Protas was the monster-god of the Kaminoan seas. Dwelling beneath the oceans, he ruled all the animals on the planet, possessing strength and power beyond that of any other creature. His mystical powers were both grand and beyond comprehension by lesser beings. His dominion over the seas was challenged, however, by several contenders. The first was Melkorr, an immense titan originating in the deepest of the Kaminoan waters. He openly challenged Protas, and for seven days they did battle, until Protas overcame the upstart Melkorr, and consolidated his dominance over the seas.

The second challenger was a school of sentient kikla, who also chose to openly confront Protas. He fought them in the Ancient Trench, eating his numerous opponents in order to maintain his strength. Overcoming the kikla, Protas grew complacent and arrogant in his position of power, denying an aiwha pod passage to the south seas, where they were heading for the winter season. As the aiwha understood that they would freeze to death should they stay in the north, they directly attacked Protas, and the monster-god was finally defeated.

Biography[]

Clash of the titans[]

Protas was a magical monster-god who dwelled in the oceans of Kamino prior to the "dawning of the second sun." His name stemmed from the fact that he was the first and only creature of his kind. Protas was both considered a god, and a "beast"—such was his position of power that he ruled all of the creatures that dwelled underwater on Kamino. His rule, however, and his immense strength, made him a target for newcomers and upstarts who sought to claim his place and supplant him as the overlord of the Kaminoan seas.^[1]

The first challenger was Melkorr, a dark titan from the deepest waters of Kamino. He approached Protas directly and challenged him openly, hoping to resolve who would rule the seas in a bout of combat. Protas accepted the challenge and met Melkorr at the ridge of Thalina. The battle commenced and ensued for seven days—the combatants violently thrashing away at one another, wrestling and grappling, hoping to gain the upper hand. Melkorr sought to use both his power and size to overcome Protas, but the monster-god was too quick and agile. He was able to turn Melkorr's own power against him, and on the seventh day of battle, the newcomer began to tire. Exhausted, his guard faltered, allowing Protas to move in and destroy him. As a result, Melkorr's blood stained the seas of Kamino, and his immense carcass fed fish for an entire eon.^[1]

Protas's rule continued, until a new challenger emerged. A group of sentient kikla swimmers rose up into contention, their great numbers counteracting their diminutive nature. They collectively challenged Protas openly and were confident that their sheer numbers would be able to overwhelm the monster-god. In the deepest waters of the Ancient Trench, Protas met the kikla. For a month, they did battle, with the kikla swarming all over Protas, hoping that their numbers would give them longevity and dominance. However, Protas was considerably more focused than the kikla, who were quarrelsome and unable to unify for a dedicated attack. Their bites hardly wounded Protas at all, and he was able to successfully divide his opponents before proceeding to eat them. The nutrition from the consumed kikla continued to give Protas strength as he fought them, and by the time the new moon rose, he had eaten the last of their number.^[1]

Defiance of the monster-god[]

Having obliterated those who would challenge him, Protas grew old, and with his power consolidated, arrogant. As he confidently believed that no one else would ever oppose him, he saw fit to wield his considerable power on a whim, without thought or consequence. He came across an aiwha pod, who were heading south for the winter, and blocked their path. Protas deigned that they should return to the north waters, where they would freeze and die. The aiwha were querulous as to why Protas made such an issue, and the monster-god, amused, simply informed them that it was because it would please him. After some conference among themselves, the aiwha suddenly attacked Protas, without even announcing their intention as previous challengers had.^[1]

Initially, the aiwha swarmed Protas, in much the same way that the kikla had. In turn, Protas scattered them, forcing the aiwha to adopt a new tactic. Evoking Melkorr, they attempted to tear at Protas's flesh with their jaws, and despite the fact that they lacked the size of Melkorr, they made up for it with their fierceness. Furthermore, they had a determination and unity that the kikla lacked, and so in time, Protas began to bleed. However, the monster-god endured, and the aiwha were unable to overcome him. When Protas exposed his soft and vulnerable neck, one of the aiwha spotted it, and they charged and clamped down hard on it. The monster-god, bellowing in pain, felt that his life-force was dissipating and that he would surely die. Using his fins, he thrashed at the lone aiwha in a punitive attempt, but it was too late. Although the lone aiwha was slain, he had allowed his friends to rally for a final, decisive attack, and Protas was destroyed. In the aftermath of the monster-god's death, the aiwha ruled the oceans of Kamino and were respected by all for their defeat of Protas, in spite of the fact that they desired no glory whatsoever but only pursued self-preservation.^[1]

Personality and traits[]

Protas was an immense sea creature who possessed a series of fins. He was of a single mind, which gave him the advantage while battling the kikla. After conquering those who would challenge him, Protas grew overly arrogant in his older age, and he felt that he had enough power to rule freely, leading him to practically sentence the aiwha to death on a whim. When he was brought to death, he decided to take the aiwha that had caused his death with him, lashing out in anger.^[1]

Powers and abilities[]

Protas possessed immane strength—he was more powerful than any other living beast on Kamino, and he wielded magical powers, which were beyond the understanding of others. He was a skilled combatant, using his agility to his advantage while fighting Melkorr. He was able to turn Melkorr's own strength against him, and he was also able to use the nutrition of consumed kikla to endure a month-long battle with them. Although he was able to fend off a mass attack from the aiwha, his throat was particularly vulnerable, and the weakness came to be exploited by one particular aiwha.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Protas first appeared in the short story "The Tale of the Aiwha Pod," written by Ryan Kaufman. The story was published in the 2005 Star Wars: Republic Commando: Prima Official Game Guide.^[1]

Appearances[]

• "The Tale of the Aiwha Pod" — Star Wars: Republic Commando: Prima Official Game Guide (First appearance)

Notes and references[]