THE SAGA OF REVAN
In keeping with the Micro-Hero of the Day,
Do you know The Saga of Revan?
Revan is an expanded universe character with an expansive history. He first appeared in the Knights of the Old Republic video game but soon found his way into the books, comics, and the history of the expanded universe itself.
As with a lot of the expanded universe, some of Revan's story is very good and some is not so good, so I present to you my version of his story which differs somewhat from the official history (if you want his official story, go check out wikipedia and you can compare which is better: my history or the official version.)
The Saga of Revan
Nearly 4,000 years before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, a warrior race known as the Mandalorians began raiding worlds on the edge of the galaxy. The Jedi Order insisted on staying out of the war, feeling that the true threat had not yet revealed itself. Many younger Jedi were unwilling to wait as the Mandalorians assaulted planet after planet, and so Tyco Revan and his friend Porus Malak organized a force of rebellious Jedi Knights to assist the Republic in defeating the Mandalorians. Many Jedi felt inspired by the charismatic Revan, and so they joined him. Revan proved to be not only one of the most powerful Jedi in history, but also a master tactician. Revan was consistently able to outmaneuver and overwhelm the enemy both in space and on the ground. Around the conclusion of the Mandalorian Wars, Revan fought Mandalore th Ultimate (the Mandalorian leader) in a grueling battle. Revan won, killing Mandalore, and thus struck a crippling blow to the Mandalorian war effort.
Revan returned to Coruscant as a hero of the Republic but was still dissillusioned by the Jedi Council who refused to make him a member of the Jedi Council. Revan’s anger began to build and it was then that Traya (a Sith spy) lured his best friend Malak to the Dark Side and the fateful duel with Malek's own Jedi Master, Kylo Spartos where Malak’s jaw was severed and Revan came to the aid of his friend and cut down Spartos without mercy. Traya then engineered an escape for Revan and they took Malak to Korriban in the Unknown Regions.
On Korriban, Revan became Darth Revan and began a rise through the power structure of the Sith hierarchy. At this time, the Sith were ruled by a very wise but corpulant Sith Lord named Darth Craterus. As part of his Sith training, Revan was sent by Darth Craterus into the wastelands of Korriban to find the Kyber Crystal. This was a traditional journey of all Sith apprentices, although none ever found the crystal but proved themselves in able to survive the wastelands which were populated by all manner of monsters and predators. During the search Revan discovered a hidden cave in the wilderness that contained a battle suit of crimson armor which he donned (it is unknown the origin of the armor but it is believed that it belonged to some ancient Sith who hid it to escape detection or use) becoming body and soul, Darth Revan. Darth Craterus “adopted” Darth Revan as his apprentice and by doing so hastened his own death as Darth Revan soon cut him down and installed himself on the Throne of Sadow (the Sith Throne of Power on Korriban). Revan made Darth Malak his heir and apprentice and claimed the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. Darth Revan then unleashed the Great Sith War upon the Republic.
After his corruption, Revan took ships beyond the known galaxy in search of an ancient artifact, known as the Star Forge. For several years prior to the war, Revan and Malak had been researching artifacts in reference to this powerful Star Forge. They discovered that it had the ability to destablize stars and cause them to release massive amounts of radiation on their planetary systems causing devastating damage to those planets and in some cases causing the stars to go nova. The Sith built a huge fleet to follow Revan to war and attacked the Republic. Gathered around Revan were his apprentice, Darth Malak, and Malek's mate Darth Traya along with her younger brother Darth Bandon (who was secretly scheming with Darth Malak to assume power) and the traitorous Republic Admiral Saul Karath aboard the flagship Leviathan which housed the Star Forge itself.
The reinvigorated Sith won battle after battle, until a young Jedi named Bastila Shan, whom, many years before during the Mandalorian Wars, Revan had had a relationship with, entered the fray with her Battle Meditation. This rare and powerful Force ability increased the combat effectiveness of the Old Republic's forces and sapped the will of enemy combatants. Even with this power, however, the Old Republic's forces knew that they could not hold out forever against the Sith. In a desperate attempt to end the war, the Old Republic set a trap for Revan and Malak known as The Battle of the Star Forge, during which Bastila and a team of Jedi boarded Revan's flagship and managed to corner the Dark Lord on the bridge.
Thought by many to be the most powerful Sith Lord of all time, it is likely that Revan would have defeated Bastila and her Jedi strike force. In fact, Juhani (Revan’s former padawan and also in love with Revan) engaged Revan and while he tempted her with the dark side, she tried to turn him back to the good side of the Force. Revan was forced to cut down his padawan which shook his resolve but then he spied Malak attacking Bastila in personal combat but before he could kill her, Revan stopped him and Malak barely escaped with his life as Revan rejoined the good side of the Force.
Malak continued the war with the Republic but now he faced his former Sith master who hunted him down relentlessly. During the course of the war, Revan met and killed Darth Bandon, Darth Traya’s younger brother and Malak’s new apprentice (who also had designs on becoming the Dark Lord), and in revenge Darth Traya trapped Bastila Shan and killed her in a fierce light-saber duel before being killed by Revan herself once again flirting dangerously with the dark side of the Force.
Finally in the Battle of Rakata Prime, atop an ancient Rakatan temple, Revan again confronted his old friend and apprentice, Malak, in an epic lightsaber duel and at last, Malak was cut down by his old friend.
With the war over and the loss of his love and best friend, Revan, feeling responsible for all the misery he had caused to the galaxy, disappeared exactly one year after the conclusion of the war for the Outer Rim territories never to be heard from again (c. 3955 BBY). It is speculated that he returned to Korriban to combat the Sith on their homeworld and was somehow killed but nothing is known of his fate.
And so ended the Saga of Revan
A few years ago, I stumbled on a fan fiction story of Revan and I took it and started editing it to more conform to my history. Here is an excerpt from that story detailing when Revan first met Bastila Shan:
Revan slowly felt a fire within him. One that did not burn from the wound in his abdomen. Two deep brown eyes looked out from a face that radiated power as a deep scowl lit his face under a mane of blond hair that could, at times, reflect the light of the sun, illuminating the face into what had been likened to an angel. Now, though, it looked more like a lion, as he realized it was hatred that was burning within him. He did not hate the Mandalorians that had committed so many atrocities which according to their code of honor were acts of deserved vengeance. What he hated was something much less obvious.
Revan hated the Jedi Council. Each and every last one of the Twelve Masters. None of them knew what it was like on the battlefield. None had fought against the Mandalorians, had seen the ravaged worlds they left in their wake and all for some warrior code and glory. The ones that had fought, were so detached from what was going on to even recall what it had been like and scolded him in a condescending manner as to the evils of fighting.
"I hate them."
Revan struggled for his words as his vision darkened. He painfully shook his head as he looked down to the blood flowing freely from his stomach. How could they be so blind. The Mandalorians were slaughtering worlds to goad them into an attack. The Mandalorians wanted to fight the Jedi, so why keep them waiting? Revan knew that in a way he was giving the Mandalorians what they wanted, but what were his alternatives? To let another Cathar happen? He thought momentarily of his padawan, Juhani of Cathar and wondered if she was involved in the attack now happening all around him. He had seen the worlds the Mandalorians ravaged as a young Padawan, being sent on missions with his Master Kreia until she had finally had enough and left the order to try to help those worlds. He was later taken by Master Zhar and the Twilek had quickly proclaimed his ready for the trials of Knighthood. Revan's thoughts drifted to his friend, Malak and he wondered if his companion was here now, looking for him. He had known the tall Jedi Knight since they were both children and they had been like brothers, always causing trouble and always doing something to gain the ire of the Jedi Masters. A short laugh escaped Revan as he relived his childhood antics with his friend before his consciousness slipped and he fell to the peace that darkness offered him.
Revan awoke in a Kolto tank. His eyes burned as they made contact with the thick fluid and he panicked momentarily until the soreness of his body made him think otherwise. The Kolto drained and the mask that fed him oxygen slowly dropped away as he stood shakily in the empty cylinder. A hiss sounded as the glass casing lifted away and he was greeted by the face of a young Republic nurse. The woman smiled warmly as she bowed. "It is good to see you conscious, Commander Revan."
She greeted him with his Republic rank as she pulled a small scanner and ran it over his body. Revan frowned as the unpleasant and bitter smell of the Kolto hit his nose. The young nurse laughed as she saw this and set the scanner to the side.
"It looks like you've made a full recovery", she said cheerfully, too cheerfully for Revan's liking.
"How many..." Revan finally asked in a raspy voice, ignoring the nurse's confused frown.
"How many what, Commander?" the nurse asked in slight concern.
A deep voice answered behind her, earning a startled yelp from the young woman.
"Forty Jedi and five thousand men." Malak answered in a somber tone.
The young nurse's carefree and happy expression instantly switched to a sad and solemn one as the two Jedi continued their conversation.
“Juhani? The others?”
“They are well. Our number is small but our little band remains intact.” Malak answered speaking of the original twelve that rallied around Revan when he proposed to go to war. Of these twelve only six remained including Malak and Revan’s Cathar padawan, Juhani.
"Why didn't you just bomb it from orbit" Revan asked as he swallowed, ignoring the dryness in his throat and the crack in his voice.
Malak looked at Revan for a moment, frowning.
"We needed you, Revan. You are a symbol for all the Jedi that follow you and the victory on Dxun would not have happened without you. You led us to their hidden fortress, we felt you through the Force and planned for a week on the assault." Malak answered, some annoyance in his tone.
"I'm not worth it, Porus." Revan answered after a moment's pause using Malak’s first name. Malak gave an uneasy laugh.
"Tyco, my friend, it’s not up to us."
Revan smiled slightly at the joke. It was in fact, not up to them. By decree of the Jedi Order, all the Jedi that had joined Revan to fight, or had gathered on Taris were cast out of the Order and treated as exiles. The Senate controlled nearly all actions within the Republic military, making their actions ineffective and dangerously slow.
"Where am I and how long has it been" Revan asked after clearing his thoughts of his increasing annoyance at the Senate and the Jedi Council.
The answer he received caused him to look at his friend as if he were mad.
"Dantooine?" Revan asked incredulously, his voice taking on its old sound.
Malak nodded, unable to hold in his devious grin.
"I thought that when you recovered, you'd like to speak at the Jedi Enclave. We could always use the support..." Malak added as he looked at his friend.
Revan nodded, taking a deep breath.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to shower and speak with the men."
The nurse had no objections, though she told the young Jedi and Republic Commander to rest. Revan brushed her warning away and conversed with the fleet commanders, pleased to hear that the Jedi and Republic had seemed to rally after hearing of his capture and the sad state he was found in. It seemed the Senate had approved his official status as a fleet commander and had incorporated the thousands of Jedi that had rallied behind Revan into their ranks. The Senate had ordered Revan to take two weeks of Recovery on Dantooine, which the young Jedi fervently protested. Malak had calmed Revan, commenting that his generals were not imbeciles and that the Republic wouldn't fall in two weeks. Revan had relented reluctantly and spent the first day of his forced vacation going over fleet movements and casualty reports. After only two days of going over the intelligence, Revan decided it was useless. The Mandalorians seemed to attack randomly, without any structure in their attacks. The assaults always brought panic to the Republic forces. Revan knew the Mandalorians used fear as their ally, it aided them just as much as their prowess in battle and their ability to remain cool and composed, stoic and detached from the horrors they unleashed on the battlefield brought a whole new meaning to the term, 'There is no Emotion.' Revan took one last look at the pile of datapads and holocrons before shaking his head, he'd have to restructure the entire Republic military and he'd have to find some way to incorporate the Jedi into those changes. Many would find it strange that a twenty year old man would be running the Republic's war effort, but Revan was no ordinary young man. The Jedi Knight had been a prodigy since he had joined the Order, absorbing all the techniques he was taught and drilling himself until he executed them with perfection. Revan was also frighteningly brilliant when it came to complex strategies and even subtle subterfuge. His ability to solve problems was almost legendary amongst his peers when he was a Padawan. He did not know what had driven him to fight the Mandalorians, he had to admit it did give him a thrill, a rush of adrenaline to fight, but he could do the same as a Jedi. He had tried to convince himself that he fought to uphold the Republic, but after only nine months in the war, Revan soon realized there was little to no strength in the Republic. They relied on numbers and leaned on the Jedi like a crutch. The young Jedi Knight found it pathetic to think about at times and soon threw his thoughts to recruiting more Jedi to fight along side him.
The sentiment in the Jedi Order to aid the Republic was vast, but never acknowledged. The Jedi Council's word was law and the Council began teaching their students to forsake all emotions. Compassion, love, anger, hate. They all seemed to lead to the darkside according to the Council. Though his professionalism as a Jedi was unmistakable, Revan often had his disagreements with the Jedi Council as to their slow response to the Mandalorian threat. All through his short life, the Mandalorians had burned the Outer Rim and the Jedi as well as the Republic ignored this. After seeing first hand what the Mandalorians did to those worlds, Revan began to speak out, unknowingly drawing other Jedi to him. The young man was charismatic and passionate when it came to his speeches and he could draw in hundreds to listen to him speak. Some even thought that Revan could persuade a Wookiee that he was an Ewok. The Jedi had split, as the Council feared. Going into battle against the Mandalorian threat only after they had burned through the Republic. Many individual Jedi had joined the Republic to fight the Mandalorians, but alone they were ineffective. Revan had somehow managed to convince thousands of Jedi to flock to the Republic in what many viewed as their darkest hour while the Jedi Council preached out against the evils of embracing war and fighting. Revan sneered as he thought of the countless arguments he had with the Council and in particular with the leader of the council, one of his former masters, Dorak, as to the morality of inaction. To do nothing was to allow the destruction to go on. All he had heard from the Council to back their decree were excuses, excuses that help little to no basis. The Jedi would vaguely comment on a hidden darkness or would speak cryptically as to the involvement of the Sith and how they needed to remain strong.
"How could they not see" Revan snarled aloud as he walked the silent halls of the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine. "How can they not see that we weaken ourselves and invite destruction with pacifism."
Revan found that his fists were clenched into tight balls and that his footsteps were beginning to become unusually heavy. He had not taken the young Republic nurse's advice to rest and instead had spent the five days that had passed since his awakening catching up on what he had missed and going over what could be changed.
"Its not as if I have a choice! Who else is going to handle things? The Senate? They are too busy stuffing their faces and their pockets with credits to see what is going on. The Council? They are too afraid to do anything. Fear leads to the darkside... hypocrites."Revan growled as his face twisted in his anger. The whites of his eyes were nearly obscured by the bloodshot scarlet that shot through them. In contrast to his dark brown eyes against the red, Revan appeared menacing and it was no surprise that the few Jedi that passed by did not intrude on his dark thoughts. Even as a young boy, Revan had what some would call a traumatic life. No one had talked about it and no one really knew. Kreia, the Jedi Knight who had found Revan and had been his first Jedi Master, had never spoken of where she had found the boy who seemed to surpass any problem that crossed his path, all the Jedi knew was that there was a scar on the boy, a pain that seemed to rest within the Force. It was almost frightening that one so strong in the Force was not found until he was five years of age, but the Jedi ignored the implications, seeing his skills as a gift. It was strange to the Jedi that this boy, even young as he was and from whatever origins he possessed did not anger quickly or act rashly. Stranger still was his fervent belief that the Jedi should meet the Mandalorians head on and the anger that seemed to show itself after so many years of being denied. Revan had always been difficult at times when he disagreed with something, difficult as in he voiced his disagreement, but for him to physically take action was something that totally shocked the Jedi Masters.
Revan closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, calming his mind with the power of The Force.
The fact that he shared much of the Mandalorian's belief in honor and glory and that the fighting seemed to boil in his blood was almost enough to drive him mad in the peaceful surroundings. His life until joining the Order had been a battle, difficult and unforgiving. He had developed an appreciation for that struggle in his childhood and the gap that formed during his time in the peaceful surroundings of the Jedi Order was what drove him, what drove him to be the best, the strongest and the smartest. If he could not prove himself on the battlefield, he would prove himself through his actions. Revan was so absorbed in his thoughts, that he did not notice the young girl walking directly towards him, immersed in a datapad. The Jedi Knight nearly tripped over the short child and let out a surprised 'oof' as he staggered and looked down into two burning azure pools. Revan was so transfixed on the two burning blue fires that he did not hear the indignant comment the girl threw at him or feel the girl's annoyance. All he saw were those eyes. The eyes were as blue as the oceans of Manaan, or the sky above Tatooine and they held an anger and pain that he felt almost mirrored his own pain and frustrations. The girl was fourteen or fifteen from what Revan saw when he was finally drawn away from her burning eyes by a finger jabbing into his chest.
"I said you could at least apologize for not watching where you were going" the girl snapped in a rich and cultured core accent that Revan guessed was from either Talravin or Alderaan. Blinking several times, Revan looked over the girl and frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry, Padawan. I should be more mindful in the future... but one has to wonder why you were not watching where you were going."
Revan felt a grin quirk on the edges of his mouth as the girl flushed bright red and stammered an apology as she realized he was a Jedi Knight by the dark Jedi robes he wore. Revan laughed internally as he noticed the underlying frustration that was radiating from the young girl.
"There is no need to apologize young one."
She did indeed seem young despite the anger that seemed to be boiling under the girl's surface. Revan took a moment to look over the girl, noting her light brown hair that, much like his own, was full and flowing and the ridiculously tight outfit the girl wore.
"Not exactly standard Jedi robes" Revan commented, nearly bursting into laughter as the girl flushed even more. Revan offered the girl a bow, turning his head upward as a devious grin lit his face.
"I apologize for not watching where I was going, Milady. I hope I did not harm you with my carelessness."
A small smile played on the girl's face though she was still flushed and she returned the bow.
"I must be off to the auditorium now though, Padawan..." Revan said. The young girl's eyes widened slightly when she realized she had still not introduced herself and had scolded a Jedi Knight as if he were an initiate.
"Of- of course, sorry Master. By the way, may name is Shan, Bastila Shan."
Revan smiled as he bowed once more.
"A pleasure to meet you, Padawan Shan, though I hope our next meeting will not be as dramatic."
Bastila giggled softly as she made a motion to retrieve her fallen datapad. Revan used the Force to lift the datapad and examined it for a moment, raising an eyebrow and looking at the girl.
"Battle Meditation? Aren't you a little young to be studying such an advanced technique" Revan asked in a genuinely curious voice.
Battle Meditation was nearly unheard of within the Order and only the most powerful of Jedi Masters could even begin to use the advanced technique to any effective level. A small frown lit Bastila's face as she looked to the ground.
"My Master says I show great potential in that technique... though I find it difficult. It is just so..."
"Frustrating" Revan said quietly.
Bastila looked up at him and nodded, the small frown deepening.
"Yes, Master Bindo can be quite... pushy when it comes to learning a technique."
Revan suddenly burst into laughter, holding his side as he fought for breath. Pausing for a moment, Revan took in the genuinely confused face of the young Padawan and the datapad still in his hand and fell into another fit of laughter. Bastila's confusion turned to anger as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at the young Jedi Knight before her that seemed to find so much humor in her plight.
"And what may I ask do you find so humourous, Knight" Bastila hissed, causing Revan to cease his laughter and stiffen as he blinked several times at her. Taking a steadying breath, Revan shook his head as he handed the datapad to Bastila, who snatched it angrily.
"Its just that Battle Meditation is... well... unheard of for anyone who doesn't have more than three digits to their age. And if I know Master Bindo he is probably going on and on about how simple it should be for you to Master such a 'trivial' technique."
Bastila was silent for a moment, not knowing if she should take offense to the blatant disrespect for her Master or to laugh at the irony of his statement since that was indeed how Master Jolee Bindo had commented on her inability to perfect her Battle Meditation. After a moment of deliberation, Bastila decided to let the comment slide, choosing to sate her own curiosity.
"You said you are on your way to the auditorium... are you going to listen to Revan speak"
At this innocent question, Revan could barely contain his laughter or the grin that fought to play on his face.
"Actually I was planning to see if I could talk some sense into a few of the Jedi there." Revan commented cryptically, enjoying the sudden lighthearted nature of the conversation, something he was definitely missing in recent months.
"Padawan" A harsh voice scolded, cutting into the peace that had momentarily taken hold over Revan. Revan sighed, no longer amused by the mortification in Bastila's features. Revan frowned and gave Bastila an apologetic look before beginning to walk away.
"Where do you think you are going, Exile" Jedi Master Vrook Lamar all but snarled to Revan's back. Revan stopped and stiffened in reply, turning slowly so his eyes met Vrook's. He did not hate the man because of his attitude, or because of who he was, Revan hated the man because he was a member of the Jedi Council and was likely the most short-sighted of all of them.
"Exile"
Bastila thought in shock as she looked to the young man she had been speaking with for an explanation. The way the man carried himself was the same way a Jedi Master did, the confidence and skill seemed to scream at her as she looked on his young and handsome features. Revan sneered slightly as he looked into Vrook's eyes, satisfied when he noted the unnerved shift in the Jedi Master's as he looked back.
"I am going to speak with my peers, Master Lamar." Revan replied formally and in a detached manner that seemed to enrage the Jedi Master further.
"You are not supposed to be here, Revan."
Bastila paled at the mention of the Jedi's name, she turned to see the young man's handsome but stern features shift to a stony glare. She had never seen such disrespect for a Jedi Master and yet she had never seen a Jedi Master so angry, even when the young man seemed to invite the Master's ire. Revan smiled suddenly, catching Vrook and Bastila off guard.
"I suppose you don't like me intruding on your turf" Revan commented, struggling to not escalate the slowly heating argument.
Vrook sighed wearily as he brushed his hand over his face, looking at the outcast Jedi Knight.
"You made your decision when you went to war, Revan. You cannot be here."
"I never agreed to be cast aside and treated like a plague, Master" Revan snarled.
The frustration within him was slowly building as he glared at the older man, almost begging him to say the wrong thing. Suddenly, Revan's eyes moved to Bastila and a small frown played on his face. Turning back to Vrook, Revan swallowed his anger and pride and bowed to the Jedi.
"I suppose I should go where I am appreciated, may the Force be with you, Master Lamar." Revan said as evenly as he could stomach without gagging on his own words. For some reason he was finding it increasingly difficult to respect the Jedi Councillors after seeing first-hand the condition the Republic was in. Seeing that Revan did not want to continue the argument, Vrook offered a small nod of dismissal and turned his attention to Bastila, who's eyes were following the young Jedi Exile.
"And how are your studies to progress if you listen to the foolish ideals of outcasts" Vrook asked wearily. He was too tired to snap at the young student and he remembered being young once. Bastila frowned and stammered an apology before collecting her datapads and scurrying off, away from the audience chambers.
"Do not let anger cloud your judgement, my friend." Twilek Jedi Master Zhar commented to Vrook as he stepped around a corner, looking thoughtfully after Revan's retreating form. Vrook frowned but nodded, knowing he had invited Revan into the argument and that it was Revan who had chosen to end it, for Bastila's sake. Zhar watched his former student's retreat until Revan turned a corner en route to the audience chambers. The Twilek Master sighed and looked over to Vrook.
"You should not have interfered so quickly, I sensed a calm within Revan that I have not felt for many years when he spoke with young Bastila..."
Vrook sighed and nodded his agreement as he looked to where Revan had vanished.
"That's what I am afraid of."
Revan entered the auditorium and looked around to the twenty or so Jedi gathered there including two of Revan’s so-called inner circle. Closer than brothers, the reciprocal master-apprentice Xaset Terep and Dante Nemo looked up at the man they had followed to the wars and both acknowledged his presence with nods. Revan smiled at them and his smile seemed to radiate throughout the room and draw the attention of many of those gathered. He knew it was early and that more would come to hear him speak his case for why they should forsake years of training to fight, but he could not concentrate on that, his thoughts passed back to the young girl and the contentment he felt as he joked with her for that short time. Suddenly remembering what he had come to the auditorium, Revan activated his wrist communicator.
"Malak"
After a pause, Malak's deep voice responded. "Early are we?" Malak asked in a tone that did not hide the amusement he felt, though it was also laced with mild concern.
"Yes, do you think you could stop by my quarters and pick up a few holodisks for me"
"Not a problem." Malak responded as Revan deactivated the comm. The former Jedi Knight sighed as he looked over to the curious faces of the Jedi gathered and cleared his throat, preparing to try to convince them to leave their lives behind.
