Unmasked

"Unmasked" is the twelfth episode of the second season the animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. It was released on Disney+ on March 19, 2025.^[1]

Official description

The Jedi help Cyrus defend his home against pirates.

Plot summary

Striking a partnership

The Rathtar's Revenge hovers above Yarrum Tower, which has recently been taken over by the Ganguls. Sellaccc Orryak and her minions Toda-Joh and Jooro Jarrot had set up improvised thrones using boxes, crates and chests. Orryak's pet Gotis lizard Brimey also rests on a crate. Holding court, Orryak asks the other pirates to submit tribute. Two pirates, a Jablogian and a Twi'lek, submit tribute but Orryak is disappointed with their paltry offering.

They are followed by the Comet Runners, who have come empty handed. Joh and Jarrot object to their lack of tribute, with the latter explaining that the Ganguls now rule Yarrum Tower and that are other pirates are expected to bring tribute. Their leader Corr Taldaan says that they have come with information. At Taldaan's prompting, Gossi brings a hologram depicting a layout of the Vuundalla palace including its treasure vault. Since the royal family in that palace is the richest in that sector, Gossi proposes that stealing from them would prove that no planet is safe from the Ganguls. Orryak thinks that the palace is well guarded but Taldaan counters that the Vuundalla royal palace is guarded by just a few droids and Prince Cyrus Vuundir, who piques Orryak's interest.

Fun and games interrupted

Meanwhile at the Vuundalla royal palace's workshop, Prince Vuundir battles a Marksman-H training remote with his electrostaff. Another training droid appears behind him and Jedi Initiate Kai Brightstar deflects it with his lightsaber. Vuundir thanks him and the two continue their training exercise. Lys Solay, Nubs, Nash Durango and RJ-83 watch from a stack of crates. Solay and her friends are impressed by Vuundir's new training remotes. The droid corner the two young boys. Working together to carry out the "twisting strike," Brightstar uses the Force to lift Vuundir into the air so that he can strike the two training remotes with his staff, knocking them out.

The other younglings and RJ-83 cheer. Solay commends Vuundir for improving his combat skills, prompting him to say he is trying to keep up with the Jedi. Brightstar praises Vuundir for using his status as a prince to protect his planet and people. Vuundir is grateful and asks Brightstar to fetch his servodriver. Durango is eager to see Vuundir's landspeeder, which is covered by a tarpaulin. While searching for the servodriver, Brightstar finds his first training lightsaber inside a locker. He recalls that Taborr seized his lightsaber during their first encounter.

On the bottom shelf, Brighstar finds Taborr's helmet. Backing away from the locker, Brightstar realizes that Cyrus is Taborr. Just then, the alarms begin ringing and the lights turn red. The protocol droid CK-38 enters the workshop and warns everyone that the castle is under attack from pirates. When Vuundir asks which pirates, CK-38 says he doesn't know but mentions that their ship is hovering over the castle. Before joining the others outside, Brightstar takes a final look at Taborr's helmet and pockets his lost training lightsaber before closing it.

The Ganguls attack

Outside, Solay recognizes the pirate ship as the Ganguls' flagship Rathtar's Revenge. One of the shuttles approaches the castle while another heads towards the village. Vuundir resolves to protect the villagers despite CK-38 advising him to let the security droids handle the matter. Though Cyrus' parents Pychor and Dafne Vuundir have fled, Vuundir refuses to abandon his people but says he needs help defending the castle and the village. Solay and Nubs offer to help with Durango saying that she and the others will go to the village while Vuundir and Brightstar defend the castle.

Brightstar reluctantly agrees to the plan. Unaware of Vuundir's secret identity, Solay says that she and the rest will return to the castle once they have dealt with the pirates attacking the village. Vuundir thanks his friends for their help while Brightstar struggles to hide his discomfort at the revelation. Brightstar regains his composure and says he will talk with Vuundir later. Vuundir is visibly nervous.

Later, Toda-Joh disables a droid by opening its back hatch and rewiring it. He is followed by Jarrot, Orryak and two armored pirate droids. Using the hologram, the two head towards the vault with Orryak ordering the droids to watch their back. Brightstar and Vuundir hide behind a large potted plant as the pirates head towards the vault. Brightstar says they should deactivate the droids. Vuundir agrees and proposes splitting up so that they can tackle this droid. Brightstar disagrees and says he is not letting him out of his sight. Vuundir asks if Brightstar trusts him and tells him to do his part.

Meanwhile at the village, Nubs and Solay battle the Comet Runners while Durango tells the local villagers including Renaad and Mina to hide in their homes. Brightstar contacts Durango via comlink, asking her about the battle. Durango tells him they are driving away the pirates. Brightstar tells Durango to hurry but is unable to tell her the truth about Cyrus.

Skirmish at the vault

Back in the castle, Brightstar uses the Force to lift a potted plant from its plate and drop it down, attracting one of the pirate's security droids. He lures it into a corridor and takes it out with his lightsaber. He finds Vuundir running along a balcony above. Brightstar is suspicious of Vuundir and asks if he has taken care of his droid. Vuundir points that he has disabled the second pirate droid, which is sitting against a wall. Vuundir notices that Brightstar is acting weird. Brightstar struggles to explain, which annoys Vuundir, who resolves to continue their mission to stop the pirates from accessing the vault.

Meanwhile, the three Ganguls reach the vault door. Jarrot asks Joh about his lock-breaking skills and helps lift him onto the handle beneath the door code. Joh vouches for his skills and attaches a datapad to a power plug on the door code computer. This datapad unlocks the door with ease, exposing the vault's jewels and artifacts to the Ganguls. Before the pirates can plunder the vault, they are interrupted by Vuundir and Brightstar, who jump down from the balcony wielding their weapons.

Jarrot is surprised to see Vuundir fighting alongside the Jedi. When Orryak calls for the pirate droids, the two younglings chuckle. Vuundir says that their backup is not coming and orders them to leave his castle. Orryak, Jarrot and Joh draw a double-bladed vibroblade, vibro-ax and T-shaped weapon respectively. Orryak battles Vuundir while Brightstar battles Jarrot. Joh takes advantage of the fighting to begin loading the treasure into a hoversled.

Brightstar and Vuundir attempt to replicate their earlier "twisting strike" combat move but Brightstar is unable to complete the exercise after picturing Vuundir as Taborr. The two fall inside the vault. After Joh carts away the loot, the other Ganguls lock the two younglings inside the empty vault.

The moment of truth

While Vuundir bangs on the door, Brightstar tries to contact his friends via comlink. Brightstar says he trusts his friends to come for him. Vuundir is angry that Brightstar did not trust him to carry out the "twisting strike" and allowed the Ganguls to steal his family's crown jewels. Vuundir senses that Brightstar does not trust him and deduces that is why he has been acting "weird." Brightstar responds that he trusts Cyrus but adds that he does not trust Taborr. He ignites both his second and first lightsabers, explaining that he found his old lightsaber and Taborr's helmet in the workshop.

Brightstar reiterates that he knows that Vuundir is Taborr. Vuundir does not contest this fact and quips that it took his friend so long to figure it out. Brightstar says that Vuundir has kept this secret since the first day they met and asked if they were really friends. Vuundir says that him being Taborr does not get in the way of their friendship. Brightstar disagrees and says that he cannot be friends or trust Taborr. Vuundir refuses to apologize for being a pirate.

Brightstar tells Vuundir that he knows that he is a good person, adding that doing bad things does not mean that someone cannot choose to do good. Vuundir disagrees with Brightstar's binary worldview of good and evil and asks why he cannot be both a prince and a pirate. Brightstar responds that Vuundir cannot be a hero at home while also being a masked criminal who lies, cheats and steals. Vuundir defends his double life and reiterates he can be both a pirate and prince.

Brightstar responds that if Vuundir cannot stop being a pirate, they cannot be friends. Brightstar asks him to choose between being Cyrus and Taborr. Before Vuundir can respond, CK-38 unlocks the vault door. He is joined by Nubs, Solay and RJ-83. Solay explains that they have driven the pirates away. When Solay asks why Brightstar is wielding both his current and stolen lightsabers, Brightstar motions for Vuundir to tell the truth or he will tell them.

Vuundir flees and says he will get the crown jewels back himself. While CK-38 runs after him, Brightstar shows his friends Taborr's workshop. While Nubs inspects Taborr's helmet, Durango expresses shock at the revelation of Vuundir's double life as Taborr. RJ-83 chirps in Binary. Solay says they should help Vuundir retrieve the stolen crown jewels from Yarrum Tower since he will be outnumbered. Brightstar refuses to help an enemy but Solay reminds him that Taborr is also their friend Vuundir. Solay reiterates her belief that Cyrus is still a good person. Durango reflects on their choices and seconds Solay's call to help Vuundir. Nubs and RJ-83 express agreement. Despite his anger at Vuundir's duplicity, Brightstar agrees to help Cyrus.

Showdown at Yarrum Tower

At the Ganguls' throne room in Yarrum Tower, Orryak thanks the Comet Runners for helping them acquire the Vuundir family's crown jewels and offers them a place in her crew. They are interrupted by Taborr, who has donned a spare armor set. He demands that they return the crown jewels and unmasks himself as Prince Cyrus Vuundir. The other pirates react with shock while Taldaan is amused at the revelation of Taborr's true identity as a prince. As Vuundir activates his electrostaff, he demands that they return his family's crown jewels. Jarrot and Joh respond by drawing their weapons.

Vuundir knocks Jarrot down before taking on Orryak. Orryak hurls the pirate prince back, prompting Vuundir to split his electrostaff into two weapons. The Ganguls resume their fight while the other pirates watch. When Gossi asks if they should intervene, Taldaan says that it is a matter between Taborr and the Ganguls. Vuundir gains the upper hand over Jarrot and Joh. Before he can strike them down with his electrostaff, he is struck from behind by Orryak, who hurls him against a crate. She mocks him as a prince who likes to play dress up and who has no friends to help him. The other pirates laugh in mockery.

Orryak's victory is interrupted by the arrival of the Jedi younglings Brightstar, Nubs, and Solay. The three Jedi younglings challenge the Ganguls. When Orryak assumes they are here for the jewels, Brightstar counters that they are here for their friend Cyrus. At Brightstar's signal, Durango uses the Crimson Firehawk's laser cannons to bombard the throne room, blasting several holes in the structure. Under Orryak's orders, the Comet Runners move in to fight the Jedi younglings.

Working together, the Jedi fight back. Nubs jumps on top of LE-47 and rams the astromech droid into Taldaan. Solay uses the Force to toss away Gossi and Slegg. Joh charges at Vuundir but Brightstar tosses Vuundir's electrostaff back to him. Vuundir fights the Anzellan pirate while Brightstar takes on Orryak. Brightstar soon finds himself back to back with Vuundir. Vuundir is relieved that his friend came to help and Brightstar adds that he has got his back. As they fight the Ganguls and Comet Runners, Brightstar tells Vuundir that they need to get Solay and Nubs, and return to the Firehawk.

At Vuundir's prompting, the two launch a "twisting strike." Brightstar uses the Force to levitate Vuundir as he fends off the advancing Orryak and Jarrot, knocking them down. Jarrot taunts Vuundir by holding a necklace from his family's crown jewels but Brightstar convinces him to let it go. Working together, the three Jedi younglings use their Force powers to hurl the Comet Runners against the makeshift throne.

Choosing to be Taborr

As the Firehawk arrives and opens its gangplank, Vuundir pauses to pick up his helmet. The Jedi younglings climb aboard the Firehawk. Brightstar tells him that everyone knows his secret and that he doesn't need to be Taborr anymore. He tells him that he can be Cyrus and they can be friends, and choose good. After staring at his helmet, Vuundir glares at Brightstar and responds that he has made his choice. He jumps out of the tower's throne room and fires a grappling hook which snags onto the tower wall. He lands on his ship the Iron Talon.

The Crimson Firehawk flees as the Rathtar's Revenge opens fire on it. The younglings' starship jumps into hyperspace. Returning to the Tenoo Jedi Temple, the younglings inform Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna and Wes Vinik about Taborr's true identity as Prince Cyrus Vuundir. Solay breaks the news to the two older Jedi while Durango gives a brief recap of their recent adventure. Zanna notices that Brightstar is sad and recognizes his old training lightsaber. She gives him a hug.

A tearful Brightstar says he knows that he did the right thing by helping him, but that he feels hurt by what happened with Cyrus. Brightstar says that he struggles with the idea that people can choose to reject light and goodness. Zanna says that she believes that Vuundir can choose to do good even though he has done bad things. She says that one of the hardest lessons for a Jedi to learn is that even when they guide people towards light and goodness, people still have to make their own choices. Even if their choices end up being bad. Zanna says that they can only hope for them to choose good and adds that the Jedi will be there for them. Zanna praises Brightstar for choosing to see the good in other people. The entire group including Vinik and RJ-83 hug Brightstar.

Elsewhere on a desert world, Taborr unmasks himself to his pirate friends Pord and EB-3, who initially react with shock to his identity as Cyrus Vuundir. Vuundir returns to the Iron Talon but Pord extends a friendly gesture, which cheers Vuundir up. The two gather around Vuundir.

Appearances

This out-of-universe list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia by expanding it.

Sources

• Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Completes Season 2 This March - New Images Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

Season One Shorts: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 1 (1/2) · 2 (1/2) · 3 (1/2) · 4 (1/2) · 5 (1/2) · 6 (1/2) · 7 (1/2) 8 (1/2) · 9 (1/2) · 10 (1/2) · 11 (1/2) · 12 (1/2) · 13 (1/2) 14(1/2) · 15 (1/2) · 16 (1/2) · 17 (1/2) · 18 (1/2) · 19 (1/2) 20 (1/2) · 21 (1/2) · 22 (1/2) · 23 (1/2) · 24 (1/2) · 25 Season Two Shorts: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 1 (1/2) · 2 (1/2) · 3 (1/2) · 4 (1/2) · 5 (1/2) · 6 (1/2) · 7 (1/2) 8 (1/2) · 9 (1/2) · 10 (1/2) · 11 (1/2) · 12 · 13 (1/2) · 14 (1/2) 15 (1/2) · 16 (1/2) · 17 (1/2) · 18 (1/2) · 19 (1/2) · 20 (1/2) 21 (1/2) · 22 (1/2) · 23 Season Three Fun with Nubs 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 Related media Star Wars: The High Republic · "Tenoo Treasures"
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