Thalleus Tharn

"If by brain-breaker you mean xenopsychiatrist, then yes. I brought the best. Allow me to present Dr. Thalleus Tharn, chair of xenopsychiatric medicine at the Greater Coruscant University."

- Chief of State Natasi Daala

Doctor Thalleus Tharn was a highly-decorated Bith scholar, brain surgeon, and xenopsychiatrist, who served as the chairman of xenopsychiatric medicine at the Greater Coruscant University. In 44 ABY, during the government-sanctioned siege of the Jedi Temple, Doctor Tharn's professional opinion was regarded by Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala for the determination of the mental status of two psychotically-afflicted Jedi Knights, Sothais Saar and Turi Altamik. Through a preliminary field examination, Doctor Tharn attested to the restored cognitive stability of both Saar and Altamik, which ultimately prompted Chief Daala to lift the Temple siege.

Jedi plight
"Unfortunately, Captain Solo, I do. Until we find a way to cure these patients, freezing them in carbonite is the only responsible thing to do. Jedi Knights are just too powerful to have wandering around in a psychotic state. Surely you agree with that."

- Doctor Tharn, to Han Solo

Thalleus Tharn was a male Bith who lived in the years that followed the end of the Second Galactic Civil War. The Bith were a species renowned for their intellect and academic achievements, and Tharn was no exception. He excelled in various areas of scientific medicine and practice, and by 44 BBY, had received more accolades than were numerable. Tharn's excellence was recognized, however, in both brain surgery and xenopsychiatry. So respected was Tharn that he was invited by the Greater Coruscant University to serve as the Chair of xenopsychiatric medicine, a position which he accepted.

Doctor Tharn was called into service by Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala in 44 ABY during the Mandalorian siege of the Jedi Temple to determine the sanity of two psychotically-afflicted Jedi Knights, Sothais Saar and Turi Altamik. He joined Chief Daala in her limousine as they proceeded to the Temple and, upon their arrival, waited in the vehicle as Daala exited to confront the Jedi entourage. The Chief of State parleyed with Captain Han Solo, the Jedi liaison, and agreed to lift the siege after, among other concessions, Saar and Altamik were taken into Galactic Alliance custody. Doctor Tharn was then summoned to join Chief Daala and Captain Solo, although he refused to accept the latter's attempted handshake. After his many decorations were lauded over by Daala, the details of his participation were confirmed, which included the sedation of both Jedi for safe transport, and their thorough examination once they reached and were secured in his facility. When asked if he was aware that Daala intended for them to be frozen in carbonite, Doctor Tharn stated that such precautions were necessary to secure the criminally-insane Jedi until which time a cure was discovered for their condition.

Clean bill
"Would you put me down, young lady? You've already proven that you are in control of yourself.''" "You're as barvy as we were, doc. You could have gotten us all killed." "Only if one of you had lost control, and I could see from the moment you left the Temple that wasn't going to happen. That'' was just to prove it to Chief Daala."

- Turi Altamik, andDoctor Tharn

Tharn waited alongside Captain Solo as he beckoned Sothais Saar and Turi Altamik from the temple. Chief Daala felt that it would be more prudent to apprehend them discreetly instead of allowing them to proceed otherwise unrestrained, to which the Bith doctor agreed and ordered for both Jedi to be taken into custody by his orderlies. He was denied by Captain Solo, however, who claimed that he was under the impression the exchange was to occur in full view of the public. As the Jedi approached, Chief Daala accused them of being impostors who might have had their appearances altered by plastic surgery. Captain Solo countered that Doctor Tharn, who was also a surgeon by profession, could examine Saar and Altamik to determine whether or not their features had been altered. Ever dubious of Captain Solo's motives, Chief Daala was hesitant to accept Solo's claim that the Jedi had been cured of their affliction, and stated that she would only abide Doctor Tharn's assessment. When Solo suggested to the Bith doctor that other members of the medical community would view and critique his methods, Tharn requested to have the patients transported to his hospital for proper evaluation. However, when Solo implied that the detatchement of Mandalorians assigned as guards were incapable of protecting the doctor if the Jedi suddenly became hostile, Tharn opted instead for a preliminary field assessment, one that would be conducted in full view of the HoloNet audience. He then ascended the steps of the Jedi Temple and approached Saar and Altamik, both of whom yielded in the presence of both armed Mandalorians and Galactic Alliance Security officers.

Doctor Tharn asked Saar to explain his raised-hands gesture of capitulation, and agreed with the reasonability of the Jedi's claim that he did not want to provoke the Mandalorians into the discharge of any haphazard blaster fire. The Doctor then began to question Turi Altamik, who admitted that while she and Jedi Saar had previously suffered from a violent bout of psychosis, they had both been restored to full mental capacity. Returning his attention to Saar&mdash;who related that he was hesitant to trust the Doctor&mdash;Tharn guaranteed that whatever methods he used to determine the Jedi's sanity were completely for their benefit. He further asserted that unless a direct order was given by the Chief of State, no weapons would be fired at them. As both Jedi lowered their hands, Tharn again demanded that they trust him. When they agreed, the Bith turned to Sothais Saar and kneed him in the groin, which prompted Altamik to raise Doctor Tharn in the air with the Force so as to prevent him from attacking Saar again. However, Tharn's field exam told him all he needed to know: the fact that he was still alive meant that both Jedi were indeed sane, just as Captain Solo had previously asserted. He explained to those present that he was sure of the Jedi's sanity the moment they emerged from the Temple; he simply performed the preliminary assessment for no other reason than to appease the Chief of State. Daala grudgingly accepted Tharn's opinion despite his methods and lifted the siege, but vowed to have him confirm with the Mon Calamari Jedi healer Cilghal the successful recovery of all of the criminally-insane Jedi to her satisfaction.

Personality and traits
"His honors and titles are too numerous to recount, but I have every confidence that Master Cilghal will know his reputation."

- Chief Daala

Doctor Tharn was well known and respected for his many academic achievements, and by 44 ABY, more honors had been accorded him than one could enumerate. His vast medical expertise resulted in an invitation to preside over the Greater Coruscant University's department of xenopsychiatry. He believed that brain surgery was an art form, and dismissed Captain Solo's suggestion that droids&mdash;whom Tharn believed were incapable of producing art&mdash;would alleviate a measure of the peril associated with such practices. Solo was nonetheless impressed by Tharn's preeminence as heralded by Daala, and openly conveyed the respect afforded a being of the doctor's reputation. When it was suggested by Captain Solo that Tharn's professional colleagues would scrutinize his technique to the letter, the Bith doctor became anxiously concerned with the opinions of his peers. As a medical professional, Doctor Tharn refrained from and refused to greet other beings with the shaking of hands. He recognized the threat posed by criminally-insane Jedi and expressed a considerable degree of anxiety when he realized that they would present a danger to both him and his facilities. Tharn also understood the Jedi's apprehension with trusting him, a representative of Chief Daala. However, while partially in agreement with Daala's position regarding the mentally-insane Jedi, Tharn preferred to employ his own methods with regard to handling Saar and Altamik despite the Chief of State's orders, and in doing so, earned a measure of her ire. He displayed an interest in public opinion, and made a show of assisting Saar after he had incapacitated the Jedi Knight with a knee to the groin, something Tharn also did to garner a favorable outlook in the public eye.

Behind the scenes
Thalleus Tharn was a character created by author Troy Denning for the sixth novel in the Fate of the Jedi series, titled Vortex. Vortex is Tharn's first and only appearance to date.

Appearances

 * Vortex