Force Powers, Rebel Alliance Role, & Canon References Explained

While it is a known fact in Star Wars That Darth Vader was hoping to overthrow Emperor Palpatine, it is perhaps less well known that, in Star Wars Legends, he began the process long before the original trilogy era by recruiting an apprentice known as Starkiller. Born as Galen Marek, Starkiller’s history is revealed in the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video games, which followed his journey from the child of two Jedi to one of the galaxy’s most powerful Sith apprentices. Although these games are no longer considered canon, Starkiller’s story is still important and is certainly worth knowing.

The force unleashed was released in 2008, around the same time as the animated one Star Wars: The Clone Wars Movie and TV show launched – which means Starkiller has been around as long as many iconic Clone Wars Characters have, including Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex. His story is one of tragedy and betrayal, but also of perseverance and redemption. Here’s everything we know about Darth Vader’s secret apprentice in Legends, from the beginning of his story to the end.

Galen Marek’s origin

Galen was born a powerful Force user

Galen was born to two married Jedi, Kento and Mallie Marek, during the Clone Wars. Kento and Malie married in secret and fled the Jedi Order soon after to live their lives more freely together. After the order 66 was implemented, the Marek family remained on the run for a while, before he finally settled on Kasheik. Tragically, however, Molly died during a fight against the Trandoshans on the Wookiee homeworld, and the attention of the Jedi’s involvement brought the Empire there, where Vader fought and killed Kento as well.

Galen, as the child of two Jedi, was extremely strong in the Force. Vader, taking note of this, has an interest in the boy who was left helpless without his parents. Already harboring a grudge against his own Sith Lord and eager to begin searching for a way to eventually overthrow him, Vader took Galen with him from Kasheik, opting to secretly train the child as he grew up to prepare him for a life spent serving Vader..

Apprentice to Darth Vader

Starkiller was extremely loyal to his master

On their return to Vader’s iconic ship, the ExecutorVader provided Galen with the codename “Starkiller,” and the memories of Galen’s past were repressed as he spent the next two decades training under Vader. The training was far from easy; Vader is often quite brutal with his apprentice, but this was something that Galen embraced and even enforced on himself. Starkiller was very close to Vader, and he remained loyal to his master even after a major instance of betrayal, which included Vader killing him in front of Palpatine – and then reconstructing him for continued servitude.

Galen wasn’t just an apprentice to Darth Vader, however. He also acted as Vader’s enforcer and personal assassinHunting down targets across the galaxy on behalf of his master. Starkiller completed a variety of missions for his master, but his ultimate test arrived when he was tasked with hunting down Shaak Ti on the planet Felucia. After being reconstructed by Vader, Starkiller was given permission to pursue his next objective of raising an army against the Emperor in any way he chose, as long as he cut his ties to Vader. Eventually, however, Galen’s disillusionment won out.

Role in the Rebel Alliance

Galen was a key part of its origin

At first, Galen’s role in the Rebel Alliance was still on behalf of Vader, uniting the forces in the way Vader had told him to. But over time, Galen became more connected to the people he was working with, and he began to believe in the cause he was starting to fight for.. He became allies with the likes of Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and even Leia Organa herself, and he became an important symbol for those just beginning the unified fight. Starkiller was set to act as the Rebellion’s figurehead until Vader went against his word and showed up.

Vader revealed the truth about Starkiller to the assembled senators, and he took the rebels to be executed. Galen barely survived his encounter with Vader, but he was determined to save his new allies once he recovered enough to do so. Now completely swapping his codename “Starkiller” for his birth name, in addition to considering himself a Jedi, Galan allowed himself to free the rebels from where they were being held on the Death Star. Galen ultimately lost his life to the effort, setting aside his life to ensure that the Rebel Alliance lived on.

Starkiller’s force powers explained

Starkiller was extremely powerful in the force

Because of Starkiller’s immense strength in the Force, he can use a wide and impressive variety of different Force powers. He first mastered the Dark Side Force powers, which led to him struggling to use Light Side powers, especially those used outside of a combat setting. Once Galen turned to the light side, however, he was able to master the powers, giving him a strong balance between the two. Starkiller excelled in a number of different powersBut the following are the ones in which he was the most.

All canon references to Starkiller

His story is slowly being folded into canon

Starkiller has yet to be folded in Star Wars Canon after the rebranding in 2014, but there are certain elements of his character and his story that appeared in new stories. in Andr, A variant of Starkiller’s armor, called Sithstalker, can be seen in Luthen Rael’s gallery on Coruscantwhere he often confers with Mon Mothma as a cover for their secret rebel discussions. This is certainly the clearest Starkiller connection that exists in canon, although it is a major story element that seems to have taken inspiration from his character.

While Vader may not have an apprentice like Starkiller during the Dark Times, he does have a team of assassins just like Galen: the Imperial Inquisitor. It means that The Inquisitors act as canon replacements for StarkillerWith them hunting down Jedi and other Force-sensitives at Vader’s command. Although many still hope that Starkiller himself will become canon one day, Star Wars certainly made a point to pay him in various ways.