Tiin, Saesee

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Iktotch

• Species:
  Iktotchi

• Gender:
  Male

• Size:
  1.88 meters

• Weapon:
  Lightsaber

• Vehicle:
  SoroSuub Cutlass-9, Jedi starfighter

• Affiliation:
  Jedi Council

• 

From the Movies

The imposing Saesee Tiin was a member of the Jedi Council during the final years of the Republic. He served that noble assemblage during the commotion of the Sith's return surrounding the events of the Battle of Naboo. Tiin voyaged to Naboo to attend the funeral of fallen Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, and the jubilant celebration that marked the liberation of that outlying world. Ten years after this event, Tiin was still an active member of the Jedi order.

Tiin was one of a group of Jedi Masters gathered together by Mace Windu to arrest Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine refused to go quietly; he sprang forth, imbued with the power of the Force, and cut down Saesee Tiin, killing him quickly.

Tiin was a powerfully built humanoid male, with large hands and two down-sweeping horns surrounding his grim face.

From the Expanded Universe

Jedi Master Saesee Tiin, a telepathic Iktotchi from the Iktotch moon, received training from Master Omo Bouri, a famed Wol Cabasshite. Bouri instilled a strong sense of conviction in Tiin, honing the Iktotchi's skill and dedication to the order to the point that some would describe Tiin as fanatical. After the death of Bouri, Tiin's devotion only increased. The stern, contemplative Jedi often kept to himself, and Tiin was never known to take a Padawan. Tiin's loner tendencies caused some to privately question his value to the Council since his contributions were minimal.

Despite such hushed criticism, Tiin was a formidable warrior and an incredible pilot. His Iktotchi heritage granted him strong telepathic abilities. Helming his personal SoroSuub Cutlass-9 craft, the Sharp Spiral, through the relentless winds of Iktotch taught him unparalleled control. Tiin was so in tune with his vessel, that he had no need of a nav computer; he relied on the Force to instinctively astrogate his way through lightspeed.

Tiin had a keen eye for flight technology. He took considerable interest in Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator when it was discovered on Naboo. Though the rest of the Jedi Council had reservations regarding Anakin Skywalker customizing his Jedi starfighter, Tiin encouraged the young man. Tiin was appreciative of Anakin's custom-engineered solutions to the Delta-7's limitations, and petitioned that Anakin's modifications be incorporated into future designs of the craft. When the next generation of Jedi starfighter appeared, the Actis-2 interceptors, Tiin was one of the first Jedi to receive an upgraded model.

Tiin's piloting skills were put to great use during the Stark Hyperspace Wars, and more importantly, the Clone Wars. One close call in that epic conflict led to a low-altitude bail out, which Tiin escaped with minor injuries, including a broken horn that would eventually grow back.

The violence of the Clone Wars soon spilled onto the surface of Iktotch, and Tiin came racing home, accompanied by Mace Windu, to lead the defense of his world. Though the two had differing opinions on tactics -- strong-headed Saesee preferred a more blunt approach, while Mace's actions were far more finessed -- the two teamed together well enough to defeat the droid army there, including a prototype ultra battle droid.

After a rash of attacks against the Jedi from members of the Crimson Nova chapter of the Bounty Hunters' Guild, Saesee Tiin and Mace Windu infiltrated their headquarters to put a stop to this activity. Along with Windu and Tiin were Kit Fisto and Agen Kolar who made it clear to the hunters aboard the Rig space station to cease any further hunts against Jedi targets.

During the war, Tiin was appointed official liaison between the Jedi Council and Freedom's Sons, a growing mercenary group that helped the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars. He personally championed some of the more unorthodox tactics and combatants, including vouching for Quinlan Vos and Anakin Skywalker.

Tiin served alongside Skywalker during a crisis in the Rendili system. The home fleet protecting Rendili, consisting of state-of-the-art Dreadnaught heavy cruisers, was threatening to defect to the Separatists. Tiin was dispatched to prevent the fleet from adding its warships to the Confederacy, even if it meant destroying them. The stern Tiin never wavered in his resolve, even though the defectors had captured hostages and threatened to kill them. Through the efforts of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Quinlan Vos, the hostages were rescued and the Rendili fleet was secured for the Republic.

When the Separatists boldly attacked Coruscant in order to kidnap the Supreme Chancellor, Tiin piloted a starfighter to harrow the Confederacy droid starfighters swarming in the orbital space above the capital. Though Tiin operated independently in space, he was assigned remote authority over the Venator-class Star Destroyer Impavid. During the attack, the Impavid was scuttled, sustaining enormous damage from a collision with a Separatist cruiser. Tiin landed upon the crumbling vessel, leading a crack team of stranded clone trooper marines on a bold mission to board and capture a new vessel.

Donning a customized armored spacesuit, Tiin leaped into the debris-strewn vacuum between capital ships, with his marines following close behind. They landed aboard the Confederacy cruiser Prosperous and Tiin cut into the craft's hull with his lightsaber, leading an assault that charged the bridge. The extensive automation aboard the Separatist craft made it easy for this minimal crew of infiltrators to take command of the vessel.

Behind the Scenes

The Episode I Art Department often relied on Concept Artist Terryl Whitlatch's expertise in zoology and anatomy to provide realistic detail to character designs. These drawings depict an unused Jedi Master with sweeping horns not too unlike those of Saesee Tiin.