In the year 132 BBY, set within the High Republic Era, the Jedi Order dispatched a team on a quest: to locate Jedi Master Kelnacca. Their destination was the planet Khofar. Simultaneously, the Sith assassin Mae-ho Aniseya was also hunting down the Wookiee Jedi, with the intent to kill him. After Kelnacca met his end at the hands of "The Stranger," a mysterious Sith, a lightsaber duel erupted between the Stranger and the Jedi. This confrontation resulted in the deaths of all Jedi present, with the exception of Jedi Master Sol. Sol, along with the Tynnan tracker Bazil and Verosha Aniseya, a meknek and former Jedi, were the only three members of the Jedi team to survive.
Before Mae could leave the shelter, Sol's team showed up. Sol announced that everyone inside should exit with their hands visible, and Yord Fandar specified that this included Mae. Before anyone could react, the Stranger floated down behind Osha, approaching despite the Jedi's commands to halt. The Stranger faced Osha directly before activating his lightsaber, which caused all the Jedi to ignite their own lightsabers. Sol shouted for Osha to escape, but the Stranger used the Force to hurl her aside, and then the Jedi charged. The Stranger then used a Force push to repel the Jedi.
Later, Osha awoke to the sight of a Jedi's corpse. She then witnessed the Stranger striking down Ithia Paan and three other Jedi, also wounding Yord. As the Stranger moved to finish Yord, Osha fired a stun blast at him, but it had no effect. The Stranger turned toward Osha, and Yord yelled for her to flee, which she did, with the Stranger in pursuit. From inside the shelter, Mae watched the battle and grabbed Kelnacca's lightsaber, preparing to escape. Back in the jungle, Osha paused, using her flashlight to scan her surroundings, before resuming her flight just as the Stranger emerged from the trees and hurled his lightsaber. Sol's own lightsaber deflected the attack, cutting through three trees before returning to the Stranger's hand.
Yord arrived, and Sol instructed him to take Osha back to the ship before confronting the Stranger. Yord and Osha located Bazil and were about to follow him, but Osha insisted they return. She noticed Yord's injury, which he dismissed, emphasizing that Sol had given him an order and that he would have to subdue her if necessary. Back at the clearing, the Stranger appeared to recognize Sol, but Sol did not reciprocate, although he sensed a familiarity. Then, they engaged in a duel.
At Kelnacca's shelter, Mae emerged with Kelnacca's lightsaber, only to be ambushed by Jecki Lon. Jecki used a Force push to send Mae back inside the shelter, then restrained one of her hands with binders and placed her under arrest. Their fight continued, eventually spilling back outside. Back at the clearing, Sol and the Stranger continued their duel, until the Stranger pushed Sol back and deactivated his lightsaber. Sol remarked that the Stranger had trained Mae and demanded he remove his helmet. The Stranger refused, to protect his thoughts. Sol then questioned why a master would hide his face from his apprentice, to which the Stranger responded by telling Sol to tell him, and they resumed their duel.