The Assault upon the Endar Spire occurred during the Jedi Civil War, specifically in the year 3956 BBY. The Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Malak orchestrated a planned strike against Bastila Shan, a young Jedi Padawan whose abilities related to battle meditation were critical to the Galactic Republic's struggle against the Sith Empire. Above the world of Taris, Malak successfully ambushed the Hammerhead-class cruiser Endar Spire by using his flagship, the Leviathan, to extract it from hyperspace and initiate an attack. Simultaneously, Darth Bandon, Malak's apprentice, commanded a boarding party composed of Sith troopers and Dark Jedi who infiltrated the Endar Spire.
Revan, formerly a Sith Lord and Malak's Master, now suffering from amnesia, was present on the Endar Spire, believing himself to be simply a Republic soldier. Carth Onasi and Trask Ulgo, both Republic soldiers, were also on board, in addition to Revan and Shan. The Sith troopers, with the objective of capturing Shan alive for Malak, launched an attack on the various military personnel present. The Republic issued an evacuation order, prompting the soldiers aboard the Endar Spire to attempt to reach the escape pods. During this effort, Revan and Ulgo encountered Darth Bandon. Ulgo made the ultimate sacrifice, giving Revan the time needed to escape. Revan, eventually linking up with Onasi and reaching the final escape pod, fled the ship along with others who had made it to the pods. Soon after their departure, the Sith forces destroyed the Endar Spire.
During the Jedi Civil War, as the Galactic Republic faced attacks from the Sith Empire, the Republic Hammerhead-class cruiser Endar Spire received orders to transport the amnesiac Revan, the former Sith Lord, throughout the galaxy. The goal of this assignment was to try and restore Revan's lost memories of the Star Forge, the superweapon utilized by the Sith Empire. Darth Malak, the Dark Lord of the Sith, planned to use his flagship, the Leviathan, to extract the Endar Spire from hyperspace and subsequently attack it with his forces.
Revan, serving as a soldier for the Republic, was assigned to the Endar Spire. Trask Ulgo, a Republic ensign, briefed Revan on the situation, as Revan had no memory of his previous life, and instructed him to go with him to the bridge.
When the Leviathan put Malak's strategy into action, the Sith fleet launched their assault. Darth Bandon, serving as Malak's apprentice, spearheaded a boarding party consisting of numerous Dark Jedi and Sith troopers onto the Endar Spire. Their mission was to capture Shan alive so that Malak could attempt to turn her to the dark side of the Force. If Shan were to fall to the dark side, she could willingly use her talent for Jedi battle meditation to benefit the Sith Empire, helping to coordinate Sith ships against Republic vessels in combat. Meanwhile, Ulgo and Revan found themselves under attack from Sith troopers as they fought their way towards the bridge. The Sith fleet, wanting to keep Shan alive, avoided using firepower that would destroy the Endar Spire.
Upon reaching the bridge, Revan and Ulgo discovered several Republic soldiers engaged in combat with a Sith squad. Despite their best efforts, the Sith eliminated the Republic soldiers before Revan and Ulgo could assist them. A group of Sith soldiers then caught up to Revan and Ulgo and attacked. After fending them off, they realized that Shan would be attempting to escape in an escape pod. Knowing that without Shan, the Sith would not hesitate to destroy the Endar Spire, they made their way to the escape pods in the starboard section of the ship. However, as they left the bridge, they were ambushed by Darth Bandon, Malak's apprentice.
Ulgo, in an effort to save Revan, instructed him to flee towards the escape pods while he held off Bandon. Revan complied, and after receiving word from Onasi that Shan had already departed in one of the pods, he proceeded to the bay where the escape capsules were located. Upon meeting Onasi, Revan was informed by the commander that all the other capsules had been launched, and that the last one was reserved for them. Revan and Onasi boarded the pod and escaped to the planet's surface. With Shan having successfully escaped the ship, the Sith fleet proceeded to destroy the Endar Spire.
With Shan, Onasi, Revan, and other Republic soldiers having escaped to the surface of Taris, the Sith forces pursued them. To prevent any of the fugitives from escaping the planet, the Sith used their fleet to blockade it. They deployed troops to the surface to search for the escape pods and their occupants. Revan and Onasi landed safely and established a base of operations in an apartment located in the Upper City of Taris to search for Shan, the former passenger on the Endar Spire. Shan had been captured by a Swoop gang known as the Black Vulkars, who offered the Jedi Knight as the prize for the Tarisian Season Opener swoop race. She was later rescued by Revan, and they escaped Taris just before it's bombardment by Malak.
Sometime after the bombing, the remains of the Endar Spire crashed on Taris. The ship was visited by many generations of Tarisian survivors, and by the time of the Great Galactic War it had become a refuge for pirates.
By 1032 BBY, a fusioncutter used by a Sith trooper to board the Endar Spire was among the artifacts displayed in a museum on the planet Syned.
The Attack on the Endar Spire serves as the introductory level in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This attack functions as a plot device to formally introduce the characters of Trask Ulgo, Revan, Darth Malak, Darth Bandon, and Carth Onasi. It also provides tutorial points regarding the general gameplay mechanics in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Furthermore, it establishes the central conflict that drives the entire game. The player must reach the escape pods for the plot to advance.
In contrast to later locations in the game, the player has limited options to alter the course of events through gameplay choices. Additionally, nothing the player says or does influences the light or dark sides of the Force, nor does it award the player light or dark side points. The role-playing options available to the player in this level are limited to selecting dialogue choices and determining how to defeat the enemies encountered on the Endar Spire.
Although the ship is completely destroyed during the opening act of Knights of the Old Republic, Republic players in Star Wars: The Old Republic have the opportunity to visit and clear out a largely intact wreck that survived both the initial attack and Malak's bombardment.