Maris Brood

M**aris Brood** is a female Zabrak Jedi Padawan, who survived the initial stages of the Great Jedi Purge. She spent many years in hiding with Jedi Master Shaak Ti on the planet Felucia. After her master's death, she was corrupted by the dark side of the Force, along with the entire planet and its native population. After Brood captured Senator Bail Prestor Organa, she was confronted by Darth Vader's Sith apprentice, Starkiller, who defeated her in combat. Initially tempted to kill her, the apprentice ultimately spared Brood's life and allowed her to disappear into hiding once more.

## Biography

### Early life

Maris Brood was found as an infant by the Jedi Order, and taken into training due to her connection with the Force. Trained by her Master on the starship *Gray Pilgrim*, she was distanced from the rest of the Order during the Clone Wars. Due to their isolation, Brood and her Master did not fall victim to the execution of Order 66. Still, the effects of the killings were felt even in seclusion; sensing the near-simultaneous deaths of so many Jedi, Brood's Master set out to recover evidence of their fate.[2]

Her Master disappeared, never to be seen again, but not before he was able to warn Brood of the destruction of the Jedi and Darth Vader's role in the Great Jedi Purge. Bent on revenge, Brood set out to hunt down and destroy the Dark Lord of the Sith. Intercepted by surviving Jedi Master Shaak Ti, Brood was persuaded away from the dark side of the Force and went into hiding in the forests of Felucia with her new Master.

### Felucia

Shaak Ti befriended the native Felucian tribes and continued to train Maris Brood in the Jedi arts on Felucia for years while also hiding from the Sith Lords and their Galactic Empire. Despite Brood's loyalty to Ti, she continued to harbor much anger and resentment over the persecution of the Jedi, a trait which Ti tried and failed to eliminate.[2] By the year 3 BBY,[7] both the Jedi Master and her Felucian shamans sensed that the young Padawan was gradually falling to the dark side of the Force.[5]

When Starkiller, Vader's secret apprentice, visited the planet for the first time, hunting Shaak Ti, Brood requested the chance to confront the assassin at her Master's side; a request that Shaak Ti denied due to her certainty that Brood would be killed by the Sith adept. Ti instead sent her to the rancor graveyard, despite Brood's protestations that she was strong enough to stand alongside her Master.[5] After Ti was defeated and killed by Starkiller, Brood was left without a master once more, stranded and alone on Felucia. When Starkiller visited the planet for a second time, in a mission to rescue Senator Bail Organa, he discovered Brood waiting for him.

### Fall to the Dark Side

When Organa arrived on Felucia in search of Shaak Ti, unaware of her death, hoping she would rescue his adopted daughter, Brood had taken him captive. The loss of her mentor had plunged Brood deeper into darkness; an effect that spread throughout the planet, infecting the Felucians with the dark side.[2] Brood captured the Senator and kept him as her prisoner, planning to offer him to Darth Vader, should he ever find her, in exchange for her life. When Starkiller arrived in search of Organa, the fallen Jedi confronted him with her pet bull rancor.[7]

Starkiller killed the rancor and defeated Maris Brood, incapacitating Brood with Force lightning as she turned to flee. Begging for her life with the promise of redeeming herself of the dark side's influence, she convinced Starkiller to let her go. Organa protested, recalling Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side. Starkiller defended his mercy by saying that Maris Brood was not truly free; and that she would carry the memories of her actions with her forever.

### Turning back to the Light

Maris eventually turned back slowly to the light side and eventually sought out Luke Skywalker for Guidance and training.