Kyle Katarn

Kyle Katarn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, the protagonist of the video game Star Wars: Dark Forces and its sequels.

As a son of Morgan and Patricia Katarn, farmers from Sulon, he was educated at the Imperial Academy on Carida when his mother was killed by a malfunctioning BT-16 perimeter security droid. He became a decorated member of the Imperial Special Operations, but his father, unknown to him, was a Rebel supporter. During the attack on his home planet of Sulon (officially a Rebel attack), he lost his father. Kyle began to hate the Rebel Alliance and supervised many Imperial operations against it. One such operation was the assault on AX-456, a Rebel comm center situated on an asteroid that beamed anti-Imperial propaganda to the citizens of the Barma sector and that linked up to similar facilities in the adjacent Haldeen and Kliap sectors. His success at leading this mission earned him the Imperial Medal of Valor.

Eventually he learned from Jan Ors, an Imperial Intelligence double agent (actually working for the Rebellion) that his father was tortured and killed for treason. He agreed to free Jan and defected, becoming a neutral mercenary. Jan introduced Kyle to Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, and he became an important spy. Kyle eventually discovered he was force-sensitive. After learning the ways of the Force, Kyle joined the Jedi Order under Luke Skywalker, eventually becoming one of its strongest Jedi and a member of the Jedi Council.

Kyle has been well-received by IGN, and GameSpot included him in a vote for the greatest characters of all time. Kyle was eliminated in round two of GameSpot's vote when faced against Lara Croft.

Star Wars: Dark Forces
In the computer game Star Wars: Dark Forces, Katarn is introduced as a mercenary working for the Rebel Alliance under Mon Mothma. Kyle was secretly dispatched by Mothma on missions deemed too dangerous or sensitive for actual Rebel operatives, and was extremely well paid for his services.

Shortly before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Katarn single-handedly infiltrated an Imperial facility on the planet Danuta to retrieve the plans for the first Death Star. The plans would eventually be forwarded to Princess Leia Organa, leading to her pursuit and capture by Darth Vader.

After the destruction of the first Death Star, the Empire retaliated against the Rebel Alliance by unleashing the Dark Trooper Project, a secret Imperial research initiative which was manufacturing powerful robotic stormtroopers to attack Alliance worlds. After several adventures (including run-ins with Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett), Katarn defeated the Dark Troopers and destroyed the Dark Trooper Project aboard its flagship, the Arc Hammer.

Upon witnessing Katarn's performance in battle, Vader made an off-hand remark about the young mercenary's Force potential.

In the aftermath of his victory over the Dark Troopers, Katarn supervised the training of crack Alliance undercover commandos and quickly formed a tight-knit group of agents known as the Katarn Commandos. Lieutenant Page, one of his cadets, took over as the leader of the squad when Katarn retired. Katarn also took part in a mission put together by Corwin Shelvay, in which he teamed up with Force-sensitives Shira Brie and Erling Tredway to sabotage the second Death Star en route to D'rinba IV.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
The game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II takes place one year after the events of the film, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. It began with Kyle being visited by the spirit of the Jedi Qu Rahn, who told him of the Jedi heritage of his father: Morgan Katarn had helped the Jedi Master close off the Valley of the Jedi: a resting place for deceased Jedi that have become one with the Force and a nexus for Force energy. Kyle traveled to his father's workshop, located on Sulon, a moon of Sullust, to find the family droid named WeeGee to decipher a message from his father. After his father's message was complete, the droid then ejected Rahn's lightsaber from an internal storage compartment, which Kyle took and practiced with momentarily before leaving to track down Rahn's killers. He embarked on a journey where he battled against the Dark Jedi faction, led by the Dark Jedi Jerec, who had murdered his father and Rahn. During his journey, he fought the other six Dark Jedi who followed Jerec. He defeated, but spared, Yun. He then fought and killed Gorc, Pic, and Maw, but, with each duel, Kyle brought himself closer to the dark side. His adventure took him to a secret Jedi burial ground, the Valley of the Jedi, where the spirits of many Jedi and Sith lay quiescent, trapped there after Lord Kaan used the thought bomb at the end of the Battle of Ruusan. This site was a nexus of power from which Force-sensitives could draw great energies of the Force. Jerec was attempting to gain this power for his own ends.

Kyle's ship, the Moldy Crow, was destroyed when Kyle attempted to escape the crash of Jerec's ship. Kyle escaped although the crash left him unconscious. One of the last Dark Jedi, Sariss, and her adopted son Yun, pulled the unconscious Jedi from the wreckage. Boc, another Dark Jedi, destroyed Katarn's lightsaber and left to assist Jerec. Sariss was about to kill Kyle, but Yun, impressed by Kyle sparing his life in the beginning, blocked her blow with his lightsaber. Sariss' blade was deflected and struck Yun, mortally wounding him. As Kyle woke up, he heard Yun saying Katarn shouldn't have died a coward's death and that he deserved a true battle. Yun breathed his last, possibly returning to the light side. With his lightsaber destroyed, Kyle picked up Yun's saber and defeated Sariss, being careful not to fall to the dark side in the process. (That is, if the player chooses the light-side path—if the player has fallen to the dark side prior to that moment in the story, Yun will not save you and you will fight him instead of Sariss)

Kyle rushed to the Jedi Temple and confronted Boc, who wielded two lightsabers, but was no match for Kyle's dueling skills. After defeating Boc, Kyle rushed in to stop Jerec. The two dueled, and Kyle disarmed Jerec. The Dark Jedi tried and failed to turn Kyle to the dark side (again, if you choose the light path). Katarn tossed Jerec his lightsaber back. Picking up his weapon, Jerec lunged at Kyle, igniting his lightsaber. Kyle shifted aside but left his lightsaber blade in Jerec's path, slicing through his torso. The wound was fatal. Jerec collapsed to the ground and died, his body evaporating in the process. Kyle freed (according to prophecy) the souls of the Jedi, trapped millennia ago by Lord Kaan.

Although the player has the option to follow the dark side alternate ending, in which Kyle takes on the Powers of the Valley and becomes the new Emperor, the canonical ending is that Kyle continued to be a light side Jedi.

Kyle continued working with Jan for the New Republic, cooperated with Bey, Dash Rendar and Guri on an insertion mission to the Tof fortress world Saijo and nearly razing Space Station Kwenn while apprehending a Ketton spy. Kyle took a more permanent role with the New Republic and served with Page's Commandos, executing missions in various worlds like Kashyyyk, Boudolayz, and Garos IV.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
The computer game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith takes place approximately five years after the events of Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. The game describes how former Imperial assassin Mara Jade came under Kyle's tutelage, taking up the rare bond of reciprocal apprenticeship, a facet of the "Jedi Concordance of Fealty" little practiced since the "Cleansing of the Nine Houses". During this period, while investigating Sith ruins on the long dead world of Dromund Kaas, Kyle came under the influence of the dark side, but Jade went to him and convinced him to come back to the light. After nearly succumbing to the dark side herself, Mara helped him turn back.

Skywalker made a second offer to Katarn, and this time he accepted, believing that further training would help him tame his dark self. Kyle gave up his former lightsaber and built his own blue saber. Kyle developed a friendship with fellow Jedi trainee Corran Horn, but when two students of the Academy fell to the dark side, Kyle's fear of the dark side multiplied. Kyle gave up studying the Force, gave his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker and returned to his mercenary ways as Jan Ors' partner. New Republic Intelligence reports of his missions suggest Kyle's tactics were particularly "bloodthirsty." He almost always deliberately made a complete search for targets. Of particular note was a mission on Tatooine on which only one Imperial survivor was left alive for interrogation. The Imperial was so shocked all he revealed was that his orders originated from a planet named Kejim.

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Three years after the events of Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, Kyle's adventure continues in Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Kyle encountered many enemies like the Rodians Beedo, and Reelo Baruk, the Gran Ree-Yees, and the Dark Jedi Desann and his apprentice, Tavion.

Jan Ors was taken prisoner by Desann and apparently killed by Tavion. Angered by his partner's death, Kyle returned to The Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan to restore his powers, but was warned by the Jedi spirit of his late father of the corrupting power of The Valley. He also warned Kyle about the coming dangers. Kyle then stepped in The Valley's core beam to restore his Force Powers and once again trod dangerously close to the dark side. He returned to the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 to begin training again and to retrieve the lightsaber he had left with Luke Skywalker for safe-keeping, also learning Desann was a fallen student of Skywalker's. Luke and Kyle then set across the galaxy to bring Desann to justice. During his travels, he learned that Jan was still alive. She was eventually rescued, allowing Kyle to overcome his thirst for revenge. He learned as well that Desann had located the Valley of the Jedi by following Kyle and had begun to create an army of Dark Jedi "Reborn" warriors to rule the galaxy. These warriors, called Shadowtroopers, were artificially infused with the Force and were clad in Cortosis armor, an armor that is resistant to lightsabers. Kyle tracked Desann to the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 and killed him after an intense lightsaber duel, ending his plan for domination.

After Desann's defeat, Kyle decided to keep his lightsaber and continue in the ways of the Force as a Jedi Master and then Battlemaster at Luke's academy.

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
In the game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Kyle is relegated to the role of supporting character. He becomes the Master of two students, Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin. Both students being talented, they quickly learn Kyle's wisdom. Kyle's quest in the game is to defeat the Sith cult known as the Disciples of Ragnos. Rosh eventually succumbs to the dark side and joins the cult. Kyle again meets Tavion, leader of the cult, who possessed a device known as the Staff of Ragnos, and plans to resurrect the ancient Sith Lord Marka Ragnos.

Kyle's other student, Jaden Korr, eventually becomes a Jedi, but depending on the player's choice, Jaden may either turn to the Dark Side by killing Rosh, or remain on the Light Side by forgiving him. In the light side choice, you first fight Tavion, and then the ghost of Marka Ragnos as he possesses Tavion's body. If Jaden goes to the dark side, Marka Ragnos is not resurrected and you fight first Tavion, then Kyle, dueling with your former teacher. Upon defeating Kyle,it is shown that Kyle is overpowered from Jaden using the Staff of Ragnos, which was obtained by defeating Tavion. Jaden escapes, apparently becoming a commander of the Imperial Remnant, and Kyle then ruminates over having lost both of his students to the dark side and questions whether or not he should be a Jedi, taking a leave of absence to apprehend Jaden.

In 'Fate of the Jedi' series, it is confirmed that Jaden Korr chose the Light Side and remains as a supporting character and a loyal member of the Jedi Order.

Star Wars literature
In The New Jedi Order series of novels, Kyle became the academy's foremost battlemaster, a close friend of Luke Skywalker, and a respected Jedi Master. During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion portrayed in The New Jedi Order series, Kyle helped develop strategies against the invaders, and participated in the rescue of human captives of the Imperial Remnant world Ord Sedra from the Yuuzhan Vong. Near the end of the war, the living planet Zonama Sekot agreed to help the Republic; Kyle was one of several Jedi Knights bonded to seed-partners and provided with Sekotan starships to use in Sekot's defence.

Kyle heard a rumor that the Sith still existed. Due to his experiences on Dromund Kaas, Kyle investigated after the invasion, following clues from Ord Sedra in the Clacis Sector to Yaga Minor, resulting in the Cloak of the Sith. During the mission, Kyle was captured by the Dark Jedi Daye Azur-Jamin, who presumably attempted to turn Kyle back to the dark side. After a successful rescue mission led by Jan Ors and Jaden Korr, Kyle revealed all that he knew about the new threat. A Force-sensitive Yuuzhan Vong is causing havoc in the galaxy, and it's apparent that an even more powerful threat looms on the horizon. (So far, these events haven't appeared in any stories, but only in the SWRPG and other supplemental material.)

During The Dark Nest Trilogy, Kyle is one of four Jedi Masters who attempts to destroy the dark nest. Kyle also speaks his mind during a Master's Council session, where he stands up to Chief of State Cal Omas. He, along with Corran Horn and other Masters believed that Jaina Solo and Zekk could be the next leaders of the dark nest. In The Swarm War, Kyle led a squadron of Jedi Stealth X's against the Killiks. Kyle appears in the Legacy of the Force novels Bloodlines, Sacrifice, and Exile as a Jedi Master participating in Council meetings. In Bloodlines, he helps to point out the "embarrassment" to the Jedi Order of Jacen Solo's actions in apprehending Corellians on Coruscant. Additionally, he plays the part of a devil's advocate in Exile regarding Leia Organa's supposed betrayal of the Galactic Alliance, though he reasserts his loyalty to Leia by being first to formally declare his faith in her at the meeting's end.

In Sacrifice Kyle Katarn voices his disbelief that Boba Fett was staying neutral and was concerned with the fact that GA forces had assassinated Dur Gejjen, Corellian Prime Minister.

In Inferno Kyle Katarn, Kenth Hamner and Kyp Durron stand up to Jacen Solo at Mara's funeral, telling him to take a seat in the Jedi Knights row.

In Fury, Kyle Katarn led a Jedi strike team to destroy Jacen Solo. After a fierce duel, Kyle was severely wounded when Jacen stabbed Kyle in the chest with his crimson lightsaber. Two of the Jedi present helped to carry the wounded Katarn to safety while the Jedi Valin Horn — son of Jedi Master Corran Horn — continued the fight in an attempt to hold Jacen off. Katarn survived, but the Jedi Thann Mithric died when he was decapitated by Jacen Solo. Later, he is part of a rescue mission with Jagged Fel to rescue Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, Ben, Saba Sebatyne, R2-D2, and Iella Wessiri when they capture Allana.

In Invincible, Kyle Katarn, along with Saba Sebatyne, Kyp Durron, and Corran Horn board the Anakin Solo and arrest the Moff Council.

During the Fate of the Jedi novel Outcast, Master Katarn assists Jaina Solo in arresting Jedi Valin Horn, who has become insane through the Force. Later on, he tells Jaina that the GA are taking Valin from the Jedi Temple, expressing his anger over the situation, telling Jaina that they now know that working with the GA means blind obedience.

Other appearances
Kyle's adventures are also told in three hardcover graphic story albums written by William C. Dietz which were adapted into audio dramatizations: Soldier for the Empire, Rebel Agent and Jedi Knight.

Kyle appears in subsequent sequels and further comics, games and novels. He also has an entry in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game and was a premiere figure of the New Jedi Order faction in the Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Miniatures. The Wizards of the Coast web series The Dark Forces Saga highlighted his background, as well as those of most of the other heroes and villains found in the games.

Portrayers
Kyle Katarn was originally voiced by Nick Jameson for Star Wars: Dark Forces. He was portrayed by Jason Court in the full motion video sequences of Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. The game model was modeled after Court to maintain consistency.

Likewise, in Mysteries of Sith, Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy, Kyle is exclusively a polygonal model, without FMV scenes, made to look like a slightly older Court, voiced by Rino Romano in Mysteries of the Sith, and Jeff Bennett in the later games. For the audio dramatizations, he is portrayed by Randal Berger.

In Pendant Audio productions of their drama, Blue Harvest, Kyle is voiced by Scott Barry.

Reception
GameDaily's Robert Workman listed Kyle as one of his favourite Star Wars video game characters. IGN put Kyle as their 22nd top Star Wars character, praising him as "a gamer's reliable blank state" which they felt it made him one of the most "human" Star Wars character, as well as stating that they believed Kyle's endearence to fans was because of his "mishmash of quirks and dispositions". IGN's Jesse Schedeen also felt that the character shouldn't appear in the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series, as Schedeen felt "Katarn isn't very interesting without his Jedi abilities" and Schedeen wasn't convinced deeply exploring his past was warranted. Schedeen also included Katarn as one of their favourite Star Wars heroes and video game sword masters. GamesRadar was critical of the character, calling him the tird worst character in video gaming, saying "he's bearded, he’s boring, he’s bland and his name is Kyle Katarn" and comparing his outfit to that of a "beige-obsessed disco cowboy". GamesRadar commented that while "originally a genuinely interesting character in the Han Solo mold", they thought he became emotionless after he gained force powers. In GameSpot's vote for the all time greatest videogame hero, Kyle Katarn was eliminated in round two against Lara Croft, after garnering 27.5% of the votes. In round one he faced off against Dig Dug, and gathered 67.6% of the votes against him.