Galen Marek

"He was meant to root out the Rebels, not give them hope. His sacrifice will only inspire them&hellip;"

- Emperor Palpatine

Galen Marek was a Human male taken as a secret apprentice by Darth Vader from his father, a Jedi named Kento Marek, on Kashyyyk during the Great Jedi Purge. For years, the Dark Lord trained him, under the codename Starkiller, in dark side arts and to eliminate his enemies, including Jedi who survived Order 66. Marek was told that he would ultimately assist in overthrowing Vader's own Master, Darth Sidious, Emperor of the Galactic Empire. In reality, Vader and Palpatine only planned to use him to root out those who rebelled against the Empire. In 3 BBY he had begun his missions to hunt down the last remaining Jedi.

After killing Shaak Ti on Felucia, he returned to the Executor, his Master's flagship, on which Darth Sidious appeared and ordered Vader to kill the apprentice. In apparent submission, Vader telekinetically hurled him through the viewing windows, into open space. Vader secretly recovered his body and had him "resurrected" six months later on the science vessel Empirical, during which time he was known as Subject Zeta or Subject 1138. The Dark Lord convinced Starkiller that he had saved him from death against his Master's orders, and gave him a new assignment: to rally an alliance of rebels who would eventually destroy the Empire.

After locating key figures, Marek and the rebels met on Corellia where they formed the Corellian Treaty, an accord that created the Alliance to Restore the Republic. However, Vader, along with Imperial forces, raided the meeting, captured the Rebels, and revealed to Marek that he had only been used to rally the Empire's enemies. Marek tracked the Dark Lord and the Alliance leaders to the Death Star, a massive superweapon, on which he dueled both Vader and Sidious. Once his ship landed to extract the Rebels, Marek stayed behind to keep Palpatine from killing his allies, allowing the Rebels to escape. His act of sacrifice inspired them, though it also motivated Vader to clone his apprentice in order to create a more obedient copy of him. After creating several insane clones, Vader was finally able to create a stable one on Kamino, though this clone was haunted by memories from the real Marek and helped the Alliance. Eventually, the new Alliance would ultimately prove to be the undoing of the Sith.

Early life
"I sense someone far more powerful nearby. Where is your Master?"

- Darth Vader

Galen Marek was the son of Kento and Mallie, both Jedi and survivors of Order 66 who had traveled the galaxy in search of safe haven until they met the fiercely loyal Wookiees of Kashyyyk. His mother was killed while defending Kashyyyk from Separatist-hired Trandoshan slavers, leaving her husband to raise Galen alone. As a consequence of her death, the Empire became aware of Kento's existence.

Not long after the onset of the Great Jedi Purge, during an Imperial attack on Kashyyyk, Darth Vader landed on the planet in a shuttle on his own mission to hunt the rogue Jedi. Kento met him with fierce resistance, though Vader proved stronger. As Vader was about to deal the finishing blow to Kento inside his hut, his lightsaber was wrenched from his hand. He turned in defense to find a young boy holding his blade, whom Vader sensed had an incredible affinity for the Force.

After the Dark Lord killed the boy's father, the Stormtrooper commander leading the assault arrived. Mistakenly thinking that the child intended to attack Vader with his own weapon, he directed his men to kill him. Vader quickly summoned his saber from the child's grasp and deflected their blasts, killing them to eliminate witnesses of the boy's existence. He then brought the young Galen with him off Kashyyyk and trained him in secret to become his apprentice.

Training under Vader
"You were weak when I found you. Now your hatred has become your strength."

- Darth Vader

In Vader's custody, Marek was taught the ways of the Force by the Dark Lord personally. The boy was first controlled by fear, not guided every step of the way by his new Master. Instead, he was made to find his own way, Vader offering scant advice and instruction only when he found himself lost. During their many sparring sessions, which involved lightsabers and Force powers, no encouragement was offered by Vader. Moreover, Marek's Master would never debate or enter into deep discussion with the boy. During the brutal training regimen, Galen was pushed to his limits, the physical tests he was subjected to bordered on torture, and many times, he felt on the brink of death.

Growing up in the secluded underbelly areas of the Star Destroyer Executor during its construction, the apprentice himself and his abode kept secret, Marek was given access to records of the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order by the Dark Lord. He devoted himself to the study of these records, convinced that understanding an enemy might mean the difference between life and death. He sometimes despaired of attaining Force mastery. His only inspiration was the thought of assisting his Master in overthrowing the latter's own Master, Darth Sidious, the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, as Vader had promised. As the boy grew older, Vader promised him greater power, and was taught to embrace his hate. Singed repeatedly by his master's lightsaber blade, he bore scars from his multiple mock duels. Throughout his training, Galen did not know his true name, but was referred to only by the codename Vader had given him: "Starkiller".

Eventually, Vader dispatched Starkiller on assassination missions against adversaries of both Vader and the Empire. Among the young man's targets were spies, thieves and high-ranking traitors to Imperial rule. To aid him in his task, Vader had provided Starkiller with two tools: a holodroid named PROXY, and a starship, the Rogue Shadow. The Dark Lord handpicked enlisted Imperials to pilot the Rogue Shadow, though he usually executed each of them within only a handful of missions. PROXY was a prototype holodroid who served as a companion and long time friend of Starkiller and traveled with him on the Rogue Shadow. Despite their friendship, PROXY was programmed by Vader with a prime directive to kill his master, further adding to his training. PROXY was equipped with advanced hologram technology that, when coupled with its built-in servos, would allow him to change appearance and adopt a wide range of disguises and abilities. He could also present messages: he would turn holographically into the sender, and the sender would relay the message. In addition, when Starkiller wanted information on an individual, PROXY would "become" that person and access databases to confirm his or her identity.

At night, Starkiller meditated attempting to peer into the future, but never successfully. Consequently, any break from his daily routine would surprise him; thus when Starkiller was made to kneel before the Dark Lord, he awaited death as Vader's lightsaber loomed above his head. Instead, for the first time, Vader acknowledged him as his apprentice, which Starkiller had always considered himself to be.

Fighting a Jedi Master
After commanding him to rise, Vader provided his secret apprentice with his new target: Jedi General Rahm Kota, who was attacking key Imperial facilities, the TIE Fighter Construction Facility over Nar Shaddaa in particular. Aside from being his first Jedi target, another element to Starkiller's new mission diverged from previous ones: to evade notice of the Emperor; he was to leave no witnesses, meaning that all whom he encountered aboard, insurgent and Imperial alike, were to be killed. Having spent his life in loyal service to his Master eliminating enemies of the Empire, the prospect of destroying Imperial troops filled the apprentice with uncertainty at first, but he accepted this aspect of the new mission as a test in pursuit of his Sith destiny.

As he entered the Rogue Shadow hangar, he was attacked by PROXY, who had taken on the appearance and lightsaber style of Jedi General and former Jedi Council member Obi-Wan Kenobi. The pair dueled for some time, creating a substantial mess of the nearby equipment, until Starkiller stabbed PROXY through the chest plate. Starkiller, having fought that particular training program long ago, was impressed with the droid being able to surprise him by repeating it after so long. Nevertheless, PROXY expressed disappointment that he had not finally killed his master, wherewith Starkiller replied with his confidence in the constancy of PROXY's primary programming. Despite the gaping hole through his chest, the droid was still able to walk and function, albeit with more difficulty than before.

As they approached the ship, Starkiller encountered his new female pilot: Juno Eclipse, former captain of Vader's Black Squadron and now the eighth pilot of the Rogue Shadow. Eclipse informed him that she had upgraded the Rogue Shadow sensor array, so that he could spy on any suspect ships within an entire system. Upon her further questioning of his affiliation and status, Starkiller tersely told her that she need only know their destination.

Inside the starship's cockpit, PROXY detailed the target Jedi Master to Starkiller, who learned that Rahm Kota had been a respected General during the Clone Wars who had relied on his own militia rather than the Clone Army; therefore, there had been no clones to receive Order 66 when it was issued. Only recently had Kota come out of seclusion and started attacking key Imperial facilities with the same militia he had used years before.

Upon reaching the TIE Fighter Construction Facility, Starkiller instructed Eclipse to land in an open hangar. Eclipse was wary, as it was defended, but he responded that he would handle the defenses. Activating the ship's weapons system, he took aim and destroyed the cannon emplacements with two shots. As the Rogue Shadow safely landed in the hangar, Juno informed him that she would slice into the mainframe and guide him through the infrastructure. Starkiller then leapt out of the Rogue Shadow onto the hangar deck. There was no one to be seen, only droids and debris.

Via comlink, Eclipse guided him level by level and voiced her concern over High Command being displeased if the rebels took control of the facility, which Starkiller was apathetic towards. Obedient to his mission's mandate, he left none alive in his path. As the battle progressed, the security level of the facility was raised with an order issued to kill unauthorized personnel. At least two TIE Fighters were shot down by enemy fire, crashing into the walkways. Starkiller took a lift to the next floor, where the militia and Imperial forces were in a firefight on the bridge, leading across the station. A shot down TIE crashed into a walkway and destroyed a portion of it; however, Starkiller easily jumped the gap continuing his mission. All hangars eventually fell to rebel forces, and the assembly lines began to crumble.

As he began breaching the assembly line, Kota's men trapped him within an energy shield. He deactivated it by pulling the machinery out of the wall outside the barrier using the Force, and moved on, confronting an AT-CT walker in the wing assembly, which he compacted into a cube using his power. Unfortunately for him, Kota and his militia had set explosive charges throughout the facility, causing major structural damage.

Duel with Kota
"If I have to go through you to get to Vader then so be it."

- General Kota

He eventually reached the command center where Kota was waiting for him. Kota was both surprised and disappointed, as he had expected that Darth Vader himself had come after him. Starkiller made the first move, unleashing a bolt of Force lightning at him, which the Jedi easily deflected. Their duel raged across the command center, while constant explosions were being set off. The general realized he had underestimated the apprentice, but was confident he could still defeat him&mdash;even if that meant bringing the entire factory down on their heads. Through the Force, he tore it in two, sending the factory towards Nar Shaddaa's atmosphere.

Eventually, a fragment of debris struck the Jedi's knees from behind, sending him down to the ground. Starkiller pinned him down with his lightsaber. While their lightsabers were locked, Kota said cryptically that he could see the young man's future, and that he would not always be Vader's servant. With surprise of his own, he said that he saw only himself. Using the moment as an opportunity, the apprentice forced Kota's own lightsaber down onto his eyes. While the Jedi General screamed in agony, Starkiller saw, instead of Kota, a man with dark hair and strong features, not unlike that of his own, and thought that he heard a man shouting to run. The apprentice finished off Kota by using the Force to push him through a glass floor, sending him to free fall through Nar Shaddaa's atmosphere. Though Starkiller did not believe he had killed him, he did believe that he was no longer a threat, and retreated from the facility retrieving the fallen Jedi's lightsaber.

Trial of skill
"Your time is over, I am the future of the Sith!"

- Starkiller

Starkiller returned to the Executor and presented Kota's lightsaber to Darth Vader as evidence for his victory. Though he had proven himself against a Jedi, Vader chastened him for being easily distracted, drawing Kota's lightsaber on him to prove his point. To further Starkiller's training, the Dark Lord sent him to participate in the Jedi Trials, metaphysical challenges, in the long-destroyed Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Upon arrival in the Rogue Shadow, the apprentice eliminated the stormtroopers and other Imperials guarding the Temple who were blocking his way. Further into the Temple, he heard a voice telling him that he would need all his skill to survive. Immediately after, the apprentice was blasted with what appeared to be Force lightning, which had come from the simulacrum of the long dead Darth Desolous, who had died approximately three and a half thousand years prior on Yaga Minor. The two "dueled", while the simulacrum taunted him, advising him to prepare to join all the Jedi he had killed. Starkiller managed to fight off and eliminate the specter when it attacked.

Following the skirmish, PROXY arrived, displaying a holographic transmission from Darth Vader. Vader informed him of his next Jedi target: the reclusive droid maker, Kazdan Paratus, on Raxus Prime. The Dark Lord claimed that he did not expect the apprentice to survive.

Confronting Kazdan Paratus
"I do not expect you to survive. But if you destroy him, you'll be one step closer to your destiny."

- Darth Vader

During the travel to Raxus Prime on the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller was distracted and frequently asked PROXY to repeat what he had missed while deep in thought. Eventually, he left the cockpit for the meditation chamber to gather his energies, where he stared into his red lightsaber blade to regain his focus and treated his injuries with bacta patches.

As the Rogue Shadow entered Raxus Prime's atmosphere, Starkiller and his companions gazed upon a massive recreation of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, presumably the location of Paratus. Because there were few clearings, the apprentice had to approach the "temple" on foot. He instructed Eclipse to circle past the structure and wait for his signal.

Upon landing on the planet's surface, Starkiller encountered scavenger droids and technobeasts created by the Jedi, as well as Rodian scavengers. Scavenger droids were nothing to worry about, but Rodians were. Via comlink, Eclipse informed Starkiller that they were a clan led by Drexl Roosh, a criminal with thirty-eight counts of fraud. Though the apprentice attempted to avoid them, due to an influx of droids, alarms were set off, resulting in every Rodian being on alert.

Fighting his way through these hordes and activating the hyperdrive engine on a crashed corvette to clear his way, Starkiller soon reached the parody of the Jedi Temple, where he encountered droid golems made by the Jedi from junk and battle droid parts. After defeating them, a massive junk golem smashed through a nearby wall wielding two vibro-axes. When the opportunity presented itself, Starkiller pushed with the Force, blowing its body off its leg and hurling it through a wall. Following the droid to make sure it was destroyed, he found himself in a junk High Council Chamber, surrounded by mannequins of the Masters of the Council during the final days of the Clone Wars in their seats.

As the apprentice observed them, the armor plating opened on the massive droid he had destroyed, and from it emerged his insane Aleena Jedi target. Convinced that the Jedi Masters he had built were real, he told them he would defend them from the "Sith trash". Paratus made the first move, lunging while Starkiller was distracted and leaving a cut down his left forearm. Every blow the latter tried to make was blocked, but Paratus was vulnerable to Force lightning, which left him writhing in pain. When it seemed as if the fight was already over, the junk droid representing Plo Koon rose from his chair and attacked the apprentice with a vibroblade. He was quickly blown to pieces, Mace Windu and Coleman Kcaj were dismembered, Kit Fisto was melted, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were thrown out a window, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Saesee Tiin, Agen Kolar, and Shaak Ti were blasted with lightning, Stass Allie was beheaded, and Yoda was used as a missile to strike Paratus.

Still convinced that they were real, Paratus mourned for their "deaths". While he wept, Starkiller caught him in a Force grip and smashed him into the window frames and roof. Though he was too weak to fight, the apprentice continued to batter him, fearing a repeat of the vision that had happened while dueling Kota. Finally, he let him drop to the ground, where he was pinned by an avalanche of junk. Paratus's last words were sorrow for failing the Masters.

Trial of insight
"I know your kind. Confused. Alone. And I will learn what you fear most!"

- Simulacrum of Darth Phobos

Starkiller once again contacted Vader with news of his victory, and believed that he was ready to face the Emperor. However, Vader countered that the boy had only defeated "an old man" and "an outcast", and commanded him to return to the Jedi Temple to participate in more of the trials. Upon arrival in the Rogue Shadow, he again met with and eliminated the heightened Imperial Guard Detail at the Temple's entrance.

Inside the Temple, he encountered a specter of another ancient Sith Lord, Darth Phobos. The simulacrum, through a Force illusion, attacked him and probed for weakness in his mind. During their duel, Phobos frequently changed her appearance to one of the few people Starkiller cared for, Captain Juno Eclipse, hoping to cause hesitation and doubt in his actions. However, the aspiring Sith was not fooled for a moment, and stabbed Phobos in the back as she transformed for the last time, ending the program. Afterward, Vader appeared through PROXY, expressed his approval for Starkiller's success, and informed him of his next target: Shaak Ti, one of the last of the Jedi Council on Felucia.

The hunt for Shaak Ti
"Vader's assassin. Welcome to the Ancient Abyss. A place of sacrifice since time immemorial. Are you prepared to meet your fate?"

- Shaak Ti to Starkiller

Upon reaching Felucia, Starkiller noticed Captain Eclipse's uneasiness. After questioning her about it, he learned that the planet reminded her of Callos. Like Felucia, Callos had been a world overgrown and teeming with life, until it had been razed during the Bombing of Callos, in which Eclipse had led the Imperial forces. Starkiller assured her that she had done the right thing by following orders.

Meanwhile, the Rogue Shadow had been spotted by Shaak Ti, who mobilized her army of Felucians and sent her apprentice, Maris Brood, to hide at the Rancor Graveyard. As the Felucians were Force-sensitive, and their bone swords were resistant to lightsabers, they proved to be tougher opponents for Starkiller than the stormtroopers, militia, and droids he had previously faced, though their skill and ability still did not exceed his. In addition, they appeared to be more organized and powerful than Imperial records indicated. The entire planet was alive through the Force. Once balanced between light and dark, Shaak Ti's Force influence had suppressed the dark, herself a shining beacon Starkiller easily tracked in the Force. Killing Ti would undo her efforts on Felucia.

After fighting his way through Felucians and rancors, Starkiller finally encountered the Jedi Master at the Ancient Abyss; a place of sacrifice for the Felucians, and in reality the only known Mega Sarlacc pit. As he approached her, Shaak Ti appeared to be in deep meditation. Thinking it to only be a facade, Starkiller ripped a mushroom out of the sarlacc's skin and threw it towards her head, which she deflected telekinetically, barely moving. He then attempted to influence the sarlacc's mind so that it would attack the Jedi, but his attempts proved futile as she assisted it in its resistance. Activating her lightsaber, she leapt toward him, striking downward. The apprentice backflipped and blocked the opening blow, while the force of it surprised him. With that, the duel had begun.

Their duel spanned the length of the pit with both combatants nearing their limits. During the fight, Ti told him that light and dark were only directions, before striking three blows, the third of which Starkiller telekinetically stopped the tip just before it would have pierced his eye and killed him, while at the same time stabbing her through the torso.

In pain, she released her lightsaber and uttered a fateful prophecy that Starkiller would eventually learn that the Sith always betrayed one another, before allowing herself to fall into the sarlacc's maw with pity in her eyes knowing she could not win. As she began her plummet, Starkiller halfheartedly tried to catch her, but failed and was knocked backwards by an explosion of Force energy. The remaining Felucians appeared to lose interest in Starkiller and returned to the jungle. Starkiller's actions would have far-reaching consequences as, with the death of Shaak Ti, Felucia recoiled into darkness. PROXY would later remark that he was unsure whether, by reaching for the Jedi as she fell into the pit, he wanted to finish her himself, or because he sensed truth in her words.

The Emperor's demands
"Now, you will kill him, or I will destroy you both!"

- Palpatine

After informing his master of Shaak Ti's death, Vader told him to return to the Executor immediately, for the time had come to face the Emperor. As Starkiller was aboard the Executor, the Emperor's fleet arrived. Starkiller believed that Vader had lured Sidious to them, but Vader revealed that he did not summon him. As the confused Sith apprentice turned to see PROXY entering the room in the form of Darth Sidious, he was brutally stabbed through the back by the very man who raised him, as Vader angrily stated that the Emperor's spies had followed him there. Darth Sidious commanded Vader to finish off Starkiller and prove his loyalty. Despite Starkiller's pleadings, Vader turned on him, telekinetically ravaging him around the command bridge before finally hurling him through the view port windows. While his body lifelessly drifted through space, a lone Viper probe droid swiveled by, picked him up and took him to a hidden location.

Escape from the Empire
"Your destiny is now your own. Sever all ties to your past. No one must know that you still serve me. Now go. And remember that the dark side is always with you."

- Darth Vader

Approximately six months later, Starkiller awoke once more. As it turned out, Vader had rescued him, sending out a droid to recover his body, and brought him to be "rebuilt" on Vader's personal science vessel, the Empirical. Vader, through PROXY, told Starkiller his new objective: to distract the Emperor's spies following Vader by giving them something else to focus on, like a rebellion. Starkiller was given a new role, no longer appearing as Vader's assassin, but instead as a rebel hero. In addition to healing his many scars, Vader also gave Starkiller Kota's old green-bladed lightsaber to replace his, which had been lost when he was thrown out the view port. PROXY then warned Starkiller that they needed to escape quickly as his orders from Lord Vader were to fly the ship into a sun to destroy all evidence of Starkiller's existence. Right before reaching the lift to the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller found Juno held captive and freed her, bringing her along onboard the Rogue Shadow. There she told Starkiller that Vader had branded her a traitor to the Empire. Taking the first step into his mission from Vader, Starkiller told her he didn't care, that he was leaving the Empire for good.

Looking for Rahm Kota
"Nobody fights the Empire and wins, boy."

- Rahm Kota

Starkiller, PROXY, and Juno began planning the creation of a Rebel Alliance. Starkiller recalled Rahm Kota's words, that he would be in the assassin's future. The three of them decided to seek out Kota for help in forming the alliance, tracking him from Nar Shaddaa to a bar on Cloud City. Following a trail of rumors about a drunken Jedi, they learned that one of the Empire's most dangerous agents was also after Kota. Moving to find Kota quickly, Starkiller found himself tangled with local ruffians and compelled to subdue them. After Starkiller met up with the blind Jedi, who appeared not to sense who he was, the two fled the bar when they were assaulted by more ruffians and also a squadron of Imperial stormtroopers led by one of the Emperor's Shadow Guard. They managed to escape aboard the Rogue Shadow after wiping out more ruffians and the Imperial squadron, freezing the guardsmen with carbonite gas.

The final visit to the Jedi Temple
After escaping from the Empirical, Starkiller felt compelled by the Force to return to the Temple a final time to finish the Trials. He infiltrated the Temple and made his way to the lobby of the High Council Tower and entered the ancient turbolift that would transport him to the summit chamber. When the turbolift stopped and emptied into the Council Chambers, Starkiller gazed upon his next adversary; a robed Jedi, yet another opponent selected from the Trials program’s memory bank.

Starkiller began to hurl the Council chairs around the room, pulling the columns from the wall and slashing with his lightsaber. Lifting his opponent with the Force, Starkiller tossed the Jedi phantom towards the high windows of the chamber, shattering them. Only a computer program maintained by the Archives, the Jedi phantom could not exist outside the building and thus was not so easily defeated. Using the Force and other techniques to subdue the Jedi phantom, Starkiller eventually pulled the Trials’ ghost down and impaled him with his saber. Before the program cut out, the Jedi revealed itself to be Kento Marek, Galen’s father. Shocked by this revelation, Starkiller watched in horror as his father’s image faded away. Leaving the ruined Chambers of the High Council, Starkiller made his way out of the Temple for the last time, on a mission for Rahm Kota.

Rescuing Princess Leia
Kota, blinded and supposedly without his connection to the Force, told the group that he had a contact in the senate who could help with their rebellion. Pursuant of this contact, but maintaining the contact's anonymity, he directed the group to Kashyyyk. Upon arriving, the group found that a large skyhook had been constructed in orbit.

Setting down according to Kota's directions, Starkiller eventually reached a hut that felt strangely familiar. Despite Kota's warnings, he entered the hut and was suddenly bathed in a cerulean miasma where he was visited by the Force ghost of Kento Marek, his father who was slain by Vader. Then he envisioned a masked Sith Lord covered in metal spikes dueling a Jedi Knight. After stabbing the Jedi repeatedly with the various sabers attached to his belt, he took the Jedi's own lightsaber and laid him low. When the vision passed, he was left in confusion. His father apologized to him, saying that he never wanted his son's life to end up the way it was, revealing his true name: Galen Marek. When this last vision ended, he found a blue lightsaber crystal that had once belonged to his father.

Upon emerging from the hut, Starkiller fought his way through the Imperial forces stationed on the planet surface, and eventually met Bail Organa's "daughter", Princess Leia, held captive by Imperials. Initially believing Starkiller was there to assassinate her, Leia was quickly convinced otherwise when she heard Kota was with him. However, when Starkiller attempted to get her to leave with him, she refused to go, demanding that if he was truly a Jedi then he would destroy the skyhook used to transport Wookiee slaves offworld. Should he destroy the moorings anchoring the skyhook to the planet, she would leave. Starkiller reluctantly agreed and set off into the forest once again.

After fighting through heavy Imperial resistance with the help of several freed Wookiees, Starkiller eventually reached the base of the skyhook, guarded by Captain Ozzik Sturn piloting his personalized AT-KT. After dealing with Sturn and his Imperial troops, Starkiller used the Force to rip out the moorings of the skyhook and caused its collapse before returning to the Rogue Shadow amidst Wookiee celebration.

Finding Bail Organa
Back aboard the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller questioned Kota, demanding to know where Bail was. Kota told him that Bail had originally asked himself to rescue Leia, but he refused, so Bail went to Felucia to seek out Shaak Ti, not knowing she had been killed.

Starkiller and the group went to Felucia to track down the Alderaanian senator. Once they reached the planet, Starkiller saw a difference in the world now devoid of Shaak Ti's influence. The planet seemed even more hostile than during his first visit, with the native Felucians corrupted by the dark side, and even the plants attempting to kill him. In addition Imperial troops were clashing with the natives throughout the jungle, forcing Starkiller to fight against both sides to continue. After searching the familiar sites of his previous visit in vain, he followed a dark side Force-signature he detected along another treacherous journey which led him through the gullet of the sarlacc before being ejected into a rancor graveyard where he found the imprisoned Senator Organa. Maris Brood, Shaak Ti's apprentice, had turned to the dark side, in step with the rest of the planet, and was holding Bail prisoner in hopes of trading the Senator for lenience from Vader. After slaying her pet bull rancor, Starkiller quickly subdued and defeated Maris Brood. She begged for mercy saying that when Shaak Ti was killed, the planet and all its inhabitants were corrupted. Starkiller let her go despite the protests of the rescued Bail Organa and she disappeared with a wink into the jungle.

Bail told the group that there had been talks of rebellion among other senators, but no one had begun anything because they needed to be shown that the Empire was weak and vulnerable. Starkiller said he would meditate on a target to attack to rally the needed support. In reality, aboard the Rogue Shadow, he communicated with Darth Vader through PROXY. Vader directed him to attack an Imperial shipyard above Raxus Prime. Juno inadvertently walked in on the transmission, and immediately after it ended she confronted Starkiller about it. She challenged him, demanding he make a decision over whether he would continue as Vader's slave or actually help them with the pending rebellion. This encounter with her led him to some serious introspection, not unlike the ways of a Jedi.

Return to Raxus Prime
"Do not forget that you still serve me."

- Darth Vader

During the journey back to Raxus Prime, Starkiller contemplated his new found origins along with his destiny. Ruminating over his identity, he replaced one of the green crystals of Kota's lightsaber with the blue crystal he had found on Kashyyyk, changing the saber's hue from green to aqua, and making it his own.

On Raxus Prime, Starkiller fought his way through the local Imperial troops as well as a trap set by Drexl Roosh and reached an ore cannon that was being used to launch metallic refuse into space for use by the Imperial shipyard. Starkiller reprogrammed the cannon to fire directly at the shipyard instead, utterly obliterating the facility. Unfortunately for Starkiller, it also damaged a nearly completed Star Destroyer causing it to give in to the planet's gravity. As it careened out of orbit and closed in on Starkiller, Kota told him to use the Force to crash it into the ore cannon. Starkiller succeeded, incredibly surviving the crash and the ensuing destruction.

Meanwhile, an unfortunate event occurred for the crew of the Rogue Shadow; Raxus Prime's core, a super intelligent computer, had corrupted PROXY while the droid had been slicing into it. PROXY knocked out Juno, locked the ship's launch codes and took off for the core's mainframe. Upon contacting the ship and learning what had transpired, Starkiller vigilantly pursued his friend. After a fierce duel with innumerable droids, the Core, and PROXY in the guise of Darth Maul, Starkiller successfully defeated the core and recovered the droid. However, PROXY insisted Starkiller leave him behind as the core had deleted his primary programming. Starkiller refused to leave his childhood friend behind and brought him back to the Rogue Shadow.

The Rescue of Garm Bel Iblis
In order to build the Rebellion further, Kota directed Starkiller to Cloud City in search of another powerful ally, Senator Garm Bel Iblis. With his military resources, along with Bail Organa's financial resources, there would be sufficient support for the creation of the desired resistance against the Galactic Empire's rule. However, upon reaching the Cloud City, after meeting Lobot, Starkiller discovered that Bel Iblis was captured by a criminal, Chop'aa Notimo. Fighting his way through bounty hunters and mercenaries, he reached Notimo and defeated and killed him. He freed Garm, who told Starkiller that he would join the Rebellion.

Declaration of a Rebellion
The destruction of the shipyard worked to prove to Senators Iblis and Mon Mothma that the Empire could be defeated. Bail Organa and the other senators met with Starkiller and Rahm Kota at an ancient monastery in the mountains of Corellia to officially create the Alliance. While Bail's expansive wealth would fund the rebellion, Garm Bel Iblis would provide their starships, and Mon Mothma would support their soldiers. Bail also stated, with much dignified veneration, that with Galen as the rebellion's leader, "We will have the power of the Force on our side."

Unfortunately for them, Lord Vader and Imperial stormtroopers attacked their gathering, quickly dispatching the Senators' bodyguards. Kota brought out a newly constructed lightsaber and attempted to stop Vader, but was easily defeated by Vader's use of Force Choke. Vader revealed to all present that the alliance and gathering was a ploy and ordered Kota and the Senators to be brought to the Death Star for personal execution. Starkiller questioned the Dark Lord on why he was there, and Darth Vader revealed that this gathering had been a plot created by the Emperor himself to gather all of his enemies and capture them in one swift stroke. Vader then told Starkiller that he never planned on killing Palpatine with Starkiller and hurled a heavy table at him, knocking him out of the building and over the side of a cliff. As Vader prepared to finish his former apprentice, PROXY, disguised as Obi-Wan Kenobi, appeared and attacked him. The two dueled, but Vader easily dispatched PROXY in his attempt to try and save Starkiller. When Vader turned back to the cliff's edge, Starkiller was gone.

After the Imperials left, Juno searched for Starkiller to find that he had miraculously survived the fall and brought him aboard the Rogue Shadow. She asked, if Vader never planned to kill Palpatine with Starkiller, why he let them destroy Imperial targets. Then the truth suddenly hit Starkiller that everything was set in order to sell the deception, that all, including himself, had been disposable tools for Vader to accomplish his own ends and those of his master. When Juno inquired about their next destination, Starkiller replied that he wanted to rescue the Rebels on the Death Star. Starkiller ceased to exist; Galen Marek was reformed, the makings of a Jedi, like his father before him.

Duel on the Death Star
"You were destined to destroy me. Do it. Give in to your hatred!"

- Palpatine, to Galen Marek

Galen Marek meditated to find out where his former Master had taken the Rebel leaders and, after finally achieving the power of foresight, discovered the existence of the Death Star, which was still under construction in the Horuz system. Utilizing the Rogue Shadow's advanced cloaking system, Juno was able to bring the starship close enough to the station in order for Marek to board it. Sensing that they would never see each other again, the two bid each other farewell, but not before sharing a passionate kiss. After parting with Juno, Marek began his infiltration deep into the Death Star, annihilating various Imperial troopers as he searched for the Alliance's founders. Along the way, he even incited a revolt by freeing Wookiee slaves, who then guided him in the right direction towards Emperor Palpatine's observation dome where the former Senators were being held.

As Marek drew closer, his presence was detected by Palpatine, who then dispatched Darth Vader to kill his former apprentice. Like many Sith before them, the Master and the apprentice dueled against one another by relying on their respective skills in lightsaber combat and Force powers. In spite of Vader's greater physical strength and powerful lightsaber strikes, Marek took full advantage of his greater speed and agility in order to outpace his slower opponent. As they continued to fight, Marek tried to make sense of how his life turned out and came to believe that Palpatine had orchestrated his development as a Sith all along. Marek also came to realize just how similar he and his former Master actually were. Just as he had been Vader's slave for years, so too had Vader been completely enslaved to Palpatine's will. Marek declared that he would destroy Vader not out of hatred, but pity for not being strong enough to free himself from his own Master.

Unable to defeat Marek with a lightsaber, Vader resorted to using the Force as his weapon. But even that was ultimately futile as Vader learned that his apprentice had also surpassed him in power. The duel ended after Marek utilized a combination of his Force mastery and combat techniques to inflict severe damage to Vader's life-support armor. Humbled and beaten, Darth Vader laid fallen in defeat and could barely even struggle to get back on his feet. With Vader near death and suffering from critical damage, Marek suddenly felt strong impressions of destroying his helpless Master. Far from being disappointed with Vader's failure, Palpatine was greatly pleased with the outcome of the duel. The Emperor had come to realize that Darth Vader was nothing more than a "broken shadow" of the man he once was and would never rise to his full potential as a cyborg. In Galen Marek, Palpatine had finally found the perfect successor that he had long searched for. Marek struggled with temptation as the Emperor encouraged him to fulfill his destiny by killing Vader and taking his rightful place as a true Sith Lord at Palpatine's side.

Sensing the Emperor's intentions, Rahm Kota defiantly used the Force to snatch Palpatine's lightsaber in an attempt to prevent the apprentice from returning to the dark side. After killing the Imperial Guards who held him and the other Rebels as prisoners, he charged towards the Emperor in order to strike him down with the Sith Lord's own saber. Although initially caught off guard, Palpatine quickly retaliated by attacking Kota with Force lightning. At that moment, Marek was torn between saving the Rebels as he originally planned or finally avenging the injuries done to him by Darth Vader. After a few moments of indecision, Marek chose to follow the path of the light side by sparing Vader and confronting Palpatine.

Using the Force, Marek hurled bits of broken transparisteel and debris at the Emperor, who was forced to break off his attack on Kota. Palpatine abruptly dropped to his knees, and urged the former apprentice to give in to his anger by killing him. Just as Marek had resolved to destroy the Emperor for good, Kota warned him that he would be in danger of simply taking the Emperor's place if Marek succumbed to the dark side again. Although he greatly desired to bring Palpatine to justice once and for all, the apprentice calmed himself and deactivated his saber. As the Rebels moved to evacuate to the Rogue Shadow, Palpatine became enraged and declared he would never allow either Kota or the Rebels to have Marek's power at their disposal. To that end, he attacked Kota with all of his anger and hatred by unleashing a intensely concentrated blast of Force lightning.

The Emperor's lightning was too strong for the apprentice to repel, thus forcing him to absorb the lightning into his own body. None of the pain and torture that he endured under Vader's tutelage compared to the excruciating pain that Palpatine's Sith lightning caused Marek to feel. Although he was on the verge of losing consciousness, Marek held his ground long enough for Kota and the Rebel leaders to reach the Rogue Shadow. As Marek stepped closer to Palpatine, he grabbed the Emperor's shoulders and attempted to redirect the lightning back at its source. For a moment, Marek and Palpatine were completely engulfed in Sith lightning, causing them both to experience indescribable pain. But as a heavily damaged Darth Vader returned with a squadron of stormtroopers to gun down the feeling Rebels, Marek defiantly refused to let them succeed and shifted his focus from the Emperor to the Imperials. But by lowering his defenses, the apprentice had left himself utterly exposed to the full power of the dark side. With all of the Emperor's dark energy striking through the apprentice's body, Marek felt as though a star was igniting within his chest. In a final act of desperation, he completely surrendered himself to the Force and unleashed from his body a massive shock wave that consumed most of the observation dome.

By placing his concern on his allies rather than himself, the apprentice had sacrificed his own life to ensure that the Rebel Alliance would survive to fight on against the Galactic Empire. In the last moments of his life, Marek felt himself leaving his body as he joined with the Force; his individual consciousness was fading as he succumbed to death. Although more damaged than before due to the shock wave, Darth Vader had survived the explosion, and so had Palpatine. Both Sith Lords searched the rubble until they found what they were looking for, only to be immensely displeased by finding the apprentice's dead body. After Vader and Palpatine lamented on how the Alliance would be galvanized by such a selfless act, Marek reflected on how the Sith would never destroy the Rebellion as long as hope endured. With his final thought about Juno Eclipse, and after whispering his own name, Galen Marek died and became one with the Force.

Cloned
"Who was he?''" "''It does not matter. He was broken, and weak. You are already more powerful than he ever was."

- The Dark Apprentice and his Master, Darth Vader

Six months after the death of the original Starkiller, Darth Vader brought his body to Kamino and stored it within the cloning facility of Timira City. The body would serve as the genetic template that Vader needed in order to create a clone of the late Galen Marek, hoping for a more powerful and obedient version of his deceased apprentice. However, due to side effects caused by the accelerated cloning process, the clones retained the original Marek's memories and were constantly haunted by visions of his life, many going insane within months. After numerous failures, Vader finally created a clone that appeared stable enough to be the first success. Unfortunately, however, the clone began to suffer from the same visions that his predecessors did.

By failing to live up to Vader's expectations, the clone was forced to escape from Kamino in order to avoid sharing the fate of the previous clones. Driven by the emotional imprints he retained from Marek, he endeavored to locate Juno Eclipse. By the time he encountered General Kota, the clone had became known by Marek's code name Starkiller, having refused to be called by his template's real name. During the course of his mission to find Eclipse, the clone gradually became confused about his origins, partly because Kota claimed that Force-sensitives had never been cloned in the past. After defeating Vader in combat and rescuing Eclipse from captivity, Starkiller remained uncertain about whether he was a clone or not. He rationalized that it did not matter to him since he had broken Vader's control over him, to which Vader calmly stated that he would always control Starkiller as long as Juno Eclipse lived.

Unknown to "Starkiller," however, Darth Vader did indeed perfect the cloning procedure as shown by the progress made by the latest clone that was activated. Like his clone "brothers" before him, this clone was also confronted by the imprinted memories and emotions of his template, particularly Marek's feelings for Juno Eclipse. In the early phase of his training, he was confused by the original Starkiller's memories and was unsure as to whether or not they actually belonged to him or someone else. His curiosity also caused him to wonder about how many clones were created before him, as well as what kind of person his progenitor was. Vader saw no reason to indulge any of the clone's questions with detailed answers, merely stating that the original Starkiller was a broken man and all that mattered was how many more would have to be created if the clone failed to complete his training. But as the clone progressed through his trials, the lead cloning technician was pleased to discover that the clone had developed the ability to compartmentalize his template memories and distinguish them as separate from his own experience.

As the clone reached the pinnacle of his training, Vader brought him to the chamber that contained Galen Marek's body. The Sith Lord had not only confirmed what the clone already knew to be true, but also revealed the fact that the clone had surpassed all of the failures that preceded him. By then, the clone had managed to free himself from Marek's emotions and proved it by striking down a Sith training droid that was impersonating Eclipse. By learning to hate his former self's weaknesses, the clone had essentially become Darth Vader's Dark Apprentice. When "Starkiller," his renegade counterpart, returned to Kamino with a Rebel fleet, Vader ordered the apprentice to not interfere until he was needed&mdash;only then would his training be complete. The battle did not go according to plan, however. Darth Vader was defeated and captured by the other clone, with no interference from the Dark Apprentice. Prior to the battle, however, Starkiller received a vision of an "alternate outcome" that involved the Dark Apprentice and what he would have done if Starkiller tried to strike down Vader.

Martyred
"Are we ready to finish what he started?"

- Bail Organa

Palpatine was far from pleased with the results of the battle on the Death Star. Not only was he robbed of an extremely powerful new apprentice and still burdened with the diminished Vader, but the prisoners had escaped and the two Sith Lords had inadvertently created a rebellion. However, thanks to Marek, the Empire now knew who their enemies were and Vader vowed to hunt down and crush them, as his Master intended long ago. Sidious correctly foresaw that if the Rebels were not quickly and decisively dealt with they could pose a grave threat to his rule. The duel also had another outcome in that it drove a further wedge between the Dark Lords. Vader realized that Sidious desired a new apprentice, and as a result he determined to find a powerful Force sensitive apprentice to help him overthrow his master in earnest.

His sacrifice inspired the Rebels to finish what he began: a full scale revolution against the Empire. Juno and Bail recovered PROXY from the snow on Corellia who then revealed that Marek told him that if anything happened to him, PROXY was to be in the charge of Juno. Immediately after recovering PROXY, they along with the other founders of the rebellion met on Kashyyyk. Princess Leia proposed that the Rebels use the Marek family crest as a symbol of hope to rally behind, with which all agreed.

Juno asked Kota if he knew that the man who created the alliance was the same one who tried to kill him less than a year earlier. Kota revealed that he had always known, and still agreed to help, because he glimpsed in his pupil's mind one bright thing that he held on to: Juno.

Galen Marek changed the very fate of the galaxy. His alliance survived and changed the shape of the galaxy forever. The Alliance eventually won the Galactic Civil War, and the Galactic Republic was finally restored in the form of the New Republic which was later reformed into the Galactic Alliance.

Personality and traits
"Your arrogance blinds you."

- Emperor Palpatine, during his duel with Marek

Though he was brutally and continually punished by his master, Darth Vader, Galen Marek submitted willingly to the teaching method of the Dark Lord, essentially because he knew nothing else. He was also of the belief that whatever did not kill him would make him stronger, more adept in wielding the dark side. Such was Marek's state of mind towards the end of his training with Vader that a part of him almost wished for death. His subjugation to Vader even displayed itself in his voice, as he effected a faintly aristocratic accent whenever he was in Vader's presence, in stark contrast to his usual accent. In addition, due to his life-long isolation from all but a few individuals, Marek was rather reclusive to anyone but PROXY, and only began to open up to Juno Eclipse after a great deal of time.

When hunting down and dispatching his targets, Marek was always satisfied that he had helped defend the Galactic Empire and fulfill his master's will. To that end, he was disturbed by the fact that he would have to cut down Imperial troops during his mission to kill General Kota, feeling that their only crime had been to cross his path, but he was careful to conceal his feelings from his master. At the same time, for much of his life he had craved a confrontation with a Jedi Knight, and was excited by the prospect.

Marek was raised by Darth Vader, who was not a very kindly father figure, creating turmoil, anger, and apathy in his mind. He was trained to be loyal, but also a ruthless assassin and an unstoppable force. While powerful and confident, he demonstrated many different sides to his personality. He was wary of his purpose in life and what he was meant to be doing; he began with a sure focus on the Sith destiny trained into him by Vader. However, his exposure to both Jedi, the light side of the Force and also to the reality of Sith life caused his focus to waver. Ultimately, his innate sense of loyalty proved incompatible with Sith philosophy, and he gradually made his choices in life accordingly.

After Vader's second betrayal on Corellia, Marek displayed not only anger, but also pity for the Dark Lord, remarking that if he were to die there, then Vader would never be free from his master. When Marek converted to the light, the last of his persona as Starkiller ceased to exist, and Marek fully accepted his destiny in the makings of a Jedi. During his battle with Darth Vader, Marek stated that he did not hate the Dark Lord, but pitied him, declaring that he would kill him to free him.

When the Emperor tempted Marek into killing Vader, Marek struggled briefly with his emotions, but in the end decided he would not return to the dark side, and so made his choice to attack the Emperor instead, saving himself from the dark side.

Despite years of Sith training, Marek eventually fell in love with Juno Eclipse and it was his love for her that turned him away from the dark side. Rahm Kota said that Juno was the one thing that Marek held onto until his death.

Lightsaber training
Galen Marek was trained in lightsaber combat by Darth Vader and sparred frequently with his master. He also had many vicious duels with his training droid, PROXY, and won every single time. As an incredibly skilled lightsaber duelist, Marek was able to defeat the droid's training programs replicating some legendary duelists such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul. Marek was also able to defeat Rahm Kota, Kazdan Paratus and Maris Brood and even managed to overwhelm Shaak Ti and his former Master Darth Vader, who were both two of the greatest duellists of their time.

Marek had a basic familiarity with all seven forms of lightsaber combat, able to recognize them in his opponent's style and technique. For himself, he specialized in Juyo, Shien and Soresu. His usage of Juyo was highly focused and aggressive, his style being randomized and unpredictable, laced with sudden Force-based attacks in the midst of complex lightsaber sequences. His focus and concentration allowed him to bring down opponents through sheer tenacity, though it also led him to ignore his surroundings and left him open to attacks from other directions.

Whenever forced onto the defensive, he would fall back on his practice of Soresu. Marek's Form III usage was largely self-taught, his skills acquired through imitation of PROXY's Obi-Wan Kenobi combat module. Despite his lack of formal training, Marek's prowess in Soresu was considerable. A notable application of his improvised Form III usage was during his duel with Rahm Kota, where Marek's skill enabled him to hold off Kota's Juyo frenzy long enough to tire out the Jedi. Marek also proved able to defend himself against other highly aggressive duelists such as Kazdan Paratus and Maris Brood, ultimately allowing him to defeat them.

When utilizing his skill in Shien, Marek wielded his lightsaber in the unorthodox reverse grip. He practiced a variant of the form known as "Sith Shien", a style which relied on sudden and rapid attacks to bring down an opponent quickly.

Force powers
"You are Vader's slave&hellip;but your power is wasted on him. You could be so much more."

- Shaak Ti on Galen Mareks incredible Force potential

Galen Marek was exceptionally powerful in the Force and had the potential to become one of the most powerful Force users of all time. Darth Sidious believed that he had the potential to become as powerful as Sidious himself.

Marek was highly skilled at using the Force in combat, often relying on Force-enhanced acrobatics to back up his lightsaber skills. His proficiency with telekinesis was incredible, as he frequently utilized it in combat, tearing up the battlefield with kinetic blasts and Force-throws. His abilities with telekinesis were such that he could, albeit with great effort, rip an Imperial I-class Star Destroyer out of the sky and force it to the ground. However, he was also able to apply it in a more precise manner, dismantling and reassembling his lightsaber during his meditations. Another telekinetic power that he could wield with great ability was Force repulse. After his death, Darth Vader created a clone of Marek that could use this technique to vaporize anyone caught within range of the blast.

Marek was also a master practitioner of Force lightning. He could cast energy so powerful that it would kill an opponent with a single blast, and he was able to target more than one foe at a time. Not only could he conjure incredible amounts of lightning, but he was also an expert at deflecting it, as demonstrated when he battled Sidious aboard the Death Star. His clone also inherited Marek's proficiency in Force lightning as demonstrated by his use of this ability to defeat Vader.

Despite his incredible combative Force powers, however, Marek had great difficulty with voluntary Farsight, until his eventual conversion to the light.

Lightsabers
"&hellip;can't identify the style, and it would help me understand you if you'd tell me who your original teacher was."

- Rahm Kota commentating on Galen Marek's combat style.

First lightsaber
Marek’s first lightsaber appeared to be based on the design utilized by Darth Vader, featuring an emitter shroud and a mostly solid casing. However, rather than follow the over-sized, bulky design of his master’s weapon, Marek opted for a considerably more skeletal make. His weapon featured an exposed crystal chamber, and rather than include a handgrip, the whole of the weapon was sheathed in somewhat tarnished looking bare-metal. The blade utilized a set of red crystals supplied by Vader.

Marek wielded the weapon with an unorthodox reversed grip, and utilized it against the likes of Rahm Kota, Kazdan Paratus, Shaak Ti, as well as Vader himself in numerous sparring matches. In addition to wielding it in combat, Marek also used the weapon to aid in his meditations, either holding it in front of his face and staring into the ignited blade, or telekinetically dismantling and reassembling it.

This weapon was ultimately lost when Marek was first betrayed by Vader, when he was impaled, telekinetically pummeled, and hurled into space. The lightsaber was lost in the vacuum.

Second lightsaber
After his "resurrection" on board the Empirical, Marek was given the weapon of Rahm Kota, which he had originally retrieved for Vader during his duel with the Jedi Master. Marek quickly adjusted to the green-bladed weapon, utilizing it during his escape from the Empirical. The weapon saw use on Cloud City and Kashyyyk against the likes of the Imperial Shadow guard and Captain Ozzik Sturn.

However, while Marek wielded the weapon successfully in combat, he never truly felt that it was his own, and was unsuccessful at utilizing it in his meditations. To rectify this, he replaced the green lightsaber crystal utilized by Kota with a blue crystal he found on Kashyyyk in the ruins of his family’s hut, the crystal from his father’s lightsaber. After an hour of fine tuning to fit in the new crystal, the weapon was finished.

The newly modified weapon was now truly Marek’s lightsaber. With the new aqua-colored crystal, the blade seemed lighter and moved more readily in Marek’s hands, and Marek noted the weapon's superior optical properties.

After its modification, Marek continued to use the weapon, ultimately using it against the very man who gave it to him; Darth Vader. After defeating Vader, Marek wielded the weapon against his former master’s master, Palpatine. Marek managed to subdue Palpatine, but ultimately was incapacitated by the Emperor's force lightning, which Marek blocked to save his friends from Palpatine’s wrath. The weapon remained with Marek until his death and was found by Vader and Palpatine with him. Vader crushed the lightsaber to dust beneath his boot heel.

Lightsaber Crystals
In addition to his original set of red crystals, the green crystals in Kota's lightsaber, and his father's aqua crystals, Marek had access to numerous colors. This even included the rarely seen set that generated a black blade. With the exception of the black crystals, he had access to compressed and unstable versions of each color, signifying that many if not all the crystals in his possession were synthetic in origin. Many of these crystals were found inside Jedi holocrons that he recovered during his service to Darth Vader. In addition to the colors listed above he also possessed yellow, gold and purple crystals.

Training gear
During his years of training under Darth Vader, Galen Marek clad himself in a simple Imperial combat uniform. However, due to the years of wear and tear it suffered, by 3 BBY, the uniform was a tattered mess, held together only by Marek’s mending. Marek also possessed two variations of this basic outfit.

The first was the heavy gear, which he wore during his time on Raxus Prime, hunting for Kazdan Paratus. This variation was made of thick, heavy-duty fabrics to protect against the caustic environment of the planet, a large wrap-around cape to protect his neck and the lower half of his face, and it featured heavy metal gauntlets to protect his hands from the jagged metal edges in the Raxus wastes.

The second was the light training gear, which he wore on Felucia during his hunt for Shaak Ti. Being designed for hot and humid environments, the outfit was essentially a stripped-down version of his basic combat uniform. The light gear consisted of his basic uniform pants with wraps covering his arms and gut, but with the exception of straps holding on the arm-wraps, his chest and upper back were left bare. One of the straps across his chest included a set of leather pockets attached, and he kept a Rangefinder slung across his back.

Disguises
Being required to travel the galaxy, Marek had access to dozens of outfits that his ship was stocked with. Notable outfits included a bounty hunter Mandalorian armor which he wore while searching for Rahm Kota on Cloud City undercover, a Corellian flight suit, utilized on Kashyyyk, and a Jedi Adventure Robe wore on the rescue of the Rebels on the Death Star.

Despite the fact that all these outfits were disguises, they ironically displayed Marek's personal evolution. At the start, he favored dark wardrobes that reflected his ragged Sith training gear, but as time passed, he came to prefer the brighter Jedi-inspired attires.

Behind the scenes
"Ultimately we started thinking of a character who starts out as an anti-hero, and evolves into a superhero."

- Haden Blackman

Galen Marek is the main protagonist of The Force Unleashed series. He is voiced by Sam Witwer in the video game adaptation, best known for his role as Lt. Crashdown in Sci-Fi's Battlestar Galactica. The actor has expressed an interest in appearing in the Star Wars live-action TV series, possibly as Marek. His likeness and expressions are also used for the apprentice's appearance. Young Marek's voice and likeness was provided by Zeb Drees.

Alternate ending
"You had such promise. You could have been my successor. My equal. But now... But I may still have some small use for you. I still have enemies to find and destroy. You will do my bidding until I find a new apprentice. And then, like Vader, you will be cast aside. Finish him."

- Darth Sidious as Starkiller's suit is completed

In the alternate ending of The Force Unleashed video game, Marek chose to finish off Vader, avenging the murder of his father and the two betrayals on himself. After another long battle, Galen stripped Vader of his lightsaber, as he did as a child, and ran him through with it. Marek then returned to the main platform where the Emperor was standing over an injured Kota. He instructed the apprentice to kill Kota, giving himself to the dark side and fulfilling his destiny. Marek ignited his lightsaber, ready to strike down his new mentor, but instead turned and swung at Palpatine. Palpatine immediately ignited his own lightsaber, easily deflecting his attack. He admitted to having foreseen the attack and shocked Marek with a blast of Force lightning before flinging him through a window out onto the landing platform as Juno flew the Rogue Shadow down for boarding. Staggering on the ground, Marek saw that Bail and the other Rebel leaders had already been killed. Palpatine Force gripped the Rogue Shadow and hurled it at Marek. Screaming in terror as the massive vessel fell on top of him, Marek was struck silent and saw utter blackness the next moment.

Marek later woke up on an operating table in the EmPal SuRecon Center, much like the one Darth Vader rested on during his own transformation while his suit was constructed. He was now wearing his own suit of armor, presumably the only thing keeping him alive. Palpatine stood before him, saying he expected more from the apprentice and thought he could have one day become the greatest Sith in the galaxy. Marek became Palpatine's apprentice, obliged to do the Emperor's bidding just as Vader before him, and screamed in agony as his suit was completed. He bore six lightsabers on his belt: his original lightsaber, Darth Vader's lightsaber, Rahm Kota's lightsaber, half of Darth Maul's lightsaber, his new Sith lightsaber and the severed end of Kazdan Paratus's long-handled lightsaber.

Ultimate Sith Edition
"I won't run from my destiny, or from you."

- Luke Skywalker to Lord Starkiller

The alternate story continued in the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition of the game. In this non-canon form, Marek was often referred to by fans as "Darth Stalker" due to his position as Sidious's new Sith apprentice and the name of his armor, but in the game, he is referred to as "Lord Starkiller".

Tatooine DLC
The first mission in this new setting consisted of Starkiller being sent to Tatooine to find information regarding the stolen Death Star plans. Carving his way through numerous Jawas and Tusken Raiders, Starkiller broke into Jabba's Palace and cut down numerous thugs in an effort to gain a meeting with the crime lord. His destructive spree impressed Jabba, and he agreed to meet with the Sith Lord. Starkiller inquired about two droids: an astromech droid and a protocol droid who were thought to hold the plans. Jabba initially denied any knowledge of these droids, but a foolish blunder on the part of his current translator droid gave away his deception.

Enraged by this latest development, Jabba dropped Starkiller into the rancor pit. However, Starkiller killed the Rancor and escaped through the palace incinerator, encountering a salvaged and hobbling PROXY along the way. Before shutting down permanently, PROXY helped Starkiller bypass the garbage disposal security. After escaping to the Palace hangar, he was confronted by the bounty hunter Boba Fett, who was looking to collect on the bounty on Starkiller's head. The two engaged in a lengthy battle, but Starkiller ultimately prevailed when he telekinetically redirected Fett's rocket back at him, killing the bounty hunter.

Following the information inadvertently revealed by Jabba's translator, Starkiller traveled to Mos Eisley and stormed in on Docking Bay 94 just as the droids, accompanied by Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, were boarding the Millennium Falcon. Kenobi remained in the bay to confront Starkiller, who was pleased at the thought of finally destroying the "real" Obi-Wan Kenobi, having spent a great deal of his training under Vader battling PROXY's combat module of the Jedi. After a lengthy lightsaber duel with Kenobi, Starkiller finally defeated the elderly Jedi by pushing him into the starship's engines, thus incinerating Kenobi's body. However, before he could board the Falcon, he was suddenly attacked by Kenobi's Force ghost. After another lengthy duel, Starkiller managed to vanquish the spirit by utilizing Force lightning, just as the Millennium Falcon took off. Leaping onto the hull, he managed to plant a tracking node before falling off.

Hoth DLC
After the Millennium Falcon escaped him, Lord Starkiller, having put the tracking device on its hull, was able to track them to a hidden Rebel base located on the ice planet Hoth along with the dreaded Imperial Fleet. While his ground forces engaged in a battle with the Rebel base's defenses, the Sith Lord accompanied his troops on one of the AT-AT Walkers. After destroying a T-47 airspeeder with his lightsaber, Starkiller reached his drop point and disembarked from the Walker in order to follow a planned infiltration route that led straight through an ice cavern and into the Rebel base. However, the route turned out to be hazardous. According to Starkiller's military liaison, Captain Keenah, the vibration of the walkers on the surface made the frozen path to become dangerously unstable, causing it to shatter under any additional weight. Furthermore, there were many Wampas that were hostile against the Sith Lord. The captain fearfully admitted that it was an unfortunate oversight on his part while planning Starkiller's infiltration through the cavern. Starkiller, angered by the officer's incompetence, simply stated that it was the last failure Captain Keenah would ever make. Although Keenah took full responsibility for his negligence, Starkiller strangled the officer to death through the Force, mirroring Darth Vader's punishment for failure.

Shortly after Keenah's execution, Starkiller successfully navigated his way across the dangerous terrain. He was then contacted by Lieutenant Marsen, who informed Starkiller that he would replace Capatain Keenah as the new liaison to the Sith Lord. Having discovered the secret entrance into the Rebel base, Starkiller easily destroyed the auto-turrets and Rebel troopers that were guarding the area. Just after entering the base's command center, Starkiller watched as the Imperial Walkers destroyed the Alliance's planetary shield generator, thus allowing Marsen to send Imperial troopers to assist Starkiller by destroying the remaining Rebels inside of the base. With the battle all but won, Lord Starkiller confronted Commander Luke Skywalker for the first time and referred to him as the "son of Vader." Brandishing his father's old lightsaber, Luke asserted that his father was a Jedi who was murdered by Vader, amusing Starkiller with the lie that Skywalker had been told.

Although Luke Skywalker stood his ground for a short while, his training was mostly incomplete and highly inadequate against Starkiller's superior Force powers and combative skills. Luke initially tried to reason with his opponent after sensing some small trace of good that remained inside the Sith Lord. But Starkiller was far too immersed within the Dark side of the Force by then to be affected any longer by the emotional sentiment he once possessed. Luke, fearing for his life, tried to run away, but tripped and dropped his lightsaber. Before Starkiller could capitalize on Skywalker's clumsiness, however, Luke used the Force to rip open the door to the adjacent Wampa cell. With Starkiller distracted by the creatures, Luke picked up his lightsaber and fled to the Rebel base's hangar. After killing the creatures, Lieutenant Marsen reminded Starkiller that Emperor Palpatine wanted Commander Skywalker taken alive, apparently reminding Starkiller of his Master's promise to one day replace him with a new apprentice.

Starkiller pursued Luke to the base's hangar, where the Millennium Falcon was located, its occupants including Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the two droids C-3PO and R2-D2. While on his way to the hangar, Starkiller assisted a squadron of stormtroopers from the 501st Legion against Rebel soldiers. When the Sith Lord arrived in the hangar, his path to the starship was blocked by a large force-field wall and the remaining Rebels who committed their lives to defending the Princess until the Falcon was ready to evacuate her to safety. While Imperial troopers engaged the Rebels in the hangar, Starkiller used airspeeders to destroy the generators that powered the shield, only to cause the emergency blast doors to be sealed shut. When used the Force to pry the doors open, Starkiller was caught off guard by Luke, who used a powerful Force push to knock Starkiller across the hangar. Sealing the doors shut once more, Luke confronted his fears by approaching Starkiller with confidence, declaring that he would not run any longer from his destiny or the Sith Lord."

The second duel between Starkiller and Skywalker began with the two of them exchanging quick attacks by utilizing their respective lightsaber skills and Force techniques. Although Luke fought bravely, he was easily outmatched in every way by Starkiller. The Dark Lord of the Sith effortlessly dodged Skywalker's saber attacks before disarming him. Hardly impressed by such undeveloped skills, Starkiller prepared to kill him, but not before revealing that he killed Luke's father. In a fit of rage, Luke used the Force to summon back his lightsaber and managed to fend off Starkiller's intended finishing blow. Luke, distraught with fear and rage at the thought of being the son of Darth Vader, directed all of his anger at Starkiller, thus beginning his quick descent into darkness. With the dark side providing him with greater strength and stamina, as well as enhanced Force powers and red Force lightning, Luke's relentless assaults initially forced Starkiller on the defensive. But even with Luke's rage-enhanced strength, he was ultimately no match against Starkiller's power. Like his father before him, Luke's anger proved to be his downfall; his sloppy offensive barrage was easily blocked by Starkiller's impenetrable defense. Seeing a clear opening of attack, Starkiller swiftly disarmed Luke of both his lightsaber, and the right hand that held it.

With Luke at his mercy once more, Starkiller raised his lightsaber to finish his former Master's fallen son. But just then, the Millennium Falcon flew overhead in an attempt to escape from the hangar. Sensing the perfect opportunity at hand, Starkiller grabbed the starship through the Force and prevented it from leaving. While holding the Falcon in his grasp, he finally acknowledged Luke's strength in the Force, but asserted that only his hatred would give him the power to save his allies. With the lives of Skywalker's friends in his hands, both literally and metaphorically, Starkiller urged Luke to embrace the dark side once and for all. With no other option left, Skywalker completely gave in to his anger and used his remaining hand to attack Starkiller with Force lightning, which the Sith Lord easily blocked and redirected back at Skywalker. Although this action allowed the Millennium Falcon to escape from Hoth, it was no longer of any consequence to Starkiller; his primary objective had been achieved. Luke Skywalker had been corrupted and was unable to break free from the dark side's hold over him. As Luke stared directly at his new Master with absolute hatred in his eyes, Lord Starkiller laughed and congratulated his new apprentice.

Character
He has been said to be what Luke Skywalker would have been if he had joined Darth Vader. "The Apprentice is the photo negative of Luke Skywalker. He's been raised by Darth Vader, and is what Luke would have become if he had joined his father. Vader's not a very nice daddy. This guy has been raised to be a Jedi. When the Jedi use the Force, they respect it and don't overuse it. The bad guys&mdash;the Sith&mdash;keep testing their limits. Vader discovered this person who had the potential to be the most powerful Force user ever. He's up there with the top tier. He's extremely powerful. Vader has trained him in such a way that he just kept pushing his limitations, seeing how far he could use the Force. So, where a normal Jedi might use the Force to trick his way past a few stormtroopers, the apprentice might use the Force to bring down an adjacent building on top of those stormtroopers. He's extremely confident in everything he does. He's been trained by Vader to be an assassin, an unstoppable force."

- Haden Blackman

Name
Haden Blackman, writer of The Force Unleashed, said in a Spike TV interview that his codename began with "S"; it was later revealed to be "Starkiller," a name originating in early drafts of Star Wars.

Jacob Nion was the character's original name, but was changed shortly before the game's release. Due to the earlier releases of the novel and the comic, Marek was named "Jacob Nion" in the German translation of the novel and the French-language version of The Force Unleashed. The PS2 databank entry also reflects this difference, listing Kento Marek as Kento Nion instead.

Luke Skywalker's name was originally going to be Annikin Starkiller. Sam Witwer said in an interview "This is what would have happened if Luke had joined Vader."

Galen's surname, Marek, is also a common Polish, Czech and Slovakian given name and the Eastern Europe variant of Marco (Marek), while his first name (Galen) is the Swedish word for crazy and mad.

Various guises
In the Hasbro Vader's Secret Apprentice Evolutions pack, it stated the following: "A son of a fallen Jedi is abducted by Vader to be his Secret Apprentice. As a young adult, the apprentice must choose his destiny: Join Lord Vader and wipe out the remaining Jedi, or become a noble Jedi and bring hope to the galaxy." It features Marek as a Sith apprentice, a Sith Lord, and a Jedi Knight.

Several different outfits can be obtained or unlocked for use. With the exception of bonus skins, such as Rahm Kota or Darth Vader, these outfits are Training Gear, Heavy Training Gear, Light Training Gear, Medical Robe, Raxus Prime Survival Gear, Bounty Hunter Disguise, Corellian Flight Suit, Jungle Combat Gear, Industrial Explorer Outfit, Jedi Adventure Robe, Kento's Robe, Sith Robe, Ceremonial Jedi Robes, Sith stalker armor.

Downloadable content recently added three more outfits that can be selected, including General Starkiller, Hooded Combat Gear, and Sith Assassin. Yet another pack of downloadable content added another group of outfits for Galen (along with the Jedi Temple Mission which includes more). The costumes provided were titled Spirit Apprentice, Utility Combat Suit, Animated Style (Clone Wars Style Apprentice), Temple Exploration Gear, Cybernetic Reconstruction (A very extreme version of the Sith Stalker outfit), Sith Warrior (Sith Stalker without the helmet), and Sith Training Gear (Another variation on the Training Gear, somewhat similar to the Heavy Training Gear outfit).

Marek's primary outfit, provided by Vader, is also used as his first training gear uniform. In concept art, Marek also wears what appears to be some sort of Force shackles.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed novel
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed comic
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II novel
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II comic

Non-canonical appearances

 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: Ultimate Sith Edition
 * Star Wars: Visions of the Blade
 * Soulcalibur IV