Today I want to write a special material about the Roonans. According to my plans I wanted to prepare and present an article about those Roonans who were seen in The Phantom Menace game, but a friend asked me to prepare a different, more famous and spectacular Roonan, the Jedi Halsey. Here it is, but in the article I have to speak a few words about the original character, too. Especially because the Roonan species first appeared in that old game! Surely, even though it was an unnamed species, but we have already seen roonans in the 1999 Phantom Menace game, in several colored clothings. Their appearance was based on a concept art plan, there are many excellent plans for Star Wars, some were rejected by the designers, a part of them was included in the films, an other part got in the world of games. Fortunately the roonan race started a journey of conquest, because from the Ep1 game they got in to all of the things mentioned above: they appeared in games, in the film, and in the Clone Wars. The concept is otherwise an excellent one, if a UFO should be imagined, many people think of something similar, large eyes, wrinkled skin, humanoid features. In the early conceptual plans they not even named the species they simply called an alien. Halsey has not been named at first neither, he was only named as the "alien Jedi", Terryl Whitlatch planned and draw him in January 1997, they wanted to apply Halsey later during the production of the film. In May in the same year, the alien Jedi concept has evolved into a senator, Bar Edcel Gane has been born as a Roonan senator, for which later Whitlatch drawn a sketch. The concept was included in the film, into the Senate among the many species. With this the race has become relevant, because if they have representation in the Galactic Senate they should have a world, society, famous representatives, conspecifics and even some important implications. In addition, they created another Roonan senator for the Clone Wars series, he became Senator Aang, who appeared in Season 3 episode 8, he was the senator whose cake missed some purple fruit on top, so Amidala sent the two droids to the market to bring some, when they were kidnapped by Cad Bane. They were only identified as Roonans in 2010, in the StarWars.com episode guide for "Grievous Intrigue" is the ninth episode of Season Two of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series In 2010, the StarWars.com episode guide talks about a Roonan Jedi at the very first time, in the "Grievous intrigue" Clone Wars episode they mention a Roonan jedi, whose name has been changed three times, while they finalized the name as Halsey. First, he has been mentioned in the ninth episode of the second season, but he has not been shown, just for a second in a hologram, while Halsey appeared finally in Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series Season 3 episode 13 specifically, but unfortunately soon died in the same episode under interesting circumstances.

That episode was very instructive. Many films use a parallel birth and passing away. The two often happens int he same time, a person dies when an other character has been born. In this topic more works can be mentioned, let me mention two this time. The first should be Alien 3, where Corporal Hicks and Newt had been cremated, and had been falling right into the fire, when the the alien born. There is something fateful in it, moreover, it paints a dark picture that makes the fight hopeless, because two positive heroes leav this world who have died to stop the evil, apparently unsuccessfully, because although on LV-426 they managed to destroy the aliens, but they re-born on Fiorina. The scene suggests that under earthly conditions with the greatest efforts, the evil can not be overcome, at least alone by no means.

The other similar event took plot in Star Wars, in Episode 3, when Anakin "dies" Vader "has been born". In addition, there is a deeper aspect of the situation, because Amidala dies, the twins are born. In addition, Padme gets on the operating table just as when Anakin, one gives life and new hope, the other exudes death and darkness. Though Anakin remains physically alive, but he’s been put in a black armor suit for the rest of his life as Darth Vader wandering on the dark side, cheated, because he was never taught how to save Amidala, for what he chose this damnation. In addition, he became the murderer of his beloved wife, at least took a heavy part of it while choking Padme. He must enter into a horrible rampage afterwards, which did not create life, but destroyed many, just remember back to Anakin's first actions as a fresh Sith but yet not in Vader's armor: his "master" sent him to the Jedi Temple, where he slaughtered his former friends, fellow Jedi, including the small Padawans, then he travelled to Mustafar to kill the CIS staff. He got THESE from his "master", nothing else, he had been cheated, which he only realized at his last moments, in Luke’s (his son’s) arms before he died.

This dramaturgy is very similar to that part of the Clone Wars that I mentioned above, but only in the relation between Savage Opress and Halsey. Dooku travels to Dathomir to meet Mother Talzin so that she may aid him in procuring another personal assassin. Talzin suggests him such a Sith warrior that Darth Maul was, although the Mother warns Dooku that the Zabraks are often difficult to control, yet they agree to train one male for Dooku. Assajj Ventress gets the task to select the right person from the Zabrak tribe who tests the potential males. Among them there were Savage and his brother, Feral as well. In the end only they remain standing when Ventress wants to liquidate the weaker Feral, but Savage did not leave her to do that. first he attacked Asajj to defend his brother, but when he saw that Ventress was much stronger than Opress were, he submitted himself to the will of the woman, only asking her to spare his brother. Familiar? Anakin was crying the same in front of Sidious’ feet in the dust, just to save Padmé, he submitted to the will of the Sith. Ventress also nods, temporarily sparing Feral... She orders Feral to get away from her, while Savage goes with her in order to start his transformation, using an occult séance (which I think is not for kids) Savage Opress was occupied by demonic forces, he became bigger and stronger, his horns grew larger, his eyes turned into yellow, and he felt into a trance-like state which was needed for his new mad and evil identity. When the witches complete the magic Savage opens his eyes and sees Ventress in front of him. Quickly he reaches out and grabs her throat beginning to choke her, because the last memory from his previous life was related to her, when Asajj was his enemy. But now she is not his enemy, but his lord, master, and commander. Asajj orders him „release me, slave”. Savage sway for a few seconds, but the new identity prevails, and he surrenders. Be enchanted by no matter how big, he surrenders, and obeys. He became a servant, not a master. He didn’t get power, just strength, but this strength isnor for him, it is to serve others, his new masters. He has been cheated, but he did not realized it, he is brutally muscled, but he bows before his new lord as a submissive robot. Stand up you dog, comes the order, and they bring his brother. (Again, the analogy with Anakin!) First test, to find out if you became an obedient servant, behold, I command you to kill your brother! This is simply chilling as the Sith way can affect humans, how awful that defrauded state is. As Anakin stepped onto the road due to save Padme and he personnally choked his wife half dead on Mustafar finally, Savage also does so! He became this evil henchman in defense of his brother, and yet his first thing is to kill his brother. Congratulations, you idiot. But it is not over yet, it has just begun. His masters (yeah, masterS, because Dooku also became his lord, not just Asajj) they sent him to kill, to test his strength. As Anakin were sent to the Temple and Mustafar, Savage was sent to Devaron, where a battle was raging for a saint temple for a long time between the Republic and the CIS forces. The front is standing, so hop servant, travel to Devaron at once, get moving and kill the Temple defenders, including the Jedi Halsey and his young padawan. Savage grabs his magic axe that was not even dry from his brother's blood, and runs into Count Dooku’s wonderful Solar Sailer, and heads to Devaron. This is also interesting to note that Dooku gives his individual solar sailer for all his disciples, it has been used by Sev'rance Tann in the Galactic Battlegrounds already, then Asajj also took it everywhere, so the ship usually choked everyone's throat with icy grip, because whereever is appeared, either Dooku, or his current apprentice got out of the vessel to spread death. This happened on Devaron, too. When the Solar Sailer landed and its door was oopened, the clones peed on their feet, and the separatists broke out in cheers, thinking the reinforcement has arrived. But they could not be happy for long, because Savage rushed out from the magnificent CIS machine, like an enraged bull. As he advanced forward, he smashed the droids in his rage, because Opress thought they were only wasting time so far, they were broken into pieces by the powerful blows, the droids and droidekas flew away because of his massive strikes, but even the squat SBDs went down to the ground like ripe wheat fibers on the field. Then came the clones, ARF clones and normal infantry clones were hammered into the ground. This insane carnage lasted until Savage was in front of the Jedi, whose biggest sin was they were protecting the Temple, in a figurative sense, everything that is good that is true, was opposed by the evil puppet who seeked to destroy this all, controlled by demonic forces. It is interesting to see the reactions of two opposing sides, while Opress grit teeth with rage and wanted to kill them, Halsey glance at his young Padawan, the Nautolian Knox, who is still so young, instructing him to stay behind, trying to protect him he decides to face Savage alone. Halsey looks at his padawan maybe for the last time, like Kenobi looked at the young Luke ont he Death Star, knowing probably that is the last time he sees him. Then hel looked back to Savage and with a big jump he attacks the Sith as far as it is possible from his little Padawan. They start fighting, but Savage is strong. Terribly strong. While melee fighting Savage knocks out the lightsaber from Halsey’s hand. Trying to defend himself with his bare hands Halsey keeps on fighting, but the powerful Opress hits him hard, he falls to the ground, and stays down. But there is no mercy. The axe raised up in the air and then strikes down, killing Halsey, the Jedi. The camera does not follow that, fortunately, we do not see it, but we hear it, we suspect it. But one person sees, the little Knox. As his Master, (and this time the big M is justified) beaten to death before his eyes. The youngster swallows, opens his small lightsaber, but no mercy, as Anakin kills the Padawans in Jedi Temple after butchering his fellow Jedi friends, this is what Savage does too, killing Knox after the Master Jedi. Is not it interesting how similarities there are in Star Wars and even deep stories? The Clone Wars gave us such things and even more, that is why I like it.

Savage's fate was happened before our eyes afterwards until his death, when the evil spirit left him, the green smoke left his torso deceived, once again he became mortal for a few seconds, he returned back to his normal size, his horns, his body became smaller like it was originally, his eyes opened again removing figuratively the yellow light from it, he realized what he did and died, like so many deceived Sith, from Ajunta Pall to Anakin Skywalker. Halsey died for the good staying on the Light Side till the end, and though in that moment when he sufferred death, it would seem, he was lost, but it becomes apparent as the old Ben also told Vader if you strike me to death, you can not win. Indeed, the body can be destroyed, but that he was fighting for will prevail in the end anyway.

Another interesting thing that after Halsey has not been heard about for a while, the Republic sent the Republic Commando atre him to investigate. They are the well known and loved Delta Squadron, Scorch, Fixer, Sev, and Boss. It's an Easter Egg or more of a bonus, a gift to us fans, because it combines the world of games with the Clone Wars, which always raises a product to a higher dimension, because the two EU (Expanded Universe) projects meet at this point. In addition, the story began to live an afterlife, when it was continue in comics. After the Delta Squad clone commandos brang home the two Jedi's body, then placed them in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The Jedi High Council concluded that the deaths of the Roonan Jedi and his apprentice were a sign of a new threat to the Republic; their suspicion was confirmed when security footage of the massacre, including Halsey's death, was recovered. The Jedi Council noted that the Roonan Jedi and his apprentice were not killed by lightsaber, yet it was clear that the injuries that killed them are from a Sith. Halsey’s and Knox’s small coffins were planned to be cremated in the Jedi Temple, after the final farewell to their Jedi friends. However, three separatist Weequay agents hid between the workers, get in the area and placed a dioxin bomb int he coffins which were a very fire sensitive material. Obviously, during the cremation it would have functioned as a bomb, Yoda himself would have ignited it with a torch without knowing about the danger. Fortunately, Obi-Wan Kenobi was informed right in time from this crime act, and arrived to the Temple in time to prevent the assassination. Thus saving not only the torch holder Yoda, but the attending Jedi around the coffins, Jed Master Plo Koon, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano.

 

Halsey front

Halsey back

Halsey faces Savage Opress

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 written by: Norbert Rostas