Coleman Trebor

"The Jedi are guardians of peace and justice. We are servants, not celebrities."

―Coleman Trebor^[4]

Coleman Trebor was a male Vurk from Sembla, who served as a Jedi Master and Council member of the Jedi Order during the waning years of the Galactic Republic. Trebor was one of few Vurks to earn galactic fame some time before the Invasion of Naboo, after averting a number of interplanetary disputes without bloodshed. Something of a celebrity with the media, Trebor was well-connected, with numerous diverse contacts located throughout the galaxy.

In 27 BBY, after the death of Yarael Poof, Trebor was chosen for a place on the Jedi High Council, and he participated in many missions during the Separatist Crisis; along with fellow Jedi Shaak Ti, he foiled an assassination attempt on Chancellor Palpatine in 24 BBY, and participated in the Battle of Antar 4 over a year later.

In 22 BBY, Trebor traveled to the world of Geonosis along with a strike team of two hundred Jedi to rescue Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala from the clutches of Count Dooku, the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Trebor participated in the skirmish in the Petranaki arena, using his lightsaber to slay many Geonosians and destroy many Separatist battle droids. When he realized an opportunity to kill Dooku, he leapt onto Archduke Poggle the Lesser's viewing box, taking the Count by surprise. However, Dooku's right-hand-man, Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, fired upon Trebor with his blaster pistol, sending him to his death as he fell many meters.

It was later said that, had Trebor been successful, the Clone Wars might have been averted.

Biography[]

Jedi Master[]

Coleman Trebor was a male Vurk native to the backwater planet of Sembla, born during the waning years of the Galactic Republic. Though Trebor's species was considered primitive by galactic standards, he was found to be Force-sensitive early in his life, and was taken in by the Jedi Order for training. He became a Jedi Knight and eventually a Master,^[1] the only known Vurk to have done so during the Republic Classic era.^[5] As a Master, he peacefully resolved a number of large disputes between important planets with great success, earning a reputation as a skilled negotiator and diplomat. Like all Jedi, Trebor was trained in the art of lightsaber combat, though he preferred to use words over violence. Despite this, he never hesitated to draw his weapon when the situation required it of him, and he was known to be a cunning warrior.^[6] Trebor also spent time in the Jedi Archives in the Temple on Coruscant.^[7] He shared a close friendship with a Human female Padawan named Jyl Somtay, and the two had many insightful conversations.^[8]

Trebor made many contacts while serving as a mediator, and was well-known throughout the galaxy, as well as in the Jedi Order. Many outsiders of the Order believed that he represented how they expected a Jedi to behave,^[6] and he was widely respected,^[9] which was something of a surprise to many considering his humble background.^[6] After Jedi Master Yarael Poof's death in 27 BBY, Trebor was appointed as his replacement on the Jedi High Council.^[10] The Council chose him because of his myriad contacts around the galaxy, and because of his abilities in dealing with other species. He was often sent to social events to act as a representative of the Council,^[6] and was a spokesbeing for the Jedi Order, often directly speaking to the media.^[4]

In 24 BBY, a terrorist named Granta Omega stormed the Senate Building with a group of assassin droids in an attempt to assassinate Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Coleman Trebor and fellow Jedi Shaak Ti were among the first to learn of the attack and they traveled to the Senate Building post haste, along with teams of Jedi. Palpatine was located in the unoccupied Grand Convocation Chamber, and Trebor and his fellow Jedi used the pods in which senators normally sat to propel themselves forward, toward Omega and Palpatine. They engaged many of the assassin droids, destroying them. Ultimately, Omega's plot was foiled and Palpatine emerged unscathed.^[11]

Jedicouncil2 — Jedi Master Coleman Trebor on the Jedi Council

Trebor joined the Council during a turbulent period, known as the Separatist Crisis; former Jedi Master Dooku had founded the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and many star systems were seceding from the Republic and joining the Separatists. In 22.5 BBY, a Separatist sect dubbed the Roshu Sune emerged on Antar 4, the home moon of the Gotal species, and uncover agents working for the Roshu Sune infiltrated many chapter houses of the Jedi-allied Antarian Rangers. Overnight, many Rangers were killed and Antar 4 was thrown into disarray. Eager for revenge, Antarian Rangers from across the galaxy converged on the moon, while Coleman Trebor and Saesee Tiin led battalion of Jedi Knights to deal with the threat posed by the Roshu Sune.^[10]

The first assault was a disaster, resulting in monumental loss of life on both sides. For the second assault, Trebor and Tiin used electromagnetic pulses to overwhelm the Gotals' sensitive headcones, and were able to apprehend and defeat the Roshu Sune without bloodshed. However, the attack upset the majority of the local populace, who believed the Jedi had used sloppy tactics. Trebor and Tiin returned to Coruscant, but the damage had been done; the public image of the Jedi had been damaged, and many looked to the Battle of Antar 4 as a reason for seceding. The remaining members of the Roshu Sune carried out many terrorist acts on Coruscant in Dooku's name, which the leader of the CIS never publicly condemned. The Jedi Council, convinced that Dooku, a former Jedi, was nothing more than a peaceful political idealist, refused to make the link between the attacks and Dooku.^[10]

Final mission[]

TreborConfrontsDooku-AOTC — Trebor encounters Count Dooku seconds before his death.

Like many of his peers from the High Council, Master Trebor was part of the Jedi task force sent to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala. Several minutes into the battle, he attempted to attack Count Dooku alone, even though the Count was said to possess vastly superior lightsaber skills. It would not come to a duel, however—Trebor was shot at by the bounty hunter Jango Fett, who was standing at Dooku's side, but he deflected the first two shots. The third shot was aimed at his shoulder, hitting it successfully, and the last shot hit him in the abdomen. The force of blow lifted him clean off his feet over the balcony, causing him to fall to his death.^[2]

Legacy[]

The conflict after the battle on Geonosis became the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars, and it was later mused that the Clone Wars may have been averted had Trebor struck Dooku down.

Personality and traits[]

ColemanTrebor-TLC — Jedi Master Coleman Trebor

Coleman Trebor considered himself to be more of a diplomat than a fighter, and was known for peacefully settling a number of interplanetary disputes. Though he was well known for his diplomacy skills, as well as being very humble, he believed that Jedi were servants, not celebrities. He was also insightful and shared a close friendship with a Padawan named Jyl Somtay. Despite his peaceful personality, Master Trebor was courageous enough to attempt to attack Count Dooku, but his attempt was foiled by Jango Fett.^[2]

Skills and abilities[]

Although noted more for his considerable diplomatic abilities, Trebor was a deadly lightsaber combatant.^[6] One of the greatest Jedi of the Old Republic,^[9] Trebor was capable of besting most adversaries with or without his lightsaber.^[6] The 360° vision of a Vurk was well-suited for the Soresu style of lightsaber combat, and this was Trebor's chosen technique.

As a Jedi Master, Trebor's knowledge of the Force was almost unparalleled. He was highly skilled in the ability of Force Stealth, which he used to successfully sneak up on Count Dooku.^[6]

Behind the scenes[]

Coleman Trebor was realized as a completely computer-generated character by Industrial Light & Magic, making appearances in both the Jedi Temple and at the Battle of Geonosis during Attack of the Clones. His headcrest and other features were modeled after the fossil remains of the famous hadrosaurid Parasaurolophus.^[1]

Trebor is used as a model for the Jedi Instructor miniature from the Star Wars Miniatures set, Masters of the Force. Curiously, instead of being a part of the baseline Republic faction, he is part of the Old Republic faction. In 2013, Coleman Trebor appears in the Lego Star Wars 75019 AT-TE set.