Galactic History
At the end of the Mandalorian Wars, Jedi General Revan discovered Emperor Vitiate's involvement in Mandalore the Ultimate's actions. With his right arm Malak, they went up the track to Nathema then Dromund Kaas. Having discovered the truth about their enemy, they tried to eliminate him before he was ready. But they were betrayed by their allies met there, captured and tortured until they were converted to the Dark Side. The Emperor's plan with the Mandalorians was to use them as scouts to test Republican defenses. But he was not doing any follow-up and had no knowledge of the results. He sent Darth Revan and Darth Malak back to resume the same mission, but without improving surveillance. The two partially erased their memories to get rid of their conditioning. And it was for themselves that they attempted to take over the Galaxy in the Jedi Civil War.
In -305 before the Treaty of Coruscant, two years after the Battle of Malachor V, Darth Revan and Darth Malak resurfaced for the majority of the population of the Republic. The army they had assembled was predominantly made up of veterans of the Mandalorian Wars who had chosen to return their allegiance in favor of their charismatic leader. And not just troops. Several famous leaders such as Admiral Saul Karath, General Derred or even Mon Halan deserted to help them reorganize into an effective military power. On the material side, Revan and Malak had discovered the Star Forge, a former fully automated rakata factory that could supply ships, weapons and armor. But the leader of the New Empire, Darth Revan didn't want to draw too much attention to it. That year, the first attack in the Jedi Civil War was against the Foerost Shipyards in the Deep Core. Then an agreement was reached with the Czerka Corporation for various materials, in exchange for key strategic economic positions in worlds within their sphere of influence. With these smoke screens in place to conceal the Star Forge, Darth Revan retreated into the Outer Rim to structure a true independent territory. The Mandalorian Wars had deepened the rift between the Core and Rim worlds. Seen as a hero by them, the Sith convinced many of them to declare their independence from the Republic and line up under his banner.
The Empire of Darth Revan was officially based on the worlds of the old Sith Empire, with Korriban and Ziost as the most important planets. The Empire of Vitiate occupied part of this same sector, but in systems not explored by the cartographers of the Republic and the men of Revan and Malak. Ziost, the former political capital of the Sith, regained this title. However, the leadership of this political regime being assumed by a single man, the real capital was in reality his flagship. Korriban had a more symbolic role. It was not the only academy forming a new generation of Sith in the Empire, but it was located on the ancient necropolis of the Dark Lords of the old Empire, with a vocation to unearth this forgotten knowledge for the greater glory of all Sith. Hence a much greater prestige. This academy was headed by Jorak Uln, a former disciple of Exar Kun. Darth Revan therefore structured his Empire with the intention of making it last. It was important for him to keep the structures in place to build something strong, which would resist the appearance of new enemies. Quite the opposite of his apprentice Darth Malak, who destroyed without hesitation. In -305 before TC, just to test Admiral Saul Karath, he ordered him to bombard the world of Telos. One of the first acts of the war, and considered one of the most terrible. The master left his mark in history as a great strategist and leader, his designated successor did so as a vulgar destroyer.
On the Republic side, the military situation was very complicated. The vast majority of heroes and leaders who made it possible to win the Mandalorian Wars had gone to Darth Revan's side. Desertions were done by whole cruisers, even by fleet. The Battle of Iridonia is a good example. A former Zabrak Jedi turned Sith had been sent to his home planet to manipulate Mandalorian survivors into a feeling of insecurity. Spotted with its commandos by other Jedi, the zabrak was joined by several cruisers as reinforcements. The outcome of the fights and the identity of the winner have been lost, but that is not the most important. From the start of the clashes, part of the Republican fleet deserted and passed into the imperial camp. It was a whole infrastructure that had to be rebuilt. On the Jedi side, the rift was just as deep. It was almost the entire promotions of several years that had become Sith. Not to mention the crisis of confidence linked to the refusal of the Jedi Council to intervene in the Mandalorian Wars. Even in this configuration, its members remained very cautious in their interventions. In the end, the person on whom they put their hopes was a padawan, an apprentice at the end of the training. Easily replaceable if it ever trips. The importance assumed by Bastila Shan well represents the seizure of power of a new generation mounted very early to replace mass desertions. Lieutenants became commanders, captains became colonels and the High Command was equipped with strategists who had never proven their worth in the field. A set that could only hold together by sticking together.
Bastila Shan was chosen as a representative by the Jedi leaders because she mastered combat meditation, a Force technique where by focusing she could improve the reflexes and other abilities of those she was able to reach with her mind. Beginning soldiers with her became as dangerous as over-trained veterans. Between this contribution, this reinforcement it brought, and Darth Revan's strategy of moving slowly but taking deep root, the Republic's troops managed to stabilize and maintain fronts ... and even to exploit some mistakes to achieve victories. For example Rodia. This planet wanted to be neutral in the conflict, as it had been during the Mandalorian Wars. But its potential resources were too great and the Sith wanted to prevent their enemy from drawing on it. They were defeated, and the Republic managed to use this momentum to achieve a series of victories, including Mon Gazza and Lannik. While the strategy of the two camps rested on their two figures of prey, the Republic seized on Sernpidal of codes allowing to approach the flagship of Darth Revan. Darth Malak also contributed to the elimination of his former master. During the battle where the Republican team infiltrated on board, he ordered his cruiser to bombard the bridge of his leader's ship. So he took the head of his faction. But it was Bastila Shan, leader of the Jedi commando, who was credited as having killed Darth Revan.
During two years of war, Darth Revan had patiently built a formidable war machine and made to measure. Not having the same abilities, Darth Malak took half the time to make her collapse. He took on a new apprentice, Dark Bandon, but the one he wanted for the job was Bastila Shan. It was still necessary to capture and convert it. Stranding at Taris, he grew impatient and ordered a bombardment of the planet without even recalling his troops to the surface. He also discovered that Darth Revan was not dead. The Jedi had captured him, healed him but also erased his memory to better convert him to their cause. He returned to the game as a mystery room, with uncertain abilities but with greater potential than any other on the board. To cut him off from his superiors, he ravaged the Jedi enclave of Dantooine. And in his mission to stop him, Darth Bandon was killed by Revan. When Bastila Shan allowed himself to be captured to allow his comrades to escape, Darth Malak realized that his former master was too diminished and that he had a chance to finally defeat him. Confident in the might of his fleet, enhanced by the combat meditation of his new apprentice, he set a trap for the Republic in Rakata Prime / Lehon, the planet of Unknown Regions in orbit of which the Star Forge was located. During the battle, the Jedi Revan ascended to Bastila and brought her back to the Light side. Then he found his former apprentice and outclassed him. He hadn't even regained all of his abilities. The fleet of Admiral Forn Dodonna and Jedi Council member Vandar Tokare destroyed the Star Forge. This is the last major battle in the Jedi Civil War.
On Korriban, Jorak Uln had been dethroned by his apprentice Uthar Wynn. A transfer of power that opened up desires. Shortly before the Battle of the Star Forge, the tension exploded and the academy escalated into a real war between all the different masters and apprentices. More senior officers joined in. In Lehon, Darth Malak had made a bet and lost. Much lost. His death and the rallying of his last apprentice to the Republic left a total vacancy at the level of power. In addition, the losses caused during the battle greatly abused the hierarchy. It quickly became clear that whoever came out on top in these confrontations on Korriban would become the new ruler of this Empire. For a year, the Republic where Revan and Bastila no longer participated, chained skirmishes and minor battles, encountering less and less resistance. When they finally led an expedition to Korriban, they found it deserted. Even the Czerka outpost had been abandoned. The Sith Civil War was over, and the victors left in shadows and anonymity. They were going to prepare the First Great Jedi Purge there (the second being initiated by Order 66 in Episode III). The posts on which Darth Revan relied for the survival of his Empire had been deserted. This explains why it collapsed easily despite all efforts to install them. The Empire of Darth Revan had lived. And the efforts of Emperor Vitiate in his struggle against the Republic had once again proved completely in vain.
References
In video games:
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II (takes place after the conflict, but several of the characters participated and can relate their memories)
Literature:
- Game master manual for the Star Wars KOTOR paper game (I don't have the exact name, sorry)
- Roman "Revan" by Drew Karpyshyn
