Saul Karath

"War's a funny thing. It makes you do things you never thought you'd do."

- Saul Karath

Saul Karath was a Human male born on Corellia who served the Galactic Republic's Navy as an admiral during the Mandalorian Wars. In 3,963 BBY, Karath was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral after keeping the Mandalorian forces at bay for six weeks at the Jebble-Vanquo-Tarnith line. When the fugitive Jedi Padawan Zayne Carrick&mdash;who was fleeing from his Masters after being framed for the Padawan Massacre of Taris&mdash;attempted to warn Karath of Serroco's destruction, Karath assumed that Carrick was a Mandalorian spy. Shortly after the Mandalorians razed Serroco's surface, Karath participated in the Adacsa affair and in the events of Vindication, in which the secret Jedi cabal known as the Covenant was destroyed. Later that year, the Jedi Knights Revan, Malak and their Jedi faction entered the war, and Karath became the Jedi's subordinate. In 3,960 BBY, Revan and Malak led the Republic to victory against the Mandalorians in a final battle above the Sith world Malachor V.

After the battle, Karath was one of the few among the Republic forces that did not follow Revan and Malak into the Unknown Regions to search for the ancient Rakatan Star Forge space station. A year later, Revan returned to the Republic as the new Dark Lord of the Sith, with Malak as his apprentice, igniting the Jedi Civil War. In 3,958 BBY, Karath transferred his allegiance to Darth Revan's Sith Empire, bringing his flagship Leviathan to Revan's service. Malak ordered Karath to destroy the planet Telos IV. Karath killed millions of civilians on Telos, and earned the wrath of his former friend and protégé Carth Onasi, who served with Karath during the Mandalorian Wars. After Malak betrayed Revan and usurped his mantle of Dark Lord during the Jedi and Republic's attempt to capture them, Karath continued to serve the Sith forces. In the war's final year, Malak ordered the Sith fleet to blockade the ecumenopolis Taris so that the Sith forces could search for Jedi Knight Bastila Shan. Malak eventually ordered Karath to destroy the planet so as to prevent Shan's escape, and Karath bombarded Taris.

Shortly after Taris' destruction, Malak and Karath were informed by the bounty hunter Calo Nord, who survived the Sith's bombardment of Taris, of Shan's escape from the planet. Nord also told them of Revan's survival and involvement in Shan's escape. Malak and Karath hired Nord to capture Shan, but Revan, now a partially retrained Jedi, killed Nord during his search for the Star Forge. After Revan located a fourth Rakatan Star Map, which was needed to find the Star Forge, Karath captured Revan's starship Ebon Hawk. Karath tortured Revan, Onasi, and Shan in an attempt to find out what their mission was. The two Jedi and Onasi eventually escaped the detention area and headed to the bridge in order to confront Karath and disable the tractor beam, so that the Ebon Hawk could escape the Leviathan. When Revan, Shan, and Onasi made it to the bridge, Karath offered to ask Malak to be merciful if the Jedi and Onasi surrendered. The two Jedi and Onasi refused, and Karath and his forces attacked them. After a heated firefight, Karath was grievously injured. Karath told Onasi about Revan's true identity as the former Dark Lord, and mocked his former friend before he succumbed to his wounds.

Early life and career
Saul Karath, a Human male, was born on the Core world Corellia to journeyman laborer Craddock Karath, being the eldest of five children. Because his father was rarely home with his family, Karath was forced to take up a fatherly role to his siblings, supporting them by working double shifts at a weapons factory. During the Great Sith War initiated by fallen Jedi–turned–Sith Lord Exar Kun, Karath quit his job at the factory and volunteered his services to the Navy of the Galactic Republic. Karath was too young to officially serve the Navy, and because of his tough upbringing, he did not possess the connections to enter the Naval Academy. However, Karath won the attention of Fleet Captain Orley Vanicus, who allowed the Corellian to serve as a non–commissioned captain's steward on his ship Reliance I.

For every success Karath gained, a setback followed, however, because Karath considered the Navy his family, he never lost faith in the institution. Eventually, he was promoted to the rank of captain, and was given his first command aboard the frigate Reciprocity. During this time, Karath was successful in defending convoys against pirates. At one point, when the Reciprocity was in an engagement with enemies, Karath recognized the Republic pilot Carth Onasi's skills. When Karath was promoted to the Inexpugnable-class tactical command ship Courageous, he invited Onasi to serve with him aboard the ship, and nicknamed Onasi "Fleet".

Battle of Vanquo
"Defeat is not a career opportunity, Morvis&mdash;it's just defeat. The last soldier is always the supreme commander of his own forces."

- Karath to Dallan Morvis

In 3,964 BBY, at the onset of the war between the Galactic Republic and the Mandalorian Neo Crusaders, Karath helped organize the defense of the Outer Rim ecumenopolis Taris and its nearby systems from the Mandalorian armada. From his flagship Courageous, Karath managed to halt the Mandalorians' progress at the system of Suurja through four large–scale battles, thus keeping the Jebble-Vanquo-Tarnith line, a boundary between the Republic and Neo-Crusader forces, intact. Not long after, Karath was sent to defend the trade post of Vanquo from the invading Mandalorian fleet. As he had predicted, the attack was only part of Mandalorian leader Mandalore the Ultimate's plan for invading the Republic; while Karath's forces were busy at Vanquo, the Mandalorians charged the remainder of the Republic fleet at Taris. Karath saw this as a positive thing; he was certain that when an important world like Taris was threatened, the Republic Senate would put more troops into the conflict. During the battle, Karath spotted a freighter called the Last Resort&mdash;the elderly Arkanian scientist Gorman Vandrayk's ship&mdash;which was carrying the fugitive Jedi Padawan Zayne Carrick. Carrick was on the run from his Jedi Masters, who framed him for the Padawan Massacre of Taris. The Last Resort was speeding away from Vanquo and entering hyperspace into Mandalorian territories. When Lieutenant Dallan Morvis informed Karath that it was Carrick's ship, the Admiral immediately suspected that Carrick was a Mandalorian spy. Karath vowed to deal with Carrick personally, provided that he survived the battle.

Devastation of Serroco
"This&hellip;is a new phase of the war. We're going to have to change the way we look at things."

- Karath on the Mandalorian's devastation of Serroco

In 3,963 BBY, Karath was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. After he was transferred to the planet Serroco, Karath went through a tour of the local Republic camp on Serroco's surface. Zayne Carrick, who was working at the Little Bivoli restaurant under the alias Shad Camper, accidentally spilled a tray of food on Karath, who ignored him. Carrick was immediately reprimanded by Dallan Morvis. After having a vision through the Force of the Mandalorians destroying Serroco's surface, Carrick told his partner and the head of the Little Bivoli, Marn Hierogryph, that he needed to warn Admiral Karath. Carrick then sneaked on Lieutenant Carth Onasi's ship Deadweight; after he was discovered by Onasi, the Jedi convinced Onasi to take him to Karath.

When Onasi brought Carrick to the admiral on the bridge of Courageous, Karath congratulated the lieutenant, and proceeded to accuse Carrick of being a Mandalorian spy. Karath interrogated Carrick, who denied knowing Mandalore and the accusations of being a spy, and asked Karath to allow Onasi to try to get in contact with the Jedi Knight Alek Squinquargesimus, known to Carrick as "Squint". Karath instructed Onasi to go the the command center, contact the Jedi Council, and see if they could locate "Squint". At that point, the Mandalorian ships dropped out of hyperspace, and launched nuclear missiles towards the Republic fleet. Karath attempted to counter the attack, but instead of heading towards the fleet, the missiles continued towards Serroco's surface. The missiles destroyed the Stereb cities, and inflicted heavy damage to the human settlements. As Carrick wept on the Courageous ' bridge, Karath knew it was time to rethink their strategies against the Mandalorians. Karath promised Carrick that he would hand him over to the Jedi, since Karath knew that what the Jedi would do to Carrick was far worse then the Admiral could ever do. Until then, Karath had him sealed in a cell.

When Mandalorian shock troopers boarded the Courageous, Karath was forced to abandon ship with Lieutenant Onasi and Commander Morvis. Karath reluctantly accepted to take Carrick along with them as they fled to Onasi's ship Deadweight. After escaping the Courageous, Karath filed a report with the Admiral of the Fleet concerning the disposition of his forces, which were under pursuit on the hyperspace lanes from Serroco to the banking world Telerath. Karath also hoped to make it to Myrkr or the Ryyk Nebula, where they could meet with the Tremendous fleet. In his report to the Admiral of the Fleet, Karath noted Onasi's and Morvis' performances during the battle.

The Adasca affair
"Think about it, Admiral! We could use the slugs to put a firewall of scorched systems between the Coreworlds and the Mandies! Er&mdash;uninhabited systems of course. But if someone's going to have control, it had better be us!''" "''I hear you, Morvis&mdash;but we've still got to call home. This is too big. I'm just an admiral, blast it! I can't cut a deal like this on my own!"

- Dallan Morvis and Karath, referring to Adasca's exogorth superweapons

Shortly after escaping the Legacy ' s destruction, Karath complimented Onasi on the quick escape from the Mandalorians. After Morvis managed to reach communications with Arkania Command, Karath told Carrick that while he could not turn Carrick in to the custody of his former Jedi Master Lucien Draay, who ordered the Padawan Massacre, Karath would get another chance to do so. When the Deadweight was in transit to Arkania, Karath received a transmission from the Duro Eejee Vamm&mdash;a servant of the Adascorp leader Arkoh Adasca&mdash;requesting Karath's presence at a meeting onboard Adasca's flagship Arkanian Legacy. After being informed about the exogorths, space slugs which Adasca's scientists modified to be superweapons, Karath ordered Onasi to redirect the ship to the Legacy. When they arrived, Karath told Onasi, Morvis, and Carrick how old spacefarers talked about the exogorths, and that he had originally thought the slugs were a myth. Karath, Morvis, Onasi and Carrick then prepared to board the Legacy.

When Karath disembarked the Deadweight, Adasca greeted him, stating that he felt Karath was the perfect Republic representative for the meeting. Adasca then asked Karath if he was able to negotiate on the Republic's behalf, and Karath attempted to inquire as to what Adasca meant. As Carrick was disembarking the Deadweight with Onasi and Morvis, Jarael&mdash;the female Arkanian offshoot who helped Carrick elude the Jedi Masters on Taris&mdash;noticed him, and then kissed the Padawan. This was in actuality an attempt to tell Carrick about Adasca's scheming. Karath asked Adasca if his forces could find a detention area to imprison Carrick, and Adasca had Vamm move Carrick to the ship's detention area. Later in the observation dome, Karath was listening to Adasca talk about the exogorths and how they could be operated as weapons capable of destroying entire star systems. After Adasca finished, the Jedi Knight Alek Squinquargesimus, who was representing the Jedi Knight Revan's faction of Jedi at Adasca's meeting, expressed his horror and disgust. Karath then asked Adasca what exactly he wanted; when the Mandalorians arrived, Karath told Adasca that he had gone too far. Adasca stated that his corporation was now a galactic player, and that they sought allies, not contracts.

After Mandalore boarded the Legacy, Squinquargesimus attacked Mandalore, but Mandalore hit the Jedi with a battle axe constructed from the Courageous' wreckage, which knocked Squinquargesimus down. Karath pointed his blaster at Mandalore and told him to back off, and Mandalore taunted Karath. While Mandalore was having a conversation with Mandalorian Rohlan Dyre, Squinquargesimus tried to convince Karath to arrest Adasca, but Karath refused, citing their outnumbered position. A short while later, Adasca commenced with a test of the exogorths, and Onasi became disgusted at what he witnessed. He asked for Karath's permission to return to the Deadweight, which the Admiral granted. When Mandalore commented that he wanted to keep the exogorths out of Republic or Jedi control, Karath said that they were one and the same. Mandalore expressed his disbelief at that statement, and Karath asked Mandalore why he did not just take the exogorths. When Mandalore offered to make Adasca weaponsmith of all the Mandalorian clans, Adasca commented that the senate seat Karath offered him seemed petty in comparison. Karath then began to grow desperate, and asked Adasca if he wanted his own territory.

Meanwhile, Zayne Carrick and his former Jedi Master Lucien Draay, who had been ordered by the Jedi Covenant co–founder Haazen to investigate Adasca, met up with Onasi and Dyre and worked together to put an end to Adasca's scheme. Both Carrick, who was in the armor that Mandalore had given to Dyre earlier, and Onasi made it to the observation dome, and started a diversion. This caused Karath and Mandalore to attempt to control the two, but when Carrick ignited his lightsaber, Draay stormed the room and Squinquargesimus prepared to attack. Mandalore immediately accused Adasca of treachery. Karath, along with Carrick, Draay, Onasi, Jarael, Dyre, and Morvis, participated in the ensuing battle. Karath was injured during the battle, and Morvis ordered Onasi to capture Carrick while he escorted the Admiral back to the Deadweight. Onasi let Carrick escape, and Karath, Onasi, and Morvisd successfully escaped the Legacy observation dome as the exogorths under Arkanian scientist Gorman Vandrayk's command devoured it, killing Adasca.

After Karath, Morvis, and Onasi reached the galactic capital Coruscant, Karath filed his resignation to the Admiral of the Fleet due the loss of Battle Group Serroco and the Courageous. However, the Admiral of the Fleet refused to recognize Karath's resignation, and met with him, Onasi, and Morvis. After this, the Admiral of the Fleet publicly commended Karath. While the Admiralty did not immediately assign a posting to Karath, the Admiral stated that he appreciated the public's support, but that he wanted those in his position to have a chance to see their families, "in the name of those who did not make it home". Karath also confirmed Arkoh Adasca's death, although he declined to speak of the events that transpired.

Vindication
"Has everybody gone insane? I don't know if you got the message, Morvis, but we're supposed to protect Coruscant&mdash;not fire on it!"

- Karath, to Dallan Morvis

Sometime after the battle of Omonoth, Karath was commissioned to the Swiftsure. He was then assigned by the Jedi Master and newly appointed Council member Lucien Draay to the planetary defense of Coruscant. Not wanting Carrick to expose the Covenant's actions to the Council, Draay instructed Karath to keep watch for Carrick. Draay told the Admiral that he would be aboard the Moomo Williwaw&mdash;the starship of the Ithorian bounty hunters Dob and Del Moomo&mdash;and also warned Karath that the fugitive would attack the planet on behalf of the Mandalorians. Because of the Khil Jedi Master Xamar's experience with the Republic Navy, the Covenanter was assigned to the Swiftsure by Draay to ensure that Karath did not take Carrick as a prisoner. When Xamar met with Karath, the Admiral assured the Jedi that nobody would get through without going through the defense. Karath then ordered the initiation of the Vanjervalis chain, a sensor package that not only predicted enemy movements and adjusted strategies, but linked Republic cruisers under a single command. Xamar asked Karath how Carrick seemed when he met him, and Karath replied that the Padawan did not always make sense and that Carrick was absolutely sure he was right.

When the Moomo Williwaw approached Coruscant, Xamar expressed his concern that Carrick would be able to break through the blockade. Karath suggested that the Jedi get in a starfighter and join the other Republic fighters' efforts, assuring the Khil that his forces would not accidently shoot the Jedi. This startled Xamar, because of his vision that prophesied that he would be killed by the Republic fleet in friendly fire. After Xamar left the Swiftsure, the Moomo Williwaw crashed in the ship's docking bay. Karath and his forces managed to get the bay doors open; when the Moomo brothers and Carrick's companion Jarael disembarked their ship, Karath told the Arkanian that she was in trouble, and ordered his forces to search for Carrick and Hierogryph. When they could not find them, Karath began to ask Xamar to find them, but he found that the Jedi was not there. Carrick and Hierogryph managed to escape to Coruscant aboard Carth Onasi's ship Deadweight.

Eventually, the Vanjervalis chain's tactical system was sliced by the Covenant co–founder and Sith acolyte Haazen during his insurrection against the Jedi Order. Haazen used a remote located on his cybernetics to fire at the skybridge near the Draay Estate, killing Master Xamar, who had turned against the Covenant, and many Jedi Knights attacking the estate. Karath asked Dallan Morvis, now the captain of the flagship Veltraa, why the Republic fleet was firing on the surface, and Morvis told the Admiral that someone sliced in their systems. A Republic officer then told Karath that an incoming signal had bypassed their fail–safes, which prevented them from attempting to jam the signal or move out of range. Karath then ordered all non–essential personnel off the Swiftsure while they tried to figure out a way to disable the security breach. When Lucien Draay and Zayne Carrick allied to stop Haazen, Draay managed to recover the remote and directed the fleet's fire on the Draay Estate, killing Haazen and restoring control of the Vanjervalis chain to the Swiftsure. Days later, Karath publicly announced that the Mandalorians were responsible and that he would take the fight to the Mandalorians. The Republic and the Jedi agreed to have the true events of Haazen's insurrection covered up, and Carrick and his companions were cleared of any wrongdoing..

Jedi Civil War
"Admiral Karath taught me everything I know about being a soldier. He was a legend in the Republic fleet, and a hero to me. Until he betrayed us."

- Carth Onasi

Shortly after Haazen's failed insurrection, the Jedi Knight Revan, along with fellow Jedi Knight Malak, formerly known as Alek Squinquargesimus, officially entered the Mandalorian Wars with the sanction of the Jedi Council. Revan eventually gained full control of the Republic fleet. During the wars, Revan and Malak liberated Taris, fought Mandalore's primary strategist Cassus Fett at Jaga's Cluster, and defeated much of the Mandalorian forces at Althir. In 3,960 BBY, Revan forced a final confrontation with the Mandalorians over the Sith world Malachor V, and led the Republic to victory against them, defeating Mandalore the Ultimate. After the Mandalorian's final defeat at Malachor V, Karath was not among the Republic forces who followed Revan and Malak into the Unknown Regions to search for an ancient Rakatan space station called the Star Forge. A year after their disappearance, Revan returned to the Republic as the Dark Lord of the Sith and, with Malak as his apprentice, declared war against the Jedi Order and the Republic.

In the year 3,958 BBY, Karath declared the Republic unworthy of his loyalty and defected to Darth Revan's Sith Empire. He attempted, and failed, to convince his protégé and friend Carth Onasi to join him against the Republic. Karath's first act of betrayal was to give the Sith codes which enabled the Sith to bypass a Republic Navy docking bay's scanners. This allowed the Sith to sweep in and destroy over half of the docked ships before they had time to react. Karath brought the Interdictor-class cruiser Leviathan and several other ships with him into the Sith's service. At some point after this, Revan promoted Karath as the commander of the entire Sith fleet. Not long after, Karath led the Sith fleet to Carth Onasi's homeworld of Telos IV. After the planet refused to surrender to the Sith, Darth Malak ordered Karath to destroy Telos, and Karath complied, destroying the planet's surface and killing millions.

Battle of Taris
"Taris is defenseless against our assault, Lord Malak. They are offering no resistance. The city is in ruins." "Resume the bombardment, Commander. Wipe this pathetic planet from the face of the galaxy."

- Karath and Darth Malak

During the Jedi Civil War, Karath intimidated hundreds of strategically important military worlds by threatening to destroy their cities by way of bombardment. Karath continued his service under Revan up until Malak seemingly killed Revan during the Jedi and Republic's attempt to capture them both. Karath then continued under the new Dark Lord's command. In the year 3,956 BBY, the Sith fleet attacked the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan's flagship Endar Spire above the planet Taris, although Shan managed to escape to the Tarisian surface aboard an escape pod. Karath was in command of the blockade over the planet while the Sith forces searched the planet for Shan. Malak eventually ordered Taris' destruction in order to prevent Shan's escape. At first, Karath did not want murder the billions of people on Taris, including the Sith troops still on the surface. However, Malak reminded Karath what happened to his predecessor, and after Karath positioned the fleet, he began the bombardment.

Shortly after Taris' destruction, the bounty hunter Calo Nord&mdash;who was on Taris for business with the Exchange crime lord Davik Kang&mdash;was introduced by Karath to Darth Malak aboard the Leviathan, after Nord escaped the Sith bombardment. Malak was informed by Nord that Shan had successfully escaped Taris; although, Nord was unaware that it was Revan, Malak's former master, who assisted in Shan's escape. Malak then hired Nord to track down Shan and capture her alive. However, Nord was killed on the desert world Tatooine by Revan, now a retrained Jedi searching for the Star Forge, which was now under Malak's control. Karath received news of Nord's failure and informed Malak, asking the Dark Lord to forgive him. Malak told Karath that while the penalty for failure was death, the failure was Nord's, not Karath's. When the admiral asked Malak about hiring another bounty hunter, the Dark Lord replied that no bounty hunter could stand against a Jedi. In order to not to repeat this error, Malak sent his Shadow Hand Darth Bandon to capture Shan and kill Revan. However, Revan slew Malak's Sith apprentice after the Jedi located a fourth Rakatan Star Map, which was necessary to determine the Star Forge's location, on the Selkath homeworld Manaan. Sometime before Revan located that Star Map, Malak attacked the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. The attack killed many Jedi and destroyed the Enclave. However, the local Jedi Council was able to escape.

Downfall
"Remember my dying words. Remember them whenever&hellip; whenever you look at those you thought were your friends!"

- Karath to Carth Onasi

As Revan and the Ebon Hawk's crew were en route to the Sith necropolis Korriban, which had a fifth Star Map, they were captured by the Leviathan. While the Ebon Hawk was being brought in via tractor beam, Revan and his companions were discussing a means of escape, and Revan chose a member of his party to escape the Sith and save them from capture. Revan, Shan, and Onasi were put into force cages, and were questioned by Karath. After Onasi swore he would kill Karath for the deaths on Telos, the admiral said that Darth Malak was far more interested in Shan and Revan. When Revan swore he would not betray the Jedi, Karath found that Revan did not know of his former identity. The Admiral suspected that he would not succeed in the interrogation, stating that Malak would torture them for information and for his own twisted pleasure. However, Karath knew that at the time Malak was in another sector, and that it would a while before Malak arrived at the detention area. Karath began interrogating the Jedi and Onasi through means of torture.

Knowing that Revan cared for Shan, Karath made her suffer each time Revan refused to answer his questions. Karath used this to test Revan's loyalty when he asked the Jedi where the Jedi Enclave was, but Revan still gave no answer to the admiral. Karath revealed that the question was only a test, for Malak, having been trained at the Enclave, knew its location and had already destroyed the Enclave. Karath then left the three alone until Malak would arrive. Both Shan and Revan felt a disturbance in the Force, and they knew that Karath had sent a message to the Dark Lord regarding their current location. Meanwhile, the Ebon Hawk crew member that Revan had chosen to free the rest of the crew managed to deactivate their force cages. Feeling Malak's presence approaching, the Jedi devised a plan to escape, which involved going to the bridge and disabling the tractor beam. Revan sent the Mandalorian Canderous Ordo and the rest of the Ebon Hawk ' s crew to the docking bay so that they could deal with the guards.

Revan, Shan, and Onasi fought their way to the bridge and confronted Karath, who was guarded by two Dark Jedi and a group of Sith troopers. Karath offered to ask Darth Malak, who was on his way to the bridge, to be merciful when he arrived if the two Jedi and Onasi would surrender their weapons. After Onasi refused, Karath went on the attack, remarking that Onasi always liked doing things the hard way. Revan, Shan, and Onasi slew the Sith troopers and Dark Jedi bodyguards, and struck Karath down, leaving him mortally wounded. Before he died, Karath asked Onasi to come closer so that he could speak with him. In a whisper, Karath told Onasi about Revan's former identity of the Darth Revan. Karath then taunted Onasi, telling him to remember the admiral's words whenever his former protégé looked at those he thought were his friends. Karath then succumbed to his wounds.

Legacy
"Under the care of the herds of Ithor, the surface of Telos will bloom again, and its golden fields shall again harbor scientists and thinkers. And complacent and peaceful, it shall forget the time that Saul Karath orbited it and brought fire to its skies. But it shall be a homeworld again to others, who will stretch out across the galaxy and bring life."

- Darth Traya

After Karath's death, the Sith admiral Varko was promoted to Karath's former position as supreme commander of the Sith fleet. Malak planned to conquer the Core worlds in order to crush the Republic permanently. However, Revan and his companions managed to locate the Star Forge, and the Republic fleet engaged the Sith forces around the Star Forge above the surface of Rakata Prime as Revan boarded the space station. Revan managed to redeem Bastila Shan, who became Malak's Sith apprentice after being captured aboard the Leviathan, and killed Malak in a lightsaber duel. The Sith forces were routed after the Republic destroyed the Star Forge. At the end of the Dark Wars five years later, before the Sith Lord Darth Traya succumbed to the wounds dealt to her by the human female known as the Jedi Exile, Traya predicted that the planet of Telos would eventually be restored through the efforts of the Ithorians led by Force adept Chodo Habat, who led the Telos Restoration Project. Traya also predicted that Telos would forget the devastation brought by Saul Karath when he bombarded the planet.

Personality and traits
"Saul wanted them to make us suffer. He's become some sort of sadistic monster.''" "''The dark side has perverted him, Carth. Once you start down the tainted path it leads you ever further into the depths of evil."

- Carth Onasi and Bastila Shan on Karath

When the human male known as Saul Karath started his military career, he tried every duty on a flagship at least once. Karath eventually grew to be a skilled pilot and capable tactician. Karath was known for acting on quick judgments. However, his bureaucratic abilities were not as developed, which led to a number of setbacks in his career. However, Karath was known for his ability to survive and thrive, and considered the Navy his family. He never told anybody what exactly caused him to join the Republic Navy. Karath did not trust either Mandalorians or Jedi since the war with Exar Kun; when the fugitive Padawan Zayne Carrick attempted to warn him of the coming destruction of Serroco, Karath wrongly assumed he was a Mandalorian spy. During the Mandalorian Wars, other Jedi were prone to similar receptions from Karath. Karath was a man who respected firepower. He trained many of the soldiers and officers in the Republic fleet, including Carth Onasi. Onasi's career path was similar to Karath's, explaining why the Admiral took an interest in the pilot.

A year after Revan and Malak came back from the Unknown Regions as Sith and attacked the Republic, the Navy was devastated, and Karath was faced with the loss of his troops and command. In an attempt to save both, Karath declared the Republic unworthy of his allegiance, and brought his flagship Leviathan and a large amount of troops to Revan's service. Because he was the first officer of an important rank to join the Sith, other Republic officers followed his example and betrayed the Republic, not wanting to fight against a foe who knew all their tactics and strategies. After Malak betrayed Revan and assumed his mantle of Dark Lord, Karath thought that Revan's death would make his command easier. However, Karath discovered that serving Malak was not as easy as he had hoped, but Karath would not abandon his position as the highest–ranking officer in Malak's army. To Karath, keeping his forces intact overruled all other concerns. When Malak ordered Taris' destruction in an attempt to kill Bastila Shan, Karath tried to intervene for the billions of innocent people and the Sith troops on the surface. However, Malak threatened him, and Karath obeyed the Dark Lord's orders. When Karath tortured Revan, Shan, and Onasi after capturing Revan's ship Ebon Hawk, Karath attempted to justify the bombing of Telos IV to his old friend, stating that in war even the innocent had to die.

Aside from Basic, Karath could speak and comprehend a variety of languages, including Durese, Khilese, Sullustese, Mando'a, Bothese, Zabraki and Kuat. Karath owned a prototype energy shield of Verpine design, using it for extra protection during battle. During his time serving the Sith, Karath used a Sith Assassin blaster pistol. He also owned a code cylinder and an encrypted comlink. Karath wore a Republic officer's uniform during his service to them. During his service to the Sith, Karath wore a Sith officer's uniform.

Behind the scenes
Saul Karath was created as a villain for the 2003 Xbox and PC video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, developed by BioWare. Karath's background was expanded in the New Essential Chronology, the Knights of the Old Republic Handbook, and the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide. Karath was also featured in the Knights of the Old Republic comic series written by John Jackson Miller.

There are inconsistencies in Knights of the Old Republic concerning the events of the Bombing of Telos IV. When asked by Revan, Carth Onasi states that Karath destroyed Telos IV "four years ago". The game takes place in the year 3,956 BBY. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia ' s entry on Telos also states that Karath destroyed the planet in 3,960 BBY. However, both the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide and the New Essential Chronology state that Karath destroyed the planet in 3,958 BBY. In Karath's entry in the Knights of the Old Republic Handbook, he is mistakenly referred to as "Correllian".

The opening quote to this article was originally a line cut from the twenty–first issue of the Knights of the Old Republic comic series. The series' writer, John Jackson Miller, used the cut line in Karath's entry in the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 0: Crossroads
 * The Taris Holofeed: Prime Edition
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 8: Flashpoint, Part 2
 * The Admiral's List: Jimas Veltraa Memorial Edition
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 14: Days of Fear, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 15: Days of Fear, Part 3
 * The Admiral's List: Remember Serroco! Edition
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 17: Nights of Anger, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 18: Nights of Anger, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Daze of Hate
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 22: Knights of Suffering, Part 1
 * The Admiral's List: Karath Home Safely
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 30: Exalted, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 31: Turnabout
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 32: Vindication, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 34: Vindication, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 35: Vindication, Part 4
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords