Gantoris

"I have dreamed of you. A dark man who offers me incredible secrets, then destroys me. I am lost if i go with you."

- Gantoris to Luke Skywalker

Gantoris was a Human male native to Eol Sha. He was Force-sensitive descendant of Ta'ania, the daughter of an unknown Jedi Knight, and used his fledgling abilities to protect the people of the volcanic world. He was eventually made the leader of the forgotten colony.

In 11 ABY Luke Skywalker journeyed to the planet, searching for the offspring of Jedi, specifically Gantoris' ancestor, Ta'ania. Gantoris was mistrusting of the black-robed Jedi Master, believing him to be the 'Dark Man' who had plagued his nightmares for many years. Gantoris made Skywalker face tests of his powers to prove himself, before accepting Luke who was whom he claimed to be. He then became the first student Luke recruited to join his Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4.

The ambitious trainee was frustrated by Skywalker's individualistic and unorthodox training methods. He accepted training from the spirit of Exar Kun, who had entrapped his spirit within the Massassi temples on Yavin 4. Gantoris fashioned his own lightsaber responding to Kun's subtle guidance throught he Force. The former leader, however, was unaware that Kun was actually draining his power to strengthen his spirit. When Gantoris eventually turned on Kun, the specter incinerated him, making him first student to die at the Praxeum.

Early life
"On our world we don't have many choices. My people must take what we can find."

- Gantoris

Born into the sole isolated settlement on the volcanic world of Eol Sha, Gantoris's affinity with the Force first became apparent when he survived an avalanche as a child. Despite his companions being crushed mere feet from him, Gantoris instinctively shielded himself using the Force to survive the onslaught of rock. His connection with the Force allowed him to predict earthquakes, eruptions and avalanches, which he used to protect his fellow colonists on the unstable planet. Gantoris had repeated dreams of a "Dark Man"&mdash;a man who would promise him great power before destroying him. His abilities, combined with his tough attitude and charismatic leadership, led to him becoming the leader of the abandoned colonists that made up his home planet.

When Luke Skywalker came to Eol Sha, he was searching for the offspring of Ta'ania to join his Jedi Praxeum. Gantoris believed that Luke, in his black robes, might be the "Dark Man" who had plagued his dreams. He tested Luke with two challenges. First, Gantoris lead him into a geyser tunnel to collect lichen, and seeing if he could survive the eruption of the geyser. Luke tried to climb out, eventually having to use a Force Leap to escape. For the second test, Gantoris made Luke cross a lava pit and confront the deadly fireworm within. When Luke succeeded both challenges, Gantoris agreed to follow Luke off Eol Sha on the condition the other inhabitants of the hostile world be relocated by the New Republic.

Jedi training
"Success and failure will always be a part of your training." "Not for me. I choose not to fail."

- Luke Skywalker teaches Gantoris

Luke and Gantoris traveled to Bespin, to convince a gas prospector named Streen to join them. There, to demonstrate to Streen the potential of the Force, Luke began to teach Gantoris. He used telekinesis to move a metal structure to produce a gong-like sound, causing a rawwk to take flight. Gantoris proved himself a quick learner, being able to sense all the buildings around him through the Force and perform the exercise exactly.

At the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, Gantoris was an talented student, although this served to heighten his arrogance. He quickly became a rival of Corran Horn. Luke Skywalker believed it was because of Corran's similarities to himself, constantly pushing himself for improvement, just like Gantoris was. The former leader felt threatened by this other ambitious student.

The "Dark Man" Gantoris had seen in his dreams had begun to talk to him, convincing him that Skywalker was withholding the true secrets of Jedi knowledge. Gantoris' impatience only heightened the temptation of the power the Dark Man claimed to teach. Desperate to learn more, he undertook this mysterious tutelage, constructing dual-phase lightsaber. To construct it, he used three corusca gems that he had found near one of the Massassi temples. The combination of these gems gave the blade a purple hue. Gantoris then used his new lightsaber to challenge Luke to a duel. Many times during this fight he attacked out of anger, Skywalker regularly on the defensive to keep from antagonizing his student. Gantoris' rage meant he was perilously close to the Dark Side&mdash;only when he was momentarily distracted by a runyip charging through the undergrowth was Luke able to pull the lightsaber from Gantoris' hand using the Force, ending the duel.

The night after his duel with Skywalker, Gantoris knew he would be visited by the "Dark Man" again. He no longer trusted the shadowy spectral ghost that was once Exar Kun, but believed he could at least face the Sith Lord without help from the other Jedi trainees or Master Skywalker. Gantoris attempted to remain peaceful during Kun's goading, but the specter showed him the colonists he had lead on Eol Sha as they were slaughtered by the Imperial forces under the command of Admiral Natasi Daala. Outraged, Gantoris leapt at the shadow of Kun, who killed Gantoris by burning him to death from the inside out. This made him the first of Skywalker's academy students to die and deeply shook the Jedi Master's confidence in his teaching abilities.

Following Gantoris's death, he was buried in a grove on Yavin 4, and the site was marked by a gray plinth. His lightsaber was used by several students at the Praxeum who did not possess lightsabers of their own.Kirana Ti wielded it when the students stood against Exar Kun's spirit and Kyp Durron was given it during his redemption test by Master Skywalker.

Personality and traits
"I want your anger, Gantoris!"

- Exar Kun to Gantoris

Having become a respected leader, Gantoris was a head-strong and confident man, even to the point of arrogance. He had gotten used to his position of leadership, and was not used to succumbing to the opinions and decisions of others. His rapid development at the Praxeum would only enforce his self-importance, where he outstripped his peers in development. His high ambition meant Gantoris always strove to improve his skills, a trait possibly driven by his dreams of the "Dark Man" in a hope to defeat him. This ambition lead him to challenge Luke Skywalker in a lightsaber duel, in which he was defeated.

He had trouble in grasping the possibility that others could possess power he did not, as was demonstrated when Corran Horn created an illusion over all the members of the Praxeum, including Luke Skywalker. Horn intended to raise a large boulder with telekinesis, but unintentionally implanted the image of the stone rising in the minds of the group while nothing of the kind. Gantoris' outburst demanding him to explain his powers of mind manipulation showed he felt he was fooled by Horn, and was loathe to be deceived or outclassed in any way.

Despite these foibles, Gantoris' hardened experience meant he knew the importance of solidarity, teamwork, and aiding others. He would lead by example, challenging himself again and again to improve, encouraging others at the Praxeum to do the same. He upheld concepts such as honor above personal disputes, as he showed when he refused to attack an unarmed Corran Horn during combat training in the Praxeum.

Despite his strength over the other students, Gantoris was respected by many of his peers, with Streen counting him as a friend at the Praxeum.

Powers and abilities
"My first true failure as a teacher was Gantoris. He built his lightsaber in only a few intense days, following instructions given to him by the spirit of Exar Kun. Gantoris thought he was ready, and my mistake was not seeing what he was up to."

- Luke Skywalker speaks of Gantoris

Gantoris had used his ability to sense his surroundings with the Force most of his life; as a result he was skilled at feeling the area around him and noticing any changes, particularly surges of emotions or environmental instabilities that could prove dangerous.

Having to draw on the Force for most of his life in order to survive the harsh world of Eol Sha, he rapidly learned the techniques he was taught at the Praxeum. He was the most promising student, showing strength for the generating a protection bubble. He was also highly adept at telekinesis.

Under instruction from Exar Kun, Gantoris was able to remove tiredness by drawing strength from the Force. He was also able to wield a lightsaber with minimal instruction.

Behind the scenes
Gantoris was created by Kevin J Anderson and first appeared in the Jedi Academy Trilogy opening novel Jedi Search. He is the first student Luke Skywalker recruits for the Praxeum, and as the most promising student he represents the success of the new Jedi. This makes his fall to the Dark Side haunt the Jedi trainees even more. He is also used in the novel to introduce the character of Exar Kun, a key protagonist.

Gantoris' lightsaber is described in Dark Apprentice to be purple-white with rainbow colors running along it's length. No other works involving lightsabers reference these shimmering colors, with Gantoris' lightsaber itself referred to as purple, amethyst or purple-white in other works.

The spirit of Exar Kun never actually reveals his name to Gantoris in any part of the narration for the Jedi Academy Trilogy.

The Jedi Academy Sourcebook allows the playable Gantoris character to wield a double-bladed lightsaber although his lightsaber is specifically duel-phase.

Appearances

 * I, Jedi
 * Jedi Search
 * Dark Apprentice
 * Champions of the Force
 * Children of the Jedi
 * Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers
 * Dark Tide I: Onslaught
 * Dark Tide I: Onslaught