Grand Master is a title given to the wisest Jedi in the Jedi High Council. The Grand Jedi Master is the head of the Council. In the Star Wars Legends, this prestigious title was usually held by powerful Jedi males. However this norm is broken thrice with the galaxy witnessing formidable and powerful female Grand Jedi Masters.
In Star Wars Legends, Satele Shan was the second female Grand Jedi Master. She served during the Cold War and the Great Galactic War of the Sith Empire and the Republic. She comes from a Jedi family legacy as she was the daughter of Jedi Knight, Tasiele Shan who was also a descendant of the Jedi Knights, Revan and Bastila Shan.
She was a gifted Jedi with charisma, wisdom, lightsaber skills and Force powers. She puts this powerful blend to good use against the Sith Empire in the Cold War and Great Galactic War. Not only was she an exceptional combatant who was able to hold against the Sith Lord, Darth Malgus. But, Satele Shan was also wise enough to work with the Sith Lord, Darth Marr, to fight a common enemy.
In this blog, we are going to uncover all aspects of a legendary Jedi of the galaxy: Satele Shan. From her early Padawan days to her Force sensitivity to her personality, from her fight with the mighty Darth Malgus to joining hands with Darth Marr, we are going to discuss it all. So without further ado, let's get into it!
Early Life
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3699 years before the Battle of Yavin, Satele Shan was born on the planet Brentaal IV. She was a Force-sensitive individual taking upon the legacy of her ancestors. She started training as a Jedi Padawan under the Jedi Master Ngani Zho. Later, down the years, she studied under the Zabrak Battle Master Kao Cen Darach and travelled to the Sith homeworld of Korriban for the training. Under Kao Cen Darach, she learned to wield a lightsaber and even constructed her blue double bladed lightsaber. He even guided her during some of the Jedi trials.
In the year 3681 BBY, Satele Shan saw the reconstituted Sith Empire attacking the edge of the Republic. Satele Shan and her master, Kao Cen Darach were informed that an unknown freighter had landed on Korriban's surface, by the space station's crew. Satele Shan, Kao Cen Darach, and a Republic trooper Jace Malcom were dispatched to the surface to capture the smuggler Captain Nico Okarr, whom they successfully did so. But, they failed to capture grave robber Farel Wickes whom Nico Okarr was attempting to purchase Sith artefacts from. They were escorting the smuggler Nico Okarr back after impounding his ship, the Redshifter, when Shan suddenly felt an intense feeling of pain and dread in the Force.
Outside, a fleet of more than thirty Sith Harrower-class dreadnoughts emerged from hyperspace, and Satele Shan's master, Darach, immediately recognized the threat. Knowing that the outpost wouldn't last out a Sith attack, Darach made up his mind quickly to alert the Republic. Malcom warned that they couldn't outrun the Sith's starfighters, but Nico Okarr reminded them of the speed of his ship. Shan, Darach, and the team fought off Sith boarding parties as they made their way to the hangar where the Redshifter was docked.
In the hangar, Shan and Darach dealt with the attackers while Malcom, Okarr, and the trooper handled others, though a soldier was killed in the process. As they prepared to escape, a Sith interceptor landed, and Darach ordered Okarr to get the ship ready. Shan and her Master engaged the Sith, Vindican and his apprentice, Malgus.
During the fight, Malgus threw Satele Shan to the floor, but Darach kept him from finishing her off with a hasty throw of his lightsaber. This gave Satele Shan time to recover. She tried to help Darach, but Vindican struck her with a bolt of lightning. Darach then hurled Vindican across the hangar and ran to Shan's side. With the Redshifter trying to take off, Vindican struck the ship with lightning to stop their escape.
After Darach’s much insistence, with the help of a smuggler named Nico Okarr and a Republic trooper, Jace Malcolm, Satele Shan escaped in the Redshifter to warn the Republic of the Sith Empire's attack. Satele Shan gave her Battlemaster her lightsaber as a parting gift before departing. But as they were leaving, Satele Shan felt the death of her Battlemaster Darach by Malgus.
‘Hero of the Republic’ in the Great Galactic War
Under the mentorship of Jedi Master Dar'Nala, Satele Shan started out as a Jedi Knight and commanded both the Jedi and Republic forces in the Great Galactic War. She attained heroic fame during this period. In 3667 BBY, Satele Shan travelled to Alderaan to make inquiries into rumours of Imperial spies. There, the Empire invaded the planet. Satele Shan rushed to safeguard Queen Silara Panteer, but by then, the palace had already been destroyed. She then received a vision that Jace Malcom, who was on Alderaan with his squad, needed help. Despite the strict rules against attachments within the Jedi Order, Satele Shan became attached to Jace Malcom and eventually rescued him as well as his Special Forces team during the invasion by the Empire of Alderaan in 3667 BBY. She quickly contacted the Jedi Council and sped to the Juran Mountains to help him.
Upon arrival, the Republic forces were being beaten by a significantly larger Imperial army by Darth Malgus, a Sith she had fought in the past. As the three Sith were preparing to kill Malcom, Satele Shan entered the battle with a powerful Force blast that sent all three of them flying. She then challenged Darth Malgus, drawing her saberstaff. The two fought fiercely. At one point Satele Shan was nearly overpowered; she used the Force to bring down a tree to defend herself.
Darth Malgus broke her saberstaff and attempted to strike her down. But Satele Shan used her hands to absorb his attack. Malcom launched himself into Darth Malgus, using a thermal detonator to knock him back. Satele Shan took the opportunity to blast Darth Malgus out with a Force blast which sent Malgus onto a cliffside. She then used her power to destroy the cliff Malgus was pinned under and Darth Malgus was buried beneath tons of rubble. With Malgus defeated, Shan and Malcom were rejoicing over their victory as reinforcements began arriving.
Malcom was hurt and Satele Shan visited him later. They discussed Darth Malgus and Satele Shan confessed that she had a feeling she believed the Sith Lord survived. These conversations led to a secret relationship and, later on, Satele Shan got pregnant. Shan soon realised that her relationship with Malcom put both of them in danger, mainly because of Malcolm's hate for the Empire. She gave birth to Malcolm's son, Theron, under Master Zho's care, and handed him over to the Jedi Order before returning to the battlefield.
The Cold War and Becoming the Grand Jedi Master
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She was elected to lead a Jedi delegation in peace talks with the Sith Empire on Alderaan in 3653 BBY. While these meetings were going on, the Sith launched a surprise attack on the capital of the Republic. The Sith forces bombarded the city-planet, causing catastrophic damage and taking its citizens hostage. To stop any further damage, the Republic was compelled to agree to the Treaty of Coruscant, a deal that greatly favoured the Sith Empire. This ended the Great Galactic War but initiated a tense period of uneasy peace called the Cold War.
After the treaty, Satele Shan learned of a sinister plot from her own mentor in this case, the Jedi Master Dar'Nala, who was attempting to reignite the war by blaming the Sith for bombings on the Republic. Satele Shan put a stop to her mentor's plans while saving the brittle peace which would further prove her commitment to the Jedi Order and the Republic.
Soon, a strong sensation in the Force propelled Satele Shan and sent her travelling across the galaxy to follow the call. It would ultimately take her to the lost world of Tython, the old home of the Jedi Order. Tython was a sacred place for the Jedi because it was where the Order first started its cycle of thousands of years ago. Rediscovery of this planet was the biggest achievement for Satele Shan and the Jedi. Due to this, she was given the title of ‘Grand Master of the Jedi Order’ and was responsible for directing all the Jedi.
As Grand Master, Satele Shan kept the Jedi at peak strength and united during the Cold War. She directed many from the Order out of various crises to work toward maintaining peace-while the Sith Empire continued to be an existential threat. She also trained her Padawan, the Kiffar Jedi Shigar Konshi, helping him grow into a skilled Jedi Knight. Her leadership and wisdom made her one of the most respected Jedi of her time.
Renewed Galactic War and Imprisoning Darth Malgus
As the peace after the Cold War started to erode, Satele Shan was working with the Republic Emergency Response Corps to ensure peace, not putting innocent lives in danger. Trouble starts when a mission she approved to take the Sith Emperor ended in abounding failure, resulting from a dire warning from the former servant of the Emperor, Lord Scourge. She found out that the Emperor had an awful plan for annihilating all life in the galaxy. Satele Shan assisted the Hero of Tython, a Jedi Knight, who eventually defeated the Emperor during an intense showdown. At the same time, Satele Shan led an invasion fleet personally to attack the Imperial capital, Dromund Kaas, in this regard.
When the war began across the galaxy, Shan joined forces with her ex-lover, Jace Malcom, who became the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military. Together they defeated the prototype Imperial warship, Ascendant Spear, at Duro, teaming up with their son, Theron Shan, a spymaster in the Republic forces. Some time later, when the Order of Revan threatened to dominate the entire galaxy, Satele Shan allied with Darth Marr of the Sith Empire in a temporary truce. Together, they commanded an allied force to destroy the newborn Revan on Yavin 4.
However, the rise of the Eternal Empire devastated both the Republic and Sith Empire, dealing heavy losses of lives to the Jedi Order. Satele Shan was heartbroken by the destruction and her own failures as a leader. Therefore, Satele Shan chose to step down as Grand Master. She retreated into a meditative exile, seeking peace and guidance while communing with the spirit of Darth Marr.
During this time, the Sith Lord Darth Malgus was also captured by the Jedi after being defeated by the Alliance Commander. Darth Malgus refused to surrender until all the Jedi there used the Force collectively which brought him down on his knees. Satele Shan arrived next, and with the Force, immobilised him for one last look before he was locked behind bars.
Satele Shan's Remarkable Power And Force Abilities
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Being the daughter of these powerful and great Jedi Knights, Bastila Shan and Revan, Satele Shan was also extremely strong in the Force. She was highly skilled in telekinesis with enough strength as a Jedi Knight to bring an entire mountain upon Darth Malgus during their battle. She also showed extraordinary strength by using the Force to rip apart a door to Darth Mekhis' fortress and was able to deflect a lightsaber with her bare hands, with no harm done, due to her mastery over tutaminis. With her power increasing further, she was able to blast a door open by only using a simple Force push during the Battle of Rhen Var.
Satele Shan also possessed incredible foresight capabilities in the Force. She predicted the coming of the Sith Empire to Korriban, and her foresight abilities improved with age. By the time of renewed war with the Sith, it was anticipated by most of the Jedi that she could alter the course of the future if merely because she saw it. She was also a competent telepath who was able to read other's minds and also receive whole sentences. Satele Shan could even affect biological constituents of multiple hexes at once, but it was a little tricky maintaining a strong Force shield at the same time for long.
She had been passed down various things from her lineage and battle meditation was one of them. Her Master, Dar'Nala, believed she had received something unique from Bastila Shan when she took on this style of battle meditation and Satele Shan used it during the Galactic War to help her allies fight through the combat stages, especially when the returned Revan was around. She developed a bond with her apprentice through the Force, such that she could feel his emotions, even if he is hundreds of light-years away.
Being trained by the Jedi Order's Battlemaster, Kao Cen Darach, Satele Shan was one of the best combatants. She mastered a traditional and double-bladed lightsaber. In battles, she moved rapidly and agilely, using acrobatics to avoid strikes and counterattack. She rapidly killed four Sith Warriors, crippled a Sith droid, and held her own against Darth Malgus, although his skill as a duelist far surpassed then her. Whereas Darth Malgus destroyed her second saberstaff, Satele Shan overwhelmed him with her incredible Force abilities, helped by Jace Malcom's intervention. And Satele Shan eventually imprisoned the Sith Lord Darth Malgus towards the end of her journey in the galaxy.
Legacy of the Grand Jedi Master
Satele Shan was a very devoted Jedi who always put the interests of the galaxy first. As a Jedi Knight, she gave up a normal life for the sake of protecting her son, Theron, from the influence of the dark side. She ended her relationship with his father and let Ngani Zho care for him. Despite the painful nature of these choices, Satele Shan remained devoted to her role in the Jedi Order and the Jedi path.
At the end of the Great Galactic War, Satele Shan appreciated the value of peace, despite its not being perfect. As a Jedi Master and later as Grand Master, she was perceived as wise, strong, and a great leader. But, having lost so many lives after the rise of the Eternal Empire, Satele Shan was saddened enough to leave her title as Grand Master. She was burdened by the Order's losses, so she chose to resign. However, her legacy would live on in generations to come. Her name lived on with Satele Shan Boulevard, on Coruscant, a lasting symbol of her dedication to the Jedi and the galaxy.
FAQ’s
How did the Battle of Alderaan shape Satele Shan's reputation in the Jedi Order?
Satele Shan fought with such heroism in the Battle of Alderaan that made her one of the Republic's top warriors. She displayed unbelievable strength at bringing down an entire mountain on Darth Malgus, which showed her incredible telekinetic powers. This victory and fighting beside the forces of the Republic, with so much courage, made her respected as a strong Jedi Knight, not only within but also outside the Republic.
How was Satele Shan's life affected because of her relationship with Ngani Zho?
She entrusted Ngani Zho, her first and former Jedi Master, to take care of her son, Theron, for his safety. Ngani Zho was a paternal figure in Satele Shan’s life. He was one of the close people that she felt the need to share the difficult decision to separate from her son. As her Jedi Master, Ngani Zho used to pride in Satele Shan's achievements and his mentorship also shaped Satele's growth as a Jedi. The loss of Ngani Zho, her paternal figure, was a deep emotional blow to Satele Shan, which proved how much he had mentored and moulded her.
How did foresight guide Satele Shan's decisions?
Satele Shan was gifted with very high foresight, which provided her the essential capability for foreseeing key events, particularly the Sith Empire reaching Korriban. Her prophecies toward the future also determined the course of action for the Jedi Orders in the event of the war. She also believed that her prophecies had the power to change what was going to happen tomorrow, which gave her importance in every decision that was made to help the galaxy.
How did Satele Shan's sense of duty affect her personal life?
The chivalrous nature of Satele Shan often led to the sacrifice of her personal happiness. The Jedi duty led her to end the relationship with Jace Malcom and give up their son, Theron, in a fit of fea'r of risking exposing them to the dark side.
Although she felt sorry for these decisions, they were influenced by her desperation to save the galaxy from the influence of the dark side.
What distinguished Satele Shan's style of leadership from the rest of the leaders in the Jedi Council?
Satele was identified with her combination of strength and compassion. While she was steadfast in her judgments at times of crisis, she was also accessible and compassionate with those in her care. Unlike all other Jedi, who adhered to the Code, Satele Shan knew when to be soft and when to be hard. For instance, at the Great Galactic War, she learns about the trap set by the Sith regarding the peace talks but opted not to act impulsively and reacted with blinded aggressiveness. She instead chose a more thoughtful approach in order to focus on the galaxy's long-term peace.
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