Darth Contemnus

"They say the Echani are the deadliest warriors in the galaxy.''" "They say the same about the Mandalorians, master." "''No Mandalorian has ever wielded a lightsaber, fool."

- Darth Saevius and Xanthos, discussing Saevius's choice of apprentice

Acerbus Animus, later known and feared as the Darth Contemnus, was an  male. Born on the Echani homeworld of, Animus was discovered to be Force-sensetive by the when he was a year old and was subsequently taken to the  on  for training.

At the age of eleven, Animus was selected to be the of Jedi master Tern Kath, a. Animus flourished under Kath's guidance and became proficient with both a lightsaber and the Force. However, Kath could never quite eliminate the agressive fighting style that Animus used, and that Kath was sure stemmed from some hidden anger. As time went by, it became clear that Animus was one of the few Jedi, or Force-sensetives as a whole for that matter, who was able to wield a. Being a, Animus used a blue crystal in his lightsaber.

Animus and Kath went on several missions together, often landing themselves in danger. One of the most prolific of these was their Mission to Dacssion to where the two Jedi were called upon to settle a dispute between the  and the, which might have otherwise led to full-scale war.

Soon after Animus's knighting, the broke out. The had returned and invaded the galaxy in a series of lightning attacks that caught the, and the , completely off-guard. Before long, however, the Republic and the Jedi had both mobilized and had met the Empire in battle after battle. It was in that Animus was captured by the Sith.

Animus was taken to and tortured. However, instead of dying from the torture, Animus gave into his rage and broke free, slaughtering the keeping him prisoner. He eventually dueled Darth Saevius, who easily bested the young Jedi. Impressed by his show of skill and encouraged by Animus's giving in to his emotions, Saevius took Animus as one of two hopefuls, each competing with the other to become Saevius's apprentice.