Chapter Text
The opening scene shown on the screen was vaguely blurry but adjusting and readjusting before finally focusing on a beautiful twi’lek standing on the iconic front stairs of the legendary Jedi temple of coruscant. A white card flashed up into the bottom left corner of the screen labeling her as their new host.
“For too many years the Jedi have been mysterious to us. They have been idolized to the point of legend and today we’re here to set the record straight. The Jedi are not some kind of little gods, but rather a beautiful and unique culture that has yet to be explored within modern media. I’m your host Xiaan Pauk and this is Knights of the Republic: Unfiltered.” Xiaan flashed a brilliant smile causing the web-like patterns on her dark purple cheeks to pull and crinkle around her eyes.
Fading to black we find ourselves now within the temple in a sort of circular grand chamber overlooking Coruscant. Sitting on the steps sits Mace Windu with his hands clasped in his lap as a white card flashes up onto the screen with his name, sitting across from him is Xiaan, looking perhaps a little more excited than strictly professional.
“So, Mace Windu, as Master of the Jedi Order what would be your proper form of address?” Xiaan inquired, kicking off with her first interviewee.
“Master Windu would be the proper form of address, Miss Pauk,” he said, smiling encouragingly though vaguely, letting on more care than he was expressing, “Would you like me to explain what those things mean for the sake of having all the information?” At her excited expression and wild hand gesture, he continued.
“I am one of the youngest Masters of the Order in our history, when I was given that title I was also given responsibilities to oversee all parts of Jedi life, both inside the temple and out. While the entire council has a say so, I have the power to veto any decisions I feel would negatively affect our ranks in the short term. This title is not given lightly and there were many great trials I had to pass before being bestowed with it. The proper form of address for masters within the Jedi order is of course ‘Master’, I know that the implications elsewhere in the galaxy are especially bad, but here it is a sign of respect. Master Jedi are Jedi who have mastered themselves and their emotions,” he explained.
The screen faded into another setting as he finished now showing a Jedi most people knew, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was now on a card flashing in the left corner. He sat on a bench in a garden of some sort and in the background two clone troopers could be seen watching him like a hawk. The great Negotiator looked tired and run down, dark bags decorated his under eyes and his fluttering lashes indicated he was probably going to fall asleep at any moment.
The two troopers moved to sit on the bench beside him as he started to slump and cards flashed up, Marshall Commander Cody and the 212th’s CMO Helix.
“So, Master Kenobi is on the council right? What exactly does that entail for him?” Xiaan started.
“Well the General is often super busy so being on the council takes up most of his free time while he’s not commanding his part of the GAR,” Commander Cody stated before being interrupted by his companion.
“What he means by busy is doing so much work that he forgets to eat, sleep, or get medical attention after battles,” Helix grumbled side-eyeing the man sitting between them.
Xiaan’s eyes widened across from them, looking absolutely delighted at that morbid bit of information and the screen fades out before showing security footage.
In the first clip, the Jedi Master is seen hunched over in, presumably, his office working attentively on paperwork. The shadows underneath his eyes are extremely apparent and his hand movements become jerky before eventually, his eyes flutter and his head slams onto the desk, effectively waking him up again for another round.
The second clip shows him limping through a ship's large hallway clutching his side. The Jedi looks over his shoulder and visibly pales at what he sees behind him. He speeds up as much as his leg will allow him and a few seconds later a clone medic stalks after him with a syringe in hand. The screen fades back to Xiaan in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
“Is it common for all Jedi to display behavior like this? Or are actions like these exclusive to high command within the order?” She asks eagerly, making eye contact with the medic, who sighs deeply.
“Unfortunately, self-sacrifice is a common theme within the Jedi Order. The Jedi Order is dedicated to the peace and safety of the Republic and its citizens. Sometimes even those outside the Republic if time allows but the Jedi Order used to be a lot bigger. It’s been dwindling for a long time because the Republic needs to be able to control them but a lot of Jedi have died during this war as well. They can’t help everybody but that doesn’t stop any of them from trying so from the Masters to the Padawans they stretch themselves extremely thin. This leads to some unfortunate habits.” Helix stated serenely.
The view zooms out as both clones gently jostle the figure before abandoning attempts at waking the figure. The last view is of Commander Cody picking up the Jedi Master before the screen fades to a different scene.
Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear, can be seen covered in oil and hunched over a banged-up light freighter. There’s an R2 unit next to him, they seem to be arguing but quickly cut off when Xiaan clears her throat awkwardly.
“Is there anything you think the people should know about the Jedi moving forward through this process? Your opinion is quite valued with the public due to your status within the war,” the Twi'lek shifts from side to side with excitement in the tall young man’s presence but if he notices, he hides it well.
“Well,” he starts off, thoughtfully rubbing his forehead, smearing grease everywhere, “I just think that people need to understand that nobody is perfect. Even the Jedi. We make mistakes just like everyone else, we bleed just like everyone else, and in the end, we think and feel like pretty much any sentient you’ll meet within the galaxy. Just because we don’t share the same culture as others, it still deserves to be respected.”
The scene changes again and this time we find ourselves in a Padawan Dojo room. A young Togruta is running through a couple of repetitive movements, with sweat pouring down her face, and a card flashes with her name. Ahsoka Tano, it says with smaller print beneath. Padawan of Anakin Skywalker.
“Would you mind introducing yourself, and what you’re doing right now?” Xiaan’s voice is filled with awe, watching the graceful movements are nothing short of spectacular, and despite the sweat Padawan Tano’s response is unlabored and clear.
“Sure! My name is Ahsoka Tano, Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, and a Commander of the 501st Legion. Currently, I’m doing lightsaber katas to strengthen my form and improve the fluidity of my moves. I typically use Form V which is a more aggressive offensive lightsaber form. Right now though I’m practicing some Form III moves, which are more defensive, because it’ll improve my endurance and because my grandmaster uses Form III,” She explains while running through the first sequence again.
“And who, or what, is a grandmaster Padawan Tano?” Xiaan prods attempting to get base information down before going more in-depth in future episodes.
“Ah, well. First off you can just call me Ahsoka, less formal that way. And, a grandmaster would be the Jedi who taught your Master. So Master Obi-Wan is my grandmaster because he taught Master Skywalker when he was a padawan. In non-Jedi terms, I suppose a grandmaster would be like a grandparent but in some cases like me, Skyguy, and Obi-Wan we’re relatively close in age, as in like 20 years or so. So in our case, we’re more like siblings than parents and grandparents. However, in other cases where you’re more spaced out age-wise, the dynamic of your relationships can change.” Xiaan nods quickly, jotting down notes on a small flimsipad.
“Is there anything you think people should know before learning any more about the Jedi Order as a whole?” Even though Xiaan has asked the question before, each new answer seems to bring more understanding. And even more questions.
“I think that people need to throw out everything they think they know about the Jedi. This documentary is going to be the first time in a long time that anyone has ever gotten a clear idea of what the Jedi are truly like. Not gods, not villains, just people with a unique culture,” Ahsoka says firmly, finally deactivating her lightsaber.
The screen fades back to black and suddenly the sounds of children shrieking can be heard. As the screen clears Master Yoda can be seen surrounded by children running and yelling. A card flashes with his name, Yoda, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.
“Is it hard to keep order within your groups of children, Master Yoda?” Xiaan asks, looking around nervously at the chaos.
“Difficult, it is not. Light here, the force is.” The green troll has a look of absolute serenity on his face, but humor can be seen in his eyes as he cryptically answers the question. Xiaan continually looks over the room and after several not answers, the screen fades once again to another scene.
A tall Kel Dor sits on a bunk bed inside what looks to be the barracks of a Star Destroyer. On either side of him, as well as at his feet sit several clones. Cards flash up displaying names. Jedi Master Plo Koon, Commander Wolffe, Sinker, and Boost among others.
“Is it common for Jedi Generals to be close with their battalions?” Xiaan can’t be seen, but she speaks from behind the camera and the Jedi contemplates the question.
“It is common for Jedi Generals and Commanders to adopt the Vode as family. I’d even say it’s more unusual for them not to. I know that young Tano views the 501st as her brothers, several commanders are intimately involved with their Jedi and personally I view the 104th as my own sons.” Some of the clones have stopped their activities to listen to the man and even through the mask his admiration for them can be seen.
“Is that not against the rules?” The tension in the room can be felt through the screen but Plo Koon’s smooth voice cuts right through it.
“During the Ruusan Reformation the Jedi were demilitarized, we only joined this war as commanding officers because the senate controls our missions, and has the ability to destroy the Order. We are a community of mainly diplomats, being warriors is not our main aspect. The GAR also came into existence rather suddenly for the Republic so not a lot of laws are around for fraternization. The Order does not prohibit these types of relationships as long as they do not interfere with duty,” He intones gently.
“Are you saying that the Jedi did not join the war voluntarily Master Koon?”
“Yes, I suppose that is what I’m saying.” Exhaustion creeps into his voice and the scene switches once again.
In a calm beige room fit with a soft yet sturdy floor, about twenty Jedi younglings are lining up in neat rows with small identical silver cylinders in hand. At the front of the room a tall human man starts calling out neat instructions to the children, and they all flow easily through several movements as the man walks through their ranks and corrects their form and flow.
The camera zooms in on Xiaan and a small Tholothian child off to the side. A name card flashes up, Katooni, Jedi Initiate.
“What is growing up in the Jedi Temple like?” Xiaan questions, smiling encouragingly at the young girl.
“Well, most of us come to the Temple very early in our lives. I myself came to the temple when I was about one year old, but it’s common for newcomers to come anywhere from infancy to about five years old on average.” The child says, one hand coming up to rest on her chin while she thinks through the question.
“Is there any particular reason that Jedi come to the Temple so young?”
“It’s mostly endangerment to force sensitives that drive children to come here at a young age. Slavery is common, some cultures view the force as a curse worthy of death, some parents just want the best for their children, others aren’t equipt to handle it, and neglect is also common among parents with highly force-sensitive children. We try to bring in children early to minimize the trauma that they experience in their early development,” Katooni’s face twists at the mention of the abuse her people endure and some of the Initiates off to the side can be seen looking over curiously.
“And what about childhood here?” Xiaan looks around at the other children in the room before looking back at Katooni for her answer. That question brightens the room again, and Katooni begins her explanation of life in the temple.
“When we first get here we’re put into creche clans, which are basically agemates that we grow up with until we are chosen by Master’s around age 12. Each clan has a primary crechemaster and several other crechemasters that rotate through to provide optimal care for all the children. It’s basically like growing up in one huge family because you have tons of siblings and parental figures while still interacting with the other members of the order on a daily basis. Then once a Master chooses you, you gain even more close family while still maintaining the strong bonds from childhood. It’s just one of the ways that we keep such a tight and loving community!” She gushes, clearly loving to explain to an outsider.
The audio fades out as Katooni continues explaining growing up in the Order and the family dynamics that come with it. The last clear words echo for a second, ‘one big happy family’, and a medical hall comes into view.
A severe Twi’lek woman can be seen yelling at a tall Nautolan who’s clearly trying to melt into the medical bed. Xiaan is watching from the side and the name cards flash up for the two Jedi.
Master Vokara Che, Cheif Healer, and Jedi Master Kit Fisto.
Xiaan’s voice begins to voice over and the scene is made immediately funnier when she begins to explain the situation.
“While this may look like a scary healer’s ward the Jedi Halls of Healing are anything but. While Master Che is definitely very angry looking to a non-Twi’lek observer, as your host I have the unique opportunity to show you just how much she cares about her patients, who are constantly putting themselves into dangerous situations. While the movements of her Lekku might seem erratic what they are actually doing is an aspect of Ryl, a unique language that uses both vocal words and lekku signs to communicate. Because this is a family-friendly show I will tone down some aspects but what she is saying with her body language is actually a sweet show of affection and perhaps a couple of profanities thrown in with it.”
“Because the Jedi Order has so many aspects to cover, this week we are starting with our introductions. Be sure to come back next week to see our episode on Jedi Lineages! I’m your host Xiaan Pauk and this is Knights of the Republic: Unfiltered.” The sound of Master Che meshes with the theme music and eventually both that and the screen fade out to credits.