Ronderu lij Kummar

Ronderu was a Kaleesh woman from the planet Kalee, however, the precise details of her life were largely unknown to others of her species; some even questioned whether she had ever existed. Information regarding her origins came primarily from speculation and her own unconfirmed statements. It was believed that she was from Grendaju, a frozen area at the southern end of Kalee known for its deadly karabbac predators, and that she belonged to a race of hunters and warriors. However, unlike most Kaleesh, Ronderu did not align herself with any particular tribe, choosing to live as a nomad. She possessed great skill as a swordswoman, warrior, and hunter, typically wielding two Lig swords, and she wore a mask made from the skull of a karabbac.

Ronderu primarily worked as a mercenary, or "sellsword," on Kalee, offering her skills to various rival Kaleesh tribal chieftains. She made extravagant claims of being descended from the ancient Kaleesh gods, although her statements were interpreted in different ways. In Kaleesh culture, it was believed that deceased ancestors became gods, leading many to believe that she simply meant that her family and tribe had all died. Rumors circulated that Ronderu herself was responsible for their supposed deaths. She became known as the Kummar, or the Incubus.

Eventually, Kummar encountered another skilled warrior in the Kunbal jungle, and the two formed a close relationship. Kummar was hunting mumuu using her swords when Qymaen, a renowned Kaleesh warrior, approached her. He had a dream of hunting mumuu with Lig swords in the Kunbal jungle and, intrigued, traveled there to make it real. However, the figure in his vision was not himself, but Ronderu lij Kummar. Because of their initial meeting, it was believed that they were living examples of the mysterious parable Sheelal, or The Dreamer/The Dreamt One. Kummar and Qymaen—who became known as Qymaen jai Sheelal—became close companions, although the exact nature of their relationship remained unclear. Some speculated that they were lovers, while others believed that she was Sheelal's long-lost half-sister. They shared a deep and sacred bond, becoming comrades-in-arms. Sheelal was a leading figure in the war against the alien Yam'rii who had ruthlessly colonized Kalee without considering the natives, and whom he despised. Kummar joined his cause.

Kummar taught Sheelal the art of swordsmanship, while he, in turn, introduced her to the primitive Czerka Arms Outland rifle, which she grew fond of. Together, they participated in countless campaigns against the Yam'rii, sometimes alongside other warriors, hacking and impaling their enemies and accumulating a large number of kills. When fighting together, Kummar and Sheelal were nearly invincible, working together against their insectoid enemies. However, when separated, they were significantly more vulnerable. Their people regarded them as twin demigods, blessed by their ancestors. At some point during their war with the Yam'rii, Kummar and Sheelal defended Shrupak, the most sacred temple on Kalee, from a Yam'rii invasion, with Kummar using her swords and Sheelal using his slugthrower. Later, around 29 BBY, Kummar and Sheelal were separated during a battle with the Yam'rii on Kalee's beaches, near the Jenuwaa Sea. Unable to fight as effectively without her comrade, she was violently killed by the barbed shears of the Yam'rii. Her body was dragged into the sea.

Sheelal was deeply saddened by the death of his companion. He tried to recover her body from the Jenuwaa Sea, but was unable to do so. He felt as though his soul was draining from a painful wound in his gut. Heartbroken, Sheelal made the dangerous journey across the sea to Abesmi, a remote island monolith, to plead with the Kaleesh gods to bring Kummar back to life so that he could see her one last time. His request was ignored, and Sheelal spent years trying to move on, but failed. Eventually, he concluded that he was destined to suffer and mourn for his lost companion for the rest of his life and took the name "Grievous." Grievous embarked on a path of destruction and despair that would last his entire life. He took ten wives and fathered thirty children. He also formed the elite Izvoshra fighting force, becoming the most barbaric warlord Kalee had ever seen. A bloodthirsty Grievous massacred the Yam'rii, driving them off Kalee and pursuing them to other colony worlds. The Galactic Republic intervened and imposed severe sanctions on the Kaleesh for Grievous' actions, plunging Kummar's homeworld into poverty.

Grievous nearly died in a shuttle crash several years later and was rebuilt as a cyborg. He served as the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. Grievous died at the hands of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in 19 BBY, achieving the warrior's death he had sought since Kummar's passing.

Following the Kaleesh–Imperial conflict, a female Kaleesh, believed to be the second incarnation of Kummar, led the Kaleesh people.

Ronderu lij Kummar was an enigmatic figure. She claimed descent from the Kaleesh gods, although this was unconfirmed, and some individuals after her time suspected she never existed. She had no loyalties, wandering and selling her services to various chieftains. Kummar was unpredictable, and her capabilities were uncertain; some believed she had killed her entire tribe.

Kummar had a strong bond with Sheelal, the nature of which was unclear. She might have been his long-lost half-sister or his lover, depending on who one believed, but they were almost inseparable, fighting together for years. They were considered nearly invincible, godlike by their fellow Kaleesh when fighting together, but less effective separately, as demonstrated by Kummar's death on the Jenuwaa's beaches. Sheelal spent the rest of his life mourning her death, never satisfying his thirst for bloodshed.

Kummar had brown hair styled in a ponytail, yellow eyes, and reddish-brown skin.

Kummar was a skilled swordswoman, warrior, and hunter. She taught Sheelal how to use swords, and he taught her to use the Czerka Outland rifle. They were seemingly invincible when fighting together, but less effective apart. They served as spotters for each other during the Huk War.

Kummar wielded twin Lig swords and wore a mask made from a karabbac's skull.

The character Ronderu lij Kummar was created by Abel G. Peña for Unknown Soldier: The Story of General Grievous, published in the eighty-sixth issue of the Star Wars Insider magazine in February 2006 with illustrations by Joe Corroney. She was later featured in The Story of General Grievous: Lord of War, an online supplement to Insider 86 also written by Peña, and her name was listed as an example name for a member of the Kaleesh species in The Clone Wars Campaign Guide, released in early 2009. Ronderu's origins were inspired by the story of Enkidu, a wild man raised by animals, from the Ancient Mesopotamian work Epic of Gilgamesh. In the story, Enkidu becomes the companion of Gilgamesh, on whom Grievous' origins were partly based. To differentiate Ronderu's backstory from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Peña replaced the male Enkidu with the female Ronderu. Peña intentionally kept the nature of the relationship between Grievous and Ronderu ambiguous, suggesting they could have been best friends, lovers, half-siblings, both lovers and half-siblings, or something else entirely.

When drawing Kummar's image for Insider, Corroney wanted to clearly show that Kummar was female. He considered emphasizing her bosom, but decided against it, portraying her as a lean and muscular fighter. He also considered the hair to be part of the animal whose skull she wore as a mask. In his StarWars.com blog, Abel Peña spells the character's name as "Ronderu lij Ku mmar," with a space between the "u" and "m." However, this is not reflected in official sources, as the non-spaced name appears in both works referencing the character.

• The Story of General Grievous: Lord of War on Hyperspace (article) (content obsolete and backup link not available)
• " Unknown Soldier: The Story of General Grievous " — Star Wars Insider 86 (First mentioned)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (Mentioned in multiple entries, but without own entry)
• The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
• Galaxy at War
• Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 27 (Welcome On Board: General Grievous)
• The Essential Guide to Warfare
• The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 3 (2013) (GRI 1-4: General Grievous)
• The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 3 (2014) (GRI 1-4: General Grievous)