Teras Kasi: Part of the canon database, or just fan fiction

jakez0r · Post by **jakez0r** » 2004-01-16 07:48pm

Since i started playing Star Wars Galaxies, I wanted to know more about it. After poking around with google, the only canon evidence I found was that the Teras Kasi martial art is briefly mentioned in a novel. I don't remember the name of the book, but it reveals that Darth Maul is trained in it.

The other non-verified information I read was that the Teras Kasi discipline was created by a people whose home planet was destroyed by a fight between Jedi and Sith. The whole point of the creation of the Teras Kasi fighters was, should the need arise, to keep the Jedi "in check."

And I can't remember, but to comic books count as canon?

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-01-16 07:52pm

Comic books which are not marked "Infinities" or "Star Wars Tales" are an official part of the Star Wars Saga insofar that they do not contradict the meaning or intent of George Lucas' films and screenplays (and presumably, the comic and novelisation depictions thereof, as well as encyclopedaic sources addressing the films belonging to DK Publishing's "nonfiction" Star Wars line).

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-01-16 07:54pm

It was also mentioned in Shadows of The Empire about two sisters that are masters of Teras Kasi.

Comics count as official unless they bear the mark of an Infinites Label(which Star Wars Tales do).

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-01-16 07:55pm

Correct. In the case of Dark Horse's "Star Wars Tales", the entire comic series is marked Infinities.

jakez0r · Post by **jakez0r** » 2004-01-16 07:58pm

Thanks for the info. I was reading Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith and then I saw that KJA co-wrote the plot.

So basically the idea that the Teras Kasi are slightly force sensitive, and that 1 or 2 masters could take out a jedi isn't true?

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-01-16 08:04pm

It was also the main premise behind an unbelievably crappy fighting game for the PS1.

jakez0r · Post by **jakez0r** » 2004-01-16 08:06pm

Lazy Raptor wrote:It was also the main premise behind an unbelievably crappy fighting game for the PS1.

who wouldn't want to play as Han and fight against Chewie?

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-01-16 08:06pm

jakez0r wrote:Thanks for the info. I was reading Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith and then I saw that KJA co-wrote the plot.

At Mike's suggestion and under SOD, events taking place in official literature which are sufficiently removed from canon events chronologically are more suspect in reliability inherently, by both precedents of historical analysis, and of simple falsifiability--that is, evidence in official sources taking place concurrently to canon can be checked against evidence, intents, and trends shown by canon evidence. This is much more difficult to nigh-impossible in sources of that age.

Fortunately, this gives us leeway to interpete sources of that age, for outright idiotic and absurd things.

Dr. Saxton has exercised this with the mathematical and sociological unlikelyness of space craft, technology, and culture being significantly retarded from the present (canon) time. An example of this would be the certainty that the Galactic Republic was probably galaxy-spanning from the beginning, which makes interpretation of stuff like the Great Hyperspace War iffy (the best fix is the Sith territories were perhaps located in galactic satellites, beyond that, one must contest the assertion that the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic were out-of-touch).

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2004-01-16 08:53pm

Teras Kasi (with dots about some letters), aka steel hands, was an extremely dangerous martial art technique. It is mention in Agents of Chaos II, Jedi Eclipse.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-01-16 09:56pm

It's also mentioned several times in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, although I can't recall any other details off the top of my head from that work.

zombie84 · Post by **zombie84** » 2004-01-16 10:48pm

Theres also an entire video game based on it.

I have it for PS1, its called Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi, and its a Tekken-style 3D fighting game with star wars characters.

Kerneth · Post by **Kerneth** » 2004-01-17 01:30am

I'm not sure how anyone trained in a barehands combat technique, regardless of how effective it is, could expect to stand much of a chance against a Jedi. Even if the Teras Kasi expert has some Force sensitivity, being unarmed and not really Force-trained vs a Jedi Knight (presumably with a lightsaber) seems to be a fast way to commit suicide.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-17 02:01am

Teras Kasi is also mentioned in several of the D20 sourcebooks as being a martial arts style.

and unless they're another jedi very few people can stand up to a jedi in actual combat. hand to hand or otherwise, as has been demonstrated in many occasions.

jakez0r · Post by **jakez0r** » 2004-01-17 04:58pm

Master of Ossus wrote:It's also mentioned several times in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, although I can't recall any other details off the top of my head from that work.

yea, that's the book that says that Darth Maul is Teras Kasi trained.

The reason i'm asking all this is because on the Star Wars Galaxies forums, the developers need canon sources that say that the Teras Kasi were force sensitive and what not if they're going to make the changes to the profession.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-01-17 05:20pm

jakez0r wrote:
Master of Ossus wrote:It's also mentioned several times in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, although I can't recall any other details off the top of my head from that work.
yea, that's the book that says that Darth Maul is Teras Kasi trained.

The reason i'm asking all this is because on the Star Wars Galaxies forums, the developers need canon sources that say that the Teras Kasi were force sensitive and what not if they're going to make the changes to the profession.

There doesn't seem to be anything that says Teras Kasi devotees must be force sensitive. In fact in Shadows of the Empire it mentions a pair of twins that are not.

Most likely it's the Galaxy Far Far Away's version of Karate.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2004-01-17 05:45pm

Stormbringer wrote:Most likely it's the Galaxy Far Far Away's version of Karate.

A better analog is Aikido.

James Luceno, Agents Of Chaos II, p. 130 wrote: This form of hand-to-hand combat [not teras kasi] has its origin in a martial art developed by the Lorell Raiders when their chief preoccupation was the capture and distribution of female prisoners. While perhaps not as deadly or as mystical in nature as teras kasi- the "steel hands" technique taught by the Followers of Palawa in the Pacanth Reach star cluster in the Outer Rim-it is nonetheless...

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-01-17 05:54pm

What does the "mystical in nature" imply though?

jakez0r · Post by **jakez0r** » 2004-01-17 06:10pm

neoolong wrote:What does the "mystical in nature" imply though?

probably something like how Shaolin monks can control "Chi," or something to that effect. Information from RPGs (which I don't think are cannon or official) say that Teras Kasi disciples drew their strength from within, as opposed to jedi who draw on the Force.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-17 06:24pm

they may have been relying upon similar techniques that Jacen solo learned to use. turning his force abilities inward rather than using them for the traditional effects Jedi rely upon.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-01-17 07:39pm

Or it might well be a more spiritually oriented martial art. Some tend to be all about the fighting, others it's as much a philosphy as well.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-17 07:46pm

the majority of martial arts for the most part have at least some basis in spirituality. the only ones i can think of offhand that don't are the more modern ones, such as wushu, which was created during the communist regime.

other martial arts are divided into two types primarily, internal and external. the external martial arts seem to focus on hard attacks and power while internal seem to focus more on defense and soft attacks.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2004-01-17 07:55pm

Aside from the Jedi/Dark Jedi/Sith, are there any religions in SW that are popular outside their original worlds?

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-01-17 07:58pm

there's a variety of force based religions mentioned in the sourcebooks. including force-sensitive shamans and witches.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-01-17 08:18pm

Stormbringer wrote:Or it might well be a more spiritually oriented martial art. Some tend to be all about the fighting, others it's as much a philosphy as well.

I would hardly call philosphy mystical though. Especially in a universe with very real "mystical" stuff.