Kyle Katarn

Kyle Katarn is the protagonist of the video game Star Wars: Dark Forces and its sequels.

Star Wars: Dark Forces
Initially, he was a decorated Imperial trooper whose father, unbeknownst to him, was a Rebel supporter. After he lost his father to what was officially a Rebel attack, Kyle found out from a captured Rebel agent (Jan Ors) that his father was killed for treason, and defected. His skills attracted Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, and he became an important spy. As chronicled in the first game, he infiltrated an Imperial facility to retrieve the plans for the first Death Star that Leia Organa carried in A New Hope. Eventually he managed to stop a dangerous imperial project known as the Dark Trooper Project after the Battle of Yavin.

Darth Vader's remarks about the Force in Katarn at the end, made the players expecting a sequel having to do with the Jedi.

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
In this, the first sequel, Kyle managed to become a Jedi by finding a recording from his father and a lightsaber from a friend of his father. He embarked on a journey where he battled against the Dark Jedi faction, led by the Dark Jedi Jerec, killer of his father. His adventure took him to a secret Jedi burial ground, the Valley of the Jedi, where many Jedi and Sith lay, having been trapped there after the Battle of Ruusan. This site was a nexus of power allowing great energies of the Force flow through its user. Jerec was attempting to gain this power for his own ends. The two duelled, and Jerec was slain.

Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
Approximately 5 years later, former Imperial assassin Mara Jade came under the tutelage of Kyle. During this period, while investigating Sith ruins on a long dead world, Kyle came under the influence of the dark side of the Force. His former pupil Mara Jade went to him and convinced him to come back to the light. After nearly succumbing to the dark side, Kyle gave up the Force and returned to his mercenary ways as Jan Ors' partner.

Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Kyle continued to work as a mercenary for several more years until he encountered the Dark Jedi Desann and his student, Tavion. Jan Ors was taken prisoner by Desann and apparently killed by Tavion. Angered by his partner's death, Kyle regained his Force powers by using the power of the Valley of the Jedi and once again treading dangerously close to the dark side. He went to the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 to retrieve the lightsaber he had left in the safekeeping of Luke Skywalker, at that point learning Desann was a fallen student of Skywalker's. Luke and Kyle then set across the galaxy to bring Desann to justice. During his travels, he learned that Jan was still alive. She was eventually rescued, which allowed Kyle to overcame his thirst for revenge. Eventually he learned that Desann had discovered the Valley of the Jedi by following Kyle and had begun to create an army of Dark Jedi warrors to rule the galaxy. Kyle tracked Desann to the Jedi academy on Yavin 4 and killed him, ending his plan for domination. After Desann's defeat, Kyle decided to keep his lightsaber and continue in the ways of the Force as an instructor at Luke's academy.

Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
In this game, Kyle is a relegated to the role of supporting character. He becomes the master of two students, Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin. Both students being talented, they quickly learn through Kyle's wisdom. Kyle's quest in the game is to defeat the Sith cult known as the Disciples of Ragnos. Rosh eventually succumbs to the Dark Side and joins the Disciples of Ragnos. Kyle again meets Tavion, who is the leader of the cult, possessing a device known as the Staff of Ragnos, and plans to resurrect the ancient Sith Lord Marka Ragnos. Kyle's other student Jaden eventually becomes a Jedi, but depending on what the player chooses, Jaden may turn to the Dark Side by killing Rosh, or stay in the Light by forgiving him. In the former choice, Kyle being proud of his students, who defeat Tavion. If Jaden goes to the Dark Side, Kyle duels Jaden, who overpowers him using the Staff of Ragnos, stolen by defeating Tavion. Jaden escapes, and Kyle then questions whether or not he should be a Jedi, and takes a leave of absence to apprehend Jaden.

Other sources
Kyle Katarn appears in subsequent sequels and further comics, games and novels. He also has entry in the Star Wars Role-Playing Game, although this Role-Playing Game does not advance his story. His latest appeance is in the New Jedi Order saga in which he helps Luke Skywalker defeat the Yuuzhan Vong. The step of including Katarn in a major Star Wars novel means that he will probably be considered far more "canonical" (to the Expanded Universe, at least) than most other Star Wars video game characters.

Kyle Katarn was originally voiced by Nick Jameson for Dark Forces, with Jason Court acting the character in Dark Forces II FMV sequences. In Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy Jeff Bennett provided the voice of Katarn.