The Jedi Civil War: A Battle Between 'Knights of the Old Republic'

Star Wars

Sep 23

Two heroes of the Republic turned villains. A massive forge, creating a massive fleet. The ruins of an empire that once spanned the galaxy. A shocking revelation that changes a Jedi Knight’s entire world. These factors, and more, describe the Jedi Civil War, the conflict at the heart of the Star Wars RPG Knights of the Old Republic. Though players got to play through the final stages of the war, there was a deeper backstory behind it, one told by the game itself and expanded upon by the Legends continuity. Where did Darth Revan and Malak come from, and how did they find the Star Forge?

The beginning of the conflict was rooted in the Mandalorian Wars. A new group of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, led by Mandalore the Ultimate, began invading worlds across the galaxy around 3976 BBY. The Galactic Senate initially chose not to act, as the worlds were outside the Old Republic’s borders and they had recently been at war with the Sith and Krath. However, Mandalore the Ultimate would be invited by the Sith to attack the Republic, and in 3963 BBY, the Neo-Crusaders would launch a three pronged invasion of republic space. Despite the Navy being overwhelmed, the Jedi Council refused to act, suspecting the involvement of a hidden enemy.

RELATED:

Featured

'Star Wars: Starfighter' Director Shawn Levy Gives Production Updates

Around this time, two Jedi Knights had arrived. One believed to have been born in the Outer Rim circa 3994 BBY, the other a refugee from the world of Quelii named Alek. The two became fast friends, and argued that the Jedi should take part in the fighting, in defiance of the Jedi order, creating a movement known as the Revanchists. After some time, the Revanchist leader, often known simply as the Revanchist, discovered that the Mandalorians has committed genocide aginst the Cathar species. Donning the mask of a dissenting Mandalorian warrior, the Jedi who would be known as Revan vowed to defeat the Neo-Crusaders.

Together, Revan and Alek, now going by Malak to avoid the Council’s arrest warrants, would lead a counterattack against the Mandalorian forces. Around this time, Revan visited Korriban and Malachor V, getting the attention of the Sith Empire. After two battles on Dxun and Althir, the war was nearing its conclusion. In the meantime, Revan worked to build what would become the Sith Academy on Korriban, though it's not known if he intended it to be then.

Malachor V would be the location of the final battle between Revan and Mandalore the Ultimate. During the battle, the two would have a duel, in which Revan won. However, Revasn learned about the Sith’s involvement from the dying Mandalore. After a costly victory, thanks to the activation of the Mass Shadow Generator by future “Jedi Exile” Meetra Surik, the Mandalorian wars were over. Revan and Malak went to the Unknown Regions of the Galaxy, officially to hunt for Neo-Crusader holdouts, but really to search for the Sith. Eventually, they found the Sith empire, and confronted their leader, the mysterious Sith Emperor. They fought well, but they couldn’t defeat him.

Eventually, the Sith Emperor bound them to the Dark Side, and sent them off to find the Star Forge. The star Forge was an ancient Rakatan superweapon, using the power of a Star and the Force to create an endless supply of war materials. The Rakata used it to create their Infinite Empire. With that power, the Sith could conquer the Galaxy. Finding a Star Map on Dantooine, Revan and Malak tracked the Star Forge through Kashyyyk, Manaan, Korriban, and Tatooine, eventually finding Lehon, where they fully embraced the mantle of Sith Lord. Darth Revan and Darth Malak used the Forge to create an army, and returned to the Galaxy.

They returned to Korriban and made it their public capital, creating a new Sith Empire. Many of his former followers had joined Revan out of loyalty. With this new army, the Sith raided the shipyards at Foerost. Heroes becoming conquerors, many began defecting to Reven’s Empire. As their forces expanded, so too did their control over the galaxy, with many planets hardly needing to be fought. Revan also entered a partnership with the Czerka Corporation, a galactic conglomerate with various interests both dubious and legal. Together, the two would collaborate to lead Revan’s Empire to control the Galaxy.

One devastating loss for the Republic came around 3958 BBY. The first was the Bombing of Telos IV; Admiral Saul Karath, a defector from the Republic had arrived with a fleet and ordered the Planet’s surrender. When they refused, Karath could no longer ignore Darth Malak’s order to bombard the planet. Many lost their lives that day, and Telos struggled to recover in the years after. The Sith Agent Acaadi, a fallen Jedi, was sent to Iridonia to capture it. Though unsuccessful, this would be followed by more Sith victories and only a few Republic victories.

Two years later and one daring move would change the course of the war. The Republic, with the help of Jedi operatives, stole data on the Sith Lord’s fleet. They then moved to engage the fleet, using the talents of Jedi Pawan Bastila Shan, skilled in the art of battle meditation, which boosted the republic’s morale, stamina and overall prowess. While the fleet was distracted, Shan and a group of Jedi Knights directly engaged Darth Revan. The two sides fought valiantly, but Darth Malak eventually became aware of what was happening.

In a move not surprising for a Sith Lord, Darth Malak ordered his men to fire his ship upon his Master’s bridge. Believing Revan to have perished, Malak declared himself Dark Lord of the Sith, and began a new campaign of terror. Malak turned the war into a series of massacres to show his resolve, and hoped to capture or kill Bastila in order to keep her battle meditation skills from the Republic. However, the Jedi had one last trick up their robes, one which could uncover the secret of the Star Forge, and bring an end to the Sith Empire that Malak and Revan built up.

On the Endar Spire, Bastila Shan was being transported, over Taris. Among the crew were Carth Onasi, a survivor of Telos IV, Trask Ulgo, an Ensign, and his bunkmate, who would become integral to the War. Malak’s flagship, the Leviathan, would attack the Endar Spire in an ambush against Shan, with Malak’s new apprentice Darth Bandon leading the boarding party. The battle was intense, with Sith and Jedi fighting it out in the hallways. Carth Onasi gave a distress call, and the nameless soldier got his first taste of combat.

As they made their way to the escape pods, Bandon found them. Ulgo left to hold him off, leaving the soldier behind. The soldier united with Carth Onasi and made it to the escape pods, Shan had already escaped. They landed on Taris, a stratified ecumenopolis under Sith occupation. What happened next? Play Knights of the Old Republic, or read here, to find out!

READ NEXT:

Featured