Jedi Temple Veranda

Jedi Temple Veranda
General information
Constructed	Pre-1000 BBY
Destroyed	19 BBY
Location	Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Chronological and political information
Affiliation	Jedi Order

The Jedi Temple Veranda was the name given to part of the upper structure of the Tranquility Spire of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Located within the three wings near the pinnacle of the spire, this area housed some of the most potent group meditation chambers in the entire Temple. Along with meditation chambers, the veranda housed sparring chambers used for the instruction of privileged younglings and halls used for special occasions.

History

Yoda instructs Jedi younglings in one of the veranda training rooms.

Constructed as a part of the Temple's central spire, the veranda was complete as of 1000 BBY and serviced the needs of the Jedi Order for the next millennia.

During the Separatist Crisis Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi brought his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, to the veranda for training with remotes. During the training session, the visiting Supreme Chancellor Palpatine stood and watched with interest at Skywalker's proficiency with the blade.

In 22 BBY, Jedi Kenobi woke up early and began his morning meditation on the grand balcony. Unable to find clarity he sought out Grand Master Yoda, finding him in the midst of instructing lightsaber practice on the veranda. Politely interrupting the lesson, Kenobi greeted the Bear Clan before asking Master Yoda about the missing star system Kamino. Using a hologlobe, Kenobi accessed a map reader in one of the veranda's small antechambers and displayed the section of space that Kamino should appear. After posing the quandary to the Bear Clan, the older Jedi deduced that the information must have been erased from the Temple Archives.

Padawan Anakin Skywalker practicing with remotes.

At the end of the Clone Wars Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, was revealed to the Jedi High Council to be none other then Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious. While members of the Council moved to arrest him, the attempt was in vain and the Grand Army of the Republic was sent to siege the Temple. Under Operation: Knightfall, the Temple was to be laid waste and its occupants killed on the crime of treason. The clone troopers of the 501st Legion stormed the halls of the Temple killing all within. Darth Vader, leading the onslaught from the front, made his way up to the veranda and slaughtered the younglings hiding there. As their minder, a blond Zabrak Jedi, lay dying he decried Vader as a traitor and whispered that traitors only betray themselves before the Sith Lord killed him.

For the next several decades the Temple would be occupied by the Galactic Empire, its interior chambers crumbling and gathering dust from disuse. It wasn't until 2 ABY that the veranda was the scene of another slaughter when the secret Sith apprentice, Starkiller, made his way from the main entrance hall up to the veranda. Killing the stormtroopers stationed on the veranda, Starkiller used the veranda to reach the Jedi Trials Chamber, Archives, and High Council Tower during three of his trips to the abandoned edifice.

Darth Vader slays the younglings hiding in one of the small chambers off the veranda.

Throughout the rest of the Galactic Civil War, the Temple did not have many visitors as the Empire struggled with the Rebel Alliance. However, following the Battle of Endor and the deaths of Sidious and Vader, the Empire lost balance and the New Republic drove the Imperials from the galactic capital. Luke Skywalker, recently deemed a Knight by the deceased Yoda reformed the Jedi Order on Yavin 4 and eventually led an recovery mission to the crumbling Temple. Following the utter ruin of the Temple during the Yuuzhan Vong War, the newly formed Galactic Alliance reclaimed Coruscant and Chief of State Cal Omas donated a new Temple to the Jedi Order for their sacrifices during the war. While the Temple was rebuilt to old specifications, it is unknown if the veranda was included or remodeled.

Layout

Obi-Wan Kenobi walks across the veranda in search of Master Yoda.

A large open space within the winged section of Tranquillity Spire, the veranda was carpeted in blue which covered the golden stone blocks which made up the floor. A large staircase led out into the wings of the spire where light poured through the transparisteel ceiling. The veranda walls were lined with balcony areas with wide sweeping staircases leading to private chambers and rooms used for special occasions or ceremonies. Each staircase was flanked by tall bronzium statues of ancient masters while a doorway between the stairs led into a small chamber in which meditation and lightsaber training was encouraged. These small, windowed rooms were equipped with a map reader, capable of displaying maps of the galaxy.

The veranda served as a hub of activity for the Spire; granting access to the Hall of Knighthood and the turbolifts which ran all the way down to the Grand Balcony and the passages to the four Council Towers as well as the Jedi Trials Chamber.

Behind the scenes

The Jedi Temple Veranda first appears in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, during a scene in which Obi-Wan Kenobi seeks guidance from Yoda in regards to the missing information on Kamino. While the specific location of the veranda is not directly indicated, the peaks of the Council spires are clearly seen through the windows, indicating it to be high within the Temple's central tower. Supplementary notes to Star Wars: Complete Locations indicate that the veranda is illustrated as having been located beneath the Hall of Knighthood.

Appearances

• Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
• † Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones
• Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones novelization
• Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones unabridged audiobook
• Star Wars: Battlefront II
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game
• † Star Wars: Rebellion: The Ahakista Gambit (In flashback(s))

Sources

• Star Wars: Complete Locations
• Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force (Picture only)
• Nexus of Power

Notes and references

In other languages

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