Galen Marek was a Human male who was taken from his father on Kashyyyk after his father's death at the hands of the Dark Lord. Darth Vader took him as an apprentice, codenamed Starkiller, with the intention of using him to assassinate Vader's enemies and Jedi who had survived Order 66.
Biography[]
Little is known of Marek's training under Vader after his father's death. In 7 BBY, he was dispatched by his master to Nar Shaddaa to eliminate an unidentified Jedi Padawan who, in his desperation and despair, had sent out a distress signal. This was intended to be an easy assignment which would allow Marek to become accustomed to fighting real, rather than simulated, Jedi. Indeed, Marek dispatched the Padawan with little difficulty, but Vader had been unaware of the presence of the Jedi survivors Antara Chay, Moxx Vtos, Jarn Fanar and Frixo Crath on Nar Shaddaa. In response the Padawan's distress call, they arrived shortly after his death at the hands of Starkiller. Marek, seeing this as a chance to prove himself to Vader, attacked the four.
Fateful duel[]
Marek's sudden attack was enough to catch the Jedi off guard, allowing him to incapacitate Crath, the least experienced of the band. However, when he attempted to land a killing blow on the Rodian's unconscious form, his blow was intercepted by Vtos' lightsaber. While Marek was distracted, Fanar took his chance and used the Force to hurl him against a wall. Although wounded and in a great deal of pain, Marek struggled to his feet, summoned his fallen lightsaber and, filled with rage and hatred, leaped at Chay. However, this posed no challenge to the experienced Jedi Master, who deflected Marek's attack and decapitated him with one sweep of her lightsaber, bringing the budding Sith's life to an abrupt end.
Behind the scenes[]
Galen Marek's death was the event that produced the alternate timeline known as the Chay timeline. As a result of Marek's death, he was unable to bring together the Alliance to Restore the Republic in 2 BBY, causing events to pan out much differently to those in the 'regular' timeline seen in canonical media.