Gantoris

**Gantoris** is a Human male native to the planet of Eol Sha. He was a Force-sensitive and was believed by Luke Skywalker to be a descendant of Ta'ania, herself the daughter of a Jedi Knight who exiled herself to the isolated world. Gantoris used his fledgling abilities to protect the people of the volcanic planet, and was eventually made the leader of their forgotten colony.

## History

### Early life

Gantoris was born into the sole settlement of the isolated volcanic world Eol Sha. His affinity with the Force first became apparent when he survived an avalanche as a child: while his companions were crushed by falling rock mere feet from him, Gantoris instinctively shielded himself using the Force to survive the onslaught of rock. His latent Force-sensitivity benefited the colony in many ways, such as by accurately predicting earthquakes, eruptions, and avalanches. These warnings proved invaluable on the unstable planet, where ordinary activities such as food gathering were fraught with danger; whether it was hunting bugdillos with spears or gathering lichen from within dormant geysers, mortality frequently confronted the colonists. Gantoris' abilities, combined with his tough attitude and charismatic leadership, led to him becoming the leader of the surviving colonists; however, his Force-sensitivity also gave him repeated dreams of a "Dark Man"—someone who would promise him great power before ultimately destroying him.

In 9 ABY, Eol Sha was rediscovered by a New Republic sociologist, who briefly visited the planet. Within his report recommending the immediate evacuation of the planet, the sociologist mentioned the unusual abilities ascribed to Gantoris by his fellow colonists. Although his report was soon lost within the growing Republic bureaucracy, and his recommendation never formally acted on, it was later noticed by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Piecing this report together with information that a woman named Ta'ania, an illegitimate daughter of a Jedi Knight, was one of the original colonists around 89 BBY, Skywalker traveled to Eol Sha in 11 ABY. He was searching for Force-sensitive individuals to train at his new Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. At the time Skywalker landed on the planet, Gantoris and many of the colonists were attempting to rescue two children that had been caught in an avalanche; a driven man, Gantoris worked with a fervor that outstripped his companions. Skywalker was brought to Gantoris by the colonist Warton and the Jedi Master immediately began aiding the colonists' efforts by moving large heavy boulders with the Force. Eventually, the workers discovered the two children; one crushed to death by the rocks and the other heavily injured. In the heat of the moment, Gantoris reacted angrily to Skywalker's presence, associating his black robes and powerful abilities with the "Dark Man" who had haunted his sleep. His fellow colonists also reacted with suspicion at this stranger whose arrival had coincided with the death of one of their own. The Jedi Master tried to explain the purpose of his trip, and offered to prove his good intentions in whatever way Gantoris found appropriate. While the Eol Sha leader himself carried the broken body of the dead boy back to their village, he ordered Skywalker separated from the colonists and kept in a dilapidated storage module. In an attempt to keep the Jedi off-balance, Gantoris informed him the shelter had been the dead child's favorite play spot.[3]

Gantoris resolved to test Skywalker's abilities with two challenges, to see if the young Jedi could wield the powers to support his claim. First, Gantoris led him into a geyser tunnel, ostensibly to collect lichen. On the way to the geyser, Skywalker noticed that although Gantoris moved with poise and confidence, his feelings were uncertain, unsure of whether to trust the strange arrival. He tried to sway Gantoris with safety for his people, promising them a paradise world given the eventual doom of their current world—the moon of Eol Sha was being pulled towards the planet that would result in a collision within a few hundred years— but Gantoris was unconvinced. After luring Skywalker deep into the geyser the suspicious leader covertly exited the column, waiting to see if Skywalker could survive an imminent eruption. Sensing the rising heat and the pressure below, Skywalker tried to climb out, but eventually had to use a Force Jump to escape. For the second test, Gantoris made him cross a lava pit and confront the deadly fireworm within. Upon seeing the fireworm, Skywalker used his lightsaber to puncture a hole in the creature's metallic armor, and the lava seeped in, killing it from the inside out, and exploding it when the lava reached the fireworm's air bladders. Since Skywalker succeeded in passing both challenges, Gantoris agreed to follow him off Eol Sha, and Skywalker promised him the other inhabitants of the hostile world be relocated by the New Republic

He then became one of the first students Skywalker recruited to join his Jedi Academy on Risian 1.

Skywalker and Gantoris traveled to Bespin, to convince a gas prospector named Streen to join them. During the journey, Skywalker began to teach Gantoris about the Force, showing him how to reach out with his mind. Master Skywalker was surprised by the level of concentration Gantoris could muster, and also that Gantoris was able to detect a flow of emotion - memories of the first duel with his father, Darth Vader - from himself when they orbited Bespin. Gantoris began to show his level of dedication to his training, practicing to reach out through the Force, detecting Streen over a long distance while Skywalker was in a resting trance. There, to demonstrate to Streen the potential of the Force, Skywalker continued to teach Gantoris. Skywalker used telekinesis to move a metal structure in order to produce a gong-like sound, causing a rawwk to take flight. Gantoris proved himself a quick learner, being able to sense all the buildings around him through the Force and perform the exercise exactly on the third attempt, moving a different structure with telekinesis disturbing several more rawwks.[3] The two new students went on to become friends at the Praxeum.[4][3]

During his brief stay on Coruscant, Gantoris spent much time with Leia Organa Solo, as she was searching for a planet to re-home the colonists of Eol Sha. She felt uncomfortable around Gantoris, seeing a darkness in his eyes, thinking he was a man of power shown to be insignificant. Solo also was intrigued by him, watching his wonder at all the things on Coruscant she considered commonplace. When she showed Gantoris images of Dantooine, the planet selected for re-location, he considered it a paradise, assuming the pictures were representative.

At the Academy, Gantoris quickly proved his talents as a student, although this served to heighten his view of self-worth. Gantoris had become accustomed to a certain level of prestige due to his former position, and was wont to complain when he was made to undertake menial tasks such as clearing much of the Old Republic base that had become the new Jedi Academy. He would often explore the surroundings of the Outpost with other students, Gantoris developed abilities such as augmenting his own strength using the Force, but would still think of the people he left behind, asking Wedge Antilles on the status of the colonist's new home when he delivered supplies.

Gantoris quickly became a rival of the Corellian student Corran Horn, former Rogue Squadron pilot and CorSec officer. Both men were disciplined, rising earlier than other trainees to exercise and begin the day before their peers. Skywalker believed the mutual envy was generated because of the pair's similarities to each other, constantly pushing themselves for improvement, striving to be the best student. Skywalker believed Gantoris felt threatened by this other ambitious student, believing the man of equal determination and dedication was a true challenger to his own skills. Likewise, Horn envied Gantoris for his grasp of certain Force techniques, particularly telekinesis, an area in which Horn was weak. Gantoris' distaste for the Corellian manifested itself when Horn discovered one of his own strengths for using the Force, Alter Mind. Intending to raise a large boulder with telekinesis, Horn unintentionally implanted the image of the stone rising in the minds of all the students while doing nothing of the kind. Gantoris believed he was tricked, demanding the other student explain how he had made it appear that the rock had risen. Skywalker placated Gantoris, saying what the other student had done was to begin to discover his potential with the Force.

Eventually Gantoris along with most of the first Class graduated from their Training and became Jedi Knights.