Kyp Durron

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

- Kyp Durron

A polarizing figure in galactic history, Kyp Durron was both a leading Jedi Master in Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order and a man responsible for the deaths of millions during his anti-Imperial rampage in 11 ABY. Incarcerated in the spice mines of Kessel by the Galactic Empire at an early age, Durron's deep anger against his captors was easily exploited by the spirit of Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun, once Han Solo rescued the young Force-sensitive and took him to Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Under Kun's guidance, Durron stole the Sun Crusher superweapon and embarked upon a vendetta, destroying several Imperial targets and unwittingly killing his own brother in the process. Only once Kun's influence had been banished did Durron begin a long quest for absolution which led him to become Skywalker’s most talented pupil and one of the first Jedi Masters of the New Jedi Order.

Despite Durron’s reformation, his desire to repent for his actions manifested itself in a high-profile campaign against smugglers in the Outer Rim Territories as part of a philosophy of direct action against those whom he perceived as wrong-doers. When the extragalactic Yuuzhan Vong attacked the galaxy in 25 ABY, Durron was one of the first to meet the threat, losing his apprentice, Miko Reglia, and many other fellow Jedi in the opening months of the war. His policy of aggressive action was enhanced in the face of the Yuuzhan Vong menace and Durron began leading like-minded Jedi to war, against the wishes of Skywalker. Following further losses, Durron briefly took Jaina Solo as his apprentice and was later reconciled with Skywalker following Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas' creation of the High Council, upon which both men had seats. Durron saw the war through to its conclusion and remained one of Skywalker’s leading advisors on the newly formed Jedi High Council.

In 35 ABY, when a border conflict between the Chiss Ascendancy and the insectoid Killik species flared out of control, a group of younger Jedi departed to fight on behalf of the Killiks, provoking Chief of State Omas to attempt to gain more control over the Jedi Order. Durron, as the proponent of the philosophy that Jedi should follow the guidance of the Force rather than the policies of the reigning government, stridently opposed Omas, upholding his principles throughout the course of the conflict. The Jedi Master later found himself fighting the Galactic Alliance directly during the Second Galactic Civil War, when Jaina Solo’s twin brother Jacen Solo took control of the government and attempted to impose Sith rule upon the galaxy as Darth Caedus. Following Jacen Solo’s defeat, the galaxy entered into a period of reformation under the direction of Chief of State Natasi Daala, one of Durron’s former Imperial enemies. Daala’s policies included attempts to curb the autonomy of the Jedi Order, which Durron weathered alongside the emerging threat of a mysterious Force psychosis.

Early life (5 BBY–11 ABY)
"Kyp agreed to undergo serious training, but didn't know what he was getting into. He'd been a mine slave all his life. You showed him how powerful he was. He was learning how to make his own decisions and suddenly, grand new vistas opened up for him."

- Corran Horn, to Luke Skywalker

Kyp Durron was born on the Deyer colony of the Anoat system. In an Imperial roundup of dissidents, he and his parents&mdash;politicians outspoken against the destruction of Alderaan&mdash;were sent to be slaves in the spice mines of Kessel. Durron was only nine years old. His older brother Zeth was conscripted into Imperial service.

When Durron was eleven, the spice mines of Kessel, initially controlled by the Empire, were taken over by the Rybet smuggler Moruth Doole through violent action. Durron's parents were executed in the confusion.

While laboring in the spice mines, Durron met Vima-Da-Boda, who taught him a little about Force and its potential before being removed by Imperial authorities.

Jedi training (11 ABY–25 ABY)
"Kyp Durron, you have the blood of millions, perhaps billions, on your hands."

- Mon Mothma, to Kyp Durron

Eight years after Durron's enslavement, Han Solo and Chewbacca were taken prisoner by Doole and forced to work in the spice mines. With the help of Durron, the three managed to escape. In their flight, Durron used his natural affinity with the Force to pilot them through The Maw, an almost impregnable cluster of black holes in the Kessel system, inadvertently leading them to a top secret military program led by the Imperial Admiral Daala. It was here that Durron first found the Sun Crusher, which the trio used to escape the facility. Upon their return to New Republic space, Durron found a place at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Skywalker used a Jedi technique to test the boy's Force potential, which was so immense that the resulting feedback from the test threw Skywalker across the room.

Durron advanced quickly as the Praxeum's strongest student, but soon became dissatisfied with the Praxeum's slow pace. Feeling that Skywalker was holding him back, Durron was seduced and possessed by the dark side spirit of Exar Kun, an ancient Sith Lord from the era of the Great Sith War. With the assistance of Exar Kun, he gained control of the Sun Crusher by using the Force to fly it out of the gas giant Yavin. He then used it to pursue a destructive course of action. Durron traveled to Endor and, at the spot of Anakin Skywalker's funeral pyre, proclaimed himself the new Dark Lord of the Sith. One of his first actions was to seek revenge for the Imperial slaughter of his brother and parents.

The fallen Jedi used the Sun Crusher to fire a torpedo into the Caridan system's sun, starting a supernova that annihilated the both Imperial base on Carida along with the entire planet itself. Soon after firing the weapon, he discovered that his brother Zeth was not dead as the Caridan officials claimed, but was in fact alive among the ranks of stormtroopers at the Imperial Academy there. Unable to save him in time, Durron saw his brother disintegrate before making his escape, and as a result his guilt and rage drew him further into the clutches of the dark side.

Skywalker and Han Solo were eventually able to catch up to him and return him to the light. He then returned to the Maw and piloted the Sun Crusher in the ensuing battle between the New Republic and Admiral Daala's forces. He then destroyed the Sun Crusher by piloting it into one of the Maw's black holes and taking the pursuing Death Star prototype with it. He narrowly escaped by slowing down his bodily functions, squeezing himself into a message pod normally too small for a Human, and breaking many bones in the process while launching the pod out of the black hole's gravity well.

Jedi missions
"If Kyp Durron needed help, I doubt he would ask."

- Kirana Ti

Despite his many atrocities, Master Skywalker welcomed Durron back to the Academy. But although Skywalker had forgiven him, Durron had a difficult time forgiving himself. Terrified that he would succumb to the dark side again, and sometimes wishing death upon himself, it was a long healing process. On his first mission after his redemption, he assumed the alias Zeth Fost and investigated rumors of a Jedi Knight operating on the planet Prishardia. Though ultimately the rumors were proven false&mdash;it was only con-artist Ghitsa Dogder posing as one&mdash;the mission was a personal success for Durron, for the smuggler Fenig Nabon began the process of Durron's inner healing. Durron would rise from the ashes of his past to become a Jedi Master and one of the foremost members of the New Jedi Order.

In 12 ABY, when Admiral Daala reunited the various Imperial factions, Kyp Durron and his friend Dorsk 81 went on a Coreward mission to spy on her, but were discovered and forced to flee. When Daala subsequently attacked the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, Durron was one of the senior Jedi leading the defense against her ground forces. Although the Jedi were victorious, Dorsk 81 was killed in the battle. Durron then left the jungle moon again.

Later, having returned to Yavin 4, Durron was present for the arrival of the Academy's newest student&mdash;Dorsk 82. So striking was his similarity to Dorsk 81 that Durron momentarily confused the two. Durron soon took the new trainee under his wing, taking him out into the jungle to visit Dorsk 81's grave. There he presented Dorsk 82 with the lightsaber of his deceased predecessor. Impressing Dorsk by fighting off a battle hydra in the jungle, the new trainee pledged to become a Jedi Knight, with Durron declaring his support.

Shortly after, the two departed on a mission to the mining colony of Corbos in the Celador Sash. Finding the mining colony deserted the two set off to investigate. Durron was immediately subject to screams and cries for help through the Force&mdash;mysterious considering the dead colonists that they found. While Dorsk 82 slept, Durron set out to find the reason behind this mystery. Out in the pouring rain, Durron climbed to the top of the crater city, discovering a slavering leviathan&mdash;a bioengineered Sithspawn created by the Sith during the Hundred-Year Darkness.

Meanwhile, the insecure Dorsk 82 awoke to find Durron gone and fled to their ship to raise the comm and get help from the Academy. Responding to his distress signal, Streen and Kirana Ti set out from the Academy to join them flying another of the Order's ships. Arriving on the planet they joined up with Dorsk 82 and went in search of Durron. Meanwhile, Durron engaged the creature in a vicious battle inflicting numerous lightsaber wounds on it before finally using a grappling hook to climb onto its back. There, within a milky portal, the ghoulish faces of the miners’ spirits stared out at Durron. Plunging his red saber down into the portal Durron released the spirits&mdash;and was flung off the leviathan's back. Losing his grip on his lightsaber, Durron was plucked up by one of the leviathan's tentacles, which proceeded to force him down its maw.

Down below in the mines the other Jedi were looking for Durron and discovered a clutch of leviathan larvae. At the same time, Durron fought the leviathan using Force storm lightning to kill it. He then broke more portals to release the miners' spirits. Dorsk 82, Streen and Kirana Ti climbed out of the mines and caught up with Durron. The Jedi then encountered an even larger leviathan. Dorsk 82 and Streen then fought the leviathan while Kirana Ti went to search for Durron. She then found an unconscious Durron near the body of a smaller leviathan. The group worked together to defeat the larger leviathan. They then returned to the ships.

In 13 ABY, Durron joined the New Republic fleet brought together by Han Solo, flying the light explorer Sundance in the Battle of Nam Chorios.

Yuuzhan Vong War (25 ABY–29 ABY)
"I can't see the Yuuzhan Vong in the Force any more than [Luke Skywalker] can, but I don't need that to tell me they're evil. To know that they have to be stopped."

- Kyp Durron, to Jaina and Anakin Solo

Durron quickly grew strong in the Force, becoming a Jedi Master and took on Miko Reglia as his Jedi apprentice. He and Reglia formed the Dozen-and-Two Avengers, a vigilante group of X-wing and other snubfighter pilots. This squadron was one of the first to encounter the Yuuzhan Vong. Durron lost his squadron and his apprentice to the Yuuzhan Vong and barely escaped with his own life. Escaping into Hyperspace, Durron came out with two grutchins on his fighter. He was able to kill one with his lightsaber and crush the other one with the wings of his starfighter. They did not die without a fight though and ate much of his ship. Durron was able to bring his shields back up and, using short hyperspace jumps, was able to get to Sernpidal to tell people of the Yuuzhan Vong. Afterwards, he formed a similar squadron of fighters called the Kyp's Dozen.

Although he favored more aggressive tactics than many of the other Jedi, he proved himself a valuable asset in the deadly conflict. Durron participated in the defense of Tafanda Bay at the Battle of Ithor and following the First Battle of Gyndine went in search of missing Jedi Knight Wurth Skidder alongside Ganner Rhysode. With help from Talon Karrde and Crev Bombaasa, Durron and Rhysode were able to track Skidder to Fondor where he was being held aboard Chine-kal's flagship, the Crèche. Despite a valiant rescue attempt, Skidder succumbed to his wounds. Though the effort was not a total failure, as both Durron and Rhysode were able to kill the yammosk war coordinator and were able to free most of the other prisoners, including Randa the Hutt.

After Warmaster Tsavong Lah called for the heads of the Jedi, however, he broke from Luke Skywalker. Most of the other masters, who had been his fellow students, supported Skywalker, but Durron took the fight to the Yuuzhan Vong with a small&mdash;but significant&mdash;group of supporters. Over the first year of the war, his Dozen protected Bothawui and fought at the Battle of Kubindi. He also journeyed to occupied Dantooine, observing a kilometers-wide pit filled with the bones of those the Vong had sacrificed to their gods.

He briefly took on Jaina Solo as an apprentice and there were hints of a budding relationship between them, but she lost much respect for him when he tricked her into destroying a Yuuzhan Vong worldship that he claimed was a gravitic superweapon. While it did not destroy his level of support among the Jedi, there was a growing consensus that Durron was no longer stable.

Two years into the war, Durron had managed to perfect the art of the shadow bomb to give the Jedi and the New Republic a small advantage over the invaders. The technique emptied a proton torpedo of its propellant and called for Jedi to telekinetically hurl the projectiles at Yuuzhan Vong warships. Without drive emissions, the torpedoes were next to impossible to see or track. During the Fall of Coruscant, Kyp's Dozen was a crucial element in the Jedi-led starfighter wing based at Eclipse Station. Led by Luke Skywalker, these squadrons were able to maneuver amongst the Yuuzhan Vong invasion fleet and inflict significant damage. However, in the middle of the battle, reports quickly circulated that Kyp's Dozen had gone missing. In fact, only Durron and Jedi Knight Octa Ramis survived; with the latter swearing she would never fly with Durron again after he foolishly spent the lives of the rest of the squadron.

After the Fall of Coruscant, Durron was one of those who managed to reach Hapes. As he watched Jaina Solo come close to falling to the dark side, Durron finally understood how dangerous his own aggressive tactics were. Jaina Solo managed to come back from the edge, and she re-apprenticed herself to Durron. Leia Organa Solo, however, warned him that if he ever hurt her daughter again, the Yuuzhan Vong would be the least of his problems. After this incident, he became a much more stable person, and since his reformation he gained greater acceptance among the other Jedi.

Though Durron disagreed with many of Luke Skywalker's policies, he was appointed to the High Council prior to the Battle of Ebaq 9. Durron eventually learned to work out his differences with Skywalker and the other Jedi, even though their views on certain subjects often differed.

At the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, Durron, Leia, Han, Judder Page, Meloque and Wraw worked on Caluula while the Galactic Alliance fought at Dac and Alpha Red destroyed every living Yuuzhan Vong on the planet. During their mission the team was imprisoned by Malik Carr and was to be killed, but Booster Terrik, Shada D'ukal, Calrissian, Talon Karrde, Crev Bombaasa and Mirax Terrik Horn from the Smuggler's Alliance rescued Durron and the others with the Errant Venture. Later, Durron was one of the Jedi to fly a Zonama Sekotan fighter in defense of Zonama Sekot. After the end of the war Durron was present at the Conclave on Zonama Sekot.

Dark Nest Crisis (35 ABY–36 ABY)
By the Dark Nest Crisis, Durron was on the Masters' Council. However, he was once again at odds with the other Jedi. Though he no longer opposed Master Skywalker, he was, along with Mara Jade Skywalker, a leader of the faction which felt the Jedi had a duty to the galaxy at large before the Galactic Alliance. This stance was reminiscent of Revan during the Mandalorian Wars and Count Dooku's during the Clone Wars. This brought him into conflict with Corran Horn and Kenth Hamner, who felt that the Jedi were answerable to the Alliance. When Skywalker was out of contact on Woteba, Chief of State Cal Omas attempted to disorganize the Jedi by appointing Horn the Order's interim leader. Durron refused to take part in it, saying that Luke Skywalker led the Jedi, and that there would be no peace as long as Cal Omas was Chief of State.

Second Galactic Civil War (40 ABY–41 ABY)
"Facts, exact numbers, reassurance... a Jedi seeks not these things."

- Kyp Durron to Toval Seyah, following Centerpoint's destruction

During the Second Galactic Civil War, Durron kept a low profile as a member of the Masters' Council, though he did put out the suggestion that Jacen Solo be made a Jedi Master to bring him back into the Jedi Order and exert some control over Jacen's activities. Directly after the Battle of Hapes, he was chosen to investigate the incident involving the Skywalkers' son, Ben Skywalker, and Zekk. After having a discussion about it with Luke and Mara Skywalker, Durron decided not to investigate.



Durron later admitted to fellow Masters Skywalker that he had found a woman who liked his hair long and didn't mind the gray in it. He also told them that both Cal Omas and Cha Niathal wanted Jacen to be elevated to the rank of Jedi Master. Despite his own belief that Jacen Solo should be elevated to the rank of Jedi Master, in the meeting with Cal Omas and Niathal, Durron sided with Grand Master Skywalker who thought otherwise since he believed that Jedi problems were worsened when politicians interfered. Durron would later go on and offer assistance to Mara Skywalker when she decided to hunt Lumiya, which she refused. He also told her that he didn't understand why Grand Master Skywalker had tolerated Colonel Solo as long as he had and believed making him a Master would change his views and priorities. Again he would offer his assistance in the hunt for Lumiya after Mara Skywalker's death.

During the Battle of Kuat, Durron commanded Shadow Saber squadron before the Jedi left the battle.

After the Battle of Kashyyyk, Grand Master Skywalker ordered Durron to organize a Jedi plan to feign an assassination of Jacen Solo. He also assisted scientist Toval Seyah in the destruction of Centerpoint Station. Durron was present during the Battle of Shedu Maad, when Darth Caedus, as formerly Jacen Solo, was killed.

After the war
"Will you be prosecuting Master Durron next?" "I will not, But I could authorize extradition for him to the Imperial Remnant to face their charge of planetary genocide. Head of State Jagged Fel has rather reluctantly presented me with a proposal from the Moff Council on that very subject. But such a thing could be avoided, of course, if we had already set another decisive example."

- Luke Skywalker and Natasi Daala

Two years after the Second Galactic Civil War, Kyp Durron was among those present when Luke Skywalker was placed under arrest, and in a move to help humanize the Order in the eyes of the public, when acting Grand Master Kenth Hamner asked for a volunteer to be a consultant for an upcoming holodrama, Master Durron accepted. He was also present when GA forces arrived to take Valin Horn away from the temple. His anger was evident when a GA Security Captain, Oric Harfard, insulted the two Jedi guarding the entrance, but was calmed by Cilghal.

Powers and abilities
"Master Durron is a fine, responsible Jedi." "I'm not talking about the Jedi he is now. I'm talking about the teenager who destroyed most of the life in the Carida system all those years ago." "He was under the influence of the dark side of the Force at that time, affected by the mental sendings of a long-dead Sith Lord. And in the years since, he has proven himself to be courageous, a defender of life&mdash;" "Yes, he has. I'm not questioning that."

- Luke Skywalker and Natasi Daala

Prior to his induction into Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum, and without formal training, Durron used his natural affinity with the Force to pilot Han Solo and Chewbacca through The Maw, an almost impregnable cluster of black holes in the Kessel system. Durron was able to engage a Leviathan on Corbos in head to head combat, using his lightsaber to deal damage before he was able to mount the creature with the use of his grappling hook. Durron lost his lightsaber during the encounter and was able to defeat the creature by summoning lightning to strike it down.

As a slave on Kessel, Durron used the Jedi Mind Trick to convince a guard that his seat was next to Han Solo on the slave transport.

Behind the scenes
Kyp Durron was created by Kevin J. Anderson.

Originally, Durron was not planned to be in the New Jedi Order series. In the early stages of planning and the first draft of Vector Prime, he was absent; however, there was still an original hotshot Jedi character who led the Dozen and Two Avengers. After it was decided that fan outrage over dropping elements of the Bantam continuity might be too great, the Del Rey staff had R.A. Salvatore change the Jedi pilot's name to Durron and add in several bits of text relating to his background.

The character remains controversial amongst Star Wars fandom over his destruction of Carida and his subsequent readmission into the Jedi Knighthood. This controversy became a key plot point in I, Jedi, which had Corran Horn quit the Jedi Academy over Luke Skywalker's decision to welcome Durron back into the fold.

Continuity errors
In Dark Journey, Durron's name has incorrectly been spelled Kip on one event. It also states that he dragged the Sun Crusher out of the heart of Yavin however, in Dark Apprentice he used the Force to remotely power up the ship and fly it out of the gas giant.

Kyp's body count, as a result of his destroying the Caridan system, varies from writer to writer, with some laying the number in the billions. Carida however has been known to have 25 million sentients, making it the official kill count for Durron.

Durron's eye color changes from black to brown in earlier EU sources, to blue in the Jedi Academy Comics then finally to green in the NJO series. Furthermore, his hair color is referenced as black several times during the NJO, but dark brown elsewhere. However this could simply mean that he dyed his hair.

In the Fate of the Jedi series novel Allies his last name was incorrectly spelled as "Durran" several times.