Star Wars Merrin Guide: The Story Of A Lovely Warrior

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Bottom Line Up Front

Merrin, the deuteragonist of Star Wars Jedi, was one of the most loveable characters of the series. Despite being a Dathomir and Nightsister, she fell in love with a Jedi, Cal Kestis, and became a follower of the Light Side of the Force.

However, her transformation didn’t follow up with all sunshine and rainbows, and her real journey began after she became a member of “Hidden Path”. Still, thanks to her determination, she finally discovered the hidden haven for Jedi and their followers.

Quick Facts

Name: Merrin
Other Names: Nightsister
Home Planet: Dathomir
Specie: Zabrak
Birth: 32 BBY
Major Appearances
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023)

Appearance

“You are very pretty.” – Kata

Merrin’s first appearance can be considered one of the best entries in the Star Wars universe; after all, not many characters emerged from the green flames. She had a slim body with the Nightsister tattoos across her face. And though she looked like an ordinary human, her eyes would glow whenever she performed a ritual.

At the beginning of her story, Merrin used to wear the typical Nightsister’s dress, which comprised of a red suit with a cloak and a shoulder plate.

In addition to her red suit, she put on a brown belt around her waist and a necklace around her neck, which was always prominent; not to mention, she also wore a ferronnière over her forehead, which was partially visible because of the cloak she had over her head.

As she became acquainted with Cal, she stopped covering her head, which added significantly to her beauty, as her attractive face became more prominent. Her grey hair was also tied in a bun, adding further to her prettiness.

After going her way exploring the Galaxy, when Merrin returned after five years, there was a little, but still noticeable, change in her appearance. She had started wearing a jacket and had also cut her hair short, which fell free over her shoulder. Also, her hair had become a little darker, making her look younger than before.

Merrin’s Personality

Merrin had a pretty balanced personality. Though, in the beginning, she felt more like a monster who was after our good guy, Cal Kestis, once she learned the truth about the massacre of Nightsisters, her personality showed a lot of positive change.

Merrin was a thoughtful lady. She knew she was unable to bring her murdered sisters back, but once she came to know about a chance of saving the Jedi and their followers from the Empire, she didn’t think twice about becoming a part of the struggle.

Also, seeing her thoughtfulness, it would not be wrong to suggest that she had a soft heart; after all, we don’t get to see many Nightsisters falling in love.

Although she didn’t talk much, her words were always impactful. When Cal Ketsis was afraid of falling to the Dark Side of the Force, she talked him out of it, making him a firm believer in the Force. Moreover, after the death of Kata’s father, Bode, Merrin consoled Kata and convinced her to do good with her life.

Despite not being a chatterbox, her witty and humorous remarks speak for her savvy nature, which is also evident from her quick reactions when it came to saving the lives of people around him, especially Cal.

Powers And Abilities

Magick

Being a Nightsister, Merrin mastered the use of Magickal Ichor, which was the power source of the Witches of Dathomir. With her magick, she could resurrect her dead sisters, most of which died in the Battle of Dathomir, to attack her enemies. By honing her skill, she could also teleport from one place to another, an ability that saved her skin in many difficult situations.

However, this teleportation was limited to a very small area, therefore, to travel to far-flung locations, she would open vortexes by performing a small ritual.

But before moving on, let’s not forget, her ability to use magick to hide objects even as big as a ship was also quite fascinating, which amazed everyone who saw it for the first time.

Knife and Spear Wielding

Although Merrin used only magick to attack her enemies in her early days, after becoming a part of the Hidden Path, she became well-versed in the art of knife and spear-wielding.

Even though it is believed that her spear, which could be converted into a dagger, was made with magick, her ability to use it against the Stormtroopers or lightsaber wielders was a testament to her continuous training.

Agility

Merrin’s agility can be assessed by the fact that she could easily dodge the blaster fires. One might say that the trooper’s aim was never good in the first place, but if you are swamped by Bucketheads with blaster cannons, you will definitely need more than luck.

Moreover, in her fight against Bode, the way Merrin kept up with his attacks, showed that she could be as quick as a Jedi.

The Complete Tale Of Merrin

First Interaction with Cal

Merrin’s first interaction with Cal could not be considered a pleasant incident; after all, setting off Dathomirians on a guest was not a custom in any corner of the universe.

Being a first-time visitor, Cal was trying to offer help but Merrin was too reluctant to listen to anything he had to say. Not only that, after Cal defeated the Dathomirians, Merrin got a bit more enraged.

While talking to Cal, she made a reference to an unknown person who she believed was right about Jedi. She told Cal that Jedi were “thieves and selfish liars who bring nothing but death.”

Cal didn’t take the allegation against his peers for granted and warned her about the consequences. But witnessing the resurrection of dead – murdered to be exact – Nightsisters by Merrin, Cal soon realized that his threats wouldn’t work.

Unveiling The Truth

Before moving any further, to fully understand Merrin’s life, discussing Taron Malicos is really important; after all, Merrin’s view about the Jedi Order would never have been the same if it were not for Malicos.

Taron Malicos – another survivor of the Jedi Purge –had to make an escape to Dathomir in the wake of Order 66. When he got captured by Nightbrothers, he lost to the Dark Side of the Force.

However, his cunningness led him to becoming the leader of the brotherhood, and he started sewing seeds of hatred in the hearts of Nightbrothers as well as Nightsisters against the peacekeepers of the Galaxy.

When Cal came across this former Jedi, he was lured to join the Dark Side. But when Malicos was busy convincing Cal, they were confronted by Merrin, who was listening to what Malicos was saying.

After learning the truth behind Malicos’ lies and the perpetrators behind the destruction of Dathomir – Sith and Confederacy – she cast a spell and brought back a couple of her dead sisters to deal with those Force wielders.

The Start of a New Journey

The turning point in the life of Merrin was when she came across Cal on his return from the tomb of Kujet. This time, Merrin did not seem like confronting the Jedi, on the contrary, she was looking for some answer.

Cal told her that Jedi were actually not what she thought of them, and whatever Malicos did had nothing to do with the Jedi Order. Cal also handed over his lightsaber to Merrin to make her realize that just having a lightsaber could never define a Jedi.

Merrin was a little relieved after talking to him, and even though she gave the saber back to Cal, she reminded him that she will always be watching him.

The Nightsister And Jedi Against The Sith

While still exploring Dathomir, Cal stumbled upon Malicos and got into an argument with him. This time, their interaction did not remain limited to words, but a lightsaber duel broke out between those Force wielders.

When Cal was having a tough time keeping a hold of this Sith, Merrin came to his help and threw some attacks on Malicos, which allowed Cal Kestis to get back on his feet.

And after a tough battle, when Cal finally pinned this follower of the Dark Force down, Merrin reappeared and used her magick to bury Malicos alive in the ground; after all, Malicos always wanted Dathomir to be his grave anyway.

A Path Forward

“Nightsisters and Jedi do not travel together but… survivors, we adapt.” – Merrin

After successfully finding the Astrium – a key to opening the Holocron containing Jedi’s list – Cal was filled with joy, and he rushed toward Merrin to share the news. Though Merrin congratulated him on his finding, deep down she was still downhearted. She knew that while it might bring back the Jedi Order, it wouldn’t do the same for her people.

Upon hearing such low-spirited words, Cal emboldened her by sharing his journey. And after a small pep talk, Merrin volunteered to join Cal beyond his wildest dreams.

Joining the Crew

“She’s a witch isn’t she.” Greez

After meeting Merrin for the first time, Cal’s crew – Cere and Greez – didn’t welcome Meerin with open arms. And how could they; she was a Nightsister after all. Still, after spending some time with Merrin – thanks to her charisms – the captain of the ship, Greez, was cooking “Scazz steaks” for her.

Infiltrating Fortress Inquisitorius

Cal’s crew finally reached the dark moon, Nur, to retrieve the Holocron which had the location of every Force-sensitive child in the Galaxy. But it didn’t seem possible to go past the barricade of Star Destroyers guarding the moon.

While everyone was thinking of any possible options, Merrin used a ritual to conceal their spaceship and sneak it past the Imperial destroyers.

However, this covert operation didn’t remain any secret when Cal and Cere came face to face with the Supreme Commander of the Galactic Empire, lord Vader, at the underwater Inquisitors’ headquarters, Fortress Inquisitorius.

After making a narrow escape from Darth Vader, Cal took Cere, who was already knocked out, and started swimming towards the surface. But after making it through just a few feet, Cal couldn’t take it any further and passed out as well. However, as luck would have it, before getting lost in the depths of the sea, Merrin appeared and took them safely to their ship.

When Cal woke up, by giving him a warm hug, she disclosed her feelings for him. But this moment did not last long, and with the destruction of the Holocron, Merrin and Cal went their separate ways.

The long-awaited Reunion

After about five years since the destruction of the Holocron, Cal went on a mission to retrieve some crucial information from Coruscant. During his escape from the Imperial forces, his ship received some damage and he had to make a stop at Koboh System for repairs.

When Cal was on his way to rendezvous with Jedi Master Cere, he ran into Imperial troopers, who opened fire from all sides and got him cornered. While he was still trying to come up with a plan, Merrin entered into the fight and took every trooper one by one with the help of her magickal spear.

And if I am being honest, Merrin’s fighting style, for its quick maneuvers, displayed an uncanny resemblance with Master Yoda’s famous Ataru lightsaber combat style.

After escaping Stormtroopers a number of times, Merrin and Cal decided to spend the night in a cavern. Though their interaction had been very formal since they reunited, sitting beside the fire, they confessed that they missed each other all along.

A Trip to the Safe House

After making it back to Cere, Merrin and Cal were told that there was a safe house where the communication codes were being held. They were tasked to bring back those codes as they were essential for their mission to save the Order.

Upon reaching the safe house, the building started falling apart, and a big piece of rock fell toward Cal. Cal used his Force to hold the rock; however, it proved too heavy for him. And when he was about to be crushed, Merrin came to the rescue and used her magick to stop the rock like it was nothing.

The First Kiss

As the safe house was falling apart, all the entrances got blocked and the only way out was a cliff, which was hundreds of feet above the ground. While Cal was clueless about what to do next, Merrin took out a potion and made a circle with it in the air, and asked Cal if he trusted her.

Upon hearing a yes, she leaned forward and gave him a kiss after which they both jumped into the vortex to escape the Imperial Forces.

Despite their jump, they didn’t totally lose the Imperial forces off their back; on the contrary, they landed right in front of a Trident-class assault ship. But lucky for them, Merrin’s magick and Cal’s Force-push used the ship’s debris to give it the taste of its own medicine.

A Visit To The Shattered Moon

Merrin, along with Greez and Bode, traveled to Shattered Moon to look for a Jedi Compass that was held by a rouge Jedi, Dagan. But entering into that Imperial stronghold wasn’t child’s play; after all, it was guarded by a fleet of Imperial Navy and Vulture droids.

Merrin used her ritual to hide the ship, and they safely flew past the Imperial Forces, an experience that was really fascinating for Bode. However, upon arriving at the base, they didn’t find any lead and had to journey back to Koboh.

On their way back, Merrin noticed that Cal was brooding over something. When she asked him about it, he told her that he was afraid of losing his path, like Dagan did. Merrin sat close to Cal and promised him that she wouldn’t let that happen and that even if he got lost anyway, she would bring him back.

Sighting A Great View

“The Order is gone. It’s time to leave it behind. And… I know what I want now.” – Cal

“Took you long enough.” – Merrin

After retrieving the compass, Merrin and the crew went back to Koboh and handed it over to Master Cordova. While he got busy fixing the compass, Merrina and Cal went outside the sanctuary to enjoy the sight of the peaceful night.

While Cal was staring into the abyss, he confessed his feeling for Merrin. And after reciprocating the same, she leaned forward and the two passionately kissed each other. But this time, it lasted longer than their first kiss.

Losing Mentors

Jedi Master Cere finally decided to move to Tanalorr, a Jedi haven that had been abandoned for centuries, and take the Jedi Archives with her.

She told Merrin to guard the ship while she grabs the Archives. But unknown to anyone, Bode spied on them, and as a result, they were attacked by the Imperial Forces under the command of Darth Vader, which took the lives of Master Cere and Master Cordova.

To avenge their masters, Merrin, Cal and Greez decided to go after Bode, which led them to an Imperial facility. Although Bode had already escaped when they reached there, Cal came across the Imperial officer who sent Bode after them.

Out of anger, Cal started Force-choking the Imperial officer. And when he was about to do away with the officer, Merrin interrupted and talked some sense into Cal, saving him from entering into the Dark Side of the Force.

Traversing The Ship-Eating Obstacle Course

With no compass in their hands and no master to guide them, the crew was giving up with every passing moment. And when Merrin and Cal had almost lost any hope to make it to the forgotten planet, they found a hologram, which provided an alternative for a compass to reach Talanorr. However, this route involved going through the ship-eating-nebula.

But thanks to Greez’s flying skills and Merrin’s “pep talk,” the crew safely made it to Talanorr, with Greez crying out and Merrin and Cal sharing a kiss.

The Final Showdown

Upon reaching Talanorr, Merrin and Cal went looking for Bode. At the steps of the Jedi temple, they found Bode’s daughter, Kata, who was taken by Bode while making an escape to this Jedi Haven.

Merrin and Cal asked Kata to lead them to her father, to which she agreed. While making it through the temple, Kata got afraid and Merrin used her magick to enlighten the dark corridor. When they finally reached the main hall, Bode became enraged to see Merrin and Cal with his daughter, and in the next moment, he charged at them with his lightsaber.

Though Bode was alone against the two, he really gave Merrin and Cal a tough time. His use of Force, lightsaber, and blaster was proving hard for Merrin to strike a good blow. Even her magick was not proving helpful in pinning down Bode; after all, he was a former Jedi.

At one instance during the face-off, Kata, who was watching the fight, was about to be crushed under a rock. But Merrin, despite busy fighting Bode, rushed towards Kata and saved her in the nick of time.

Be that as it may, this selfless act of Merrin didn’t have any impact on Bode. On the contrary, when it became obvious that he had almost lost, he started Force-choking Merrin.

But lucky for her, just before she could collapse, Cal put an end to Bode’s life by shooting him with the blaster. After the fight was over, Merrin sat down with Kata and consoled her about the loss of her father.

On the next day, by using her magic, she cremated Bode, along with Master Cere and Master Cordova at the edge of the cliff. And after the cremation, Merrin handed over the compass she retrieved from Bode to Cal and pledged that as they had finally found the haven for the Jedi, they should start bringing other friends of the Orde to Talanorr.

Famous Quotes of Merrin

“You don’t have to be afraid.”
“There is beauty in emptiness.”
“I thought if I let go of the pain, I’ll be letting go of the people I love. But I was wrong.”
“At least we will die together.”
“Unlike Jedi, the Nightsisters of Dathomir do not turn on their kind. Our bond is eternal.”

Merrin In My Eyes

The way I see it, Merrin was one of the perfect characters ever introduced in the Star Wars universe. Her character development was phenomenal, and her personality and physical traits were anything one could look for in a favorite character.

Although in the beginning, I didn’t anticipate her character to be any different from any other antagonist of the series, the way her story progressed kept me hooked to finding more about her.

Merrin was not only pretty – something you don’t often see in Star Wars – she was a good fighter as well. The combination of her fighting skills and the use of magick made her an unstoppable warrior.

On top of that, the perfect ratio of humor, intelligence, compassion, and confidence is what makes her so special in my eyes. And I wouldn’t be lying if I say Merrin lies in the list of my top 10 favorite Star Wars characters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Who Actually Killed Nightsisters?

Answer: Contrary to what Malicos told Merrin, it was not Jedi, but rather Sith and Separatists who wreaked havoc on Dathomir. After Asajj Ventress parted ways with Count Dooku, she carried a secret attack on him.
Though Dooku survived the attempt on his life, he sent Separatists Army to Dathomir under the command of General Grievous to take his revenge. However, despite Ventress’ escape, the Separatists Army completely wrecked the planet which resulted in the death of the majority of the Nightsister clan.

Question: Why Did Merrin Help Malicos?

Answer: Despite being the few lucky survivors of the Battle of Dathomir, Merrin only saw a few glimpses of what happened that day. All she remembered was an armored warrior brandishing his lightsabers and killing her sisters.
After a few years, when Malicos escaped the unfortunate Order 66 and reached Dathomir, he fell to the Dark Side of the Force, and by using his vile and cunning methods, he became the leader of the Nightbrothers clan.
However, to gain more power, he tricked Merrin into believing that this destruction was caused by the Jedi, who had been the enemy of the Nightsisters for a long time. Thereby, to avenge her fallen sisters, Merrin decided to help and even share the secrets of her powers with Malicos.

Question: Was Merrin In Love With Cal Kestis?

Answer: Yes, what started as animosity, gradually turned into love. In the beginning, Merrin considered Cal Kestis her arch-enemy because, in her mind, the Jedi Order was the mastermind behind the Battle of Dathomir, and, therefore, every Jedi must pay for what they did to her sisters.
However, upon realizing the truth, she started observing Cal more closely and ended up falling in love with him.

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