Duel on the Star Forge

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Previous Skirmish on Korriban[1] Concurrent Battle of Rakata Prime[1] Next Expedition to Korriban[2] Duel on the Star Forge Conflict Jedi Civil War[3] Date 3,956 BBY[3] Place Observation deck of the Star Forge, Rakata system[1] Outcome Jedi victory; Darth Malak's death[1] Combatants Jedi Order[1] Darth Malak's Sith Empire[1] Strength 1 Jedi Padawan[1] Revan[1] 1 Dark Lord of the Sith[1] Darth Malak†[1] Casualties None[1] Darth Malak†[1] [Source]

The Duel on the Star Forge was the decisive duel between reigning Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Malak and his former Sith Master Revan, who was now a redeemed Jedi Padawan. The duel took place in the year 3,956 BBY during the Battle of Rakata Prime, which was the final battle of the Jedi Civil War. The duel resulted in Malak's death, and led to the fall of his Sith Empire.

Contents 1 Prelude 2 The final confrontation 2.1 Death of Darth Malak 3 Aftermath 4 Behind the scenes 5 Appearances 6 Sources 7 Notes and references

[edit] Prelude

In the year 3,959 BBY,^[3] the former Jedi Knights and Dark Lords of the Sith Darth Revan and Darth Malak declared war on the Jedi Order^[4] and the Galactic Republic they had successfully defended during the Mandalorian Wars. This act initiated the Jedi Civil War. Two years into the war, the Jedi and Republic set a trap for both Revan and Malak.^[5][6] A Jedi strike team, led by Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, boarded Revan's flagship during the battle. Malak sensed his opportunity and ordered the guns of his flagship Leviathan to fire on Revan's vessel, in order to kill both Revan and the Jedi. However, both Shan and Revan survived, although Revan was knocked into a coma. Shan stabilized Revan, escaped the flagship, and brought Revan back to the Jedi Council. The Council temporarily erased Revan's memories, and implanted an identity of a soldier loyal to the Republic.^[1]

In the final year of the Jedi Civil War, the amnesiac Revan was retrained as a Padawan at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. Revan and Bastila Shan were then sent on a mission by the local Jedi Council to find the Star Forge, an ancient Rakatan space station that fueled the Sith Empire's war effort against the Republic. During their search for the Star Maps that lead to the Star Forge, Malak captured Revan and his companions and brought them aboard his flagship Leviathan. Malak told Revan about his former identity of Darth Revan, and Shan was captured by Malak. After escaping the Leviathan and locating the final Star Map on the Sith tombworld Korriban, Revan and his companions traveled to the Rakata system and crashed on an unknown world in the system. Along with the Jedi Jolee Bindo and Juhani, Revan confronted Shan, who revealed that she was Malak's new apprentice, replacing Malak's Shadow Hand Darth Bandon, who was slain by Revan.^[1]

When Revan rejected Shan's pleas to reclaim his former mantle of Dark Lord, Shan fled to the Star Forge. Revan and his companions boarded the Star Forge aboard the light freighter Ebon Hawk. After battling throught hordes of Dark Jedi and Sith troopers, Revan confronted Shan, who was ordered by Malak to kill Revan. After defeating her three times, Revan convinced Shan to return to the light side and use her Battle meditation—a Force power that bolstered her allies' will while demoralizing the enemy— against the Sith. He then went on to confront Darth Malak. When Revan approached the door to the turbolift that lead to the observation platform, Malak met him there, using the Force to choke two Jedi prisoners. Malak then used the Force to throw his lightsaber into one Jedi's chest, and unleashed a blast of Force lightning at the other, killing both. Revan told Malak that the Jedi would show him mercy if he surrendered, but Malak retorted that the stripping of one's power was no act of mercy, and that he would rather die. Malak then unleashed an unlimited force of Star Forge droids on Revan, and retreated to the observation deck. After Revan defeated the droids, he entered the turbolift and made his way to the observation deck to confront the Dark Lord.^[1]

[edit] The final confrontation

When Revan approached Malak, the Dark Lord congratulated his former Master, stating that he expected the Star Forge's defenses to destroy Revan. However, Malak saw that there was more of Revan's old self in him then he expected. Malak opined that Revan was stronger than he ever was during his reign as the Dark Lord, and Malak remarked that he did not think that was possible. Malak then told Revan that he was tempted to try and capture Revan alive, so that he could break Revam and make him become his own apprentice. Revan said that he would never turn to the dark side again.^[1]

They then began a lightsaber duel, one whose victor would decide the fate of the galaxy, as the Republic and Sith forces raged around them outside the ancient superweapon's observation deck. Revan proved himself to be a better lightsaber duelist, almost defeating Malak, but the Dark Lord withdrew from battle, explaining that he could not be defeated. Malak then used the Force to drain the life–force from one of eight captive Jedi that Malak captured from the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine, when he and his forces attacked the planet. Revan destroyed the other stasis pods, allowing the other Jedi to become one with the Force.^[1]

[edit] Death of Darth Malak

Revan then focused his attention on cutting Malak down again. Eventually, Revan succeeded in landing the fatal blow, bringing Malak to his knees. Amazed that he had been defeated, Malak began to regret turning to the dark side. Revan apologized to his one–time friend for starting him down the dark path, but reminded Malak that he chose to continue down it. Malak stated that perhaps there was more truth in the Jedi Code than he ever believed, and wondered what would have happened if their positions had been reversed. Malak died with sorrow and regret over his deeds, but without hatred or malice towards his former Master. Revan then escaped the Star Forge with his companions on the Ebon Hawk, and the Republic Navy began bombarding the station, sending it crashing into the Rakata system's sun.^[1]

[edit] Aftermath

After Revan returned to Rakata Prime, along with his companions that assisted him in his search for the Star Forge, they were rewarded by the Republic Admiral Forn Dodonna, each receiving the Cross of Glory, the highest honor the Republic could bestow on an individual. Revan was also re–bestowed the rank of Jedi Knight by Jedi Master Vandar Tokare, being proclaimed "The Prodigal Knight". With both Bastila Shan and Revan once again on the Republic and Jedi Order's side, and the Sith Empire's primary factory destroyed, the Sith forces were routed by the Republic.^[1]

[edit] Behind the scenes

The Duel on the Star Forge first appeared in the 2003 Xbox and PC video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, developed by BioWare.^[1] While the canonical ending of the video game is the light side ending,^[3] the player can choose to follow the dark path. In this ending, Revan gives in to Bastila Shan's temptations, murdering the Jedi Jolee Bindo and Juhani atop the Rakatan Temple. He and Bastila Shan travel to the Star Forge, and Revan orders Shan to use her battle meditation to assist the Republic, in order to entrap the Republic's forces. After he strikes down Malak and reclaims his title of Dark Lord of the Sith, he orders Shan to turn against the Republic, destroying the fleet and preventing the Star Forge's destruction.^[7]

In the novel Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, written by Drew Karpyshyn, Revan was said to be a Jedi Master at the time of the duel.^[8] However, in Knights of the Old Republic, he is a Padawan.^[1] An Easter egg in the ending of Knights of the Old Republic allows the player to transform Malak into a green-skinned Twi'lek dancer and skip the final battle.^[9]

[edit] Appearances

• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Mentioned only)
• Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (Mentioned only)

[edit] Sources

• Knights of the Old Republic: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• Chronicles of the Old Republic
• The New Essential Chronology
• Jedi vs. Sith: Essential Guide to the Force
• Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• The Essential Atlas
•  Darth Malak in the Databank
•  Star Forge in the Databank

[edit] Notes and references