Torture/Legends

"For every insult, you will scream a dozen times."

- Darth Vader, to Han Solo

Torture, was any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, was intentionally inflicted on a being for such purposes as obtaining from them or a third party information or a confession. Torture could also be used as punishment for an act an individual had committed or was suspected of having committed, for intimidating or coercing individuals, or for discriminatory reasons of any kind. Often times torturous methods were employed by heads of state, though other individuals or groups inflicted torture on others for the same reasons as those acting in an official capacity; however, another motive for torture was simply for sadistic gratification of the torturer.

History
"What did you hope to accomplish by coming here? Was it your intention to betray us to the Jedi Knights?" "I told you...I...no...longer...serve...the Jedi. I came to...Cinnagar to...learn the ways...of the dark side."

- Satal Keto, as he tortures and interrogates Ulic Qel-Droma



Throughout the galaxy, torture was widely recognized as a means to extract information from an individual who was not as forthcoming with information as the captor desired. There was no set standard as to what could or could not be used for torture, though the use of droids designed for torture was prevalent throughout the galaxy. Darth Vader employed such droids on many occasions. Some droids could be modified from their original functions to serve as torture droids, such as those used by Krath leader Satal Keto.

During the reign of Emperor Palpatine, torture was elevated to an art form. The Galactic Empire dedicated an entire branch of government, the Inquisitorius, to the sole purpose of squeezing and tearing information from the reluctant. A training facility on Coruscant called the School of Torturers, was another testament to this tradition.

During the Confederation-Galactic Alliance War, a secret police organization was created by the Galactic Alliance. In order to counter Corellian terrorist activity on Coruscant, the Galactic Alliance Guard (GAG), as it was called, used brutal methods to achieve its goal. Suspected terrorists were rounded up, deported and interned, before being tortured during interrogation.



During the reign of Darth Krayt, the agency in charge of torture was Sith Intelligence and Assassination. Darth Maladi, the head of this "branch of government", was an expert in the ways of torture. Torture varied in both method and purpose between species. The Yuuzhan Vong glorified pain not only as a motive for action, but as a state of living. The Yuuzhan-Vong's Embrace of Pain, a rack-like restraint that stimulated pain receptors in victims' brains, was device often used for torture, though the Vong themselves did not consider its use as such. The warrior caste took perverse pleasure in their own pain and the pain of others.

Adolescent Tusken Raiders had to undergo ritual bloodrites, in which they had to capture and torture a lifeform for weeks before ascending to adulthood. The Tusken emerged more esteemed if the victim was sentient.

The life of the Mandalorians revolved around battle and war, both as a culture and as a source of pride and honor. Often working as mercenaries, assassins and bounty hunters, they were a ruthless enemy who were known for their tough pragmatism and brutality. In battle, they would do whatever it takes to reach their objective. While it is not known exactly how common the use of torture were among these feared warriors, at least some of them had no qualms with using torture to achieve their ends. Notable examples were the the mercenary and assassin Kal Skirata, mercenary Walon Vau and the bounty hunter Rav Bralor. The Mandallian Giant Feskitt Bobb had no qualms with using torture methods like the Burning to acquire his quarry. The clone commando RC-1136 ("Darman"), who was trained by Kal Skirata, went as far as saying that torture had to be done, and didn't make you a bad person.

Notable examples
"Ulic Qel-Droma: I am only a humble torture droid, while you are a great Jedi Knight. My masters are pleased that you have chosen to join the noble Sith, but claims of loyalty must be tested...and verified."

- Krath torture droid, torturing and interrogating Ulic Qel-Droma



Ulic Qel-Droma was a victim of Krath leader Satal Keto's torturous ways. When Ulic attempted to infiltrate the Krath in 3,997 BBY, Lord Keto had the Jedi restrained in the dungeons of the Krath's Iron Citadel, where Krath torture droids administered excruciating punishments to him.

Right before the outbreak of the Clone Wars,Shmi Skywalker, mother of Anakin Skywalker, was captured by Tusken Raiders and tortured for weeks, before dying in the arms of her son.

During the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Alpha-17 were presumed dead after an explosion during the Battle of Jabiim. They had actually been captured by Asajj Ventress and transported to her stronghold on Rattatak. There she tortured them to obtain information about Republic troop movements. She used a variety of methods including muscle maggots, a Sith torture mask on Kenobi, and a knife and a torture droid on Alpha-17.

Also during the Clone Wars, the Jedi Master Shylar was captured by Count Dooku and tortured to death.

In 0 BBY, while a captive aboard the first Death Star, Princess Leia was tortured by Darth Vader in order to learn the location of the hidden Rebel base. Leia was introduced to an IT-0 torture droid, and pain was inflicted through needles , pressure points , fire-knives and electro-shocks. Vader also employed mind-altering drugs and subliminal suggestion in his sessions, which made Leia believe that her skin was on fire and her flesh being torn apart, causing the same reaction the real thing would.

Three years later, Darth Vader again tortured Leia, as well as Han Solo and Chewbacca on Cloud City knowing their anguish would reach Luke Skywalker through the Force, drawing him to Bespin where he could be captured and taken to the Emperor.



Prior to the battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance hero Tay Vanis was captured and tortured by Darth Vader, who left him a mindless shell of a man. “Look at… what is left of him. Do you think saving his life would be a kindness?” were the words spoken by Vanis’ droid, LE-914 (“Ellie”) when her master was found by his fellow Rebels. Ellie destroyed both herself and her master, as as an act of mercy killing.

During the Yuuzhan Vong war, the Yuuzhan Vong Commander Shedao Shai made use of a torture device known as the Embrace of Pain to inflict pain on himself and others, including Caamasi senator Elegos A'kla.

After Jacen Solo was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong, Vergere, who years later was revealed to be one of the Sith , held him trapped in the Embrace of Pain for weeks , forcing him to give into the pain and understand the strength gained from it when it was fully embraced.

The Embrace of Pain was used again by the Sith Lord Darth Caedus, who in 40 BBY used it to torture his own cousin, Ben Skywalker.

Darth Krayt would later do the same with Cade Skywalker, having previously encountered the Embrace after completing his apprenticeship with XoXaan on Korriban and being captured by the Vong. As Dark Lord of the Sith, Krayt would use the Embrace as part of the training for certain members of the New Sith Order, including Darth Nihl, in order to push them towards the dark side. He would also have the Embrace of Pain installed in the underlevels of the Temple of the Sith.

Consequences
In addition to excrutiating pain and serious permanent or temporary physical injuries, torture could seriously harm the victim mentally. Many were badly traumatized, sometimes to the point of not being able to speak, like many of the citizens who were introduced to the IT-0 Interrogator droid after being unlucky enough to be rounded up by the Imperial Security Bureau. Some torture victims succumbed to madness, whereas others were so broken mentally that they simply existed as mindless shells. When the Rebel Bria Tharen and her Red Hand Squadron were tracked down by the Empire during the operation to secure the Death Star plans, she committed suicide by swallowing a lullaby poison capsule, knowing that she would be tortured if captured.

Withstanding interrogation
Despite the fact that torture was viewed as an effective means to get information from the reluctant, there were people who were capable of not breaking, despite the excruciating pain. When Princess Leia was tortured by Darth Vader to make her reveal the location of the Rebel base at Yavin 4, she resisted to the end and revealed nothing. Another example was her fellow Rebel Mirith Sinn, who didn't reveal anything while being tortured by Carnor Jax’s men in order to make her reveal the location of the former Emperor's Royal Guard Kir Kanos. .

One technique to help a person withstand torture was called “drawing inwards”, and involved breathing techniques and visualizing brain-images, to separate mind and body, not anticipate the pain to come, or relive the pain from the moment before. Mandalorians were trained to endure torture. , whereas the Zabraks were known for their incredible willpower, and were able to endure intense physical pain and torture without breaking their resolve.

Force users
Many force-users were able to control pain through mind-tricks, which made them somewhat stronger than others when it came to handling pain. The Jedi Master Yaddle went through a torture session with the warlock Tulak without even screaming. When the Arkanian offshoot Jarael was captured by Mandalorians while impersonating a Jedi, she was taken to the Flashpoint Stellar Research Station where other Jedi were being tortured and tested by the Demagol, a Mandalorian biologist obsessed with finding the "source" of their power. After arriving on Flashpoint Station, she met with Squint, a Jedi who had also been made into a prisoner. Upon seeing that he had a new test subject Demagol wanted to study Jarael immediately. Squint, however, protested and insisted that he go in her place since he had already, privately, figured out that she was not a Jedi, and knew that there were trials only a Jedi could survive.

The Zabrak Jedi Master Eeth Koth had an outstanding talent for Crucitorn, a Jedi technique for transcending physical pain that went far beyond the Zabrak ability to withstand torture.

Unfortunately, a force-user's pain control could be circumvented by another force-user. This was the case of the Jedi-master Shylar, who was tortured to death by the Sith Lord and former Jedi, Count Dooku.

In some cases, torture would make a force-user turn to the dark side. This was the case of Kam Solusar, who was tortured by the dark jedi Sedriss until he submitted. When the Jedi knight Bastila Shan was captured by the Sith, Darth Malak tortured her, driving her to embrace the dark side of the Force.

Force-users could also use their powers to inflict pain in their own way. By influencing a person's mind, they could make a victim relive their worst fear or nightmares, even to the point where the victim would tear her or his eyeballs out in a desperate attempt to escape the horrors, only to feel them inside their head and mind instead, and be driven insane. At one point, the technique was used by the female Sith Lord Darth Zannah, which left the Anti-Republic Liberation Front member Cyndra in a permanent catatonic state. During the Clone Wars, the Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan used a similar technique on the Separatist terrorist Farr Orjul. When Orjul didn't break during the long torture sessions with the Mandalorian mercenary Walon Vau, where he was beaten to the point where blood was spilled, Etain broke him down by projecting extreme fear into his mind and making him fear for his sanity the same way physical pain would. Her methods succeeded where Vau did not.

Force lightning was a well known Force ability associated with Sith and the dark side of the Force, as it caused excruciating pain and weakened an individual's life. It was also nearly impossible to deflect. When the Jedi knight Luke Skywalker refused to join Emperor Palpatine, the Emperor tormented Luke with Force lightning, beginning with an agonizing but non-lethal quantity, working his way gradually upwards toward lethality in order to maximize Luke's suffering, tormenting the last of the Jedi to slow death for his own pleasure.