- "Varykino. That's the name of the island. It's an artists' retreat, a place for creative outcasts to live together and think deep thoughts. There's a poet there, a man named Omar Berenko. Supposed to be brilliant."
- ―Elzar Mann, to Avar Kriss
Omar Berenko was a famous and controversial human Naboo[1] male[2] tragic poet from the Mid Rim planet[1] Naboo who lived[1] during the High Republic Era.[2] Berenko resided at Varykino, a lake retreat in Naboo's Lake Country, in an unconventional community of Naboo and Gungan outsiders. Varykino Villa's Room of Morning Mists was a favored composing spot of his, where he wrote the epic and disturbing poem "Defense of Naboo" and several other famous works.[1]
In 232 BBY,[3] Jedi Master Avar Kriss and Jedi Knight Elzar Mann visited the San Tekka compound near Varykino. The island caught Kriss' eye, and Mann spoke to her about Berenko, who was living there at the time. Mann noted that Berenko had a reputation for brilliance.[2]
Eventually, Berenko was mysteriously kidnapped from the villa's terrace by unknown assailants, at the spot where Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala would secretly marry[1] in 22 BBY.[4] After his abduction, the poet was never seen again.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Omar Berenko was first mentioned in the current Star Wars canon in the 2016 edition of the reference book Star Wars: Complete Locations.[1] The segment mentioning Omar Berenko was first published as part of the Star Wars Legends continuity in the 2003 reference book Inside the Worlds of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, written by Simon Beecroft and Curtis Saxton.[5]
Berenko shares his name with House Berenko[6] and New Republic Senator Thadlé Berenko, both of which also hail from Naboo.[7] Any connection beyond the name has not been confirmed.
Appearances[]
- The High Republic: Light of the Jedi (Mentioned only)
- The High Republic: Light of the Jedi audiobook (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Complete Locations (First mentioned)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Star Wars: Complete Locations
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of The High Republic: Light of the Jedi to 232 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ Inside the Worlds of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
- ↑ "The Trouble at Tibrin" — Star Wars Adventures (2017) 4
- ↑ Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary