Lord Starkiller/Galen Marek (TNM)

Galen Marek, better known to the galaxy as Starkiller, was a Human male taken as a secret apprentice by Darth Vader from his father, a Jedi named Kento Marek, on Kashyyyk during the Great Jedi Purge. For years, the Dark Lord trained him, under the codename Starkiller, in dark side arts and to eliminate his enemies, including Jedi who survived Order 66. Marek was told that he would ultimately assist in overthrowing Vader's own Master, Darth Sidious, Emperor of the Galactic Empire. In reality, Vader and Palpatine only planned to use him to root out those who rebelled against the Empire. In 3 BBY, fifteen years after the commencement of Marek's training, he had begun his missions to hunt down the last remaining Jedi.

After killing Shaak Ti on Felucia, he returned to the Executor, his Master's flagship, on which Darth Sidious appeared and ordered Vader to kill the apprentice. In apparent submission, Vader telekinetically hurled him through the viewing windows, into open space. Vader secretly recovered his body and had him "resurrected" six months later on the science vessel Empirical, during which time he was known as Subject Zeta. The Dark Lord convinced Starkiller that he had saved him from death against his Master's orders, and gave him a new assignment: to rally an alliance of rebels who would eventually destroy the Empire.

After locating key figures, Marek and the rebels met on Corellia where they formed the Corellian Treaty, an accord that created the Alliance to Restore the Republic. However, Vader, along with Imperial forces, raided the meeting, captured the rebels, and revealed to Marek that he had only been used to rally the Empire's enemies. Marek tracked the Dark Lord and the Alliance leaders to the Death Star, a massive superweapon, on which he dueled and killed Vader. After this, he was ordered to kill Rahm Kota. However, he turned and faced Palpatine instead. This time, Marek was defeated and, after having the Rogue Shadow thrown upon him, was put into a suit of armour resembling Vader's and became Palpatine's new apprentice, renamed Starkiller.

Two years later, he was sent to Tatooine to find two droids who had stolen plans of the Death Star with them. He failed at this task, but managed to kill both Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was later sent to Hoth to lead the Imperial forces there. It was here that he met and dueled Luke Skywalker. He forced the young Jedi to use the Dark Side of the Force against him and after defeating Skywalker, made him his apprentice. Upon returning to the Executor, Starkiller bestowed upon Luke the title of Sith Lord and the pair set out for the under-construction Death Star II. Here, they found Palpatine. The two Sith Lords dueled Palpatine and after a lengthy battle killed him. Starkiller assumed control of the Galactic Empire. He and his apprentice led the Imperial forces to victory at the Battle of Endor, thereby assuring Imperial dominance of the galaxy.

One year later, Skywalker challenged Starkiller for control of the Sith. Starkiller, caught off guard as his apprentice attacked, was slain and Luke Skywalker took the title of Emperor.