Galen Marek (Jedi Renaissance)

"I am a weapon of the Force, the light in the darkness and the shadow in the light. Robed in darkness and wielding the light, enemies of the Force shall be brought to justice."

- Galen Marek, member of the Jedi High Council

Galen Marek was a male Human Jedi Master and a famed member of the Jedi High Council during the Jedi Renaissance. A powerful Force-wielder and noted Jedi Shadow, Marek originated from the Wookiee home planet of Kashyyyk as the sole offspring of two Jedi Knights&mdash;Mallie and Kento Marek&mdash;who secretly gave birth to him during the Clone Wars. Following the conclusion of the war, Grand Master Tomac Moorcé reached an agreement with Marek's parents where he would be raised at the Order's academy on Ossus and later taken as the Grand Master's apprentice. Under the Grand Master's tutelage Marek became exceptionally strong in the Force and eventually took a seat on the Order's governing Council.

Early Years
Galen Marek was a Force-sensitive Human male and the son of Jedi Knights Kento Marek and Mallie Tila. Born with an extremely powerful connection to the Force, Marek's parents married in secret during the Clone Wars, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems which they continued to participate in until Tila became pregnant. As a result, they reluctantly deserted the Jedi Order and fled to the Outer Rim Territories and took up refuge on Kashyyyk briefly before the war came to a sudden close. Surprised by the news, the family traveled to the Republic's capital for the Conclave of Coruscant where it was announced that Tomac Moorcé was the new Grand Master and that the Order would begin a period of introspection and growth. Reporting to the Chamber of Judgement separately for evaluation by the Order's leaders, Kento Marek and his wife agreed to terms laid out by the new Grand Master: hand their son over for training in the Order's academy and they were free to marry and remain within the Order. To seal the deal Moorcé vowed to take on the young Galen Marek for training when he came of age and teach him to be one of the finest Jedi the Order had ever seen.

Separated from his Jedi parents, Marek entered into the academy on Coruscant briefly before being transferred with the rest of his clan to the new academy on Ossus to continue his training in 18 BBY. Once the Order settled in on Ossus, Marek began to stand out from his peers as an individual deeply immersed in the Force and a natural for calling on its power. Marek became fast friends with another student in his clan, the young Damon Carlyle and son of the notorious crime lord and bounty hunter Boon of the Underworld, and together they ran paces around their clan mates while gladly offering them advice and support. Well-liked and goodhearted, the pair became separable and considered to be an example for camaraderie among the other students. When the Apprentice Tournament of 7 BBY arrived, they dueled each other to a stalemate in the final round. Having just celebrated his thirteenth name day, Marek was expecting to be selected as an apprentice along with his friend but was astonished when the Grand Master himself chose him. Honored by the pick, Marek listened as Grand Master Moorcé explained that his apprenticeship would be long and rigorous, and labored by the fact that he was the apprentice of the Grand Master and thus would be held on a pedestal. Understanding the challenge, Marek agreed to the apprenticeship and accompanied his new master to the Grand Jedi Temple high above the city of Knossa in the Eocho Mountains.