Feature - The Temple of Tet Ami

The story of the Temple of Tet Ami introduces one of the few time paradoxes in SW EU. Just over four millennia BSW4, the dominant species of the planet faced a grave danger in the form of insectoid beasts. The armies of Carthas were close to being wiped out. According to the legend, Tet Ami, which means the "Time Guardian", appeared and was instrumental in wiping out the threat to the people of Carthas. He allegedly used an object called the "Orb of Passage" to control time. A temple was erected in his honour and over time has been buried under the sands of the desert.

Sometime before the events of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (around the time of the Jedi Mace Windu's appointment to Knighthood), the lost temple was found and archaeological excavations began in earnest. The enthusiastic archaeologists had nearly reached their goal of finding the main chamber of the temple, under the watchful gaze of the Media in the form of news journalist Kruy Mulaks. Speculation was rife about what would be found within - the body of Tet Ami and his "Orb of Passage"?

A lone observer made his way unobstructed to a deserted side of the dig. Jedi Master Mace Windu had a task to do. He placed an object into a slot on the ancient wall and entered the temple complex through a door which had opened for him.

Inside Master Windu found corridor a lined with antiquated droids. These became operational when the Jedi tripped a floor tile trap. He destroyed the droids and continued on his way. Once through a set of double doors, Master Windu entered the main chamber of the temple. In there he found wall decorations, thick pillars, and a mysterious statue with an outstretched open right hand, standing on a decorated pedestal. The statue bore a striking resemblance to Mace Windu. The Jedi placed a luminous ring-like object he retrieved from his travelling knapsack onto the statue's hand and was blinded by a flash of overpowering light.

Master Windu was transported back to an earlier
time in the planet's history. He then helped defend
the army of Carthas from the insectoid creatures.
After four days of battle, the enemy had been
defeated, the name "Tet Ami" was chanted by the
victorious Carthasian people, and his task was
done. Mace Windu was transported back to his
own time, just as the archaeologists were breaking
through into the tomb …

The time paradox of the Temple of Tet Ami had
been a closely guarded secret by the Jedi Order
for centuries before Mace Windu's time. Jedi had
visited the site, before it was covered by sand,
collected "the Orb of Passage" for safe keeping,
and had waited for the appointment of Mace
Windu as a Jedi Knight. When Mace Windu
became a Jedi Knight, he was given the task of returning the Orb to the temple, without fully knowing all the details. Mace Windu and Tet Ami were inseparably linked to one another. In returning the Orb, Windu had brought order to the time continuum.

Image: [1] Ancient Egyptian tomb relief of Ay receiving a reward - Amarna, Tomb of Ay (Reign of Akhenaten, 1353-1336 BC); Limestone; Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

This is one of my favourite stories from the DHC Star Wars Tales series as it includes archaeology, a Jedi Knight, and a mystery all in the one story.

The Temple visually seems to have been based on temples of ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, though we get to see only the insides of the Tet Ami temple complex close up. Sculpted reliefs of scenes from the story Tet Ami adorn the uncovered outside walls of the temple. The style whilst fairly crude in detail, accurately portrays the proportions of the human form of Tet Ami.

The main chamber has at least two unadorned pillars supporting a high ceiling. At a guess, the room is at least six meters high. The walls are decorated with more sculpted reliefs, this time of the Cathas with weapons drawn. They may represent the guardians of the tomb. The symbolic ring shape of the "Orb of Passage" repeatedly occurs in the decoration of the chamber as does a similar rectangular shape which may represent the box containing the orb which opened the outside entrance to the Temple. As there was no body to place in the chamber (Tet Ami / Mace Windu disappeared into thin air after defeating the creatures) there is no tomb. The statue of Tet Ami / Mace Windu is the focal point of the room and it has just one purpose. It is part of the system that will transport Mace Windu back in time to defend Carthas. How the transportation works is anyone's guess, just another unsolved mystery in the Star Wars galaxy.