The Story of the Sith Warrior
Think back to when you first watched Star Wars™: A New Hope™ — to the moment when Darth Vader enters the besieged Republic ship, surveying the carnage, single-mindedly hunting his target, Princess Leia. If you were like me, your eyes bulged and you thought, “I wanna be that guy.”
Now, maybe I was alone in that visceral response. Maybe it reveals something disturbing about me, I don’t know. On subsequent screenings, I seem to recall hearing a chorus of hisses and boos when Vader emerges. So maybe most of the Star Wars™ fan community are Luke lovers, or Solo sycophants . But something tells me there are more of me out there. And all these years, like me, you’ve been waiting for the opportunity to express your inner Vader.
Well, I’m here to tell you, our time has come.
Get ready, my friends, Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is going to be our coming out party. It’s time to ignite your red lightsaber and grind the galaxy under your steel platform boot.
The Sith Warrior is about domination and control, as he seeks to utterly annihilate his enemies. No one wields a lightsaber with more devastating effect as he brings ferocity and all his rage to bear on every strike. He is feared, he is a melee master, and he can choke you to death without even touching you.
NPCs that give a bounty hunter attitude cower and wet themselves when the Sith Warrior walks into the room. The Warrior glares and Jedi—even Masters—tremble and feel their devout beliefs weaken within them. The Warrior wades into a battalion of Republic soldiers and leaves a pile of steaming parts behind.
You begin the Sith Warrior story as the apprentice of one of the most powerful Sith Lords in the Empire. Yes, you serve him, as Vader served the Emperor, but he knows that you are at your best and most powerful the more you can flex your muscles. As long as your master’s ultimate directives are met, you are encouraged to entertain your every impulse and do as you please.
Unbound and unleashed on the galaxy, you wage war against the Jedi, relentlessly hunting and neutralizing their most powerful and important players. You can leave an indelible darkness on every planet you visit or find less wanton routes to your goals, as you eliminate rivals, acquire your own minions and build your personal power base.
The enemies of the Sith quickly realize that you are the real threat that cannot be ignored. Other Sith you encounter and confront come to revere and revile you, as much as—if not more than—your master. And eventually, the Emperor himself may take notice of your exploits.
Where is this all leading? That’s up to you. You can serve dutifully and pound away by the letter of your master’s law, or you can risk plotting to someday destroy him and grab his power (as Vader reveals in his plea for Luke to join him). You can even have secret designs to redeem yourself, embrace the light and destabilize the Empire from within.
If this excites you, if you’re like me and already have Darth Vader’s theme music playing in the background of your mind 24-7, then crank up the volume to 11 and point those internal speakers out the window. Don’t get caught up in the debate over who shot first. Don’t be tied down by the Jedi Code. Embrace the darkness within you! Revel in your emotions, grab for glory and bend the galaxy to your will.
Neil Pollner
Writer