A’SHARAD HETT/DARTH KRAYT
Origin: Expanded Universe/LEGENDS
Known as Dark Lord, Dread Lord and Dragon of the Sith, the man that would one day become one of the most dangerous Sith Lords in history, A’Sharad Hett was raised among a tribe of Sand People/Tusken Raiders by his Jedi father Sharad Hett who was killed by former Jedi apprentice turned assassin Aurra Sing. A’Sharad would go onto be apprentice to Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi and An’ya Kuro. When Obi-Wan Kenobi was presumed dead during a mission, A’Sharad would become a temporary companion to his apprentice Anakin Skywalker and tried to help him overcome his fear of loss, and was one of the few people who knew of Skywalker’s massacre of a Tusken Raider camp after they kidnapped and tortured Shmi Skywalker, who later died in her son’s arms with Skywalker embracing the Darkside for the first time and killing all Sand People present.
“I… I killed them. I killed them all. They’re dead, every single one of them. And not just the men, but the women and the children too. They’re like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them!” – Anakin to Padme Amidala in Ep:2 Attack of the Clones
Following the destruction of the Jedi Order and Galactic Republic by Vader and Sidious, A’Sharad would go back to Tatooine and continue living among the Sand People and led them in raids against human settlements and taking back land they believed rightfully belonged to them. When A’Sharad and the Sand People reached the territory of the Lars family, who were raising a young Luke Skywalker, he was intercepted by Obi-Wan. A’Sharad was surprised to see that he wasn’t the only survivor of Order 66 like he previously thought and was confused as to why Kenobi was willing to protect just one settlement, when humans have killed many Sand People and that blood must be answered with blood.
“You were a great Jedi, Hett, and the son of a great Jedi. But you have given yourself over to revenge. It stops here.” – Obi-Wan to A’Sharad
Obi-Wan and A’Sharad ignited lightsabers and duelled only for A’Sharad to be defeated and humiliated when he lost his right arm and his Tusken Raider mask coming off and was thus made an outcast by the Sand People. Refusing to kill a former friend, Obi-Wan made A’Sharad swear on his late Jedi father to renounce his evil ways, leave Tatooine and once again follow the Jedi path, alas this was not to be. Years later A’Sharard learn’t that Vader was in fact Anakin Skywalker who had took part in destroying the Jedi Order. A’Sharad blamed himself for protecting Skywalker’s secret of massacring the Sand People years prior and would’ve spared the galaxy suffering if he had either turned him over to the Jedi or killed him.
After leaving Tatooine, A’Sharad became a bounty hunter and while pursuing a target to the ancient Sith world Korriban, after killing his target, A’Sharad heard a voice calling out to him and discovered a holocron and the spectre of one of the earliest known Sith in history, Darth XoXaan, who offered to teach A’Sharad the ways of the Darkside. A’Sharad was disappointed by the time he decided to get payback on Vader and Sidious for their transgressions, as the Battle of Endor had already happened ending with the demise of both Sith Lords.
A’Sharad was one of the few people in the galaxy to learn of the existence of the inter-galactic alien race – the Yuuzhan Vong, after deciding to lose himself in the Unknown Regions. A’Sharad was captured by former Jedi Vergere – who learnt of the Vong and disappeared decades prior, tortured A’Sharad with a horrendous Yuuzhan Vong torture device – the Embrace of Pain, as well as having both his prosthetic arm and left eye replaced with a biological arm and his eye replaced from an unknown Yuuzhan Vong creature. Due to the torture he endured, A’Sharad believed that the galaxy was to fractured and could only be made strong and united under one vision. A’Sharad also had a vision of a new Sith Order, one which he would lead: the One Sith.
After escaping from the Vong and Vergere, A’Sharad went back to Korriban and named himself Darth Krayt after the mighty Krayt Dragons of Tatooine. Krayt would begin forming the One Sith Order that he envisioned. Following the Yuuzhan Vong War, Vader’s grandson Jacen Solo would become the mighty Darth Caedus who would trigger another war hoping to prevent a vision he saw of a possible future of Krayt, who was known only as the “Dark Man” by the Skywalker-Solo family, ruling the galaxy with Caedus’ daughter Allana Solo by his side. Krayt continued about his business as usual, plotting from the shadows and would have no interreference from the new Jedi or other Sith. Darth Caedus only postponed Krayt’s plan for galactic domination instead of foiling it.
Krayt would also have a network of spies, which even manged to infiltrate the new Jedi Order, which is how Krayt learnt about the ancient cosmic monstrosity Abeloth, who was a threat to both the universe and his plans for galactic domination. Krayt teamed up with Luke Skywalker for the final confrontation against Abeloth in the Realm Beyond Shadow, which ended with Abeloth being sent into the Lake of Apparitions causing her to fall into Eternity itself.
“…. Krayt abolished the Rule of Two, Darth Bane’s ancient diktat commanding that there could be only two Sith at any one time—a Master and an apprentice. Instead, there would be the Rule of One—that one being the Sith Order itself, under which there would be many minions.”
“After the Yuuzhan Vong War, Krayt sought to recruit Lumiya to his Order, but she instead chose to side with Vergere and her “creation”, Darth Caedus. Although several of his followers resented Caedus and did not consider him a true Sith, Krayt tolerated him as a lightning rod to deflect attention from him. When Caedus went about with the Second Galactic Civil War, the Jedi were distracted away from Krayt’s order, which grew in strength, hidden under Korriban’s miasma of dark side energy.”
“There is only one way to stop Abeloth…Jedi and Sith together.“―Darth Krayt to Luke Skywalker
“… Darth Krayt became aware of the being known as Abeloth. He knew of her back history with the family of Force entities known as the Ones and feared that she could pose a great threat to his plans. Krayt would credit spies within the New Jedi Order as the source of this knowledge.”
“Krayt traveled beyond shadows and met Luke Skywalker. Krayt was identified by Jacen Solo as being the Dark Man of his and Luke’s visions. However, Krayt convinced Luke that, with the Ones dead, only the Sith and Jedi together could defeat Abeloth. Krayt attempted to insinuate that he was part of the Lost Tribe of Sith but Skywalker saw through the deception… Nevertheless, he agreed, and together they managed to destroy Abeloth… As Krayt left, Skywalker was now aware of another Sith Order… Krayt implied that the future of a Sith-dominated Throne of Balance was only delayed and not actually averted, correctly predicting he would one day rule the galaxy.”
A century later after Luke Skywalker had passed and become one with The Force, Darth Krayt would become the second Sith Lord to claim the title of Galactic Emperor after Palpatine/Sidious, after Krayt engineered the destruction of the galactic government in which his galactic empire became the dominant power in the galaxy after he sabotaged the Ossus Project, which involved the Jedi aiding the Yuuzhan Vong to repair worlds that were ravaged during the Vong War over a century prior, causing the Sith-Imperial War.
“Lingering hatred festered on worlds that had suffered heavily at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. That hatred gave us our opening. We manufactured a cause for war, making the Vong seem responsible. Split, the Galactic Alliance began to fight itself. And so died.“―Darth Krayt
“… one hundred worlds were selected for the Yuuzhan Vong terraforming process. Yuuzhan Vong Shapers, overseen by Jedi escorts, produced incredible results. But the Sith tainted the process. Krayt’s apprentice Darth Maladi was an expert in Yuuzhan Vong bio-forms and had recruited Zenoc Quah, a rogue Yuuzhan Vong Shaper. Together, they sabotaged the Ossus Project with a Vongspawn virus. On every world on which the Yuuzhan Vong had carried out their work, the vegetation withered, and bony growths—like those once seen on those the Yuuzhan Vong had taken as slaves during their invasion—began forming on the skin of the inhabitants.”
“The Jedi immediately suspected sabotage, but could never prove it. It did not matter; the lingering resentment the galaxy felt towards the Yuuzhan Vong, even decades after their defeat and exile, did Krayt’s work for him, and soon the Yuuzhan Vong were accused of trying to restart their genocidal crusade against the galaxy by other means.”
“… The Jedi, devoted to the truth above all, defended the Yuuzhan Vong and encouraged the Galactic Alliance to support them. The Empire reacted accordingly; members of the Council of Moffs demanded retribution (quite possibly instructed to do so by Krayt himself) and, invoking the Treaty of Anaxes, declared war on the Alliance…”
“In addition to war with the Empire, the Alliance found itself facing dissension from within its own ranks. Worlds that had suffered the most under the Yuuzhan Vong now aimed their resentment at the Alliance; many of them refused to support the Alliance and actively sided with the Empire, while others just stood by and watched under the banner of neutrality. So divided, the Alliance was easy to conquer.”
“In three years, the Galactic Alliance was forced into surrender and the Empire absorbed all its former holdings, even reclaiming Coruscant as the Imperial throne world. It was a reversal of the galactic order that no one could have foreseen, or believed was possible. But despite the grandeur of this victory, it was but a stepping stone for Krayt. Quite possibly he felt that it would be easier to establish his definition of order over the galaxy under an Empire than under a democratic government, even if that Empire was no longer the absolute tyranny his predecessor Darth Sidious had originally intended.”
“Roan Fel never really embraced the war or the idea of a unified galaxy. He went along with it as a political necessity. That’s not what the Empire—what the galaxy—needs.“
After claiming the throne and killing Emperor Roan Fel’s body double, Krayt demanded that the real Emperor be killed otherwise his plan wouldn’t be complete. However Krayt’s life was diminishing ever since he was tortured by the Yuuzhan Vong and Vergere over a century ago. With the Galactic Empire once again in charge of the galaxy, Krayt and his fellow Sith would then begin the Third Jedi Purge when they attacked the Jedi on Ossus. It was during this skirmish that Luke Skywalker’s descendant Kol Skywalker was killed by Darth Nihl with his son Cade Skywalker sensing his death through The Force. Not wanting to lose his Jedi Master Wolf Sazen as well, Cade managed to use the Darkside ability Dark Transfer through pure instinct and this action was sensed by Krayt himself, with Cade unknowingly putting himself in the Dark Lord’s sights with the hopes of getting Cade to join the One Sith and heal Krayt of his Yuuzhan Vong illness.
After ruling the galaxy for seven years, things weren’t looking good for Krayt as his plans were delayed again and he was preoccupied with his illness. Krayt would go to Korriban where he’d commune with the Sith spirits of Darth Bane, Darth Nihilus and Darth Andeddu to see if they could cure him or slow the progression of his illness. Instead the Sith Lords mocked Krayt for not being a “true Sith” and instead continued his effort to pursue Cade Skywalker to save him instead. Krayt would instruct Darth Talon to bring Cade Skywalker to him after she had a previous encounter with the Jedi, while two of his other Sith followers were tasked with killing Emperor in exile Roan Fel, only to fail.
“No! I take what I desire! I am the living Lord of the Sith! This is not the truth and it is not my destiny! I forge my own way, I walk a new path, and if you will not serve me, be gone!“―Darth Krayt
“I often wonder if I shouldn’t have ended the Skywalker lineage when I had the chance. Perhaps it was fated that I did not.“―Darth Krayt
Krayt’s followers Nihl and Talon apprehended Cade Skywalker after he tried to rescue a fellow Jedi. Krayt witnessed Cade’s Dark Transfer ability first hand after he cured himself and his friends Jariah Syn and Deliah Blue after he infected them. Cade pleaded Krayt to spare Syn and Blue, in exchange to stay with the Sith. While converting Cade to the Darkside, Cade was everything Krayt had hoped he’d be as he nearly killed Darth Talon and healed her afterwards, Krayt hoped that by using the Embrace of Pain (the same torture device he was tortured with over a century prior), Cade would be fully converted to the Sith. Krayt ordered Cade to kill the Jedi he tried to rescue but refused, with Krayt killing the Jedi instead, unintentionally sending Cade into a rage and defeated Talon and Nihl, but not kill them. Cade clashed with Krayt but was about to be overwhelmed, until his long absentee and undercover mum – Morrigan Corde, blindsided Krayt allowing Cade to escape. Krayt then ordered a hunt for Skywalker.
With the failure of his underlings and the theft of one of his Star-Destroyers by Admiral Gar Stazi, Krayt ordered a genocide against the population of the planet Dac, with 10% of the Mon Calamari population killed and the rest put into interment camps.
“Ten percent of the Mon Calamari population are to be executed. Effective immediately. We will start with the Mon Calamari at hand.“―Emperor Krayt
During the hunt for Skywalker, one of Krayt’s fellow Sith, Darth Reave encountered Cade, along with a mysterious Jedi woman, Imperial Knights and other Jedi on the world of Had Abaddon. Upon returning to Krayt and informing him of what happened, Reave began mutating into a Rakghoul (a Sith abomination that was long thought extinct) and was killed. Krayt was contacted by ancient Sith Lord Karness Murr, contacting Krayt under the guise of the mysterious woman, who was revealed to be ancient Jedi Celeste Morne (who was in suspended animation for thousands of years and awakened by Darth Vader, with her life being prolonged by the Sith artefact the Muur Talisman). Murr persuaded Krayt to come to Had Abaddon as Cade Skywalker was there as well. Krayt departed with three of his fellow Sith and was informed by Darth Wyyrlok the Third the history of Karness Murr. Upon arriving on Had Abaddon, Krayt was ambushed by Skywalker and his allies and Karness Murr’s spirit planned on taking control of Krayt’s body. During the conflict, Krayt was impaled by Cade’s childhood Jedi friend Azlyn Rae and electrocuted and force pushed off a cliff by Murr/Morne. Just when Krayt thought he was being rescued by Darth Wyrrlok the Third, his loyal advisor ended up betraying him and attacked him with lightning seemingly killing him. Wyyrlok placed his former master’s corpse into stasis, hidden inside the Temple of Darth XoXann on Korriban and lied to the other Sith about what happened to Krayt.
“My vision…my dream…for One Sith…will live!
“It is a magnificent vision, my Lord. Sometimes, for the dream to live…the dreamer must die.“―Darths Krayt and Wyyrlok, shortly before Wyyrlok electrocuted Krayt
Darth Maladi told Darth Nihl what she believed what really happened to Krayt. Nihl would than go with Talon to Korriban to see if Krayt’s body was there, but only found his armour.
“The Galaxy must experience the pain of death and rapture of rebirth as I have. I will bring chaos. It is time for war.“―Darth Krayt
Darth Wyyrlok the Third appointed himself as new Emperor and suspicion fell on Darth Talon for Krayt’s disappearance and was pursued by Darth Nihl. Talon however had encountered a reborn Darth Krayt within a chamber, who had granted her power to sense those who would pursue her. Krayt himself had finally manged to heal himself from his Yuuzhan Vong illness, caused by implants (Yorik-Kul) that ailed him, which he foresaw as part of his resurrection.
Krayt revealed to Talon and Nihl that for decades he had taken many powerful force-sensitives and with fitted them with cybernetic implants, converting them into Sith Troopers and loyal to the Sith to the point they would take their own lives should their master call for it. With the Sith Troopers and new type of Sith starfighters, Krayt would be Galactic Emperor without question. With his power rebirth and his power multiplied, Krayt sent ripples through The Force across the galaxy to those touched by the Darkside, including Cade Skywalker, letting everyone know that he was alive.
“I have been through death and conquered it. I have returned with my power multiplied. The dark side of the Force lives and manifests itself through me! I reach into the dark side now and send ripples through it to all who serve it—know that I live!“―Darth Krayt
“… he then revealed his will and presence to all those in the Galaxy that had ever touched the dark side, Cade Skywalker included. Though this brought pleasure to the One Sith, Darth Wyyrlok stood alone as an enemy of Krayt upon confirming that the Dark Lord was alive.”
Upon returning to Coruscant, Krayt and Darth Wyyrlok the Third engaged in combat with Krayt managing to kill his former advisor after pretending to be beaten. Being back in control of the One Sith, Krayt made preparations for galactic war.
“Death is not an ending, boy–But it is a passageway to something greater. It is something you, too, must experience, Cade Skywalker. For I have had a vision. You will bend, will break, and you will serve at my side. But first–You must die.“―Darth Krayt musing about Cade Skywalker
Darth Krayt ordered the One Sith and his Empire to engage in multiple strikes across the galaxy to show its citizens fear and the price for angering him. Krayt would learn through his Sith followers Talon and Havok, the location of a Jedi Temple and ordered Talon to find Cade Skywalker. Krayt watched a message of Skywalker vowing to kill him, and planned to have Skywalker go through rebirth like he did after having a vision of Skywalker being one of his followers.
Krayt and his followers headed to the planet Taivas where the hidden Jedi Temple was located. Krayt planned to destroy the remaining Jedi in one strike in hopes of destroying the alliance formed to oppose him. Krayt had his Moffs under the supervision of his One Sith loyalists. Krayt than contacted Darth Nihl and made him commander of a secret fleet of Dragon ships and Sith troopers. As the attack got underway, Krayt’s forces were ambushed, but Krayt was not concerned. As it looked like the Allied forces were about to win the battle, Krayt contacted Darth Nihl to use the secret fleet of Dragon ships and Sith troopers, not caring if he had to take out his own allies to defeat the enemy. Krayt’s victory came with two benefits, the Moffs won’t oppose him as there were only two left and the morale of the enemy was at all time low with total victory within his grasp.
During the battle of Taivas, Cade’s Jedi uncle Nat aka Rawk and fellow Jedi T’ra Saa, sacrificed themselves to take out some of Krayt’s forces.
“…Despite this and the massive losses sustained by Sith and Imperials alike, Krayt had robbed the allies of their victory. It also served as a two pronged fork: now, Krayt’s enemies in the Empire, the Moffs, were virtually powerless with only two of them remaining to serve him. The morale in the Alliance had been hit and he now had the troops needed for a full assault on the fortified world of Bastion. The war was reaching its conclusion.”
With Krayt about to secure victory, Emperor in exile Roan Fel, and other leaders of the alliance decided to take the fight to Krayt on Coruscant, however, Roan Fel was secretly working on a bioweapon to use against the Sith. The alliance managed to break through to Coruscant before being engaged by the Sith. During a call with Darth Nihl, Krayt was interrupted by Cade Skywalker after he beat Darth Talon, and the the final battle between the Dark Lord and Jedi had begun. As lightsabers clashed, Krayt tried to get Skywalker to surrender as he had gotten more powerful since last time and that the battle was lost, but Cade wouldn’t give up. Krayt revealed to Cade that he’d learn the Dark Transfer ability that allowed him to conquer death, just like Cade had. Cade was killed and brought back to life by Krayt and saw a vision of dark furture of himself serving under Krayt, along with his friends dead and Coruscant in flames. Krayt even told Cade of the bioweapon that Roan Fel was going to use against the Sith but wouldn’t work as the Sith were immune and all of Coruscant’s population would die instead. Just as Krayt believed he’d won with Cade finally embracing the Darkside, Cade ended up slaying Darth Krayt for a second and final time.
Even with Krayt dead, Cade knew that he would just come back to life and could feel the Dark Lord’s spirit entering his mind. Cade took Krayt’s body and boarded his mum’s ship with the intent of incinerating himself along with Krayt in the fires of Coruscant’s Sun. Krayt taunted Skywalker by saying that he learnt the ability of transferring his soul into other beings, planning to steal Cade’s body should Krayt’s body be destroyed. Luke Skywalker’s Force Ghost appeared and told his descendant to not let fear define him and instead choose hope. Cade chose hope and abandoned ship before being destroyed by the sun, along with Krayt, who would never rise again. Despite Krayt’s death, the One Sith still existed but weak, Darth Talon escaped along with Darth Nihl, the latter of whom ordered all surviving Sith forces to retreat to avoid death or capture. The One Sith decided to carry on Krayt’s legacy to rule the galaxy by infiltrating planetary governments to destroy the new galactic government which had formed the Galactic Federation Triumvirate.
Darth Krayt was the final major villain in the EU/Legends timeline before Disney acquired the rights to the franchise and scrapped 40 years worth of stories. Darth Krayt was well over 180 years old by the time of his final death.
Sources:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Krayt
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/One_Sith
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith%E2%80%93Imperial_War
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mission_to_Tatooine_(Separatist_Crisis)
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_transfer
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Massacre_at_Ossus
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yorik-Kul
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Third_Jedi_Purge
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Second_Imperial_Civil_War
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Attack_on_the_Hidden_Temple
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rawk
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/T%27ra_Saa
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/forums/gen-discussion-1/emperor-krayt-respect-thread-1684455/
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/erkan12/blog/darth-krayt-respect-thread-legends/100078/
Darth Krayt Tribute Videos
SHIMRRA JAMAANE & ONIMI – LEADERS OF THE YUUZHAN VONG
As leaders of the intergalactic Yuuzhan Vong Empire, whose galaxy was destroyed millennia ago, Shimrra Jamaane and Onimi unleashed one of the worst wars the galaxy had even seen, resulting in 365 trillion deaths and millions more homeless, with the most notable casualties being Chewbacca and Anakin Solo (second born son and youngest child of Han and Leia). Han along with his son Anakin and Chewbacca were helping evacuate the planet Sernpidal, after the Yuuzhan Vong knocked one of its moons out of orbit via a Dovin basal (which manipulates gravity for a number of effects). Chewbacca saved Anakin Solo but Chewbacca was unable to be saved as the moon came closer to colliding with Sernpidal and Chewbacca let out a defiant roar before dying a hero’s death. Anakin Solo later died along with six other Jedi to destroy the Voxyn (Force sensitive beasts created to hunt down and kill Jedi). The Vong War saw the ravaging and terraforming of many planets, including Coruscant which the Vong claimed as their new home world and renamed Yuuzhan’tar and where Shimrra Jamaane and Onimi were finally killed by Luke Skywalker and his nephew Jacen Solo, bringing the Vong War to an end after four cataclysmic years.
The Yuuzhan Vong despised regular technology and were incredibly xenophobic against anyone who used ordinary technology. The Vong used organic technology or as they called it Biot, and got stronger through body modification.
“The Yuuzhan Vong originated outside the known galaxy. A typical Yuuzhan Vong resembled a Human in form, though they were taller and heavier than the average Human and had less hair on their heads. The Yuuzhan Vong were religious zealots, who viewed mechanical technology as blasphemy. Their technological innovations were genetically engineered and purely organic. Additionally, the Yuuzhan Vong deeply respected pain to the point of masochism, and strove to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Such grafting was a status symbol within Yuuzhan Vong society.”
The Yuuzhan Vong were once connected to The Force and shared a symbiotic relationship with their home world Yuuzhan’tar in their home galaxy, but The Force basically rejected them which caused the Vong pain and detached from their home world after the Vong ravaged their galaxy to the point it became almost lifeless as well as enslaving other species. The Vong became ultra violent after they fought against two separate races of robots that threatened their existence. With their connection to The Force lost, the Vong became immune to most Force abilities.
“Perhaps most notably, the Yuuzhan Vong were unable to be sensed through the Force. This confounded the Jedi who first encountered the Yuuzhan Vong. However, they were susceptible to some Force based attacks.”
“At some point in their history, the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong were attacked by a species of droid known as the Abominor while they fought against against another droid species, the Silentium. The Yuuzhan Vong’s living homeworld of Yuuzhan’tar aided them in their war against the invading droids by bestowing upon them the knowledge of creating living weapons. However, as the war dragged on, the Yuuzhan Vong as a species became increasingly violent and warlike. Eventually, they were able to defeat their enemies, and forced both droid powers to flee their galaxy. Following the war, the Yuuzhan Vong went on a crusade to cleanse their galaxy of all forms of mechanical technology. They conquered much of their galaxy and either exterminated or enslaved conquered species. Among those species they conquered were the reptoid Chazrach, which became slave soldiers for the Yuuzhan Vong. With much of the galaxy in their hands, the various Domains fractured and turned against each other, resulting in the devastating Cremlevian War. During the conflict, much of their galaxy was destroyed, including their homeworld of Yuuzhan’tar. However, the planet produced a seed which eventually became Zonama Sekot. Separated from their original symbiosis with their homeworld, the Yuuzhan Vong were stripped from the Force, and as a result experienced great pain. Thus, the species saw pain as the only way to get back to that symbiosis and practiced body modifications on themselves. In place of their homeworld, the Yuuzhan Vong created several deities which would govern nearly every aspect of their civilization.”
“Do not call our servants technology. We serve the gods, and other living things serve us.“―Tsavong Lah
“The Yuuzhan Vong War devastated countless worlds, leaving an estimate 365 trillion beings dead and millions of homeless refugees. Despite this, the Galaxy was more unified than it had ever been before, and was willing to work hard to repair the damage inflicted by the long and costly war.”
In the Outbound Flight novel written by Timothy Zahn (who also wrote the Thrawn Trilogy), it is revealed that Palpatine/Darth Sidious knew of the existence of the Vong.
“There’s an invasion coming. A massive assault force of dark ships, shadowy figures, and weapons of great power, based on organic technology of a sort we’ve never seen before. We believe these Far Outsiders, as we call them, already have a foothold at the far edge of the galaxy, and even now have scouting parties seeking information on worlds and peoples to conquer…”
“When will Darth Sidious tell [the citizens of the Republic]?”
“When he’s turned the Republic’s chaos into order. When we’ve built an army and a fleet capable of dealing with the threat. To announce it before then would do nothing but create panic and leave us open to disaster.“―Kinman Doriana and Thrawn
“… Sidious explains that Outbound Flight, and the Jedi, are a grave threat to the Republic – specifically, because Outbound Flight’s path will take them directly into the projected home of an immensely powerful and hostile alien empire (though unnamed, the clear implication is that they are the Yuuzhan Vong). Sidious’s agents discovered the existence of this empire some years ago, and since then he has been doing his best to prepare the Core Worlds for the invasion he believes is inevitable. If Outbound Flight reaches the aliens first, the invasion may come too soon. Thrawn appears to take Sidious seriously, and agrees to help Doriana and Kav destroy Outbound Flight.”
Note: Even though Sidious knew of the Vong’s existence and wanted to make a Galactic Empire to oppose them, does not absolve him for his countless crimes against the galaxy as Sidious was still determined on ruling the galaxy under the banner of the Darkside.
Despite being only a puppet to Onimi, Overlord Shimrra Jamaane was immensely powerful as he physically dwarfed Luke Skywalker – who compared the Overlord to Darth Sidious, as Jamaane was revered by the Vong race as a living god.
“But now, monstrous in aspect and power, Shimrra hovered over Luke like a rancor.” – New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force. Source: (Comicvine)
“The most exclusive of Yuuzhan Vong castes has only a membership of one: the Supreme Overlord. This is the ruler of the Yuuzhan Vong, and he has supreme religious and secular authority over the invading people. Though the priests may commune with the various Yuuzhan Vong deities, only the Supreme Overlord has a direct connection to the Creator, Yun-Yuuzhan. The current rank-holder is Supreme Overlord Shimrra.” – Star Wars Databank: Yuuzhan Vong. Source: (Comicvine)
“When Luke had been brought before the Emperor, Palpatine’s visage had been familiar to him from images that had reached even remote Tatooine, and his inherent power was immediately evident. The Supreme Overlord, however, was a void Luke could not fathom. He wasn’t a shell of a human in a hooded cloak, more energy than flesh. Nor was his face that of a Sith Master, prematurely wizened by years of calling on dark power. Instead, Shimrra was very much alive and all the more intimidating for it. In him was concentrated the combined strength of the Yuuzhan Vong species, and if he couldn’t be defeated, then all that Luke had done to reach this point would amount to nothing. He was the largest Yuuzhan Vong Luke had ever seen, with lean limbs, a massive head, and an upper body so thoroughly branded and tattooed it was impossible to distinguish flesh from garment. Widely placed, his slightly slanted eyes gleamed in shifting colors. He wore a ceremonial cape made of tanned hide. Curled sedately around his left forearm was a thick-bodied amphistaff with an intricately patterned head. Only in his bemusement was Shimrra similar to the enemy Luke had confronted at Endor, on the incomplete Death Star. Much as the Emperor had trusted in the power of the dark side of the Force, the Supreme Overlord trusted entirely in the power of the gods. And similar to that pivotal moment in the Galactic Civil War, a battle was raging in the skies. – New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force. Source: (Comicvine)
“The Supreme Overlord commands the Yuuzhan Vong with all the authority of a god, which he may one day become if his victories make him legendary.” – The Ultimate Alien Anthology. Source: (Comicvine)
“But it turns out Shimrra was never the true power behind the Yuuzhan Vong. The real mastermind was the twisted, snickering jester who sat at Shimrra’s feet: Onimi. Jaina chases the Shamed One into the upper passages of the citadel. The twisted Yuuzhan Vong hides Force abilities—a former shaper, Onimi discovered how to reconnect to the Force when in his experiments he grafted yammosk tissue to his brain. Able to manipulate the minds of others, Onimi made Shimrra his puppet as he commanded the invasion of the galaxy.” – The Essential Reader’s Companion: Star Wars. Source: (Comicvine)
“Onimi anticipated the arrival of Jacen Solo in his command chamber. The monstrous figure sensed within Jacen the “divine glow” of Yun-Shuno, the Pardoner goddess of the Shamed Ones, the underminer of all that Onimi set out to accomplish and plans to accomplish. After stating what he sensed in Jacen, the true Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong declared that the death of “Yun-Shuno,” combined with the proposed devastation of Zonama Sekot, would fully establish the grotesque figure as the god he wants to be. Then Onimi attacked Jacen, using all of the powers that he possessed to destroy his final foe. However, Jacen had gained a much deeper connection with the Force, releasing himself to its purity; he met his opponent blow-for-blow, never making a mistake in his combat, keeping Onimi constantly off balance, batting away his toxins harmlessly. The Solo twin who Onimi interpreted as Yun-Shuno had achieved a state of oneness with the Force to become a being of light, a power against which the warped Yuuzhan Vong could not prevail. As the Force was channeled through Jacen, it rushed against his physically/mentally deformed opposite, pinning him to the bulkhead as its pure energy reversed every last deformity on his body. Unfortunately, while he was physically restored, Onimi had also lost his connection to the Force, causing him to lose control of the poisons he had inside him. He collapsed from those toxins and dissolved into a puddle of foul hydrocarbons which the yorik coral absorbed…” – Source: (Wookiepedia)
Sources:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong_empire
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong_War
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sernpidal/Legends
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Destruction_of_Sernpidal
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dovin_basal
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Outbound_Flight_(novel)
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/wollfmyth209/blog/shimrra-jamaane-respect-thread/128478/
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/profile/brightsteel/blog/star-wars-onimi/126377/
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chewbacca/Legends
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Anakin_Solo
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Voxyn
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mission_to_Myrkr
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Yuuzhan%27tar
THE DREAD MASTERS
Origin: Expanded Universe/LEGENDS (SWTOR MMORPG)
The Dread Masters were loyal servants of Sith Emperor Vitiate and got their name by studying dark artefacts known as the Phobis devices, making them masters of fear. They were captured and imprisoned by the Republic until they were freed by the Empire and would later go rogue after Vitiate was killed by the Hero of Tython, and planned to spread fear and terror across the galaxy by orchestrating the Dread War. They were defeated before they got to carry out their plans.
“This group of Sith Lords gained their reputation following their study into the Phobis devices. The power of this artifact had caused the most depraved of Sith to go mad with terror.”
The power of the Dread Masters was such that they could cripple entire armies with mass fear and hysteria and drive their victims to suicide.
“their great power reached full strength when they worked in union with one another. During the Great Galactic War, they served in the front lines against the Galactic Republic, where they used their power to project terror into their enemies. Such power allowed this group of Sith to destroy entire fleets of the Republic.”
Quotes:
“Birth. Pain. Fear. Death.” – Dread Masters Signature Quote
“That lump in your throat? It’s panic… First the pupils dilate, muscles tighten, hysteria replaces rationality, and then… the mind shatters” – Raptus. Sourced from the following video (below)
“Once, I thought myself a monster. I played in rivers of blood and laughed as innocents quaked. Yet when I touched the Dread Masters, I saw that my darkness was but a shadow of true depravity.” – Hargrev
“In the end, all existence will fall to us…” – Bestia
“Populations will be infected and planets overgrown. Mothers will kill daughters as soldiers weep in terror” – Calphayus
“Sanity is a prison. Let madness release you.” – Raptus
“Science. Technology. The Force. Life. All can be turned to our purpose.” – Brontes
Sources:
https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Dread_Masters
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Phobis_devices
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dread_Masters
http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Calphayus
http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Raptus
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Styrak
http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Brontes
http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tyrans
http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Bestia
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dread_War
DARTH JADUS
Origin: Expanded Universe/LEGENDS (SWTOR MMORPG)
A mysterious and powerful Sith Lord, Darth Jadus was one of the ruling members of the Dark Council that oversaw the day-to-day affairs of the Sith Empire (post Great Hyperspace War). Jadus’ position on the Dark Council was being in charge of Imperial Intelligence. Jadus’ ultimate goal was to takeover the Empire and plunge the galaxy into chaos.
“I believe we should spread the ways of the Sith to the Empire entire. Plant terror and hatred in every heart. I believe in the democratization of fear.” – Darth Jadus’ most famous quote
Jadus would orchestrate a terrorist plot which involved faking his death while secretly being the terrorist leader. With everyone believing him dead, the other Sith would fight over Jadus’ resources. An Imperial Agent known only as Cipher Nine would talk Jadus to not go through with his plan on using the Eradicator superweapons against the Sith Empire with the intent of killing millions. After being talked into abandoning his plans by Ciper Nine, Jadus would leave the known regions of the galaxy and wouldn’t be seen or heard from for a very long time. Jadus was one of the few individuals in the galaxy who knew of Sith Emperor Vitiate‘s plan of wiping out the galaxy with his doomsday ritual.
Jadus was one of the most powerful Sith Lords of all time as his power rivalled that of Sith Emperor Vitiate and was acknowledge as such in the Imperial Agent Storyline in the Eternal Empire Arc.
“… we can’t fight him on our own — his power is second to the Emperor’s.” – Watcher Two
“Darth Jadus, the best Sith my Empire ever produced.” – Tenebrae posing as Immortal Emperor Valkorion, acknowledging Jadus’ potential and worth
Sources:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Jadus
DARTH SCABROUS
Origin: Expanded Universe/LEGENDS (RED HARVEST)
Like many other Sith Lords, Scabrous was obsessed with immortality and would kill his students at his Sith Academy turning them into zombies in his pursuit to become immortal.
Scabrous hired bounty hunters Dranok and Skarl, to acquire the Murakami Orchid aka Black Orchid as part of a ritual to make himself immortal. However, Scabrous knew the bounty hunters failed as there was no Jedi with them, which is required to keep the Orchid alive as the orchid forms a symbiotic relationship to force sensitives (normally a Jedi) with a similar midi-chlorian level. Dranok goes to deliver the Orchid to Scabrous while Skarl stays with the ship but ends up being killed. After failing to pass off the fake Orchid, Scabrous promises to let Dranok leave if he ate his former partner’s head.
“Every traitor makes a meal of his allies… This is your last meal, Dranok, and you must eat it, every morsel. That is the offer I present to you. If you can do that, I will allow you to walk out of here alive.” – Scabrous to Dranok, STAR WARS RED HARVEST Pg.30
Horrified by Scabrous, Dranok picks up the knife provided to him to attack the Sith Lord but is easily overpowered and is turned by Scabrous’ zombies.
Scabrous ends up succeeding on getting his hands on a real Black Orchid and the Jedi bonded to it-Hestizo Trace, who Scabrous plans to kill in the ritual to make himself immortal by cutting out her heart and eating it. With her Jedi brother Rojo’s sacrifice, Hestizo manages to end the monstrous Sith Lord.
“..Scabrous strapped Hestizo down on a sacrificial altar, ready to cut out her heart with a traditional Sith sword and become forever immortal.”
“Hestizo was able to free herself from Scabrous’s sacrifice, but before Scabrous could outright kill her, Hestizo’s brother, Rojo, arrived and briefly dueled the Sith Lord. Scabrous prevailed and killed Rojo, but Hestizo was able to kill him by telepathically convincing the orchid to sprout itself outward from his head, severely weakening him. She was then able to finish off Scabrous, now a complete zombie, using his own Sith sword against him.”
Sources:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Harvest_(novel)
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Scabrous
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Murakami_orchid
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dranok
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Skarl
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Hestizo_Trace
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rojo_Trace
JEREC
Origin: Expanded Universe/LEGENDS (DARK FORCES 2)
Jerec was a Miraluka Jedi Archaeologist searching for ancient knowledge in the galaxy’s unknown regions when Order 66 was carried out. After returning to Republic space, he was met by Inquisitors and gave into the Darkside.
Jerec killed a rebel leader named Morgan Katarn via decapitating his head and placing it on a pike as a warning to people who defy the Empire. Morgan had a son, Kyle Katarn, who was also Force-sensitive and vowed to avenge his dad.
Following the deaths of Vader and Sidious at the Battle of Endor, Jerec sought to rebuild the Empire with himself as its new Emperor. However, Jerec needed way more power if he was going to rule the galaxy. Jerec learnt of the legendary Valley of the Jedi, located on the planet Ruusan, which was the resting place of great many dead Jedi from a conflict known as the Seventh Battle of Ruusan that occurred a thousand years ago and was the last great conflict between Jedi and Sith, with the Sith believed to be extinct but in reality were continued by Darth Bane and his Rule of Two in which the Sith plotted over the next thousand years to get revenge with their Grand Plan succeeding when Sidious destroyed the Jedi and Galactic Republic.
In his pursuit of the Valley of the Jedi, Jerec was aided by Dark Jedi and would succeed in reaching the Valley and obtaining the great reserve of power with in. With this newfound power, Jerec would become one of the biggest threats the galaxy had ever seen as his increased power would allow him to wipe out entire solar systems by causing their stars to go supernova.
“Jerec, the man who murdered your father, is a great evil. He searches for the location of a sacred place, the Valley of the Jedi. The Force of thousands of Jedi is trapped here. If Jerec captures this power, he will be a creature such as the universe has never seen. A supernova of stars in a fleeting thought—the eradication of life from a star system in a whisper—will be within his power.” – Qu Rahn’s Force Ghost to Kyle Katarn
Despite succeeding on getting his hands on the immense Force power within the Valley, Jerec’s Force connection was disrupted by a Force technique used by Katarn thus giving him the advantage needed to kill Jerec. With Jerec dead, Kyle not just avenged his father and his informal Jedi master Qu Rahn (whom Jerec also killed), but also fulfilled an ancient prophecy and setting the dead Jedi spirits free, allowing them to become one with The Force.
“And a knight shall come, a battle will be fought, and the prisoners shall go free.“―A prophecy of the poem
“… Katarn then descended into the Valley Core to face the Dark Master himself. The two dueled, and though the Dark Jedi Jerec had already begun drawing power from the Valley of the Jedi and used its power to heal himself, Katarn was able to defeat him with a light-side technique that disrupted Jerec’s connection to the Force. Disarmed, Jerec tried to turn Katarn to the dark side by reminding him of his father’s murder, urging Katarn to strike him down and claim the Valley’s dark power for himself. Katarn, not wishing to feed his hatred, showed Jerec mercy and tossed the Dark Jedi his saber. Jerec would not accept Katarn’s mercy and once again attacked him. Katarn’s counterstrike killed Jerec, and he fulfilled the prophecy by freeing the souls of the countless Jedi trapped by Lord Skere Kaan for over a thousand years. Afterwards, Katarn carved statues of Rahn and his father, and thanked the spirit of his father.”
All cut scenes of Jerec from Dark Forces 2.
Sources:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jerec_(Inquisitor)
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Seventh_Battle_of_Ruusan
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Valley_of_the_Jedi
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kyle_Katarn
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Morgan_Katarn
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Qu_Rahn/Legends
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Poem_of_Ages
ANAMORPHIC 