Shado Vao

Origins

Shado Vao and his twin sister Astraal, was orphaned at a young age when their parents’ ship crashed-landed on the planet Vendexa. They were soon rescued by the Imperial mission. Later, the two were discovered by the Jedi due to their strong connection to the Force. The two parted ways when Shado decided to train at the Jedi Academy on Ossus, while Astraal decided to become an Imperial Missionary.
 
On Ossus, Shado became a padawan under the Jedi Master Kol Skywalker, the decedent of Luke Skywalker, and became friends with his son, Cade Skywalker, a padawan as well. As they grew up, they would have some adventures exploring the outer cities on the planet Coruscant. At some point in time, Shado traveled with his master, Cade and his master, Wolf Sazen on the planet Wayland, to oversee the Ossus project, but unknown to them at the time, the project was sabotaged by the Sith, turning the natives and wildlife into aggressive, mutated beings that attacked the Jedi. They barely escaped with their lives.

 
Due to the Ossus project failing, war broke out between the Galactic Alliance and the Galactic Empire called The Sith-Imperial War. Due to the Empire allying themselves with the Sith, the Empire won. The Sith later attacked the Jedi Temple on Ossus. Both Cade and Vao were awoken by the assault, and defended themselves. Kol put Vao and Cade in charge of getting the Jedi younglings off the planet while he and Wolf defended the shuttle. Cade refused to due so, and went back to help his Father, but ended up saving his master, Wolf instead who was mortally wounded by Darth Nihl. While on board the shuttle, Vao witnessed his friend Cade tap into the Dark side to save his master. As they left the planet, Vao and Cade felt Kol’s death through the Force, and Cade when out one last time in his starfighter to fight off fighters in order for the shuttle to escape. Cade was apparently killed when his fighter was shot down, and Shado was forced to abandon his friend for the younglings. 
 

Creation

Shado Vao was created by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema.
 

Character Evolution

Shado Vao was known to be a calm, collected Jedi. After receiving training from Wolf Sazen, he became a Jedi Knight. After seeing his old friend Cade Skywalker alive after the events on Ossus, he became concerned about his well being and that he was going to fall to the Dark side. He feared that if Cade would go to the Dark Side, he would be the one to kill him.

Major Story Arcs

After the event on Ossus, Shado Vao became the apprentice under Cade Skywalker’s former master, Wolf Sazen. A few years later, he became a Jedi Knight. He later joined his former master along with other Jedi for a meeting on the planet Daluuj, where they were ambushed by the Sith. Unfortunately, Shado and Sazen were the only ones that survived the ambush. With nothing else to do, Shado decided to travel with his former master in search for Cade Skywalker, that Sazen insists that is still alive. Sometime later, Shado was contacted by his twin sister Astraal who needed help to protect her and the Princess Marasiah Fel, daughter of Emperor Roan Fel, who were being hunted by the Sith, Darth Talon. In perpetration, Astraal arranged to meet on the planet Vendexa, the planet they crashed landed on when they were young. Unknown to Vao and Sazen, Astraal and the princess were traveling with Cade Skywalker and the Mynock crew mates, Jariah Syn and Deliah Blue.
 

When the Mynock crew arrived, they were attacked by an Acklay, but with the help of Shado Vao and Wolf Sazen, they were able to defeat it. Cade tried to keep his identity from the two Jedi, but when the Sith warrior who was pursuing Princess Fel, Darth Talon attacked them, he was forced to reveal his Force powers to fight her off. However, Darth Talon called for reinforcements. Soon, Imperial Knights, Antares Draco and Ganner Krieg came in order to rescue the princess, but The two were immediately shot down by the Sith reinforcements lead by Darth Nihl. A battle took place with Vao dueling against Darth Talon. When the princess was mortally wounded by a Sith warrior, Vao and the others escaped on the Mynock. Thanks to Cade’s healing powers, the princess survived. When the crew arrived on the planet Bastion, the capital of the Empire, Cade offered both Vao and Sazen a ride, though he was reluctant to continuing his Jedi training.
 
While on the planet Ossus, Shado, Wolf, and Cade reunited with Jedi Master K’Kruhk. Vao also served as Cade’s sparing partner as he continued his Jedi training. When Cade received a vision to rescue Jedi Hosk Trey’lis being held captive on Coruscant, he left his Masters and Vao on Ossus with Vao concerned that Cade was getting close to the Dark side and that he would be the one to kill Cade if he fell to the Dark side. A couple of days later, Vao, had a vision that Cade becoming a Sith and thought about what he said. Near the planet, a Sith lord called Darth Stryfe, ordered the destruction of the Jedi Academy ruins. Somehow, the group manage to survive the bombardment however, K’Kruhk was injured. Before losing consciousness, K’Kruhk revealed the secret location of a Hidden Jedi Temple on Taivas.
 

Shado remained at the Hidden Temple and welcomed Cade and his crew along with Imperial Knights when they arrived. Vao was present in the Jedi Council chambers when Cade proposed an assassination plan to kill Darth Krayt. Worried that Cade may have changed when he was with the Sith on Coruscant, he confronted Cade about it. It lead to a brief struggle between the two, however, Cade reassured him that he was in control of himself. Still not convinced, when the Jedi Council decided not to support Cade’s plan, Skywalker decided to act anyway, and Shado decided to go with him along with the Imperial Knights Antares, Ganner and Azlyn Rae.   
 

 

  
While on their way to the planet Had Abbadon to lure Darth Krayt into a trap, the crew came across an old Star Destroyer filled with rakghouls controlled by a Jedi Master called Celeste Morne who processed a Sith artifact call the Muur Talisman. She decided to join Cade’s cause in assassinating Darth Krayt. After the attack on Had Abbadon to get Krayt’s attention, Shado had a vision of himself killing Celeste and the talisman taking control of him. Krayt then appeared with other Sith Lords to Had Abbadon and engaged with the assassination team. Shado went up against Darth Maladi who complimented him about the trap. Krayt was apparently killed when Azyln Rae stabbed him from behind while engaging with Celeste Morne and fell in a cliff. However, Rae was grievously wounded by the Force lighting between the two and Cade quickly rushed her off Had Abbadon. As they were leaving, Krieg and Draco approached them. Cade refused to allow them to come since they tried to attain the Muur Talisman for Emperor Fel. When Krieg drew his lightsaber to try to prevent them from taking Azlyn, Shado Force-pushed him and Draco away, saying that Azlyn was a Jedi before she joined the Imperial Knights, and was therefore staying with them. 
 
Cade headed for the planet Kiffex in order to seek help from his Uncle, Nat Skywalker and his Aunt Droo. Afterward, Shado parted ways with Cade to inform the Jedi Council about Darth Krayt’s death.
 
Later, the Jedi Council requested him to be an envoy in Operation: Thunderstroke, negotiations between the Jedi Order and the Emperor Roan Fel to stand against Darth Krayt’s Sith Empire. Due to the Nyna Calixte, it was revealed that someone betrayed the secret location of where the meeting was set to be placed which ended up, but it was too late, and the Sith attacked both groups. While Emperor Fel managed to escape, his daughter was captured.
 
When word of Princess Fel was captured, Shado Vao helped Draco and Ganner to rescue her on Korriban. They managed to rescue her, but Draco stayed behind to buy some time. As they made if off of Korriban, Vao felt Draco’s “death” through the Force along with Ganner and Fel. 
 
Shado was present at the Hidden Temple when news spread that a Sith attack was coming to the Jedi Temple by Antares Draco, who revealed the secret location of the temple when he was captured by the Sith. Together with other Jedi, Vao defended the temple, but when Darth Krayt revealed his Sith Troopers, they were forced to abandon the temple. Thanks to the sacrifice of Masters Nat Skywalker and T’ra Saa, they were able to escape the Sith fleet. Following the defeat on the Hidden Temple, both the remaining Alliance, Jedi, and Empire launched an assault on Courscant to kill Darth Krayt. Shado joined Cade’s strike team to disable the orbital defense system and engaged in numerous Sith warriors. Vao held off the Sith while Cade went to confront Darth Krayt.
 
Shado Vao was last seen attending the funeral of Emperor Roan Fel.    

Powers and Abilities

At a young age, Shado Vao was strong in the Force. He used a number of Force powers such as telekinesis, Force sense, and mind trick. Vao was highly skilled with a lightsaber. He could utilize a single blade in combat or wield a double-bladed lightsaber. His skills helped him survive countless battles. Sometime after Operation: Thunderstroke, Vao was promoted as a Jedi Master. Vao was also known to be a capable pilot.