Qort

Qort, a Force-sensitive Aloxian, was born during the High Republic Era. Following Aloxian custom, in order to curb the aggression members of the species were born with, he went through an initiation ritual which left him in possession of a vonduun crab skull, the wearing of which could suppress the violent tendencies. However, Qort was abducted by raiders as a young child, as Aloxians were considered valuable child soldiers. The raiders took away his helmet in order to increase his aggression.

Qort was somehow separated from his abductors, winding up among a shipment of goods that three criminals known to the pirate queen Maz Kanata were transporting. Due to the extreme strength that all Aloxians were born with, the trio were only able to contain Qort with serious difficulty, all of them being injured in the process. After they managed to seal the child in a box, the trio bandaged themselves up and delivered Qort to Kanata at Takodana Castle, hoping that she would be able to handle him, the criminals themselves having become terrified of the child. Initially assuming that the three were up to shenanigans, Kanata was surprised when she opened the box to find Qort inside. Bringing him inside the castle, Kanata enlisted the help of her loadlifter droid steward HURID-327, but despite HURID's best efforts Qort would not stop crying.

When Kanata went off to get some milk to feed the child with, Qort used his natural strength and untrained Force powers to incapacitate the loadlifter droid, leaving him in pieces on the floor, before escaping to Takodana Castle's basement storerooms, full of the pirate queen's treasures. There, Qort found a vonduun crab skull Kanata had been given by her friend Farks, putting it on just before Kanata found him, having been directed after the child by HURID. Calmed by the helmet, Qort would not remove it and did not destroy anything else.

Trying to discover the origins of the child, Kanata called on Farks for information about the skull, and the Patrolian told her about the Aloxians and the importance of the helmets to their culture. Farks further speculated that the child had been kidnapped by Argoban raiders, who were known for such practices. Qort surprised the Patrolian after having been played with by HURID, as Farks had not expected the child to be using the crab skull which had been gifted to Kanata. The pirate queen, deciding that the information changed things, decided to get some assistance from Sav Malagán, a Jedi Master stationed at the nearby Jedi Temple and a long-time friend of hers. Qort's Force-sensitivity was eventually discovered, and he was taken in by the Jedi Order. As a Jedi youngling, Qort became best friends with two other younglings, the Zygerrian Farzala Tarabal and the human Lula Talisola, and Talisola frequently looked out for Tarabal and Qort.

Eventually, Qort became a member of a class of Padawans training aboard the Jedi cruiser Star Hopper under Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Torban Buck. The Star Hopper was dispatched to Trymant IV to aid the civilians during an Emergence. Yoda requested that Tarabal and Qort investigate the origin of the debris. They tracked it as a reaction from the Hetzal system. Once the Padawans landed, Qort and Bibs, another Padawan, followed Talisola and Tarabal with a hover platform with civilians. The Padawans confronted a group of Nihil raiders and requested their Spider Cruiser for transporting citizens offworld. Qort deflected blaster bolts with his lightsaber as the group advanced towards the ship. Unbeknownst to the Padawans, a massive chunk of debris hurtled towards them, but Zeen Mrala, a Force-sensitive native saved their lives.

Soon, Nihil reinforcements arrived and surrounded the Jedi. Masters Yoda and Buck arrived to rescue the young Padawans. While Yoda left to rescue Mrala's friend Krix Kamerat, Qort, Mrala, Bibs, Buck, Talisola, and Tarabal continued to fight the Nihil forces. Soon, Republic forces arrived as support, and the Star Hopper travelled back to Starlight Beacon. Onboard the ship, Qort and Tarabal comforted Mrala as she mourned all she had lost.

Over the next week, Qort and his friends accepted Mrala into their group as they trained in the Jedi temple on the station. Avar Kriss, Estala Maru, Kantam Sy, Torban Buck, and Yoda debated whether or not Mrala should be trained as a Jedi. The Padawans defended her, and they told of her heroics. Qort mimicked the falling debris and her quick thinking in saving their lives. Later, the masters formulated a plan to board the Nihil Spider Cruiser. Qort, Tarabal, and Bibs played as Jedi and Nihil as they imagined a quick battle.

The masters allowed Mrala to stay on Starlight Beacon, and Talisola began teaching basic Force meditation practices. A routine Jedi patrol engaged with Nihil raiders in the Bright Jewel system. Qort and the other Padawans were left behind on Starlight Beacon for their safety. Tarabal and Qort agreed that they would be safer on Starlight Beacon, as Talisola was anxious to fight in the skirmish. The trio discovered Mrala's abandoned room and a message on Kamerat's holoprojector, revealing her intent to rescue Kamerat. They knew she would return, as her pet cru Cham Cham clung to Qort's mask. The trio crammed into a Vector and flew to rescue Mrala.

The signal from the holoprojector led to Quantxi, a junk moon orbiting Ord Mantell. The trio spotted Nihil raiders massacring native Junk Mavens and leapt to the rescue. While Talisola continued to search for Mrala, Qort and Tarabal fought for the Junk Mavens. The Junk Mavens summoned a savrip to defend them, and soon enough, Masters Buck, Sy, and Yoda came to the rescue. Qort reunited with Talisola and Mrala at the Republic Outpost on Ord Mantell.

On a diplomatic envoy to Bilbousa, the capital of Nal Hutta, Qort accompanied the crew of the Vessel, Tarabal, and his master master, Obratuk Glii. The Hutts had requested the Jedi envoy because of their alliance against the Drengir. Because of Obratuk, the diplomat of the crew's hibernation, Tarabal was sent to meet the Hutts in his place, leaving Qort on the Vessel with Affie Hollow and Geode. The latter, he shared a bonding moment with. While the diplomatic mission was going awry elsewhere, several Hutt Cartel enforcers boarded the Vessel. With the help of Geode's piloting skills, Hollow's trickery, and his own Jedi abilities, Qort and the others engage the enforcers. Caught in a standoff, they are saved by Master Obratuk and his many lightsabers.

Back on Starlight Beacon, Qort reunited with Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala, introducing them to his new friend Ishnar Ti-Kharatal, and meeting fellow Padawan Ram Jomaram. The group made their way to the Beacon's meditation chambers to meet with Master Buck and Master Sy, as the two masters wanted to give the Padawans a chance to ask questions about the confusing goings-on of the Galaxy and Jedi Order in the recent months. After being bombarded with questions about Loden Greatstorm and the Nihil, the masters tell the Padawans about a specific Nihil cell that has been wreaking havoc on a specific part of the Galaxy. They soon depart for the Jedi Temple on Takodana, to aid Sav Malagán against the Nihil.

The Star Hopper arrives on Takodana, Qort's former home, and the Jedi are met by Malagán and Maz Kanata, who greet Qort with a hug. The preparations for defense begin, and the Padawans are introduced to Bareen and Sabata Krill, sisters who supposedly defected from the Nihil and wanted to help. Qort was aiding Malagán and Talisola in setting up weaponry when Malagán spotted Sabata sneaking around, simultaneously receiving information that the Nihil were back. A moment later, Sabata ignited many hidden thermal detonators around the temple, causing a very large explosion.