Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi is a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics between 1993 and 1998. They are part of the fictional Star Wars expanded universe, and cover the Great Sith War and the Great Hyperspace War. The series represented the earliest chronological Star Wars stories until the publication of the Dawn of the Jedi series of comics and novels.
The first books released covered the Great Sith War (3,996 BBY, or Before the Battle of Yavin). The latter were prequels that covered the Great Hyperspace War, which happened a thousand years earlier.
Contents
Summary
The Great Hyperspace War was instigated when two Republic hyperspace explorers accidentally crash-landed on the Sith graveyard planet Korriban during the funeral procession of Marka Ragnos. His successor, Naga Sadow, provoked war with the Republic, and installed himself as the leader of the Sith Empire. He fought not only the Republic, but the forces of his chief rival, Ludo Kressh, and was forced to destroy his own fleet to cover his escape. Sadow landed on Yavin IV and constructed vast temples with the labor of his Massassi warriors.
Six hundred years later, fallen Jedi Freedon Nadd arrived on Yavin IV, and learned Sith sorcery from the spirit of Naga Sadow. He took his knowledge and the treasures of Sadow to the planet Onderon, where he used his acquired gifts to install himself as king. His spirit continued to advise his descendants.
Another Jedi, Ulic Qel-Droma, was sent to Onderon to mediate a conflict, where he met the spirit of Freedon Nadd, who told him he would become a Sith Lord. The prophecy came true when the Krath, a secret dark side society, attacked the Republic and injured Ulic with alchemically treated shrapnel, and then injected him with dark side poisons that would ensure his fall.
Exar Kun left his master, Vodo-Siosk Baas, because his master would not let him learn about the dark side. He went to Onderon, where he learned of Freedon Nadd's tomb. Nadd's spirit told him to go to Korriban, where Nadd tricked him into accepting the dark side. They went to Yavin IV, where Nadd gave him a choice: surrender to the dark side, or die. Kun chose life. After learning about the dark side from Nadd, Kun destroyed him with a dark side amulet.
Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma met on Cinnagar, and their battle was interrupted by the spirit of Marka Ragnos, who declared Kun the Dark Lord of the Sith, and Qel-Droma his apprentice. Together, they waged war on the Republic, stealing Jedi students from Ossus and subverting them to the dark side. Qel-Droma defeated Lord Mandalore, earning the services of the Mandalorian warriors. Qel-Droma attacked Coruscant, but was captured. Kun led a rescue attempt, and killed his former master in the process. Soon thereafter, the Sith Lords caused the Cron Cluster to go supernova, destroying countless Jedi artifacts on nearby Ossus.
Comic series
Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic (1993–94) is a five-part series by Tom Veitch, Chris Gossett, Janine Johnston, and David Roach. It is set between 4,000 and 3,999 years before the Battle of Yavin.
The Freedon Nadd Uprising
The Freedon Nadd Uprising (1994) is a two-part story arc by Tom Veitch, Tony Akins, and Dennis Rodier, set during the same era as the previous arc.
While attempting to move the sarcophagi of Freedon Nadd and Queen Amanoa to the moon of Dxun, Jedi Knights Arca Jeth, Ulic Qel-Droma, Cay Qel-Droma, Tott Doneeta and Oss Wilum are attacked by several hundred Naddists, led by Warb Null, invading Iziz from underground. While distracting the Iziz forces, a group of Naddists are able to snatch the sarcophagi and take it back with them underground. Master Arca, Ulic and Queen Galia consult Galia's ailing father, King Ommin, for assistance. However, they are confronted by the spirit of Freedon Nadd, and Ommin betrays his seemingly immobile state by attacking Master Arca, knocking him unconscious. Warb Null comes in and attacks Ulic, but is soon bested and killed by the young Jedi. Unfortunately, this gives Ommin the time he needs to kidnap Master Arca.
Meanwhile, on Ossus, Nomi Sunrider, Dace Diath, Shoaneb Culu, Kith Kark and Qrrrl Toq are chosen to defend Iziz in the forthcoming Second Battle of Onderon. On Coruscant, heirs to the Empress Teta system royalty and members of the Dark Side cult the Krath, Satal and Aleema Keto, enter the Galactic Museum and find a fascinating Sith book. Satal steals it while the curator is not looking, and, after seeing a news report on the Sith practitioners still active in Iziz, the Ketos fly to Onderon to find said practitioners and discover the secrets of their new book.
Satal and Aleema Keto arrive on Onderon to find a massive battle taking place. Their ship, The Krath Enchanter, crashes, but the young Ketos are able to escape with their lives. Meanwhile, the Jedi task force from Ossus, led by Nomi Sunrider, battles their way through Sith war droids and Naddists. Kith Kark is killed in the assault, as the rest of the Jedi infiltrate the royal palace, meeting up with Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma, Tott Doneeta and Oss Wilum. Meanwhile, the Ketos are greeted by King Ommin, hoping to unlock the mysteries of their stolen Sith tome. Ommin gives Satal an amulet, with which he can read the book perfectly, as Arca Jeth is hung on the wall, suffering under deadly Sith magic. Out in the battlefield, Cay Qel-Droma has his prosthetic arm cut off by a war droid, which he quickly dispatches with his organic arm.
The group of seven Jedi arrive at King Ommin's stronghold, and Ulic slices off the former King's armature, sending him tumbling to the ground limply. Victorious, the forces of Iziz soon transport the sarcophagi of Freedon Nadd, Queen Amanoa and now King Ommin to Dxun, to forever be laid to rest.
Dark Lords of the Sith
Dark Lords of the Sith (1994–95) is a six-part story arc by Kevin J. Anderson, Tom Veitch, Chris Gossett, and Art Wetherell. It is set two years after the previous arcs, continues the tale of Ulic Qel-Droma, and introduces the character of Exar Kun, a dark lord of the Sith. The story details how the Jedi, led by Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider attempt to free the Empress Teta System from the tyrannical control of evil Dark Side adepts Satal and Aleema. It also details Exar Kun's fall to the Dark Side at the seduction of the spirit of Freedon Nadd, becoming Dark Lord of the Sith with Ulic as his apprentice.
The Sith War
The Sith War (1995–96) is a six-part comic by Kevin J. Anderson, set a year after the previous arc. It continues the story of Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun. The story also shows how the current Mandalore shows great loyalty to Ulic.
Mandalore the Indomitable, wage war on the Teta system. Mandalore challenges Ulic Qel-Droma to a duel, which Ulic accepts on the terms that if he wins, he shall receive control of the Mandalorian warriors. Ulic wins, and recruits Mandalore and his army to fight for the Sith. They begin to plan a devastating attack on Coruscant.
Prequels
The Golden Age of the Sith (1996–97) a six-part arc by Kevin J. Anderson, Chris Gossett, and Dario Carrasco Jr., set a millennium before the original comic.
Odan-Urr is studying Jedi history when his master, Ooroo, sends him to the Koros system to help Empress Teta fight the Unification Wars and unite the seven worlds located in the system. Once he has arrived on Cinnagar he helps to conquer the last planet, Kirrek, with Battle Meditation, a technique he has learned about in his studies. But even with this technique he cannot prevent casualties from occurring; among them are two blockade runners, Hok and Timar Daragon. With their parents dead, Gav and Jori Daragon get their ship, Starbreaker 12, back from Aarrba the Hutt who was holding it back as collateral.
With the ship Gav and Jori have become hyperspace explorers, but their latest route proves less than successful; they just barely make it through. They make it back to Cinnegar, but their ship is heavily damaged. Aarrba the Hutt agrees to make the repairs, but he won't give their ship back until they have paid all the bills.
Ssk Kahorr sends one of his drone ships along the route discovered by Gav and Jori, but it is destroyed when it passes too close to Primus Goluud, a red supergiant. Ssk Kahorr isn't pleased with this and sends two bounty hunters after the two hyperspace explorers. But they are saved by two Jedi, Odan-Urr and Memit Nadill. They advise them to leave the Koros system, because it is not safe for them. Gav and Jori steal back the Starbreaker 12 and desperately flee the system with random hyperspace coordinates.
On Korriban, on the far side of the galaxy, a funeral procession is held for Marka Ragnos, a Dark Lord of the Sith. The procession is led by Sith Lord Ludo Kressh. Just when the tomb is about to be closed, however, Kressh's nemesis, Naga Sadow, arrives. A fight about who should be the next Dark Lord ensues between the two rivals, but they are stopped by the ghost of Ragnos himself, who warns them of what is to come. Meanwhile, back in the Koros system, Odan-Urr has a premonition about the evil Jedi banished centuries ago. He tells Empress Teta about his dreams, and she promises that she will raise the matter on Coruscant.
Back on Korriban, the Starbreaker 12 arrives and Gav and Jori are captured by the Sith forces.
Sequel
Redemption (1998) is a five-part arc by Kevin J. Anderson and Chris Gossett. It is set ten years after the end of the original comic run.
Hoggon's ship arrives in the Yavin System and makes its way to the surface. Hoggon tells Ulic of the events that happened there, but all Ulic can see is ghosts, including that of his dead brother, Cay. Ulic tells Hoggon that this place will not do as well.
On Ryloth, many Twi'leks flee as a heat storm rages upon them, with Jedi Tott Doneeta doing what he can to help. He tries using the force to hold back the storm, but is overwhelmed, receiving burns across the side of his face. Rather than stay and rest his wounds, he announces that he must leave for the Great Jedi Convocation.
On Exis Station, Master Thon arrives, meeting Vima Sunrider, now a teenager. The two are shortly interrupted by the Cathar Jedi Sylvar, and the two Jedi leave Vima to join the convocation that has begun. While Nomi speaks, Vima gets bored and decides to take off and try out flying a mining ship. But, while flying, Vima gets caught in a magnetic loop and has her ship disabled and is forced to eject. She is then rescued by a late arrival for the convocation, Tott Doneeta. Upon arriving back at the station, Nomi questions her daughter's actions, asking how she can expect to become a Jedi with such brash choices. Vima responds by saying if Nomi would spend more time training her, she could have gotten out of it herself.
Elsewhere, Hoggon's ship arrives on the icy surface of Rhen Var. Upon landing, Ulic announces that he is satisfied with this place. Hoggon arrives at Exis Station and takes a place in an airshaft to watch the convocation, as Sylvar has taken the chance to speak. She talks of Ulic Qel-Droma and mentions that he betrayed the Jedi and now wanders free. She makes reference to Ulic's conspiring with Exar Kun, and the death of Jedi, including her mate Crado. She then states that Ulic is the greatest shame of the Jedi Knights.
On Rhen Var, Ulic takes up his lightsaber, but cannot feel anything in the force. The weapon is nothing but a tool in his hands. The ground beneath him then gives way, dropping him into a hole.
Collected editions
Tales of the Jedi: Knights of the Old Republic (1994) ISBN 1-56971-020-1
Tales of the Jedi: The Freedon Nadd Uprising (1995) ISBN 1-56971-307-3
Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith (1996) ISBN 1-56971-095-3
Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War (1996) ISBN 1-56971-173-9
Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith (1997) ISBN 1-56971-229-8
Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire (1998) ISBN 1-56971-320-0
Tales of the Jedi: Redemption (2001) ISBN 1-56971-535-1
Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi Volume 1 (2007) ISBN 1-59307-830-7
Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi Volume 2 (2008) ISBN 1-59307-911-7
Legacy
The publisher West End Games produced a role-playing game sourcebook related to the first three arcs of the series.
Veitch reused his character Ood Bnar in Dark Empire II, set thousands of years later. Along with Tales of the Jedi the story is no longer canon. The novelization of The Rise of Skywalker references Ommin, and the junior novelization references Naga Sadow.
Exar Kun also appears in the 1994 tie-in novel Star Wars: Dark Apprentice by Kevin J. Anderson, which is also no longer canon. The novel is set in the era of Luke Skywalker and his Jedi Academy, with Kun's ghost serving as the story's main antagonist. Exar Kun was made canon in the Disney-era continuity in the promotional materials and sourcebooks associated with the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Bioware released series of games from 2004-2011 entitled Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, which take place shortly after Tales of the Jedi and frequently reference its events, though all 3 games are no longer considered canon.
The 2022 canon novel Shadow of the Sith establishes that the planet Ossus, introduced in The Freedon Nadd Uprising, is the location of Luke Skywalker's Jedi temple, which is depicted in a 2022 episode of The Book of Boba Fett.