Darth Jadus, a Human male within the Legends continuity, held the distinguished title of Dark Lord of the Sith. He was a prominent figure in the resurgent Sith Empire and a respected member of the Dark Council under the Emperor's rule. Reputed to be only second to the Emperor in terms of power, Jadus initially dedicated his efforts to overseeing the vast network of Imperial Intelligence, exercising control through various intermediaries. Troubled by the internal strife among his fellow Lords and their pervasive xenophobia, he secretly initiated a coup against the Dark Council, aiming to unite the Empire and directly instill Sith principles within its populace.
Jadus was a Dark Lord of the Sith, specifically a Human male. It is believed he was born on Dromund Kaas, the capital world of the Sith located in the Outer Rim. During the Great Galactic War and the ensuing Cold War, Jadus ascended to a position of power among the Sith, eventually securing a seat on the Dark Council and becoming its most formidable member. He also seized control of the Imperial Intelligence spy network during the Cold War, operating discreetly through various agents. At some point, he fathered a daughter who later became his sole known apprentice. Jadus also held command of the Imperial dreadnaught known as the Dominator.
In the year 3643 BBY, a novel terrorist organization known as the Eagle's network emerged within the Empire. Jadus tasked a new Intelligence recruit with investigating this group. The terrorists soon launched an assault on the power generators of Kaas City, an attack that was thwarted only by the agent's intervention. Simultaneously, a bombing of the Dominator resulted in the deaths of thousands of Imperial dignitaries who were aboard for a planned tour of the Empire. Jadus was also presumed dead, leading the Dark Council to appoint his daughter, Darth Zhorrid, as his replacement. Zhorrid then commanded Intelligence to devote all its resources to locating the terrorist leader, Eagle, and exacting revenge.
The agent, now known as Cipher Nine, systematically dismantled the Eagle's network. Ultimately, they located and eliminated Eagle, who was attempting to deploy experimental Imperial weapons called Eradicators to launch a devastating attack on Imperial assets. Before his death, Eagle revealed the existence of a mysterious "Patron" with high-level connections within the Empire.
Cipher Nine's investigation into this Patron led to the discovery that it was none other than Darth Jadus, who had secretly masterminded the Eagle terrorist group. By orchestrating his own apparent demise, using the Force to hold the Dominator together as shvash gas engulfed it, he had weakened the Dark Council as its members vied for control of his resources. He planned to complete his scheme by using the Eradicators against the Empire, aiming to remove the Sith leaders whose infighting he believed was hindering the Empire's rise to prominence and power.
However, during the process of defeating Eagle, Cipher Nine had acquired half of the Eradicator command codes. Jadus attempted to enlist Nine in his plan to launch the weapons, presenting the agent with a difficult choice. Shortly thereafter, Jadus vanished, leaving his fate uncertain. One theory suggests that Cipher Nine provided him with the codes as a distraction, then sabotaged his ship, enabling the Dark Council and naval reinforcements to capture him. Another theory posits that Cipher Nine either dissuaded him from his course or used the codes to deactivate the Eradicators, causing Jadus to disappear once they were rendered useless. A third theory claims that Cipher Nine willingly gave him the codes, becoming the "Hand of Jadus." Jadus then tasked the agent with assassinating his daughter, Zhorrid, so that he could reclaim his position on the Dark Council and reshape the Empire according to his vision.
Regardless, Jadus soon departed the reaches of the known galaxy to secretly advance his future plans, having also become aware of the Emperor's intentions to eradicate all life in the universe.
Years later, Lana Beniko considered him a possible suspect in orchestrating the War on Iokath, confirming that Jadus was still believed to be alive and manipulating events from the shadows.
Darth Jadus, a significant yet mysterious figure among the Sith, was renowned for his cold demeanor and sharp intellect. Displaying greater self-control than his fellow Dark Lords, he rarely gave in to fits of rage or other displays of passion. He concealed the emotions that fueled the dark side of the Force, even masking his features behind a full-face mask. He showed minimal interest in the power struggles and petty disputes that were prevalent among his fellow Council members, viewing them as impediments to the Empire's achievement of its full potential.
Instead, Jadus concentrated his influence on the Imperial Intelligence network, ensuring its status as the galaxy's premier espionage organization. He strongly opposed the Empire's anti-alien policies and readily welcomed aliens into Imperial Intelligence, possibly including the agent who would become Cipher Nine.
His enigmatic nature, paired with his preference for elevating ordinary citizens and non-Force sensitives over other Sith as his favored agents, created an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust among his peers and a near-religious devotion among his followers.
As a member of the Dark Council, Darth Jadus possessed immense power in the dark side of the Force. He was capable of teleportation, Force choke, Force lightning, Force corruption, and healing. Darth Jadus also demonstrated skill with his single-bladed Sith lightsaber.
Employees of Imperial Intelligence claimed that Darth Jadus' powers were second only to those of the Emperor. The Emperor himself acknowledged this, stating to Cipher Nine that Jadus was the finest Sith the Empire had ever produced.
Darth Jadus' power was significant enough to garner the respect and admiration of Dread Master Raptus, who revealed to Cipher Nine that Jadus viewed the world in the same way as the Dread Masters.
Those unfortunate enough to be in his presence experienced a physical sensation of pain and suffering due to the potent dark side energy that emanated from him.
Darth Jadus was initially introduced through an in-universe Holonet entry on the website for BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic video game. This entry contained Aurebesh phrases such as "Herald of a New Era," "Daughter is only known apprentice," and "Who is the hand of Jadus."
There exist three alternative outcomes for Jadus' fate. In the light-side path, Cipher Nine can use the codes to disable the Eradicators while resisting Jadus, who departs once the weapons are deactivated, or they can reason with him and convince him to leave. In the dark side path, Nine can input the codes as a diversion while sabotaging his ship, and Watcher Two alerts the Dark Council, who surround his vulnerable vessel, forcing him to surrender and taking him into custody. In another dark-side option, Cipher Nine can join Jadus, earning the title "Hand of Jadus" and allowing him to reshape Intelligence according to his desires.
Should Nine choose to serve Jadus, during the class mission on Hoth, the agent encounters one of Jadus' servants, who tasks the agent with surveying a detachment of Imperial Guardsmen on the planet. Upon completion of the mission, the servant cryptically states that Jadus now possesses a greater understanding of the Sith Emperor's plans.
Following Chapter 2 of the Imperial Agent storyline, Jadus informs Cipher Nine that he is withdrawing from the war to focus on other endeavors, leaving Nine to continue his work. He also approves the Minister of Intelligence's request for Nine to hunt down and eliminate the Star Cabal, being among the few Sith who believe Nine's claims about them.