Depa Billaba
this slender Chalactan Jedi Master was a member of the Jedi Council, and
was part of the group that deliberated over the possible training of young
Anakin Skywalker. She was rescued from a band of space pirates when she
was just six months old. Her rescuer turned out to be Mace Windu, who
recognized her strength with the Force and brought her back to Coruscant.
There, she grew up among the other Jedi trainees, becoming Windu's
Padawan and eventually became a Jedi Knight. She chose to honor her
parents by living by the native culture of Chalacta, and embraced many of its
religious tenets. She wore the Mark of Illumination, given to her upon her
achivement of the rank of Jedi Knight. Depa, who was one of the youngest
beings ever elected to serve on the Jedi Council, was known in the Council
for her insights. Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, Master Billaba was
dispatched to Haruun Kal, in an effort to earn the trust of the native Korunnai
in supporting the Old Republic. She disappeared just a few months into her
mission, until a recording was found hidden in the mouth of a murdered
Balawai woman. The woman had been brutally injured before and after her
death, giving rise to the belief that Master Billaba had turned to the Dark
Side of the Force. Her old Master, Mace Windu, was sent to locate her, and
discovered that she had allied herself with Kar Vastor. During her time on
Haruun Kal, Master Billaba had lost a good deal of weight, and her
appearance had become haggard. She had even removed the Greater Mark
of Illumination from her forehead, and had covered the scar with a rag.
Master Billaba had been the mastermind behind the Upland Liberation Front,
hoping to keep a ragtag group of surviving Korunnai from being
exterminated by the Balawai who were allied with the Separatists. An early
victory in forcing the Separatists off Haruun Kal was later proven false, as
the Separatists had simply backed off into the Gevarno Cluster to later
ambush any Republic reinforcements. Master Billaba decided that her place
was on Haruun Kal, helping the Korunnai defend their freedom and their
right to live on their homeworld. She turned over her lightsaber to Master
Windu, and set out to defeat the Balawai with Vastor's help. When Windu
refused to let her free of her commitment to the Jedi, she struggled internally
between that commitment and her intense desire to free the Korunnai.
During Master Windu's suicidal plans to take Pelek Baw from the Balawai,
Depa was caught by the blast of a proton grenade and thrown to the ground.
She faked her death, trying to decide where her loyalties lay. When Windu
tried to revive her, she grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it, spearing her
teacher through the stomach. Windu survived, and managed to defeat the
forces protecting Pelek Baw. His efforts brought the Summertime War to an
end, but Master Billaba was emotionally and mentally lost by this time. She
was returned to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple, but was held for trial until
she could recover. Her crimes were listed as crimes against civilization, a
category of crimes which had not been prosecuted since the Great Sith War.
Until she was able to stand trial, however, Depa remained at the Jedi
Temple, where she was cared for by many Jedi healers, including T'ra Saa.
Some info gathered with permission from:
CUSWE
was part of the group that deliberated over the possible training of young
Anakin Skywalker. She was rescued from a band of space pirates when she
was just six months old. Her rescuer turned out to be Mace Windu, who
recognized her strength with the Force and brought her back to Coruscant.
There, she grew up among the other Jedi trainees, becoming Windu's
Padawan and eventually became a Jedi Knight. She chose to honor her
parents by living by the native culture of Chalacta, and embraced many of its
religious tenets. She wore the Mark of Illumination, given to her upon her
achivement of the rank of Jedi Knight. Depa, who was one of the youngest
beings ever elected to serve on the Jedi Council, was known in the Council
for her insights. Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, Master Billaba was
dispatched to Haruun Kal, in an effort to earn the trust of the native Korunnai
in supporting the Old Republic. She disappeared just a few months into her
mission, until a recording was found hidden in the mouth of a murdered
Balawai woman. The woman had been brutally injured before and after her
death, giving rise to the belief that Master Billaba had turned to the Dark
Side of the Force. Her old Master, Mace Windu, was sent to locate her, and
discovered that she had allied herself with Kar Vastor. During her time on
Haruun Kal, Master Billaba had lost a good deal of weight, and her
appearance had become haggard. She had even removed the Greater Mark
of Illumination from her forehead, and had covered the scar with a rag.
Master Billaba had been the mastermind behind the Upland Liberation Front,
hoping to keep a ragtag group of surviving Korunnai from being
exterminated by the Balawai who were allied with the Separatists. An early
victory in forcing the Separatists off Haruun Kal was later proven false, as
the Separatists had simply backed off into the Gevarno Cluster to later
ambush any Republic reinforcements. Master Billaba decided that her place
was on Haruun Kal, helping the Korunnai defend their freedom and their
right to live on their homeworld. She turned over her lightsaber to Master
Windu, and set out to defeat the Balawai with Vastor's help. When Windu
refused to let her free of her commitment to the Jedi, she struggled internally
between that commitment and her intense desire to free the Korunnai.
During Master Windu's suicidal plans to take Pelek Baw from the Balawai,
Depa was caught by the blast of a proton grenade and thrown to the ground.
She faked her death, trying to decide where her loyalties lay. When Windu
tried to revive her, she grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it, spearing her
teacher through the stomach. Windu survived, and managed to defeat the
forces protecting Pelek Baw. His efforts brought the Summertime War to an
end, but Master Billaba was emotionally and mentally lost by this time. She
was returned to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple, but was held for trial until
she could recover. Her crimes were listed as crimes against civilization, a
category of crimes which had not been prosecuted since the Great Sith War.
Until she was able to stand trial, however, Depa remained at the Jedi
Temple, where she was cared for by many Jedi healers, including T'ra Saa.
Some info gathered with permission from:
CUSWE
taken from the comic Star Wars #18 Emissaries to Malastare 6 of 6
taken from the comic Star Wars #17 Emissaries to Malastare 5 of 6