilities


"In my studies I have learned a technique that may grant us victory...but with far fewer casualties. It is called battle meditation."

- Odan-Urr on his most famous power

Through his studies of some of the more obscure branches of the Force, Odan-Urr learned of an ancient Jedi art known as battle meditation. The power was extremely difficult to master, and when Odan-Urr was a youth it was generally unknown, even by other Jedi. It granted the user the power to determine the outcome of a battle, and ensure victory for their side. A Jedi could literally imagine what they wished to happen with their mind's eye and it would quickly become a reality. It could also greatly affect the morale of both allies and enemies. During the final battle of the Unification Wars, Odan-Urr used the power to break the spirits of the Kirrek pirates, while simultaneously sending the morale of Teta's men soaring. However, the power had occasional drawbacks: broken-spirited enemies could often become desperate, and attempt to kill as many hostiles as possible, even if it meant harming themselves. Odan-Urr was not the only Jedi of his era to use the power: Masters Ooroo, Arca and Thon were also adept at it, while Odan-Urr thought Nomi Sunrider how to control the power, just minutes before his death.

Another little known power employed by the Draethos Jedi Master was Sever Force, a punishment reserved only for those who had truly committed terrible deeds. The power effectively cut the victim off from the Force, both immediately and, as far as anyone knew, completely irreversibly. Nomi Sunrider used the power on Ulic Qel-Droma on Ossus, after he had murdered his brother Cay. Sever Force could only be used on those who were truly corrupted by the dark side. Odan-Urr used the power in the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War, on the fallen Dark Lords.

Although he preferred not to have to resort to violence, Odan-Urr was reasonably skilled with using a lightsaber, though as a Jedi Consular he generally used the Force to aid him in battle. In his youth, he often lost control of himself and lashed out with his blue lightsaber, though after advice from the more experienced Memit Nadill he began to gain control of his instincts. Under Ooroo, he carried a blue bladed ligthsaber which he had constructed himself. In his later years, he found that he had no need for such a weapon, and did not carry one. He also kept a spare lightsaber in his youth, which he gave to Jori Daragon.

Odan-Urr was also a master of Force Sense, which granted the user the ability to extend his senses through the Force and gain a great awareness of his surroundings. He could also change the nature and distribution of the force around them&mdash;a power known as Force Alter. Force Aware was another power known to Odan-Urr. It put the user in harmony with their surroundings through their connection to the Force. Other abilities Odan-Urr utilized were Control, Enhance Ability and Force Mind.

Odan-Urr communicated with other beings through the Force, using telepathy. He could communicate through these means to other sentients up to five hundred meters away, though this power could not be used to access others's thoughts, but only for communication. However, he also had a great knowledge of spoken languages&mdash;he could speak the Draethos, Sith and Tchuukthese languages, as well as Galactic Basic Standard.

Behind the scenes
Odan-Urr was created by Star Wars authors Kevin J. Anderson and Tom Veitch for the sub-series Dark Lords of the Sith, part of the comic series known as Tales of the Jedi. He later appeared in other sub-series of the comic, including The Sith War and the two prequel series, The Golden Age of the Sith and Fall of the Sith Empire. He was drawn by either Dario Carrasco, Jr. or Chris Gossett in each of his appearances, with several other artists acting as inkers.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War

Notes and references
Odan-Urr Odan-Urr