The stories of Exar Kun’s fall to the dark side and his campaign of destruction against the Republic have been told as warnings to Jedi Padawans for generations. After witnessing the return of the Sith Empire, Master Gnost-Dural has realized a new relevance to Exar Kun’s role in history.

There are two interesting things from this. First is the fact that Exar Kun is accepted by the Sith Lords of the past over the Sith Emperor. However, I question this. I wonder if the Sith Lords understood that the Sith Emperor wasn’t ready and therefore, they supported Exar Kun to weaken the Republic. He came, waged his war and then thirty five years later, we’ve got Revan doing his war. Perhaps the Sith Lords understood the need to weaken the Republic to win and therefore, they told Exar Kun they supported him when in reality, they didn’t. Maybe it’s crazy speculative.

The other thing is how important Yavin IV was in this video. Could that be a hint toward a future planet release? I think so. Since BioWare keeps releasing new planets, I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t release Yavin IV. It would be a place for Sith to go and feel the power of Exar Kun. However, they’ll have to do it carefully so they don’t mess with canon.

What did you think of this video? Was it appropriate? Did you like the way Exar Kun was portrayed? Think my speculation is bizarre? Leave a comment!

The first thing he talked about that I really liked was about the quests. First, there are the class quests that you, as say a Jedi Knight will get to experience. Then, there are the world quests. So, if you are on Hutta, you are going to have to deal with quests that are on the planet. What stood out for me was this extensive quote:

While the class content tends to be about very specific things. In the movies, Han’s story is about the Hutts, his morality, and learning to be a good guy. In the midst of that, he’s in this grand story about the Rebellion. As you go on in time, the percentage of class content goes down, and the percentage of world content goes up. Not because you have less class content numerically, but because you have far more world quests. The world gets bigger and bigger.

This is interesting because it makes sense. There is going to be a heck of a lot more in regard to the worlds than there can possibly be for the individual class quest. The reason being is simple. As you achieve a quest on your personal journey, more people hear about you and therefore, are willing to offer you quests. So, the percentage of quests that become available as time goes on becomes greater because you are doing more with your personal class. It was definitely an interesting back and forth.

The next thing that I love is the discussion about morality. I wrote an article a while back about the Sith being humanized. The reason I love the discussion about morality is because of what Erickson said.

You can be a Sith that ends up being entirely light side. There is as much flexibility to every class story as what you’d see in any of our full products.

Pretty much, while you are playing on the Empire side, if you are a Sith, you could be on the light side. It’s a lot more work, Erickson warned, but it is an interesting idea. Perhaps the Sith don’t have to be evil. Perhaps they are perceived as evil, but instead, it is simply their situation. Sure, they do things in one particular fashion, but does that mean they HAVE to be evil? The fact that Erickson confirms that a Sith can be entirely light sided is very interesting and will be something worth fleshing out in the future.

This is an important twist because it gives you the chance to really play the way you want. I am really interested in the Sith storyline–which is why at some point, I will roll as a Sith–but the fact that I can play any way I want rather than just evil makes the game just a bit more interesting. So, I am definitely looking forward to it.

Revan

However, it is the little tidbit about Revan that everyone is really excited about. I know that when I saw it, I was like, “Finally!” What the heck happened when Revan went back into Deep Space after the Sith Emperor? What happened when the Jedi Exile went after him? We’ve heard nothing about them since the time of the games. Because of that, I am so freaking excited about the reveal. In Daniel Erickson’s own words, he said:

All of your KoTOR 1 and 2 questions will be answered.

This is where I open it up to you guys! What questions are you hoping will be answered? Go ahead and post a comment with your questions. If any of the readers know the answer, they’ll post them. So, let me know what’s up. Are you excited for the stuff revealed in this interview or are you just bored waiting for the game?

The description that was posted by SWTOR is:

Too often, the Mandalorian Wars are characterized solely as a prelude to the Jedi Civil War, but the events surrounding the conflict itself bear close examination. When Mandalore the Ultimate called together the clans and began augmenting his armies further with Neo-Crusaders, his intention was to pull the Jedi Order into open conflict. As is the tradition in their culture, the Mandalorians sought to establish themselves as the most powerful faction in the galaxy by defeating the faction they considered to be their greatest rivals. Though the Jedi Council resisted the Mandalorian challenge, the splinter group led by Revan and Malak eventually joined the fray and won the war. Though there has never been a hint that the Sith were involved in the Mandalorian Wars, new analysis from Jedi Master Gnost-Dural suggests that the influence of the dark side was involved. The bittersweet victory in the Mandalorian Wars took a toll on the Republic for which the price is still being paid to this day…

However, what led the Mandalorians to attack? They were obviously provoked by the Emperor, but there are other things that suggest the Emperor had other plans as well. Right at the end, Master Gnost-Dural hints toward the problem: Exar Kun. The Exar Kun days were a few years where the Jedi turned Sith waged war against the Republic. Could it be that the Emperor orchestrated that as well?

Sorry for being late with this. So many things going on. But, for those that haven’t seen it yet, check it out and let me know what you think. Any speculation about the whole Exar Kun issue? I’d love to hear your input!

To watch it, click this link. We learn about Darth Revan and Darth Malak, the two Jedi turned Sith who pull together all the Star Maps. By doing this, they get access to the Star Forge that gives them access to an infinite number of ships and soldiers to create their armada. However, what I really enjoyed about this video is that it gives just a little insight into where Revan and Malak got the idea to take over the Republic.

From the SWTOR site itself, we get this little bit of information:

BTC 303 – Three hundred years before the Sacking of Coruscant, two prominent Jedi Knights pursued enemy forces into Deep Space at the conclusion of the Mandalorian Wars. When the two Jedi, Revan and Malak, returned to Republic space, they had fallen to the dark side. As Sith Lords, Revan and Malak began searching the galaxy for a powerful ancient artifact known as the Star Forge. During their dark campaign, however, Malak’s ambitions grew and eventually drove him to betray Revan, sparking the bloody Jedi Civil War. Though Revan was ultimately redeemed and restored peace to the galaxy, he disappeared afterward in search of a great darkness in Deep Space. Through his investigation, Master Gnost-Dural now confirms that this great darkness is the Sith Empire the Jedi Order battles today….

Back in January, I wrote an article about the TOR Emperor. In it, I talk specifically about why when Revan and Malak went to the Emperor, they turned around and became the vanguard for his invasion. However, what is revealed to us is more on what the Emperor‘s real idea was. In the video, we learn that the Emperor sent Revan and Malak–after they landed on Dromund Kaas–to take over the Star Forge because it would give the Emperor access to unlimited resources. This is obviously something he would want.

But, as I explain in my older article, when Revan and Malak realize that they could have access to a huge empire themselves, they turn their back on the Sith Emperor. In other words, they became typical Sith. And this explains why Revan and Malak kept the military bases on planets in order because they understood that the Emperor was coming sooner or later. And when the Star Forge was finally destroyed, the Emperor knew he’d have to wait a little longer to make his attack.

I don’t want to go into so much detail about the Timeline because there is an entire video for you to watch. But, there are a lot of interesting points involved there. To begin with, the Emperor sent Revan and Malak back. On top of that, there are a few other things that are revealed. Combat in SWTOR is going to be very interesting. We get this because of the way Revan is holding his lightsaber. He’s holding it backward. While I don’t typically agree with this type of fighting stance, a lot of people seem to enjoy it. This could lead to one of the many types of combat.

For many different followers as well as myself, this update wasn’t very informative. However, for many people–and I hope some of you–this will give you an understanding of what’s going on in regard to the Sith Emperor and Revan/Malak. I’m most looking forward to the next one: the Mandalorian Wars.

There are a few things that really stood out for me. First and foremost, I love how devious they have made the Sith. “The Sith spent generations infiltrating Republic political circles and to even the Jedi Order.” While Sidious was able to take control of the Republic and was able to, effectively, rule an Empire, I have to wonder who was more devious. The Sith Emperor was able to get people within the Jedi Order and the Republic who were blatantly Sith. But, then again, Sidious was able to take over the entire Republic. It just demonstrates that the Sith were truly devious and that BioWare was going along with that.

Secondly, Naga Sadow. It’s very interesting that he was brought up again and, more importantly, the reason behind it. The Sith Emperor understood that if Naga Sadow’s spirit was allowed to remain alive, he would have a formidable foe to fight against him. This in itself demonstrates just how long the Sith Emperor planned for this and, more importantly, how complete his invasion would be once it did come a century later.

So, why does Naga Sadow send Padawan Gynt to try and kill Master Ovair? It took me a few takes to finally understand, but it makes complete sense. Ovair failed to destroy Sadow at first and that was why he escaped back to Coruscant, all crippled. However, seven years later, he was completely healed again. Gynt returned and by now, Ovair was prepared for anything because he really was a great warrior. Sadow knew that if he waited, Ovair might return. However, this was Ovair’s plan all along. He knew that if he waited long enough, Sadow would send Gynt to try and destroy the threat that was Ovair. It fed right into the Emperor’s plan. Sadow’s spirit was locked away for good and the Emperor had one less enemy to worry about.

In the end, this is another example of how the invasion by the Sith is not so black and white. On top of that, it is an example of how it didn’t happen over night. For centuries, the Emperor prepared. I am looking forward to the next edition where they talk more about the Jedi Civil War and Revan. What’s your opinion, though? What do you think of the series so far?

Fortunately, information has been popping up as development of the game has progressed that answers a few questions. The first main question is: what the heck is the Sith Empire and, more importantly, how does it gain so much power? The second question is: What about Revan? And finally, how does this all tie in together? So, we’ll start with the first question.

The Sith Empire and War on the Republic

As most people probably know, the Mandalorians invaded the Republic in 3,965 BBY. While there had been skirmishes before hand, they finally made their big invasion during this year. What was not known so much was why the Mandalorians decided to invade so soon after the whole Exar Kun era. The answer to that came from a mysterious Sith faction. In Knights of the Old Republic, Canderous Ordo said, “The Sith came to us with an offer: to fight a worthy enemy in a battle that would be remembered forever.” By playing on the emotions of the Mandalorians,the Emperor of the Sith was able to persuade the Neo-Crusaders to invade. And so they did.

However, what the Emperor didn’t realize was that they would fail miserably once Revan got involved. Revan was a fantastic General as most know; however, he was a bit of a maverick. He was more interested in learning as much about the force as possible and less about being a Jedi. This was the perfect opportunity for the Sith Emperor to gain his next asset. However, I will touch more on that when I get to the Revan section.

Through continuous manipulation, the Sith Empire was able to set the stages for an invasion. However, the big question that continues to pop up is: if the Sith Empire was so great, why did they not invade immediately? I’ll explain that in the next section.

Revan: Evil and Good

For the most part, people want to believe that Revan was this awesome character, strong and uncorrupted. Yeah, he was strong and yeah, he was awesome. But, that didn’t mean he was uncorrupted. Enter Revan or Darth Revan. When Revan and Malak joined the war against the Mandalorians, they fought valiantly. However, extensive war can have negative effects on anyone. Soon, they began to harness more dark side powers and used them. It was only through this that Revan was able to use a weapon as destructive as the Mass Shadow Generator.

With the war over now, Revan, Malak and the rest of his fleet went into the unknown regions because they had learned about there being a “true Sith” empire. There, Revan and Malak ran into the Emperor. Here is where things become dicey. Most people want to believe that Revan came back on his own free will to invade the galaxy. However, that’s not the case. They met with the Emperor of the Sith and he was able to convince Revan to become the vanguard for his big invasion. Revan and Malak agree, probably being bested by the Sith Emperor.

So, Revan and Malak invade. However, what we do know is that Sith are messed up and therefore, Revan and Malak see an opportunity to have the Republic to themselves. Why do all the work and then give it to the Sith? Now, this is where a lot of speculation begins to appear. Why, if Revan was acting as the vanguard for the Sith Empire, did he not destroy military planets?

The answer to that, I think, is in the nature of the Sith. Without the Emperor breathing over their shoulders, suddenly, Revan and Malak believed that they would be better at ruling the galaxy rather than the Emperor. But, they understood that the Sith Emperor was going to invade sooner or later, so they felt that if they took control of the galaxy and kept the military infrastructure of the Republic in order, they’d be able to hold off the invasion of the Sith Empire. In the end, though, they royally messed up and Malak tried to take over.

After Revan beats Malak, he goes off into the Unknown Regions to try and defeat the Sith Empire. Obviously since BioWare is releasing this game, Revan failed. However, it poses a question that I often wonder. In the Deceived film, the Sith that kills the Jedi says something about waiting three hundred years. Why would they have to wait three hundred years to invade after the Republic was tired from fighting the war with Exar Kun, then the war twenty years later with the Mandalorians and then finally, the war with Revan and Malak? This leads me to believe that when Revan went into the Unknown Regions after the Empire, he actually did a considerable amount of damage. His actual fate, though, I can’t predict. However, I imagine we will know at some point.

The Emperor

The final big argument that has popped up is who the Emperor can be. For whatever reason, people feel that it is Naga Sadow because the Emperor is known as a “Sith who escaped the Hyperspace War into the Unknown Regions.” Naga Sadow is known for escaping to Yavin 4, but was then destroyed there. So, I want to stamp out that little rumor about who the Emperor might be. It cannot be Naga Sadow and it definitely won’t be. Why would BioWare want to use an already well structured Sith when, in reality, they could just create their own.

Then I have heard rumors that it could be Darth Andeddu. This one seems more likely because Andeddu learned how to live for much longer by passing his spirit onto another body. However, this doesn’t fit because there is no evidence to suggest that Andeddu was around during the Hyperspace War. Therefore, I don’t think it is possible that Andeddu is the Sith Emperor. However, Drew Karpyshyn – one of the writers for The Old Republic – mentioned Andeddu in his latest Darth Bane novel. That could be a little hint.

In the end, though, I really feel that we have no idea who this Sith Emperor is. Chances are, he was a subordinate in the Hyperspace War who escaped and had grown in power and influence since then. BioWare will release their idea for the Emperor when they are comfortable and we will definitely mention it. However, for now, there’s a solid chance that the Emperor is no one we know.

Conclusion

The truth is, the Sith Empire is responsible for a lot of the manipulation that happened in the galaxy leading up to their invasion. They slowed the Republic down and made them weak by persuading the Mandalorians and Revan/Malak to invade. However, for whatever reason, the Emperor didn’t feel it was time to attack. If that was because of Revan, we won’t know until BioWare releases more information. For now, though, we can rest easy knowing these are facts. I got all my facts from a nice video on GameInformer.com. Check it out.

What do you think, though? Leave a comment and let me know any theories that you have about what the heck was going on while the Emperor was growing his power.