Ki Sazen, a Zabrak Jedi woman during the eras of the Cold War and the Galactic War, was a figure of admiration due to her many achievements at such a young age. However, her hubris was ultimately her downfall, leading her down the path to the dark side of the Force.
Having garnered the fervent support of a Nikto religious group that came to be known as the Cult of Ki Sazen, the fallen Jedi exploited her standing within the Jedi Order to pilfer valuable artifacts and advanced technology. Consequently, the Republic Strategic Information Service branded her as a renegade operative.
Sazen relocated her cult to Taris, where she directed her followers to attack both Republic and Imperial scientific facilities with the goal of acquiring the necessary components to complete the Ultrawave Transmitter. This device would enable her to raise an army of rakghouls and seize total control of the planet.
However, her nefarious schemes were ultimately thwarted by the cunning Imperial Agent known as Cipher Nine.
Ki Sazen, recognized as an exceptionally gifted Padawan, gained widespread recognition for her heroic efforts in saving Starbright Station and successfully negotiating the Treaty at Bresnan. Later, she embarked on a journey to the planet Tas-La where she killed the fearsome Spine Dragon of M'dweshuu, a monstrous beast that had been terrorizing the Nikto people of the planet. In profound gratitude, many Nikto pledged a life debt to her.
Seeking to leverage this situation to the Republic's advantage, Sazen instructed her followers to enlist in the Republic's military forces in exchange for land and weaponry, and to encourage their relatives to do the same. Consequently, a significant number of Nikto followers of Ki Sazen departed from Tas-La and participated in the Republic's resettlement initiatives on Taris. Due to the extensive Imperial bombardment during the war, Taris suffered from severe pollution and a rampant infestation of rakghouls. Ki Sazen derisively referred to it as a "festering pus-hole of a planet" and vowed to join her followers on Taris to lead them. Soon after, the Nikto followers coalesced into a cult that revered her as their savior.
Sazen's Jedi Master grew increasingly concerned about the impact of the cult's worship on her and urged her to release them from their life-debt obligations. However, Sazen perceived his actions as an attempt to hinder her progress, as he questioned her capabilities and readiness to assume leadership. She considered this unfair in light of her numerous accomplishments.
Shortly thereafter, Sazen's master encountered an unforeseen and deadly threat. Sazen had the opportunity to intervene and save him, but fueled by her resentment, she allowed him to perish. Subsequently, she assumed direct control of the cult, embracing their perception of her as a savior and spiritual guide. However, she was ultimately betrayed by Thothash, a member of the cult who committed murder and challenged the cult's core spiritual tenets.
Deeply affected by this betrayal, Sazen resolved to enter a period of self-imposed exile in a metaphorical new Wannschok. Hesitant to kill someone she had fought alongside, she brought Thothash with her as a form of penance. She embarked on a journey across the galaxy in search of the new home she had promised to her cult, gradually distancing herself from the principles of the Jedi Order.
Despite her growing corruption, Sazen was still considered an accomplished member of the Jedi Order, and she used her time in exile to fight for the Republic's cause. However, she abused her position to further the interests of her cult, stealing valuable materials that she was entrusted to protect. She also became increasingly reckless and self-centered, fully embracing the legend of her greatness that her cult had propagated.
As a result of this distorted mindset, she became less concerned with safeguarding her Republic allies, and many of them perished on missions. She also undermined Republic treaties. Her deteriorating record on behalf of the Republic deeply troubled the Republic Strategic Information Service, which labeled her as a corrupt Jedi and initiated surveillance of her activities.
Eventually, Sazen became convinced that she was being summoned by the Force to Taris.
Sazen concluded her exile by dispatching her chosen to establish contact with the cult and inform them of her decision to join them on Taris. Together with the Nikto, she established their primary base of operations within an abandoned tunnel network located within the main Republic compound. Her ultimate objective was to utilize Republic scientist Nasan Godera's Ultrawave Transmitter to create a formidable rakghoul army and seize control of the entire planet.
The cult successfully acquired the device, ransacking Godera's laboratory before abandoning it to the rakghouls. However, Sazen soon discovered that Godera had never completed the transmitter, and additional data was required. She dispatched her chosen to obtain data on rakghoul physiology and movement patterns, as well as to secure the cooperation of Republic rakghoul experts.
The cult successfully captured Doctor Vernon and Professor Sadus Vraal, but Sazen murdered them when they proved unable to repair the transmitter. She relentlessly pursued the remaining scientist, Ianna Cel, across Taris for weeks, attempting to use threats and her authority as a Jedi to coerce Cel into surrendering to her.
Around this time, Imperial Intelligence agent Cipher Nine, masquerading as SIS operative "Legate", was dispatched to Taris by the SIS to investigate Sazen's activities. With the assistance of Doctor Eckard Lokin and the SIS operative Chance, the agent managed to intercept the chosen Chevuk while he was searching for rakghoul biological data at Ryler Dorant's laboratory.
Cipher Nine subjected Chevuk to brutal torture, nearly killing him, and forcing him to divulge Sazen's plot and the roles of the other two chosen. However, he steadfastly refused to reveal Sazen's location, so the agent executed him. Cipher Nine then successfully intercepted and eliminated the chosen Bo'kesh, preventing him from obtaining data on rakghoul colony movements.
After rescuing Doctor Cel, the agent and Doctor Lokin devised a plan in which Lokin, the kind of rakghoul expert Sazen needed, would be captured by Sazen's cult. He would then contact Cipher Nine and reveal the location of Sazen's base. The plan succeeded, and the agent confronted Sazen and her last chosen, Fhentar.
Cipher Nine emerged victorious, killing Fhentar and severely wounding Sazen. Sazen remained defiant even in defeat, proclaiming to the agent that the Nikto would sing the Death Song of Thre'shalu in her honor and ensure that her legend would endure.
With Sazen at the agent's mercy, Cipher Nine was faced with a critical decision regarding her fate.
Ultimately, the agent offered her a place among the Sith. Sazen accepted, gathering her cult and departing from Taris. She later sent Cipher Nine a message informing the agent that she had fully embraced her new role, eliminating anyone who questioned taking orders from an ex-Jedi. She relocated her cult to a different planet that she believed they would cherish.
Sazen also mentioned that she had been offered the protection of Darth Serevin. Due to this rapid advancement, she was confident that she would soon ascend to the rank of Sith Lord.
Sazen, a prodigy who had achieved more during her apprenticeship than many Jedi accomplish in their entire lives, strayed from the Jedi code due to her inflated pride in her accomplishments. She believed that her master should acknowledge her greatness and was deeply hurt by what she perceived as his lack of faith in her abilities.
The adulation of her Nikto cult, who regarded her as a savior and provided the recognition she craved, further steered her away from the Jedi path. She came to fully embrace her role as their leader, both physically and spiritually, and considered herself responsible for their well-being. Establishing a paradise for them, the only ones who truly acknowledged her greatness, became her driving motivation.
Extremely proud and self-assured, Sazen exhibited fearlessness even in the face of death. She consistently sought to protect her cult, but as she increasingly succumbed to the dark side, she began to devalue the lives of beings who were not her subjects. Initially, her recklessness led to the deaths of Republic allies, but she eventually progressed to personally murdering Republic personnel who displeased her.
Sazen believed that she could never return to the Republic and the Jedi Order after her transgressions, as she felt that the Jedi were not as merciful and understanding as they were often portrayed to be. She also considered the Jedi to be uninteresting, further stating that she had attempted to be emotionless and found it excessively dull.
Sazen was a skilled lightsaber duelist who employed an aggressive style that incorporated martial arts. Her charisma and commanding presence ensured the unwavering devotion of her Nikto cult. Her extensive knowledge of the Republic enabled her to exploit her position as a Jedi to divert Republic supplies, bases, and personnel to her own purposes.
Ki Sazen is a character in the 2011 video game Star Wars: The Old Republic, voiced by Laura Bailey. She is the primary antagonist of the Imperial Agent's class story arc on Taris. Depending on the player's choices, light side dialogues can lead to Sazen either rejoining the Jedi Order or joining the SIS; they may also result in Sazen attacking the player again, leading to her death. Dark side dialogue will involve either executing her or encouraging her to join the Sith.
A male Agent who chooses the latter dark side option can romance Sazen.