Bardan Jusik

As was typical for Jedi initiates, Bardan Jusik was taken to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant at a very young age. With no memory of his biological parents, he was raised among the Jedi, eventually becoming Master Zey's student. He had once confided in Ordo Skirata that he recalled being separated from his parents, but had no memory of them.

Three months following the First Battle of Geonosis, Padawan Jusik played a role in briefing and outfitting Omega Squad for their assignment on Qiilura. Their task involved destroying a Separatist nano-virus facility and abducting the scientist Ovolot Qail Uthan. At that time, Jusik was not used to clones looking the same, and he frequently stared at them during the squad's preparations. This marked Jusik's first encounter with Omega Squad. However, after providing them with the mission briefing, Jusik had minimal involvement in the operation itself.

Jusik developed an affinity for a Null ARC Trooper named Ordo, holding him in high regard as a soldier. Due to his connection with Ordo, Kal Skirata selected Jusik to be part of a covert team whose mission was to eliminate CIS terrorist cells operating on Coruscant. For this operation, Bardan collaborated with Skirata, Ordo, Null ARC trooper Mereel, Delta Squad, Omega Squad, Mandalorian warrior Walon Vau, and fellow Jedi Etain Tur-Mukan.

Throughout the mission, Bardan's bond with the clones and Skirata grew stronger. The clones often referred to him as "vod'ika" (an affectionate term in Mando'a meaning "little brother"), while Skirata frequently called him "Bard'ika" (Mando'a for "Little Bardan," expressing fatherly affection). By the mission's end, he had been embraced as a Mandalorian warrior, even wearing borrowed Mandalorian armor from Kal Skirata for the final confrontation with the terrorists. The armor was Munin Skirata's green armor, with green representing duty.

Bardan fought bravely against the terrorists, and he and his allies emerged victorious. Following the battle, he realized that the Jedi Council would view his attachment to Mandalorian culture as a forbidden bond, but he disagreed with their assessment. He resolved that if forced to choose, he would choose to be Mando.

Bardan continued his service in the GAR, leading troops on numerous fronts until he was assigned to track Ko Sai alongside Delta. He mind-wiped a worker during the search for Ko Sai, but he was compelled to sabotage the mission to allow Skirata to reach Sai first. Confronted with increasing evidence of the Republic's clone executions, Bardan declared to Zey that he would follow his heart, that of a Jedi's, and protect the innocent. Consequently, he resigned from the Order, stating that he could not betray his men to their deaths. Zey regretted his departure but allowed him to keep his lightsaber.

Bardan put on Mandalorian Beskar'gam and became part of Clan Skirata. Following the execution of Order 66, he relocated to Kyrimorut with Kal Skirata. Three weeks after Order 66, Jusik and Ordo discovered that the Imperial Army was constructing its garrison in an abandoned theme park shaped like a Mythosaur, mistakenly believing it to be an ancient Mandalorian temple of significant power based on information from the former owner's brother. Jusik expressed considerable reservations about bringing Jedi to Mandalore, but Ordo concurred with Kal that the genetic information on the clone troopers held by the Jedi Kina Ha was too valuable to disregard.

While in a bar, where they encountered the brother of the park's former owner, they were concerned about removing their helmets. However, the bar owner assured them that they looked after their own. They also observed Death Watch members Dred Priest and his girlfriend Isabet Reau in the bar, knowing that Mij Gilamar would be displeased to learn of Priest's presence on Mandalore.

After Kina Ha and Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy arrived, Jusik inquired about Kina Ha's origins. Kina explained that she was engineered for deep-space missions and that her lifespan was significantly extended, revealing that she was over a thousand years old. She also mentioned that she was naturally Force-sensitive, which astonished Jusik, as the Jedi had never encountered a Kaminoan Jedi before. Several days later, he showed Kad a picture of Darman, reminding him that his father would soon be home. He and Mij both agreed that Kad would need to conceal his powers to avoid attracting Imperial attention. During this period, he also began to contemplate whether he could use the Force to heal Arla Fett's mental issues, as he had previously healed Fi's brain. They started by taking blood samples to determine the exact drugs she was being administered and whether they were affecting her mental stability.

In an attempt to encourage her to join them around the house, Kina Ha declined to go for a walk with them. Mandalore Fenn Shysa attempted to persuade Kal to allow Jusik to father children to increase their numbers with strong Force-sensitive Mandalorian soldiers. However, Kal refused to permit it. When Jusik was later informed of this, he simply laughed. When Wad'e Tay'haai visited and played the flute, he handed it to Jusik to see if he had any musical talent, which he did not. During this time, Jusik reached a turning point in his life, uncertain of his identity. Shortly afterward, Kal officially adopted Jusik as his son.

Later that night, Arla's mind finally cleared of the drugs, and she attacked him in an attempt to escape. She inflicted a broken nose and numerous bruises on him, but he did not complain. When Kal received a call from Alpha-26 requesting refuge, Jusik and Kal's daughter, Ruusaan Skirata, went to retrieve him. Maze surprised them by bringing Arligan Zey along, whom Kal and the others believed to be dead. Jusik took him in without consulting Kal, which deeply hurt Kal when they returned home and shared the news.

Jusik was responsible for locating Jedi Master Djinn Altis and successfully arranged for the three Jedi to join him. He also decided to mindwipe them of Kal's location when the time came. When Arla recovered from the effects of the drugs and remembered that she had joined the Death Watch after they murdered her family, Jusik removed her memories at her request. It is largely unknown that after Jusik erased Arla's memories, she could hardly remember anything. Following that, Arla and Jusik fell in love.

Bardan's activities during the Galactic Civil War remain unknown, but he adopted the name Gotab, posing as a Kiffar healer with psychometric abilities. Bardan now had thin features, with a beard that had turned white with age, although his hair still showed hints of its dirty-fair color; he continued to wear full Mandalorian armor.

Bardan was an associate of Fett's genetic nephew Venku, the son of the clone commando Darman. Venku's protective and emotional behavior towards Gotab had once led the bartender of the Oyu'baat, a tapcafe in Keldabe, to speculate that the younger man might be Gotab's son.

In 40 ABY, Bardan, pretending to be a random passerby, made sure to witness the initial meeting between Boba Fett and Venku.

Shortly afterward, when Boba and his granddaughter Mirta Gev were searching for clues regarding the death of Sintas Vel, they decided to have the Heart of Fire read by a Kiffar, hoping that the psychometric abilities of Sintas's people could provide them with some information. Venku then introduced them to Gotab in the Oyu'baat.

Mirta handed him her half of the necklace for him to hold, and after saying some things to Boba to overturn the old bounty hunter's initial skepticism, he told both Boba and Mirta that Sintas went after a gangster on Phaeda. This led them to discover that Sintas had been frozen alive in carbonite by Hidu Rezodar.

When Jaina Solo arrived in Keldabe to receive training from Boba Fett, she sensed Bardan and Venku's Force sensitivity. He also sensed hers, and, even though she had not revealed her status as a Jedi to anyone else, he was aware of it. He held a blaster to her face, saying, "Hello, Jedi." He later disclosed to Fett and Goran Beviin that he had once been a Jedi. Beviin was surprised that he had not figured that out on his own, though Medrit Vasur did not care for his past as a Jedi, ending the conversation after learning that he had willingly chosen to become a Mando'ad.

He was later asked by Jaina to assist in healing the recently freed Sintas Vel, who, after being frozen for approximately thirty years, was blind and suffering from amnesia. The effort greatly strained the elderly man, and after Sintas had regained some sight, Venku intervened, stating that it was enough for one day. Bardan would return regularly, gradually healing more and more of Sintas's damaged mind.

Following the Second Battle of Fondor, in which the Mandalorians participated, Bardan and Jaina engaged in a lengthy discussion about the Jedi Order, compassion, and what Jaina should do about her Sith Lord brother. He revealed that he had twenty great-great-grandchildren, through the many sons and daughters he and his wife had adopted. He also shared an anecdote with Jaina about a pet strill that had gone mad, attacking its loved ones because of a tumor in its head. He said that the owner had to shoot the poor creature, ending its life for the good of itself, and the other. Jaina felt the strill was likened to her brother, and that she would have to kill him to save her family, and himself. During their discussion, he admitted that he would give away all his powers except for the ability to heal, that he believed Fett would still sell Venku to the Kaminoans and that he disliked Fett and believed him amoral as he cared nothing for what happened to Mandalore under the Galactic Empire. Bardan showed her that he still carried around his lightsaber, and that Venku carried around two blue ones, one belonging to his mother and the other belonging to her master. He also said that he had taught Venku how to use the weapon, but not for the reason Jaina believed. As Venku and Jaina squared off in a sparring match, Bardan watched on, signaling for them to begin.