Who Was The Jedi Who Joined The Tusken Raiders?
Image Source: Wookieepedia
Before there was Boba Fett, there was Sharad Hett, a human who was Force-sensitive as an infant and whose family willingly surrendered him to the Jedi Council for training. He was trained by Master Eeth Koth at the Academy on Coruscant. While avoiding any type of attachment is instilled in young Padawans from the beginning, Master Koth allowed Sharad to remain in contact with his birth family.
Hett was particularly skilled in lightsaber combat, eventually graduating to the rank of Knight and serving as a Jedi Guardian. He fought in numerous battles that earned him fame for his skillset. He had numerous nicknames, such as Hound of Worlds, Howl Runner, Tamer of Tyrants, Nemesis of Kimm, Defender of Kamparus, Champion of Krmar, and Nemesis of Pirates. Over time, Sharad began to resent the Jedi; he felt like the honor code he had been taught was no longer viable, as the Jedi (in his opinion) were becoming more conceited and prideful. He also missed his family. Upon return to Coruscant from a battle, he sought his Jedi Master and requested to take his leave. Koth accepted his resignation, allowing him to leave the Jedi Order.
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Sharad returned home, only to find that off-world raiders had murdered his family. He was understandably distraught and left, consumed by his grief, unexpectedly crash-landing on Tatooine. He chose to stay there, in the desert, in exile. Over time, he won over the local Tusken Raiders, and they accepted him into their tribe. He trained them in Jedi combat styles and became their warlord.
While with the Tuskens, Sharad met a young woman named K’Sheek who had been taken from her family as a child and raised by the tribe. The two were married and later had a son named A’Sharad, who inherited Force-sensitivity from his father. Sharad chose to train his son in the ways of the Jedi.
Just when Sharad was able to find family and happiness, Jabba the Hutt, Daimyo of Tatooine, decided to wage war against the Tuskens. The Jedi would come across footage of a battle and realize that Sharad was alive. They assumed he had turned to the dark side, and sent Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi to confront him. Upon his arrival, the Jedi Master would come to learn that their Sharad was not evil; in fact, he was devastated to learn of the death of his friend Qui-Gon Jinn and troubled by the reemergence of the Sith. Ki-Adi-Mundi would be unsuccessful, however, in convincing him to leave his home and family to return to the Jedi Order. Sharad was loyal to the Tuskens and continued to fight Jabba’s minions beside them.
Image Source: Comic Vine
A female bounty hunter by the name of Aurra Sing would eventually defeat him by a hair in a lightsaber battle. After his death, his son A’Sharad would complete his own Jedi training under Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, but in Skywalker-esque fashion, he later became a Sith known as Darth Krayt.
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