Attack on the Endar Spire

"We lost the ship, and a lot of good people. And for what?"

- Carth Onasi

The Attack on the Endar Spire was an event that took place during the Jedi Civil War, in 3,956 BBY. Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Malak set up an ambush for the young Jedi Padawan Bastila Shan, whose talents with battle meditation had been crucial to the Galactic Republic’s effort against the Sith Empire. Malak successfully ambushed the Hammerhead-class cruiser Endar Spire above the planet of Taris by using his flagship, Leviathan, to pull it out of hyperspace and attack it. Meanwhile, Darth Bandon, Malak's apprentice, led a boarding party of Sith troopers and Dark Jedi onto the Endar Spire.

Malak's former Master, the amnesiac ex-Sith Lord Revan, was serving aboard the Endar Spire, believing himself to be nothing more than a Republic soldier. Also on board were Republic soldiers Trask Ulgo and Carth Onasi, in addition to Revan and Shan. The Sith troopers, intent on capturing Shan alive for Malak, attacked the various military personnel on board. An evacuation order was called by the Republic, and the soldiers on board the Endar Spire attempted to make their way to the escape pods. While doing so, Revan and Ulgo encountered Darth Bandon. Ulgo sacrificed himself to give Revan time to escape the encounter, and Revan, eventually reaching Onasi and the final escape pod, fled from the ship with the others who had reached the pods. Shortly after, the Sith destroyed the Endar Spire.

Prelude
"We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet! The Endar Spire is under attack! Hurry up&mdash;we don't have much time!"

- Trask Ulgo

During the Jedi Civil War, when the Galactic Republic came under attack from the Sith Empire, the Republic Hammerhead-class cruiser Endar Spire was assigned to transport former Sith Lord, the amnesiac Revan, around the galaxy. This was in an attempt to trigger the return of Revan's memories of the Star Forge, the superweapon used by the Sith Empire. Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith, aimed to pull the Endar Spire out of hyperspace with his flagship, Leviathan, and attack it with his forces.

Revan, also on board, had been enlisted as a soldier for the Republic, and assigned to the Endar Spire. Republic ensign Trask Ulgo explained the situation to Revan, who had no recollection of his past life, instructing Revan to follow him to the bridge.

The battle
"This is Carth Onasi&mdash;the Sith are threatening to overrun our position! We can't hold out long against their firepower! All hands to the bridge!"

- Carth Onasi

When the Leviathan carried out Malak's plan, the Sith fleet attacked. Darth Bandon, Malak's apprentice, led a boarding party of multiple Dark Jedi and Sith troopers aboard the Endar Spire, in an attempt to capture Shan alive so that Malak could turn her to the dark side of the Force. Were Shan to turn to the dark side, she would willingly use her talent with Jedi battle meditation for the benefit of the Sith Empire and help coordinate Sith ships against those of the Republic in combat. Ulgo and Revan, meanwhile, came under attack from Sith troopers as they fought their way towards the bridge. The Sith fleet, not wishing to kill Shan, did not direct firepower that would destroy the Endar Spire.

Arriving on the bridge, Revan and Ulgo found several Republic soldiers fending off a Sith squad. Despite their efforts, the Sith cut down the Republic soldiers before Revan and Ulgo could reach them. A group of Sith soldiers caught up to the pair and attacked them. Fending them off, they knew Shan would be attempting to flee in an escape pod. Realizing that with Shan gone the Sith would make no hesitation to destroy the Endar Spire, they headed for the escape pods in the starboard section of the ship. As they left the bridge, however, the two were ambushed by Malak's apprentice Darth Bandon.

In order to save Revan, Ulgo instructed him to flee for the escape pods, while he held off Bandon. Revan fled, and having received word from Onasi that Shan had departed in one of the pods, made his way to the bay where the escape capsules were situated. Met by Onasi, Revan was informed by the commander that all the other capsules had been jettisoned, and that the last one was for them. Revan and Onasi boarded the pod, and fled to the planet's surface. With Shan having escaped the ship, the Sith fleet destroyed the Endar Spire.

Aftermath
"I've got a feeling that won't be our last battle with the Sith."

- Trask Ulgo

With Shan, Onasi, Revan and other Republic soldiers having fled to the surface of Taris, the Sith pursued them. In order to stop any of the fugitives from escaping, the Sith used their fleet to blockade the planet. Deploying troops to the surface, they searched for the escape pods and those who had occupied them. Revan and Onasi landed safely and used an apartment in the Upper City of Taris as their base of operations to search for Shan, the former passenger on the Endar Spire. Shan had been captured by a Swoop gang known as the Black Vulkars, who offered the Jedi Knight as the prize for the Tarisian Season Opener swoop race.

By 1,032 BBY, a fusioncutter that had been used by a Sith trooper to board the Endar Spire was amongst the artifacts on display in a museum on the planet Syned.

Behind the scenes
The Attack on the Endar Spire was the first level featured in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The attack is a plot device that formally introduces the characters of Trask Ulgo, Revan, Darth Malak, Darth Bandon and Carth Onasi. It features tutorial points as to the general gameplay in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It also introduces the conflict featured throughout the game. For the plot to continue, the escape pods must be reached by the player.

Unlike in later locations in the game, there is very little that the player can do to change the course of the game through gameplay options. Furthermore, nothing the player says or does can influence the light or dark sides of the Force, and gain the player light or dark side points. The sole role play options open to the player in this level involve choosing what to say and how to kill the enemies featured on the Endar Spire.

Although the ship is completely destroyed in the cut scene of Knights of the Old Republic a largely intact crash site can be found in Old Republic game released in 2011 seemingly invalidating the previous game

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords