Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force

Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force is a Star Wars Legends junior novel written by Dave Wolverton. The book was published by Scholastic on May 3, 1999, and it is the first installment of the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice book series. Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force is set in the year 44 BBY, and it follows Obi-Wan Kenobi under the tutelage of Qui-Gon Jinn.

Publisher's summary

Peace over anger.
Honor over hate.
Strength over fear.

Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi desperately wants to be a Jedi Knight. After years at the Jedi Temple, he knows the power of the lightsaber and the Force. But he cannot control his own anger and fear. Because of this, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will not take him on as a Padawan apprentice.

Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies—and face up to his own dark wishes.

Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.

Plot summary

Obi-Wan spars with another Jedi apprentice, Bruck Chun, under the supervision of Yoda. Throughout the battle, Bruck grows increasingly angrier, as does Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan eventually emerges victorious, tiring his opponent to the point of defeat. Yoda dispenses sage advice, but neither apprentice pays attention. After their Master leaves, Bruck taunts Obi-Wan into another, unauthorized, battle. Both boys fight until they are exhausted. Obi-Wan leaves the training area and returns to his room, but Bruck travels up to the infirmary, mutters Obi-Wan's name, and pretends to pass out: his plan all along has been to discredit Obi-Wan.

Later that evening, as Obi-Wan bandages his wounds, his clan Master, Docent Vant, arrives with shocking news: Vant's datapad details Obi-Wan's orders to report to the freighter Monument for transfer to the Agricultural Corps. Obi-Wan protests the decision, claiming that he can still become a Jedi Knight, but Docent is firm, and finally Obi-Wan concedes. He packs his bags, and after a tearful encounter with his Mon Calamari friend Bant, he goes to bed in a state of despondency, in a world that now lacks meaning for him.

The next morning, Obi-Wan prepares to leave. The medics heal his burns, and he travels down to the refrectory for one last meal at the Temple. During breakfast, he says goodbye to his friends Garen Muln and Reeft, as well as Bant. All three try to reassure him, but he is unaffected by their consolation. It is the taunts of Bruck Chun and his friend Aalto that strike closer to home. Although Reeft breaks the mood with some timely, food-related humor, it is clear that Obi-Wan feels that there is no hope remaining.

However, on top of one of the Temple's tallest towers, in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, Yoda is arguing on his behalf. Although Mace Windu is originally skeptical, the testimony of Advanced Jedi Training Droid 6, a witness to the fight, sways him. Yoda says that both Bruck and Obi-Wan will be allowed to spar for Qui-Gon Jinn that afternoon.

Later that afternoon, Obi-Wan and Bruck spar. Obi-Wan fights well, but because this is his last chance to be claimed as a Padawan, he suddenly attacks furiously, defeating Bruck. He goes to Qui-Gon Jinn, sure that now that he has proven himself, Qui-Gon wi accept him as a Padawan. However, Qui-Gon disapproves of his aggressive fighting style, and rejects him, saying that Obi-Wan will be at too great a risk for the dark side. Obi-Wan silently leaves the Temple, sadder than ever before.

Meanwhile, Qui-Gon enters the Map Room, upset by the memory of Obi-Wan's expression. Yoda approaches and confronts him, saying that if he does not take Obi-Wan as a Padawan, Obi-Wan's dreams will die. Qui-Gon prevaricates, saying that perhaps he will choose a Padawan next year. Yoda chides him for his reluctance, and reminds Qui-Gon that he too fought angrily as a boy. But Qui-Gon still refuses to take Obi-Wan. Yoda warns him that if he does not choose an apprentice, he might end up with one anyway. Qui-Gon enquires as to Obi-Wan's assignment. Yoda replies that he is to work with the Agricultural Corps on Bandomeer, a statement that surprises Qui-Gon, who has just been assigned a mission on the same planet. Yoda responds that Bandomeer is a good place for young Jedi to learn, and leaves Qui-Gon with the advice that he too still has more to learn.

Both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan leave for Bandomeer on the Monument, which also carries miners from the Offworld Mining Corporation and Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation. Due to mutual animosity, the two companies keep to separate sides of the ship, but when Arcona Mineral Harvest's thermocons go missing, Obi-Wan and his Arcona friend Si Treemba search for them on Offworld's side of the ship. Si Treemba is caught by Grelb the Hutt, and Obi-Wan has to reveal himself to rescue him. This worsens relationships between Offworld, Arcona Mineral Harvest, and the two Jedi.

En route the Monument is attacked by Togorian pirates, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon work together to defeat the criminals, though Qui-Gon is injured and many Offworld slaves are killed. The Arconas, however, hide and remain safe. To replace the slaves killed during the attack, Jemba the Hutt steals all the dactyl on the ship, forcing the Arconas to serve him or starve. Obi-Wan and Clat'Ha convince the Arconas to wait before agreeing.

The damaged ship lands on an island on an unknown planet. While the tide comes in, the crew and passengers flee into a cave system in the hills. Qui-Gon figures out Jemba has hidden the dactyl in the cliffs and goes to recover it. Grelb and a group of Whiphids are lying in wait and shoot at him as he climbs, but they are driven off when the native predators, the draigons, attack them.

Qui-Gon successfully collects the dactyl, only to feel Obi-Wan's summons in the Force. He uses the Force to tame a draigon and rides it down to the caves where the Arconas have grown increasingly sick. Yet other draigons begin to swarm the caves. Qui-Gon sends a warning to Obi-Wan, who jumps over a gloating Jemba to fight off the draigons at the mouth of the cave. Qui-Gon brings the dactyl to the Arconas.

Grelb tries to shoot Obi-Wan in retaliation, but he misses and shoots Jemba, who dies. Grelb himself is subsequently eaten by draigons. Qui-Gon and the miners help Obi-Wan defend the caves until the draigons fly off at nightfall. Clat'Ha buys out the Offworld contracts of Aggaba the Hutt, who was left in charge when Jemba and Grelb died, and his workers, freeing them.

At dawn the ship continues to Bandomeer, where Qui-Gon learned the planet doesn't need Jedi assistance after all. It was all a ruse, set up by Qui-Gon's former Padawan Xanatos.