Dathomir

Content approaching. Parts of this article are no longer up to date. This article needs updating from multiple sources. Click the dropdown below to see the full list. Sources Bug,Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,Collapse of the Republic,Dawn of Rebellion,Jedi: Battle Scars,Part One: Master and Apprentice,Part Two: Toil and Trouble,Star Wars Bestiary, Vol. 1: Creatures of the Galaxy Please update the article to include missing information, and remove this template when finished.

Dathomir

Dathomir, nicknamed the "rancor planet," was a remote, neutral, and obscureplanet in theDathomir system of theQuelii sector in theOuter Rim Territories ofthe galaxy. Thedark side of the Force had an immensely strong presence on Dathomir, which allowed for the nurturing of many malevolentForce wielders native to the planet. Severalwitchclans were prominent on the planet and practiced theForce-based abilities ofmagick. These clans included theNightsister,Blue Coral Diver,Singing Mountain, andHowling Crag clans. Under the rule of the Nightsisters were theNightbrothers, a group of male Dathomirian warriors who were kept asbreeding partners. The planet, bathed in blood-red light by itssunDomir, had numerous continents that were overrun with vegetation,forests, andswamplands. It was also the homeworld of thesemi-sentientrancor species.

During theClone Wars, Dathomir would come under attack multiple times due to the machinations ofMotherTalzin and her rivalDarth Sidious, leading to the destruction of most of the Nightsisters and settlements on the planet by theConfederacy of Independent Systems after conquering it.Asajj Ventress, a Nightsister trained byCountDooku, returned to Mother Talzin after her masterbetrayed her. This drew Dooku's attention to Dathomir, resulting in the slaughter of the Nightsisters. This left Talzin, Ventress,Merrin,Shelish,Jerserra,Morgan Elsbeth,Yenna, and the threeGreat Mothers as the only known survivors.

In2 BBY, Maul returned to Dathomir with theJedi rebelEzra Bridger to conduct a ritual that involved summoning the spirits of fallen Nightsisters in order to reveal fragments of aholocron vision. As a result, Maul and Ezra learned that theJedi MasterObi-Wan Kenobi held the key to destroying theSith and that he resided on aplanet withtwinsuns.

Description[]

Dathomir was a remote and uninvitingworld,^[27] although it was temperate and verdant, with a comfortableatmosphere despite its challenging ecosystem and dangerouspredators. TheDathomirian subspecies ofZabrak was native to the planet.^[9] Perpetually bathed in a red mist, its terrain was one of contrasts, ranging from the murkyswamps theNightsisters lived in, to the harsh, barren rocks where theNightbrothers found residence.^[18] Not many of Dathomir's residents left the planet, and those elsewhere inthe galaxy rarely visited it.^[28]

Besides therancor, other native creatures includedbane back spiders, large and aggressivearachnids that spat corrosiveacid, andnydaks, bipedal predators with powerfularms that allowed them to easily traverse the landscape. Among the most distinctive creatures native to Dathomir, however, was thechirodactyl, a species of giganticbat that used its massive wings to fly to high heights and swoop down on unwary prey. One example of this species,Gorgara, was known by the native Nightbrothers as "the winged daemon of the canyon" and was particularly feared by them.^[11] Dathomir also hadaquatic life, such as theBurra fish.^[21]Fishing families on theplanet Batuu cooked and cultivated the foreign Burra fish for consumption.^[29] Another aquatic creature,the Sleeper, was an ancientmollusk with two largelavendereyes, a carapace-covered body,antennae, and fourappendages, and lived deep in the murky blue water within theNightsister lair. The Sleeper was very important in Nightsistertradition as it had an ingredient vital in theWater of Life.^[21]

History[]

Offworlder arrivals[]

Hundreds ofyears before theClone Wars,^[30] the six-armedFromprathspecies lived on^[23] the planet that one day would be named Dathomir,^[30] where they exploited the natural resources of the planet.^[31] However, the Nightsisters^[30]—an ancient order ofwitches fromPeridea that had learntextragalactic travel fromtheirgalaxy tothe galaxy^[32]—came to arrive on the planet, dubbing it "Dathomir" in honor of their Dathomiri origins and forcing out the Fromprath to claim the planet for themselves.^[30] In order to drive out their rivals, the Nightsisters formed a symbiotic alliance with rancors.^[31] Fromprath were successfullyexiled from theplanet^[23] by the Nightsisters.^[31]

Centuries before thefall of theGalactic Republic, theZeffonians, an ancient technologically advancedspecies native to the planetZeffo, were interested in the planet that one day would be named Dathomir. TheZeffo SageKujet built a large, imposingpalace on the planet which acted as his secluded seat of power. While in power, Kujet was known as a ruthless and merciless ruler. He promised his followers power over theLife Wind, what the Zeffonians called The Force, and in a bid to gain power over the Zeffonians, Kujet ordered the destruction of allastriums apart from one astrium that only he would possess. He also staged a massacre of his enemies at his palace where he casted his enemies into pits below his throne room to ensure that no one could challenge him. When Kujetdied, he was placed in a sarcophagus in his palace with one of the very few remaining astriums. At some point, the palace and the planet was abandoned by the Zeffonians leaving behind a shadow of the dark side.^[11]

Caldoth-Nightsister conflict[]

According to legend, there was aSith namedDarth Caldoth who stole a Nightsisterburial pod on the planet to learn the secrets of the Nightsister reanimation process. Because of this, the Nightsisters patiently waited and plotted till Caldoth was defeated at a Jedi Temple onBathoris. After Caldoth's defeat byJedi MasterBran Ath'Morath, the Nightsisters called for a gathering on the planet at night time. During the gathering, six Nightsisters were chosen and bound to pillars while they were attacked by the spirits of dead Nightsisters. One Nightsister calledZeldin successfully managed to survive through the night. Then the very next night, the Nightsister coven gathered and added their voices to support Zeldin as she enacted a ritual to persuade and influence Caldoth into doing the Nightsisters bidding.^[33]

The ritual worked and Zeldin, while in a deep trance, slowly and carefully influenced Caldoth. The Nightsisters later enacted a ritual of prognostication for a glimpse into the future. Learning that Caldoth would take a maleTwi'lek namedRy Nymbis as hisapprentice, Zeldin infiltrated Caldoth's mind in the hopes that Nymbis would betray and kill Caldoth. This failed however leading to the Nightsisters performing another ritual of prognostication on Dathomir. Because of this, the Nightsisters were aware of an old totem guarded by the guardian spirit of one of the ancient monks of a temple on theUnknown Regions moonObsidia. Knowing that the Guardian spirit could obliterate Caldoth, Zeldin carefully extended her influence in Caldoths mind and pointed him towards an ancient tablet containing the location of the old totem. However once again, Caldoth managed to escape his demise by using the Nightsisters binding ritual to trap the Guardian spirit.^[33]

Annoyed, the Nightsisters performed a final ritual and gained insight into the future of Caldoth where Caldoth was seemingly killed by his enemy, Morath. Armed with this knowledge, Zeldin once again steered Caldoth into seeking revenge on Morath for beating him on Bathoris. The plan failed however and Morath was instead beheaded by Caldoth in the city ofPundith on the world ofKizan. Frustrated, the Nightsisters attempted to perform a ritual to turn Caldoth into a prisoner of the Nightsisters. Instead Zeldin, while attempting to break the mental barriers of Caldoth's mind, became trapped in Caldoth's mind. From that day onwards, the Nightsisters did not come to Zeldin's aid and instead put Zeldin's body in a Nightsister burial pod. It was later hung in the exact same spot as the previous burial pod taken by Caldoth. After the incident, Caldoth visited Zeldin time to time to hear her screams.^[33]

Early Republic Era[]

The Galactic Republic was known to have dropped off itprisoners and criminals on the planet.^[16] In600 BBY,^[34] TheJediAllya was said have beenexiled to the planet Dathomir where, she taught the women there the ways ofthe Force.^[16]

Late Republic Era[]

Prior to theBattle ofNaboo,SithLordDarth Sidious went to Dathomir where he traded secrets of thedark side ofthe Force with the Nightsisters' leader,MotherTalzin. He took Talzin's oldest son, the NightbrotherMaul as hisapprentice.^[35] One of Talzin'sfellow Nightsisters also had a child,Asajj Ventress, and was forced by Talzin to give her up to the criminalHal'Sted in order to protect their coven.^[8]

Prior to theClone Wars,OteroaCorp created their twentieth settlement on Dathomir.Oteroa Zero-Twenty was located in ajungle near theNardithi Cluster. An OteroaCorpship called theThe Oteroan Skycrashed after it was sabotaged by theNardithi Nightsisters and it crashed into the city, destroying it.^[13]

Sometime prior to14 BBY,^[36]Jedi MasterEno Cordova explored the planet for relics of the Zeffo civilization and discovered the Tomb of Kujet. Supposedly overcoming a trial of some description, Cordova made it inside the Tomb.^[11]

Darth Maul'sR3-series astromech droidR3-B0017, was programmed to scavenge the planet.^[37] During the Clone Wars, Ventress returned to Dathomir and her coven'svillage followingCountDooku'sassassination attempt at theBattle of Sullust at the order of Darth Sidious as proof of his loyalty since her growing power caused a greatDisturbance in the Force that threatened his life. Ventress was then healed and accepted the Nightsisters' help inassassinating Dooku for revenge. Despite Ventress' failure, Talzin was able to reach out to Dooku and offer him a newassassin to replace Ventress as a Plan B to start her plan for revenge on Sidious by helping the former Separatist get vengeance on the Count ofSerenno.^[8]

Dooku traveled to Dathomir to the Nightsisters' village where he proposed an alliance between hisConfederacy of Independent Systems and Talzin's coven. Talzin refused his offer but agreed to supply him with a Nightbrother similar to Maul. Dooku accepted her offer and departed. Ventress traveled to theNightbrother village, where she chose several to participate intests in theirarena. After killing and wounding several of the chosen Nightbrothers, Ventress chose Talzin’s younger son and Maul’s brotherSavage Opress to be her replacement. Ventress then took Opress to the Nightsisters' village, where they used theirmagick to increase his strength and power. After Opress demonstrated his loyalty by killing hisbrother, he was given to Dooku.^[18]

Jedi MasterObi-Wan Kenobi andJedi KnightAnakin Skywalker went to Dathomir to speak with the Nightbrothers about Opress' whereabouts. BrotherViscus told them one of Talzin's Nightsisters took Opress as a mate to their village. Kenobi and Skywalker went to the Nightsisters, where Talzin told them that Opress wasonToydaria. After Opress' role was discovered, he returned to Dathomir. There, Talzin told him that his last surviving brother, Maul, was in exile somewhere in the Outer Rim. Opress left to find him, promising to return.^[15]

Ventress returned to Dathomir, where she was fully accepted into the Nightsisters. However,Darth Sidious and Dooku decided to sendGeneralGrievous and hisDroid Army to Dathomir to wipe the Nightsisters out for their attempts on Dooku's life and because they were a threat to Sidious’ new evilEmpire. At first, the Nightsister and theirArmy of the Dead were able tohold out against Grievous'forces. However, Dooku was able to subdue the Nightsisters when Grievous killed OldDaka. All the Nightsisters, except Ventress, Talzin,^[17]Merrin,^[11]Shelish,^[38] and Yenna were eradicated.^[10] While Ventress became abounty hunter,^[39] Talzin continued to guide Opress to his brother from the village.^[24] Opress later returned to Dathomir with Maul. At the village, Talzin was able to restore Maul's sanity and gave him a new pair ofcyberneticlegs before she disappeared back to the spirit world.^[40] Ventress returned to Dathomir with undercover Jedi MasterQuinlan Vos to teach him to use his emotions to strengthen his bond with the dark side.^[21]

Maul returned to Dathomir with Dooku to the Nightbrothers' village. There, Talzin attempted to use Dooku in a ritual that would restore her physical form. However, Grievous, Sidious and their forces thenarrived to Dathomir and proceeded to decimate theShadow Collective, with a newly restored Talzin perishing at Grievous' hands in the process of saving her son. Maul and what remained of his forces fled,^[26] and Dathomir was left to the conquerors.^[27] After Ventress^[21] appeared^[41] to bekilled, Vos and Kenobi returned her body to Dathomir for afuneral, where her body was claimed by the waters of Dathomir to rest with her fallen sisters.^[21]

Imperial Era[]

Prior to the end of the Clone Wars, an elite Separatist unit shot downJedi GeneralWeren Dal over Dathomir.^[42]Fel Trech crash landed on the planet, becoming mentally ill with survivor's guilt. He lived in acave located in amountain range and had adistress beacon that generated a detectable signal.^[13] During theGreat Jedi Purge, theJedi MasterTaron Malicos crash landed on the desolate planet. Though he survived the crash, the strong presence of the dark side of the Force drove him insane and he eventually usurped control of the surviving Nightbrothers by killing Brother Viscus.^[11]

At some point, afemale Inquisitor came to Dathomir, where she discoveredJerserra, a survivor of the Battle of Dathomir, and trained her secretly to use as a weapon against the other Inquisitors. Before leaving, Jerserra took a shard of theNardithi Cluster. Jerserra eventually killed her master and became a mercenary.^[13]

At some point before3 ABY,^[43]DoctorChelli Aphra andJust Lucky traveled to the planet. Lucky was left behind on Dathomir by Aphra during the visit.^[44]

Sometime prior sometime between0 BBY and4 ABY,^[45]LieutenantThom Hudd tookDathomiri spider-silk, which were used as shrouds, from a burial site on Dathomir, not knowing it was cursed.^[46]

In14 BBY,^[36] instructed by ahologram left by Cordova through his droidBD-1, JediPadawanCal Kestis arrived on Dathomir with hiscompanions, former KnightCere Junda, Cordova's former Padawan, and CaptainGreez Dritus, their pilot. Kestis was confronted by Nightsister Merrin, one of the last of her kind. Merrin blamed the Jedi for the massacre that decimated her people, and did everything in her power to impede Kestis. On his way to the tomb, Kestis encountered a mysterious wanderer who warned him about the dangers the tomb posed. Ignoring him, Kestis proceeded onward, and after being forced to fight the undead Nightsisters brought back to life by Merrin, he eventually made it into the tomb. Within, he experienced a flashback where he remembered his MasterJaro Tapal sacrificing himself to protect him from theclone troopers during the Purge, Kestis was attacked by a manifestation of Jaro's spirit, resulting in hislightsaber being destroyed. Kestis soon learned that the mysterious wanderer he had encountered earlier was former Jedi Taron Malicos, who sought to learn the power of the Nightsisters and manipulated them against the Jedi. Malicos offered to teach Kestis how to handle the dark power of Dathomir against Merrin's wishes. Kestis refused and fled Dathomir when Merrin attacked.^[11]

After constructing a newlightsaber, Kestis returned to Dathomir to complete his trials. He faced Tapal's spirit again, defeating him by overcoming his feelings of guilt over his death. Malicos again attempted to sway Kestis to the dark side, and he attacked when he refused him. Merrin helped Kestis defeat Malicos by using her magick to bury him alive, and afterward she decided to join theStinger Mantis crew.^[11]

Maul led the criminal syndicateCrimson Dawn^[47] from his room in the Nightsister fortress on Dathomir.^[48] In10 BBY, after the death of his minionDryden Vos, Maul summonedQi'ra, another of his underlings, to his homeworld, warning her they would be working more closely.^[47] When Qi'ra arrived on Dathomir, Maul brought her to the fortress, explaining to her everything about the Sith and he planned to destroy them for revenge since took everything from him by killing his mother and his brother.^[48]

Sometime later in2 BBY,^[49] Maul would again return to Dathomir, this time accompanied by PadawanEzra Bridger. There, Maul showed Bridger the remnants of his homeworld and finally, brought the young Jedi to the Nightsister village to partake in a ritual that would give each other the knowledge they sought fromholocrons. However, when Bridger's companions KnightKanan Jarrus andSabine Wren werepossessed, Bridger left Maul to help them, causing Maul to leave Dathomir and dismiss his attempt to take Bridger as his apprentice as a failure.^[12]

By that time, Dathomir was a dead planet in terms of civilization: no sentient beings called the world home, due to many survivors living elsewhere. However, the Empire had apparently established a presence on Dathomir in the form of agarrison. Light cruisers and exploratory craft were known to have made secret visits and the Empire had taken a quiet interest in Dathomir, despite a lack of information on Imperial records. Despite the rumors of the Empire maintaining a garrison on Dathomir, there were no known logistics or personnel records to support the rumors.^[6]

In0 BBY,^[50] theforce ghost of Kenobi stated to Anakin’s son Jedi KnightLuke Skywalker that Dathomir, as well as many other planets, would be freed from the Empire's grip.^[51]

New Republic Era[]

In9 ABY^[53], theEye of Sion and theISDChimaera underGrand AdmiralThrawn traveled to Dathomir from the Nightsisters’ ancient homeworldPeridea. There, they delivered coffins to surface for theGreat Mothers.^[54]

Between34 ABY and35 ABY,^[55] the adventurouschefStrono "Cookie" Tuggs traveled to Dathomir during a culinary tour ofthe galaxy that he took and unearthed the ingredients necessary to cookDathomirian Noodles. Tuggs would later include the recipe for the Noodles, as well as a retelling of his journey to Dathomir, in hiscookbook,The Ultimate Cookbook,^[56] published in 35ABY.^[55]

During or after that year,^[57] thesafari droidSF-R3 and his companioncam droidCAM were sent byGalactic Society of Creature Enthusiasts on a mission to Dathomir in order to research how to clean arancor'steeth. However, Aree waseaten by the rancor. Waking up in themouth of the rancor, Aree tickled part of the mouth, causing the rancor to spit out Aree. He used abone to tickle thenose of the rancor, causing it to open it's mouth. Aree stuck the bone in the rancor's mouth, however, it was quickly snapped in half by the rancor. Aree detached his arm and stuck it in it's mouth, this time in success, and began to work on cleaning the teeth. The process was tedious, and by the end Aree had only cleaned one tooth. Disturbed bybird, Aree shooed it away, causing the rancor to sneeze the safari droid back again. Thebirds then rushed to clean the rancor's teeth naturally in a quick and easy process. Aree came to the conclusion that the best way to clean the rancor's teeth is to let nature take its course.^[52]

Locations[]

Nightsister lair[]

Main article:Nightsister lair

The Nightsister lair was thestone fortress of the Nightsisters. Built into the side of amountain, the Nightsisters lived in the many stone structures inside. The opaque pools in the lair contain water vital to the Nightsistersmagicks, as well as many life-forms: from tiny single-celled organisms to moderately sized fish and crustaceans, and creature known as The Sleeper.^[21] TheHidden Cave inside the structure was the home ofDaka.^[16][17][21]

Nightbrother villages[]

Main articles:Nightbrother village andUnidentified Nightbrother village

TheNightbrother village was the home of the Nightbrothers until its destruction in19 BBY^[58] during theSecond Battle of Dathomir.^[26] The village was out in the open in a natural defensive position on top of a mountain.^[16][15] After the destruction of their first village, the Nightbrothers builtanother village, where they were reigned over by the fallen JediTaron Malicos.^[11]

Kujet's Tomb[]

Main article:Tomb of Kujet

The tomb of theForce-sensitiveZeffo SageKujet, the palace was located at the mouth of theTreacherous Approach. Designed for sacrifice and death, Kujet would cast his enemies into the pits below his Throne Room.^[11]

Appearances[]

Non-canon appearances[]

• LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "It Gets Ugly"(In flashback(s))
• LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "From Trenches to Wrenches: The Roger Story"(In flashback(s))
• LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "Rolling with BB-8"
• LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "Resistance on the Run"
• Jedi Academy: At Last, Jedi
• LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales(In flashback(s))

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Dathomir on theDisney Wiki