Era: Pre Ruusan Old Republic
Nomi Sunrider was a Jedi who trained under Master Thon on Ambria, in ancient days. She was the widow of Andur Sunrider, also a Jedi, and mother of Vima Sunrider. Her most famous skill was in battle meditation. Her maiden name was Da Boda. She began training late in life, for at the time the Jedi were not insisting on only training infants.
Nomi’s greatest challenge was her reluctance to take up the lightsaber. It reminded her of her husband’s death and the traumatic moments that followed.
Battle Meditation was her natural gift and it was enhanced by the Jedi Master’s training it. She also had the ability to blind someone to the Force. This was taught her by Master Odan Urr and he emphasized it was a power to be used only with great caution for it was a terrible thing to do this to a Force User, even an evil one. She was at one point triggered to use this, and later regretted that she had overdone it. She did not know how to reverse it and Master Odan Urr had since been killed.
Nomi Sunrider was trained just in time to be pulled into the conflict of Onderon. The battle to contain the Sith teaching there failed, and it spread to the Empress Teta system. From there the Sith War would explode across the galaxy in a conflagration, dragging Nomi and all her allies into it. She would go on to be a great and famous leader of the Jedi and was selected to be a part of the special Noetikon technology. Similar to a holocron, but this was a group of such devices that combined to allow a complete council of Jedi Masters to share their wisdom.
Nomi Sunrider was the first character to reveal the use of Jedi Battle Meditation. She was also one of the first few Jedi mentioned as having a family. Jedi with family became more rare after her time as their attachment could be twisted against them by enemies and it divided their loyalties.
Nomi had a daughter, Vima, and a direct descendent, Nomi Da Boda who violated the code of her time and had a daughter. She abandoned the Order when her daughter died, exiling herself for shame of taking vengeance. She lived through Order 66 and later gave aid to the Skywalker Solo family. It is unknown why this Vima would have the same last name as her ancestor. Tionne, one of Luke’s first Jedi student’s, was a great historian and researched Nomi Sunrider and sang songs of her adventures to inspire the new Academy students.
Nomi Stories
These are the original graphic novels by Dark Horse that combined the original comic book story arcs. They are also available as omnibus format and more additions are expected or hoped for.
- Tales of the Jedi
- Tales of the Jedi : (Called The Collection, or Knights of the Old Republic depending on your graphic novel) – also available in full audio drama
- Tales of the Jedi : Freedom Nadd Uprising – also available in full audio drama
- Tales of the Jedi : Dark Lords of the Sith
- Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
- Tales of the Jedi: Redemption
Mentioned in:
- Knights of the Old Republic (mentioned in conversations with Jolee Bindo)
- Star Wars the Old Republic – Jedi Consular story arc.
- Dark Empire trilogy
- Firestorm (Short story, Star Wars Adventure Journal WEG)
- Jedi Academy Trilogy
- Junior Jedi Knights
- Young Jedi Knights
Additional References
- The Essential Guide to Characters
- The New Essential Guide to Characters
- Tales of the Jedi Companion (WEG)
“Like a great calm sea, Master Odan-Urr—a sea with light coming from its depths. I feel so peaceful when I meditate on the Force.”
Nomi Sunrider
Additional Notes
Nomi Sunrider was initially to be in a novel (called Mandalore) and her daughter Vima would’ve featured in Knights of the Old Republic. Due to legal conflicts with the name “Sunrider” they were forced to drop Vima from Knights of the Old Republic, although Jolee’s use of the name remained. Vima was replaced by Bastila Shan, and ended up with a whole new (non Jedi) family.
