Elata Cazars was a female Twi'lek Jedi Master and general during the New Sith Wars. Widely considered by her fellow Jedi to be the greatest Jedi Guardian of her generation, she was a member of the Jedi High Council by 1,391 BBY and a life member two years later.
Biography[]
As a Jedi Knight, Elata took the Houk Dogr Quam as her Padawan. At some point, she and Dogr retrieved her family kalikori from her father. He passed his Jedi Trials in 1,396 BBY; Elata became a Jedi Master around the same time. After she was appointed to the Council, Elata sometimes served as a militant foil to Master Tem-Fol-Rytil's slightly more deliberative nature, and often took the field herself to fight the Sith, attending Council meetings by holo.
After the Battle of Gizer in 1,389 BBY, Elata journeyed to Taanab to command the ground contingent of the Battle of Taanab, serving alongside Tirien Kal-Di, Mali Darakhan, See Klees, and other Jedi. While present, she informed Mali Darakhan of Tirien's issues with his Padawan, Narasi Rican, and castigated Tirien for failing to train her. On the final day of battle, Elata dueled the Sith Lord Nerlus Zedum and cut off his sword hand.
By 1,387 BBY Elata was personally leading the campaign against Valin Aresh's Supreme Modality as Supreme Commander of Republic Forces Galactic North. After Mali Darakhan's somewhat calamitous Mission to Milagro, Elata was vocal in her support of Tirien, Mali, and Slejux Nissatak; she voted with the Jedi Council to let the Crescentia's praxeum council deal with Tirien and Slejux and to spare Mali in exchange for his opposition to Tyson Dumiel's Corellian Conclave not because she agreed with the plan, but because it presented the best opportunity for all three Knights to quickly return to the field, where Elata felt they belonged.
In 1,386 BBY, Elata voted against the majority of the Jedi Council in offering Tirien a position as an instructor at the Jedi Temple—knowing him as she did, she felt he still needed a bit more seasoning, but the main reason was that she felt it would be a waste of his talents.
After Vedya Gasald conquered Allanteen Six and Corellia balked, Elata supported Mali in preparing his invasion fleet. After he liberated Milagro, though, she continued to press him to return his forces to the northern front, where she was struggling to hold Aresh at bay. When Kenza Rowkwani killed Eviar Seldec, Elata made it an order, and Mali sent back a hundred capital ships and his own apprentice, Aldayr Nikodon. Though she tried to force Aresh into a decisive engagement, she was outmaneuvered, and Aresh won a victory at the Battle of Garqi; Elata was forced to report to Mali that Aldayr had been lost along with the Guardian.
Elata encouraged the High Council to pardon Raven Kaivalt for his involvement with the Mission to Allanteen. She somewhat more begrudgingly agreed to advocate for Tirien when he returned from his Barash vow not entirely repentant, but dedicated to the war with the Supreme Modality. Awed by both Tirien and Narasi supporting Zaella Sabir, Elata also agreed to Tirien's request to take Zaella as her Padawan. She devoted considerable time to meditation and forcing Zaella to confront her lingering dark side lures, but the two became very close; Zaella spent an afternoon explaining Twi'lek calligraphy to her and analyzing the symbols on her kalikori. As they grew closer, Elata modified the kalikori, adding a kunda stone for Dogr and a wooden totem for Zaella.
Elata and Zaella face off against First Isk at Ord Trasi
Elata supported Mali's Operation Liberator, and authorized an engagement from her command against Garqi; that battle was unsuccessful, but succeeded as a diversion, as Mali conquered both Cademimu V and Agamar. With the link between Ciutric and the west broken, she planned to capture Ord Trasi in 1,384 BBY; her plan was briefly delayed when it emerged that Aldayr, who had allegedly escaped Modality custody, had in fact turned to the dark side. While re-strategizing, she conducted diplomatic negotiations with Muunilinst; the Muuns agreed to support the Republic when the Modality threat was removed. Cazars finally launched the attack in the middle of the year; she and Zaella dueled and killed First Isk, and the Second Republic Expeditionary Fleet captured Ord Trasi.
As Mali planned to press the Republic's attack into Modality territory, Elata became increasingly concerned by reports of Modality activity north of Mali's position. Leaving Mali in command and taking Zaella with her, she journeyed into the Void of Chopani, where the Force led her to the derelict Redeemer. She and Zaella boarded the ship to investigate, but Aresh sensed their presence. Ordering Zaella to flee and warn Mali, Elata remained behind to cover her retreat. She killed First Zerek, after which Aresh himself challenged her. She maimed him, cutting off his left cheek and left ear, but he ultimately killed her.
Zaella was heartbroken over her master's death and initially blamed herself, but gradually started to focus on the good times they had shared and what Elata had taught her. After becoming Kenza Rowkwani's Padawan, Zaella named her ship Elata to honor her former master. The High Council elected Sil Kadych to take Elata's life seat.
Powers and Abilities[]
Though many Jedi, including Tirien Kal-Di, considered Jedi Battlemaster Argus Z'dar the greatest swordsman in the Order, Master Cazars was, like Sil Kadych, his nearest peer. She was the first Jedi to defeat a First Rank member of the Dark Vanguard in single combat. She was a seasoned battle commander and strategist, trusted with masterminding the entire northern war against Valin Aresh. Her knowledge of the Force was so deep that she was given a life seat on the High Council.
Appearance and Personality[]
A green-skinned Twi'lek, Elata had gold eyes and a face which Tirien Kal-Di thought looked decades younger than she really was. Like most Jedi Guardians, she bore a lightsaber with a blue blade; hers had electrum on its emitter shroud and grips. When she entered combat, she often tied her lekku back with a leather headpiece.
Elata was a hardworking Jedi with a deep knowledge of military strategy and tactics. Though generally accepted to be among the finest of Jedi warriors in her generation, she did not relish killing and sought to end battles quickly and decisively. She had no patience for equivocation or slacking, but adamantly supported those she felt worked hard and contributed their best abilities to the fight against the Sith. She also pushed some Knights she felt could be great, such as Tirien Kal-Di and Mali Darakhan, to excel.
Appearances[]
- "The Price of Knighthood"
- Shots Fired
- Second Chance
- Who You Are in the Dark (Appears in hologram)
- The Fog of War
- A Certain Point of View (Mentioned only)
- Danse Macabre (Mentioned only)
- A Flow'r, Once Fallen (Appears in hologram)
- Igniting the Stars (Mentioned only)
- The Liberator (Appears in hologram)
- Revenge of the Jedi (Mentioned only)
- Loyalty (Mentioned only)
- A Bittersweet Homecoming (Mentioned only)
- The Heirs of Mizra (Appears in hologram)
- The Will of the Force
- The Way of the Krayt Dragon (Appears in hologram)
- The First Cut (Mentioned only)
- Lightning and Fire (Appears in hologram)
- The Hundredth Day
- Underworld (Mentioned only)