Tyvokka

"It was said he could "sense the future." His instinctive knowledge of the Force centered him in the present but allowed him to intuit where all possibilities lead."

- Plo Koon

Tyvokka was a Wookiee Jedi Master of legendary status who was seated on the Jedi High Council during the Stark Hyperspace War.

Crisis
Tyvokka, a male Wookiee, was a Jedi Master who lived during the Republic Classic era. He trained several padawans, although his last was the Kel Dor Plo Koon. By the time Koon's training was complete, Tyvokka held a seat on the Jedi High Council. In 44 BBY, the Galactic Republic suffered from a bacta shortage, and trouble began to flare in the Outer Rim Territories. Since bacta was now rarer and therefore more expensive, many of the Outer Rim worlds were not able to afford it. However, the newly-formed Stark Commercial Combine began preying on Trade Federation ships, looting their bacta supplies and selling it to the Outer Rim worlds at a cut price. When representatives of the Federation protested to the Galactic Senate, it was decided that a diplomatic solution would be sought after. As a result, Tyvokka was chosen to be chief negotiator between the two parties.

Before departing for the summit, the Jedi Master approached his former apprentice, as there was an opening for one of the rotational seats on the High Council, and he wished to put Koon's name forth. At first, the Kel Dor declined the offer, as he believed that there were other Jedi, such as Qui-Gon Jinn, who were more suited for the position. Tyvokka scoffed at the suggestion, suspecting that Jinn was likely a Gray Jedi, and insisted that Koon was the most suitable candidate for the role. Eventually, the Kel Dor relented, and accepted his former master's judgment. Tyvokka then requested that Koon serve as his chief aide during the upcoming summit, and the Kel Dor accepted, suggesting that they bring Jinn along as well in the hope that the Wookiee might be able to part some wisdom to his fellow Jedi Master.

The pair then met with Senator Finis Valorum of the Lytton sector, to discuss the details of the summit. Also in attendance were fellow council members Mace Windu, Yoda, and Adi Gallia. Tyvokka aired his suspicion to Valorum that the bacta shortage may have been a ruse, as it had brought considerable short-term profits to both the Thyferrans who grew the bacta, and the Trade Federation. As a means of validating his theory, Tyvokka suggested that Master Tholme and his apprentice Quinlan Vos be sent to Thyferra to investigate. Windu agreed, and at Koon's quiet insistence, Tyvokka declared that in addition to his former apprentice, he would be taking Master Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi with him to Troiken for the summit. Valorum also requested that Gallia also accompany them, to serve as his personal advisor.

Summit on Troiken
Upon arriving at Troiken, Tyvokka, Koon, Jinn, Kenobi, Valorum, and Gallia met with Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation, who was accompanied by a guard of HKB-3 hunter-killer droids. They were joined by the head of the Stark Commercial Combine, Iaco Stark, who was in turn accompanied by his co-directors&mdash;Trodos, Boor-Daa, Tam Gozon, and Lom Portom, as well as an armed guard. As he sat down across a large table from Gunray, Valorum, and the Jedi. Stark informed the Jedi that he and his co-directors were all wearing in-built earplugs that would translate Tyvokka's "Wookiee" for them, and so there was no need for a translator. Tyvokka suggested that they eschew the usual "preliminaries" of negotiation, and cut straight to what Stark considered to be the solution. Stark agreed, and so his associates and guards drew their weapons on Gunray and the Jedi.

Valorum was outraged by the move, and Stark revealed that he was aware of the fact that the summit was in fact a trap meant for him, and that a covert Republic paramilitary under the command of Senator Ranulph Tarkin of the Seswenna sector was headed for Troiken even as they spoke. Valorum was shocked by the development, and insisted that not only was he unaware of Tarkin's actions, but the senator's actions were not authorized. Stark went on to explain that someone at the summit was aware of the trap since the signal to attack had originated from the meeting hall. He also stated that all of Tarkin's ships had been infected by a nanovirus, and that portions of the fleet would find themselves exiting hyperspace and going straight into a star, or a black hole. The portion of the fleet that would make it to Troiken would be met by Stark's superior forces. Stark then demanded that Valorum, Gunray, and the Jedi all surrender, confident that the Republic would stoop to his demands if they did so.

Tyvokka correctly divined that Stark had planned everything from the beginning, and that the summit itself had been a trap for them. As Stark continued to call for their surrender, Tyvokka grabbed the giant table and flipped it on its side, using it as a shield against Stark's men. As the Jedi leapt into action, Tyvokka assigned Kenobi to protect Gunray, Gallia to protect Valorum, and Koon to assist him. Using the Force, the Wookiee smashed the table, and took his lightsaber to Stark's men. Jinn urged Gunray to activate his droids and have them assist, but Gunray's vague order to "kill them all" resulted in them opening fire on the Jedi as well. Tyvokka was caught unawares, and was struck by three blaster bolts across the chest.

Death and legacy
The skirmish over, Stark and his co-directors fled the hall. Koon tended to the wounded Tyvokka, and requested medical help, but the Wookiee insisted that they move to a defensible position in case Stark returned with more men. As he was helped out of the room by Valorum and Koon, Tyvokka stated that they should make contact with whatever was left of Tarkin's forces and join forces, as they had no hope of surviving on their own. The group made it back to the Consular-class cruiser that had brought them to Troiken, and Valorum was able to get through to Tarkin, who he arranged to rendezvous with at the defensible position of Mount Avos. While the cruiser departed for the rendezvous itself, Koon nursed his former master, who was now slowly dying. Due to the limited supply of bacta, Tyvokka was unable to be tended to properly, and so he began issuing his final orders. Gallia was to get Valorum off the planet and seek out a diplomatic solution, Jinn was to uncover the details of Stark's nanovirus, and Koon was instructed to rally Tarkin's troops against Stark's onslaught. As his last wish, Tyvokka insisted that Koon take his place on the High Council. The Kel Dor admitted that he did not want Tyvokka to die, but the Master scolded his former apprentice, reminding him of the fourth precept of the Jedi Code: there is no death, there is only the Force. With his dying breath, Tyvokka told Koon that he was proud of him.

Koon proceeded to take command of the mission. En route to Mount Avos, the cruiser sustained heavy enemy fire, and was forced to crash land. As a result, the ship exploded after all the occupants had been able to clear it, but Tyvokka's body was unceremoniously incinerated. Koon was disturbed, but Gallia pointed out that the burning wreckage of the ship served as a makeshift funeral pyre for the late Jedi Master. What ensued came to be known as the Stark Hyperspace War&mdash;the Republic emerged the victors, with Stark being arrested, and his collective destroyed. Koon honored Tyvokka's dying wish and took his seat on the High Council. Several years later, in 32 BBY, the Kel Dor reminisced about the conflict with fellow veterans Gallia, Tholme, and Jace Dallin, a member of Tarkin's paramilitary, as well as Master Windu, while telling the story of the conflict to Tholme's new Padawan learner, Aayla Secura.

In 22 BBY, a picture of Tyvokka, standing alongside the young Qui-Gon Jinn and his master, Dooku, as well as Yoda, was displayed in a HoloNet News profile of Dooku, who was at that time the leader of the newly formed Confederacy of Independent Systems, a group of worlds announcing their secession from the Galactic Republic.

Personality and traits
Tyvokka had no time for excess humility, and he regarded it as being just as poor a trait in a Jedi Knight as excess pride. He was constantly vexed by the humility and politeness his final apprentice, Plo Koon, and made sure that he made that clear to Koon himself. He was not adverse to airing his opinions and theories in front of others, even when he had no evidence to back his claims. Tyvokka also had little time for more stubborn and independent Jedi such as Qui-Gon Jinn, although he was grudgingly willing to bring the controversial Jedi along with him to the summit on Troiken.

Even when mortally wounded, Tyvokka's thoughts were about his mission, rather than his own health. After being hit by blaster fire from Gunray's droids, Tyvokka continued to plan the movements of his team, and shrugged off Koon's insistence that he required immediate medical attention. As he lay dying, Tyvokka still found cause to admonish his student, although his final words to Plo Koon were ones of pride.

Powers and abilities
"A very powerful Jedi."

- Plo Koon

Tyvokka's powers were held in high regard by his final padawan, Plo Koon, as well as his fellow council member, Mace Windu. The Wookiee Jedi Master was said to be able to "sense the future"&mdash;while he was kept focused on the present by his instinctive knowledge of the Force, he was also able intuit all the possibilities stemming from a given situation. This intuition served him well on Troiken, as he was able to determine the depth of Iaco Stark's plotting and resources. Tyvokka was also able to use the Force to destroy objects large objects, as he demonstrated during the botched summit on Troiken. As his weapon, Tyvokka wielded a wooden-handled, curved lightsaber, which he utilized during the Stark Hyperspace War.

Behind the scenes
Tyvokka made his first appearance in The Stark Hyperspace War, an early arc of the Star Wars comic line (later retitled Star Wars: Republic). The arc was written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Davidé Fabbri, and the character also appeared on the cover of the second issue, which was drawn by Jan Duursema and Dave McCaig. He was later drawn by Joe Corroney for his appearance in HoloNet News Vol. 531 54.

The Power of the Jedi Sourcebook incorrectly claims that a "great Jedi Master" died during the Fifth Battle of Qotile. As the only Jedi Master to have fallen in the Stark Hyperspace War was Tyvoka, this is clearly a reference to him, although The Stark Hyperspace War shows that he was killed during the First Battle of Qotile.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Republic 36: The Stark Hyperspace War, Part 1
 * Star Wars Republic 37: The Stark Hyperspace War, Part 2
 * Star Wars Republic 38: The Stark Hyperspace War, Part 3
 * Star Wars Republic 39: The Stark Hyperspace War, Part 4