Page 69 - Star Wars Insider #177

ASAJJ VENTRESS

Ventress is also a driven and and a sense of purpose, something anyone who stands in the way.
focused warrior. When working as she always needs. She feels that The Nightsisters themselves
a bounty hunter, she forcefully he appreciates her, and that seems are cruel, and Ventress feels right
tells her Jedi partner Quinlan Vos at least partly true. When Sidious at home with them. Karis says
that she won’t permit any “foolish tells Dooku to kill Ventress, he that she is honored to consider
errors. No lost quarries because you hesitates—before agreeing to have Ventress her sister. Mother Talzin
want to make a grand gesture. I Ventress assassinated. also encourages Ventress to side
won’t tolerate laziness or stupidity.” with the Nightsisters against Count
She named her starship the “Nothing There but Fog Dooku, and seems to reassure her
Banshee after people referred to and Witches” when she says: “You have your
her by that monster’s name for One of Ventress’ greatest strengths breath, your skill, and your sisters.
her triumphant laughter and raspy is her ability to survive no matter Everything you need to survive.”
voice. In the real world, the banshee the odds. Dooku thinks that he can It might indeed be reassuring
is a creature from Irish mythology. control her story, but he cannot. for Ventress to know that these
Her screams are said to foretell She survives the assassination things can guarantee her survival.
the death of a family member. attempt and returns to the one But Talzin is also trying to use
That association is particularly place she thought she might fi nd a Ventress for her own ends in the
appropriate for Ventress, since she future, Dathomir, her homeworld. same way Dooku did. Reassuring
has lost almost everyone who cared Ventress that no one except the

about her in a life filled with pain. Nightsisters will support her is just
The first loss, and “IT TAKES VENTRESS another way to bring her more

the one that set her firmly under their control. Ventress

on her dark path, is IDENTIFYING WITH likes this warlike family, but it also
the loss of her true OTHER PEOPLE FOR shows one of the fundamental
parents. Ventress’ themes of Star Wars: that the dark
mother belongs to the HER TO TURN AWAY side corrupts its users, seducing
Nightsister clan, the them with power and comfort
society of Force-using FROM HER VISCIOUS before leading them to misery
witches led by Mother and destruction. This is the case
Talzin. Ventress is PHILOSOPHY.” when Dooku sends Grievous to get
given up as part of revenge against the Nightsisters.
a deal made with Grievous’ forces massacre
a Siniteen slaver Though she is still steeped in dark Ventress’ people, leaving her
named Hal’sted. side magic as she attempts to get adrift once again and saddened
When Hal’sted revenge on Dooku, Dathomir is that she doesn’t know how to
is shot and killed the first place she has visited in a perform any of the funeral rites

by Weequay pirates, long time where she feels she is that gave the Nightsisters the
however, Jedi Master among family. Mother Talzin nurses power to raise undead soldiers.
Ky Narec fi nds the her wounds and offers her a place It takes Ventress identifying
young Dathomirian to stay among the Nightsisters. with other people for her to turn
alone. He takes her Ventress even fi nds companions, away from her vicious philosophy.
under his wing and, the warriors Karis and Naa’leth. Two people in particular help her
for a time, the pair defend the Unfortunately, another one begin to turn toward the light:
people of the planet Rattatak of Ventress’ most important Pluma Sodi and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
from pirates and warlords. When relationships at this time mirrors
Ky Narec is killed, however, exactly what caused Ventress so Finding a Home
dying in Ventress’ arms, she much suffering in the fi rst place. Late in the Clone Wars, Jedi
embraces the dark side as a She essentially enslaves Savage Council member Mace Windu
balm for her loss and presents Opress, training him ruthlessly says that Ventress has “failed at
herself to Count Dooku as a as Dooku trained her. She even being the perfect Sith.” He points
01 Asajj was
potential apprentice. a hero, a oversees while Savage kills his out that she has tried to kill Dooku
Ventress does not fi nd villain, and a own brother, forcing someone several times without success.
smuggler in
the security and triumph she her storied else to experience the same pain She does succeed at making
desires by working with Dooku, life (left). she experienced when she lost the a precarious living as a bounty
either. Their relationship is a Jedi Master with whom she was so hunter, living on Tatooine and
02 Jedi training
twisted version of the loyalty helped make close. Throughout her life, Ventress on Coruscant’s infamous Level
shown between Jedi Masters Ventress adheres to the Sith belief that in 1313. While there she joins a
lethal with
and apprentices, but it does order to gain power, one must group of bounty hunters under
a lightsaber
allow Ventress some stability (left). be willing to kill anything or the command of a young Boba

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