Kotara Varell

"I may be dead, but I'll never be forgotten."

- Volo Varell's last words

Volo Varell was a male Mirialan Jedi Knight. Found by exiled Jedi Ajax Koon on Cato Neimoidia and taken to Coruscant, he trained himself in the ways of the Jedi using ancient holocrons in the Jedi Archives.

Quickly advancing to the rank of Master and bing given a place on the Jedi Council, Varell took on the task of training the young Twi'lek Cara Vell with Master Eska Mi, taking on her training fully after Mi's death in a speeder accident on Coruscant.

Varell died after a mission to the Hutt-controlled planet of Taraxis at the hands of Seeki the Hutt.

Early life
Volo Varell was first found on the planet Cato Neimoidia in the care of several Neimoidian wetnurses by exiled Jedi Ajax Koon. Desperate to be accepted back into the Jedi Order, Koon took Varell to Coruscant and presented him to the Council. They were impressed with the child's skill but Koon was still banished.

Training
Varell was unique amongst the Jedi for training himself without a master. Maturing early, he taught himself using various holocrons found in the Jedi Temple, sometimes stolen without permission. He attained the rank of Jedi Knight earlier than most, a testament to either his prowess or the benefits of self teaching.

Varell proceeded to further his teaching alone, being awarded the rank of Jedi Master by Yoda himself in 80 BBY and briefly being given a seat on the Council.

Cara Vell
Varell was on the Council when Jedi Eska Mi brought young Cara Vell before them. Immediately impressed, the Council gave her the opportunity to be trained as a Jedi, regardless of the fact that she was over the normal age. Varell, without an apprentice and seeing his opportunity, volunteered himself as the child's master. The Council, however, believed him to be too unpredictable and dangerous to train a child alone. Eska Mi asked if he could train Vell in conjunction with Varell, and the Council, as well as Varell, agreed.

Varell quickly gave up his place on the Council so as to spend more time teaching his new apprentice. The pair had been training her for just three years, however, when Mi died in a savage speeder crash while chasing an assassin on Coruscant. It was then that Varell took Vell on as his apprentice fully, to the concern of the Council.

Varell was impressed by Cara Vell's quick learning, and she was awarded the rank of Jedi Knight in the year 71 BBY.

Mission to Taraxis
Varell was called to the planet Taraxis to assist the Jedi Mazto Kiel, who had sent out a distress signal from the planet. In reality, Kiel was in another part of space altogether, but Jedi communications had been scrambled by the crime lord Seeki Taxijic Viture, more commonly known as Seeki the Hutt. The Hutt killed Varell, beheading him in his palace on Taraxis.

Legacy
Varell was remembered most of all by his devout apprentice Cara Vell, who swore to stay on Coruscant to attain the rank of Jedi Master after his death. She achieved this, becoming a Master at the young age of 25.

Personality and traits
Volo Varell was always solitary, preferring to study alone rather than with other students or a master. He was also felt to be somewhat unpredictable and dangerous, causing some Jedi to mistrust him. Varell meant well, and served as a good father figure for Vell, supporting her after the death of Eska Mi. One of Varell's weaker aspects, however, was his arrogance that, again, caused some Jedi, including Master Yoda, to mistrust him.

Powers and abilities
Volo Varell was a skilled swordsman and had powerful Force abilities. He was also extremely agile and flexible, like the Mirialan Luminara Unduli after him.