#jaric kaedan

[miraluking-respectfully]

more Blobs <3

[ospreyeamon]

jaric kaedan: designated jerk

Jaric Kaedan is the designated jerk of the cold war era Jedi Council. When there is a mean or aggressive thing the writers want a member of the Council to say, Master Kaedan is nearly always the one to say it. However, I would argue that a lot of the mean things Kaedan says are mean things which needed to be said by someone.

For example, his questioning of Kira Carsen’s loyalty after it is revealed she is a Child of the Emperor is pertinent given the context. That someone who was accepted into the Order as an adult after attempting to steal the hyperdrive of a ship which just happened to belong to a member of the Jedi Council, whose position as that Council Member’s Padawan granted her close access to the Council, has been concealing her origins as a Sith acolyte is suspicious. During Act One the Jedi uncover a Sith sleeper agent, Tarnis, embedded deeply in Republic military research. In Consular Act Three, the potential infiltration of the Jedi Order by the Children of the Emperor is proven to be something Kaedan was absolutely correct to be concerned about. The Council would be remiss in its duty of protection towards the other members of the Order if they didn’t investigate the possibility of Kira being a plant. Arguably, they’d also be failing Kira by not consolidating the evidence proving her innocence because Kira might need that evidence if her status as a Child of the Emperor leaks again in the future.

Kaedan’s cynicism about the prospects of Tol Braga’s plan bring peace with the Empire is entirely reasonable. The risks of undertaking the mission go beyond the risk to the members of the strike team. If the Jedi abduct or assassinate the Sith Emperor it will trigger a second great galactic war – a war the republic military has been preparing for but may not be ready to begin. Even if Tol Braga succeeds in turning the Emperor to the Light, the wider Empire would be unlikely accept the commands of a Jedi Emperor, either dismissing the “redemption” as lies or mind control, or denouncing the ruler they are already becoming disillusioned with as a traitor.

His concerns about Jomar Chul’s vision are also valid. Even if the Hero of Tython is unwaveringly loyal to the Order and would never willingly draw on the Dark-Side of the Force, the Jedi Council should be aware that Jedi can be forced into falling under torture. The vision is an ill omen at the outset of an already poorly considered mission.

This gives me the impression that Jaric Kaedan’s role as the designated jerk is something which exists in-universe – that he has fallen into a dynamic with the rest of the Jedi Council where he feels he must voice the cynical and callous opinions because most of the time nobody else is willing to. If the points aren’t raised the quality of the Council’s discussions will suffer, the quality of the Council’s decisions will suffer. None of them particularly want to tell Bela Kiwiiks she might have welcomed a mole into the Order or tell Tol Braga his pet emperor redemption project is stupid. So long as Jaric Kaedan is always willing to be the bad cop then then the other members of the Council are free to play the good cop, or the mediator, or the supplier of wise proverbs.

Which is, moving further into headcanon, part of the reason why Kaedan is such a grumpy jerk. He knows he’s slipped into this trap and resents it. He shouldn’t have to always be the one bringing these things up. He shouldn’t have to worry that nobody else will if he’s not there. And the habit of imagining and voicing cynical takes, once established, is difficult to break.

[spilled-croissants]

Jaric Kaedan is a bitch if you know you know

[reconstructionlegacy]

Ngani Zho Coerced Custody Of Theron

[Zho] had told the Jedi Council and the leaders of the Republic military that he had sent Satele on a vital mission— something he could not speak of for fear of endangering her life. Given Master Zho’s impeccable reputation, none had questioned him. Now, however, the mission was over. It was time for her to return; the Republic had fought too long without their champion. The Sith Empire’s relentless advance had gone too far. She could no longer ignore the Republic’s need. [...] “You promised you would take him,” Satele said softly, gazing down into the child’s wide, wondering eyes. “I will,” Ngani assured her. “If that’s still what you want.” “What I want has nothing to do with it,” she muttered as she reluctantly handed the child back to her Master. [...] As he took the child from her arms, the moment of greatest joy she would ever know ended.

— Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation

BACKGROUND

Ngani Zho trained, according to Lost Suns (admittedly according to Zho the manipulator), Satele Shan, Syo Bakarn, Jaric Kaedan, and Bela Kiwiiks. Obviously, that is not possible for full Padawans, and Satele was under Kao Cen Darach's mentorship in the first trailer (and then he died), so my theory here is that Zho stepped in to "foster" mentor at least some of these promising young Jedi (and gain influence with them).

WHAT HAPPENED

Zho was somehow trusted by the Council (maybe because he partially trained a third of them). Satele became pregnant, went to Zho for advice, and rather than saying "let's talk to the Council, the normal Jedi support structure, which trusts me," he said "I will cover this up. For you." Like a favour.

He said to the Council that she was on a mission, which put a time limit on the 'plan' ("Always with the plan, aren't you?" Zho asks Theron in Lost Suns). By lying to the Council on her behalf, he made it impossible to go to them for support, or at the least heavily implied to Satele that her pregnancy was somehow wrong or shameful.

By isolating Satele from everyone but himself, and putting a time limit on her seclusion, he arranged for her to have no real choice but to give him custody of Theron. (The scion of a powerful bloodline... and possibly even blackmail material against the future Grand Master.)

Then, having secured the custody of Theron, he proceeded to isolate him as he had isolated Satele, and thoroughly abuse him. This is detailed in Lost Suns, and I will not detail it here; suffice to say it began at the earliest when Theron was five, and Theron's life was endangered by Zho, who abandoned Theron upon realizing he was not Force-sensitive.

(SOME OF) THE AFTERMATH

Years later, when Theron is an SIS officer, under convoluted plot circumstances (that is: the plot of Lost Suns), he reencounters Zho. Zho takes another young person, Teff'ith, under his wing, which Theron is unhappy about. (Teff'ith asks Theron, who has used the term 'childhood trauma' about Zho by this point, and will later elaborate with horrific detail that I, once more, decline to repeat, "Scared of him?". Theron says 'no' - you know, like a liar. Anyway -)

(My theory is that Zho was Star Cabal, Revanite, or both, and wanted complete control of the training of the Blood Of Revan... but fuck knows why he did any of this. Your guess is as good as mine.)

I do think, in the text, Zho's treatment of Theron is framed as abhorrent, especially given the cited and open trauma and abuse. There is also a line in Annihilation about him glaring at Satele in a way that reminds me of Theron's textual panic attack when Satele mentions Zho to him elsewhere in the book. Given this, I think it is an entirely reasonable conclusion, even ignoring the fact that he is baby-stealing Jedi georg, the only Jedi known to have actually stolen a baby, that he mistreated Satele, too.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

At any rate - Ngani Zho coerced Satele into giving him custody of Theron. Theron does not know this, and assumes Satele chose freely to gave him up.

We can't know what her decision would have been, because she didn't truly get to make one. She may have chosen to give Theron up. She may not have. But as it was, as it happened, she did not have a genuine choice.

TL;DR: Tie-in material makes it quite clear that Ngani Zho, the "Master Zho" in one of Theron's combat lines, coerced Satele into giving the infant Theron into his custody. This was terrible for everyone involved, except Zho.

[swtorpadawan]

My problem is that the canon depictions of this (Legends and Disney) tend to be hugely inconsistent.

The head-canon depictions are inevitably formed from personal prejudices. (Yes, that includes me.)

I will say that in SWTOR, on a general level, the Jedi repeatedly show compassion to those who were the victims of brainwashing, as well as people who were raised in "hostile" environments. (i.e. the Sith Empire)

There are - obviously - many exceptions. (F*ck Jaric Kaedan)

i care so much about fictional morality and ethics but not in a lame ass "is this character/ship problematic" way. i'm cringe for other reasons.

[anchanted-one]

Legend of Lightning Chapter 34: I can’t think of a title for this interlude

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43208574/chapters/110831974

Council Chambers, Tython

Since the Temple was in the tropical zone, its inhabitants rarely felt a glacial chill quite like what the Council did right now. Vajra’s report, relayed by Archivist Jasme, was among the most sobering briefings that had ever been discussed in quite a while.

“‘The procedures were so painful that even anesthetics failed to keep them under,’” the young woman read out. Her voice and expression were carefully neutral, but for someone as emotive as herself, a lack of expression was a worrying red flag. “‘A troubling number woke up on the table, screaming their lungs out from the pain and shock. Even if they hadn’t, the changes wrought by the operations are irreversible. None of the Power Guard can go back to leading a normal life. They are weapons now. Even the Marks One through Four, whose cybernetic modifications are the least extensive. The Mark Five are all but machines. Unsurprising, perhaps, as they were conceived in the mind of Angral’s son. According to the tests, they are expected to trade well with Sith Lords. If their designs get back to the Empire, the Jedi will be far more beleaguered than we were in the previous war. After all, I do not doubt that the Empire might resort to pressgang rather than recruitment. And since we cannot allow our side to continue these horrible experiments, I feel it is imperative for us to plug the leak. I have been told that the Sith Lord in charge of hijacking the Power Guard project is Lord Sadic. According to his files, he’s a gifted engineer. I fear that, given time, he will… ‘perfect’ the Power Guard. I mean to stop him first. In addition, we need to hold our people accountable, and to ensure that the rescued Guards are rehabilitated. I imagine they’ll all be in for the rudest of awakenings. In addition, the droid in command had heard about a Mark Six, but I’ve found no signs that there’s such model down here. I dread to think what it might be. I think the Council might want to look into it. That concludes my report.’”

“Thank you, Jasme. You may have a seat.”

Satele’s daughter bowed and took a seat wordlessly, fetching herself a glass of water on the way.

“This was troubling,” Tol Braga said.

“Ya think?��� Jaric snorted. “Which part in particular? That makeover from hell? Or the fact that Sadic, of all people, has two hundred of these Guards? Vajra was right about his engineering skills; he can reverse engineer the process by dissecting those poor souls in months. And those that survive will be mindwiped.”

“Equally disturbing, I think, is how our people felt compelled to take this drastic measure,” Gnost rubbed his face. “Var Suthra should have known better than to give the green light to this one.”

“But now the genie’s out of the bottle,” Nikil grumbled.

“Not quite all the way out,” Satele reminded everyone. “Not yet. We still have a chance to nip this in the bud. Sadic must not be allowed to rediscover the process of creating Power Guards. We need to put more Jedi on this. Whom can we spare right now?”

“Master Nomen Karr is right there on Nar Shaddaa, is he not?” Tol asked.

“You know Nomen,” Kaedan grumbled. “Even a Council order can’t make him abandon his quest.

“Besides,” Tol added. “We can’t expect a Master to take orders from a fledgling Knight, but after what he’s already accomplished, we can’t take Vajra off the helm either. It would be like telling him we don’t have confidence in him.”

“If I may, Master Braga,” Jasme put in. “He wouldn’t really care. In fact, he might be relieved.”

“But my point stands,” Kaedan growled. “Master Karr will not abandon his foolish quest to ferret out Darth Baras’ supposed spy network. Nothing we say can make him. I think we’re approaching that time when we must bring him to heel. And his associates too.”

“There are few Knights to spare,” Satele began.

“What about Devel Nirol?” Syo asked. “He should be on Nar Shaddaa right now.”

“He’s got his own mission,” Satele reminded him. “The plague is an even greater danger to us, in its own way. I think I should go out there myself. Not only to support him, but also to see him at work. While he’s not the youngest Knight we’ve ever promoted, he was never on a probatory period like the others. Even his apprenticeship was largely unsupervised. While I have every confidence in him, we need to keep an eye on him, just in case.”

“You do remember the reason for his circumstances, right?” Jaric countered. “We cannot spare anyone on this Council for all but the most critical tasks.”

“Then whom can we send?” Gnost asked before that old argument began again. “Bengel is remorseful, and wants to atone for his sins. He has also requested to be assigned to Vajra.”

“I don’t trust Bengel,” Jaric shook his head firmly. “I am opposed.”

“Trust aside, he does have to work through his issues before we burden him with any responsibilities,” Satele said.

“I’m… I’m afraid I’m out of ideas,” Tol said, after a dozen other candidates were considered and discarded.

“I’m not,” Gnost put in. “I think we need to consider dispatching Padawans in situations like this. We can send Kana to help them.”

The Falleen did not look too pleased, but stood and bowed.

The Council thought on it for a while. “What do you say, Kana?” Satele asked.

“I can help your pipsqueak,” she used the word without hint of malice. “I mean, I saw him during that Trial in Keleth, so I know he’s got skill. But he’s clearly in over his head in this one. I could lighten his burdens considerably.”

“Well then, perhaps we should vote on it,” Satele looked around the room.

The motion failed, but only by a slim margin. Satele fought the impulse to react. In the end, they weren’t able to scrounge up a single Jedi to aid Vajra.

She could feel Jasme’s disapproval.

*

Later that day

For the first time, Satele’s daughter did not ask her for a hug. “I suppose you’re angry with me,” Satele sighed.

“The Power Guard project, Mom? I asked you to take it slow with him, and you assign him to a cleanup job that has ‘mad science’ written all over it?”

Satele supposed she should be relieved that Jasme didn’t know about the Rakghouls. Yet.

She led the young woman to a seat and sat her down. “You have every right to be mad at me.”

“More than angry... I’m scared for my friend. Vajra may have passed the Trials, but this is the sort of thing you give a more hardened Jedi. At this rate, the ‘Storm of the Jedi’ will blow itself out by the year’s end.”

“I’m surprised Vajra let you hear about this,” Satele commented. “I thought he’d want to protect you.”

“Maybe he thinks I am strong enough,” Jasme replied. “Maybe he wanted to share his burdens with me. He gave me the option to say ‘no,’ by the way. Made it clear what I was about to hear. I don’t regret my choice.”

“It’s nice to not be coddled,” Satele patted her head, but she pulled away.

“I’m serious, Mom. I’m not happy. Can you at least move him to easier duty after this one?”

“It’s not my decision alone.”

“Then tell me this,” Jasme’s expression turned pleading. “Who is it that’s most eager to put Vajra on top of your most difficult assignments? Maybe I can talk to them. Is it Master Kaedan?”

“No. Jaric is neutral on this. The one most enthusiastic about his potential are actually Tol and Syo.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me right. Both think that Vajra is the strongest weapon the Light has forged in years. And others are convinced of that too.”

“There’s no weapon forged that doesn’t break when overused,” Jasme cried. “Or when used wrongly. Like a sword used to chop wood.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Satele recalled the abject fear in the youth’s voice when he told the Council about his encounter with the Rakghouls. She had tried to recall him, but the others had accused her of being affected by her feelings. Then and now, Satele knew that while it was true, it didn’t make her wrong. As good as he was, Vajra could have been killed. Or worse, turned into a Rakghoul.

She wondered how her daughter would react when she found out that Satele had risked such a cruel fate befalling her best friend.

“It… I’ve already tried to pull him off the difficult missions. I was… they told me not to let my feelings interfere with my judgement.” Anger flickered for a moment; an outrage born of the memory of all her sacrifices for the Jedi Order. No one had any right to lecture her on judgement.

“They accused you?” Jasme looked at her disbelievingly. “YOU!?”

“Yes.”

Jasme snorted angrily.

“I’m sorry, Jasme.”

“Mom… Those people, those poor people… and to think, that Anomid called them ‘heroes!’”

“I know,” Satele frowned. “They lost everything to the Empire. Lives, families, homes… The idea of revenge was enough to make them give up the scant little they had left. It’s rare for the Ungifted to be this affected by blind hatreds.”

“What if it wasn’t hatred?” Jasme asked. “What if they were just tired of being… well. Weak? Most of them were beggars and vagrants, from what we can tell. People who can’t hold down a job because they’re too traumatized. Maybe what they want isn’t revenge, it’s strength?”

Satele was surprised by the perspective. “That… that’s something to consider.”

“There’s a lot of broken people out there, Mom. Many of them just want a chance to be whole again.”

“Enough to sign up for such a scheme?” Satele exclaimed. “They may not have known the full extent of what was in store for them, but they must have known—”

“Knowing and experiencing are two different things,” Jasme said. From her sudden frown, Satele thought she was considering her own words.

“A kiss for your thoughts?” Satele tried, but the young woman was clearly over her ill temper, going by the radiant smile she gave her.

“It was something Tarsten told me,” Jasme answered.

Satele had to think on who that was. “Ah, the envoy at Raudraksha?”

“That’s him,” Jasme nodded. “We were talking about everything I read, and how it didn’t come close to reality. At some point, I gave him the impression that I thought I knew everything, so he looked at me all funny and said, ‘The world is not in your books and maps. It’s out there.’”

“Sage counsel,” Satele smiled inwardly, recognizing the quote.

“I thought so too!” she cried, head nodding vigorously. “I’ve been rethinking my career.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll still be with the Archives of course. But I want to get trained as an Archaeologist. I want to go out there. See new places. And old ones too.”

“Let me know if Gnost has any problem with your decision,” Satele suggested. “I’ll cut off his second breakfast privileges.”

Jasme laughed out loud and took the kiss Satele had offered.

On her way out, she stopped and turned with a conflicted look on her face. “Mom, I’ve got something I’ve been dying to know for years now.”

“Oh?”

“Do you have any real friends? All I ever see you with are colleagues. And me, I suppose.”

Satele rearranged her features into mock outrage. “What are you talking about?” she asked tartly. “Of course, I have friends. Like… like—” She struggled to name a single one. She had lost touch with her final friend nearly three years ago. Most of them were estranged now, or soured.

Jasme picked up on her inner discomfort. “I said something troubling, didn’t I?”

“No, you didn’t,” Satele assured her. “I gave my life to being a Jedi. To being the Grand Master. This is the price I didn’t realize I’d paid.”

“I don’t like it,” Jasme grumbled. “I know that you’re more than just ‘Grand Master’ of the Order. I’ve seen you try to be my mom. I’ve seen these little snatches of loneliness and sorrow on your face. I can see you have a world of problems bothering you, and you’re taking them all on alone.”

“I don’t want to put my burdens on you.”

“That’s sweet,” Jasme gave her a wide, tilt-headed smile and blinked twice. She did things like that sometimes; to try making moments cute. It was a trait Satele found endearing. “Look, I’m not asking you to share with me. You need a comrade. An equal, if possible. Not anyone from the Council, obviously, coz most of them are such stuffy old men and women. Please just… find someone? Do it for me. One of my biggest fears is that when the war starts again, you’ll be crushed under all the weight you’re keeping to yourself.”

*

[whitepadi]

I’m pretty sure the Sith is the least we need to worry about, Master Jaric.

This bug is pretty hilarious actually because it seems in-character of him and the fact that many people expereinced this bug too. 

Btw, I made Jaric as Kresna’s second master in Chapter 2 before he met Nat and after Orgus death (he became Knight in the end of class story) and let just say Jaric still dislike his former padawan.

Thanks @.badsithnocookie for the screenshoot lmao. Also please ignore the typo.

[swtorpadawan]

The Council Chamber at the Galactic Senate is larger than the one on Tython

I mean... its huge. These are supposed to be offices for Senators. Why are they in there?

[pawsimses]

Know what? Here's some random HCs from one of my Legacy verses because I feel like it

Kira and Lana are sisters, Lana being the older of the two. It isn't a well known fact and the two don't fully reconcile with their relation until after EoO. Prior they had a typical sibling rivalry as children and a tense strained relationship as adult upon reuniting years after Kira ran away.

"Kira Carsen" isn't Kira's birth name. Haven't decided her birth name yet but since she's Lana's sister she's a Beniko. Kira Carsen was the name she gave herself upon fleeing the Empire as a means of a fresh start, amongst fear of being found out as a runaway Sith acolyte.

Jaren Beniko is a high ranking Sith Lord in this (Kelsa was not). A stern but oddly soft man with his daughters and a no-nonsense strict officer in the field, he had a way of getting around situations through negotiations rather than drawing his saber, though he wasnt afraid to get his hands dirty if provoked (a trait he passed to his eldest daughter Lana). Was actually a Dark Council member in his early years prior to Kira's disappearance. Loved his daughters dearly. Because of his nature and odd habit of less ruthless approaches for a Sith, there was a rumor he was once a fallen Jedi. Still working on him but may roll a SW class for him.

(YES I'm playing here w the Benikos are Kenobi ancestors theory)

Ancient Sith Purebloods were dragons. Subsequently modern Sith, even humans, can become big lizard puppies if they tried. This is due in part to virtually most Sith sharing bloodlines w ancient Sith. Types of dragons varied/vary from fiery breathers to acid spitters to poisonous nibblers.

On the dragons note, though they CAN most Sith DON'T unlock the dragon form (it's a pain/not well known knowledge/assumed to only be from select bloodlines (which is bs)). The only known participant is Vowrawn. Because course he would. It surprised nobody as Vowrawn is from a very rich and old Sith family, almost considered nobility (Almost...😏).

On that note, Krovos and Shaar are Vowrawn's daughters through a past arranged marriage (now dissolved). Though he commited to the union only to appease family (neither spouse were in love), he does love his daughters and is proud of them and actively retains good relations with them presently. His ex and him are on good terms (they aren't Sith).

Mako is Force Sensitive in my verse (as is my BH). She was, obviously, never found by the Jedi; as a clone, and therefore part of a secret project, her name and identity were not held on Republic records (SIS files only). On top of that, her abilities are not as visibly apparently compared to other FS and she doesn't use them openly much (like Raina). She learns a few techniques from my BH, an ex-Jedi Initiate himself, and the two form a close sibling bond.

Post LotS Kira and Nadia are a married couple. They met before briefly during vanilla but only got to really connect upon joining the Alliance. Kira was the first to realize and have very much Bi Panic bc oh no. Knight Grell is cute. Very cute. She's so pretty when she laughs. She's got beautiful eyes halp-

Nadia however, was the one to make the first move, through various sputtering and flustered words, so nervous much pinning. Kira could only keep kissing her after that. Nadia will admit first she cried from happiness.

They are adorkable I love them ❤️

Jaric Kaedan and Syo Bakarn were quietly involved together prior to the First Son incident. It fell apart after Syo was arrested and brought before the Council for trial. Only then could he watch as his now former lover now looked at him with disgust. The heartbreak was something that plagued Syo just as bad as the guilt over the First Son's actions for years to come after. He truly loved Jaric.

Though not extreme nobility anymore, the Bakarn family is still very much elite and one of the more famous families on Corellia. These days they run a successful distillery business, which keeps them up in the ranks as one of the more prosperous names. Syo holds a share of the family's company.

Syo has two younger siblings. His brother (middle child) is an immature spoiled person who latched onto their family's title and status, preferring to drink at the cantinas around Corellia and flirt with potential lovers (ur 42 Jack stop). Syo doesnt get along with him at all. Syo's sister (youngest) is a gentle kind soul with a heart for helping those around her, though she has issues with temper and differing opinions. Syo adores her and she acts as his confident when he's home complaining about their brother lol

Jaric was born and raised on Tatooine. It was not a happy childhood and he strongly refuses to discuss it (AKA me brain can't decide on what to do there lol). Doesn't like sand. Satele is, for all intensive purposes, his adopted sister. She fills the hole in his heart left by the loss of his younger sister and he often sees her through Satele. Zho was a suggorate father in place of his bio one, whom Jaric has negative opinions about. He quietly regrets never reconciling with Zho.

May make an AU out of it but for a short time, Saresh almost became Theron's stepmother (she and Jace were seriously dating). Theron wants to vomit every time he remembers.

Jace has dated other people outside Saresh post Satele. But it doesnt last. His heart only belongs to one.

Marr did love Satele in his own way posthumously. It's not exactly full romance but...he cared deeply for her.

And that's all for now lol

[theshijlegacy]

Deynaria gets the details on The Worst Plan Ever

[fancyfade]

[image: a screencap of Master Jaric Kaedan, a white middleaged human man wearing a jedi robe, saying “Yuon seems convinced. But trusting blindly in the Force isn’t the Jedi way. Good judgment and discipline must temper that trust.” end image]

posting this cuz

a) just jedi stuff

b) harin-so really appreciates jaric’s philosophy here, mostly because zie cna’t connect with the idea of just blindly trusting a higher power. zie was trying to do that so badly during zir mystic trials and training, but never received a vision, so zie’s like “fucking finally, a way to move forward that isn’t dependent on something i can’t control”

[algaeabomination]

oh no

[ospreyeamon]

playing politics

It’s been said before, but there is a clear disparity in the way the Jedi Consular and Jedi Knight are treated when it comes to their promotion prospects. While both are knighted at the end of their prologues, the Consular is given the rank of Master at the start of Act 2 while the Knight is only maybe promoted again at the close of Act 3.

The Consular’s promotion to Master is political. They are being given the rank because the Jedi Council thinks it will be necessary for the Rift Alliance to take them seriously, not because of anything the Consular has achieved up to this point Hence why they are given the rank upon being given a mission rather than completing one. Which makes sense as the Consular’s achievements during Act 1 are pretty variable.

A Consular who has LS-choiced their way through Act 1’s achievements are very impressive, even if the stint on Alderaan is their only prior diplomatic experience that we know of. A Consular who – despite being asked to shield the afflicted Jedi – chooses to kill them at varying points before accidentally (or “accidentally”) causing the deaths of hundreds more Jedi offscreen by killing Lord Vivicar, I think, probably wouldn’t have been trusted with a sensitive diplomatic post if the Council thought they had a better option. Unfortunately, in this scenario, the better options were probably numbered among the now dead Jedi Masters.

Conversely, the Jedi Knight definitely succeeded in their overall mission in Act 1. They might have been a jerk, they might have passed up opportunities to save or spare people, they might have delayed rescuing Nasan Godera for a loot acquisition detour, but they still did (eventually) retrieve Dr Godera, stop the power-guard project, save Master Kiwiiks and Tatooine, help destroy the death-mark laser, and prevent Darth Angral from torching Tython. The Knight also helps (or “helps”) guide Kira Carsen to Knighthood; successfully training a Padawan is traditionally one of the main gauges the Council uses to determine who is ready to become a Master.

A DS!Knight proves considerably more effective in Act 1 than a DS!Consular, but the Consular is still the one promoted. The promotion isn’t given in recognition of their skills or as reward for their achievements. It isn’t withheld because of any action or shift in alignment. The Consular is promoted at the start of Act 2 because their new mission is to make nice with the politicians; the Knight isn’t because they are assisting other Jedi. If the Consular’s promotion truly was a matter of merit the Knight would have been promoted too.

The end of Act 3 has incredibly stark differences in how a Dark-aligned Consular and Knight are treated by the Jedi Council. Neither of them receives the promotion they would have if they had been Light-aligned, but of the behaviour of the Council towards them is markedly different. The Consular is publicly rewarded. The Knight is publicly snubbed.

“Your relentless pursuit of the First Son merits a unique position. We would like to make you our special military advisor. You will rank alongside us, but work with the Republic, to capture the remaining Children and prepare for any future threat from the Sith.” Jaric Kaedan “Rank alongside? So I would not be a member of the Jedi Council.” Jedi Consular, Option 3 “We would prefer you to focus on assisting the Republic, rather than on Council duties. But this is only a small reward beside the great service you have done, for all of us.” Jaric Kaedan

The post of the Jedi Council’s special military advisor is a promotion, even if it might not be the promotion the Consular wanted. Jaric Kaedan doesn’t say anything to suggest that a Council Seat could have been on the table under other circumstances; the idea is only brought up if the Consular brings it up.

The Consular has experienced a meteoric rise through the ranks; their class story takes place over about three years and they go from Padawan to Knight to Master to senior Master advising the Jedi Council. Going from Padawan to Master in the span of two years is (I think) the fastest turn around we are shown for any Jedi, and most members of the Order never sit on the High Council. Being promoted to Master without having trained a Padawan in any capacity is also highly unusual. The Consular has nothing to complain about.

Even if they do complain, Jaric’s justification is that they don’t want the Consular’s attention split between their work with the Republic and the duties of a Council Member. He is quick to praise the Consular again. No mention of their turn to the Dark Side is made.

“And then there is you. How do we even begin to account for the turns your life has taken since you first arrived on Tython? The dark side has cast its shadow over you. I sense your anger and ambition growing. I can no longer ignore it. I wanted so much for you to become a Jedi Master, but you are not ready.” Satele Shan “What have I done to deserve being passed over? I've saved trillions of people.” Jedi Knight, Option 1 “Your battles on Corellia cost us Master Kiwiiks and dozens of brave Jedi. Your leadership there was questionable, at best. You struck a great blow against the Sith, but the war goes on. There will be other opportunities for you to prove yourself worthy.” or “How much have you sacrificed on your path to victory? What emotions drove these decisions? These are the questions we must answer. You struck a great blow against the Sith, but the war goes on. There will be other opportunities for you to prove yourself worthy.” Satele Shan “Master Satele, this Jedi is one of the greatest war heroes I’ve ever met. He/she deserves recognition for his/her victories. By the authority of the Supreme Chancellor, I hereby grant you the honorary rank of Republic general.” Admiral Dabrin

In contrast, in a Dark-aligned Knight’s class story ending Satele Shan tells them that they are wrathful, power-hungry, under the influence of the Dark-Side of the Force, and not being promoted to Jedi Master. It’s a public humiliation at a ceremony intended to honour the Knight’s achievements. Small wonder Admiral Dabrin tries to patch things over by naming the Knight an honorary general.

Satele Shan did not have to manage the situation with the Knight this way. She could have quietly led the Knight off into a side room before the ceremony and asked them if they knew they were clouded by the Dark Side. She could have had the kind of talk with them that Orgus Din does on Rishi. Making a public spectacle was taking the nuclear option.

Satele can claim that the Knight isn’t being promoted because of their poor leadership on Corellia, but Satele was the one to put the Knight in charge of the Jedi forces on Corellia, possibly over the Knight’s objections. Besides, we the audience know it isn’t the truth. The Jedi Council’s refusal to grant them the rank of Master isn’t tied to any decision they could have taken on Corellia – it is solely determined by their alignment.

The denunciation being so public makes me feel that its motivation was either highly political or deeply personal. Did Satele feel betrayed by the Knight? Did the rest of the Jedi Council even know she was planning on going off script in front of the Republic brass? Was she convinced the Knight’s Dark-alignment was evidence they had done terrible things she would never be able to find proof of?

Was the decision to try to crack down hard on the Knight made because the Consular had also turned but couldn’t be reprimanded without insulting the Rift Alliance? Were Council concerned that members of the Order like Unaw Aharo were admiring a Dark Jedi? Was Satele under pressure to make a statement against Jedi drawing on the Dark-Side while fighting in the war?

But if a DS-choicing Knight got Jedi unnecessarily killed, then a DS-choicing Consular got more Jedi killed; hundreds compared to dozens. If it’s dangerous to have impressionable Jedi looking up to a Dark-aligned Hero of Tython, then it’s no less dangerous to have them admiring a Dark-aligned Barsen’thor. If a Dark Jedi shouldn’t be permitted to become a Master, then a Dark Consular should be demoted rather than set to advise the Council.

There is an incredible double-standard in how the Consular is treated in comparison to the Knight – and a double-standard in how the Consular is treated compared to the norms of the Order. This is surely something people in-universe have opinions about.

[lindlingandschmetterwurm]

⮱ SH*T JEDI SAY | STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC

They almost treat us like children. Pretty far past ‘almost’, don’t you think?

[badsithnocookie]

master kaedan i know you’re upset at being ignored but thats a little extreme dont u think

[darth-bagel]

Tell me a preconeption/headcanon you have for one of my characters... Nemeia faced discrimination from Jaric Kaedan and a handful of other fanatics.

I'd say 7/10 bc I have some plans for that and there definitely will be disdainful looks and unfair scrutiny-- but also Nemeia was taken to the Jedi Order before she started forming permanent memories (and like. she might be a survivor of the Sacking of the Temple on Coruscant-- I didn't decide yet) and this life has been the only one she knows, so some always will be suspicious of her and even if it hurt her so many more embraced her.

And she's gonna prove them wrong.

Or well. She will try.