Revan

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Revan
Biographical information
Homeworld	Unknown (programmed identity: Deralia)
Died	Unknown (last seen 3,955 BBY)
Descriptive information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Eye color	Unknown (dark side: Yellow)
Chronological and political information
Affiliation(s)	Jedi Order Galactic Republic Jedi Crusaders Sith, Sith Empire (both formerly)
Masters	Kreia (Jedi Master) Zhar Lestin (Jedi Master) Dorak (Jedi Master) Arren Kae (Jedi Master)
Apprentices	Darth Malak (Sith apprentice)

Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: parents, pronouns, skin, children, siblings, type, partners, families, cyber, feathers, mass and unrecognized parameters: era

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Revan was an enigmatic Jedi Knight and General. A charismatic leader, potent wielder of the Force, and unparalleled military tactician in his time, he was credited with leading the Galactic Republic to victory in the Mandalorian Wars.

After the war, however, the Republic's savior returned from the Unknown Regions in command of a vast Sith armada. Now bearing the title of Dark Lord of the Sith and deploying his forces against the Republic, his return marked the beginning of the Jedi Civil War. Swiftly conquering a significant portion of the Republic's territory, Darth Revan established a powerful new Sith Empire poised to conquer the Republic. In desperation, the Jedi set a trap for the Dark Lord, and thanks to a Jedi named Bastila Shan and her battle meditation, the Jedi strike team boarded the Sith flagship. Sensing his time had come, Darth Malak, the Sith apprentice of Darth Revan, ordered his ships to fire on Revan's flagship's bridge, hoping to kill the Jedi and his master. The hail of fire nearly killed Revan and the Jedi; fortunately, Bastila was able to save his life and escape with her valuable prisoner. His mind destroyed, the Jedi Council repaired it with a new identity—one loyal to the Republic. Despite eventually discovering his former identity as the Dark Lord, Revan redeemed himself by rejecting the dark side, defeating Malak, and ending the very war he had begun.

Shortly thereafter, Revan departed once again for the Unknown Regions. The memories of his former life had returned, and there was something in his past that he felt he had to confront alone. Kreia, Revan's old Jedi Master, believed that Darth Revan's brutally efficient invasion of the galaxy had been part of a complex plan to secure the Republic from a long-hidden threat known as the "True Sith", suggesting that Revan had departed on a solitary quest to defeat them once and for all.

Biography

Early life

"Revan had a mother and father, parents, ancestors, like all Jedi do. And when he awakened to his potential, I was there to see it. But where he was born, where he came from, I do not know… anymore than I know where he walks now. Some said that Revan was born in the Outer Regions, beyond the Rim, and that's what called to him during the Mandalorian Wars… and after. It was the call of home."

―Kreia

The exact details of Revan's beginnings are, for the most part, unknown. Though the most prevalent speculation places his homeworld somewhere beyond the Outer Rim Territories, this is far from certain. Whatever the truth of his origins, however, it can be assumed with reasonable certainty that his strong affinity for the Force was discovered at a young age and that he was inducted into the Jedi Order soon afterwards.

Jedi training

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Three of Revan's many teachers.

"Revan had many masters, Zhar, Dorak, Master Kae before Kae left for the Wars. Towards the end of his training, he sought out many to learn techniques. It is said that he returned to his first master at the end of his training, in order to learn how he might best leave the order."

―Mical

Initially, Revan's instruction was undertaken by the Jedi Kreia on Coruscant but, ever eager to learn more about the Force, Revan and his friend Malak were soon visiting Jedi Master Zhar Lestin for additional training. Though Zhar noted that Revan had an "insatiable" hunger for knowledge, he dismissed it as exuberance and eagerness, believing the youth would grow to be a future champion of the Jedi Order.

In time, Revan left Kreia's tutelage entirely, going on to study beneath numerous Jedi Masters, including the aforementioned Zhar, as well as Master Dorak and Kae. In addition, rumors perpetuated by Mical some years later suggested that Revan studied the process of Force bonding deeply during his many apprenticeships. Eventually, however, he returned to Kreia, when in her own words, "he realized there was nothing more to be learned from the Jedi—except how one could leave them forever."

It is also possible that Revan sought the forbidden knowledge of Sith Alchemy and Sorcery at this time, as Master Vrook Lamar seemed convinced that he had done so. Whatever the validity of these accusations however, by 3,956 BBY the general consensus amongst the Jedi Masters on Dantooine was that though Revan had been a very promising Padawan, he had also been headstrong, proud and far too quick to dismiss the dangerous lure of the dark side.

The Mandalorian Wars

"When the Mandalorian threat first arose, Revan and Malak were eager to defeat the enemy of the Republic. But the council thought it best if we moved with care and caution. The true threat, the council feared, had not yet revealed itself. But Revan would not be dissuaded. Charismatic and powerful, it was inevitable many of the Order would flock to Revan's seemingly noble cause. Malak was the first to join his closest friend. Others followed, many of our youngest and brightest, intent on saving the galaxy from the Mandalorian threat."

―Zhar Lestin

At the start of the Mandalorian Wars, the Republic military was in desperate need of assistance, and petitioned the Jedi Council for aid. Unwilling to charge into another conflict so soon since the last and sensing another threat beyond the Mandalorians, the Council refused. Not all the Jedi were willing to accept this stance of apparent inaction, however, and Revan was among them. Since rising to the rank of Jedi Knight, the charismatic and powerful young man had become a figure of admiration amongst his peers, and when the devastating details of the Battle of Cathar became widely known—several years after the fact—he used this to his advantage. In an act of rebellion, he directly disobeyed the orders of the High Council and sent out a call to arms. Malak was the first to join his closest friend but soon hundreds of Jedi rallied to his cause.

The entrance of Revan and the Jedi into the war marked its turning point. Revan's clever military strategies and tactics combined with Malak's courage and fiery determination saw the pair becoming the foremost heroes of the conflict. Propelled through the ranks of the Republic military, they were eventually given direct control over a third of the Republic's entire fleet, a fleet that Revan used to great effect, spearheading the Republic war effort and steadily pushing the Mandalorians back.

Together, Revan and Malak liberated Taris, fought Cassus Fett—Mandalore's primary strategist—at Jaga's Cluster, and defeated much of the Mandalorian army at Althir, yet, despite such victories, there were concerns raised over the Jedi's behavior. Though Revan's tactics were near flawless and Malak's righteous fury unmatched, the pair began to take on very similar characteristics to the Mandalorians they were fighting, growing to despise weakness and indecisiveness in all its forms.

Unfortunately for the galaxy, the growing darkness surrounding Revan did not just stem from his experiences with the Mandalorians. Early in the war, at some point in the year 3,963 BBY, Revan visited the ancient Sith world of Malachor V while scouting for new outposts along the embattled Outer Rim. Word had reached him that Malachor was anathema to the Mandalorians and he wished to know the reason why. On its surface, Revan was quickly assaulted by the destructive dark side energies that permeated the world, yet through the strength of his will, he was able to feed on the evil power without being consumed by it.

Soon thereafter, he stumbled upon the Trayus Academy, an abandoned training center built by a mysterious Sith faction known as the "True Sith". While unearthing the planet's buried secrets, Revan learned the exact location and immense significance of the planet Korriban, the homeworld of the Sith species. Though the exact details of what transpired in that ancient Sith bastion would remain unknown, the most commonly accepted theory was that Revan discovered the continued existence of the "True Sith", long thought vanished, and the threat that they still presented to the galaxy. Coming to the conclusion that the Republic as it stood was ill-equipped to defend the galaxy from such a potent enemy, he decided that a new government would need to rise in its place; an empire founded upon the Sith teachings. He would attempt to save the galaxy through conquest. In that moment, Revan fully abandoned the teachings of the Jedi, adopting the title of Dark Lord of the Sith and becoming Darth Revan.

It may have been during his studies on Malachor V that Revan uncovered historical traces of the Star Forge. A relic of the Infinite Empire of the Rakata, it was an instrument of the dark side capable of producing vast fleets by harnessing the power of the stars. Though it had the dangerous potential to consume those who drew upon it too heavily, Revan soon concluded that he had discovered the means by which he would rapidly conquer the Republic and prepare it for the coming attack of the ancient Sith. To locate it however, he would need to track down a number of Star Maps hidden across the galaxy.

"Only Revan was worthy of our respect. We swept throughout the Outer Rim without opposition—until Revan assumed command of the Republic forces. Only then did the battle turn."

―Canderous Ordo

Returning to the wars, Revan forced a final confrontation with the Mandalorians over Malachor V. His plan was to unleash the recently constructed Mass Shadow Generator on the planet, wiping out the majority of the Mandalorian fleet, as well as those Republic forces and Jedi who were not fervently loyal to him. Trusting the device's activation to a capable Jedi general, Revan battled Mandalore the Ultimate himself.

The battle resulted with catastrophic losses on both sides, yet in the end, many Jedi were twisted to the dark side and the once proud Mandalorian clans were crippled, just as Revan had intended. After the battle, Revan denied the vanquished their leader's ancestral mask and with it, their ability to choose a true successor. Ordering his forces to strip them of their weapons and armor and to dismantle their Basilisk war droids, Revan condemned the Mandalorians to perpetual exile.

Such a total victory over their adversaries, despite the Republic casualties, saw Revan hailed as a savior. Yet unbeknownst to those praising him, the Sith teachings were already sweeping through the ranks of those who had followed him to war…

Instead of returning to the Republic, Revan and Malak took the remainder of their fleet and disappeared from the known galaxy. They claimed to be searching for the remnants of the Mandalorian fleet; those who had fled the final, devastating battle. In reality, they were searching for the Star Forge. Keeping their fleet hidden beyond known space, Revan and Malak themselves wandered the galaxy, tracking down the final Star Maps that would reveal the hidden location of the Star Forge.

Quest for the Star Forge

"Once we pass beyond this door, we can never go back. The Order will surely banish us."

―Malak

Revan and Malak discover the Star Map on Dantooine.

Whether during or after the wars, it is known that Revan and Malak visited Dantooine at some point, avoiding detection by the Jedi and delving into the old burial mounds located near the Jedi Enclave. After successfully passing the "trials" set for them by the guard droid that had been left behind by the so called "builders", they were given access to a Star Map.

Moments before they went beyond the door that led to the dark side artifact, however, Malak—still new to the dark side—warned Revan that stepping beyond this threshold would mean that they could never return to the Jedi Order. Whether or not Revan considered this, or even cared, as he paced in front of the sealed door is unknown; but if he had any doubts, he swiftly cast them aside.

After examining the Star Map on Dantooine, Revan and Malak would go on to uncover Star Maps on Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, and Korriban. Though the order in which they did so is unknown, Bastila Shan was aware that Malak and Revan had both visited Korriban "at least once" when they were known as Jedi, suggesting that they may have gone to this planet during—rather than following—the Mandalorian Wars. Similarly, in 3,956 BBY, the interface that Revan had installed to restrict access to the Star Map on Kashyyyk claimed that it had last been accessed "no earlier than five standard years ago", placing his discovery of that Star Map at around 3,961 BBY.

With the information obtained from the five Star Maps, Revan and Malak were able to travel to the previously-unknown Lehon system; yet upon their arrival, the pair immediately crashed on Lehon. Shortly after, they were attacked by the primitive Black Rakata, who attempted to take them prisoner. The Dark Lord and his apprentice bested them easily, and though Revan could not understand the Rakatan language, he was able to use a Force technique to rip it from their minds, driving Basic into their skulls in turn.

Having been cowed into submission by the Sith Lords' Force powers, the Black Rakata took them to meet their leader, The One. After "teaching" the Rakatan leader Basic, Revan explained that he was pursuing the power of the Star Forge, and that he would require access to the Temple of the Ancients. Yet, from the superstitious, primitive ramblings he received in response, it soon became clear that neither the One nor his followers had any true comprehension of their species' past, nor the technological might that they had once commanded. Nevertheless, the One promised to help Revan enter the Temple, providing he used his "strange magics" to slaughter the Elders—a competing Rakatan tribe that had so far resisted his might. Revan swore he would do so.

Revan soon realized that these "Elders" were likely in possession of the answers he sought and rather than destroy them, he instead approached them in peace. This proved wise, as from the Elders Revan learned much of the Rakata and their old empire—and of the disruptor-field that had caused his and Malak's ship to crash. Sensing the Elders' abhorrence for their species' violent past, Revan proclaimed himself to be a servant of the light, searching for a way to destroy the Star Forge. Trusting him entirely, the Elders gave Revan and Malak access to the temple, and thanking them, the pair promised to destroy the Star Forge and return. They didn't.

The Star Forge

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The Star Forge.

"All you saw was an enormous factory, all you ever imagined was an infinite fleet rolling forth to crush the Republic. You were blind, Revan—blind and stupid!"

―Darth Malak

Leading his hidden forces to the Lehon system, Revan began to realize his plans. Though the Star Forge was capable of granting vast power to those who fully embraced its dark nature, Revan minimized his exposure to the ancient space station, using it purely to construct an enormous fleet with which to conquer the Republic. Darth Malak, horrified that his master would reject such strength, would later balk at what he perceived to be Revan's stupidity, yet the truth was that Revan was far from ignorant.

Revan, unlike his apprentice, understood the dangerous consequences of drawing upon the Star Forge too heavily. The artifact had led the Infinite Empire to its doom: fueling the Rakatan species' hate, driving them to civil war. Revan had no intention of letting over-reliance on the Star Forge disrupt the order he planned to bring to the galaxy. As with everything, he would use it for as long as he needed it, then discard it.

Once ready, Revan led his powerful new Sith armada back into known space, finally revealing himself as a Sith Lord and plunging the galaxy into war once again. As his old teacher Dorak would later say: "The hero had become a conqueror."

The Jedi Civil War

"Revan understood one thing – the real battle was going to be fought between the Jedi on both sides. That was the only battle that mattered. […] Whoever had the most, the strongest Jedi were going to win the Civil War. If Revan couldn't convert Jedi, then Revan would kill them."

―Atton Rand

Revan's campaign, while bloody, was orchestrated to topple the Republic while doing little damage to its underlying industrial infrastructure. Under his leadership, Sith forces bypassed militarily vital planets that would be required for the defense of the Galaxy against the threat of the "True Sith". Revan's plan was to keep the Republic largely intact for the purposes of post-war rebuilding. As such, he could begin his rule with a relatively functional military and economy rather than starting from scratch. Also, had he failed in conquering the galaxy, he believed the end result would be much the same: a stronger Republic, more capable of defending itself.

Revan pioneered new Sith tactics relying on secrecy rather than brute force. His Sith assassins quietly flooded into the Republic from their base on Malachor V to kill and abduct Jedi throughout known space. Revan reestablished strongholds and academies upon worlds of ancient power such as Lehon, Dxun, and Korriban. On these particular planets, his most faithful servants broke captured Jedi and converted them to the dark side. Revan also utilized assassin droids—such as HK-47, whom Revan created himself—to eliminate threats to the stability of his fledgling Sith Empire.

With Revan at the helm, the Sith forged vital alliances to expedite the support and deployment of their forces. They conspired with the Czerka Corporation, one of the richest and most powerful galaxy-spanning companies of the time, to amass much needed resources, and they secured diplomatic relations with the ocean planet of Manaan so that they were able to export the healing agent kolto.

The reinvigorated Sith won battle after battle, until a young Jedi named Bastila Shan entered the fray with her battle meditation, a powerful Force ability that increased the combat effectiveness of the Republic's forces and sapped the will of enemy combatants. Yet, even with Bastila's aid, the Republic forces knew that they could not hold out forever against the Sith. In a desperate attempt to end the war, the Republic and the Jedi set a trap for Revan and Malak, luring them into battle against a small fleet. During the space battle, Bastila led a team of Jedi that boarded Revan's flagship and managed to corner the Dark Lord on the bridge.

Bastila Shan and other Jedi confront Darth Revan just prior to his apparent death.

As the Dark Lord prepared to do battle, however, his apprentice betrayed him. In the hopes of destroying both Revan and Bastila, Darth Malak ordered the ships under his command to fire on his master's bridge. Though Malak believed himself to have been successful in killing the man who had been his best friend, chance, or the Force, kept Revan alive.

After surviving the turbolaser blasts that had rocked through the bridge, Bastila was faced with a choice. Upon regaining her wits, she was confronted with the broken, comatose body of Darth Revan. The Dark Lord was nearly dead—by Bastila's own admission, just a tiny spark of the Force remained alive within him. For whatever reason—perhaps a sense of duty to the Republic, pity, or a simple urge to save his life—young Shan made the decision to grab a hold of that waning spark and keep Revan alive. Through that act, Bastila somehow tied Revan's life to her own, unwittingly forging a powerful Force bond.

Bastila stabilized Revan, but the Sith Lord was still in critical condition and his mind remained heavily damaged. Bastila brought him to the Jedi, where his broken mind was reprogrammed by the Council to conceal the Dark Lord's old identity. In this way, the Masters hoped to enable Bastila to draw out Revan's subconscious memories and find a way to defeat the seemingly unstoppable Sith fleet.

Knight of the Old Republic

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Revan, under an implanted name and with no recollection of his real history or of his former mastery of the Force, was enlisted as a common military soldier in the Republic army and placed under Bastila's command on the Republic warship Endar Spire. Malak, thinking his master dead, devoted all his forces to the hunt for Bastila and in orbit above the world of Taris, his fleet ambushed Endar Spire. Revan awoke in the middle of the battle and proceeded to fight his way off the ship. Along with fellow Republic soldier Carth Onasi, he managed to escape Endar Spire just moments before it exploded.

After crash-landing on the surface of Taris, Revan and Carth discovered that Bastila had been captured by the Black Vulkars swoop gang and was being offered as a prize to the winner of the Tarisian Season Opener. With few options, Revan entered the tournament himself and was able to win Bastila's freedom. These accomplishments were enough to attract the attention of the Mandalorian mercenary Canderous Ordo. With his help, Revan and his companions were able to steal the bypass codes to the Sith blockade overhead, as well as Ebon Hawk, an extraordinarily fast freighter which they took from the crime lord Davik Kang. Revan and his newfound crew made their getaway moments before Darth Malak unleashed an orbital bombardment upon the planet.

Revan and his companions fled to the Jedi academy on Dantooine, where Bastila convinced the Jedi academy council to retrain the amnesiac Dark Lord in the ways of the Jedi. After Revan completed his short formal training, he and Bastila were sent to investigate an ancient stone structure. Inside, the two uncovered an ancient artifact known as a Star Map, a relic of the long-forgotten Infinite Empire of the Rakata. Though the Map was not complete, it pointed the way to the worlds of Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan, and Korriban, on which more Star Maps could be found. Only with the combined information of these five worlds would Revan be able to rediscover the location of the mysterious Rakatan artifact—the Star Forge.

"You're a neophyte Padawan who's been saddled with the responsibility of tracking down these Star Maps. Why? That's not normal!"

―Carth Onasi

Revan, Bastila, and their companions journeyed to these worlds, tracing the steps Darth Revan had taken years before. On each planet, the powerful dark side aura of the Star Maps had created perilous conditions that made access to the Maps difficult. Additionally, the crew of Ebon Hawk found themselves hunted by Sith and bounty hunters, and confronted with the problems of the local populace at every turn.

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Revan's mind flashes back to his reign as the Dark Lord.

As the crew attempted to reach the fifth Star Map, Revan and his allies were captured by the Sith flagship Leviathan. They managed to escape from their holding cells, and headed towards the bridge of the ship, where they faced Saul Karath, Carth's old mentor who betrayed the Republic. After becoming mortally wounded Saul revealed to Carth Revan's true identity, but Bastila convinced him not to talk about it right then. As they fled toward the Ebon Hawk, Revan was confronted by Darth Malak, who revealed to him his former life as the Dark Lord of the Sith. A vicious lightsaber duel ensued, culminating with Bastila's capture by Malak. Revan was forced to deal with Malak's revelation and his loss of Bastila as the quest for the Star Forge stepped up, until at last it was found in the home system of the ancient Rakata.

After gaining the support of this race, Revan was forced to confront a fallen Bastila. Following a week of torture at Malak's hand, Bastila had at last given in to her hate and had embraced the dark side. She was now, she claimed, the Dark Lord's new apprentice. His original apprentice, a former Jedi named Darth Bandon, had previously been slain by Revan during the search for the Star Maps.

Atop an ancient Rakatan temple, Bastila attempted to entice Revan to reclaim his former title of Dark Lord of the Sith. This was the climax of the quest for the Star Forge, and it ended with Revan, once again, making a choice that would change the fate of the galaxy.

"The Dark Lord Revan is dead. I am a servant of the light now."

―Revan

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The defeat of Darth Malak at the hands of a redeemed Revan, as seen in Duron Qel-Droma's visions.

Revan made the choice of a Jedi, rejecting Bastila's temptation. Enraged, Bastila retreated to the Star Forge. Revan and the crew of Ebon Hawk pursued her as a Republic fleet commenced an assault of its own.

Aboard the Star Forge, displaying his now returned power in the Force and mastery of lightsaber combat, Revan faced off against Bastila once again. After defeating her, he attempted to convince her to return to the light side by drawing on the powerful bond of love that had formed between the two during the course of their quest. He succeeded and Bastila used her battle meditation to aid the Republic, turning the tide of the ensuing battle. Finally, Revan again confronted his old friend and apprentice, Malak, in an epic lightsaber duel, while the Republic fleet, now no longer hindered by Bastila's battle meditation, continued its bombardment of the Star Forge. During their duel, Malak continually sucked the life-force from captured Jedi held in stasis to replenish his energies, but even this was not enough to defeat Revan. Revan, instead, freed as many of the Jedi as he could and allowed them to become one with the Force, shortening Malak's supply of energy. At last, Malak was cut down. Before his friend's death, Revan apologized for starting him down the dark path, even though Malak had continued down it willingly. Malak accepted his apology, realizing that he had no one to blame for his fate save himself. Thus Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith, died, his life ending in darkness and regret, and the Star Forge was destroyed.

Revan and his crew were given a hero's escort back to Lehon. There, they each rewarded with the Cross of Glory, the Republic's highest award. Vandar also thanked Revan, re-bestowing his rank of Jedi Knight, and proclaiming him as the "Prodigal Knight", and his friends as the heroes of the era and galaxy.

Into the unknown

"Savior, conqueror, hero, villain. You are all things, Revan… and yet you are nothing. In the end, you belong to neither the light nor the darkness. You will forever stand alone."

―Darth Malak

A year after the defeat of Malak and the collapse of the Sith Empire, Revan left the Republic, having remembered the remnants of the ancient "True Sith" he had rediscovered as the Dark Lord. Hoping to put an end to the threat it posed before it could attack the weakened Republic, Revan bade farewell to the seven comrades who had accompanied him on his quest, knowing that none whom he loved could safely accompany him in the places he had to walk.

"He left a lot of people who cared about him behind. But I think he did it because he thought it was the right thing to do. But whatever he set out to do, I… I don't think he succeeded."

―Carth Onasi

He entrusted Carth Onasi with the Republic's safety, Canderous Ordo with reviving the Mandalorians, and said goodbye to Bastila. "It would have helped," Kreia would later remark, "had he made her understand. But she was always strong-willed, that one, and did not understand war as Revan did." Then Revan disappeared, leaving Ebon Hawk with T3-M4 and HK-47 on Malachor V, on the edge of the Unknown Regions.

In time, T3 returned to known space aboard the Ebon Hawk seeking aid to combat a new threat to the galaxy. The droid found the "Jedi Exile". Whether it was Revan who sent T3 on that mission would remain unknown. When the Exile questioned him, T3-M4 had little to say on the matter and by that time the navigational computer of Ebon Hawk had been secured with a voice-printed lockout system so that no one except T3 could access the ship's flight records. A likely explanation was that the droid was attempting to keep Revan's plans and final destination a secret. After the Exile completed her campaign against the Sith Triumvirate with the destruction of Malachor V, the Ebon Hawk and her crew began a search for Revan, hoping to aid him in his battle.

Legacy of a Dark Lord

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Darth Revan on Lehon, the planet that hid his Sith legacy for three millennia.

"My time here is ended. Take what I have taught you and use it well."

―Darth Revan

Though he eventually rejected the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith and returned to the light side, Revan's legacy as a powerful Sith Master would live on thousands of years after his death in a holocron that he had constructed during his reign. Hidden away on the planet Lehon, within the Temple of the Ancients, it would remain undisturbed for nearly three thousand years… but not forever.

Having become obsessed with the knowledge and prowess of the ancient Sith, Revan in particular, Darth Bane—recently proclaimed a Dark Lord himself—traveled to Lehon in search of power enough to topple the existing Sith regime, the Brotherhood of Darkness. Once there, he discovered Revan's holocron and from it received training and instruction that, he felt, surpassed the entirety of Korriban Academy's archives. After obtaining all the trainings from Darth Revan's holocron, Bane destroyed it as was the way of the Sith to eliminate things that were of no further use.

Partially through the wisdom and Sith philosophy imparted to him by Revan, Bane would acquire the strength, power, and knowledge necessary to reshape the Sith as he saw fit, destroying the Brotherhood of Darkness and establishing the Rule of Two, thus birthing a new incarnation of the Sith Order; one that would go on to topple the Galactic Republic and all but destroy the Jedi Order.

Powers and abilities

"What can I say? I'm a talented individual."

―Revan (possibly)

Revan had a wide variety of skills and abilities. The most prominent are listed below.

Force adept

"The Force flows through you like no student we have ever seen. But you are willful and headstrong… a dangerous combination."

―Vrook Lamar

By all accounts, Revan was the most powerful Force wielder of his time period. He was immensely knowledgeable and highly skilled in the usage of both the light and dark aspects of the Force. He was able to resurrect and lay claim to the title of Dark Lord of the Sith and hold it for two years. After he was deposed by Malak, his strength only increased, allowing him to defeat his former apprentice within his own dark side imbued lair on the Star Forge.

Military commander

"His strategies and tactics defeated the best of us. Even Mandalore himself was taken aback by the ferocity of his attacks, the tenacity of his defenses and the subtlety of his plans."

―Canderous Ordo

Revan was often credited as an expert strategist and tactician. Certain individuals, such as Canderous Ordo, went as far as to place almost the entirety of the Republic's success during the Mandalorian Wars on his shoulders. Likewise, before his capture during the Jedi Civil War, there were those that believed that it was only a matter of time before he conquered the entire galaxy.

To the Mandalorians, Revan represented a supremely worthy foe—one that both embodied their philosophies and showed them their weaknesses. The Echani, on the other hand, believed that Revan represented the epitome of what one could achieve in the arts of war, and that his skill was borne out of a highly advanced battle precognition.

Warrior

"You, Revan, are the single greatest warrior of this age, and any battle we fight will bring me honor."

―Canderous Ordo

Revan also possessed great skill as a warrior. He defeated a number of high profile adversaries in his lifetime, including Yusanis, Calo Nord, Mandalore the Ultimate, Darth Bandon, and Darth Malak. He also proved himself capable of vanquishing two terentateks single-handedly.

Leader

"I hear he was a very powerful man. Very charismatic."

―Yuthura Ban

Revan was widely regarded as an incredibly charismatic leader. At a relatively young age, he managed to persuade a significant portion of the Jedi Order to rebel against the High Council and led them into battle against the Mandalorians. Likewise, at the end of the war, all but one of the Jedi that had followed him—the Jedi Exile—converted to the dark side of the Force and joined the ranks of the Sith.

"Ah, but to make officers turn on their own people, to bomb innocent worlds to make pacts… strong influence, indeed."

―Kreia

However, it is possible, given his studying and apparent understanding of Force bonding techniques, that he was deliberately utilizing a similar process to that unconsciously carried out by the Jedi Exile. This would seem to be supported by Kreia, who told the Jedi Exile that manipulating and using his followers through the Force had been "Revan's way". Similarly, Kreia suggested that the reason for Revan's success in converting so many Jedi to the dark side was because he understood how to take advantage of wounds in the Force.

Polyglot

"Between that and your facility with languages, I'm lucky you're here."

―Carth Onasi

Revan had a remarkable affinity for languages. It is unknown whether this was an intuitive understanding born of his Force sensitivity or the result of his previous application of Force techniques. Interestingly, he was unable to understand the language of the Sand People, requiring the use of an interpreter.

Mechanic

"His passion for such tools, for things dead to the Force, defies me."

―Kreia

Revan was apparently, like Anakin Skywalker millennia later, a skilled mechanic. Shortly after the Battle of Malachor V, he built the sophisticated "protocol droid," HK-47.

Swoop racer

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Revan races his swoop.

"You did it—you got the top time! You just beat racers who've been doing this for twenty years! This is amazing!"

―Hidden Bek mechanic

Revan proved himself adept at racing swoop bikes. His first known taste of the sport was on Taris, where he defeated the veteran Black Vulkar racer Redros, taking the Sector Championship. He continued to compete professionally, eventually winning both the Tatooine and Manaan sector championships. In the case of the latter he set a record that would be unchallenged for at least five years.

Behind the scenes

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A possible unmasked Revan from a Knights of the Old Republic TV commercial.

• Revan's story, as dictated above, is the plot of the computer game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Though there are numerous possibilities to change on the details of the events above and Revan may end up as a redeemed Jedi or a renewed Sith Lord, the canonical ending features his return to the light side. This follows the usual practice of LucasArts.

• Revan was voiced by Rino Romano. While his main dialogue is never voiced, when his game sprite being selected, being poisoned, achieving a critical hit etc., his voice can be heard.

• As second place runner-up in the Fan's Choice Figure Poll, an action figure of Darth Revan is going to be released around September of 2007 in the 30th Anniversary Collection: Expanded Universe Wave 5. Originally a Quinlan Vos figure was to be made, but Hasbro was already creating one in a special two-pack series.

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Male appearance selection of Revan.

• While Revan's gender is specified by the player, the canonical Revan is confirmed by Leland Chee to be male. Also, The New Essential Chronology and the Chronicles of the Old Republic, published prior to the release of The Sith Lords, both refer to Revan as male. However, this has proven a controversial point among some fans of the series.

• Revan's name apparently comes from "revanche", meaning "the act of retaliating," or "the intent of regaining lost territory or standing." This word has etymological connections to English revenge. John Jackson Miller has stated that despite the fact that the Knights of the Old Republic comics has not taken a stance on Malak or Revan's identity as of yet, he has hinted that Revan and Malak were not their original names.

• Due to his appearance with two lightsabers in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, some have argued that Revan employed Jar'Kai as his main combat style. In all Knights of the Old Republic cutscenes, however, Revan wields but one blade. It is not known which form Revan favors, and no retcon has been developed to assign one to him.

Continuity

Amnesia

"They say the Force can do terrible things to a mind: it can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity!"

―Carth Onasi

Some uncertainties remain concerning the sequence of events that caused Revan's amnesia. Within the primary source material, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, two seemingly contradictory explanations are provided. Bastilla Shan tells Revan, "When Malak fired on the ship you were badly injured. We thought you were dead. Your mind was destroyed"; however, all other sources in the game and all later sources, including the Chronicles of the Old Republic, The New Essential Chronology, and the Star Wars.com Databank, clearly report that the Jedi Council erased Revan's memory. The New Essential Chronology explicity states that the "Jedi Council chose not to imprison or execute Revan. Instead they Force-scoured the memories from the fallen Jedi's brain, placing Bastila in charge of a powerful warrior who was now little more than a blank slate."

"Even the combined power of the Jedi Council couldn't keep your identity buried forever, could it? The Jedi strike team captured you and the Council used the Force to reprogram your mind: they wiped away your identity and turned you against your own followers."

―Darth Malak

On a similar note, there has been some debate about exactly why the Council would attempt to erase Revan's memory given that they intended to use his knowledge to locate the Star Forge; erasing his memory would seem to nullify his usefulness, thus creating a plot hole. Unfortunately, Bastila's explanation does not clarify matters: "We couldn't simply restore your true identity; Revan was too dangerous. But locked inside your mind was information the Republic needed: the secrets of the Star Forge."

In any case, Revan had recovered the memories taken from him by the Jedi Council by the time he and his party infiltrated the Star Forge. The New Essential Chronology states, "Aided by the full Republic fleet, Revan—now in possession of the memories the Council had erased—killed Darth Malak and destroyed the Star Forge above Rakata Prime." However, according to Bastila, Revan's full memory could never be restored to him: "Your mind was too badly damaged to ever fully restore your memories, Revan. But your power, your strength of will, the essence of who and what you are: these things remain!"

Fall to the dark side

Little is known about exactly when Revan fell to the dark side. Unfortunately, many of the available sources treat the matter speculatively and in minimal detail. During a conversation in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vrook Lamar states that "Revan was once a promising Padawan. But ever eager to learn more about the Force, Revan sought knowledge of Sith magics, foolishly ignoring the dangerous lure of the dark side." Vrook also expressed the opinion that Revan and Malak had fallen under the sway of the dark side even before the Mandalorian Wars while exploring a cave on Dantooine — a cave which may in fact be the Dantooine Crystal Cave.

"I do not believe Revan and Malak were corrupted on the Outer Rim. They had begun their journey down the dark path long before the Mandalorian threat appeared. Here on Dantooine they discovered a sinister cave, a place where the strength of the dark side overwhelms the light. Perhaps this discovery was what first corrupted them… or perhaps they sought the cave out because they were already corrupted. Whatever the explanation, the Order was unable to turn them back to the light."

―Vrook Lamar

The Chronicles of the Old Republic state that, in the year 3,963 BBY, Revan was already influenced by the dark side when he began to develop "an evil but brilliant plan: Using the dark power of Malachor V, he will seduce an army of Jedi, completely loyal to him alone." The Chronicles later assert that Revan was further corrupted between the years 3,961 and 3,960 BBY while studying Sith artifacts, relics, and holocrons which he had discovered within vast tombs and cities buried beneath the surface of Malachor V.

The available evidence concerning Revan's motivations for embracing the dark side is equally conjectural. Kreia states, "perhaps Revan never fell. The difference between a fall and a sacrifice is sometimes difficult, but I feel that Revan understood that difference, more than anyone knew. The galaxy would have fallen if Revan had not gone to war. Perhaps he became the dark lord out of necessity, to prevent a greater evil." Whatever his motivations may have been, by the time Revan claimed the title "Dark Lord of the Sith" at some point between 3,960 and 3,959 BBY, he had embraced the dark side completely. His holocron would later advise Darth Bane that the "dark side offers power for power's sake. You must crave it. Covet it. You must seek power above all else, with no reservation or hesitation."

Dark side ending

"Malak is dead—all hail the return of Darth Revan, the true Lord of the Sith!"

―Bastila Shan (from the non-canon ending)

"The true Lord of the Sith!"

Accepting Bastila's offer, Revan struck down the Jedi Jolee Bindo and Juhani (only Jolee if Juhani was killed on Dantooine), the stain of their blood on the temple stone symbolizing Revan's return to power. He returned to the Ebon Hawk and explained the absence of Jolee and Juhani to his stunned party. Shocked by his return to the dark side, Carth Onasi fled, leaving Mission Vao to be mercilessly struck down by Revan. Alternatively, Revan used his mind-dominating Force powers to convince Zaalbar to kill Mission, or Revan will have to kill them both.

Flying to the Star Forge, Bastila used her battle meditation to thwart the Republic fleet, allowing Revan to penetrate the depths of the Star Forge to fight Darth Malak. Striking Malak down, Revan regained his rightful place as Dark Lord of the Sith.

Using the resources he now commanded as Master of the Star Forge, Revan created an infinite fleet that rolled forth to crush the Republic. Surprisingly, however, Revan soon halted his offensive. It was noted as odd that Revan deliberately avoided striking the Republic's manufacturing facilities in his previous war, and again that he seemingly ended the Star Forge's production of vessels early. Bastila Shan, in a holocron discovered on Korriban, reported that Revan mysteriously vanished one day and told her to wait for him.

Bereft of a strong dark side user to guide it, the Star Forge atrophied and was destroyed by the Republic. It is assumed that Darth Revan visited all his former strongholds searching for something that is not yet readily apparent. It is known, however, that he headed for the Unknown Regions with the intent of stopping something menacingly powerful, something that was apparently responsible for initially coercing the Mandalorians to invade. Revan's former master, Kreia, suggests that Revan was searching for the original Sith Empire.

Cut alternate ending

"No, it's too late for that. And it's too late for you to turn back… but you can end this here. There's still time for one final act of redemption."

―Carth Onasi (from cut non-canon ending)

Love or power?

Should the player had been playing a female Revan and successfully completed the romance sub-plot with Carth Onasi and then join the dark side on Lehon and murder Jolee Bindo and Juhani, Carth flees, declaring that she is not the woman he loves. When Revan defeats Darth Malak on the Star Forge, she is confronted by Carth again. At this point, Revan is forced to either kill him or have Bastila murder him. However, in a cut ending, it is possible for Revan to change her mind, kill Bastila, and die with Carth as the Republic destroys the Star Forge. The final game only includes the options for Revan or Bastila to kill Carth due to time constraints in making the final movie. Later, the Exile would discover a message in T3-M4 from Carth, which he left as a back up plan in case the increasingly dark-sided Revan eventually betrayed them.

Relationships

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Bastila

"I love you too, with all my heart."
"You aren't afraid to love anymore?"
"After this? No. Nothing could make me feel safer than to be loved by you."

―Bastila Shan and Revan

In the game, it is considered canon that Revan enters into a relationship with Bastila, although she is reluctant since the Jedi forbid love. However, after resisting for a period of time, Bastila opens up and kisses Revan, but after that, she insists that it is for the best if they stay on their mission and ignore the feelings they share.

In the canonical light side ending of the game, Revan redeemed Bastila and persuaded her to return from the dark side. When Bastila asked Revan to strike her down after he defeated her on the Star Forge, he refused and told her that he loved her. She replied by saying that there was a time when she had yearned for, yet also dreaded to hear those words. Because she loved him too, but she could never face who he was. In the end however, Bastila told Revan that she loved him too, and was no longer afraid to love. Afterward, Revan went off to face Malak, and Bastila used her Battle meditation to aid the Republic fleet against the Sith fleet. Both of them played a key role in the destruction of the Star Forge, and the victory of the Republic.

Carth

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Although not considered canon, if the player chooses to make a female Revan, she and Carth Onasi can flirt and tease each other through the entire game. Because of Carth's growing affection for Revan, he begins to think less about the death of his wife and his desire to kill Saul Karath, the man responsible for her death and the loss of his son, Dustil Onasi. Carth eventually promises to protect Revan from what is to come. When he discovers that the woman he is falling in love with was Darth Revan, he remains isolated from her, unsure what to do with this information since he believes that Revan's betrayal of the Republic destroyed his life. Carth eventually comes around and confesses that he couldn't hate her no matter how hard he tried.

Carth Onasi and female Revan in the Ebon Hawk.
(Note:Revan's garment and face are customizable.)

If Revan declines Bastila's request to join the dark side, Carth confesses that he loves Revan in front of the rest of the party members on the beach of Lehon. Although the scene is open for interpretation, fans have assumed this to be the place of Revan and Carth's kiss (Mission Vao makes the comment, "Sheesh, get a room, will ya?"). Between KotOR I and II, Carth and Revan remain together as Carth advances through the Republic military up to the rank of admiral. But Revan also begins to remember things she had done as the Dark Lord and used it as a wall between the two lovers. She eventually tells him that she has to go beyond the Outer Rim to find the other threat beyond the Mandalorians, the True Sith and their empire, though she doesn't specify exactly what the threat is to Carth and she leaves without warning. However, he had anticipated this, at least to some extent, and left hidden programming in T3-M4. Carth is desperate to find some sign of her, and, in KotOR II, eventually meets up with the Jedi Exile and hopes to hear some word of Revan. Unfortunately for him, the Exile has no news to offer him, but he asks that Exile tell Revan that he's still here waiting for her if Exile ever sees her.

Juhani

"I… I… I care for you. I do not know why. I do not know if anything will be possible or if you even return what I feel, but I do know it is there."

―Juhani

A second non-canon romance was available to female players. If the player turned Juhani back to the light side and continued to build her trust and friendship along their journey, Juhani slowly develops feelings towards Revan. After Revan rejects the dark side and former identity on the Rakatan temple, Juhani will shyly admit her feelings. This is all that happens between them for the remainder of the game, and what happens for them, regardless if Revan rejects or returns her feelings. Whatever happens between them from there to the events of KotOR II five years later is unknown. In the original pressing, there was a bug in the game that allowed a male romance option in certain copies of the game. This bug has been fixed in subsequent versions of the game, and a male romance is not possible without hacking the game.

Appearances

• Shadows and Light (Vision to Duron Qel-Droma)
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 0: Crossroads Template:Pos
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 6: Commencement, Part 6 Template:Pos
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 9: Flashpoint Interlude: Homecoming Template:Pos
• Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 15: Days of Fear, Part 3 Template:Pos
• Knights of the Old Republic: Opportunities (Mentioned only)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Vision to Jedi Exile)
• Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (Appears in holocron)

Sources

• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• Darth Malak in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Bastila Shan in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
• HK-47 in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Star Forge in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Chronicles of the Old Republic
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords: Prima Official Game Guide (Mentioned only)
• The New Essential Chronology
• The New Essential Guide to Droids