Jerec (Inquisitor)

Jerec belonged to the Miraluka race, a near-human species distinguished by their congenital blindness and their capacity to "see" through the Force. He consistently wore a slender blindfold covering the area where his eyes would have been, a practice that, along with the Miraluka's relative scarcity, likely contributed to the common misconception that Jerec was simply a blind Human.

As a youngling, Jerec's Force potential was identified by Jedi Knight and archaeologist Jocasta Nu of the Jedi Order. Nu brought him to the Order for training. Sometime before 49 BBY, Nu, who had a sustained interest in the young Miraluka, chose Jerec as her Padawan. Being a devoted scholar, she encouraged Jerec to relentlessly pursue greater knowledge and understanding. He cultivated an insatiable desire for answers to every conceivable question, alongside a profound sense of scholarly self-assurance and confidence in his own intellect. Jerec's dedication to learning extended to physical disciplines, as he became proficient in the ancient Makashi and Djem So forms of lightsaber combat.

Jerec's responsibility for his own knowledge acquisition began when he achieved the rank of Jedi Knight while his master ascended to Jedi Master. He also took on the role of mentor, training Ameesa Darys as a Padawan and guiding her to knighthood by the time of the Clone Wars. This achievement earned Jerec the title of Jedi Master. Jerec served the Jedi as an archaeologist, searching for ancient lore and recovering artifacts across the galaxy. One of the ancient sites he explored was the Valley of the Jedi, a battlefield of immense power that had been lost to the Jedi over the years. Jerec continued to seek it throughout his life, though his motivations became entirely self-serving.

Despite his rank as Master, his role as a Jedi archaeologist constantly acquiring knowledge, and his prominence as one of the Jedi's leading scholars and the protégé of a former Jedi Council member, Jerec was not satisfied among the Jedi. He began to feel he had exhausted all the Jedi could offer, growing restless and seeking greater power—because to Jerec, knowledge equated to power. By this point, he seemed to be considering the dark side as a potential source of knowledge, believing he had already maximized the potential of the light.

Before the Clone Wars began, Jerec led a team of Jedi to the Unknown Regions, tasked by the Jedi Council with locating lost artifacts. Jerec had additional motives for this search, hoping to discover new, non-Jedi sources of learning. This task was apparently well-known among high-ranking Jedi, as Jedi Master and Council member Obi-Wan Kenobi suggested Jerec as a possible source of an outdated Jedi distress code near the end of the Clone Wars, although Jerec was not actually the source.

Jerec did not return from his mission until after the Clone Wars ended and Order 66 was executed. He reached Coruscant before realizing the Jedi Order had been annihilated during the Great Jedi Purge by the newly formed Galactic Empire. The beacon Masters Kenobi and Yoda had set to warn away the Jedi had apparently been deactivated. Accompanied by his fellow archaeologists, he fled back to the Unknown Regions. However, he had caught the attention of High Inquisitor Antinnis Tremayne, who pursued and captured the group. The Inquisitor presented the Jedi Master with a choice: embrace the dark side and serve Emperor Palpatine to preserve his life, or refuse and face death. Jerec, already tempted by dark knowledge, needed little convincing and converted eagerly. Identified as a valuable target by the Empire, he was marked for acquisition approximately one month after the Declaration of a New Order, before his defection.

Jerec joined the Imperial Inquisition, a feared Imperial Intelligence division of Jedi hunters. Immediately after his conversion, he provided information about other Jedi on long-term missions who were out of contact. Jerec sought them out, converting many to Imperial service. He cultivated their allegiance to himself, building a cadre of Dark Jedi loyal to him and capable of helping him achieve his ambitions. One of the Jedi Jerec pursued was Maw. This Boltrunian, part of a group of Jedi Shadows, was hunted down with his companions early in the Great Jedi Purge. Already ruthless, Maw was converted by Jerec, who helped him slaughter his fellows. Maw became one of Jerec's most prominent clients, and the Inquisitor tutored him in the dark side, especially tracking techniques.

As the number of Jedi fugitives decreased, Jerec was tasked with seeking Jedi and Sith lore, similar to his original career as a Jedi. As one of the foremost Sith scholars in the new Empire—fluent in Sith—and a powerful darksider, he held a prominent position in the Imperial Palace's court. Although officially a High Inquisitor, Jerec outranked figures like Procurator of Justice Hethrir and Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side Kadann. It was suggested that Jerec would have been Palpatine's Sith apprentice had the Emperor not already had Darth Vader as his Supreme Commander. Jerec felt the same way, and bitterly hated Darth Vader. He consistently tried to undermine his rival and gain favor with Palpatine, seeking to replace Vader. However, the Emperor was unmoved, and Lord Vader remained dominant. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Jerec reported directly to Palpatine and took orders from him personally.

Now serving Palpatine, Jerec craved Sith wisdom. He added Sith tattoos to his face, thin black lines flowing from the corners of his mouth. Jerec studied the dark side in all its forms, reading from the Dark Side Compendium written by Palpatine. It was there that he conceived the idea of forming a band of seven Dark Jedi melded to one will, a concept that would stay with him. However, the Emperor recognized the Inquisitor's aspirations to supplant him and cut off his access to the Compendium.

This did not deter Jerec. He studied the Dark Force cult of the Prophets of the Dark Side on Dromund Kaas, developing a close relationship with the prophet Lord Cronal. From Cronal, Jerec learned more about the Valley of the Jedi, a legendary source of power. The location of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, it held the trapped spirits of hundreds of Jedi and Sith, which could be used by a skilled master. The place fascinated the Inquisitor, and dreams of harnessing its power fueled his ambition. During these years, he encountered Qu Rahn, a Jedi Master who had survived the Great Jedi Purge and sought the Valley, though Rahn was not captured.

Jerec was extremely ambitious, plotting to topple Vader and supplant Palpatine. However, he knew he could not overcome the two Sith Lords alone. Instead, he built a network of patrons and allies, combining powerful backers with faithful subordinates.

One of Jerec's earliest acquisitions was the Jedi Shadow Maw, whom he turned to the dark side early in the Purge and took as a pupil, then executed his fellow Jedi Shadows. Another early initiate was Bocas'eca, a Force-strong Twi'lek who researched ancient Twi'lek Jedi, including Newar Forrth, a hero of Ruusan. As a slave of Vice-Admiral Terrinald Screed, his talents were noticed by Jerec, who demanded Screed hand him over. Unable to resist an Inquisitor, Screed gave up his slave, but Jerec did not kill Boc—instead, he took him as his own thrall, ripped Boc's knowledge of Ruusan from his brain, and immersed Boc in the dark side, creating a twisted Dark Jedi servant torn between loathing and devotion.

One of Jerec's most fruitful relationships was with Cronal, who provided him with dark side knowledge and subordinates. Cronal also provided the mutated Sithspawn Gorc and Pic. The transfer of these "twins" expanded his base of client Dark Jedi. Another benefit was his acquaintance with Sariss, an agent of the Prophets and Cronal's secret daughter. Sariss first met Jerec during his training with Cronal on Dromund Kaas and was frequently sent to Jerec as an emissary. She developed an attraction to the former Jedi and learned of his plans, fueling her desire to join him. Through fierce lightsaber duels, Jerec humbled Sariss and bent her to his will, making her one of his favored subordinates, though her duties to the Prophets prevented her from openly joining him.

Jerec sought patrons and backers, including Cronal, who provided knowledge and subordinates. He also needed financial support. To this end, he abused his position as a High Inquisitor, granting exemptions from audits in exchange for credits, becoming a billionaire. Government figures like Grand Moff Ardus Kaine were funders of Jerec's ambitions.

While Jerec wielded great power, he kept his ability to use the Force hidden from the public. While his status as a Dark Jedi was known in higher circles, most of the military and lower bureaucracy was unaware. Jerec cultivated an aura of mystery, wowing subordinates with seeming omniscience and convincing them that he could see despite his blindness. Even the crew of his personal Star Destroyer, Vengeance, remained unaware, though he allowed occasional glimpses of his powers. Whether this was part of his strategy or simply pleased him, it was a notable achievement.

Sidious was wise to Jerec's desires. Having cut off his access to higher Sith learning, Sidious continued to use him, frequently assigning Captain Thrawn to the Vengeance as its commander to watch Jerec.

Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, Jerec led a mission to Sulon, the rural moon of Sullust, to capture Morgan Katarn, leader of a Rebel cell. When Katarn escaped the initial attack, Jerec staged an attack on the geothermal power station, disguised as a Rebel raid, drawing the Rebels out. Jerec faced Katarn, who refused to disclose information. Content that Sulon had been pacified, Jerec decapitated him with the Jengardin double-bladed vibroblade and displayed his head on a pike. Jerec claimed Sulon as its governor, building himself a massive tower on Barons Knoll in Barons Hed.

Shortly after, Jerec attended the graduation ceremonies at the Academy of Carida. He dined with General Rom Mohc, learning that Katarn's son, Kyle Katarn, had performed excellently in his Omega Exercise. Interested, Jerec awarded Katarn his Medal of Valor, telling Katarn that he would be waiting for the stormtrooper at the top of his expected rise. Jerec possibly sensed the Force in Katarn and sought to groom him as another Dark Jedi.

Ten months after the Battle of Yavin, Jerec attempted to usurp power. Jerec had learned of the ancient Ithorian experiment Spore, an aggressively expanding hive mind capable of subsuming sentients, and planned to use it to enslave armies. Confident he could control Spore, he set out for the asteroid belt near Ithor where it was entombed. There, he found Tash Arranda stumbling back into the mining base set up on Spore's asteroid. She, her brother Zak, their uncle Mammon Hoole, the Ithorian Fandomar, and a trio of miners had become trapped in a tomb. Jerec dispatched stormtroopers to rescue the others and claimed the crypt. He found the door open and Spore escaped. Jerec had brought insufficient personnel to control the asteroid, and Hodge, the chief miner, had set Spore free. However, Fandomar sabotaged the mining base, releasing the atmosphere so that Spore lacked the oxygen it needed. Jerec returned to the Vengeance, angered and suspicious.

Spore had infected Hodge, and upon crash-landing on Ithor, it was set free. Jerec followed it down alone. Spore attacked, but Jerec used the Force to repel it. Jerec explained that he wished to use Spore to take over the Imperial military, rendering every trooper part of a hive mind in service to him as Galactic Emperor. Spore agreed, starting with the Vengeance. Spore spread throughout the ship, taking over enough crew to operate it. However, Tash Arranda and Fandomar infiltrated the ship, seized Hoole and Zak Arranda, and escaped aboard a pair of Starfly spacecraft, designed to flit through asteroid fields. They lured Spore into the asteroid belt where the ship was attacked by space slugs, but it was insufficiently adept at operating the Vengeance to escape. The slugs brought down the shields, and the Vengeance was hulled by asteroids. The exposure to vacuum caused Spore to go dormant, but Jerec had escaped in another Starfly.

Jerec had Imperial crews salvage the wreck, recovering the ship's computer core. Jerec had it installed in a new Star Destroyer, the Vengeance II, replacing his old flagship. The failure of his plot subdued Jerec, as such a costly failure would attract questions from Palpatine. Jerec retired to Sulon to rule as governor, before departing to continue his pursuits, leaving his Dark Tower, which had had multiple successors by 5 ABY.

Jerec continued to build his wealth, purchasing a Super Star Destroyer variant which he also named the Vengeance, sending the Vengeance II to Vader's Death Squadron prior to the Battle of Hoth. It was in this period that he gained the allegiance of Sariss, and likely Gorc and Pic. However, Jerec kept a low profile until the death of the Emperor, when he seized the initiative again.

The Battle of Endor served as the catalyst Jerec needed to revive his imperial ambitions. The deaths of Sith Lords Palpatine and Darth Vader in that single event eliminated the primary obstacles to Jerec's grand designs. Jerec then commenced planning an expansion of his influence, with the Valley of the Jedi identified as a potential power source. He believed this would enable him to establish a new, magnificent, and truly galactic empire—distinct from Sidious's Empire, a completely novel dominion.

Sariss also seized the opportunity presented by the post-Endor turmoil to abandon her station on Tatooine and permanently join Jerec's ranks, becoming his foremost subordinate. She further ingratiated herself by becoming the lover of a Panathan businessman; Sariss then seduced his son, Yun, and manipulated him into murdering his own father. Subsequently, she took Yun, a Force-sensitive individual, as her apprentice, bringing him—along with the considerable wealth of her deceased lover's mineral business—into Jerec's fold. This acquisition provided Jerec with six Dark Jedi under his command—Maw, Boc, Gorc, Pic, Sariss, and Yun. Including Jerec himself, they numbered seven, mirroring the composition detailed in Sidious's Dark Side Compendium. Although he lacked the expertise to fully dominate them, he was capable of adhering to the fundamental principles of Sidious's teachings.

Commanding the Super Star Destroyer Vengeance, Jerec established himself as a warlord. Despite his self-serving nature, he was willing to feign loyalty to other leaders. He professed allegiance to the Pentastar Alignment, the breakaway state founded by his former benefactor, Grand Moff Ardus Kaine. Within this organization, Jerec attained the position of Great InQuestor of Judgment, the Kaine regime's equivalent of an Inquisitor, and recruited numerous former Inquisitors into the order. While his public loyalty to Kaine may or may not have been widely known, his secondary allegiance remained a secret; Jerec secretly pledged himself to the Prophets of the Dark Side—not the imposters vying with Ysanne Isard for power, but the authentic Prophets, now in hiding, who had previously instructed him. Jerec imparted the basics of the Prophets' Dark Force religion to all his Dark Jedi; this was likely a concession to his backers, as Jerec likely held no genuine belief beyond his own self-interest. To this clandestine subordination was added another when Cronal contacted him approximately one year after Endor. The aged Prophet, then on Byss with the resurrected Darth Sidious, revealed the Emperor's survival to Jerec and tasked him with locating the Valley of the Jedi and claiming it for the Emperor. Jerec, already actively searching for it, readily accepted resources from Sidious's Deep Core forces, just as he did from the Prophets and the Alignment. As a gesture of loyalty, Jerec dispatched the Vengeance II to Byss; he had recovered it at some point after sending it to Vader. However, he ultimately maintained a fleet of at least three Imperial-class Star Destroyers accompanying Vengeance. He also controlled the cargo ship Sulon Star, among other vessels, and retained dominion over Sulon.

Eventually, Jerec received information that Qu Rahn, the Jedi survivor he had previously encountered, had found the location of the Valley of the Jedi. He managed to track Rahn to the planet Dorlo, where Rahn and several Rebel allies evaded Maw, Sariss, and Yun on the ground. Nevertheless, the Rebels' transport was unable to outrun the Vengeance in orbit, resulting in the Rebels' capture. They were brought before him and his six Dark Jedi, and Rahn's composure in the face of capture unnerved Jerec; a truly dangerous man. Jerec swiftly overcame his fear and interrogated Rahn, but the Jedi revealed nothing, even as the Dark Jedi executed his companions one by one. Rahn attempted to provoke Jerec into killing him, ensuring his knowledge remained secret. Jerec refused to take the bait, however. Instead, he probed Rahn's mind using the Force, extracting the information: Rahn did not know the coordinates, but Morgan Katarn had, and Katarn had stored a map in his home. For Jerec, familiar with Katarn, that was sufficient information. Rahn had other plans, however, and pulled Yun's lightsaber to him. He managed to wound Boc and bisect Maw across the hips, but Jerec quickly intervened, striking Rahn with a debilitating burst of Force energy. Rahn collapsed to his knees, and Jerec moved in for the final blow. Immediately after Rahn's death Jerec ordered his officers to prepare a special meal in anticipation of their impending victory before departing the bridge.

The independent information broker droid 8t88 outmaneuvered another Assembler information broker to assist Jerec in finding the Valley. The droid traveled to the Katarn homestead and later arranged a meeting with Kyle Katarn on Nar Shaddaa: a notorious commando employed by the New Republic, Morgan's son and the stormtrooper whom Jerec had decorated years earlier. Jerec was aware of the meeting and approved it as an attempt on the young Force-sensitive's life. 88 was instructed to sell him information regarding his father's murderer: Jerec, who, the droid confessed, had hired him, and demanded that he decode a holodisc belonging to his father. Following a brief conflict, Katarn seized the holodisc from the droid, who narrowly escaped to Sulon.

Jerec dispatched his agents to Sulon, where Katarn had hidden the coordinates--only months before Jerec executed him. Sariss, Boc, and Yun searched the Katarn homestead and discovered the astrographic map etched by Katarn into the ceiling of his workshop. They removed the panels and transported them to Jerec's former Government House, where 8t88 awaited to decipher it.

However, the Force ghost of Qu Rahn guided Kyle Katarn, who had also journeyed to his homeworld of Sulon, arriving just as Jerec's Dark Jedi were departing. He used the disc to access a message from his father and Rahn's lightsaber, stored for him. With that, Katarn tracked down the map to the Dark Tower; right before Yun arrived and destroyed its tiles. Katarn defeated Yun in lightsaber combat but allowed him to escape.

Jerec reprimanded the droid for failing to send the map fragments to him promptly, to which he explained that he had not only decoded but also digitized the map, transmitting it via a hologrpahic projection. Jerec could not see it, but pretended to be, maintaining his personal myth of having mystical powers. With the holomap in his possession, Jerec saw little reason to retain 88's services; he directed the droid to the Fuel City to collect his "reward". He sent Yun to the Dark Tower to destroy the physical map, and Gorc and Pic to the Sulon Star to deliver 8t88 his reward: deactivation.

Meanwhile Kyle and his partner Jan Ors tracked down 8t88 aboard the Sulon Star, arriving after Gorc and Pic decapitated it. Katarn fought the Brothers of the Sith, inflicting the first casualties on Jerec's seven Dark Jedi, in order to salvage the droid's severed head, from which he retrieved the coordinates to Ruusan.

The Vengeance Battle Group quickly arrived in the Hoth's Brand system, and Jerec ordered mapping surveys and orbital scans. They identified a small fort as the primary settlement on the planet, Sariss suggested its immediate destruction; Jerec overruled her, emphasizing the need to gather information from the settlers first. He then instructed Sariss, Boc, and Yun to land and extract as much information as possible from the inhabitants. Upon confirming that the settlers knew nothing of the Valley, Jerec ordered the settlement's annihilation.

During the second phase of the survey, Jerec invested in archaeological excavations within the caves surrounding the Valley: the valuable artifacts dating from the Great Peace of the Republic, he would be able to exploit their technology and also fill the Imperial coffers and satisfy nitpickers, watchdogs and his critics around the Empire who didn't comprehend his vision for power. To that end he sent Major Vig to lead the works. His forces also began constructing a base, tunneling into the heart of the Valley and erecting barracks, watchtowers, cargo storage and processing facilities, and even a docking tower for the Sulon Star—in essence, all the necessary infrastructure for a long-term, heavily fortified garrison, complete with extensive guard patrols.

Meanwhile Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors, recruited a New Republic crew and manned an Imperial freighter which got them past Jerec's battle group. Arriving on the planet undercover, they contacted the settlers who survived the destruction of the Fort. After a skirmish with Jerec's Patrol 341 they contacted the native Bouncers and sought out the Valley.

Finally, with the Valley nearly prepared for his arrival, Jerec gathered a few personal belongings and instructed Yun to assist Major Vig, who was struggling with the trapped spirits awakened within the Valley. Jerec advised Yun to focus on hate and fear of failure to overcome his self-doubt and brought the young Jedi with him planetside. He relocated his quarters from the Vengeance to the surface. Some repairs around the Valley would σtrengthen the forces of the thought bomb that held the spirits, ensuring their continuous imprisonment, and tapping their powers.

While Jerec oversaw operations, he dispatched the other Dark Jedi as his deputies, managing various military, organizational, and supervisory tasks. He learned that Yun had used the Force to save a Stormtrooper from a falling rock, and congratulated him through Sariss, but also reassigned him to investigate the disapperance of Patrol 341. While overseeing the repairs, despite his orders to not be disturbed an officer came; with his augmented powers he sensed that he wanted to report for intruders. Indeed, the junior Lieutenant went on saying that attack droid AD-43 alerted about a party of three humans and an unclassified alien approaching; the droid had been destroyed and the assets had not returned from the field.

It was then when Jerec extended his thought toward the nexus of stirring energies, located a leak of dark stream, drew negative power and became one with the inner fabric of the Dark Side, almost all-knowing. With this he was able to reach out and perceive Katarn in the Force as he attempted to reach the Valley, more mature than when he met him in the Academy, and now a Jedi, having discovered his Force potential sometime after Jerec had; not self-taught, but mentored by Rahn. He laughed to himself, despite feeling a little fear. He fought the impulse to destroy the fledgling Jedi directly, preferring to discover his flaws, specifically anger and thirst for revenge, and use them against him, corrupt him, and add to his retinue.

While Katarn infiltrated Jerec's complex surrounding the Valley, Ors stayed behind, where Jerec's stormtroopers captured her. They had also captured their ship, the Moldy Crow, and docked it aboard the Sulon Star. Meanwhile, Katarn ascended to the top of the docking tower, where the remaining Dark Jedi and the captive Ors awaited him. Jerec allowed Maw, who had recovered from the amputation he suffered at Rahn's hands and now moved propelled by his own considerable rage focused through the Force, first crack at Katarn. Katarn struck the old Jedi Shadow down and, when Maw taunted him with details of Morgan Katarn's death, killed him in anger, making his first step towards the Dark Side. Into this vulnerable moment stepped Jerec from a turbolift. He knew that Katarn would not attack him, especially since Boc and Sariss held captive Ors. Promptly, Jerec introduced them to Katarn, and also Yun whom he had met before and let him live; a "weakness" which, as Maw's body proved, had overcome.

Jerec pushed the captive Ors down and urged Katarn to give in to his rage, strike her, and feel the power of the dark side—his "true destiny" and "true power." Katarn felt the temptation, but pulled away and rejected Jerec. Satisfied that Katarn would not be turned, Jerec moved to dispose of him. Channeling the ambient energy, he sent a concentrated blast of it energy to Katarn hurling him back, and retreated into the Sulon Star docked at the tower. Sariss warned her master to be careful with the energy blasts; and Jerec noticed that Yun had been too silent. Not needing their help he used his powers to cause the ship to fall with Katarn inside. The Star's power failed and it began to plummet to the surface, where it exploded. Surely, Jerec thought, Katarn would not survive that. But sent his servants down to find and kill him.

Katarn was not a man to be underestimated, however, and was able to make it to the ship's bay where his ship, the Moldy Crow, was docked. The Crow screamed out of the crashing ship, but Katarn was unable to keep control and nicked a rock formation, sending the ship spinning out of control. Sariss, Boc, and Yun were dispatched to the crash site. There, they found Katarn unconscious and prepared to execute him. Boc destroyed his lightsaber, but was sent by Sariss to report to Jerec that Katarn had been found and would be killed in short order. But Yun, remembering Katarn's mercy on Sulon, intervened; Sariss reflexively attacked Yun. Katarn awoke fully at that moment, seized Yun's lightsaber, and used it to out-duel Sariss. Jerec was now down to one Dark Jedi servant and Katarn was still on the loose.

Jerec was not particularly concerned. He and Boc, with Ors in tow as a hostage, proceeded to the core of the Valley, which was finally accessible and ready for Jerec. Jerec was in a state of ecstasy as he beheld the incredible power of the Valley. Walking to the central dome which covered the well of energy, Jerec basked in its glow. Using the Force, he opened the dome and leaped inside to the absolute heart of the Valley's power. There, he engaged in meditation, hovering cross-legged among the captive spirits of the Jedi and Sith of ages past as he bent them to his will and leeched their strength. Reveling in the Force energies of the Valley, he reached a state of near-apotheosis in which he gained total omniscience. At long last, total knowledge—something which he had coveted for countless years—was completely, fully in his grasp, and untold power came with it.

While Jerec floated, Katarn infiltrated the Valley complex, fighting his way through Jerec's stormtroopers to the Valley floor. There, he freed Ors, but was attacked by Boc. After a hard-fought battle, Katarn overcame Boc, but not without using a dark side technique. Jerec was aware of all that transpired, laughed, and reminded Katarn that it was the second time he used the dark side; he didn't mind losing his minions, as he was more powerful, and Katarn would join him in their place. He burst from the mound in an eruption of light and energy throwing Katarn outside, confident in his own incredible power. He tried to lure him more to the darkness, reminding to Katarn his own crimes, causing him to attack in rage and vengeance. Remembering Yun's sacrifice, and knowing that Jerec was all too powerful, Katarn surrendered to the light side and trusted his instincts—he abandoned hate and raised a shield of light side energy around Jerec to protect him from the dark side, cutting him off from his hold on the Valley's power.

His connection severed and his power diminished, Jerec fell heavily to his knees, his lightsaber tumbling from his hand. As Katarn stood over him, Jerec taunted and goaded the Jedi, reminding Katarn that he had killed Morgan Katarn. Katarn would not give in to the dark side this time any more than he had the last. Instead, he performed an act of Jedi mercy, throwing Jerec's lightsaber back to him. Jerec could have accepted Katarn's mercy and ran. That, however, was not his way. Instead, he rose and attacked, but Katarn cut him down in one swift motion. Katarn's saber passed through his body as each charged past the other; realizing what had happened, Jerec stood stock still, contemplating his defeat and death, knowing eternal torment awaited him. As his body crumpled to the ground, it lost substance, dissolving with a flash into Chaos and long torment within the Valley.

Even during his time as a Jedi, Jerec displayed a voracious appetite for knowledge coupled with an arrogant demeanor. Jocasta Nu instilled in him a profound appreciation for learning, emphasizing that answers were only accessible to those who pursued them with unwavering dedication. This fostered an association between knowledge and power, driving Jerec to pursue both with even greater fervor. This passion burned so intensely that it propelled Jerec beyond the confines of the Jedi Order; upon achieving Jedi Mastery, he felt he had exhausted the potential for knowledge within the Jedi ranks. He even entertained the prospect of exploring the secrets of the dark side. Consequently, the Jedi code of morality was not deeply ingrained in him; instead, he valued the Order solely for its capacity to provide him with knowledge. These characteristics contributed to his downfall; when confronted with the choice between conversion and death, the outcome was virtually predetermined. His attachment to the Jedi Order and its tenets was insufficient to warrant sacrificing himself, and Jerec was already eager to delve into the dark side's forbidden knowledge. The transition was seamless for Jerec.

Jerec was also driven by ambition, assembling a group of darksiders around him and constantly seeking to usurp Vader and Sidious and elevate his own standing. His ambition was not to quietly ascend through a power structure ruled by another but to create and govern his own. Kyle Katarn, before realizing his Force sensitivity, sensed Jerec as an insatiable hunger upon their initial encounter, a man who would allow nothing to impede his progress. Indeed, Jerec was solely devoted to himself and fanatically pursued his personal interests. From the outset, he cultivated a cadre of Dark Jedi, personally converted to the dark side and indebted to him for their careers, upon whom he could rely as supporters. Even by the standards the Empire (and to an extent the Sith), Jerec was infamous for his sense of senseless sadism and cruelty, one that even surpasses the Emperor as he often enjoys torturing his victims with pure glee and if he wanted to do, kill them in the most savage and brutal way possible, much like he beheaded Morgan Katarn with a vibroblade and later had his Acolyte Maw thrust the head on a spike for everyone to witness. His savage nature is also shown when gleefully decapitated Qu Rahn with his lightsaber after paralyzing him with the force. He also excelled at political maneuvering, scheming against Vader and the other Dark Side Adepts within the Imperial Palace, earning a reputation as an opportunist and a traitor. Jerec established a network of financial backers to fuel his ambition for power and engaged in at least one attempted rebellion, although the disastrous failure of the Spore plot prevented him from acting on his ambitions again until Palpatine and Vader died at Endor. At that point he resumed his maneuvering, playing three sides against each other—even the reborn Palpatine, whose reach had been stunted and who no longer exerted the same power over Jerec—for his own benefit, confident that securing the power of the Valley would make him unassailable and allow him to create a grand new empire over which he would rule as a god.

Jerec also went to great lengths to cultivate an aura of mystery and power around himself, which built a fearful reputation for him, something he seemed to relish. Jerec kept his Jedi abilities hidden from his subordinates, presenting himself as a non-Force-sensitive to the public up through 0 BBY at least, though occasional flashes of Force power were permitted. By his time as a warlord, he used his lightsaber openly and was generally known as a Dark Jedi.

Although never having served in the Imperial military, and finding the military mannerisms, culture and language pointless, he did attain a high military position. He tried to express his authority, even if by just rattling off some nonsense commands.

A gifted individual of considerable powers, the myths he fashioned about himself contributed to being perceived as much more powerful than he already was. This combined to give his soldiers the impression that he possessed supernatural powers and elicited their fear and respect, as well as feeding his own considerable ego. To these contributed the charade that he could see; despite the lack of eyes, the Miraluka's Force abilities allowed him to approximate sight and he continually acted as if he were receiving visual input. Although for example he was unable to see holograms or stars in space, he was pretending to be watching holograms, or star gazing from the Vengeance's bridge; fooling half the Super Star Destroyer's crew into thinking that he could somehow see through the band over his sockets. He also flaunted what seemed to be his uncanny knowledge and perceptiveness, frequently knowing what a subordinate was about to report or demonstrating the ability to predict an opponent's next move with great accuracy.

One particularly strange characteristic of Jerec's was his fascination with psychological manipulation. He consistently sought to destabilize his subordinates, ensuring they remained aware of their subservient status. He meticulously scrutinized all communication transmissions from his troops during combat, augmenting this surveillance with probe droids and Force abilities to extend his reach; even in the absence of direct intervention, his troops were acutely aware of his omnipresent observation. This constant oversight proved unsettling for many under his command; such intense scrutiny functioned akin to micromanagement, stifling their initiative and reinforcing their perception of his superiority. Furthermore, Jerec aimed to foster dependence and insecurity among his subordinates. He would bypass conventional greetings, diving straight into the core of his message, thereby disrupting the expected conversational flow and leaving the recipient struggling to formulate a response. He also posed questions to which he already possessed the answers; the other party was aware of Jerec's prior knowledge and that Jerec knew they knew. Nonetheless, compliance in providing the answer was mandatory; the performance of such a futile task eroded the morale of the individual and underscored Jerec's dominance. He frequently maintained dimly lit quarters to create discomfort and disorientation for visitors; a reliance on light was not a weakness he shared.

Another favored tactic in his repertoire of mind games involved a bowl of touchstones that he kept within his quarters aboard the Vengeance. These stones were of two varieties: those intended for consumption and those designed to be popped, releasing a pleasant aroma upon doing so. While visually indistinguishable, the two types differed significantly; consuming the "popping" stones resulted in a highly unpleasant taste, while popping the "eating" stones released extremely offensive odors. Jerec, utilizing his non-visual senses, could discern the difference, a feat beyond the capabilities of most beings. Jerec would offer a touchstone to those entering his cabin—a game he frequently played with his lieutenant, Sariss—requiring them to either seek his guidance, thereby acknowledging his superiority, or gamble on a course of action, risking his displeasure and public humiliation. Sariss, in turn, persistently attempted to manipulate Jerec through flattery and deceit, a fact fully known to Jerec. Indeed, Jerec relished these power dynamics, finding them both entertaining and ego-boosting.

However, degradation was not the only form of manipulation Jerec used. He had the capacity to inspire respect in others and, through his charisma, cause them to admire him. He was able to attract Sariss and earn her admiration; throughout her career, obtaining his approval was a priority for her. Yun, in particular, was eager to please Jerec. Simple requests for Yun's assistance and assignments to oversee tasks boosted Yun's confidence and left him radiating with Jerec's favor. During the shuttle journey from the Vengeance to Ruusan, Jerec entertained Yun with amusing stories and anecdotes for the duration of the flight; Jerec possessed a charm and charisma that he could deploy at will when deemed necessary.

Jerec's manipulations—the air of mystery and authority, the acts of humiliation, the calculated charm—fed his ego, but they also served the purpose of reminding his subordinates of their inferiority to him.

This was not solely for Jerec's personal gratification; perceiving that his subordinates possessed more power than they realized, it became imperative to conceal his own vulnerabilities and desires, even if it necessitated self-control and abstaining from actions he desired; for instance, when Rahn's team was captured, instead of resorting to the Force to extract their findings, as he wished, he restrained himself, orchestrating a charade of interrogation and executions, before ultimately isolating Rahn and extracting the information anyway. By convincing others of the vast disparity in power, he maintained division and disorganization among them, thus safeguarding himself from potential overthrow.

Paradoxically, Jerec exhibited traits of both indulgence and asceticism. He maintained a minimalistic aesthetic in his quarters, despite his cabin being the most spacious aboard the Vengeance; material possessions held no value for him, and his quarters reflected this lack of ostentation. Despite his immense wealth, he possessed few personal belongings, all of which could fit into a travel case and were either functional or held great personal significance. Jerec was deeply attached to these select items and resented any interference with them. His cabin on the Vengeance was furnished solely with a standard bunk, a custom chair, and a table. He had the touchstones, but no mementos or knickknacks. However, Jerec was not inherently self-denying; objects simply lacked significance beyond their utility. Most people incorrectly assumed that his minimalism and asceticism stemmed from either his blindness or his self-discipline.

He derived great pleasure from music, particularly enjoying Borna's second symphony, despite the fact that the composer had been executed as a rebel and the music was inherently anti-Imperial. Jerec also utilized the touchstones to enhance his musical experience, providing specific scents or tastes that he felt complemented the music. Due to his blindness, non-visual senses played a crucial role in Jerec's enjoyment; in addition to music, he appreciated fine cuisine, often giving special attention to his dinner—following Rahn's execution, one of his first directives was to prepare a meal. He also emphasized scent; the aroma of his meals was as important as the taste, and his use of touchstone scents to enhance the musical experience indicated a strong connection to olfactory sensations. Overall, Jerec preferred to indulge his senses, though the superficial trappings of luxury held no appeal.

Jerec also possessed fluency in multiple languages; he could speak, read, and write the Miralukese language of his species, as well as Galactic Basic Standard. His scholarly pursuits and position within the Imperial court also granted him familiarity with the archaic High Galactic language, and he could speak, read, and write Sith, possibly from his time as an archaeologist requiring knowledge of Sith artifacts. A true polyglot, he was also proficient in the major trade languages Huttese and Bocce as well as Zabraki.

Jerec was a formidable Force user; Tash Arranda, an untrained Force-sensitive, perceived his power as nearly equivalent to that of Darth Vader, whom she had previously encountered. However, he lacked deep attunement to the Unifying Force. Jerec's inherent power was significantly amplified by the Valley of the Jedi; accessing even a fraction of its power allowed him to approach what he perceived as omnipotence. Qu Rahn, as a Force ghost, cautioned Kyle Katarn that, with the Valley's power, Jerec could extinguish life across an entire star system with a mere thought; Jerec shared a similar perception of his potential power. His time in the Valley granted him limitless knowledge, as well as Force Powers beyond what he thought was possible—though he was unable to leverage this information in time to prevent his being cut off from the power of the Valley and the Force itself and being slain by Kyle Katarn. Even though he couldn't use the Valley's power to defend himself, Jerec knew how his soul would suffer for his defeat there, showing he still had the knowledge he gained. Jerec also possessed the ability of Force Protection, allowing himself to create a bubble of Force Energy that would shield him from most to any attack, be it lightsabers, Force abilities, explosives, or blasters. Although it should be noted, Jerec used this ability inside the core of the Valley of the Jedi, and so the power of the ability was very likely enhanced.

Jerec possessed the innate Miraluka ability to perceive the world through the Force; he could not perceive holograms, but he could sense beings and physical objects. Tash Arranda detected persistent waves of dark side energy emanating from Jerec during their encounters; she mentally likened the effect to an insect using its antennae to navigate.

Jerec was skilled at mind reading; he could extract information even from actively resisting consciousnesses. He was able to probe Rahn's mind upon the Jedi's capture and learn that Morgan Katarn possessed knowledge of the Valley of the Jedi's location, despite Rahn's status as a Jedi Master attempting to conceal this information. Nevertheless, Jerec breached Rahn's mental defenses and acquired the information. Jerec also displayed a tendency to know things preemptively, as evidenced by his prior knowledge of Thrawn's report. He could also read minds and see thoughts without the target noticing, as shown when he exposed Morgan Katarn's thoughts and fears to Thrawn. Other areas of particular power were telekinesis, in which he had great control, and in the defensive aspects of lightsaber fighting; as a practitioner of Form II and Form V, Jerec's defense was a difficult one to penetrate.

Among Jerec's abilities-an ability he favored and was possibly his go to ability-was Force Destruction. A powerful ability, he'd manifest them as red orbs of glowing Force Energy. His skill in the ability was masterful, capable of using it to inflict different effects depending on which he thought right for the situation. There are at least two, maybe three, effects Jerec has showcased with this ability. The main effect is more traditional for Force Destruction, allowing him to cause explosions on impact, he had used this attack against Kyle Katarn upon Katarn's refusal to join the dark side; destroying the supports to the Sulon Star and in turn destroying the Sulon Star-a freighter under Jerec's possession-causing it to fall to the surface and blow up as it crashed. However he did harness the leaking power of the Valley of the Jedi to enhance the destructive power of his blast by two or three times it would usually have. His other application was after he ripped the location of the map to Ruusan from Qu Rahn's mind. Rahn attacked the Dark Jedi as a last ditch effort to bring Jerec's plans to an end. However Jerec used Force Destruction in Rahn's chaos to bring Rahn's body into a state of paralysis, causing Rahn to be blasted back and stop his assault on the Seven Dark Jedi. As Rahn lay there, Jerec approached and struck a fatal blow on him with his lightsaber. Although another account has Rahn's body be seemingly brought under control by Jerec, bringing him to his knees. Leaving Rahn completely defenseless as Jerec decapitated him with his lightsaber.

Jerec seemed to use a similar power to the more destructive power of Force Destruction in his encounter with Kyle at the Valley of the Jedi, although he did not ignite and launch the ability from his hand, instead he triggered an explosion with the Force, having enough power to thrust Kyle out from the heart of the Valley's mound.

Upon Rahn's capture, the Jedi Master attempted to end his own life through sheer willpower; however, Jerec countered this attempt, overpowering Rahn and preventing his use of the technique. This ability was fairly common among Inquisitors, and Jerec was not an exception. This may have been related to Jerec's ability to cloud another's connection to the Force, cutting off or weakening it with the power of the dark side. Jerec had also mastered Force lightning, as well as being able to emanate his hatred through the Force in waves of darkness and rage so intense as to disorient and disable his enemies; powerful dark side skills indeed.

Jerec also possesed the rare ability to levitate himself with the Force, using this ability to emerge from mound that covered the heart of the Valley of the Jedi.

Adding onto Jerec's incredible power, he was capable of absorbing and overshadowing his opponents connection to the Force, effectively cutting them off from it. The only known counter to the ability was to have a strong, empowering grasp of their will which would allow the victim of the ability to use the Force again.

While Jerec never displayed such abilities, it is was said by Jedi Master Qu Rahn that once Jerec had absorbed the power from the Valley of the Jedi he could: destroy a star system with a whisper, eradicate a solar system with a snap of his fingers, 'think' a planet from its orbit, cause a supernova of stars in a fleeting thought or cause the eradication of life from a star system with just a whisper.

Jerec was a man of considerable height, inheriting the haughty demeanor and refined manners of his mentor, Jocasta Nu; early in the Galactic Civil War, he was noted to be thin to the point of emaciation, but by his time as a warlord, he had attained a relatively average weight; the reason for this transformation, or even which state was more natural to Jerec, remained unclear. Jerec's hair was inconsistent, as well. He kept his head shaved at some points in his career; at the time of his death, he wore his hair at a moderate length. He was balding, however, and lacked much hair on top of his skull.

The rest of Jerec's appearance as an Inquisitor was fairly consistent. He possessed curving tattoos, of Sith significance, around his mouth as early as 0 BBY and likely acquired them even earlier than that. It is highly unlikely, however, that he would have had such tattoos as a Jedi. He also wore a thin black leather band across his nonexistent eyes. Jerec's clothing remained fairly consistent: he favored black trousers, a high-collared tunic, and boots. He also wore armor at almost all times; he was rarely seen without a black breastplate and red pauldrons. Given its limited coverage, whether the armor was expected to be functional or was merely a cosmetic affectation was unclear. Over that he wore a black robe with red sigils along its border; on at least one occasion he chose a hooded robe, though his robes were generally not hooded.

Jerec was portrayed by Christopher Neame in the live-action cutscenes of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Neame also provided the character's voice, but in Jerec's sole appearance in gameplay, Jerec was rendered as a CGI model. In the game, Jerec served as the leader of the antagonists opposed by the player character, Kyle Katarn, and appeared as the final boss in the concluding level. In the non-canonical dark side ending of the game, Katarn succumbs to the dark side when tempted by Jerec, but Jerec's actions remain unchanged; he casts Katarn into the Sulon Star regardless.

Jerec has also been featured in the graphic novella adaptations of the Dark Forces series, offering expanded insights into his perspective. Audio dramas were produced based on the graphic novellas, including Soldier for the Empire, Rebel Agent and Jedi Knight. In all these instances, Jerec was voiced by Allen Hamilton. Jerec further appeared as the villain, alongside Spore, in the children's book Galaxy of Fear: Spore, the ninth entry in a series which featured heavy cameos from heroes and villains of both the films and expanded universe.

Given Jocasta Nu's observation of Jerec during her time as an archaeologist, this event must have occurred prior to her acceptance of the Jedi librarian position by 49 BBY. This establishes an absolute minimum age for Jerec at the time of his death, making him at least 53 years old. This is slightly older than Christopher Neame, who portrayed him; Neame was no more than 50 at the time of his portrayal. However, Jerec's history suggests a somewhat older age; his training under Nu as an archaeologist implies some degree of practical experience in the field. As this would be improbable during her tenure as Jedi Librarian, it suggests that Jerec's training was largely or entirely completed before that appointment. Assuming that Jerec completed his training around the age of 20, this would suggest a rough minimum age of 74 for Jerec at the time of his death, significantly older than Neame. However, Jerec's status as a near-human and the extension of middle age with the advanced medical technology of the Star Wars galaxy does not render an age in the seventies and an appearance in the fifties necessarily incompatible.

Jerec's appearance has been described differently over the years; Jerec's in-game model is rather thin and is bald, and most textual depictions of Jerec mention him as being gaunt and bald or with a shaved head. However, Neame himself was not particularly thin and, while suffering from male-pattern baldness, was not completely bald. Most illustrations have followed Neame's appearance in depicting Jerec. One exception, however, is his illustration in The New Essential Guide to Characters, which shows what appears to be a slightly thinned version of Neame with a shaved head. The Dark Forces novellas describe Jerec as extremely thin and with a shaved head, yet illustrations in the books depict him in accordance with Neame's appearance. No explicit reconciliation of these facts has been made in the canon. Additionally, Jerec's skin is described as being brown at one point in Soldier for the Empire, contrary to every other physical or textual description of him.

Jerec's identification as a Miraluka in The Dark Forces Saga came after years of identification of Jerec as a blinded Human; all prior sources to identify his species listed him as Human. A phrase in Rebel Agent suggests that Jerec was some human who had lost his eyes some time before (while the Miraluka are born without eyes). Notably, however, Galaxy of Fear: Spore foreshadowed this retcon by having noted Senior Anthropologist Mammon Hoole mention that while Jerec appeared Human, he suspected that the Dark Jedi came from a naturally blind species.

While The Dark Forces Saga cites Cronal as the source of Jerec's knowledge of the Valley of the Jedi, the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook has him searching for it in his days as a Jedi. While this has not been officially addressed, it is possible that Jerec's knowledge of the Valley was incomplete as a Jedi.

Jerec's rank in the Empire was often changing througout the Legends contiunity. Originally, Jerec was created as an Imperial Dark Jedi who served the Emperor and-while not confirmed-seemed to lead the Empire in the year following the Battle of Endor. If he wasn't leading the Empire he was definitely leading a remnant faction of the Empire. When Star Wars Gamer 5 released it implied-although not confirming-that Jerec and Adalric Cessius Brandl were one of the Emperor's Hands. However once the Dark Side Sourcebook came out it identified Jerec as a Dark Jedi Master, and in his RPG stats considered him a Jedi Guardian, although it is debateable as to whether this is confirmation of Jerec's Jedi path or not. Especially considering he was a Jedi archaeologist, a path that was usually taken by Jedi Consulars. However the Dark Forces Saga would also claim Jerec to be a Jedi Guardian in its RPG stats for Jerec. When Dark Forces Saga 6 was published it went into detail on Jerec's positions and history. It identified him as one of the High Inquisitors inside the Inquisitorius, and after the Battle of Endor he had joined the Pentastar Allignment under alongside many other Inquisitor's in one of the Judgement branchs, Great InQestors of Judgement. His RPG stats claimed he was a Jedi Guardian, Jedi Master and Imperial Inquisitor. With the exception of Jedi Guardian, the other two positions line up with ranks Jerec would have had at somepoint in time.

Jerec's likeness was reused in the expansion pack to Jedi Knight, Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, as a type of statue scattered throughout the last few levels.

In the spanish version of the game, the text crawl is different from the original and identifies Jerec as a fully-fledged Sith Lord instead of a Dark Jedi and gives him the name ''Darth Jerec'', although the rest of the game translation outside of the text scrawl is more faithfull to the original and properly establish him as a Dark Jedi from the start.