Galen Marek (EXE Universe)

"I have finally broken your hold over me. No longer will your presence haunt me. No longer will I suffer at your hands. No longer ... no longer will I be your pawn in your mindless game against the Emperor."

- Galen Marek against Darth Vader

Galen Marek was a Human Male. He once was the apprentice of Darth Vader. Born on Kashyyyk as the son of Kento and Mallie Marek, he was a son of two Jedi. Having separated themselves from the Jedi Order during and before the Clone Wars, they lived in peace until Order 66 was enacted by Palpatine.

Having lived for the first nine years on Kashyyyk with his parents, Galen lived in absolute peace during a time where he learned to know a Wookie friend named Aackbarrah. His parents would often forbid him from playing with Aackbarrah as the Wookie came from a family that fought in the Clone Wars on the Confederacy's side. Galen was unaware of the tensions between the Republic and the Confederacy but nevertheless obeyed his parents' request.

When the Confederacy lost the war and news reached Kento Marek of the betrayal of the Clone troops against their Jedi Commanders, Kento Marek swore to never bring his family in danger. Especially his son might be a big danger to the Empire. Galen, at that moment unaware what his potential in the Force is, simply thought his parents would no longer be showing tricks to him. Much changed after the first battle of Kashyyyk would take place where his father was forced into protecting a Wookie family.

As the battle of Kashyyyk raged on Mallie Marek kept Galen safe and away from the danger, however when Darth Vader appeared personally to bring the end to the Marek family, she would stand together with her husband against Vader. Galen, being told to hide, had no idea what would be in store for him. Vader mercilessly slaughtered his parents and then found out about Galen Marek. Galen unknowingly used his Force Potential to disarm Vader, but when Stormtroopers arrived, Vader shielded Galen from their attacks and brought him with him on his personal dreadnought. The last Galen Marek saw of Kashyyyk was Aackbarrah who watched him go in the ship.

Years of training followed. Galen was put through the most unbearable circumstances, fighting against Simulation Droids that perfected their copies of ancient and former Jedi Masters and Sith Lords. Then after fifteen years of training, Vader finally deemed him ready for his first real test. A living Jedi Master, one that survived Order 66, General Rahm Kota. For this mission he was awarded with again a new pilot, the tenth of them all, Captain Juno Eclipse.

Travelling to their first mission objective, Galen Marek, who was code-named Starkiller, entered the space station, a TIE Production Facility, which was attacked by Kota's militia. Having orders to kill both Militia members and Imperial troops, to keep his identity a secret, Galen Marek fought a way through the Station and in the end stood against Rahm Kota. Defeating him after a short fight, in a moment of weakness (after Kota revealed he had seen himself in Starkiller's future), Galen Marek allowed Kota to drop through the glass and disappear into the orbit of Balmorra. Having fulfilled his mission objective he returns to Vader, where he learns of Kazdan Paratus, another Jedi Master.

He travelled on board the Rogue Shadow to Raxus Prime and while they travelled, Juno and Starkiller got more friendly. Entering Raxus Prime's atmosphere, Starkiller invaded the territory of the junk droids Kazdan controlled through the Force and even destroyed Rodian Smugglers. Finally approaching Paratus, it took Starkiller little effort to defeat and kill him. Returning to the Executor, Vader's flagship, he got his next mission, finding and destroying a true Jedi Council Master, Shaak Ti. Travelling to Felucia, Juno briefed Starkiller on the mission target, saying Shaak Ti is of a different caliber then Paratus or Rahm Kota. On Felucia Galen Marek fought his way through Jungle Felucians that were loyal to Master Ti. Before he could approach Master Ti however, three Jungle Felucian Witches attacked him on mounted Rancors. With difficulty he heated them and approached Master Ti. Engaging her in a duel, Starkiller also had to deal with the Sarlacc Pit. Destroying Master Ti finally, Starkiller believed he was ready to face the Emperor side by side with Vader.

When returning to the Executor, Starkiller however found himself betrayed by Vader as the Emperor had arrived and ordered to kill Vader. Six months later, Starkiller woke up and Vader informs him through his droid PROXY that he was kept alive in order to set a plan into motion to defeat and bring down the Emperor. He must gather the Emperor's enemies and form a force strong enough to challenge and defeat the Emperor. Starkiller agreed to this mission, but when being told by PROXY to cut all ties to his past, he refuses to let Juno be killed by dumping the space station into the nearby sun. Saving Juno Eclipse and meeting up with PROXY on the Rogue Shadow, they set course for Bespin where Starkiller believes he can find the one who can help them, Rahm Kota.

Travelling to Bespin, and with Juno Eclipse at his side along with PROXY, Starkiller attempts to figure out how to proceed on. Under strict orders not to tell Juno Eclipse about his true mission, they land on Docking Bay 001 and Starkiller tells Juno to keep the engine running. Finding Rahm Kota on Bespin, Starkiller leads Rahm Kota out of the facility, but being ambushed by Imperial forces. Working his way back to the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller is annoyed by the way Rahm Kota acts. On the Rogue Shadow Starkiller learns Rahm Kota had a contact from within the Senate. The contact would be willing to help, but only if they rescue someone dear to him on Kashyyyk.

Arriving at Kashyyyk, Starkiller makes his way through Imperial installations and finds himself confronted by the hut where he was born. There he meets the Force Ghost of his father, who reminds him of his real name Galen Marek. Leaving with the information, Starkiller, now rechristened as Galen Marek, fights his way through the Imperial Compound and found the one he needed to save, Leia Organa. If she would join him at the Rogue Shadow, he had to take care of the Skyhook. Destroying the Skyhook and defeating Ozzik Sturn. Back on the Rogue Shadow Galen Marek finds out from Kota that his contact has gone dark and his last known location is Felucia.

On Felucia Galen Marek is confronted by Jungle Felucians strong in the Force, but the planet has fallen to the Dark Side after the fall of Master Ti. Fighting his way through the native forces, Galen Marek finally confronts the leader of the Felucians and former apprentice of Shaak Ti, Maris Brood. Galen Marek is confronted by a Jungle Rancor, the pet of Maris Brood. Defeating both, Galen Marek spares Maris Brood, warning that if she ever crosses his path again, he won't be that merciful. This is his first act of redemption.

Seeking a first strike against the Empire, PROXY and Juno deviced a plan to attack the Star Destroyer Shipyard above Raxus Prime. Invading the Imperial facilities was an easy task for Galen Marek. Before he could enter the mainframe of the facilities, he had to take care of a couple of orbital cannons protecting the facility. When he finally did that, Juno reported that PROXY had left the ship without notice. Galen believes he knows what PROXY is doing and thereby engages PROXY on a lower level against his primary function, killing Galen Marek. Galen however overpowers PROXY's various forms and even Darth Maul's simulation and chooses to spare him. However as Galen Marek launches the orbital cannons to destroy the shipyard, one Star Destroyer falls out of the sky and towards the planet, towards Galen. With guidance of Rahm Kota, Galen Marek manages to pull it out of the sky, while simultaneously take down squadrons of TIE Fighters,

Now finally assembled, Bail Organa, Kota's contact, and his various allies prepare to fight the Galactic Empire heads on. However their meeting is interrupted by Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers of the 501st. Galen Marek feels betrayed when Vader tells him he was always a pawn in the game of Vader and the Emperor, only being used to rally the enemies of the Empire to annihilate them at the end. PROXY and Galen Marek attempt to make one final stand against Vader, however he overpowers both, leaving Galen Marek and PROXY for death. Juno eventually picks them up and they trace the delegacy's steps to the Death Star's construction site.

Going in stealthy, Juno manages to maneuver the Rogue Shadow into the proximity of the Death Star, allowing Galen Marek to get in. However this does not go unnoticed as troops have gathered to face Galen Marek heads on. Galen Marek and Juno finally share a kiss together, before he drops in. Fighting his way through the Death Star, Galen Marek eventually encounters Vader before the throne room and fights him. In a vicious battle of Force Powers and lightsaber combat, Galen Marek bests his old master and finally ends up in the throne room.

Darth Sidious attempts to lure him to the Dark Side, by encouraging him to kill Vader, however Galen Marek resists this and refuses to kill him (his second act of redemption). Rahm Kota takes the opportunity to attack Darth Sidious with his own lightsaber. Asked for help by Bail Organa, Galen Marek attacks Darth Sidious as well, but loses the battle. When Juno moves in to get the group out, Darth Sidious attacks one last time, but Galen Marek intercepts, holding him at bay while the group escapes. Finally in an explosion of the Force, Galen Marek dies and gives the rebels a way out. In his honor Bail Organa, Leia Organa and the others use his crest as the symbol of the Rebellion.

Not much later however certain events would lead to Starkiller returning to the Galaxy.

Galactic Wake Up Call
"Kill her and fulfill your role on my side once more."

- Darth Vader against Starkiller

A little to six months after the death of Galen Marek aboard the Death Star, Vader had begun a secret cloning project, to attempt and resurrect the fallen Secret Apprentice, this time without the perks of his former apprentice. Every clone that came from the cloning tanks on Kamino either fell to madness or was slaughtered by Vader himself. Darth Vader urged the Kaminoan scientists to continue doing research on creating a stable clone that will join him at his side.

One day, chief cloner Lama Su contacted Vader with the news that they were succesfull in creating a seemingly stable clone, who has been held in containment for the past 21 days. Returning to Kamino, Vader confronted the clone in the cloning chamber, immediately beginning his first test. Calling him the offspring of a failed man, Vader sought to find out whether the clone had any memories of Galen Marek left. The clone however proved to Vader he was capable of shedding of the perks of Galen Marek and was released.

When Vader however unleashed a group of Holo Droids on him (built like PROXY) who created images of Rebel Soldiers, the clone was given a set of two lightsabers, of which one was the lightsaber Galen Marek previously used and orders to take down the Rebels. As he fought them, being very good in fighting with dual light sabers, the clone encountered an image of Juno Eclipse, starting to get memory flashes from what happened to the real Galen Marek. In the end when Vader commands the clone to kill the droid posing as Juno Eclipse, the clone is unable to because of the memory flashes.

Vader recons the clone a failure as well and goes in for the kill. The clone (henceforth known as Starkiller), however retaliates, stopping Vader and jumping out of the window to his escape. On his way down, Starkiller uses Force Lightning and Force Push to blast TIE Fighters out of the sky, before finally landing in the below area. Easily dispatching the upcoming Imperial forces, Starkiller fights his way through the nearby area's, seeking a way off the planet, haunted by frequent visions of his past life with Juno and Rahm Kota.

Attracted however by a powerfull whisper in the Force, Starkiller searches the facility and ends up in a circular room, where he finds a body hanging in the magnetic chains. It is a body very similar to him. Starkiller realizes that it is in fact Galen Marek, the genetic template from where he was created. Trying to reach into the body's memories, Starkiller however discoveres the information he seeks. He must find Rahm Kota and also learns of his genetic template's attachment to the Wookie warrior Aackbarrah.

Escaping to the platform where Vader's TIE was waiting, Starkiller dispatches the imperial forces waiting for him, destroying even a few incinerator droids and AT-ST's. Vader is unable to prevent Starkiller from escaping from Kamino in his ship and therefore Starkiller plots a course to Cato Neimoida, hoping to find Rahm Kota there. Vader however is joined by a secondary clone of Galen Marek, another perfect but not affected by the memories of the past, the Dark Apprentice. Vader commands the Dark Apprentice to track Starkiller, but not to undertake action against him. He may not realize the truth. The Dark Apprentice agrees and sees how Starkiller leaves the orbit.

Cate Neimoida and the rescue of an old friend
Starkiller plots his course to Cato Neimoida to find and free General Rahm Kota. Once he arrives at the planet, he is confronted by Baron Tarko, who thought he would be meeting Vader here instead of Starkiller. Trying to concieve Tarko by saying he is here on orders by Vader, Baron Tarko however puts him in a string when he asks for the access codes of this sector, which obviously Starkiller doesn't know. Baron Tarko does mention that the Jedi Prisoner is held in the Tarko-se Arena. Dispatching more troops, Baron Tarko leaves and Starkiller is forced to fight his way of the platform.

As he encounters a set of Imperial Saber Guards, after defeating them, Starkiller finds out the Saber Guards are actually like him as well, clones of the original Galen Marek. Starkiller wonders if there are any more perfect clones of Galen Marek and decides to go and find Rahm Kota. Unbeknownst to him however, a second ship lands on a different platform and the Dark Apprentice steps out of it, contacting Darth Vader by holomessage, saying he has arrived on Cato Neimoida.

Starkiller makes his way to the lower level of Cato Neimoida encounters a few former Confederacy Battle Droids in service of Baron Tarko. Destroying them easily he attempts to find out more about the Tarko-se Arena where Rahm Kota is being held by Baron Tarko, but this is to no avail. Continueing on, Starkiller is being pursued by two Nemesis-class gunships, both under orders to prevent Starkiller from reaching the arena at all costs. After destroying the hovertrain on which Starkiller was to get to the arena and thereby slaying many passengers, the Nemesis-class gunships retreat after being severely damaged by Starkiller's display of Force Powers.

After barely making it to the hanging city, Starkiller is tracked by the Dark Apprentice from afar. To get into the arena however, Starkiller must fight his way through the underground casino's. Here he hears chatter of various Rebel losses around the Core. He also learns that Baron Tarko was behind the capture of a Wookie camp, again making Starkiller relive a memory of him assaulting the Kashyyyk skyhook. Finally finding his way out of the casino's, Starkiller finds a way to the arena.

"You can sit this one out, general."

- Starkiller against Rahm Kota

There he meets with General Rahm Kota, who is not entirely surprised to see his former apprentice being alive. Rahm Kota, being tired out by the battles he had fought in the arena, is overjoyed and when Baron Tarko orders for the Gorog to be released, despite being warned that the arena is not yet tested for the Gorog, Starkiller takes Kota's place. However at first he is encountered by a Rancor. Believing this is it, Starkiller charges at him, however from the ground a much larger hand grabs the Rancor and slowly the immense Gorog enters the arena.

Starkiller is slammed back by the immense beast but quickly regains his composure as he launches a barrage of lightning at the beast. Rahm Kota supports him by taking down incoming Stormtroopers and informs Starkiller that by restraining Gorog with his magnetic cuffs, he might have a bigger chance of surviving the encounter. Doing so, it indeed gives Starkiller an edge over the Gorog. When he finally had caught them both by the restraints, Starkiller managed to slice off a metal plate on the head of the Gorog, making it even more furious. At that moment one of the supports of the arena gives away and falls halfway. Starkiller pushes the Gorog into destroying the other two, while making it safe to the Baron's box.

Rahm Kota was fighting the Baron and Imperial troops there when Starkiller arrives, dispatching the Imperial troops with ease. When Starkiller was about to assault Baron Tarko, the Gorog broke through the window and grabbed the baron smashing it into the far depth. At that moment by the Imperial fire and Starkiller's force barrage, the Gorog loses control and falls into the depth as well. However as it falls, it takes Rahm Kota with it and Starkiller is forced to go after him in free fall. Using debris and rocks to weaken the Gorog, the Gorog finally releases Kota and Starkiller weakens it enough by Force Lightning to give it a final blow, killing it.

Wondering how they get out of the free fall, Kota signals the stand by Rogue Shadow, who comes to pick them both up in mid flight. Starkiller rushes into the Rogue Shadow's cockpit hoping to find Juno there, however Kota explains to him how Juno was separated from him during a mission, not officially sanctioned by the Rebel Alliance. He then begins about how lucky the Alliance is to have Galen Marek back, but Starkiller tells Kota he is not Galen Marek, he is just a clone.

"My dear boy ... a Jedi cannot be cloned."

- Rahm Kota to Starkiller

Starkiller once again tells him he is not Galen Marek. He was born on Kamino. Rahm Kota confirms that he saw Galen Marek disappear in a beacon of light and that the body was left behind, but he remains sure, you cannot clone a Jedi. He believes Starkiller is actually Galen Marek. Rahm Kota says they don't have the time to argue about that. Now is the time to strike and with the one who was the cause of the creation, the Rebel Alliance will have a good chance. Starkiller refuses and says he wants to find himself. Kota yells at him for getting his responsibilities and emotions mixed up, yet he gives Starkiller the idea to find himself in a rather unusual place, Dagobah. Starkiller just needs to drop him off at the spaceport and he'll catch a ride to the Rebel Alliance.

Dagobah and the Former Jedi Master
Starkiller, after an argument with Kota, sets course for Dagobah where he hopes to learn more of his past and the mysteries surrounding his return. Having unknowingly eluded the Dark Apprentice, by dropping Kota at Malastare, Starkiller goes to the planet of Dagobah. He feels a strong presence within the Force there and therefore he lands. Dressing himself in survival gear he sets of in the planet's wilderness, soon finding himself in front of a cave guarded by an ominous green small being.

"Brought you here, the galaxy has. Your path clearly this is."

- Yoda against Starkiller

The being warns him that if Starkiller continues on into this cave, he may not like what he finds. It will show him neither the future nor the answers he seek. Starkiller concludes this cave is shrouded in the Dark Side of the Force. The green being agrees, but Starkiller enters nevertheless. Inside the cave he is confronted by images of himself, being trapped in the webs of Vader and the Emperor. Starkiller closes his mind to it, but then encounters an image of himself destroying Darth Vader and rising at the side of the Emperor.

In the middle of the cave he breaks down because of what he had just seen. He believes he was truly a puppet of Vader and the Emperor. One by one the images of the killing or apparent death of Rahm Kota, Shaak Ti and Kazdan Paratus come past. Starkiller grabs his head in agony, trying to stop the haunting images of the Jedi Masters from invading his mind or turn him into a lunatic. He hears the voices of Vader and an unknown being, representing the dark and the light side of the Force.

"Yoda: Death is a natural part of life Darth Vader: Foolishly you hold to hope for the life you once had Yoda: Let go of everything you fear to lose, you must Darth Vader: You think you have a purpose, a destiny... Yoda: Uncertain and fearful you are Darth Vader: You are but a shadow of your former self Yoda: Confused you have become Darth Vader: Weak and misguided... Yoda: Hide not from yourself Darth Vader: Accept the certainty... Yoda: Confront your fear Darth Vader: ...that all is lost Juno Eclipse: Will I ever see you again?"

- Darth Vader, Yoda and Juno Eclipse against Starkiller in the Cave

The final voice within the cave breaks the Dark Side's hold over Starkiller. He recognized the voice, the voice that comforted him when they fought the Empire. He also knew that in his beliefs of himself being a clone of the real Galen Marek, might prove to be untrue now. He started to doubt himself and the truth again and therefore the voices started again. There was one bright spot though he kept himself to, Juno.

As he continued through the cave, he found himself facing a hallucination of an armored Sith Warrior that struck innocent people and other sentient beings. That Sith Warrior then changed into himself, before entirely disappearing, making place for something that looked like a bridge of a ship. And there she was, there Starkiller saw Juno Eclipse again. He now fully remembered her. And he saw how she was attacked by shadowy warriors and a bounty hunter Boba Fett. As Juno was struck, Starkiller attempted to reach to her, but she disappeared revealing the illusion.

"Uncertain the future is ... what you have seen, not what may happen, it is. The future, always changing, it is."

- Final words of Yoda against Starkiller

Leaving the cave, Starkiller knew this was what he had to do. He had to prevent Juno from falling victim to the bounty hunter and his troops. The green being spoke to him and gave him advice to consider what he had seen to be truth and not just an illusion. Starkiller knew he had to find Juno and for finding Juno and possibly more clues to his past, he would require Rahm Kota for the location of the Rebel fleet.

Reunited with Aackbarrah
After having been involved with former Jedi Grand Master Yoda, Starkiller plans on going back to the fleet and prevent Juno from falling. He is however distracted by a distress signal coming from Kashyyyk. A very familiar distress signal to him, but he can't remember why. The planet calls out to him for reasons unknown to him. Far in his memory he sparks something that makes him remember the name Aackbarrah, his genetic template's Wookie friend.

Arriving on Kashyyk, Starkiller runs into a group of Wookie hunters. He has to stop them in order not to unveil his location to the local Imperial base. Luring the Wookie hunters into a trap, Starkiller is recognized as a member of the former Republic's Jedi representatives. They mistake him for his father. Being trapped by the Wookie hunters now, they plan to deliver him to the Imperial base, as a huge bounty has been set on his head and the Wookies live in slavery under the Empire.