Vodo-Siosk Baas

"The dark side has come before, and it will come again. Do not underestimate its power. That is why I have devoted my life to teaching Jedi Knights, to strengthen the light side against the tide of darkness that is sure to come."

- Excerpt from the holocron of Vodo-Siosk Baas

Vodo-Siosk Baas was a male Krevaaki who served as a Jedi Master during the Old Republic era. An ancestor of future Jedi Bodo Baas, Master Vodo was highly revered throughout the Jedi Order and was known to have taken part in the training of several famous Jedi Knights. He was among the most powerful of the Order and one of its leaders; however, he died at the hands of his former apprentice, turned Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun, in a vicious duel.

Instructor of Jedi
"My master has been respected for centuries among our fraternity."

- Exar Kun about Vodo-Siosk Baas



Vodo-Siosk Baas was a Krevaaki male Jedi Master. By 4,000 BBY, Master Baas had been a member of the Jedi Order for centuries, earning the respect of his peers as a Jedi historian, teacher and warrior. As a historian, he became one of the gatekeepers of the Tedryn Holocron, eventually creating one of his own, on which he recorded an extensive history of the Sith. Becoming the Jedi Watchman of Dantooine, Baas divided his time between there, where he trained his own group of formal padawans, and Ossus, where he provided instruction on lightsaber construction. Among his students in lightsaber construction were Nomi Sunrider, Dace Diath, and Shoaneb Culu.

At some point, Baas fathered a child, continuing his family line, eventually leading to the birth of his descendant; Bodo Baas. This descendant would become one of the future gatekeepers of the Tedryn holocron after Vodo-Siosk. Some time before the Naddist uprising on Onderon, Baas took under his wing the two Cathar; Crado and Sylvar, and the Human, Exar Kun. His best student out of the three was Kun, who became a highly skilled lightsaber duelist. However, Kun's ability caused him to develop great arrogance, and his fascination with the Dark side of the Force didn't help matters. Kun's influence also proved less than ideal for Baas' other students. Crado's Cathar-inherited pack-mentality caused him to see Kun as superior, and he became submissive towards the human. Sylvar, on the other hand, developed a confrontational relationship with Kun in response to his marked humanocentrism.

Fall of Exar Kun
"This hidden knowledge is meant for Jedi Masters. I wish you would concentrate on the things I choose to teach you!''" "''I don't understand, Master Vodo&hellip;why can't I learn about the Sith? I think you underestimate me."

- Baas berating Exar Kun for exploring his holocron



Kun eventually began to chafe under Baas' teachings, and secretly opened Baas' holocron, learning about the history of Naga Sadow and the original corruption of the Onderonian royal family by Freedon Nadd. However, before Kun could learn more, Baas discovered him, shutting down the holocron. While acknowledging the potential rewards of curiosity, Baas considered Kun unready to learn of the dark side given his proven arrogance, and his own worry that if Kun delved too deeply into such forbidden lore, he would turn from the Jedi path and fall. When Kun objected, claiming that his master underestimated him, Baas deflected by calling for a lightsaber sparring match among his students, an activity Kun excelled at.

In the subsequent sparring match, Kun easily defeated Crado, due to both his superior skill and Crado's defeatist attitude. As a test for Sylvar, Baas set her against Kun, knowing that his arrogant student would likely provoke her. As the two viciously fought, Baas proved correct, and Sylvar failed the test, clawing Kun across the face in a blind rage after he made a speciesist comment against Cathar. However, Kun quickly turned the tables, falling into a rage himself, disarming Sylvar and physically assaulting her.

Quickly leaping into action, Baas disarmed Kun with his staff and tried talking him down. However, Baas' efforts to calm Kun were undermined when Kun called Crado's fallen lightsaber to him and challenged Baas himself to a match.



"Are you sure you want to do this, Master?''" "''I put the same question to you, boy."

- Exar Kun and Vodo-Siosk Baas

The two squared off, and while Kun took the offensive, Baas was quickly able to knock Kun off his feet, thanks to his superior experience. However, Kun was hardly finished. Summoning his own lightsaber from where he had dropped it when Baas had disarmed him, Kun drove aside Baas' staff and regained his feet. Now armed with two lightsabers, Kun proceeded to pummel Baas with rapid attacks, keeping his master on the defensive. Finally, Kun defeated Baas, shattering the Jedi Master's staff.

As Sylvar rushed to his aid, Baas regained his feet, regarding the splintered halves of his staff. He acknowledged Kun as his most formidable student, but cautioned that he felt an emptiness within Kun, a part of his heart that remained hidden even from Kun himself, with much potential that the dark side could overtake him. Kun countered that only he knew his own heart. With that, Exar Kun left Vodo-Siosk Baas' apprenticeship, declaring himself a Jedi knight without any formal basis.

With Exar Kun gone, his training of Sylvar and Crado proceeded much more smoothly, with Crado developing a sense of pride in his accomplishments without being outdone and daunted by Kun, while Sylvar got a handle on her anger without Kun around to bully and provoke her. However, despite his success with the two, Baas became tormented by the guilt regarding his failure with Kun, and a sense of dread about what he might do or cause.

Conclave on Deneba


"You're an old fool, Vodo Baas&hellip;my power is on your apprentice now. The power of the ancient Sith! My power is on you!"

- Freedon Nadd's spirit lashing out at Baas

In the Empress Teta system, a Sith cult known as the Krath rose to power, and in their boldness, declared war on the Jedi Order. In addition to this, several Jedi prophecies predicted the rise of a dark power in the near future. In response to these factors, the Jedi called for a gathering, the Conclave on Deneba. The conclave was attended by all but a few Jedi, with one of the few being Exar Kun.

En route to the conclave, for which he was already late, a fact which left the Jedi in attendance unsurprised, though concerned, Vodo-Siosk Baas felt a massive tremor in the Force. Realizing the tremor to be a Force scream unleashed by none other than Exar Kun, Baas attempted to aid his former apprentice through the Force. However, before he could do so, he was confronted by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, who lashed out at Baas, preventing him from aiding Kun and ensuring the wayward Jedi's fall to the Dark side.

With nothing more he could do, Baas arrived at the conclave and took his place among the masters. However, as the conclave proceeded, they were suddenly attacked by Krath war droids who had been disguised as servant droids. While the Jedi fended off the assault, many participants were killed, including Jedi Master Arca Jeth. While Baas recorded the days events on his holocron, one of Jeth's students; Ulic Qel-Droma; resolved to infiltrate the Krath and attempt to bring it down from within, despite the inherent dangers of such a plan and the warnings of the masters.

Eventually, Qel-Droma's fellow students under Jeth became worried about their wayward comrade. They sought the masters approval in a mission to extract him from the Krath fortress in the Empress Teta system. Baas was one of the masters present at this gathering, and cautioned the knights that all Jedi were free Jedi, and could not be made to adhere to the Light side against their will, and they need Qel-Droma's consent to take him. Otherwise they had no right, as it would be Qel-Droma's choice, even if it led to self-destruction.

Baas had little to do with following events, simply returning to his duties as Watchman of Dantooine and lightsaber-creation instructor on Ossus.

The Sith War
"Not just a military battle for the dominance of a few worlds&mdash;this is a war of light and darkness, and at its center is my own student&hellip;Exar Kun."

- Vodo-Siosk Baas



As Vodo-Siosk Baas went about his duties, a war began. Exar Kun resurfaced as Dark Lord of the Sith, gaining the allegiance of the Krath through one of their new leaders; Ulic Qel-Droma. Qel-Droma became Kun's Sith apprentice and set about consolidating their forces and gathering their armies for the coming war. While Qel-Droma gained the allegiance of the Mandalorians by defeating their leader in single combat, Kun, masquerading as a Jedi, traveled to Ossus with the intent of gathering Jedi followers, and claiming the Sith holocron in Jedi historian Odan-Urr's possession. Kun killed Urr, taking the holocron and falsely claiming that Urr declared him a Jedi Master before passing away on his own. Twenty knights ultimately became Kun's disciples, sadly including Crado.

While Kun corrupted these Jedi, Ulic Qel-Droma led the Sith and Mandalorian forces in a joint attack on Coruscant. Despite the tremendous success of the assault, the Sith forces were commanded to retreat by Qel-Droma's co-leader of the Krath and lover; Aleema Keto; in a power grab, abandoning the Sith Lord on the battlefield. Leading a Jedi task force consisting of Nomi Sunrider, Sylvar, Shoaneb Culu, Tott Doneeta, Dace Diath, Qrrrl Toq and Ulic Qel-Droma's brother, Cay, Baas confronted the Sith apprentice, disarming him and imprisoning him within a wall of light, temporarily cutting his connection to the Force. With Qel-Droma captured, Baas returned to Dantooine while Ulic was taken before the Republic Senate for trial.

Upon his return to Dantooine, Baas began reflecting on the events leading up to the war. Believing that the war was a result of failure on his part, Vodo-Siosk Baas resolved to attend the Trial of Ulic Qel-Droma and face the consequences of his actions. Gathering the pieces of the staff Kun shattered during their sparring match, Baas mended the weapon and departed for Coruscant.

As Qel-Droma's trial proceeded, the unrepentant Sith simply responded to the Senate accusations with pro-Sith rhetoric, ultimately prompting the Senate to sentence him to death. However, before Qel-Droma could be taken away, Exar Kun burst into the Senate hall, accompanied by Mandalore the Indomitable and his Massassi entourage. Paralyzing the senators with a Sith spell, Kun confronted the Supreme Chancellor, using his Sith amulet to take control of the Chancellor's mind. The Chancellor was forced to repeat Kun's declarations of Sith superiority, and ultimately died from the physical stress of the possession. As Cay Qel-Droma attempted to reason with his wayward brother, Ulic simply brushed him off.

Final duel with Kun
"Go on to your higher plane, teacher. The galaxy is mine now."

- Exar Kun, just before killing Vodo

At that moment, Baas entered the hall, declaring his intention to stop Exar Kun. Speaking with Kun, he attempted to draw his fallen apprentice back to the Light side. Baas' attempt proved unsuccessful, and Kun countered with an offer to join his Sith ranks, which Baas refused. Kun challenged Baas to a lightsaber duel, declaring that if Baas was victorious, Kun would return with him and undertake any retraining Baas saw fit to bestow, but also stated that if he won, Baas would join the Sith.

Kun made the first attack, which Baas fended off before countering. Baas held his own against his former apprentice, ignoring all of his taunts. Kun likewise refused all of Baas' pleas for surrender. So the two battled across the Senate floor, equally matched. However, Kun began to tire of his former masters tireless beggings, and decided to take the contest up a notch. Pressing a button on his lightsaber hilt, Kun activated the weapons second blade, revealing it to be a double-bladed lightsaber.

Armed with this unfamiliar weapon, Kun took full advantage of it, raining swift and powerful blows upon his former master. Unable to hold off the weapons attacks, Baas knew he was defeated. As Kun drove him back, Baas declared that he and Kun would battle again, though perhaps not for some time, but Baas would defeat him. This only enraged Kun, who unleashed a heavy overhand with his weapon, shattering Baas' staff again and killing him.

Vodo-Siosk Baas became one with the Force, his body vanishing. While Kun's Massassi warriors inspected Baas' fallen garments, Kun left the chamber, followed by Ulic Qel-Droma and Mandalore the Indomitable, leaving the planet shortly afterwards. The Jedi in attendance tearfully began to console one another.

After death


Baas' prediction that he and Kun would battle again came true when millennia later in 11 ABY, Exar Kun's spirit surfaced and attacked the students at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Kun managed to corrupt many of Skywalker's students and possess Skywalker himself. However, in the end, the Jedi banded together to bind and destroy Exar Kun forever. Aided by Baas' spirit, they proved successful, and Baas finally defeated his fallen student.

Legacy
The stories of Vodo-Siosk Baas became part of his holocron's stories. A statue dedicated to him was constructed at the entrance to the Draay Estate. The Tedryn Holocron, of which Baas was one of the gatekeepers, eventually came into the possession of Palpatine, and the Sith Lord used it to gain knowledge of spirit transference, allowing the Darksider to escape death on numerous occasions. The holocron was eventually taken from Palpatine by Leia Organa Solo, who reclaimed it for the Jedi Order. The holocron became one of the teaching tools used at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, until it was destroyed by the spirit of Exar Kun.

However, not every aspect of Baas' legacy was positive. One of his former students; Krynda Draay; went on to found the Jedi Covenant, an extremist organization devoted to preventing a Sith resurgence. Ultimately the organization was secretly taken over by the machinations of Haazen, a former Jedi and secret Sith acolyte. Thanks to Haazen's manipulations, the Covenant purpetrated the Padawan Massacre of Taris before going into full rebellion against the Jedi Council. Draay herself died from the strain of these events, and the grief at unknowingly causing the deaths of children.

Personality and traits


"I must make things right. I must do something."

- Vodo-Siosk Baas

Vodo-Siosk Baas was one of the most respected members of the Jedi Order, one of their leaders. A patient teacher, Baas delighted in instructing students, often able to recognize great potential in his charges early on. His knowledge of the Light side of the Force was considerable, and he passed it on to numerous students, many of whom became great Jedi.

A natural leader, Baas was one of the most influential members of the Order, his voice holding a great deal of sway, even among other masters. His lateness at the Jedi Conclave on Deneba, while not surprising to many in attendance, was considered a cause of worry.

Thanks to his considerable knowledge of the Dark side of the Force, Baas was perpetually concerned with protecting against it. Knowing that it could never be truly vanquished, he repeatedly stated that one should never underestimate it. His own primary action against it consisted of training more Jedi to strengthen the Order, and the Light side in general, allowing them to withstand the Dark sides furious tide which was always sure to return.

Powers and abilities
"You're right. I am still the Master."

- Vodo-Siosk Baas



Vodo-Siosk Baas was one of the most powerful Jedi Masters of the day, possessing great knowledge in Jedi and Sith history, as well as more technical areas such as lightsaber construction. A capable teacher, many of his apprentices went on to become great Jedi, a notable being Sylvar, who went on to become a hero among her people, despite the betrayal and death of her mate and fellow student, Crado. His knowledge of lightsaber mechanics allowed him to be appointed one of the instructors on Ossus, where he taught apprentices how to fabricate the weapon. In fact, his technical skills were so great that he proved able to fabricate his own holocron.

Baas' abilities with the Force were also great. Although he rarely used it, he possessed great skill in telekinesis, being able use it to disarm Ulic Qel-Droma, one of the most powerful Force-users of the day. Baas also demonstrated skill in the Sever Force technique, imprisoning opponents in a wall of Light and temporarily cutting their connection to the Force. Like many of the Jedi Masters of the day, Baas also had the ability to preserve his spirit after death, allowing him to return and help destroy Exar Kun's spirit long after his physical death.

However, perhaps Baas' greatest talent was his ability to imbue his staff with the Force, allowing it to stand up to even a lightsaber. He wielded this Force Weapon in lieu of a lightsaber in demonstration of passive Jedi philosophy, though his skill with it highlighted Baas' capabilities as a warrior. As the Jedi Weapon Master of the day, he was a talented and dangerous combatant, defeating many opponents merely with his staff, despite its limited offensive capacity compared to a lightsaber. His great experience allowed him to find the balance points of his opponents and strike, off-balancing them and sending them reeling. His skill as a duelist carried over to his apprentices, many of them becoming famous warriors, or infamous killers in the case of Exar Kun.

However, despite his fighting ability, Baas was not without his weaknesses. He was unable to effectively counter-attack against dual-blades, and he had no ability to defend against saberstaffs, though he could hardly be blamed, as Exar Kun's weapon was the first such lightsaber the Jedi ever encountered, and the use of dual lightsabers in combat was and continues to be a rare practice.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Freedon Nadd Uprising 1
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 1: Masters and Students of the Force
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 2: The Quest for the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 3: Descent to the Dark Side
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith 6: Jedi Assault
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith (audio)
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 2: The Battle of Coruscant
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 3: The Trial of Ulic Qel-Droma
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 4: Jedi Holocaust
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 5: Brother Against Brother
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Commencement
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 9: Flashpoint Interlude: Homecoming
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 18: Nights of Anger, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 32: Vindication, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 33: Vindication, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 47: Demon, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Rebellion
 * Star Wars Galaxies: The Ruins of Dantooine
 * Dark Apprentice
 * Champions of the Force
 * I, Jedi
 * Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force
 * Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force

Notes and references
Vodo-Siosk Baas ヴォド＝シオスク・バス Vodo-Siosk Baas Vodo-Siosk Baas