#ngani zho hate tag

[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.

[reconstructionlegacy]

“’Fraid of him?” “No.” “Poor little spy wants Jedi approval?”

Teff’ith and Theron Shan, Lost Suns

“She’s a child, Theron. Expect more from her, and she can surprise you.”

Ngani Zho, Lost Suns

The boy is a bird, bad bird. He falls out of trees.

Richard Siken, War of the Foxes

“Don’t talk to me that way! I’m Ngani Zho -- I freed Bellis Four and stopped the Hutt Archons!  I trained the Grand Master of the Jedi Order and raised her son--” “You’re avoiding the subject.”

Ngani Zho and Theron Shan, Lost Suns

Everything is a target, says the hunter. No matter where you look. The hunter’s son says nothing, and closes his eyes.

Richard Siken, The Stag and the Quiver

Hard to talk childhood trauma with a man so clearly broken.

Lost Suns

Look! You are nothing at all. Just a crack where the light slipped through. Oh my child, I thought I could save you.

Anne Carson, Elektra

“Forgive me...for all of it.” “When I was five, you brought me to the planet monastery so I could learn concentration techniques.  It took half a year of service to the Order of the Sacred Circle, but I learned to ignore all pain - all distractions.”

Ngani Zho and Theron Shan, Lost Suns

“I’m sorry -- I can’t feel anything.” “You will, boy. You must.” “Yes, Master.”

Ngani Zho and Theron Shan, Lost Suns

What does the God of your childhood look like? A soft apparition pigeoned in the attic, a wound eating you one year at a time?

Rachel McKibbons, Outhouse

“I’m not a Jedi.” “I thought I remembered something about that... but no time for sentimentality!

Theron Shan and Ngani Zho, Lost Suns

“[God] will bloody your nose and then give you a ride home on his bicycle.”

Rich Mullins, as mentioned in There is More - Message by Brooke Ligertwood

“Hah! Always with a plan, aren’t you?” “Someone has to be.”

Ngani Zho and Theron Shan, Lost Suns

“I know Master Zho raised you, but by the time he met Teff’ith he was … troubled.” You almost said crazy, didn’t you?

Annihilation

“[Theron] respects what the Jedi do for the Republic,” Marcus replied. “But he’s seen firsthand that they’re not perfect.

Annihilation

Don't worry. Your father is only your father until one of you forgets. 

Ocean Vuong

“And I can assure you that my feelings for my former Padawan won’t interfere with our mission.”      “That’s good to know,” Theron said, thinking, If it comes down to it, will you be able to kill her? Or will you hesitate?

Annihilation

We keep telling the other, I love you and I love you, and we do, though we both know where the knives are.

Laura Van Prooyen, This Child

“Zho not like other Jedi,” Teff’ith grunted, and Theron couldn’t argue with that.

Annihilation

Even at his best... Zho was never reliable.

Theron Shan, Lost Suns

Pull up the ladder when the flood comes Throw enough rope until the legs have swung Seven new ways that you can eat your young Come and get some Skinnin' the children for a war drum Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young

“I know Master Zho taught you this lesson,” she added softly. “He taught me a lot of things,” Theron shot back, his blood suddenly boiling.

Annihilation

I like to call myself wound but I will answer to knife.

Nicole Homer, Underbelly (2019)

I take that back. I take my body back. I take back everything that ever made me.

Catherine Chen, world shrunk to the size of me