- "I am the Eye of the Nihil, and I see the battle you're fighting. I see the Republic, trying to take away your freedom, trying to take your hard-won credits, trying to take away your way of life…they want you dead. Just for living. Just for being. Just for walking a path they don't own."
- ―Ro, to Milliko's Tempest
The Nihil conflict, otherwise known as the war against the Nihil or war with the Nihil from the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order's perspective, was a conflict that occurred in the galaxy between the Nihil, a group of anarchistic marauders from the Outer Rim, and the Republic/Jedi during the High Republic Era. The Nihil actions ranged from minor skirmishes to entire planets being raided.
Beginning in 232 BBY after the Great Hyperspace Disaster, a terrorist attack instigated by the Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro. The Nihil believed the Republic to be encroaching on freedom and began to defend their way of life, and the refusal to provide the Nihil with representation in the Galactic Senate. The Nihil had access to mysterious routes known as "Paths" which defied conventional hyperspace logic and emerged as a significant threat. During the Battle of Kur, it was believed the Nihil were defeated, however they revealed themselves to not be destroyed when they destroyed the Valo Republic Fair.
The Jedi Order eventually forced the Nihil to scatter. In 230 BBY, however, the Nihil were able to successfully prevent the Galactic Republic from being able to reach ten full sectors of the Outer Rim Territories and secured the territory as their own. Ro then sent out a broadcast revealing himself to the galaxy.
The conflict[]
Opening hostilities[]
- "Very well. But if we stay, we stay and fight. We don't sit on our hands and hope someone gives us cause to strike back. We don't engage in the same folly that's had us on our heels all year, barely ready for each new wave of attacks, lashing out reactively instead of taking the initiative."
- ―Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus reflects on how the Jedi have handled the Nihil conflict
When the Nihil were still a relatively unknown raiding party in the Frontier, Ro orchestrated the Emergences. While the Jedi and Republic, led by Jedi Master Avar Kriss, were distracted responding to the Emergences, Ro attacked several planets such as[1] Trymant IV[22] and Elphrona.[1] During the attack on Trymant IV, Ro kidnapped Elder Tromak and Krix Kamerat of the Elders of the Path.[23] Kamerat would later join Ro.[24] The Nihil would additionally destroy a Republic diplomatic ship, the Steady Wing, stranding four kids; Jedi Vernestra Rwoh, Padawan Imri Cantaros, aspiring scientist Avon Starros, and Honesty Weft.[25] Ro ordered his forces to raid the planet Elphrona under the assumption that they would take the Blythe family hostage. Before they could take the family hostage, the family sent out a distress call to the Jedi on Elphrona. They showed up too late, as the family was already gone and the Nihil had placed mines in the ground. After disabling the mines, the Jedi chased after the Nihil kidnappers. One at a time, the Blythes were rescued until there was only Ottoh Blythe left. Jedi Master Loden Greatstorm boarded the Nihil ship were Blythe was being held. During his attempt, Greatstorm's leg was broken. Then, Tempest Runner Lourna Dee arrived and captured Greatstorm and Blythe and brought the two to Ro, who revealed that his real goal was to capture a Jedi and killed Blythe.[1]
On the planet Tanalorr, which has recently been discovered and was being discussed as a possible place to train younglings, the Nihil attacked and forced the Jedi to flee.
The Galactic Republic, aided by the Jedi, fought back against the Nihil at the Battle of Kur. Tempest Runner Kassav Milliko was sent to the Kur Nebula under a ruse by Ro and was obliterated by the faulty Path Drives on his ships. Jedi Master Jora Malli was killed in the fighting, along with Milliko's entire Tempest.[1] On Wevo, Cantaros and Weft were captured by the Nihil saboteurs but were rescued by Rwoh and Starros, who captured the saboteurs.[25] On the Amaxine Station, Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus and Wayseeker Orla Jareni fought back against a combined force of Nihil and a new threat, the Drengir.[2] The Republic and Jedi believed the Nihil to be defeated, and celebrated by dedicating the Starlight Beacon.[1]
Continued raids and the Valo Fair[]
Not long after, Grandmaster Yoda would lead Jedi in fighting back against the Nihil in Bright Jewel system and on the moon Quantxi,[26] as Ro began a quest to find a weapon to defeat the Jedi. Yoda would go missing after chasing after Ro.[27] Not long after, Jedi Master Sskeer would investigate a report of a Nihil attack on a Hutt ship.[28] Although Sskeer's team arrived too late to save anyone, their investigation into the attack would cause the Drengir to attack Starlight Beacon and other locations in the Outer Rim, distracting the Jedi from the threat of the Nihil and, by extension, Ro.[29]
As the Jedi, Republic, and Hutts fought against the Drengir, the Nihil would continue their raids, raiding locations such as Salissia[3] and the Halcyon.[30] As part of her great works, Chancellor Lina Soh hosted a fair on the planet Valo. The Nihil would attempt to raid Cyclor, where the Innovator was under construction, but would be repelled by Jedi Master Indeera Stokes. The fair opened on Valo and initially went well, with attendees such as Regasa Elarec Yovet, the queen of Shili, until the Nihil arrived and attacked the fair.[3] All three Tempest Runners (Dee, Pan Eyta, and the newest one, Zeetar) led the attack and Dee herself hunted down Chancellor Soh during the battle. Jedi Padawan Bell Zettifar saved many civilians, such as Kitrep Soh, the chancellor's son, from the plummeting Innovator that was scuttled by the attacking Nihil. Former Jedi Ty Yorrick aided Jedi Master Elzar Mann in fighting off the Nihil in the streets of Lonisa City. Padawans Ram Jomaram and Lula Talisola, aided by Zeen Mrala, reestablished wider communications after they fought back against a combined force of Nihil and Drengir at Crashpoint Tower. As the battle drew to a close, Eyta dropped bombs onto Lonisa City, causing more damage and resulting in more civilian casualties as Dee finally reached Chancellor Soh, but was fought off by Jedi Council Member Stellan Gios and a handful of Togruta bodyguards. However, Soh would lose a leg and the sight of Gios holding her unconscious body would do rounds on the news.[3]
Emergence of the Nameless[]
Wanting to continue to their string of victories, Eyta and Dee planned another attack on Cyclor, but when Eyta arrived and found that Dee had abandoned him and let his Tempest be decimated by the Jedi and Republic. Eyta would mange a last minute escape. Not long after, the Jedi would infiltrate and attack the Nihil base on Grizal, where Loden Greatstorm was being held. During this battle, Greatstorm escaped and Ro unleashed his new weapon on the Jedi, the ancient Great Leveler, killing Greatstorm.[3] Ro and his forces would escape Grizal and Ro would paint Dee as the true Eye so as to distract the Republic. These victories helped jumpstart Operation: Counterstrike, a series of battles that caused the Nihil to scatter.[8] Historian Beaumont Kin later reflected that the Republic had failed to respond to the Nihil threat in an effective manner until significant time and civilian causalities had passed.[31]
After witnessing the Great Leveler on Grizal, Gios opened up an investigation into the incident, along with Chancellor Soh. Jedi Investigator Emerick Caphtor would lead a mission to Vrant Tarnum and would discover that the "Shrii Ka rai Ka rai" rhyme from his childhood may have connections to the Nihil and the Great Leveler.[32] Jedi Master Sav Malagán and Maz Kanata, aided by Padawans Lula Talisola, Farzala Tarabal, and Qort, along with Mrala, would defend the planet Takodana from a Nihil attack led by Kamerat, at the cost of the Takodana Jedi Temple.[33]
Gravity's Heart and the Hunt for Lourna Dee[]
While in the middle of hyperspace, former Byne Guild member Sylvestri Yarrow was abruptly pulled out of hyperspace and was forced to flee her ship due to approaching Nihil. While on their way to Coruscant, Rwoh, Cantaros, Vitus, and Vitus' Padawan Reath Silas defended the planet Tiikae from Nihil attackers who sought to reclaim a puzzle box taken by an Ugnaught family. Meanwhile, Yarrow attempted to warn the Republic of the Nihil's new tactic, to no avail. However, she did find allies in the sleazy Xylan Graf and the Gungan professor Thaddeus Wolk. As the three worked to uncover the Nihil's plot, Rwoh and her team arrived on Coruscant. After being directed to Wolk by Gios, Rwoh asked the professor if he could decipher the puzzle box as Sylvestri and Graf asked Senator Ghirra Starros if she could allow them to enter the Berenge sector to investigate. Senator Starros did agree to the proposal, on the condition that Yarrow and Graf by accompanied by Rwoh and Cantaros. The investigation was thrown off course by the murder of Wolk by a Nihil assassin.[21] To ensure protection for Graf, Vitus and Silas were assigned to the mission as well, and Jordanna Sparkburn joined the team as well. However, Graf betrayed the group and brought them to the space station Everbloom, where they were ambushed by the Nihil and Yarrow, Silas, and Cantaros were taken prisoner. Rwoh, Vitus, and Sparkburn chased after the Nihil, which led them to the Gravity's Heart, which was responsible for Yarrow's ship being pulled out of Hyperspace, and was currently commanded by Lourna Dee. Rwoh and Sparkburn fought their way through the station as Yarrow discovered that the person behind the plot was her own mother, Chancey Yarrow. Silas was met with Nan, a Nihil agent whom he had met during his time on the Amaxine Station. Rwoh also made a discovery of her own. The thing behind the use of the Nihil's paths was the long lost Mari San Tekka, who gave Rwoh one last Path before succumbing to old age. The Republic fleet arrived and destroyed the station, although Chancey Yarrow, Nan, and Dee all escaped custody.
Caphtor continued his investigation into the Great Leveler, now joined by Sian Holt, a Republic investigator. They traveled to the planet Vorzyd V to hunt down Nihil scientist Kisma Uttersond. However, Uttersond managed to escape both Caphtor and a group of Nihil agents sent to capture Uttersond.
Although Dee had managed to evade capture several times (even managing to escape renown Jedi warrior Porter Engle), she would eventually be captured after an attempted raid on the space station Relay Post Epsilon One. However, Dee would fake her death and assume the identity of one her fallen underlings before being sent to the Republic correctional ship, the Restitution. There, she would make friends and allies of both the personnel and prisoners, all as Eyta tracked her down with a crew of his own. Once Eyta attacked the ship, Dee rallied the prisoners together to fight off Eyta and take over the ship, killing Eyta and most of the personnel aboard. Afterwards, Dee would rename the ship after herself, declare all the remaining prisoners her new Tempest, and return to the Nihil.
Despite the Nihil's continued string of defeats, they were still at large, so Jedi Master Avar Kriss would send two Jedi Knights, Keeve Trennis and Terec, undercover into the Nihil to discover who the new Eye was. After a skirmish in the Soola system, Trennis and Terec would travel to the planet Xais, which was the sight of a new Nihil base. There, Dee would reveal herself to still be alive and send the Great Leveler after the two Jedi Knights. This encounter would send Terec, and their bond twin Ceret, into a coma. They would be saved by Kriss and a team of Jedi, although Dee would, once again, escape custody.
The Light of the Jedi Goes Dark[]
While studying on the planet Haileap, Avon Starros would be kidnapped by the Nihil during an attack on the planet. Rwoh and Cantaros got word of their friends capture while training on Kirima and were informed by Master Estala Maru of several other recent attacks, such as ones on Thelj, Hon-Tallos, and an outpost near Tiikae. The pair journeyed to Haileap before being directed to Dalna, where they met up with their old friend Weft. Meanwhile, Starros would be brought to a training camp full of other kidnapped children, run by Tempest Runner Kara Xoo and scientist Zadina Mkampa. Rwoh and Cantaros would join forces with the Jedi stationed on Dalna and would attack the camp, freeing the children. Mkampa would then cause the volcanoes to erupt and devastate Dalna while Cantaros aided in bringing Starlight Beacon to Dalna in order to evacuate the population.
In the Nefitifi system, Jedi Masters Nib Assek and Indeera Stokes, along with Assek's Padawan Burryaga Agaburry, and Stokes' Padawan Bell Zettifar, would attack a group of Nihil in the system.
With the space station now able to be taken anywhere to respond to disasters, Starlight Beacon would be dragged across the Frontier, eventually stopping at Eiram. Meanwhile, the Nihil would infiltrate the Core-world planet of Corellia. Additionally, Kriss would prepare an assault on the Nihil headquarters at No-Space in order to finally capture Dee while the Jedi began to hunt down Kamerat.
Kriss would capture Nan and Chancey Yarrow in the Ocktai system after a series of Nihil raids before taking a team of Jedi to No-Space. When student protests broke out on the moon Gus Talon, most of the Jedi stationed on Corellia were pulled away, and after an attack, Jedi Masters Kantam Sy and Cohmac Vitus, and Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram were sent to Corellia to investigate the situation. The Jedi, led by Tarabal, Qort, Talisola, and Mrala, would lead an attack on the planet Dol'har Hyde, where they would apprehend Kamerat after the agent he sent to Corellia betrayed him. Tarabal and Qort would ascend to Knighthood as Mrala went to Corellia.
In order to send agents into Starlight Beacon, Marchion Ro would orchestrate several attacks across the galaxy on planets such as Aleen, Japeal, Tais Brabbo, and Yeksom. In the confusion, Nihil agents Cale, Werrera, and Leyel would sneak aboard Starlight with all the other refugees. Meanwhile, Mann and Jareni, aided by the crew of the Vessel, would fight the Nihil back from the Echerta system before arriving at Starlight.
Kriss and her team of Jedi would arrive at No-Space, where Dee and Zeetar were (Ro had fled beforehand). Kriss would slaughter through the Nihil, killing Zeetar in her attempt to get to Dee. Trennis would attempt to calm her down, only to have Kriss lash out and the pair briefly dueled before Dee arrived and used Zeetar's mech suit to knock Trennis unconscious. Dee then ordered nearby Nihil ships to fire on the Great Hall. Kriss would destroy the mech suit and Dee briefly used Terec's lightsaber to duel Kriss before Kriss chopped Dee's hand off. Meanwhile, Sskeer and Jedi Master Goonral Monshi would save several Nihil from being sucked into space as Trennis stopped Kriss from killing Dee. The Tempest Runner and the remaining Nihil would be taken prisoner and Kriss went back to Starlight.
Ro would order a Cloud to destroy a Jedi temple at Chespea, killing multiple Jedi as his agents on Starlight would unleash seven Nameless on Starlight, which would also kill several Jedi. The agents would release Nan and Yarrow and the pair would join the trio. As the Jedi tried to get the Nameless under control, the agents would cause chaos and lock the hangar doors and place several bombs at the middle of the station. Mann discovered that the Nameless did not affect him like they affected his fellow Jedi.
Caphtor and Holt would finally capture Uttersond after a raid on a Nihil convoy and would take him to Starlight. On Banchii, the Nihil would attack the Jedi temple there but were defeated after several casualties, the death of Padawan Keerin Fionn, and the temple being destroyed by Fionn's master Lily Tora-Asi to prevent the Nihil from plundering it.
Kriss would arrive back at Starlight where she was informed by Gios that she was no longer marshal of the space station due to her abandoning her post several times. Their argument would be cut short as the bombs went off, tearing Starlight in half. Kriss would board the station and would be forced to take in several civilians as she, Trennis, Sskeer, and Jedi Knight Nooranbakarakana journeyed into the station. They were attacked by a Nameless and Nooran was killed as Sskeer stayed behind to fight off the other approaching Nameless. Kriss and Trennis would find Jedi Master Estala Maru desperately attempting to hold the station together, Kriss would aid him and use her Song of the Force to empower her fellow Jedi on the station. Meanwhile, Dee and her Nihil would escape and take over the Ataraxia, injuring Jedi Archivist OrbaLin and Monshi in process, Dee would then take the ship away from the Eiram system. Trennis would rescue the unconscious Ceret and Terec, who would save her when Starlight finally tore apart, killing Maru, who saved Kriss last minute. Kriss, Trennis, Ceret, and Terec would crash onto Eiram.
Starlight would be pulled into Eiram's atmosphere and would begin a slow decent towards the planet. Talisola, Tarabal, and Qort would lead a group of young Jedi through the station, but Tarabal and Talisola would be left on the station after Caphtor and Holt rescued Qort and the young Jedi, not before losing Uttersond and getting the foot of a Nameless. Talisola would fight off Kamerat as the station continued to plummet.
The crew of the Vessel would manage to reopen the hangar doors as Nan and Yarrow betrayed and killed Cale, Werrera, and Leyel and began to work to save the station.
On Corellia, the Jedi would ally themselves with Crash Ongwa, who led a local protection service, and would fight back the Nihil who attempted to steal ships in order to bombard Eiram, but not at the cost of dismantling the ships. Yoda would reappear on Corellia and aid in fighting back the Nihil.
Mann would find Nan and Yarrow and, assuming that they were behind the destruction of the station, he killed Yarrow. Meanwhile, Zettifar would use a bomb to detach the medical tower and it would be saved by a nearby ship. Several rathtars were unleashed on the station from cages brought on by the Nihil agents. Agaburry would stay behind to fight off the creatures as Mann and several others evacuated. Finally, as Starlight approached the surface of Eiram, Gios stayed behind to pilot the station into the oceans to minimize casualties on Eiram. The station crashed into the oceans, killing Gios and several others still onboard.
Reign of the Nihil[]
Following the destruction of Starlight Beacon, Marchion Ro sent out a broadcast from his flagship, the Gaze Electric, where he revealed himself to the galaxy and Republic, and asserted himself as the chief controller of the galaxy.[11] The Nihil claimed a portion of space dubbed the Occlusion Zone and kept it separated from the Republic via the Stormwall. The Nihil also continued to raid territory outside the Stormwall, with only their hyperdrives able to pass through it. As such, claiming a Nihil hyperdrive and therefore gaining the ability to pierce the Stormwall was a priority for the Republic and would have marked a long-needed win.[34] Nine months after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, Jedi Knights Bell Zettifar and Burryaga joined Grand Master Pra-Tre Veter and the RDC to aid the planet of Asternin, which had just suffered a Nihil raid. As soon as they arrived, the Nihil returned to the planet. Led by Melis Shryke, the Nihil disabled the Jedi's lightsabers with a Lightsaber nullifier. Veter ordered Zettifar and Burryaga to evacuate the nearby settlement while he battled the Nihil. After nearly getting to Shryke, Veter was captured.[35]
As the RDC began building a base on the planet Eriadu a safe but still close distance from the Stormwall, a supposedly abandoned Nihil ship was discovered. Joss Adren, who feared Eriadu was not quite safe from the Nihil, and Pikka Adren were dispatched to the craft to recover its hyperdrive, only to discover two life signs aboard. Their ship, the Aurora III, was then shut down in the midst of their call for backup.[34]
Legacy[]
- "Similarly, that government's response to aggression from a pirate group known as the Nihil was—initially at least—less than impressive and significant civilian casualties were sustained before the situation was brought under control."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Eventually, the Nihil became obsolete[36] and were defeated.[31] In 200 BBY,[37] the Jedi Padawan Sean recalled the Nihil as an illicit organization that once invaded the Galactic Republic.[38] In his book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, Kin reflected on the Nihil conflict as the one of the High Republic government's failing points, although he still admired the High Republic Era as a time when the galaxy as a whole banded together against a menace.[31]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
- Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia (First identified as war against the Nihil)
"Who's the Boss?" — Star Wars Insider 224- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: The High Republic: The Lightsaber Collection
- Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
- "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 229
- 'Star Wars: The High Republic - The Finale' and More Marvel 'Star Wars' Titles Revealed At Star Wars Celebration on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 231
- "Charles Soule: Luminous Legacy" — Star Wars Insider 231
- Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Visual Guide
Notes and references[]
