Arcann

"Destiny is a lie."

- Arcann

Arcann was a Force-sensitive male Human who was the son of Valkorion, the "Immortal Emperor" of the Eternal Empire of Zakuul. Arcann ruled as Emperor of Zakuul for five years after his father's death, until he was defeated by the Outlander and fled into exile.

Early life
Arcann and his twin brother Thexan were the sons of Valkorion, the "Immortal Emperor" of the Eternal Empire, and Senya Tirall, of the Knights of Zakuul. As children, Arcann and Thexan would often swap clothes to confuse their servants. They were trained from childhood to be warriors, but Arcann gradually became resentful of their father's apparent lack of interest or affection towards them, his resentment growing as the years passed, despite Thexan's attempts to placate him. Senya loved the twins but they didn't return her affections. Eventually, when their sister Vaylin was born and displayed unstable powers, Valkorion simply locked her mind to contain her powers. When Senya attempted to leave Valkorion and take her children, Arcann and his siblings simply laughed, calling her weak. Senya was then forced to leave alone, as her children were more powerful than her.

Fratricide
When the twins reached adulthood, they requested their father's permission to lead an attack to the test of strength of the galactic powers of the greater galaxy. Valkorion approved their venture, but decreed that only Thexan would lead the Eternal Fleet. Arcann disobeyed and joined his brother anyway. Even as they led the Empire's armies in driving back the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Arcann lost his arm and received heavy scarring to his face during an attack on the Sith world of Korriban, and gained a cybernetic arm and mask covering the left half of his face.

Arcann became furious when, after he and Thexan presented the lightsabers of the fallen Jedi and Sith as trophies from the battle to their father, Valkorion turned away in silence, and overcome by the dark side of the Force, Arcann attempted to attack the Emperor. Thexan, in an attempt to prevent his father's death, pulled his brother back. Arcann turned his attention to Thexan and struck out at him, but their brief duel ended when Arcann struck his brother down with a cut across the stomach, and the glint of the dark side faded from his eyes while he cradled Thexan. After his brother's passing, Valkorion instructed Arcann, now his only son, to come with him.

Becoming Emperor
Arcann later attempted to inform his father of a joint Imperial-Republic fleet approaching their territory, but Valkorion was already aware, and sent the Eternal Fleet to intercept them. In the aftermath of the battle, Arcann recovered two survivors, Darth Marr and the Outlander, whom he brought directly to his father. But before they could enter the Eternal Throne room, Arcann was approached by the Scion Heskal, who he mocked for still putting faith in the catastrophe he and the Scions foretold. Heskal only stated that the whispers of fate cannot be silenced. Annoyed, Arcann ordered him to take his superstitions elsewhere.

Arcann then brought the prisoners before Valkorion, whom they identified as the former Sith Emperor, who offered them a chance to kneel. Marr refused and was executed for his defiance. Vaylin then ordered everyone to clear the room, save for Arcann, Valkorion and the Outlander. As Valkorion extended his offer to share his Empire with the Outlander, Arcann betrayed his father and struck him down, and Arcann assumed the throne in his place. As the new Emperor of Zakuul, Arcann pinned his father's murder on the Outsider, and used it as an excuse to launch an attack on the Core Worlds. However, he sensed that Valkorion was inhabiting the Outlander and had the Outsider frozen in carbonite.

Arcann's war was swift and brutal. Within months, he had forced the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire into submission. Both sides, represented by the Galactic Senate and the Minister of Logistics respectively, formed treaties with Zakuul, promising regular tribute, which was more than needed for the Eternal Empire, which Arcann had unspecified plans for. For all intents and purposes, Arcann held dominion over the galaxy. He ignored the animosity between Republic and Empire, who were more intent on fighting each other than uniting against Arcann.

Meanwhile, Arcann's rule over Zakuul had become corrupt and oppressive. He executed a great many Scions, who used to be partnered with Knights, driving the survivors into exile and allowed the heretical Heralds of Zildrog to rule the Old World before implementing so many restrictions that effectively left them powerless.

The Outlander Escapes
Five years later, Lana Beniko and Koth Vortena freed the Outlander and fled, to Arcann's displeasure. He sent forces after them into the Endless Swamp but the rebels managed to find the Gravestone, the legendary starship that once overpowered the Eternal Fleet, destroying more than two dozen ships in the process of their escape.

Later, Vaylin revealed that after questioning and executing three Knights, killing an additional three because she disliked odd numbers, that their mother Senya had allied herself with the Outlander. Though Vaylin wondered whether Senya was aware of Valkorion's survival and if she betrayed them for him, Arcann stated that it didn't matter, vowing that their mother would either return to them or face the consequences.

Vaylin later informed Arcann that the Outlander and Senya had returned to Zakuul and was spotted in the Old World. Wondering why their foes would escape only to return, Arcann publicly informed the denizens of Old World to watch out for the Outlander, in order for the Outlander to conclude their business and leave. This unintentionally gave the Outlander some clout in the Old World. Later, Arcann prepared the Eternal Fleet to deploy, vowing that the Outlander will not escape.

Battle of Asylum
Arcann later learned of the Outlander's hideout on Asylum from Heskal, who desired to fulfill the prophecy that the Outlander would be his downfall. When the Outlander arrived at the Scions' hideout, Heskal was standing over the bodies of five Scions, before Arcann critically impaled him. He then extended the Outlander an offer; in exchange for going back into carbonite until he finds a way to exorcise Valkorion and the surrender of the Gravestone, he would allow the Outlander's allies to leave. His terms were refused, resulting in an all out battle on Asylum. Arcann's fight was interrupted by a crashing shuttle, allowing the Outlander to flee the scene. He followed the Outlander to the docking port and engaged his foe again, destroying HK-55 in the process. But once again, the Outlander managed to escape aboard the Gravestone. He then reunited with Vaylin, informing her that Valkorion's power had diminished.

Arcann later began brooding over the fact that Valkorion was plotting against his own children, upon their return to Zakuul. Vaylin then mentioned that she had told Senya that he killed Thexan and would likely incur their mother's wrath. This made Arcann nostalgic, as he remarked that Thexan should be alive, ruling the Empire as it was meant to be ruled, believing his twin would've sided with him against their father. Vaylin also felt some nostalgia before shrugging it off, reminding her brother that their father now favoured the Outlander to take everything Arcann has.

Anarchy in Paradise
After Vaylin's failed search of five star systems in search of the Outlander and the Gravestone, Arcann ordered one world from each sector destroyed in the hopes it would force someone to reveal the Outlander's whereabouts. Afterwards, he publicly claimed that the destroyed worlds were supporting the Outlander's Alliance and the attacks were retaliation for their attacks on Zakuul. At the same time, the Outlander returned to Zakuul and committed an attack against the Spire's droids that service the population. Arcann was under the impression that Valkorion used the Outlander to do so, unaware that his foe had allied with the anarchist Firebrand. Blaming the Knights for failing to recapture the Outlander, Arcann ordered the Knights to the dueling circle in pairs to fight to the death to serve as motivation. Vaylin voiced her opinion that their search efforts would be impaired with half their Knights dead, but Arcann ignored her.

Continued acts of insurrection
Vaylin later interrupted Arcann's meditation session by telekinetically snatching his lightsaber, claiming his sour outlook was making her sad. Arcann then told her his frustrations with their father refusing to face him in combat. Vaylin suggested that Valkorion was probably upset with Arcann for stealing his throne. Arcann reminded that their father was completely devoid of emotions all their lives and that he didn't even acknowledge him murdering Thexan, though Arcann hesitated to say he did the deed. As this made Vaylin nostalgic regarding their late brother, Arcann doubled-checked to see if Vaylin was still loyal to him.

Vaylin later traveled to Vandin, where the Eternal Empire's stealth treasury ship, the Gilded Star, was raided by the Alliance. She subsequently informed Arcann via hologram that Senya had used her face to pull off the heist and that the Alliance had stolen all their plunder. Upon her return to Zakuul, Arcann interrupted his sister's promises of revenge against Senya by asking if she remembered how their mother was when they were children. Vaylin refuted her belief that Senya hated her for being more powerful and Arcann said Senya never truly understood her children or their father. Though Vaylin reminded that the Outlander and Senya stole all their valuables, which would inspire other worlds to rise up in rebellion, Arcann assured her that their riches could be replaced and fear of his power would discourage any uprisings.

Arcann and Vaylin later observed an army of Mandalorians assaulting their factory on Darvannis. Vaylin suggested dispatching the Eternal Fleet to annihilate the Mandalorians but Arcann declined, content to watch their enemies struggle. But as the battle progressed, the Mandalorians were gaining the advantage. Noting that the Mandalorians seemed inspired by a cause they could believe in, Arcann realized the Outlander was on Darvannis. As Vaylin rebuked him for not taking her advice, Arcann realized that he spent too long sitting on the Eternal Throne and decided to hunt the Outlander himself.

When Vaylin threatened to execute the Knight responsible for the Darvannis facility, Arcann then received a distress call from an Eternal Fleet ship transporting Admiral Zasha Ranken, Senator Tai Cordan and exiled Zakuulan holo-performer Malita Tal to Zakuul for him to interrogate, suspecting they knew the Outlander's whereabouts, revealing that the Outlander and Senya were attempting to commandeer the ship. Arcann took his flagship and a significant detachment of the Eternal Fleet to intercept his enemies, but the Gravestone escaped into hyperspace when they started opening fire. Subsequently, Vaylin informed him that all Eternal Fleet ships outside the sector were not responding to their orders. Arcann dismissed this turn of events of little consequence, determined to hunt down the Outlander and Valkorion before worrying about the Eternal Fleet. Little did he know that SCORPIO, the Lady of Sorrows, had secretly taken over Zakuul and through it his entire Empire.

But, in an effort to eliminate both Arcann and the Outlander, SCORPIO told Arcann the location of Odessen, the planet where the Outlander was based. Ordering a counterattack against the fleet with the Gravestone, the Outlander boarded Arcann's flagship and confronted him on the bridge, while SCORPIO took control of the ships in Arcann's fleet to destroy the flagship. Arcann demanded that Valkorion "answer" him, unaware that Valkorion had (seemingly) left the Outlander behind. With the weapon they had forged with Satele Shan and the Force ghost of Darth Marr, the Outlander battled Arcann while SCORPIO's ships tore the flagship apart around them, until finally defeating him. Staggering back from the Outlander, he was seemingly crushed by collapsing debris, his cybernetic arm destroyed. There, he was found by Senya, who lamented that she had wanted to save him. When Vaylin arrived and attempted to strike Senya down, Arcann Force-pushed her away, saving his mother. While Vaylin vengefully retreated back to Zakuul, Senya took Arcann in his personal shuttle and escaped into hyperspace, as the flagship and its escorts were obliterated by the Gravestone.

Personality and traits
"I am beyond prophecy."

- Arcann

Arcann was a calculating, shrewd, patient and ruthless young man. Arcann deeply desired love and acknowledgment from his father, Valkorion, but his father's lack of interest in his children caused Arcann to develop a deep resentment for his father, to the point that, in a fit of rage, Arcann attempted to kill him. Both Arcann's parents believe jealousy to be Arcann's hidden and fatal weakness.

He was a fierce frontline warrior, and when working with his brother Thexan, the two were nearly unstoppable. Arcann and Thexan were inseparable as children, with Thexan helping Arcann in times of need and Arcann having complete faith and loyalty in Thexan. When Arcann lost his arm, Thexan never left his side, something Arcann deeply appreciated. After accidentally killing Thexan, Arcann was shocked and heartbroken by his actions, and it is implied this is the one action he has taken that he regrets. Arcann later speaks of missing Thexan to their sister, Vaylin, believing that Thexan would've sided with him against their father.

Arcann appeared to love Vaylin, and his acknowledgment of her abilities kept her loyal to him.

However, Arcann was arrogant, and believed himself beyond the reach of destiny.

Skills and Abilities
Arcann was a naturally strong Force user and a highly skilled duelist, being able to defeat both Sith Lords and Jedi Knights. He utilized a yellow bladed lightsaber in combat. He can use yellow force lightning and powerful yellows force pushes, which shows a great proficiency of telekinesis. Arcann had skill in politics, as after taking control of Zakuul he made it the most powerful political faction in the galaxy. He also had a degree of talent as a military commander, managing to defeat both the Republic and Empire within the short span of 5 years.

Behind the scenes
Arcann first appeared in Sacrifice, a cinematic trailer produced by Blur Studio for Star Wars: The Old Republic fifth digital expansion, Knights of the Fallen Empire. The trailer was released at the Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 15, in 2015, and the official website's page for the new expansion, released on the same day, provided his name. he is voiced by Erik Todd Dellums in the game.

Gameplay alternatives
During Chapter I: The Hunt, when Valkorion requests the player's allegiance, two outcomes will occur:

If the player refuses to submit, Valkorion assigns Arcann to execute the player, only for Arcann to instead free the player before engaging his father. His distraction allows the player to attack Valkorion from behind.

If the player submits, Valkorion began to channel energy into the player, at which Arcann takes the opportunity to stab his father from behind.

Either way, Arcann labels the player as Valkorion's killer.

During Arcann's second duel with the Outlander in Chapter VIII: Taking Flight, the player has the choice of either accepting or refusing Valkorion's aid. Accepting grants dark side points and the player shoots Force lightning from their fingertips, which Arcann barely holds at bay with a Force shield. Note that if the player chose to accept Valkorian's aid more than once earlier then refusing his aid during the fight will be overridden and results in the dark side outcome but with light side points. Ultimately, he is unable to withstand the ferocity of the attack and is thrown off the platform. Refusing grants light side points, but allows Arcann to impale the Outlander, though not fatally. Koth Vortena or Lana Beniko appear and bring down an overhead crate that falls nearly on top of Arcann, knocking him off the platform.

During Chapter XVI: The Battle of Odessen, the Outlander and Arcann duel for a third time. As the duel ends, the player has the choice of attempting to kill Arcann, or asking him to surrender. Should the player opt to go for the kill, the two will clash a final time and deal Arcann near fatal wounds, and should the player ask him to surrender, Arcann will be the person to initiate the final clash. Regardless of choice, the Arcann's command ship begins to fall apart, crushing the former Emperor by debris. Despite being seemingly killed during the fight with the Outlander, Arcann survives the fight and is rescued by Senya. Saving his mother from a fight with Vaylin, Senya helps the wounded Arcann to a nearby shuttle, believing the former Emperor capable of atonement. Upon hearing this, the player is given a final choice between attempting to shoot Senya and Arcann down, or letting the two leave without further bloodshed. Ultimately, the choice leads up to the similar outcome of Senya and Arcann retreating into unknown space; be it leaving on neutral terms, or leaving in hostilities.