Mon Calamari Jedi, members of Admiral Ackbar’s species, are quite rare in Star Wars. The Mon Calamari are a bipedal, aquatic species native to the oceanic planet Mon Cala. Most comfortable underwater, members of the species have large, protruding eyes along with webbed hands and flipper-like feet.
Most known Mon Calamari Jedi are active around the time of the Clone Wars. Nevertheless, the highest ranking and most powerful Mon Calamari Jedi of all time operates many years later (and is a member of a familiar family).
Let’s explore all of the Mon Calamari Jedi in Star Wars.
1. Jedi Eekar Oki, Clone Wars era Jedi
Eekar Oki, a Mon Calamari male individual, serves the Jedi Order and Republic during the Clone Wars. During the war, Oki is present during a meeting when Confederate General Grievous contacts the Jedi Temple in order to gloat about his defeat and imprisonment of Jedi Master Eeth Koth. A Jedi task force later manages to rescue the Jedi Master.
In 19 BBY, Oki attends the funeral for the victims of the Jedi Temple bombing. Jedi Padawan Barris Offee, later revealed to the be perpetrator of the attack, also attends the service. Oki’s ultimate fate is unknown.
2. Jedi Council Member Cilghal, Renowned New Jedi Order Healer
Cilghal, a Mon Calamari female individual, is a New Jedi Order era Jedi Master and Jedi Council member. She is the niece of Admiral Ackbar.
Leia initially identifies Cilghal, an ambassador of the New Republic at the time, as Force sensitive. Cilghal learns the ways of the Force, becoming part of Luke Skywalker’s first graduating class of Jedi Knights. After graduating she becomes the senator for Mon Calamari for a time before leaving the position and ascending to the rank of Jedi Master.
She takes on a Jedi Padawan, eventually establishing a lab emphasizing healing and studying the effects of the Force. She becomes the most skilled and studied healer in the Jedi Order. Cilghal eventually becomes a member of the Jedi High Council.
3. Jedi Rune, Order 66 Survivor and Jedi Fugitive
Jedi Rune, a Mon Calamari male individual, serves the Jedi Order prior to the fall of the Galactic Republic. Trained in lightsaber combat, Rune constructs and wields a blue-bladed lightsaber. Unlike most Jedi, he manages to escape death during Chancellor Palpatine’s enactment of Order 66. He goes into hiding to escape capture or death at the hands of the newly formed Galactic Empire.
Surviving many years as fugutive, Rune eventually becomes one of the top ten most wanted fugitives of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild. In 1 ABY an unidentified bounty hunter tracks down and kills the fugitive Jedi, collecting the sought-after bounty on his head.
4. Jedi Knight Kerrshnek, Clone Wars era Jedi
Jedi Knight Kerrshnek, a male Mon Calamari individual, ascends to the rank of Jedi Knight within the Jedi Order during the final years of the Republic.
During the Clone Wars Kerrshnek serves on a six-member Jedi task force charged with rescuing Gotal representative Nathanjo Nirrelz from the custody of a radical Gotal splinter group. Jedi Knight Sarrissa Jeng leads the mission.
In the middle of the initial stages of hostage negotiations, a third party group of vigilantes suddenly opens fire on the aggressors. Panicking, the Gotal splinter group opens fire on their own hostages. In the ensuing battle, the Jedi task force manages to rescue representative Nirrelz along with several additional hostages. Jedi task force members Kaloor Cofi and Antyard-Wo Shissan perish during the battle, however.
Note that Joe Corroney identifies the Mon Calamari Jedi in his artwork as Kerrshnek. The name is not officially confirmed as canon, however.
5. Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb, Clone Wars era Jedi and Former Padawan of Kit Fisto
Nahdar Vebb, a Mon Calamari male individual, ascends to the rank of Jedi Knight. He excels as a Force healer during the Clone Wars. Originally an apprentice of Jedi Master Kit Fisto, Vebb ascends to the rank of Knighthood by himself when his Master is called away. Vebb reunites with his former Master on on mission to track down Confederate leader Nute Gunray. During the mission they enter a fortress that they eventually learn is the lair of Confederate General Grievous.
When Grievous returns to his lair, Vebb, Fisto, and a group of clone troopers ambush him. Wounded in battle, Grievous escapes through a secret door. Later, the Jedi gain access to Grievous’ control room. As Grievous approaches, Vebb becomes eager and overly confident to fight him. Disobeying Fisto’s command to come with him to the control room, the pair become separated. Vebb successfully fights off several MagnaGuard droids before dueling Grievous himself. While dueling the Jedi with two arms, Grievous uses a third arm to draw a blaster and kill the Jedi.
Although Vebb’s lightsaber joins General Grievous’ notorious collection, Kit Fisto later manages to recover the lightsaber.
Additional Mon Calamari Jedi
Ambaln, a skilled Jedi investigator prior to the Clone Wars. He falls to the dark side of the Force during an undercover mission. Ambaln flees to the Outer Rim Territories, plotting to form his own dark side version of the Jedi High Council.
Onkya, a Clone Wars era Jedi youngling. They manage to escape death during the enactment of Order 66 along with Jedi Padawan Chase Piru and Jedi Master K’Kruhk.
Bant Eerin, a Clone Wars era Jedi. She is one of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s oldest friends from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Bre’ano Umakk, a Clone Wars era Jedi. After surviving Order 66 and settling on the planet Dantooine, Umakk trains fellow Jedi survivors in defensive combat.
