Star Wars hasn’t been without controversy from the beginning, whether it be Luke and Leia’s kiss or the destruction of Alderaan. In my column, I will strive to defend its controversial authors, ideas, or characters. My intent is to bring these issues to light and see the intent behind them

This month’s case is the unfortunate death of Nelani Dinn. Click on the link below and see how Nelani Dinn’s death was foreshadowed before Betrayal…

IN DEFENSE OF NELANI’S DEATH

Nelani’s death came as a surprise to me. I wasn’t expecting animal lover, philosophical thinker Jacen Solo to act so callous, so barbaric. Yet a reading of Betrayal would suggest that if it wasn’t Nelani, then it would be someone else. Even before Jacen stabs Nelani, many bodies followed in his wake. I’m not defending why innocents should be killed but rather what her death means to Jacen’s character and on a wider scale, to the EU.

In Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, Jacen and Anakin Solo are faced with a moral dilemma. New Republic Intelligence believes that Corellia might be attacked by the Vuzzhan Vong. The Centerpoint, notorious for its firepower, could be a weapon that the Vuzzhan Vong cannot counter and thus save many lives but at the price of slaughtering the Vuzzhan Vong in a pre-empted strike. Jacen Solo, pondering the meaning of the Force, has decided to no longer use the Force in light of his indecision about what a Jedi truly means; he believes that Centerpoint should be used as shield rather than a weapon. The Centerpoint Station, now revived by Thrackan Sal-Solo and Anakin has decided to use it. The Vuzzhan Vong don’t make their move at Corellia but at Fondor. Anakin begins to waver as he hears Jacen’s arguments against using the weapon but Thrackan intervenes and Anakin’s aim goes off target. The Centerpoint’s beam hits the New Republic’s reluctant allies, the Hapan Fleet and some Vuzzhan Vong ships as well.

An older Jacen Solo recalls this incident in the first chapters of Betrayal, saying that if given the chance, he would’ve fired just as Anakin did. He marvels in the ways he has changes since then. Can you sacrifice one for greater good? This, and another question (seen in next month’s column), are the dual themes of Betrayal. By the end of Betrayal, Jacen has his answer but the answer is foreshadowed throughout the novel.

Later, Jacen encounters Thrackan Sal-Solo in Centerpoint. Jacen peeks into the future, seeing the brutal possibilities of failing to murder his cousin and chooses to kill him. Thrackan escapes by using gravity manipulations and Jacen remarks that he’d failed in “his greater responsibility.”

Peace talks between Corellia and the Alliance are interrupted by murder. The Jedi investigate the circumstances and Jaina discovers tassels of unknown origins. Jacen implores his sister to switch with him and not tell his uncle. Jaina agrees and Jacen’s journey to discover the true meaning of the tassels begins. But like any hero’s journey, it is not without trials.

In Lorrd, Jacen reunites with his former acquaintance Nelani Dinn. As Jacen, Ben, and Nelani begin to discover the meanings of the tassels, a strange hostage situation breaks out. A man in a starfighter threatens to fire missiles upon students. Nelani tries to persuade him and discover this man has been seeing visions but before Nelani can find out more, Jacen uses the Force to remove the repulsors/thrusters. Jacen and Nelani debate if one who threatens the innocent deserves any considerations. As the book progresses, Jacen is put in more situations where he must sacrifice one to save many.

The tassels and incidents lead to one person: Brisha Syo. In captivity, she remarks that in order to kill her, Jacen would have to kill Nelani first. Brisha Syo, whom can’t be held on charges, tells Jacen that his answers are to be found with her and he must go to this planet. Jacen announces his decision to go and Nelani volunteers to go with him. Jacen says it’s a bad idea for Nelani to go with him based on his gut, not the Force.

Upon reaching the planet, Brisha Syo reveals her real identity; she is Lumiya, Dark Lady of the Sith and she wants Jacen to be her apprentice and rise to the throne as a Dark Lord. Nelani presents the traditional Jedi side (I imagine Luke in ROTJ saying much of what she said), serving as the reader’s surrogate and Jacen’s conscience.

Nelani serves as the reader’s surrogate because she voices the same concerns most readers would have about Jacen turning to the dark side. She is also serves as the Jacen’s conscience, saying the things he should by saying but isn’t. Jacen as seen in the The Dark Nest Trilogy (and earlier works) believes none of the Force traditions he visited had the answers he was seeking: he had knowledge and skills but no purpose. He needed a future.

Lumiya consents to be arrested by Nelani and Jacen again peers into the future. He sees himself cutting down Luke Skywalker as a result of Lumiya’s arrest. Aaron Allston plays upon the reader’s biases and puts the reader in the same situation as Jacen. The reader has just met Nelani but she doesn’t share the same affection among the fan base of The Luke Skywalker. She shouldn’t have any lesser value based on a desire to see Luke alive, not to mention that they are both innocent. I admit I found myself hoping that Luke Skywalker would live yet I knew it was wrong to hope Nelani would die, revealing my own prejudices.

It’s here that Jacen decides he must kill Nelani. Lumiya mentions that Sith strengthen themselves through sacrifice. Jacen tracks down Nelani. He peers into her future, seeing love and family planned for Nelani, and stabs her. Jacen feels sorrowful about her future and realizes with that omission that he’s still a human being capable of compassion.

In my second column “In Defense of Chewie’s Death,” I said that character’s death should be natural, the summit of imminent events created by good authors. The forshadowing of Nelani’s death is spotted throughout Betrayal and in Jacen’s struggle with morality in NJO. Her death also points to Jacen’s future “sacrifices” including Mara Jade Skywalker and pave the way to Jacen’s death by his sister.

As Jacen cut with his lightsaber, he became a believable villain and the implications of this fateful choice remained to be seen. As Jacen cut with his lightsaber, he essentially demanded by his own reasoning that he should be killed. Join me next month as we explore this topic….