Xanatos (Star Wars)

Xanatos is a fictional character from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, the villain of the Jedi Apprentice series of books by Jude Watson.

Biography

Xanatos was a former Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, who chose him because of his great potential. Qui-Gon persuaded Xanatos' father Crion to let him train the young boy, and so, at an early age, Xanatos was taken away from the two things he loved most: his father, and his home planet of Telos.

As a youngling at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Xanatos learned quickly. He was the best lightsaber duelist among the younglings, and was their de facto leader. His aggressiveness and penchant for trickery worried his teachers, however. When Xanatos' time had come to perform his Jedi trials, he passed with flying colors.

The last test

Jedi Master Yoda was not convinced Xanatos was ready to become a Knight, however, and said simply: "One more test." In this last test, he was taken back to Telos, ostensibly to investigate disturbances there with Qui-Gon, but really to confront what he had given up to become a Jedi. The disturbances turned out to be the work of Crion, Xanatos' father, who was instigating a civil war. This was Xanatos' final test: to choose between the thankless, ascetic LifeStyle the Jedi Order offered, or to join his father, enjoy fantastic wealth, and channel his aggression into war and governance. He saw Qui-Gon [...] his father after Crion turned to the dark side. Xanatos chose his father after it was too late, vowing revenge on the Jedi as he picked up his father's burning ring and pressed it to his cheek. The half-circle scar became his trademark and logo for his mining corporation Offworld and all his later works. Xanatos assaulted Qui-Gon and lost decisively. Qui-Gon had mercy on his former apprentice, however, and spared his life.

Jedi foe

Xanatos would stir up trouble for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series of books. Xanatos once planted a bomb in the Jedi Temple's Room of a Thousand Fountains, almost [...] Yoda. He tainted Bruck Chun, Obi-Wan's rival, and turned him to the dark side. Xanatos almost caused a Turbolift to fall, which would have killed a Jedi and several children, but Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon evacuated the lift before anyone was hurt.

His last attempt at causing chaos in the Temple was to sabotage the Temple's fusion furnances with his technological skills, so that it would detonate, [...] all within. Xanatos captured Bant in a last attempt to lead the Jedi off his trail, but Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan confronted him. Bruck ran away while Obi-Wan gave chase. Bruck led him to the Room of a Thousand Fountains where Bant was being held in chains underwater. Obi-Wan fought Bruck, who fell from a high ledge and broke his neck. Obi-Wan then saved Bant and joined his master to chase off Xanatos, who fled back to his home planet. Qui-Gon followed him there to bring his former Padawan to justice. Rather than being brought under the mercy of his old master, Xanatos killed himself by jumping into a pool of acid, saying to Qui-Gon as he died: "I am your biggest failure. Live with that. And live with this."

Xanatos was survived by one child, Granta Omega, who appeared in Watson's Jedi Quest series.

References

• The Dark Side sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st printing, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, J. D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-1849-7
• Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice

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