Darman Skirata, formerly recognized as RC-1136 while serving the Galactic Republic, then IC-1136 after its transformation into the Galactic Empire, and affectionately nicknamed Dar, was a clone commando in the Grand Army of the Republic and a member of Theta Squad, Omega Squad, and Squad 40. His training sergeant, Kal Skirata, formally adopted him. Following the conclusion of the Clone Wars, he was unable to flee to Mandalore alongside his squad and remained on Coruscant with Niner (RC-1309). After the Empire's inception, they were both integrated into the Imperial Army's 501st Legion.
Darman, a Republic Commando, was assigned to Theta Squad and received training from Sergeant Kal Skirata. During his initial mission on Geonosis, Darman lost communication with his squad mates and attempted to contact each member individually via comm; none responded. He lingered until the final LAAT/i departed, hoping for his squad's return, but ultimately accepted that all other Theta Squad members had perished. Subsequently, Darman was reassigned to Omega Squad, alongside Niner RC-1309, Fi RC-8015, and Atin RC-3222. He was regarded as their demolitions authority. He fought beside his squad until the Clone Wars ended, at which point half of the squad deserted to Mandalore.
Omega Squad's mission was to obliterate a bio-weapons installation on Qiilura. Separatist forces were backing Dr. Ovolot Qail Uthan, a microbiologist, in her efforts to engineer a nanovirus intended to target all Fett clones. Upon arriving on Qiilura, Darman became separated from his squad, leading the other Omegas to believe he was dead. After touching down on the planet, Darman encountered Jedi Padawan Etain Tur-Mukan, who was unaware of the newly formed clone army or her own status as a commander. Working together, with the assistance of Jinart, a shape-shifting Gurlanin, they reunited with Omega Squad. Together, Omega Squad, with Darman's help, stormed the bioweapons facility, secured the Clone nanovirus, and apprehended Doctor Ovolot Qail Uthan.
Although ultimately successful, the mission nearly resulted in failure. An EMP pulse crippled Omega's armor and weaponry, and they narrowly avoided death at the hands of Dr. Uthan's Mandalorian protector, Ghez Hokan. Furthermore, Dr. Uthan and Atin sustained critical injuries from a Verpine rifle round; Atin required a month of bacta treatment as a consequence.
During the course of the mission, Darman and Etain developed a strong friendship. Etain relied heavily on Darman's commando expertise to survive on the Separatist-controlled planet, while Darman depended on Etain's Force abilities to evade danger. At the mission's conclusion, Etain proposed that Darman remain with her on Qiilura to assist her and Jedi Arligan Zey in clearing the planet of Separatists, but Darman opted to stay with his squad.
Three hundred and sixty-seven standard days following the Battle of Geonosis, Omega Squad was assigned to intercept and detain the occupants of a Gizer L-6 freighter. Upon boarding the vessel, they managed to overpower the crew and apprehend several prisoners. Regrettably, their own ship, along with their pilot Sicko, was downed by a civilian freighter, Nova Crystal, which mistook them for a pirate ship. The attack resulted in multiple hull breaches in the L-6, leaving Omega stranded.
A Red Zero distress call was immediately issued, prompting responses from both the RAS Fearless and Delta Squad. Delta Squad arrived first in a Neimoidian shuttle and docked with the crippled vessel. They successfully evacuated the prisoners and Omega Squad, while the RAS Fearless provided cover and destroyed an attacking Neimoidian starship that had also responded. Darman was reunited with Etain aboard the Fearless.
Due to the surge in terrorist activities on Coruscant, Kal handpicked Omega and Delta squads for a covert black ops mission. Omega and Delta joined forces with training Sergeant Walon Vau, Ordo, Jedi Knights Bardan Jusik, and Etain for the operation.
The team established Qibbu's Hut as their operational base. It was during this period that Darman and Etain decided to pursue a relationship, disregarding the prohibitions against it. Unbeknownst to Darman, Etain became pregnant with their son. Kal posed as a black-market explosives dealer, and the terrorists soon fell for the ruse. An exchange was scheduled, led by Ordo, and included Mereel, Kal, Omega, and Delta Squad. Their mission was to neutralize the terrorist cell that arrived for the exchange, while a separate team targeted the other cells.
The team swiftly eliminated fifteen out of twenty-six terrorists, while the survivors retreated to a warehouse. In a final, desperate attempt, the survivors tried to deceive the commandos with a false surrender. Darman was almost killed in the attempt by a flame projector. Fortunately, his Katarn-class commando armor shielded him from the attack. All of the terrorists were killed during the second firefight.
Both teams accomplished their missions without any casualties. They reconvened at their base and celebrated their victory.
Darman journeyed to Gaftikar with Omega squad to assist in a rebellion against the CIS-loyal government. While there, he located AWOL ARC Trooper Sull, whom he and Atin apprehended and delivered to the commanding Null ARC A'den stationed at Gaftikar. The Null allowed the AWOL ARC to escape, prompting Darman to visit the former home of the AWOL ARC trooper to gather any evidence of his presence. While doing so, two Covert Ops clone troopers attempted to assassinate him, mistaking him for Sull. Darman killed them, causing him to question his actions and later experience internal guilt. Later, Darman endured another emotional ordeal when squadmate Fi sustained severe injuries in battle.
On Haurgab, Darman and his squad were dispatched to assassinate a rebel leader named Jolluc. After eliminating him, they found themselves under attack by a larger rebel force than Intelligence had indicated. They established a defensive position on a hill and, after a fierce firefight, were rescued by a LAAT/i dispatched by Captain Maze.
Upon Omega's return, they became embroiled in the Battle of Coruscant. They narrowly breached the planet's shield, and a droid starfighter followed them through the opening. Their ship crashed somewhere in Galactic City, where they joined other troopers in repelling the Separatist invasion. Omega successfully defended a HNE Station.
Etain Tur-Mukan was killed by a young Jedi Padawan when she intervened between the Padawan and a clone trooper to prevent the Padawan from attacking the trooper, who had been blocking his escape. After witnessing her death, Darman convinced himself that she had not died, despite the repeated replay of her death in his mind. He then admitted to himself and Niner that she had died and diverted his attention from his loss by helping Niner, whose spine had been fractured by a young Jedi attempting to evade Imperial troops. Believing that Niner would be left to die by his superiors if no one intervened, Darman decided to remain with Niner, despite Niner's objections, rather than deserting to Mandalore with Skirata and the others. Darman summoned a medical evacuation craft to his location, and after it departed with him and Niner aboard, Darman repeatedly screamed Etain's name within his helmet until his vocal cords were exhausted.
Darman ensured that Niner received the necessary medical care. Both were now soldiers of the Galactic Empire, and Darman's new assignment was to train other clones to become commandos. Darman was unimpressed by the performance of the Spaarti-grown Fett clones and frustrated by their insistence that Centax-2 was Kamino, but he recognized that they were not at fault for these deficiencies, which stemmed from being grown in only one or two years and being repeatedly told that Centax 2 was Kamino by their superiors. However, he held a higher regard for the clones within the 501st Legion. To cope with his new responsibilities, Etain's death, and the changed political climate, Darman felt compelled to suppress his personal beliefs until he could escape the current situation. He also greatly anticipated what he believed would be an inevitable conflict between the Empire and Kamino.
Three weeks after the declaration of the Empire, Vader briefed the surviving clone commandos, including Darman, Niner, and former Delta Squad members Boss, Fixer, and Scorch. They were designated as the Imperial Commando Special Unit within the 501st Legion, specifically tasked with hunting down Jedi, deserters, and other enemies of the Empire. The list of targets was transmitted to the clones' HUDs, and Darman recognized names such as Maze and Sull, former Omega Squad members Corr and Atin, Commander Levet, as well as Yayax and Hyperion Squad. Darman's wife, Etain Tur-Mukan, was also listed as missing, as the Empire was unaware of her death. Niner placed his hand under Darman's elbow to prevent him from visibly reacting to seeing his dead wife's name and thus revealing himself to Vader, but Darman remained impassive; Darman suppressed the fact that Etain was dead, perceiving it as something that happened to another Darman elsewhere.
Darman continued to serve with the newly renamed Squad 40, claiming it was to prevent the Jedi from taking Kad. Darman's squad eventually gained a new officer, Roly Melusar. During a mission to kill a Ranger named Jilam Kester, they were ambushed by Iri Camas, who was staying with Kester at the time. Kester had escaped hours before Squad 40's arrival, and Camas killed a trooper named Bry in the ensuing battle before being killed himself. Another trooper, Ennen who was in an earlier squad with Bry, demanded a traditional Corellian cremation. Squad 40's new commanding officer, Roly Melusar, had Bry cremated, demonstrating that he was as honorable as Jaller Obrim. A new member named Rede was assigned to replace Bry. On a subsequent mission, the four of them were dispatched into Coruscant's undercity in pursuit of a suspected Jedi. Ennen killed the man, disgusted to discover that the supposed Jedi was merely a common thief who had stumbled upon a lightsaber. Later that day, Ennen committed suicide. Darman felt responsible for this, as he had intended to inform Ennen about Kal's location on Mandalore in case he wished to desert. By that point, Darman had learned that the Nulls could contact Niner on a secure link through his helmet. Following Ennen's suicide, the remaining three members of Squad 40 were sent to confront the Jedi Borik Yelgo, who was killed by Ennen. Darman was enraged when he later had the same secure link installed in his helmet and was informed that Jedi were at his home on Mandalore—all his efforts to protect Kad and Kal had allowed the Jedi into his home, where Kad resided. He even threatened Bardan Jusik, vowing to track him down if the Jedi took Kad away, revealing how far he had strayed from his former self. Eventually, he relinquished his anger and released his emotions regarding Etain's death, devising a plan in the refreshers to go to Mandalore. He convinced Commander Melusar that he could locate a Jedi named Djinn Altis on Mandalore, intending to use it as a pretext to desert. He surprised Niner by stating that he intended to hunt down the Jedi on Mandalore, all in the name of Kad's safety.
As an adult, Darman's son Venku donned a patchwork of armor, including plates from his father's.
Like all clones of Jango Fett, Darman possessed the naiveté of a young child, despite his commando training. The loss of his original squad deeply affected him, but he eventually came to regard Omega as his new family.
Darman was recognized as the calm member of Omega Squad. To his squad mates, particularly Fi, Darman appeared capable of relaxing and even sleeping before missions. He even seemed to be asleep—from Fi's perspective—during a TIOPs mission to retrieve prisoners, where a hull breach limited the squad's and prisoners' oxygen supply. However, despite his calmness, he was capable of a fierce temper, as demonstrated when he attacked Kal Skirata for not informing him about his son, Kad.
Having been trained by Kal Skirata, he fully embraced the Mandalorian culture. Driven by his guilt over killing those he considered his brothers, he resolved to memorialize Moz and Olun by reciting their names daily, adhering to a Mandalorian tradition. He was also quick to defend against any criticisms or disrespectful remarks directed at Etain.
After Etain's death, Darman's heart was broken. He was on the verge of achieving his ideal family—Etain, Kad, Kal, and his comrades—only to witness his wife's death before him and the desertion of the rest of his squad from the GAR. Niner did his best to keep Darman focused, but Darman became highly unstable, sometimes lashing out without reason, such as when he returned from rejecting the Nulls' offer to bring him back to Mandalore.
Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Darman developed a negative perception of the Jedi, with the exception of Etain. This sentiment intensified after he became an Imperial, as he lived in constant fear that the Jedi would take away his son Kad. He even resolved to hunt down the Jedi on Mandalore to protect Kad.
Also, like all Fett clones, Darman was claustrophobic but was forced to crawl through a Gdan tunnel on Qiilura.
Darman's preferred weapon was the bowcaster.
During the mission to Coruscant, Darman's relationship with Etain Tur-Mukan deepened, and they became romantically involved. They also spent most of their free time together privately. Darman's relationship with Etain was likely unique, as a clone-Jedi affair was unprecedented at the time. Etain, driven by a desire to provide him with a future and respect for Mandalorian culture, conceived a son but did not inform him for some time. She eventually revealed Venku's identity to Darman, and although he was initially angry at being the last to know he had a child, he and Etain reconciled and spent time with their son on Coruscant. The couple later wed via comm messages during the Battle of Coruscant. In the aftermath of Order 66, Darman refused to comply out of love for Etain. Following her death, Darman was haunted by her loss and worked tirelessly to shield their son from the Jedi.
According to Karen Traviss's blog, Darman was named in honor of Peter Darman, a military writer. "Darman" was initially used as a placeholder name until a more suitable name could be devised, but it was inadvertently released into the public domain.
An in-universe explanation in Republic Commando: Triple Zero clarifies that Darman's name, likely given to him by Kal Skirata, is short for Dar'manda, a Mando'a term referring to someone who has lost their Mandalorian heritage and, consequently, their soul. It is presumed that Kal Skirata bestowed the name upon him out of pity.
"Darman" functions as a cheat code in the PC version of the game Star Wars: Republic Commando, enabling the player to instantly complete the current level without any required actions.
Theta Squad is referenced in Star Wars: Republic Commando after the player eliminates Sun Fac. "As you know, 36's squad has been incapacitated." This may be a reference to Darman; although he was not the leader of Theta, he was the sole survivor, which would explain why they mention him.