Jediluke, the legend ... the one whose competitive drive made DCL what it was, and the one whose competitive drive made a lot of the pilots here into what they are. Most of us would be such worse pilots without the Wrath of Jediluke.

--LotharBot

Jedi jumped me into the ladder with 200 kills in a single 1v1 Wrath match. I'm not sure how that roped me into this, but the experience has changed me as a player and a person.

--CHILLYBUS

To say this has been a fun ride would be gross understatement. I've loved every second of this, and I hope it continues in some form for the rest of our days.

You have been on the competitive scene longer than anyone. From your days on Kali/Kahn, Zone.com, and every ladder worth mentioning, you've been on top of the charts since the beginning. A true legend and constant thorn in my side, as figuring out how to beat you, consistently put me in my place more times than I can remember.

Thank you for pushing me, thank you for being great, thank you for having a competitive fire second to none. Without you, Descent, to me, wouldn't be what I'll always cherish it to be.

Thank you for everything, my friend. The 20+ years of challenges will never be forgotten.

--Djcjr

Some say he's the greatest of all time. Some say he's too competitive for his own good. Some say he's only got a second half. Some say he sucks in trap levels. Some say he's only good with smarts. Some say he's afraid to play outside of core levels. Some say the DCL is nothing without him.

I asked Jediluke what he thought about all this, and he said:

"BS!"

--roncli

I had an unremarkable career as a pilot in the Kali era. I loved the game. I made it into UF. Spent some time LT on IDL but never really enjoyed ladder play. I loved flying, I loved fighting, I loved playing, but I think I spent much more time in the stands than on the field, as far as the sports side of community goes. I made a fan web site. I made a couple ladders. I geeked out BIG time on what the big names were doing. But I left the era with a lot of regrets than I never really took a serious run at it, as a pilot. About the time I started getting decent, started becoming a competitor a bit, life took me to grad school and, well, I had no time for the game.

But I was a huge fan of the game. We all have big Descent heroes. You were mine. Of the famous pilots out there, you were the one I looked up to the most. I thought you were AWESOME. And I played you a couple of times, but was never so bold as to really get to know you as a pilot.

As the kali era closed, I think we all felt that lightning couldn't strike twice. That something that special was something we all would never see again. I know I felt that way. And not having been bold enough to play my big descent heroes, not going to the LANs, not really grabbing hold of such an excellent pursuit, not being in the thick of the awesome generally - it was a huge regret of mine.

So it should be no surprise that when I heard, in 2013, you were playing again, I dropped EVERYTHING to get involved. I didn't know what was still possible. I certainly was not expecting a renaissance. But whatever I could get, as much as I could get, this time, I was completely determined, I WOULD HAVE NO REGRETS.

I was starstruck by many of the pilots I've had the opportunity to play during the renaissance. And I've made new friends that have brought me so much joy. There's an intense brotherhood and tie between Descent pilots and I feel it strongly, and I love all of you more than I can express, and the lengths I will go to for each of you -- well. You were there. You know. Without diminishing any of that, the big draw of this era, the big prize, the energy that drove me to build all the crazy stuff I did . . . was opportunities to play Jediluke. The record will show that's no exaggeration - that's what I was here for.

Man, I knew you from a distance in the previous era and thought highly of you. I really did not anticipate how much we would click as friends and fellow competitors. Most of my old heroes, I played a few times, loved and was honored by the opportunity, and that was that. And honestly I was expecting the same with you, and -- haha -- no. This turned into something really, really special. We have a similar hot, violent, competitive energy. We like our games a similar flavor. For as much as you're frustrated with your competitive excesses, I get it, I know where that's coming from, and on some level I love to see it. I learned so much from you as a pilot, a competitor, and a person -- partly because you are so excellent, and partly because we are so similar. You were a perfect teacher for me, and the amount I grew from being around you -- man. I can never thank you enough. And while many of my previous heroes disappointed me, I can say you never did.

And now here we are. We made a ladder together. I spent two years losing hard to you, developing the brand new x4 style into its very special, very awesome form. It may not be the most SERIOUS form of Descent - I think I'd probably give Logic that - but darn if it isn't screamingly aggressive competitive assholish awesomeness, and the flavor of the game I like the most. We did that. We made it. We made it great. It is my favorite thing I've done with you, and I've done a lot with you over the last seven years. Man. We played over 800 games. Sheesh, did I really let you kill me 16, 17 thousand times? Apparently. XD

It has been an intense honor to know you so profoundly as a pilot and a friend. It has been everything kid me could have asked for, and way more. To have pushed your game, to have created your home level, to have found my own unique style as an elite pilot, to have had so much frustration and fun and laughs together - man. It transcends. I don't know how to properly express my gratitude. I swear, I feel like God looked down on my life, and decided to put together the most awesome experience possible for me, and carefully designed just the perfect thing. I really didn't think it got this good.

What a ride. Thanks for all of it. See you around.

--Drakona

I don't think I ever really understood what Jediluke was doing. I got glimpses, sometimes, enough to be able to describe it in abstract terms... but there is a difference between that and really *understanding*. He was always a level beyond, always showed how far away the top of the game really was. Even Mark392 seemed more within reach, somehow.

A truly remarkable player.

--Sirius

GG's buddy. The Second Half is a lie!

--melvin

There is never a doubt from me as to your talent and your drive. You have forged new meta and pushed good pilots to great pilots.

As pilots, we do not fit together. We will never fit together.

As persons, you have shown me and those precious to me a loving kindness, and extended the generosity of host and support that I will always warmly embrace.

--Morfod

Rumor has it that you're the reincarnation of Roy Fokker... After seeing you in action so many times in Observatory both as a viewer *and* as an opponent, I'd believe it. And I've since continued to experience it in the DCL both before and after the switch to Legacy. I'm glad you're not bored with my crappy flying and my crappy internet, and I appreciate that you feel I have the capability to improve...even if I don't see that in myself. But whether I do improve or not, a game's a game, and even being shut out can be it's own kind of fun *and* be a learning experience in improving one's self in Descent. I appreciate the games we've played, Jeds.

--Borjarnon

My rival. My friend. My brother! We've had such a long and amazing journey together. I don't know how to start, I don't know how to end. Words aren't a proper demonstration of the relationship we've built. So I suppose I'll start with this: I truly love you, man!

I've known you from the beginning--you didn't know me until I was cemented as Mark392 (rather than all of my other crazy random names that a child uses to play online games that are so new to the world). In those days, being a kid, many days I thought you hated my guts, but, over the years I grew to understand you didn't you were just a competitor of competitors--a champion with the true grit and hatred of loss. Back then, I didn't see your regret over the part of you that said some of the things, but, I was blessed.

The new era was a blessing I can't describe adequately. I got that second chance. When I look back, I don't care about the games, the competition, the drive to be the best, the rivalries, the heat and amazing satisfaction of it all... No. What I care about... what makes me smile when I look back on our time here, of you and me, of the tug of war for years in a game that we became brothers through... What I recognize looking back on it all is the immeasurable value of the brotherhood you and I built together. I am tearily remembering the first times meeting you in person, and the fact that it was like I had always known you, and we both had always been brothers. Not the, "yeah man, you're my bro", but, like we grew up together. A bond forged that truly is unbreakable.

So, as I take a minute to look back... To reminisce on what was... As I write my final words on this glorious thing we all built together... I am joyfully reminded of what IS.

What is.

Thanks for everything...

Brother.

--Mark392

Uncle Jedi,
I'm thankful for the conversations that led me to call you Uncle Jedi. I'm thankful to have been able to meet you in person and share some awesome times together: gaming, eating, singing, having a drink.

This was/is a grand little corner of the internet, and I'm so very glad I could be a part of it and make friends like you.

I, too, look forward to when we can crack open another drink and sing a few more songs together.

--Lady Silver