Kian Karr
Kel Dorable
On the Nature of the Jedi Shadows
844 ABY
This is Jedi Master Kian Karr and this is my second submission to The Jedi Order Holocron. As a young Knight I took over the duties of a Jedi Shadow. At the time the Shadows were all but extinct amongst the Order, those who had taken on the role previously had vanished, died, or moved on from the Order. It fell up me to do what I could to build the Shadows back up. The Shadows have now grown once more and are established among the Jedi. We are still a small sect, but the type of work we do requires only a select few.
The Jedi Shadows are tasked with destroying everything related to the Sith. We hunt for darkside relics, darkside cults, and we attempt to hunt down and destroy the Sith, either through capturing them, turning them back to the light, or, when necessary, destroying them. When I began the work of a Shadow it quickly became apparent to me how dangerous the duties are.
A Shadow goes at it alone, or in small groups, infiltrating and striking in silence and secrecy. If a Jedi Shadow does the job correctly, no one will ever know they were there. Due to the secrecy of the duties, the Shadows act as the Intelligence Branch of the Jedi Order. We need to be. Finding the Sith requires intelligence gathering. The Sith have a long history of infiltration, secrecy, and sabotage. The Shadows must excel at these as well, as well as identifying the Sith wherever they may be.
In order to learn these skills, it often becomes necessary for us to allow other skills to atrophy. It is regrettable, but also necessary. The duties of a Jedi Shadow require discipline and dedication to a specific path and as such you may not find yourself as well rounded as other Jedi, but rather specialized. This is something to remember…..something to work towards overcoming in your training.
There is of course, a great deal of risk in the duties of a Jedi, but doubly so for a Shadow. Our work means that we are often alone and often outnumbered. Stealth is your ally. Secrecy is your ally. Your wits are the greatest weapon you’ll ever wield. Successful Shadows are those who can think fast, improvise, and blend with a crowd.
Of course, not all the risks you face as a Shadow are physical. A Shadow stares into the darkness…..and on occasion hides amongst it. It is difficult to go so close to the darkness and not be affected by it. It is for this reason that it is important to keep the light burning ever brightly inside you, so that even in the shadows you can see the right path.
Perhaps the final thing I will touch upon is the necessity for allies and friends. It is impossible to not become a bit paranoid in your work with the Shadows. You’ll find yourself hiding things…..you’ll get to the point where you hide things that have no relevance to your work, things that don’t need to be hidden…..but you won’t share them out of some misplaced belief that trust can get you killed. This is dangerous. When you reach this point is is especially important that you remember your friends...your fellow Jedi.
They will save you.