Darth Stryfe

"I am Darth Stryfe! I am death!"

- Darth Stryfe

Darth Stryfe was a male Human Sith Lord of the One Sith, serving Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Krayt and his Galactic Empire, after Krayt deposed Emperor Roan Fel at the end of the Sith-Imperial War. In the time of the Anti-Sith Insurgency, he was selected to be Krayt's Fist, the head of the Empire's military. In 137 ABY, Stryfe oversaw a search for Jedi in the academy on Ossus, and ordered its destruction. In that same year, Stryfe was named Krayt's new Hand after his former Hands, Darth Nihl and Darth Talon, let former Jedi Cade Skywalker, who Krayt sought for his healing ability, escape the Sith Temple on Coruscant.

When the Sith discovered Skywalker and his companions had attacked an Imperial outpost on Had Abbadon, and that among them was the spirit of the ancient Sith Lord Karness Muur. After Muur requested a meeting with Krayt, Stryfe was among those Krayt took with him to Had Abbadon. Discovering they had walked into a trap, the Sith engaged Skywalker and his allies. Stryfe dueled with Skywalker, however, he was defeated when he was forced into an explosion set off by one of Skywalker's friends. Unable to continue the battle, Stryfe was unable to save his Lord Krayt from being defeated by the Old Republic Jedi Celeste Morne, who was possessed by the spirit of Karness Muur. After the battle was over, Stryfe's body was recovered by Krayt's most trusted advisor Darth Wyyrlok, who placed Stryfe in a bacta tank. Unbeknownst to Stryfe, Wyyrlok discovered that Darth Krayt was alive, however, he decided Krayt must die to allow his vision of the Sith to live, and killed the Dark Lord.

Krayt's Fist
"Still, I smell Jedi. Target the Temple, Captain Meeshal. Level it. Burn it."

- Darth Stryfe ordering the destruction of the Jedi Temple on Ossus

The Human Sith Lord known as Darth Stryfe was a member of the One Sith, serving Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Krayt and his Galactic Empire, after Krayt deposed Emperor Roan Fel at the end of the Sith-Imperial War. In the time of the proceeding conflict, the Anti-Sith Insurgency, he was selected to be Krayt's Fist, the head of the Empire's military, a position that was once held by Darth Nihl before becoming a Hand.

In 137 ABY, Stryfe, aboard an Imperial Pellaeon-class Star Destroyer, personally oversaw and led the Imperial search for Jedi on the planet Ossus. Rumors had spread that surviving Jedi were hiding in the Jedi Academy on Ossus, and the Sith were determined to eradicate all Jedi. Stryfe sent Joker Squad of the 407th Stormtrooper Division to conduct a search of the surface, and the stormtroopers of the unit were terrified of failure, fearing punishment from Stryfe. The Jokers looked around Ossus keenly, but found nothing; the Yuuzhan Vong&mdash;there to protect Jedi artifacts&mdash;and the Jedi present at the Academy had gone into hiding. As the Imperials were about to call off the search, Darth Stryfe commanded them to continue, as he could sense a whisper in the Force that suggested the presence of Jedi.

Ordered by Stryfe to continue looking for the Jedi, Sergeant Harkas, Anson Trask, and Private Orland, as well as one more stormtrooper, continued the search amongst the remains of the Jedi Academy. Trask and a fellow stormtrooper reported that the Temple was empty after the Jedi Knight Shado Vao used the Force to persuade them. However, Lord Stryfe ordered his aide, Captain Meeshal, to destroy the Temple, as he still felt the presence of the Jedi hiding on the planet. The Imperials proceeded to fire on the Academy, and succeeded in injuring Jedi Master K'Kruhk. Nevertheless, the Jedi were able to survive the attack, and eventually escape to their secret refuge, Hidden Temple, unbeknownst to Stryfe.

In that same year, Darth Krayt succeeded in capturing former Jedi Cade Skywalker, a descendant of the famous Grand Master Luke Skywalker, who Krayt hoped he could turn to the dark side. Stryfe was named Krayt's new Hand after his former Hands, Darth Nihl and Darth Talon, let Skywalker, who Krayt sought for his healing ability, escape the Sith Temple on Coruscant.

Krayt's Hand
"You failed Lord Krayt once, Talon. I'm surprised he let you live." "We all live or die as Lord Krayt wills, Stryfe. At his word I would cut out my own heart. Or yours."

- Darth Stryfe and Darth Talon



When Cade Skywalker set in motion his plan to kill Darth Krayt, he initiated an attack on a Sith outpost at Had Abbadon, which was under the command of Darth Reave. Reave managed to escape and brought the news to Krayt on Coruscant. Reave had been bitten by an ancient and thought-to-be extinct form of Sithspawn known as a rakghoul while fighting Skywalker and his companions. Before Reave could complete his report, he succumbed to the effects of the bite and transformed into one of the rakghoul mutants, charging to attack Darth Krayt. He never reached Krayt however, as Darth Stryfe intercepted the former Sith and proceeded to behead the creature. The head of Sith Intelligence and Assassination and Sith scientist, Darth Maladi, confirmed that the transformation was the result of ancient Sith Alchemy.

Not long after, Lord Krayt was contacted by the spirit of Karness Muur, an ancient Sith Lord who was controlling the Old Republic Jedi Celeste Morne through the power of the Muur Talisman. Muur informed Krayt that he was in control of Morne as well as the rakghouls, and proposed a meeting between the two Sith Lords. As an incentive, Muur offered Krayt his knowledge of dark side healing as a method of aiding Krayt with his afflictions resulting from Yuuzhan Vong implants. Furthermore, Muur presented a shakled Cade Skywalker as his prisoner and threatened to kill him if Krayt did not come to Had Abbadon. Krayt ordered his Sith Lords, including Stryfe, to leave for Had Abbadon immediately. While en route to the planet in Krayt's royal transport the Relentless, Stryfe had a small confrontation with Darth Talon, stating that he was surprised she had been allowed to live after failing Lord Krayt. Talon replied that she lived by Krayt's command, and at his word she would not hesitate to take her own life or Stryfe's.

Battle on Had Abbadon
"Mindless minions! Away from my Lord Krayt."

- Darth Stryfe engaging the rakghouls on Had Abbadon

Arriving at Had Abbadon, Darth Stryfe was one of the Sith who traveled to the planet's surface with Darth Krayt, along with Darths Talon and Maladi. Meeting with Muur, the ancient Sith Lord proposed an alliance with Krayt, offering to begin the healing process immediately as an act of good faith. As Muur began to heal Krayt, the pain caused Krayt to cry out, and Stryfe rushed to his Lord's aid. However, Stryfe was called off by Krayt who could feel that the healing was working. It was at this point that Cade Skywalker took advantage of the commotion and unveiled his trap, calling on his companions to attack the gathered Sith. Morne also regained control of herself, as well as the Muur Talisman which controlled the rakghouls, and engaged Darth Krayt, ordering the rakghouls to attack him. Darth Stryfe defended his master from the rakghouls, cutting through hordes of the creatures as they charged, until Krayt was able to repel the creatures with a torrent of Force lightning. Stryfe then dueled with Skywalker, who taunted the Sith Lord while they exchanged blows until Stryfe became enraged. Calling for his friend, Syn, to create an explosion, Skywalker landed a Force-assisted kick which drove Stryfe back to where Syn had placed the explosives. Darth Stryfe was severely injured in the blast and could not continue in the battle.

The battle continued as Krayt dueled with Morne and the spirit of Muur within her. One of Skywalker's allies, Imperial Knight Azlyn Rae, was able to launch an attack on Krayt while he was distracted, and drove her lightsaber through the Sith Lord's back. This gave Morne an opening which she quickly took, unleashing a torrent of Force lightning on Krayt before Force-pushing him off a cliff. With the battle over, Krayt's most trusted advisor, Darth Wyyrlok, arrived on the planet and recovered Darth Stryfe, as well as Darths Talon and Maladi, who had also been wounded in the encounter. Wyyrlok ordered the three Sith to be placed in bacta tanks to heal their injuries while he proceeded to locate the body of Darth Krayt. Unbeknownst to Stryfe, Wyyrlok discovered that Krayt had survived the battle, however, Wyyrlok decided that in order for Krayt's vision of the Sith ruling the galaxy as one to survive, Krayt must die. Wyyrlok killed the Dark Lord with a burst of Force lightning brought his body aboard the same ship in which Stryfe was recovering; Wyrrlok intended to inter Krayt's bones among the ancient Sith on Korriban.

Personality and traits
"Let nothing escape alive."

- Darth Stryfe, to Captain Meeshal, showing his brutal methods

Perhaps the most brutal of the One Sith, Stryfe was raw power personified that was waiting to be unleashed. Like most members of the Order, Stryfe's face and visible parts of his body were covered in red and black Sith tattoos. Darth Stryfe was a brutal and efficient military leader known for his harsh treatment of soldiers of the Empire, who feared him for this reason. Stryfe was considered competent in the eyes of Darth Krayt, who promoted him to Hand because he believed Stryfe to be more reliable than both Darths Nihl and Talon. Stryfe was protective of his Lord Krayt, rushing to Krayt's defense when the the rakghoul-infected Darth Reave attacked his Master, as well as from the hordes of rakghouls during the Battle on Had Abbadon. During his duel with Cade Skywalker, Stryfe was easily manipulated by Skywalker's taunts which infuriated him, and caused him to lose focus.

Powers and abilities
"I sense a whisper in the Force&hellip;"

- Darth Stryfe



Darth Stryfe wielded a single red-bladed lightsaber, and in combat he was known to attack his enemies with intense, raw power. While he was skilled enough to cut through hordes of rakghouls with ease, Stryfe was unable to defeat Cade Skywalker in a lightsaber duel. Unlike most of the One Sith, who carried coral-like hilts,  Stryfe's saber hilt was smooth and metallic. Apart from his skill with a lightsaber, Stryfe was also strong in the dark side of the the Force. He was capable of using the Force to telekinetically push his opponents, and like many of the One Sith,  Stryfe was proficient in the use of Force lightning, employing it against the rakghouls on Had Abbadon. He was also able to sense the presence of other beings from a great distance, sensing the Jedi hiding on Ossus from a Star Destroyer far above the planet.

Behind the scenes
Darth Stryfe was created by Jan Duursema for the Star Wars Legacy comics and has been featured as a minor role thus far, appearing in two issues of the story arc Claws of the Dragon and his promotion to Hand was mentioned in a flashback in Star Wars Legacy 27: Into the Core.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Legacy 16: Claws of the Dragon, Part 3
 * Star Wars Legacy 17: Claws of the Dragon, Part 4
 * Star Wars Legacy 27: Into the Core
 * Star Wars Legacy 30: Vector, Part 11
 * Star Wars Legacy 31: Vector, Part 12
 * Star Wars Legacy 34: Storms, Part 1