Video Game Character of the Month
July 2018
Galen 'Starkiller' Marek (Starkiller)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Galen 'Starkiller' Marek (Starkiller)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Overview:
For completing his final test, making me feel like an all-powerful Sith/Jedi, Galen 'Starkiller' Marek's, has been granted the prestigious Video Game Character of the Month Award. Now only two goals remain for the Star Wars production team: to finish the Force Unleashed Trilogy rather than leaving it as the Half-Life of movie tie-ins, and to grant Chewie his own medal for his role in a New Hope.
And now for a bit of information on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Spoilers ahead:
He is human
He is 1.85 meters tall
He has been affiliated with the Galactic Empire, Order of the Sith Lords, Jedi Order and Alliance to Restore the Republic
He has been an apprentice to both Darth Vader and Rahm Kota
His homeworld is Kashyyyk
He is the son of two Jedi Knights - Kento and Mallie Marek
He is in love with Juno Eclipse
He is friends with PROXY - a droid whose main directive is to kill Marek but also spends a lot of his time looking after him
Darth Vader abducted him from Kashyyyk at a young age after he killed his father
His codename of Starkiller comes from Luke's original name being Annikin Starkiller
'Marek' is the Eastern Europe variant of 'Marco' while 'Galen' is the Swedish word for crazy and mad
The main character of The Force Unleashed was also going to be a Han Solo-like smuggler, a Rebel Wookiee, 'the last Skywalker' and a gadget-wielding mercenry
He appeared in Soulcalibur IV where he is known as 'The Apprentice'
He has utilised many different lightsabers and force powers
In the Dark Side ending, he ends up with his original lightsaber, Vader's lightsaber, Kota's lightsaber, half of Darth Maul's lightsaber, his new Sith lightsaber and the severed end of Kazdan Paratus's long-handled lightsaber
He defeats both Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine
He either saves the Republic and becomes a martyr for them or kills Darth Vader and becomes the Sith Stalker and Palpatine's apprentice
His ship is known as the Rogue Shadow
He defeats Jedi Master Rahm Kota and Jedi Apprentice Maris Brood, kills the Jedi Kazdan Paratus and the Jedi Master Shaak Ti
He force grips a Star Destroyer and destroys it
He was going to be reintroduced to canon in Star Wars Rebels, possibly as an Inquisitor, but wasn't
Origin of Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Out of universe: Starkiller was first conceived as what Luke Skywalker would have become if he had joined Darth Vader at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. His codename also comes from Luke Skywalker's original name, Annikin Starkiller. He was also originally known as Jacob Nion and while George Lucas was meant to have officially given him the Sith titles of Darth Icki or Darth Insanius, the production team didn't like these proposed names and, so, settled on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek. The adult character is based on the voice and appearance of Sam Witwer while the child version is based on the voice and likeness of Zeb Drees.
In universe: Galen Marek is the son of Jedi Knights Kento and Mallie Marek, and has a very strong connection to the Force. His parents married in secret while still in the Jedi Order, but had to desert the Order after Mallie became pregnant. They therefore survived Order 66 but were still hunted until they settled in Kashyyyk where they were looked after by the Wookies. Tragically, Mallie was soon killed while protecting the Wookies from slave traders. Later, Darth Vader went to Kashyyyk after hearing of a Jedi, Kento, who he proceeded to kill in front of Galen. Galen demonstrated his Force powers by reflexively using telekinesis to move Vader's lightsaber, which prompted Vader to train Galen as his apprentice. Starkiller spends the next two decades training to become a Sith Apprentice. Vader, however, was not a kind guardian and trainer, instead instilling Galen with the 'learn or die' motif and programming PROXY, a holodroid, to attempt to kill Galen at every available opportunity. Starkiller focused on maintaining and exaggerating his Dark Side abilities by drawing on his rage (sometimes with the help of staring at his red coloured lightsaber) and depriving himself of nourishment. Finally, in the year 3 BBY, after sparring with Vader, he was knighted by the dark lord and sent on his first real test: the defeat of General, and Jedi, Rahm Kota. In order to succeed in this mission, Galen was assigned Juno Eclipse as his pilot. Juno was also his first female pilot, which he believed was a test set by Vader.
Evolution of Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Starkiller succeeded in his mission to defeat Kota and, as such, was sent on progressively tougher missions by Vader, culminating in his defeat of Jedi Master Shaak Ti. Starkiller assumed that he was now strong enough to fulfil Vader's primary mission for him: the assassination of Emperor Palpatine. However, Palpatine was one step ahead of Starkiller and Vader, and demanded that Vader kill Starkiller as punishment for his treachery.
Vader proceeded to stab Starkiller and send him into the void, only to later retrieve him and force him back into his services. Starkiller's mission was now to create a distraction to force Palpatine's focus away from Vader, a distraction which would have to amount to a full-scale rebel army. Starkiller also had to expel all ties with his past, except PROXY, who, overjoyed at his second chance to kill Starkiller himself, sent the Star Destroyer they were on into a star. However, Starkiller and PROXY escaped with Juno on the Rogue Shadow, and Starkiller appeared to repent, assuring Juno that he was creating a Rebel army to oppose the Empire, and also wanted to learn aspects of the Force that Vader could not teach him. This led him to find the, now blind, General Kota. Starkiller's plan then proceeded with his rescue of Bail Organa and, afterwards, his daugthter Leia. Starkiller also spared Maris Brood, a Jedi apprentice turned to the Dark Side's, life, therefore signalling his progression towards the Light Side. Starkiller proceeds in his mission, destroying a symbol of the Empire, in the Star Destroyer shipyard above Raxus Prime, including by destroying one Star Destroyer through telekinesis. Because 'power creep', I guess?
However, Vader, having been fed information by Starkiller all this time, captured all of the Rebel leaders including Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. Starkiller angrily questioned Vader for interfering with the apparent plan, only to find out that Vader had been lying to him for his entire life and had never intended to dethrone the Emperor using him. Starkiller was then almost killed by Vader, but was saved by PROXY who uses the Obi-Wan Kenobi combat model. Galen then rejected the name 'Starkiller' and decided to attempt to rescue the Rebel leaders. After reaching the Death Star, where the Rebels were being held for personal execution by the Emperor, Galen and Juno exchanged their final goodbyes and Juno kissed him. Galen eventually came face to face with Darth Vader and proceeded to defeat him in a duel. He also realises that he actually pitied the Dark Lord as he was also a slave to the Dark Side and Palpatine. Galen was then faced with the choice of executing Vader or saving Kota and the Rebel leaders from Palpatine.
In the Light Side ending, Galen chooses to defeat Palpatine, after finding out that it was the Emperor who had been pulling the strings of his life all along. After sparing Palpatine, Galen becomes a martyr after taking in The Emperor's Force Lightning and redirecting it back at the Sith Lord. His final thoughts are of Juno and he proceeds to become one with the Force. Leia reveals that the Marek family crest would be used as the symbol of the Rebellion, while Kota reveals that he always knew that the Jedi Galen was the same person as the Sith Assassin that had tried to kill him less than a year earlier. He explained that despite all the dark thoughts in Galen's mind, there was one bright light that he held onto: Juno. He is later cloned by Vader many times, with an 'imperfect' clone becoming the player character of The Force Unleashed II and an 'perfect' clone becoming Vader's true apprentice.
The Dark Side ending, however, has Starkiller kill Vader, only to be encouraged to become Palpatine's new apprentice by killing Kota. Starkiller refuses and attempts to kill Palpatine who, having forseen the attack flings Galen out of the window. The Rebel leaders are killed and the Rogue Shadow crushes Galen after via Palpatine's telekinesis. However, Starkiller is not killed and is instead interred in a suit of Sith Stalker armour, to become Palpatine's new apprentice.
He also appears in Soulcalibur IV, known only as 'The Apprentice', where he is deployed by Vader to recover 'Soul Calibur' and 'Soul Edge'.He succeeds in killing Algol but neglects to claim the swords for his master, as he thinks of them as unworthy. Vader then challenges him to a duel.
Games:
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: released (North America) on September 16, 2008/{Australia) on September 17, 2008/(Europe) on September 19, 2008 on iOS/Mob/N-G/DS/PS2/PSP/Wii/Xbox 360/(North America) on November 6, 2009/(Australia) on December 16, 2009/(Europe) on December 17, 2009 on Microsoft Windows/(North America) on February 23, 2010 on Mac OS X
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: released (North America) on October 26, 2010/(Europe) on October 29, 2010 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii, Nintendo DS and iOS.
Soulcalibur IV: released (North America) on July 29, 2008/(Japan/Australia/Europe) on July 31, 2008/(UK/New Zealand) on August 1, 2008
That's all on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek but. as always, if I've missed anything or made a mistake then please don't hesitate to comment! Also, if you have any suggestions on who should win next month's Video Game Character of the Month then please comment as well!
Goodbye for now, Harry
Sources:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Galen_Marek
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sam_Witwer
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Starkiller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Force_Unleashed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Force_Unleashed_II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulcalibur_IV
For completing his final test, making me feel like an all-powerful Sith/Jedi, Galen 'Starkiller' Marek's, has been granted the prestigious Video Game Character of the Month Award. Now only two goals remain for the Star Wars production team: to finish the Force Unleashed Trilogy rather than leaving it as the Half-Life of movie tie-ins, and to grant Chewie his own medal for his role in a New Hope.
And now for a bit of information on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Spoilers ahead:
He is human
He is 1.85 meters tall
He has been affiliated with the Galactic Empire, Order of the Sith Lords, Jedi Order and Alliance to Restore the Republic
He has been an apprentice to both Darth Vader and Rahm Kota
His homeworld is Kashyyyk
He is the son of two Jedi Knights - Kento and Mallie Marek
He is in love with Juno Eclipse
He is friends with PROXY - a droid whose main directive is to kill Marek but also spends a lot of his time looking after him
Darth Vader abducted him from Kashyyyk at a young age after he killed his father
His codename of Starkiller comes from Luke's original name being Annikin Starkiller
'Marek' is the Eastern Europe variant of 'Marco' while 'Galen' is the Swedish word for crazy and mad
The main character of The Force Unleashed was also going to be a Han Solo-like smuggler, a Rebel Wookiee, 'the last Skywalker' and a gadget-wielding mercenry
He appeared in Soulcalibur IV where he is known as 'The Apprentice'
He has utilised many different lightsabers and force powers
In the Dark Side ending, he ends up with his original lightsaber, Vader's lightsaber, Kota's lightsaber, half of Darth Maul's lightsaber, his new Sith lightsaber and the severed end of Kazdan Paratus's long-handled lightsaber
He defeats both Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine
He either saves the Republic and becomes a martyr for them or kills Darth Vader and becomes the Sith Stalker and Palpatine's apprentice
His ship is known as the Rogue Shadow
He defeats Jedi Master Rahm Kota and Jedi Apprentice Maris Brood, kills the Jedi Kazdan Paratus and the Jedi Master Shaak Ti
He force grips a Star Destroyer and destroys it
He was going to be reintroduced to canon in Star Wars Rebels, possibly as an Inquisitor, but wasn't
Origin of Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Out of universe: Starkiller was first conceived as what Luke Skywalker would have become if he had joined Darth Vader at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. His codename also comes from Luke Skywalker's original name, Annikin Starkiller. He was also originally known as Jacob Nion and while George Lucas was meant to have officially given him the Sith titles of Darth Icki or Darth Insanius, the production team didn't like these proposed names and, so, settled on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek. The adult character is based on the voice and appearance of Sam Witwer while the child version is based on the voice and likeness of Zeb Drees.
In universe: Galen Marek is the son of Jedi Knights Kento and Mallie Marek, and has a very strong connection to the Force. His parents married in secret while still in the Jedi Order, but had to desert the Order after Mallie became pregnant. They therefore survived Order 66 but were still hunted until they settled in Kashyyyk where they were looked after by the Wookies. Tragically, Mallie was soon killed while protecting the Wookies from slave traders. Later, Darth Vader went to Kashyyyk after hearing of a Jedi, Kento, who he proceeded to kill in front of Galen. Galen demonstrated his Force powers by reflexively using telekinesis to move Vader's lightsaber, which prompted Vader to train Galen as his apprentice. Starkiller spends the next two decades training to become a Sith Apprentice. Vader, however, was not a kind guardian and trainer, instead instilling Galen with the 'learn or die' motif and programming PROXY, a holodroid, to attempt to kill Galen at every available opportunity. Starkiller focused on maintaining and exaggerating his Dark Side abilities by drawing on his rage (sometimes with the help of staring at his red coloured lightsaber) and depriving himself of nourishment. Finally, in the year 3 BBY, after sparring with Vader, he was knighted by the dark lord and sent on his first real test: the defeat of General, and Jedi, Rahm Kota. In order to succeed in this mission, Galen was assigned Juno Eclipse as his pilot. Juno was also his first female pilot, which he believed was a test set by Vader.
Evolution of Galen 'Starkiller' Marek:
Starkiller succeeded in his mission to defeat Kota and, as such, was sent on progressively tougher missions by Vader, culminating in his defeat of Jedi Master Shaak Ti. Starkiller assumed that he was now strong enough to fulfil Vader's primary mission for him: the assassination of Emperor Palpatine. However, Palpatine was one step ahead of Starkiller and Vader, and demanded that Vader kill Starkiller as punishment for his treachery.
Vader proceeded to stab Starkiller and send him into the void, only to later retrieve him and force him back into his services. Starkiller's mission was now to create a distraction to force Palpatine's focus away from Vader, a distraction which would have to amount to a full-scale rebel army. Starkiller also had to expel all ties with his past, except PROXY, who, overjoyed at his second chance to kill Starkiller himself, sent the Star Destroyer they were on into a star. However, Starkiller and PROXY escaped with Juno on the Rogue Shadow, and Starkiller appeared to repent, assuring Juno that he was creating a Rebel army to oppose the Empire, and also wanted to learn aspects of the Force that Vader could not teach him. This led him to find the, now blind, General Kota. Starkiller's plan then proceeded with his rescue of Bail Organa and, afterwards, his daugthter Leia. Starkiller also spared Maris Brood, a Jedi apprentice turned to the Dark Side's, life, therefore signalling his progression towards the Light Side. Starkiller proceeds in his mission, destroying a symbol of the Empire, in the Star Destroyer shipyard above Raxus Prime, including by destroying one Star Destroyer through telekinesis. Because 'power creep', I guess?
However, Vader, having been fed information by Starkiller all this time, captured all of the Rebel leaders including Bail Organa and Mon Mothma. Starkiller angrily questioned Vader for interfering with the apparent plan, only to find out that Vader had been lying to him for his entire life and had never intended to dethrone the Emperor using him. Starkiller was then almost killed by Vader, but was saved by PROXY who uses the Obi-Wan Kenobi combat model. Galen then rejected the name 'Starkiller' and decided to attempt to rescue the Rebel leaders. After reaching the Death Star, where the Rebels were being held for personal execution by the Emperor, Galen and Juno exchanged their final goodbyes and Juno kissed him. Galen eventually came face to face with Darth Vader and proceeded to defeat him in a duel. He also realises that he actually pitied the Dark Lord as he was also a slave to the Dark Side and Palpatine. Galen was then faced with the choice of executing Vader or saving Kota and the Rebel leaders from Palpatine.
In the Light Side ending, Galen chooses to defeat Palpatine, after finding out that it was the Emperor who had been pulling the strings of his life all along. After sparing Palpatine, Galen becomes a martyr after taking in The Emperor's Force Lightning and redirecting it back at the Sith Lord. His final thoughts are of Juno and he proceeds to become one with the Force. Leia reveals that the Marek family crest would be used as the symbol of the Rebellion, while Kota reveals that he always knew that the Jedi Galen was the same person as the Sith Assassin that had tried to kill him less than a year earlier. He explained that despite all the dark thoughts in Galen's mind, there was one bright light that he held onto: Juno. He is later cloned by Vader many times, with an 'imperfect' clone becoming the player character of The Force Unleashed II and an 'perfect' clone becoming Vader's true apprentice.
The Dark Side ending, however, has Starkiller kill Vader, only to be encouraged to become Palpatine's new apprentice by killing Kota. Starkiller refuses and attempts to kill Palpatine who, having forseen the attack flings Galen out of the window. The Rebel leaders are killed and the Rogue Shadow crushes Galen after via Palpatine's telekinesis. However, Starkiller is not killed and is instead interred in a suit of Sith Stalker armour, to become Palpatine's new apprentice.
He also appears in Soulcalibur IV, known only as 'The Apprentice', where he is deployed by Vader to recover 'Soul Calibur' and 'Soul Edge'.He succeeds in killing Algol but neglects to claim the swords for his master, as he thinks of them as unworthy. Vader then challenges him to a duel.
Games:
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: released (North America) on September 16, 2008/{Australia) on September 17, 2008/(Europe) on September 19, 2008 on iOS/Mob/N-G/DS/PS2/PSP/Wii/Xbox 360/(North America) on November 6, 2009/(Australia) on December 16, 2009/(Europe) on December 17, 2009 on Microsoft Windows/(North America) on February 23, 2010 on Mac OS X
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II: released (North America) on October 26, 2010/(Europe) on October 29, 2010 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii, Nintendo DS and iOS.
Soulcalibur IV: released (North America) on July 29, 2008/(Japan/Australia/Europe) on July 31, 2008/(UK/New Zealand) on August 1, 2008
That's all on Galen 'Starkiller' Marek but. as always, if I've missed anything or made a mistake then please don't hesitate to comment! Also, if you have any suggestions on who should win next month's Video Game Character of the Month then please comment as well!
Goodbye for now, Harry
Sources:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Galen_Marek
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sam_Witwer
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Starkiller
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Force_Unleashed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Force_Unleashed_II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulcalibur_IV
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