Sarkli

"The Empire is where someone of my caliber belongs."

- Sarkli

Sarkli was an Imperial storm commando who was known as one of the Empire's best operatives. Sarkli was originally a Rebel Alliance pilot who flew in Red Squadron. Sarkli was among the Rebel force that assisted in the Evacuation of Yavin and the extraction of the Imperial defector Tycho Celchu from Dantooine. Sarkli, who was known for his big ego, eventually defected to the Galactic Empire during the Battle of Ralltiir. Following Sarkli's defection, he was assigned to a group of elite storm commandos and given command of an Imperial escort carrier.

Sarkli's time with the Empire caused him to cross paths several times with his old allies, now flying as Rogue Squadron, facing Wedge Antilles on Geonosis after Antilles tracked his escort carrier from Bakura. He managed to survive this encounter, and was later assigned to be part of the shield generator bunker staff on the Forest moon of Endor. After the bunker's integrity was compromised, Sarkli attempted to kill Han Solo, a Rebel operative who led the attack on the bunker. Sarkli was shot dead by Solo as the bunker began to explode.

Time with the Rebel Alliance
Sarkli was Admiral Firmus Piett's nephew, and was presumably from Piett's homeworld of Axxila.

He originally worked on a Rebel blockade runner. After the death of Biggs Darklighter, he became a Rebel pilot, and was included in the ranks of Red Squadron. He wasn't as respected a pilot as Luke Skywalker or Wedge Antilles, and believed that he didn't get the attention he thought he deserved. Months after the Battle of Yavin, the Galactic Empire attacked the Rebel base, resulting in one of many attempts to drive the Rebels off the planet. General Jan Dodonna was trapped in the Great Massassi Temple. Skywalker and Antilles landed in the temple to rescue Dodonna, leaving Sarkli to fight off TIE Fighters outside. After finding the General, they escorted him to the hangar, where they were pinned down by two AT-STs. Sarkli saved them by destroying the walkers, but General Dodonna only saw the heroic actions of Skywalker and Antilles that saved him from the stormtroopers in the Temple. On a mission with Skywalker to rescue Imperial defector Tycho Celchu on Dantooine, he was ordered by Skywalker to wait with the ships until Skywalker returned with the defector.

Defection
Sarkli had enough and suddenly defected to the Empire during a battle on the planet Ralltiir, months before the Battle of Hoth.

He became an Imperial Storm Commando captain and commanded an Imperial Escort Carrier. He encountered his former Rebel friends on a number of worlds including Bakura, where he intercepted, boarded, then destroyed a Rebel transport, and Geonosis, where he nearly killed Wedge Antilles with a LAAT/i. The gunship was disabled, and it crashed into a cliff.

Battle of Endor
Sarkli managed to survive the incident, and was later present on the second Death Star during Darth Vader's visit.

Sarkli was reassigned from the Death Star to the shield bunker on Endor, commanding a storm commando sentry unit. During the Battle of Endor, he attempted to block Han Solo's escape from the burning bunker, but backed away when Solo tried to move past him. Firing his rifle, Sarkli backed away from Solo all the way to the entrance. He received a fatal wound from Solo's blaster, and fell to the floor, dead. His body was destroyed when the shield bunker exploded.

Behind the scenes
Sarkli first appeared fleetingly in the background in Return of the Jedi, but was given a name and a back story in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike and the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.

Voice actor Robin Atkin Downes portrayed Sarkli in Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike.

Non-Canon Appearances
The non-canon exploits of the Dark Apprentice are chronicled in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II DLC. The Dark Apprentice is tasked with countering the Rebel attack on the shield generator on Endor to keep the second Death Star secure. At the conclusion of the mission, Darth Sidious turns on Darth Vader and attacks him with Force lightning, cajoling him for his "feeble schemes" to overthrow the Emperor with the aid of the Dark Apprentice. With Vader incapacitated, the Emperor orders Captain Sarkli to take his troops and destroy the clone.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Classic Star Wars: Return of the Jedi book-and-record
 * Classic Star Wars: Return of the Jedi book-and-record

Notes and references
Sarkli Sarkli Саркли