Who Exactly Was Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas?
Most of us know Sifo-Dyas as the Jedi Master who ordered the creation of the clone army before the events of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. But as is usually the case with Star Wars, there is more to the character than meets the eye. Sifo-Dyas was one of the few Jedi in the history of the order with the ability of Foresight. Meaning he could clearly see future events. He was also a close friend to his eventual murderer, Count Dooku.
Master Sifo-Dyas was born on Minashee in 102 BBY as the son of a fisherman. He was discovered to be Force-sensitive as an infant and was brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant by Master Cherff Maota. There he met Dooku, and the two formed a strong bond during their time as initiates together. During his time as an initiate, he would find himself on Serreno, his friend Dooku's homeworld. As several Jedi Masters were demonstrating lightsaber techniques, he noticed Dooku run off towards a girl he recognized, that girl was Dooku's sister, Jenza. When the pair returned to Coruscant, Sifo-Dyas gifted his friend a communicator to stay in touch with his sister. A gesture that would later land the future Count of Serreno in hot water.
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Later in his Jedi career, Sifo-Dyas discovered the journal of Klias Teradine, which revealed the existence of a collection of dark side artifacts at the Jedi Temple known as the Bogan Collection. He convinced Dooku to break into the vault with him to study the artifacts. Once they had entered the vault, Sifo-Dyas was exploring a collection of scrolls, weapons, and ancient devices, while Dooku was fixated on a large piece of metal he felt connected to through the Force. Out of nowhere, the pair heard a beast drawing near and Dooku used the Force to create a wave, pushing Sifo-Dyas into a glass cabinet and drawing the attention of the Chief Librarian of the Temple. This is when he first met his future master, Lene Kostana who sarcastically expressed concern the collection hadn't been sealed properly if children could access it.
Upon completing the Initiate Trials, Sifo-Dyas and Dooku participated in the Padawan Tournament where they were matched against one another. Dooku defeated Sifo-Dyas in a duel, blindfolded and with one arm behind his back. However, instead of asking Sifo-Dyas to surrender, Dooku allowed him to duel to a stalemate in hopes of better impressing the Masters. Master Kostana selected Sifo-Dyas as her padawan immediately after. Dooku was disappointed as he wanted to be selected by her for his training. Under Master Kostana, Sifo-Dyas' foresight was awakened by opening his mind to the Cosmic Force. One of his first visions was of a planet engulfed in flame. This vision foretold of the Protobranch Solar Storm.
His master urged him to take these visions seriously, but she herself hid the talents of her apprentice from the Jedi Council, fearing they might consider his ability too dangerous. Over the years, Sifo-Dyas and his Master focused on gathering artifacts to expand the Bogan Collection. The fact that so many Sith relics were appearing further convinced him and his Master that evil was on the rise again. After Sifo-Dyas was Knighted, he continued to work with Master Kastana, following the tradition of ancient Jedi who worked in pairs and seeing as his visions were getting stronger, his old Master decided it would be best to continue their work together.
In 42 BBY, after some years of not seeing or hearing much of his old friend, it would seem the Force brought Sifo-Dyas and Dooku together one final time. Master Yula Braylon had been tasked with returning Dooku and his family droid D-4 back to Serreno to help end an invasion of Abyssin pirates. The mission was not sanctioned by the council but Master Kastana and her old apprentice didn't seem to mind. On the groups arrival to Serreno, their ship was shot down and Sifo was separated from the other Jedi. While alone, he was granted another vision of the future; a huge crowd cheering Dooku's name. This vision made Sifo so unnerved he could no longer fight. It was soon discovered that Dooku's brother, Count Ramil, had hired the pirates to invade their homeworld, forcing Dooku to kill his brother. After the end of the Serreno Civil War, Dooku took up his family title of Count of Serreno and left the Jedi Order, becoming the 20th member of The Lost Jedi. When Dooku left the Order he promised his old friend they would meet again.
Towards the end of Sifo-Dyas' life, he was not only a Jedi Master but also a member of the Jedi High Council. From his new position he advocated for the creation of an army to aid the Jedi and the Republic in the upcoming war his visions were focused on. Sadly, believing his ideals to be too extreme for the Order and the High Council, he was removed from his position. He found a way to meet with the Kaminoan cloners and commissioned a clone army for the defense of the Galactic Republic. Little did he know what lie in store for both him and the army he had commissioned.
Supreme Chancellor Valorum dispatched Sifo to the planet Oba Diah, the headquarters of the infamous spice cartel, the Pike Syndicate, to negotiate a settlement with the Pykes, whose spice production threatened a full war in the galaxies criminal underworld. However, when he arrived with an aide to the Chancellor by the name of Silman, he was contacted by the Jedi Council. A skirmish between several local tribes had broken out on Felucia and he was to go and resolve the conflict immediately.
Shortly after he left Oba Diah, the shuttle Sifo-Dyas and Silman were travelling on was shot down and crashed on a moon of Oba Diah. It was then that his old friend fulfilled his promise. The man who had orchestrated the attack was none other than Count Dooku, now under the alias Darth Tyranus. He collected the body of Sifo-Dyas from the Pykes, who secretly kept Silman alive and imprisoned as insurance. Dooku then departed to Felucia, convincing the Tribal Elders Sifo had been killed in the conflict and had to be cremated, according to Felucian customs. This way the Jedi Order would have no idea exactly how Sifo-Dyas perished.
With his deception complete, Count Dooku took control of the clone army and had inhibitor chips placed inside their brain at the behest of Lord Sidious, laying the groundwork for the eventual execution of Order 66 and Palpatine's plan to become the First Galactic Emperor. Sadly, Master Sifo-Dyas' legacy would be corrupted and twisted against the very Order that he had died in service of. One must wonder, if Sifo-Dyas hadn't created the Grand Army of the Republic, how different the future of the Jedi Order would be.
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Source: Wookieepedia