"Master Az'u Fir'al. She was a living legend, one of the greatest Jedi of her time and my most trusted friend." ― Soo Laa.
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Jedi Master Az'u Fir'al was believed to be the most powerful Jedi of her time. It is unknown if she remains alive, it is believed that she has transfered into a Wroshyr Tree, but her location was lost with the death of Master Soo Laa.

Scientists and scholars were fascinated by her, not only because of her long lifespan but also due to her profound abilities. The Netis were known for their use of the Force through techniques often categorized under Alter Environment, but Az’u Fir’al had taken this art to unparalleled levels. This only heightened her status as a target for exploitation. Desiring peace, she confined herself to the Yavin IV Temple, hidden from the galaxy unless circumstances forced her out. The Temple was both her sanctuary and her prison, a place where time stood still as the galaxy continued to churn beyond its walls.

What truly set Az’u Fir’al apart was her sense of humor and mischievous streak. She was infamous for her love of games, particularly pazaak. Despite her great age and wisdom, she had no qualms about cheating in friendly games, often toying with her opponents just to see their reactions. To her, humor was a weapon as sharp as her razor grass—a way to disarm those who underestimated her and remind others that even the ancient have their quirks.

By the time the Great Galactic War began, Az’u Fir’al was already over 12,000 years old. She had seen empires rise and fall, wars waged for forgotten causes, and alliances shattered by ambition. She had witnessed the Jedi struggle to maintain their ideals, the Sith reinvent themselves through treachery, and even the invention of Huttball—a game that amused her more than she would admit.

A Wanderer in the Jungle

Az’u’s earliest known history is as a solitary wanderer on a nameless jungle world, where she lived for several thousand years. Like all Neti, she had the ability to alter her form, sometimes appearing as a graceful humanoid woman, other times as a mass of creeping vines or a towering tree. Over time, she became more tree than woman, her mind slipping into the rhythms of the forest—listening, observing, and growing. The dense wilderness became her sanctuary and her prison. Whether she had isolated herself by choice or by some ancient tragedy remains unknown. Stories passed among traders and wanderers hinted at a mysterious “Forest Woman,” but no one truly believed the tale.

 

That changed when a merchant stumbled upon Az’u’s grove. Fascinated by the presence of an intelligent being hidden in the heart of the jungle, the merchant spent months slowly earning her trust, bringing stories of galactic life beyond the wilderness. Intrigued but wary, Az’u allowed herself to be drawn out of the forest and back into the galaxy. It was then that the Jedi Order rediscovered her, recognizing in her an ancient power—one that had only grown stronger in isolation.

 

The Wookiee Master: Sharranta

Az’u was taken in by Sharranta, a rare and remarkable figure even within the Jedi Order. Sharranta was a white-furred Wookiee consular and tribal leader from Kashyyyk—a beacon of diplomacy and ancient wisdom in the heart of the jungle world. The bond between Sharranta and Az’u ran deep, as both were beings tied to nature and the primal rhythms of life. Under Sharranta’s guidance, Az’u learned to balance the ancient, untamed power within herself with the discipline required of a Jedi.

 

Though Sharranta was known for her peaceful demeanor and precise judgment, she encouraged Az’u to embrace her natural curiosity. Lessons took place not in meditation chambers, but in groves and rivers, among the creatures of Kashyyyk. The connection to the living Force became central to Az’u’s path, and she grew adept at sensing its currents through every leaf, every stream, and every breath of wind. Sharranta, ever the tribal leader, taught Az’u that leadership was not about control—but about listening and responding to the needs of those you guide.

 

Az’u carried these teachings into her own life and work as a Jedi, though she often wielded them in ways that left others perplexed. She was both a nurturer and a mystery, a teacher whose methods were as unpredictable as the wild junglefrom which she had emerged.

 

The Founding of the Yavin IV Academy

It was alongside Arushi Juk, a brilliant Jedi Knight known for his tactical brilliance and calm demeanor, that Az’u Fir’al helped establish the Yavin IV Academy. Together, the two Jedi discovered the powerful Force nexus beneath the dense jungles of Yavin IV, a place teeming with ancient energies. Az’u felt an immediate kinship with the world’s flora and fauna, and the living pulse of the nexus resonated deeply with her. Yavin IV became the perfect home for the Academy—a place where both knowledge and the natural world could flourish.

 

Az’u and Arushi spent years shaping the foundations of the Academy, blending traditional Jedi teachings with new methods inspired by the surrounding jungle. Az’u insisted that students learn not only from books and instructors but also from the world itself, encouraging them to immerse themselves in the wilderness of Yavin IV. She often disappeared for weeks at a time, leaving her students to fend for themselves—only to reappear when least expected, offering cryptic insights that challenged their assumptions.

 

Her teaching style baffled and frustrated many, but it left an indelible mark on those she trained. Nagikonas Tar, Siiie, Kyo Laa, Tu Ku, and Ca-Dui Na—all Jedi who had completed their training on Coruscant, and would later become key figures in the Yavin IV Academy’s history—counted themselves among her students, though each admitted that they never fully understood their enigmatic master.

 

A Jedi of Many Mysteries

Over the centuries, Az’u Fir’al became a figure of legend within the Academy, a Jedi whose presence was felt more as a whisper on the wind than as a solid figure. Even among her closest companions, no one ever truly knew her. Some speculated that her long years in the jungle had left her detached from ordinary life, while others believed that she deliberately kept herself shrouded in mystery. Her decisions were often inexplicable, and her motivations unclear—but somehow, her actions always led to the right outcome.

 

She was known to train students without telling them they were being trained and to offer lessons that only made sense years after they were given. Her apprentices learned to trust in her guidance, even when they didn’t understand it—for Az’u’s wisdom often revealed itself only in hindsight.

 

The Strange End of Az’u Fir’al

In her later years, Az’u Fir’al’s connection to the living Force grew stronger, and she began to spend more time in contemplation, as if preparing for some unknown transition. Rather than meet death in the traditional way, Az’u made the decision to merge with the Force in a different manner. She traveled to Kashyyyk, the home of her former master, Sharranta, and entered the heart of a mighty wroshyr tree. There, her consciousness spread through the roots and branches, becoming one with the ancient tree and the world around it.

 

Only one person knows the location of the wroshyr tree where Az’u now resides—her only Padawan, Soo Laa. When asked about her master’s fate, Soo Laa merely smiles and says, “She’s not gone. She’s just... listening.”

 

Legacy of the Forest Woman

Though Az’u Fir’al’s physical presence faded from the galaxy, her influence endures in the teachings of the Yavin IV Academy. Many Jedi who walk the halls of the Academy can still feel her presence in the wind, in the rustling of leaves, and in the deep silence of the jungle. Some say that those who meditate in the heart of the Yavin nexus can hear her voice—soft, distant, and wise—whispering truths that have yet to be understood.

 

Az’u’s unconventional approach to the Force, her fusion of nature and Jedi philosophy, and her enduring mystery continue to inspire generations of Jedi. Though she remains an enigma, Az’u Fir’al is remembered as a master who taught not just with words, but with the world itself. Hers is a story of transformation, growth, and quiet transcendence—a reminder that the Force flows through all living things, and that sometimes, the greatest wisdom lies in simply listening.