10 Things You Didn't Know About Plo Koon
One of the most visually striking members of the Jedi Council, Master Plo Koon was a powerful Jedi, strong in the Force and extremely intelligent. While his orange, alien visage and protective mask and goggles make him an intimidating sight, Plo Koon was known for his compassion and caring. Master Plo had close friendships with many notable Jedi, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and Mace Windu. While Plo Koon appears in all three prequel films and The Clone Wars TV show, there is still much to learn about this Kel Dor Jedi.
1. Homeworld
As with all Kel Dor, Plo Koon was native to the distant world of Dorin. This primitive world, lying in the Expansion Region, was a dry dusty planet with an atmosphere of helium and Dorin gas. This gaseous atmosphere proved poisonous to offworlders, yet essential for the native population's survival. Situated on several trade routes, including the Dorin Run, the Celanon Spur, and the Namadii Corridor, Dorin was a huge importer of technology, studying and incorporating various sciences from all across the Republic. Known for being quick to rush to the aid of other systems in need, the Kel Dor of Durin were a valuable and welcomed part of the Republic. The Chancellor even allowed the Senators from Durin to flood several rooms of the Senate chambers with Durin gas for their use, allowing them to relax in their native atmosphere.
2. Protective Gear
While Durin gas is essential to Kel Dor survival, it is not exactly abundant outside of the planet Durin, and it is poisonous to most other lifeforms. To make matters worse, oxygen, the most common atmospheric gas in the galaxy, is highly toxic to Kel Dor, killing them in a matter of minutes, burning their lungs and evaporating their highly liquid eyes. This required Kel Dor to wear protective masks and goggles when in atmospheres other than the unique blend of Dorin gas and helium of their homeworld. While seemingly cumbersome, these protective apparatuses also allowed Kel Dor to survive the vacuum of space for a limited time. Each set of protective equipment was personalized in fit for the wearer, to assure no toxic oxygen leaked in, but was also payed homage to their Kel Dor roots. The masks of the Kel Dor were carefully inscribed with symbols and runes that identified their Durin clan heritage and payed homage to their ancestors and family line.
3. Man of Science
One of Plo Koon's unique traits among the Jedi was his fascination with science. Like other Kel Dor, he was drawn to technology, inventing, and tinkering, even going so far as to install a laboratory in his quarters at the Jedi Temple. In the years before the Clone Wars, Master Koon traveled the galaxy seeking out new or unusual inventions. Returning to the Temple with his newest acquisition, Master Koon would carefully study it, testing how the Force could be used to alter or improve the item. These travels led to a wealth of knowledge, both of outlying cultures and societies and of the nature of the Force. Master Plo Koon was widely regarded by his peers as one of the wisest members of the Jedi Council, and a trusted advisor and confidant of Mace Windu himself.
4. Jedi Lightning
One of the trademarks powers of the Sith was their ability to focus their hatred through the dark side of the Force and conjure powerful Sith Lightning at their enemies, burning away all life in a matter of minutes. Needless to say, a Jedi would never use the Force in such an aggressive, dark, and hateful way. As Master Yoda says, "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense." That being said, sometimes the best defense is a swift and decisive offense. The stories now classified as Legends tell of a Force ability forbidden from common practice and taught only to Jedi strong and wise enough to control it. Plo Koon was one of the few Jedi taught this power. Known as Electric Judgment, this ability allowed a Jedi to call upon their duty to uphold the laws of the Republic and pass judgement on an enemy. Calling forth green or orange lightning and incapacitating the wrong-doer, this lightening targeted the nervous system to briefly paralyze an opponent, as opposed to Sith lightning, which sought to inflict as much pain and suffering as possible
5. Talent Scout
Around the time of the Battle of Naboo, Plo Koon was dispatched from the Jedi Temple on a mission to the Expansion Region. He was assigned to Shili, the homeworld of Jedi Master Shaak Ti and the Togruta species. Shili was a peaceful and quiet world, covered in expansive and colorful grasslands, many Togruta living simple, happy lives farming on its surface. Other Togruta took advantage of the Hydian Way spaceport located in the capital city of Corvala and struck out for new worlds and new possibilities. With Shili situated on such a prominent trade route as the Hydian Way, it's little surprise that Togruta were widely dispersed across the galaxy, some even becoming some of the earliest members of the Jedi Order. While carrying out his mission on the planet, Master Plo discovered a young Togruta who was strong in the Force: Ahsoka Tano. Realizing her potential, her parents relinquished her to Master Plo, who took her back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for training. Even after her apprenticeship to Anakin Skywalker and the onset of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka and Plo maintained a close friendship, with the young Togruta often approaching the older Kel Dor for advice and guidance.
6. Plo's Bros
Master Koon joined most of the other Jedi in leading the Grand Army of the Republic at the onset of the Clone Wars, taking command of the 104th Attack Battalion. This group of clone soldiers was nicknamed "the Wolf Pack" in honor of their commander CC-3636, known as Commander Wolffe. This battalion participated in numerous pivotal engagements of the Clone Wars, including two tours on Felucia and the rescue of hundreds of Togruta refugees who had been sold into slavery during the Battle of Kadavo. This Battalion flourished under Plo Koon's leadership, as he was one of the most compassionate Jedi to his Clone troopers, seeing them not just as units, but as unique lifeforms. Due to this treatment, Koon's calm and cool demeanor and his unflinching resolve in battle, the men under his command had immense respect for their Jedi general. This included going as far as painting his likeness on the side of their gunships with the Aurebesh inscription "Plo's Bros."
7. Defeated the Trade Federation
In the waning days of the Clone Wars, Plo Koon was given command of the 442nd Siege Battalion in addition to his troopers in the Wolf Pack. This task force of clone soldiers, numbering around 3,000, were sent to capture the Nemoidian homeworld of Cato Nemoidia. Hoping to take the Trade Federation homeworld and deal a crushing blow to the CIS, Plo Koon and his men launched an aerial invasion of the planet. Fighting across the planets bridge-cities, over its acidic oceans, Plo Koon led his men to victory, capturing the planet and effectively eliminating the Trade Federation from the war. His victory was short-lived, however, as Order 66 was initiated mere hours after the surrender of CIS forces on the planet. As Master Plo led a fighter patrol over the capital city, Clone Captain Jag received the transmission from Darth Sidious. Without hesitation, Jag opened fire on his Jedi general. Master Koon, caught unaware, was shot down and died in the ensuing explosion.
8. Shoto Saber
While most lightsaber forms could be practiced with a single lightsaber, there were unique variations of the classic forms that required more specialized blades. Plo Koon was a highly accomplished swordsman and master of several forms, including the form Jar'Kai, a specialized duel-wielding form. Jar'Kai required a standard blade to be held in the practitioners main hand and a shorter Shoto blade in their off-hand, often held in reverse grip. This form allowed for constant defense with either saber while readying the other for rapid and lethal counterstrikes. While Plo Koon didn't carry a Shoto and was never seen using one, he was still an accomplished swordsman with this form and even suggested the use of a Shoto saber to young Ahsoka Tano, helping her to master Jar'Kai and become a formidable duelist herself.
9. Ace Pilot
While most Jedi were gifted starpilots, given their connection to the Force, lightning reflexes, and high level of training, Plo Koon was in a class that few others could compete with. Master Plo was regarded as one of the best fighter pilots in the Order during the Clone Wars, alongside the likes of Anakin Skywalker and Saesee Tiin. He could often be found in the Temple hanger, working on his Delta-7B Aethersprite interceptor to improve the systems and make it one of the most valuable assets in the Republic Navy. Christened the Blade of Dorin, in honor of his homeworld, Plo Koon's highly upgraded and customized ship was a welcome sight to many clone troopers during the war. During the Battle of Kadavo, Plo Koon piloted the Blade of Dorin, covering the rescue ships as they made their approach to rescue the captive Togruta. During the battle, Plo Koon was able to eliminate the base's anti-aircraft cannons virtually single handedly, saving many lives and allowing his flagship to get in close enough to the base to evacuate all the freed slaves.
10. Secret Admirer
While Master Koon was regarded as one of the greatest swordsman by the Jedi, his abilities also attracted the attention of those outside of the Order. In Legends, the Sith warrior, Darth Maul, while undergoing intense physical and mental training, made it his goal to defeat and kill Plo Koon in a duel. This Zabrak assassin, taken from his Nightbrother family on the planet Dathomir, was one of the most physically powerful swordsmen to exist in the galaxy at the time. Honing these skills over the course of dozens of missions for his master, Darth Sidious, Maul was obsessed with becoming a weapon with which to kill the Jedi Order. Like most Sith before him, Maul desired to wreck vengeance on the Jedi Order for their near destruction of the Sith Order in the days of Darth Bane. Darth Maul was eager to test his skills against the most powerful of the Jedi and regarded the Kel Dor as "the greatest warrior of the Jedi." Maul felt that his training would not be complete until he destroyed Koon. However, their paths never crossed, and this epic lightsaber duel never occurred.