Early Life

Aayla was born on the Twi'lek home planet of Ryloth. She was discovered by a padawan named Quinlan Vos, who sensed she was in danger while he was there on a mission. He persuaded his teacher, Master Tholme, to have her tested on Coruscant. She passed and was trained as a Jedi by Master Quinlan. She became highly proficient with a lightsaber, studying both Jar'Kai and Ataru styles. The pair had many adventures together; rescuing a princess from Skyboat Pirates, facing Terbests on Ogden Minor and solving the Mystery of the Lodi. Her relationship with Kit Fisto that strained the Jedi code.

Dark Times

Things went wrong, however, when Quinlan and Aayla were sent on a mission to investigate glitteryll drug production on Ryloth. The pair were captures and given the drug to erase their memories. She was then taken by her uncle, Pol Secura, who kept her on the drug to prevent her from remembering her Jedi training. A stranger came to visit her, showing her her lightsaber and calling her his padawan. Aayla remembered nothing. The man, Quinlan Vos, figured Pol was behind her memory loss and came for him. In the confusion, Aayla force pushed her uncle off the balcony. She blamed the stranger for her uncle's death.

In a bid for revenge, Aayla sought help from the Dark Jedi Volfe Karkko on Kiffex. He instructed her to hunt the planet's Jedi and bring them back, alive, to feed his power. Quinlan followed her to the Jedi Prison and battled with Aayla. During the fight her memories returned. Karkko interrupted by hitting her in the back woth force lightning. When she awoke, Quinlan had defeated the Dark Jedi. She resumed her Jedi training with Master Tholme.

Clone Wars

Aayla Secura at Geonosis

Aayla was on Coruscant at the beginning of the Clone Wars and was part of the Jedi strike force, led by Mace Windu on Geonosis to rescue the captured Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) as well as Senator Padme Amidala. After the battle, she became a general, leading the 327th Star Corps. Shortly after the battle on Geonosis, Aayla was sent to intercept a Techno Union scientist to intercept designs for a new droid. Soon after, she infiltrated a space station called the Wheel by posing as a down on her luck mechanic searching for Quinlan. Quinlan and Aayla uncovered plans to attack the planet Kamino, they assisted the Republic in defending the rainy planet, thus securing the production of more clone warriors. Aayla would stay and prevent sabotage there with the assistance of Master Kit Fisto.

Death

Aayla, like many other Jedi, was betrayed by the Clone Soldiers under her command by order 66. She died on the planet Felucia. The Empire falsly stated that she was executed because she had been trying to contamiate the planet's water supply. To some of the cultures and peoples she helped, the Empire's lies would not hold and she was even worshipped by some.

From Comic to Film

Amy Allen with George Lucas

In the films Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Aayla is portrayed by Amy Allen. She is one of the few film characters to begin life in Star Wars' Expanded Universe. Originally created by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, the character caught the eye of George Lucas who decided to incorperate her into the films. She sees far greater action in the Expanded Universe though. Despite being quite clearly killed in Revenge of the Sith, many fans have tried to devise ways in which she may have survived on the official website.