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Jedi Archives

Updated: Jan 16, 2022



Jedi Archives


Jedi Archives

General information

Constructed: Between 3996–3954 BBY, 2510 BBY

Rebuilt: c. 35 ABY

Destroyed: 3653 BBY, 19 BBY, c.137 ABY

Location: Jedi Temple

Rebuilt in the New Jedi Temple

Chronological and political information

Affiliation: Jedi Order, New Jedi Order


"There is more knowledge here than anywhere else in the galaxy."

―Jocasta Nu

The Jedi Archives, also known as the Jedi Temple Library,[9] was a fathomless collection of ancient knowledge and research dating back thousands of standard years, and the library contained innumerable amounts of reading material collected from all corners of the galaxy. Directly operated by the Librarian's Assembly and overseen by the Council of First Knowledge, the Archives served as a repository for journals and artifacts. Located in the First Knowledge Quarter of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the majority of the Archives was open at all hours and were accessible to all Jedi in need of information.[2] While Jedi were welcome to scan or copy most any data in the Stacks, removal of any material from the Archives was strictly prohibited.[11] Remote access to the databases was near impossible, with eradicators built into the Temple's outer walls and firewalls in the database mainframes. Containing holobooks, datasticks, and a variety of other modern and ancient storage devices, the library sported information that was restricted to only members of the Jedi High Council.


History

"If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist."

―Jocasta Nu

After the world of Ossus was devastated in 3996 BBY and the Great Jedi Library was destroyed, the Jedi fled their long time home, taking with them what they could of Jedi Master Odan-Urr's great collection.[12] Fleeing across the galaxy, the Jedi met at Exis Station, gathering to them what they could from Ossus.[13] Following the conclave, the Jedi largely relocated to Coruscant, in the Jedi Temple constructed by four Jedi Masters.[14] The ever-growing Temple's original incarnation of the library was located several stories above the main entrance of the Temple, serving as Archives and library for several centuries. However, the chambers were small and cramped, and they were eventually moved into more spacious chambers as the Temple underwent another expansion around 2500 BBY.[2], this small chamber.[2]

Archivist Gnost-Dural updates the Archives records.

Following the Jedi Civil War, the Temple would lie empty, as Darth Sion began the Jedi Purge of 3954 BBY, leaving but a handful of Jedi in the galaxy.[15] 3951 BBY saw the end of the Purge and the beginning of a time of peace in the galaxy. The Jedi reinhabited Coruscant thanks to the efforts of an exile that defeated the ruthless Darth Nihilus.[16] Expanding their collection of information, the Order flourished for several centuries. However the peace was transitory as the Sith Empire reappeared in 3653 BBY, appearing from the Unknown Regions and swooping in to take Coruscant from the Jedi. Raiding the Temple, the Sith marched in and killed several key Jedi. The Temple and Archives in ruin, it would be several years before the Galactic Senate could raise enough money to restore the edifice. As the Jedi had relocated to their homeworld of Tython, the surviving members of the Jedi High Council instructed archivist Gnost-Dural to begin reconstructing the knowledge lost on Coruscant, and recounting the recent history leading up to the Order's loss of control.[4]

While the small chambers originally used to hold the Archives was reconstructed with the Temple, it wasn't until the expansion around 2500 BBY that the Jedi Archives of the modern era were constructed. Featuring long halls of holobooks and displays of ancient tablets, the new Archives chamber would remain the same until the Great Jedi Purge of 19 BBY. The old Archives room was turned into a museum of Temple history, detailing the ever-changing layout of the complex.[2]

Jedi Kai Justiss gets direction from Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu.

The Golden Age of the Old Republic well underway with the passage of the Ruusan Reformation and the supposed extinction of the Sith Order, the Jedi Temple was completed with the re-construction of the Council spires and Tranquility Spire. The Council of First Knowledge focused on expanding their knowledge and erasing all remnants of the Sith from the galaxy. Founding the Exploration Corps from the remnants of the Academy of Jedi Archaeology,[17] the Council sent Knights and Masters out into the galaxy to recover dangerous artifacts, as well as to scout unknown worlds to add to the Archives' vast wealth of information.[18]

After over a millennia of peace in the galaxy, the Archives was tampered with following the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY.[7] Jedi Master Dooku, having grown disenchanted with the Order's reliance on the corrupt Republic aligned with the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious and deleted several records from the Archives that would prevent Jedi interference in his new master's plans. He also stole secret hyperspace routes for his own purposes for the upcoming war.[19]

During one of the monthly organization days of 27 BBY, Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu's sorting was interrupted by Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi who was inquiring after a report he had requested regarding Granta Omega. Nu, irritated due to the interruption, agreed to do a fresh search if Kenobi would come back later in the day. After restoring the Library to its pristine form, Nu summoned Kenobi and connected the dots that he had missed; Omega planned to bring the bacta market to a standstill.[20]

After Kenobi discovered the deletion of Kamino from the databanks in 22 BBY, Grand Master Yoda investigated the disappearance,[source?] finding that at least 37 additional systems had been erased, including Dagobah[21] and Dromund Kaas.[14]

Throughout the Clone Wars, the Archives was under tightened security, with Temple Security Forces on constant patrol to ensure the safety of the data stored there. During the war, Dark Jedi Trenox attacked the Temple attempting to steal a holocron from the shelves. While Knight Anakin Skywalker was able to kill Trenox, the Jedi believed that at least one holocron was taken from the Stacks.[22]

The 501st Legion storm the archives.

In 19 BBY, the conclusion of the Clone Wars saw the invasion and destruction of the Temple. During Operation: Knightfall, Sith Lord Darth Vader marched into the Archives, flanked by the clone troopers of the 501st Legion and demanded that Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu open the vaults and give him access to the Jedi beacon. Refusing to do so, Vader impaled Madame Nu, killing her. Shocked, the Jedi studying amongst the stacks ignited their lightsabers and attacked Vader and his troops. As Vader slew droves of Jedi, he ordered his troopers to secure the Archives and all its information. Outraged, the surviving Jedi turned their weapons and Force abilities on the Stacks themselves, destroying countless centuries of information. However, the Sith had the upperhand, managing to slay all the Jedi[5] as well as Temple employees[23] and save several shelves of data.[5]

Shortly after the rise of the Empire, Gregar Typho of the Royal Naboo Security Forces infiltrated the Jedi library in search of a lead on the death of Galactic Senator Padmé Amidala. While cautiously navigating the debris-strewn floor, Typho detected bounty hunter Aurra Sing slinking through the Stacks. Startled by the sound of movement, Sing attacked Typho; he was able to evade her, fleeing deeper into the library. Grabbing a datastick from a shelf, he shattered it on the floor, causing a small explosion. Distracted, Typho was able to render Sing unconscious using skills taught to him by Master Qui-Gon Jinn over a decade previous. Having the upper hand, Typho fled the Temple, having no more information than when he entered.[23]

Once the Temple was secured in the aftermath of Operation: Knightfall, Vader turned the data over to Darth Sidious, who entrusted Armand Isard to recover any valuable data from the shattered font of information and history.[24] Sidious himself was known to wander the stacks reviewing knowledge long left inaccessible to him and his predecessors. It was during this time the Great Holocron disappeared, falling out of all memory until it resurfaced over fifty years later. Sidious would later be accused of changing great amounts of the data in the Archives to support anti-Jedi propaganda. Opened for tours, the Archives was one of the few chambers that the wealthiest of the wealthy could buy their way into.[14]

While the Archives had always had very heavy security to prevent hacking from outsiders, the agents of the Galactic Empire failed to maintain the anti-tampering measures. Determined Jedi, such as Ekria hacked the databases from elsewhere on Coruscant and deleted all record of herself, and her fellows, Zonder and Drake Lo'gaan.[25] Sealed behind great black doors, the Archives was now impenetrable from all but the Empire. However the Empire's security was put to the test when Darth Vader sent his secret apprentice Starkiller to the abandoned complex to complete the Jedi Trials. After getting past the heavy doors installed by the Empire, Starkiller entered a damaged hall of the Archives, slaying all the troopers stationed within. Because of the extensive damage in this wing, the assassin was forced to go through the databank room that contained the large supercomputers capable of storing the information for the holobooks. After reentering the Archives proper, Starkiller was forced to duel the Trials' program, which had taken on the guise of Darth Phobos. After she was defeated, Starkiller left the damaged hall and the Temple. When security crews returned, they quickly locked the Archives down, sealing it off to everyone but Sidious. The Jedi Archives were then vigilantly guarded by Imperial Senate Sentinels and shadow troopers, in constant wait for returning Jedi.[26]

Jedi Tionne Solusar working in the Archives

The Temple would then after lay in cold silence, standing as a testament to Sidious's power and cunning. A bleak monolith, the Temple survived the fall of the Empire, and the taking of the capital by New Republic forces. As the Galactic Civil War drew to a close, Luke Skywalker, founder of the New Jedi Order, ventured inside the ziggurat and wandered the long, empty halls. Returning with Jedi historian Tionne Solusar, the two Jedi began the long task of restoring the Archives, updating the catalogs and erasing the lies created by Sidious.[27] Several years later, as Coruscant fell to the Yuuzhan Vong, the library was damaged beyond restoration. However, in preparation for disaster, Solusar had scanned the databanks, saving all the data to be kept safe in the space station called Shelter.[28]


Reconstruction

When the grounds of the Old Temple were recovered during the clean-up following the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Reconstruction Authority under the instruction of Galactic Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas began rebuilding the Temple. Following blueprints from the past structure found by Solusar in the Archives, the new Jedi Temple was erected, and the Archives and library were fully restored to their former grandeur by 35 ABY,[3] with the Temple library completely operational by the time of the Dark Nest Crisis.[29]

During the time leading up to the Second Galactic Civil War, Jacen Solo wandered into the depths of the stacks as a starting point when he flow-walked back to the time of the Great Jedi Purge. Wandering through the past, he watched as his grandfather, Darth Vader, slew countless Jedi.[8] During the war, the Galactic Alliance Guard was ordered to capture the Temple as the Jedi had betrayed the Alliance at the bloody Battle of Kuat. Prepared for such an attack, the Jedi had begun evacuating the Temple. Apprentice Seha Dorvald acted quickly and scanned the Archives before fleeing the capital to meet up with her fellow Jedi.[30]

After reoccupying the Temple soon after the war's end, Jedi healer Cilghal accessed the stacks in order to obtain a lead on the condition plaguing Valin Horn. Searching for any mention of an illness with an unusual result on an electroencephaloscan she came across an audio recording compiled by a Jedi of the Old Republic doing research on the different species with members in the Jedi Order. The recording was of Kel Dor Master Plo Koon, who knew of a technique to negate the scan's results. Reporting this to Master Skywalker, they concluded that it was a technique developed by the Baran Do Sages of Dorin.[31]

Later during the same year as more Jedi fell to the disease, Master Cilghal was forced to defend herself from fellow Jedi Jysella Horn, who attacked the Mon Calamari Jedi as they were researching the affliction seen in Seff Hellin and Valin Horn in the First Hall. Alerting Temple Security Forces that Jysella Horn was suffering from the disease and on the loose the Mon Cal called on other Jedi in the Archives to help, including Radd Minker and Natua Wan. Leaping over the rails of the walkways, Jysella ran to the main entrance of the Archives and sealed the door. Minker and Cilghal were forced to slowly slice through with their lightsabers, though by the time they were finished, Jysella had made it to the Processional Way.[32]


Layout

A map of the Archives, detailing the four main halls, the large transit area beneath and a floor-by-floor view of the areas below

Erected near the roof of the Temple Ziggurat, the Jedi Archives was a circular, two-story chamber consisting of holobook shelves known as the Stacks and data rooms filled with computers.[33] An outer hall encircled the chamber, lined with a collection of datasticks and various other storage devices. The chamber itself was arranged into eight halls and four long, primary halls that converged in a large rotunda in the center like the spokes of a wheel.[23] Four additional wings were set between the primary halls,[23] each of which had a central aisle that ran its length, with several tables topped with computer terminals that were linked to the main index catalog. The second and fourth halls branched off into two smaller aisles as they led to the Holocron Vaults on the outer wall.[33] Off of these main aisles were hundreds of smaller ones that divided the stacks. Each of the Stacks contained trillions of datatapes and datacards, carefully sorted and arranged into categories and subcategories.[11] At the end of the third hall, turbolifts on this level led to the Analysis Rooms and the library several floors below.[2] The great windows overlooking the two stories of the Archives were filled with statues of Jedi brandishing their lightsabers, as if defending the great storehouse.[34]

Amongst the four main aisles were bronzium sculptures of some of the most famous Jedi Masters known to the Order, displayed at intervals along the stacks on stone pedestals. Among these busts were depictions of the Lost Twenty, the only Masters that had willingly left the Order. On each pedestal rested a plaque describing the great acts of the displayed master, although, those for The Lost did not list a reason for leaving.[11] Likenesses of Masters Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Saesee Tiin, Chon Actrion and Dooku were only a few of the many depicted.[7]


The Rotunda

The central chamber of the library

At the center of the Archives was the great rotunda, the access point from which any Jedi could explore the vast chamber. Foot traffic in the rotunda typically entered via the First Hall, generally accepted as the main entrance to the Archives. A massive, circular chamber, the rotunda's arching doorways stretched to the ceiling, granting anyone in the area a view of the entire Archives room. Terminals in the rotunda allowed Jedi to access any of the four halls, narrowing their searches to a specific area.[11] Carpeted in red, the chamber's centerpiece was a large database station used by the Chief Librarian to keep record of the books stored in the Stacks.[34]


The First Hall

Known as the main entrance to the Archives due to the great, hand-carved wooden doors at its front, the First Hall contained great records on philosophy and manuscripts detailing the history of the Republic.[11] Personal journals of over a billion Jedi were also held here. While on missions, Jedi such as Mace Windu[35] and Quinlan Vos would sometimes record their thoughts and would turn them over to the Archives for review by future Jedi. Many of the more in-depth works on Force abilities were restricted to Jedi Masters; Padawans required permission from the Chief Librarian to delve into the more controversial works.[36]


The Second Hall

Running perpendicular to the first and third halls, the Second Hall contained data dedicated to mathematical and engineering sciences. Works related to the topics on hyperspace and how to achieve it and construct engines and vehicles capable of such feats were among the blue-glowing Stacks. Floor-plans of the galaxy's government buildings and other points of interest were found here, along with many manufacturers' weapon designs.[11] The computer systems here had readouts on all Temple activities including a databank dedicated to the Jedi High Council's current seating arrangements.[2] Splitting into two aisles, the hall had access ways into the two Holocron Vaults on that end of the chamber.[33]


The Third Hall

Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a fault in the Archive's records.

The Third Hall was directly opposite the first and was filled with information on the geography and culture of every known planet in the Galactic Republic. It included starmaps of interstellar and planetary regions, and detailed analyses on specific civilizations.[11] The ExplorCorps often contributed to this section, adding new planetary details as worlds were discovered beyond the Republic's reach.[10]

Just before the Clone Wars, somewhere between 32 and 22 BBY, information within the Third Hall's scope of knowledge concerning the planet Kamino, the Kaminoans, and their cloning industry was erased. Former Jedi Master Count Dooku secretly committed this act in order to conceal the creation of the Clone Army from the Jedi Council. This was uncovered by Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi when he tried to identify the origin of Galactic Senator Amidala's would-be assassin, who used a Kaminoan saber dart. This discovery eventually led to the uncovering of the Confederacy of Independent Systems' plans for war, putting into motion the Clone Wars.[7]


The Fourth Hall

"Master Kenobi says that there are even texts here that are forbidden to be read." "The Archives hold a great many secrets, it is true."

―Ahsoka Tano talking to Madame Jocasta Nu

Cato Parasitti, disguised as Madame Jocasta Nu, infiltrates Temple security from a terminal in the Archives

The Fourth Hall, running on the same plane as the second, was also split into two smaller wings; each dedicated to zoological research relating information on every known species of flora and fauna in the galaxy. It was within these stacks in the year 990 BBY, that Darth Zannah, disguised as Jedi apprentice Nalia Adollu, researched the crustaceous orbalisks, a task she had undertaken in order to save her master, Darth Bane's, life. With a reference disk provided by then-Chief Archivist Barra-Rona-Ban she was able to uncover the secret to their removal in a text written by Dr. Osaf Hamud. The visiting Darovit, Zannah's cousin, discovered her, and because she had found what she was looking for, she kidnapped him and fled. In her rush, she had forgotten the datadisk with all of her information, and the Jedi, led by Valenthyne Farfalla, were able to track her back to her master on Tython.[11]

In 22 BBY, the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious concocted a scheme to raise an army of Dark Jedi. As the Clone Wars drew so many Jedi from the Temple, it would be easier to infiltrate one of the Holocron Vaults in the Temple. Selecting the Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane, Sidious supplied Bane with schematics of the Temple and a large supply of credits and ordered him to retrieve the Acquisition Division's holocron. In order to complete the mission, Bane killed Master Bolla Ropal in order to secure the Kyber memory crystal, the activating device for the holocron. Then, after acquiring the body of Master Ord Enisence, Bane hired fellow bounty hunter Cato Parasitti to provide tactical support as he prepared to enter the Jedi stronghold. The two bounty hunters, accompanied by the droid Todo 360, set off to the Temple, Parasitti disguised as Enisence via her Clawdite shape-shifting talents.[34]

Madame Jocasta Nu introduces Ahsoka Tano to Jedi Master Tera Sinube in the Archives.

Once inside, Parasitti, still disguised as the Skrilling Jedi, made it past the Archives' guard and set up at a console by one of the vaults. Communicating via comlink with Bane, she directed him through the ventilation shafts on the roof of the Temple Ziggurat using the schematics provided by Sidious. With all her focus on the data terminal, Parasitti failed to see the approaching Madame Jocasta Nu. Having noticed Parasitti's short temper when talking to Guard Ahsoka Tano earlier, Nu had hoped to comfort the odd-acting Enisence. Startled, Parasitti struck Nu, knocking her unconscious. Mimicking Nu's form, Parasitti resumed her efforts in directing Bane. As the Duros successfully captured the holocron, the Temple went on high alert. After a short duel, Ahsoka Tano apprehended Parasitti, though Bane escaped with the holocron without a fight.[34]

Later that year, Padawan Tano sought guidance in the Archives after petty thief Bannamu absconded with her lightsaber while she and her master were on assignment in the Coruscant underworld. Searching for a lead, she was directed by Madame Nu to the ancient Master Tera Sinube, who was napping in the chamber. Sinube had compiled a massive database of the crime on Coruscant, adding to the wealth of knowledge already stored in the Archives' Stacks. After identifying the Patrolian that had stolen the lightsaber, the two Jedi went off to find it.[37]


The Chief Librarian's quarters

The Chief Librarian who oversaw the Archives night and day had their own private office off of the main halls of the great collection of knowledge. During Master Barra-Rona-Ban's time as Chief Librarian, he had a small desk covered in neat piles of notes and datacard. Along one of the walls was a viewscreen and terminal with hook-ups to the main index catalog: allowing Master Ban to reference any material at will.[11]

The Chief Archivist, while answering directly to the Council of First Knowledge, was also responsible for briefing Jedi who were preparing for missions; gathering data beforehand and presenting it in a quick session. From their quarters they could quickly created a portfolio and transmit it to the Jedi High Council for review and to help them reach a more informed decision.[38]


Study halls

Study areas separated the Archives' halls, and consisted of several desks and computers.[23] The Archives were equipped with private rooms used for diligent researches that went days without sleep. The Chief Archivist would also present information here for Jedi preparing for missions. Service hallways ran adjacent to all of the halls, allowing members of the Temple Security Force to patrol without being seen. During the raid on the Jedi Temple by Darth Vader, the Sith Lord entered through a study hall to break into a Security station. After slaughtering the guards stationed there, Vader disabled a ray shield that inhibited his path on the way to the hangars.[5]


Staff

Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu during the Clone Wars.

Overseen by the Council of First Knowledge, the Archives was directly run by the Chief Librarian. While not necessarily a Council member themselves, the Chief Librarian organized a staff of Lore Keepers to maintain the Stacks and update them with new information. Additionally, the Archives employed several JN-66 and SP-4 analysis droids. These droids wandered the Stacks in the main hall assisting those Jedi in need of direction.[10]

The last in a long line of Chief Librarians, Madame Jocasta Nu, a former High Council ran the Archives until the night of Operation: Knightfall. Sensing the fate that would soon befall her collections, she dutifully summoned her last Padawan, Jin-Lo Rayce to take secret information from the Archives offworld. Taking the tunnels out of the Temple, Rayce managed to survive, founding the Agents of Ossus as a way of protecting the information until the Order could be rebuilt.[39]


Behind the scenes

The Long Room in Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland

The Jedi Archives in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones is an almost exact digital reconstruction of the Long Room of Library of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Its imitation extends to the busts of the Lost Twenty, which, in Trinity Library, are busts of alumni, including writer Jonathan Swift.[40]

According to Pablo Helman on the Attack of the Clones DVD commentary, during the scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi speaks to Jocasta Nu, the room include busts of himself, George Lucas, Rob Coleman, and John Knoll.

The novel The Clone Wars: Wild Space erroneously states that the Jedi Archives are located within a third of Tranquility Spire.

The touch-screen keyboards of the library's computers in "Holocron Heist" use the Aurebesh symbols in alphabetical order, but display all symbols upside down. Whether this was done intentionally or if it was a mistake by the animators is not known.

Concept art of the Jedi Temple Library for Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The second book of the Fate of the Jedi series, Fate of the Jedi: Omen, has a discrepancy in the layout of the Archives. The first chapter states that Jedi Jysella Horn ascends a turbolift from the Jedi Temple Main Entrance hall to reach the First Hall of the Archives, located on the uppermost levels of the Temple. However, in the second chapter of the same book, Jedi Horn is now on the fourth floor of the previously two-story Archives chamber. After descending over the walkways of the other floors, she lands on the first level and runs out of the Archives into the main hall from which she can see the Processional Way. This discrepancy is never explained.

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