The High Republic era’s Padawans include a Wookiee Jedi-in-the-making

Star Wars is revealing the new class of Jedi in the High Republic Era, including an interesting Wookiee Padawan.

With just a few months to go before we begin seeing the first books come from the Star Wars: The High Republic project, Star Wars has been dropping a lot of info about the new characters and scenarios we’ll be reading about when it comes out.

Star Wars has previously introduced us to the main characters in these literary sagas, and now they’re revealing more of the side characters that will be along for the ride. Over on the Star Wars blog, they introduced four new Padawans who are ready to become fully-fledged Jedi during this auspicious time. Well, that is, those good times don’t last long. As it’s been teased, a Great Disaster will occur during this time, and it means the Jedi and Padawans will be put to the test like never before.

Among the four Padawans introduced is one who is actually a Wookiee. Named Burryaga, this Wookiee appears in the novel The Light of the Jedi and hails from Kashyyyk, of course. Author Charles Soule, who wrote the novel, says that he carries a two-handed lightsaber (meaning it’s basically a large lightsaber fit for a Wookiee) and his strength lies in his “effortless ability to sense the emotions of others that sets him apart from other members of the Order.”

In addition to Burryaga, there were three other Padawans introduced, as seen in writer Cavan Scott’s tweet. One of those is also from Light of the Jedi, named Bell Zettifar, who is pictured on the top left corner of the tweet. Soule summed him up as a Padawan who “hopes he survives the experience,” which says a lot about his character already. (Not all Jedi can be as fearless and gung-ho as, say, Anakin or Ahsoka.)

Pictured at the bottom left is Reath Silas, whose master is part of the Jedi Council. As author Claudia Gray described, this Padawan in Into the Dark may get a rude awakening from the good life when he’s all of a sudden thrust into the frontier. And finally, on the top right is Lula Talisola, a character in The High Republic Adventures comic by Daniel José Older. Writer Older describes her as a bit of a mischief-maker, but she’s a Padawan who can’t wait to be Knighted and wants to be the best Jedi.

As it turns out, Jedi come in all shapes and all sizes. But at the heart, they must be fearless and willing to protect the galaxy no matter what. We’ll have to see how each of these Padawans steps into the shoes of a Jedi, and we have a feeling with the Great Disaster, it won’t be easy for everyone.

Star Wars: The High Republic books will begin releasing in January of 2021.