Ganner Rhysode

Ganner Rhysode (?-28 ABY) is a character in the fictional Star Wars Expanded Universe.

History
Ganner Rhysode was trained in the Jedi Academy, founded by Luke Skywalker. A good-looking human male, he was in the beginning seemingly vain about his appearance. However, in a battle Ganner's face was lightly scarred. Ganner chose to have it heal as a scar to remind him the folly of his vanity. In his final moments, Ganner attains a bond to the Force that marks him as a legendary Jedi.

Ganner Rhysode started off as an adventurous and conceited Jedi, seeking glory and hero worship. Ganner took tedious care of his looks, clothing, and boots, often going out of his way to appear more heroic and dramatic than he actually was. Even other Jedi regarded him as a joke and a “fluke of a Jedi.” His skills and knowledge were not above average likely due to his time spent showboating.

When Ganner was scarred in battle, however, he had taken his vulnerability quite seriously and woken up from his illusions of being the hero of a story. Ganner allowed the wound to heal so a scar would form, as a reminder of what could have happened. Afterward Ganner looked much more humble, preferring to stay “cautious and unobtrusive” until there was no other choice. He said that heroics were a sickness and addiction, enjoyable but dangerous. He was addicted to them, however, and soon fell into a slight melancholy, a shadow of his former self.

In the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, Jacen Solo was captured and believed killed, and Ganner set out to investigate a rumor that he was alive. He was soon captured and was supposed to be sacrificed to the Gods by Jacen. However, the pair turned on their captors and while Jacen Solo headed towards the World Brain, Ganner defended the entrance by himself against a multitude of Yuuzhan Vong warriors, led by Nom Anor. Jacen spoke briefly with Ganner before this fight, telling him to run and hide, and imparting a few teachings he had learned from Vergere. Ganner then had an epiphany, realizing the meaning to his life and to who he was. Ganner, realizing that Jacen would die once the army reached him, decided to stall the Vong Warriors. Ganner at last found real courage within himself, and summoned a strength he had only up until then pretended to have.

In his fight, Ganner issued a challenge to the Yuuzhan Vong warriors: "Bring on your thousands. One at a time or all in a rush, I don't give a damn. None shall pass." During his fight, Ganner achieved total oneness with the Force and realized that there was no dark side, only different facets of connection. This state was attained by only three other known Jedi: Anakin Skywalker in 19.5 BBY, Anakin Solo in 27 ABY, and Jacen Solo in 30 ABY. Ganner, now in an uncorrupted alignment with the Force, defeated one Vong after another with the number of opponents at one time rising. When the situation looked as if Ganner might survive or win the fight, the Vong Warriors no longer cared about their sense of honor and took on Ganner with heavily armored tank-type animals. Ganner saw that the fight could not last much longer this way, and performed his ultimate sacrifice; Using the power of the Force, he collapsed the ceiling, effectively killing everyone in the chamber, including himself, and nearly killing Nom Anor. This allowed Jacen and Vergere to escape.

During their flight back to New Republic space, Vergere confided in Jacen a Force Vision she had seen in her dreams; that after the victory of the New Republic/Galactic Alliance, the Vong would come to live among the population of the galaxy and in their mythology an invincible giant called "The Ganner" would come into being. This being would become in Vong mythology the giant that guarded the entrance to the underworld and, above the former entrance to the World Brain, "None Shall Pass" would be carved in Galactic Basic below a statue of Ganner Rhysode.

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