Cin Drallig

Cin Drallig

Cin Drallig was a legendary^[9]Force-sensitiveHumanmaleJedi Master of theJedi Order who served asBattlemaster^[1] and head ofsecurity^[3] at theCoruscantJedi Temple during the waning days of theGalactic Republic. He met his end at the hands ofDarth Vader duringOperation: Knightfall, duringOrder 66.

Biography[]

Early years and rise[]

TheHumanmale Cin Drallig wasborn onLavisar.^[1][2] Like mostJedi ofthe era, it can be surmised that Drallig was brought to theJedi Temple soon after being discovered to beForce-sensitive and sorted into anInitiateclan for group instruction in theJedi academy. Here, he would have trained until he graduated the academy and was selected by aJedi Master as aPadawan. Eventually, Drallig passed theJedi Trials and wasmade aJedi Knight by theHigh Council.

Later on in his career, Drallig began his servitude as alightsaberinstructor, in keeping with the Jedi custom of passing on their special knowledge to the next generation^[3]—especially seeing as Drallig possessed true talent as a swordsman.^[8] Over his career, Drallig taught the basics of Forms I through VI to thousands of students, including such stars-to-be asObi-Wan Kenobi andAnakin Skywalker.^[1][5] In31 BBY, one of Master Drallig's classes on the seven forms oflightsaber combat was recorded on theGreat Holocron.^[10]

At some point, Drallig was introduced to the contentious and troublesome PadawanSerra Keto. Serra's defiant ways had nearly gotten her expelled from the Order on more than one occasion, and her Jedi Masters were exasperated. Envisioning the great Jedi she had the potential to become, Master Drallig took young Serra as his Padawan and helped her find her center. Under Drallig's guidance, Serra's understanding of the Force and her lightsaber skills blossomed, inspiring a strong bond of devotion between student and Master. Though it never entirely disappeared, Keto's rebelliousness eventually subsided,^[9] and she went on to become Master Drallig's most accomplished apprentice.^[8]

After many years of service and attaining the rank of Jedi Master^[3][9][8] (no earlier than 31 BBY),^[10] Drallig was electedBattlemaster^[2] (or swordmaster),^[4] making him the leading lightsaber combat instructor in the Temple.^[2] Though it smacked of disrespect, Drallig earned the unflattering nickname of "the Troll" among the Order.^[1][2][3][5]

Clone Wars[]

During the time of the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars, Drallig was tasked with protecting the Jedi Temple. As head of security there, he spent most of his time in the Temple, patrolling its corridors and pathways. His position also put him in charge of theJedi Temple Guard and their assignments.^[3][11] As the Clone Wars continued to unfold, Drallig grew particularly concerned with the growing hostility towards the Jedi from Republic citizens.^[11]

Stationed on Coruscant,^[1] Drallig made his home deep within the Jedi Temple.^[9] Despite his diligent watch on security, however, intrusions into the Temple did happen, such as whenbounty hunterCad Banestole aJedi holocron from a restricted vault and got away.^[3][12]

Around20 BBY,^[13] two years into the war, the Jedi Temple hangar was the site of a shockingterrorist bombing that cost numerous lives, prompting Cin Drallig to keep an especially close watch on the Temple's perimeter.^[3] A throng of protestors—family and friends of workers killed in the explosion—gathered at the steps of the Temple to criticize the Jedi's involvement in the war. Flanked by two members of the Jedi Temple Guard, Drallig stood before the masses when Anakin Skywalker showed ahologram of a suspect,Jackar Bowmani, to the Jedi Master, which was seen by Bowmani's wifeLetta Turmond.^[14] Master Drallig admired young Skywalker's assertiveness in solving the alarming case,^[3] but was most concerned at how vulnerable the Order had become, and how the image of the Jedi as benevolent protectors had become much too fragile.

In addition to his responsibilities as head of security, Drallig still found the time to teach lightsaber combat, as indeed the ongoing war placed emphasis on Padawans' combat training in favor of other abilities.^[6] After thedeath of fellow JediMierme Unill, Unill's Padawan,Zett Jukassa was informally assigned to Master Drallig, awaiting reassignment.^[6] Under Drallig's tutelage, Jukassa became capable as a swordsman by the age of 10, in19 BBY.^[1]

Order 66[]

In 19 BBY, when theOrder 66 go-ahead was given and Anakin Skywalker—now the newly christened Darth Vader—led the501st Legion in araid against the Jedi Temple, Drallig's skills marked him as a priority target for elimination by theSith Lord himself.^[1] Though Jedi MastersShaak Ti andJurokk directed the Temple's defense the night of Order 66,^[5] Drallig nonetheless played a major part that fateful night. He was in the process of giving lightsaber lessons to teenage PadawansBene andWhie Malreaux when the Sith Lord began his murderous rampage.^[15] Deep within the Jedi Temple he prepared for Vader's coming,^[8] directing such Jedi asOlana Chion in the Temple's defense.^[16]

Engaging the clones alongside Serra Keto, Drallig's efforts proved initially successful, as he managed to penetrate the occupying forces' upper level defenses. As Vader was alerted to this, however, he went on a hunt for his former lightsaber instructor. Entering Drallig's territory, Vader discovered what carnage had been wrought there, with dead clones and the signs of battle being everywhere. Before Drallig could move against the Dark Lord, however, Serra Keto confronted Vader on her own, and was slain.^[8]

As Drallig rushed into the room, he witnessed Keto fall to the Sith Lord.^[8] Engaging Vader in the Temple training hall^[1][8][17] along with two of his students, Bene and Whie Malreaux, they were nonetheless unable to defeat the Dark Lord. Vader outclassed both Padawans, choking Bene with one hand while he dueled Drallig with the other.^[7][18][19]

Drallig himself ultimately proved unable to defeat a raging Sith Lord in combat.^[2] After the demise of the Padawans, the Battlemaster went into a short exchange of lightsaber strikes with Vader before he was hacked down from shoulder to torso. He could only look on in shock and fall to the ground, where he shortly died.^[20] The incident was recorded by Temple security cameraTR4-121.^[1]

Drallig's body was later found by Grand Master Yoda and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who hadreturned to the Temple to reset theemergency beacon to warn all surviving Jedi to flee into exile. The discovery caused Kenobi great grief, having considered the Battlemaster a friend.^[5] Kenobi and Yoda also watched the security recording of the Battlemaster's fatal last duel.^[18]

With the Order nearly extinct overnight, the newly emergedGalactic Empire needed to cover up the true reasons for the execution of the Republic's peacekeepers. On behest ofEmperorPalpatine,Sate Pestage compiled official reasons for each Jedi's death. Incident report #890-I, filed byCommanderCC-1119, contained Master Drallig's certificate of death, while Pestage reported to the public that the Battlemaster had been "killed in combat against Imperial agents."^[1]

Legacy[]

Cin Drallig's legacy was passed down by those Jedi who survived to train others, including Master Kenobi's training ofLuke Skywalker.^[21]

While still adjusting to his life-supporting armor, Darth Vader often reflected upon the actions that had brought him to such a state. One of his clearer memories was that of crossing blades with Master Drallig, his former lightsaber instructor, the night of Order 66.^[22]

Drallig's recorded knowledge of the seven forms, made in 31 BBY, was found in the Great Holocron by theNew Jedi Order, along with another of his recordings on the marks of contact.^[10]

Personality and traits[]

Cin Drallig was an esteemed Jedi Master, possessing both great skill as a swordsman and a calmness of mind and spirit. Described as patient, focused, and directed, and representing the tenets of theJedi Order in their purest form, he had given himself over completely to the will of theliving Force. Despite his great reputation as a warrior, his humbleness of character was such that he dedicated his life to training countless Padawans in the art of the lightsaber, leading by example and instilling in his students a sense of the Order's values and beliefs. Where several other Masters had failed, Drallig was also the only one insightful enough to see the great potential of rebellious Padawan Serra Keto, and reach through to her to make that potential become reality.^[9]

In his recording on the Great Holocron, Drallig presented some personal views on the matter of lightsaber combat. In the wake of death caused byAurra Sing andDarth Maul, and unlike some Jedi Masters, Cin Drallig refused to dismiss the study ofForm II as impractical. He remained cautiously neutral regardingForm V, taking the side of neither proponent nor detractor, but emphasizing the need for such an offensive form to be used only with the proper intention of preserving peace. He also conceded thatForm VI being the standard form of the Jedi Order did not mark it as the most worthy of study, but in general the most practical. As forcho mok, Master Drallig discouraged its use unless the student possessed enough knowledge of the opponent's physiology, so as to not accidentally kill. Master Drallig further stated that a Jedi should not hesitate to use any combat technique to kill a Sith Lord, not evensai tok. He stressed that the student's mindset must be that of defeating the danger the Sith pose, not to wish utter destruction upon them.^[10]

Powers and abilities[]

Cin Drallig's lightsaber instructor was none other than Master Yoda himself,^[2][5] and known for having outstanding talents as a duelist, Drallig became an incredibly skilled swordsman, gaining the rank of Battlemaster of the Order, due to his exceptional prowess in lightsaber combat.^[8]

By the time of the Clone Wars, Master Drallig was old^[5] but his age did not hamper his abilities, as he remained one of the Jedi's top swordsmen,^[1] his skills described as being "nearly unparalleled."^[9] Drallig's skill was such that it was the conviction ofCountDooku that the renowned combatantGeneralGrievous would be no match for the Battlemaster, should they ever face off against one another.^[24]

Drallig had developed his own unique style of lightsaber combat, calling upon the Force to enhance his speed and relying on unconventional and unpredictable movements.

Drallig had mastered all seven forms of lightsaber combat and his understanding and knowledge of each form was outstanding enough that he was considered the most prolific lightsaber instructor in the Temple, second only to Yoda himself. He was able to effectively train thousands of students in the use of the Forms I to VI,^[1] displaying consummate knowledge of the theory of each form, making thorough comments on each forms strengths and weaknesses. Drallig was also one of the few Jedi to achieve mastery over the Juyo variant ofForm VII but in addition to fully understanding the style's weaknesses and strengths, he was also aware of how dangerous it was due to its aggressiveness and potentially exposing the user to the dark side, hence his caution towards who he would entrust it to. For example, Anakin Skywalker, as a Padawan, lamented the fact that Master Drallig wouldn't let him study Form VII.^[25]

Being the Temple's finest swordmaster at the time of Darth Vader's raid on the Jedi Temple,^[4][26] Cin Drallig's swordsmanship proved to be great enough to kill off many of the Clones that attacked him and Darth Vader saw the need for he himself to personally fight him. However, for all of his skill, Drallig was no match for the Dark Lord, being cut down in a short exchange as he tried to defend his students. By killing Master Drallig and his apprentice, Serra Keto, Vader had successfully removed one of the Temple's last hopes.^[8]

Although his nearly unprecedented mastery of lightsaber combat was his strongest trait, Cin Drallig also proved to be very powerful and accomplished in the use of the Force, displaying high levels of mastery over many Force powers when he fought Vader. He was considerably adept in the use ofForce speed, capable of moving fast enough to be invisible to human's eye and often applied it to overwhelm his opponents.^[8]

Drallig was also a highly competent leader, being the leader of the security guards of the Jedi Temple during the Clone Wars. Drallig's leadership skills was shown by how he led the remaining Jedi when Operation: Knightfall began to battle the Clones, although he was met with defeat.

Behind the scenes[]

InStar Wars: Episode IIIRevenge of the Sith, Cin Drallig was played byNick Gillard, who was the stunt coordinator on all three films of theprequel trilogy. In theRevenge of the Sith video game, the character has Nick Gillard's likeness but is voiced byTom Kane.

The name "Cin Drallig" comes fromreversing Nick Gillard's name, only removing the "k" in "Nick."

In the novelsStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith andDark Nest II: The Unseen Queen, Cin Drallig is killed in theRoom of a Thousand Fountains (not the Temple training hall), where a large group of younglings were being protected by several Padawans. When Vader arrived in the greenhouse, he cut down Whie Malreaux and another teenage Padawan before quickly overwhelming Drallig and hacking through his shoulder. With Drallig and the older Padawans dead, the remaining children were quickly cut down byblaster fire. When Yoda and Obi-Wan later find Drallig's body, Yoda comments that Drallig would not abandon his young students.^[5]

In the film, he is visible only briefly in a holographic recording, but he has a larger role in the video game. In the PS2 version, Cin Drallig managed to knock Vader down, but Vader killed him soon after by impaling him via alightsaber throw, while in the GBA version, Vader triumphed over Drallig. The duel also takes place in the training room above and on the terrace outside the Room of a Thousand Fountains. According to Keeper of the HolocronLeland Chee, Drallig's death as it appears in the game is non-canon. Also, in the film, Drallig has dark blond hair, but in the video game, he has white hair. He is also wearing a different costume.^[8][27]

In the video-game adaptation, Cin appears as character in Duel Mode. When the players both select Cin, one of them controls a seemingly dark-side version of him: dark robes, darker hair and a red lightsaber.^[8]

He may appear in theStar Wars: The Force Unleashed novel as one ofPROXY's training modules, but theLucasArts team has not confirmed this.

In theStar Wars Miniatures setChampions of the Force, the Jedi Weapon Master character resembles Cin Drallig.^[28]

For the production of theStar Wars: The Clone Warsfifth-season episode "Sabotage," a clay maquette of Drallig's head was made byDarren Marshall.^[29] In the episode, he was voiced byRobin Atkin Downes.

Appearances[]

• The Clone Wars: Decide Your Destiny: The Way of the Jedi(Mentioned only)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Sabotage"
• Labyrinth of Evil(First mentioned)
• Star Wars: Episode IIIRevenge of the Sith(Appears in hologram)
• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novelization(andunabridged audiobook)(Corpse)(Appears in hologram)(First appearance, in book)
• Star Wars: Episode IIIRevenge of the Sith video game
• Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith 4(Appears in hologram)
• Evasive Action: Recruitment(Mentioned only)
• Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader(andunabridged audiobook)(Mentioned only)
• Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen(Mentioned only)(Appears in hologram)

Non-canon appearances[]

• Star Wars: Republic Commando: Order 66

Sources[]

Explore all of Wookieepedia'simages for this article subject.

• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary
• Star Wars: Episode IIIRevenge of the Sith: Prima Official Game Guide
• "The Dark Lord Cometh" —Star Wars Insider 82
• Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels
• Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars
• "Ask the Master" —Star Wars Insider 86
• "Order 66: Destroy All Jedi" —Star Wars Insider 87
• Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
• Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• "Obi-Wan Kenobi: Wizard of the Desert" —Star Wars Insider 112(reprinted in Special Edition 2013)
• The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force
• Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
• Bene in theDatabank(original site is defunct)
• Chion, Olana in theDatabank(original site is defunct)
• "Bounty Hunters" —Star Wars Insider 128
• "Bounty Hunters" —Star Wars Insider 131
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine 13
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine 14
• "Rogues Gallery: The Last Stand of the Jedi!" —Star Wars Insider 137
• Cin Drallig in theEncyclopedia(original site is defunct)
• Jedi Temple Guard in theEncyclopedia(original site is defunct)
• "Sabotage" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars onStarWars.com(backup link)
• Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection

Notes and references[]