Duel on the Star Forge

"Once again we shall face each other in single combat... and the victor will decide the fate of the galaxy!"

- Darth Malak, to Revan

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

Prelude
"You will have gone from being the Sith Lord, himself, to the savior of our galaxy."

- Bastila Shan

In the final year of the Jedi Civil War, Revan&mdash;who had been the Dark Lord of the Sith before he was captured and mind-wiped by the Jedi Council&mdash;was sent on a mission by the Council to find the Star Forge, the ancient Rakatan space station that fueled the Sith Empire's war effort against the Galactic Republic. After finding the devices that lead to the Star Forge, Revan and his companions traveled to the Rakata system, crashing on an unknown world in the system. Revan, along with the Jedi Jolee Bindo and Juhani, confronted his former apprentice Darth Malak's new Sith apprentice, Bastila Shan&mdash;who, before she was captured by Darth Malak during the search for the Star Forge, was the Jedi Knight that saved Revan after Malak betrayed him during the Jedi's attempt to capture both Sith Lords.

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

The Final Confrontation
"I will never serve the dark side again, Malak!" "Foolish words. The darkness and the light wage a constant war within you. The balance is tipped one way now&hellip; but it can easily be tipped back."

- Revan and Darth Malak, before facing off for the final time.

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

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

Death of Darth Malak
"Im&hellip; impossible. I&hellip; I cannot be beaten. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith."

- Darth Malak after being defeated by Revan.

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

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

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

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

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction