Ryza Ayre

Ryza Ayre was a human Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars and was a Padawan when Order 66 occurred in 19 BBY. He was at the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant when it was attacked by Republic forces and fled after seeing former Jedi Anakin Skywalker killing other Jedi and younglings. After living in alleyways for several days, Ayre was found by Path of the Open Hand member Jesha Cour, who warmly offered to help him and brought him back to her apartment.

At the apartment, Ayre explained what he had witnessed at the temple to Cour, calling himself a coward and crying. Cour, who in actuality believed that the Jedi had deserved their downfall due to their use of the Force, blamed the Jedi for deaths of the younglings and became resolute in her plan to poison Ayre with syntox to help balance the Force. She offered the Padawan tea, although he became visibly unsettled by her before she served it.

Biography

Flight from the Temple

Ryza Ayre was a human member of the Jedi Order who fought on behalf of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars^[1] against the Confederacy of Independent Systems.^[2] He held the rank of Padawan when^[1] Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine issued Order 66^[2] in 19 BBY,^[3] naming the Jedi enemies of the Republic.^[2] When Republic forces turned on the Jedi, Ayre was in the Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant, which was attacked by clone troopers that Ayre had once considered brothers led by^[1] the former Jedi Anakin Skywalker.^[2]

The attack happened quickly from Ayre's perspective, and he saw Skywalker cut down other Jedi, including younglings, although he was unaware of the former Jedi's identity and perceived him as a shadow. Upon seeing the massacre, the Padawan fled rather than staying to fight as others did. He hoped there would be other survivors, but did not encounter any, although he did see a warning message sent out by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi^[1] after the Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire telling survivors to avoid the Jedi Temple^[4] and trust in the Force.^[1]

Suspicious savior

Stealing clothing, he lived in the alleyways of Coruscant for days before the human Jesha Cour discovered him shivering behind a wastebin. Cour, a member of the anti-Jedi Path of the Open Hand, initially felt something similar to pity for the Padawan, but this quickly turned to righteous indignation, as she believed the Jedi had unbalanced the Force through using it and so saw their downfall as deserved. Planning to poison the Jedi, she held out a jogan fruit while showing a comforting smile, offering the fruit to Ayre as a gift freely given. Although his first response was to shrink back in fear, he tentatively took the fruit.^[1]

Cour introduced herself and asked if Ayre was a Jedi, causing the Padawan to plead with her not to say anything. Winking conspiratorially with a finger to her lips, Cour gave Ayre her cloak as a disguise so he could pass through the streets unseen as she led him to her home near Augur Alley. He did not immediately put it on, but tugged it around him tightly when Cour began leaving the alley and turned to extend her hand back to him. When they reached Cour's small apartment, he asked if it was her home in a tone that she could not distinguish between pity or relief. When she told him her true home had been lost during the Clone Wars, he sighed and apologized for the fact the Jedi had not managed to end the war sooner.^[1]

A gift offered freely

When Cour offered him tea, Ayre began to protest but quickly stopped and simply thanked his host since he was clearly starving. Doing her best to maintain her warm facade as she remained resolute in her plan to kill the Jedi on behalf of the Force, Cour told him it was another freely given gift and explained the blue markings she wore on her forehead were a sign of her faith, although she did not reveal what group she was part of and denied being part of the^[1] pro-Jedi^[2] Church of the Force when Ayre hopefully asked.^[1]

After Ayre finally gave her his name, she asked what had happened at the temple, and the Padawan began to sob with his shoulders stooped and his head hung low, trying to cover the sound with his hand. He told her what he had seen and confessed his cowardice, briefly breaking her heart with his sorrow and shocking her with the revelation of the younglings' deaths. However, Cour internally blamed the innocent younglings' deaths on the arrogance of the Jedi, erasing any remaining doubt she had about her course of action as she clutched a jogan pit full of the poison synox. When Ayre mentioned Kenobi's advice to trust in the Force, Cour responded with a Path of the Open Hand mantra, "the Force must be free." Although Ayre agreed, he appeared visibly unsettled, and suddenly very small to Cour, who told him his tea would soon be ready, after which he could rest.^[1]

Personality and traits

Ayre believed the Clone Wars never should have occurred, or at the very least the Jedi should have ended the conflict sooner, but came to view the clones he fought alongside during the war as brothers. He had hooded eyes that shimmered with fear when Cour approached him and then darted around anxiously when she identified him as a Jedi. He reacted with disbelief when she gave him her cloak and promised to lead him to safety, but followed her as his gaze frequently shifted to her as though he expected her to betray him. He considered himself a coward for fleeing from the Jedi Temple, but struggled to have faith in the Force after what he had seen.^[1]

Equipment

When Jesha Cour encountered Ayre, he no longer had his lightsaber and was wearing stolen clothes that were filthy from the days he had spent living in alleyways.^[1]

Behind the scenes

Ryza Ayre appeared in "Galactic Tales: The Failing of the Light," a short story by Adam Lance Garcia that was published in issue 233 of the Star Wars Insider magazine^[1] on August 19, 2025.^[5] Garcia named the character after Ryan Arey,^[6] writer, producer, and host at ScreenCrush.^[7]

Appearances

• "Galactic Tales: The Failing of the Light" — Star Wars Insider 233 (First appearance)

Notes and references