Wookieepedia

READ MORE

Wookieepedia
Wookieepedia

The title of this article is conjectural.

Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is pure conjecture.

"I'm not sure if the nullifiers will work against it, since this one uses a ghorsian crystal as a focus source and not a kyber, but it’s sturdy enough that it should provide us enough cover to get inside the mine proper."
―Vernestra Rwoh, on the shield[1]

A plasma shield was owned by Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh during the High Republic Era. She was gifted it by one of her former Padawans, Imri Cantaros, but by around 160 BBY had never used it. Around that year, Rwoh traveled to the planet Septra to stop the arms dealer Nilsson Summach, who was manufacturing four-seven nullifiers capable of disrupting lightsaber blades. Rwoh decided to use the shield while confronting him, as although she was unsure if the nullifier would effect it, it was sturdy enough to provide cover.

After confronting Summach in the Kolnare Mine on Septra, she used the shield to block a blaster shot from the Pantoran Grizela and a sword thrust from Summach, although the latter disrupted the shield's energy field. Rwoh tossed the shield away due to its unwieldiness during the fight but recovered it before leaving the mine.

Description[]

A plasma shield was owned by the Mirialan Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh of the Jedi Order. The shield was a replica of an[1] ancient[2] shield used by Jedi Knight Reath Silas[1] in 228 BBY[3] during the Order's conflict with the Nihil marauders. It used a ghorsian crystal as a focus source and contained a plasma array. The shield, which was made of metal, was capable of withstanding blasterfire. Rwoh considered it to be heavy and unwieldy.[1]

History[]

Gift from a Padawan[]

"Imri gave me this as a gift, and I've never had reason to use it."
―Vernestra Rwoh[1]
SilandraShoShield-CGSWG

The shield was a replica of the shield used by Reath Silas (Silas's shield pictured).

During the High Republic Era, Rwoh was gifted the shield by one of her former Padawans, Imri Cantaros, a prominent Jedi philosopher who had argued the Jedi should adapt a stance of non-violence and leave the usage of lightsabers to only specific Jedi. However,[1] by around 160 BBY,[4] a number of years after Cantaros had died, Rwoh had never had a reason to use the shield.[1]

Around that year,[4] Rwoh traveled to the planet Septra with the Jedi Knight Indara and the former Jedi Ty Yorrick to stop the arms dealer Nilsson Summach, who was illegally manufacturing four-seven nullifiers capable of disrupting lightsaber blades. Rwoh decided to use the shield while confronting Summach, explaining to Indara that although she was not sure if the nullifier would be effective against the shield due to it using a ghorsian crystal rather than the kyber crystals used by lightsabers, it was sturdy enough to provide them with cover. Indara, who had read Cantaros's treatises, was not surprised they would be taking one of his approaches, though she had not expected Rwoh to have a plasma shield. Indara considered the shield to be a brilliant replica of the one used by Silas.[1]

Confrontation in the mine[]

"You truly think you can best a Jedi Master in sword combat?"
―Vernestra Rwoh, to Nilsson Summach[1]
VernestraRwoh-DressingAcolyteUpdated

Vernestra Rwoh (pictured) used the shield on Septra.

Before entering the Kolnare Mine on Septra, where Summach's organization was manufacturing the devices, Rwoh hefted the shield while asking her droid J-6 to give them cover. After walking through the mine's tunnels and finding Summach, she hefted the shield while considering that although it was heavy and she was unaccustomed to carrying it, it was still her best defense against him. After the arms dealer drew a sword in which he had embedded a nullifier, his Pantoran employee Grizela attempted to sneak up behind Rwoh and shoot her.[1]

However, the Jedi Master heard Grizela and spun around, and the blaster bolt she fired ricocheted off the shield in an array of sparks. Grizela then retreated, and Rwoh turned around again just as Summach thrust at her with his sword. Rwoh blocked the sword with the shield, but when it struck the shield's plasma, it disrupted its energy field. Rwoh used the Force to strengthen herself and push Summach back, using the opportunity to toss the shield aside, feeling that it was too unwieldy and would only slow her down. She instead used a nearby shovel to continue the fight.[1]

After Rwoh defeated Summach, she intended to take him alive, but Grizela returned and fatally shot him. As the Pantoran explained why she had killed her employer, Rwoh judged the angle of where Grizela was and where she had left the shield and attempted to reach for it with the Force, but it was just out of her reach. Grizela then tossed a gas canister toward Rwoh and fled. Rwoh ran in the opposite direction, toward the mine's exit, and grabbed the shield with the Force as she ran in case she encountered more blasterfire, though she noted its plasma array was still dark. After Rwoh escaped the mine, Grizela found her as she collapsed due to the gas, but Indara knocked the Pantoran out with a rock and arrested her.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

The plasma shield appeared in The Acolyte: Wayseeker, a 2025 novel written by Justina Ireland.[1]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 The Acolyte: Wayseeker
  2. "Shield of the Jedi" — The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
  3. Star Wars: Timelines dates Starlight Beacon's destruction to 230 BBY. The implementation of the Guardian Protocols, which Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia places in 229 BBY, took place one week after Starlight Beacon's fall according to The High Republic – Shadows of Starlight 1. As The High Republic Adventures (2023) 4 takes place one year and two weeks after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, it must be set in 228 BBY. Since the events of The High Republic Adventures (2023) 6 are set immediately following the fourth issue and depict the expansion of the Stormwall, the expansion must have taken place in the same year. Meanwhile, the events of "Tales from the Occlusion Zone: No Big Deal" include the Stormwall's expansion and also depict the start of Pikka Adren's pregnancy. A later story, "Tales from the Occlusion Zone: Sparks Fly," states that Adren is eight months pregnant during its events, indicating that it is set eight months after "No Big Deal," and therefore one year, eight months, and two weeks after the fall of Starlight Beacon. "Sparks Fly" is set during the Battle of Eriadu, an event that begins in The High Republic Adventures Phase III - The Wedding Spectacular. As StarWars.com Star Wars: The High Republic Chronological Reader's Guide on StarWars.com (article) (backup link) places The High Republic: Tears of the Nameless between the events of "No Big Deal" and The Wedding Spectacular, its events must also be set in 228 BBY.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The events of Star Wars: The Acolyte take place in 132 BBY per the reasoning here. Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Visual Guide establishes that Indara is fifty-four years old in The Acolyte and also states that she is twenty-six years old during the events of The Acolyte: Wayseeker. Therefore, the events of Wayseeker must take place around 160 BBY.