Artus Lok, a male Human warrior from Clan Lok, distinguished himself as a Mandalorian during the era of the Great Galactic War. This conflict engulfed the entire galaxy, pitting the Galactic Republic against the Sith Empire which had risen again. Sometime after the Treaty of Coruscant was signed, the then-reigning Mandalore, seeking to regain support after his defeat at the Blockade of the Hydian Way, orchestrated a galaxy-wide contest for glory known as the Great Hunt. Lok ultimately emerged as the Grand Champion of this event. He then challenged the incumbent Mandalore to a duel within the gladiatorial arenas of the planet Geonosis. Succeeding in killing the Mandalorian leader, he claimed the title of Mandalore the Vindicated. He then solidified his authority over the Mandalorian clans, crushing an uprising led by Jicoln Cadera, who advocated for Mandalorian support of the Republic. After defeating Cadera's faction, Mandalore the Vindicated made sure that his Mandalorians remained allies with the Sith.
During the Great Galactic War, a galactic conflict between the Galactic Republic and the resurgent Sith Empire, a Mandalorian warrior named Artus Lok, a male Human, rose to prominence. The reigning Mandalore, secretly a puppet of the Sith Empire, faced defeat at the Blockade of the Hydian Way seven years before the Sacking of Coruscant. In response, Mandalore organized the Great Hunt, a competition for glory across the galaxy. Artus participated and ultimately became the Grand Champion.
Within the gladiatorial arenas of Geonosis, a [planet](/article/planet-legends], Artus challenged Mandalore to a duel. He triumphed, killing the Mandalorian leader and assuming the title of Mandalore the Vindicated. Following his victory over the Mandalore—who became known as Mandalore the Lesser—he began to strengthen his control over the Mandalorian clans. During this period, Mandalore quelled an uprising by Jicoln Cadera and his faction of Mandalorians, who believed in following the example of Mandalore the Preserver—a figure from the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War three centuries earlier—by supporting the Republic. After defeating Cadera's forces, Mandalore the Vindicated ensured the Mandalorians maintained their alliance with the Sith Empire, albeit a cautious and well-compensated one. Under his rule, the Mandalorians prospered. However, some contemporaries suspected his ambitions extended beyond merely being an ally of the Sith.
During the Cold War, Artus summoned the latest Grand Champion to his flagship, the Spirit of Vengeance. He praised the Hunter for avenging Hedarr Soongh, preventing the Great Hunt list from being leaked, and stopping Tarro Blood. He tasked the Hunter with journeying to Dromund Kaas to slay a Sithspawn and retrieve its heart as a trophy. Upon the Champion's successful return, Artus introduced the other Grand Champions: Bloodworthy, Jewl'a Nightbringer, and the Defenestrator. He deemed the Hunter worthy of accessing the Blacklist, a secret list of exceptionally difficult bounties reserved for Grand Champions.
Artus then revealed his intention for the Hunter to replace him among the Grand Champions, citing the looming threat of renewed war and explaining that slaying the Sithspawn was a test. The Hunter accepted his offer and became a Mandalorian.
When a Republic strike team, dispatched by Jun Seros, attacked the Grand Champions' party on Nar Shaddaa during a celebration of the Hunter's Blacklist kills, resulting in the deaths of Bloodworthy, Jewl'a, and Defenestrator, Artus sent a message to his surviving Champion. He demanded they avenge their fallen comrades against the Republic scum.
Artus was later present on Ilum as part of the emergency war council discussing Darth Malgus' New Empire.
During the Eternal Empire's Conquest, Mandalore summoned all the clans. Rumors circulated that the Mandalorians continued to resist the Eternal Empire, but concrete evidence remained elusive. Mandalore the Vindicated was believed to have perished in battle against the Eternal Empire, with clan members witnessing him overwhelmed by Skytroopers. This event fostered a lasting resentment towards droids among the clans. Shae Vizla reluctantly assumed the mantle of Mandalore sometime after Artus's death.
Mandalore the Vindicated was a tall man of human descent, possessing dark skin and closely shaven dark hair. His facial features were hardened, yet he was not as abrasive as many Mandalorians.
His people deeply respected and revered Mandalore the Vindicated. He once maintained a close friendship with Jicoln Cadera, the former Clan chief of Cadera. However, their views diverged when Artus defeated the puppet Mand'alor and claimed the title, leading to conflict. Despite defeating his former friend and vowing to destroy Torian Cadera, he ultimately spared him, suggesting remorse for his actions. While still supporting the Sith, Mandalore remained cautious of their alliance. Artus Lok also harbored a strong dislike for Mavrix Varad, the bloodthirsty Mandalorian clan chieftain, whom he derisively called a "rancor with a forming mouth," and he maintained standards for his warriors' conduct, as evidenced by his disdain for the dishonorable Tarro Blood.
Despite the bloody history between Jicoln and Artus, he harbored no grudge against his son. He even sent a message to the Grand Hunt Champion, asking him to look after Torian during his travels, showing he cared about the young Mandalorian warrior. The Mand'alor had a fondness for the Mandalorian drink Ne'tra gal, consuming much of it after inducting the Great Hunt champion into his clan.
Mandalore the Vindicated was introduced in the video Timeline 4: The Empire Changes Strategy, released on the official website for the PC video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. Later, he received an entry in the "Biographies" section of the website's "Holonet" feature. Several phrases in Aurebesh appear on Mandalore's biographical entry. When translated, they read "Mandalore the Vindicated," "champion needed," and "Jedi merely first".
In The Old Republic, the Bounty Hunter player character encounters Mandalore aboard his cruiser, the Spirit of Vengeance, at the start of Act II of their storyline. Mandalore tasks the Hunter, the newly crowned Grand Champion of the Great Hunt, with slaying "the Ghost in the Darkness" - a massive terentatek in the jungles of Dromund Kaas - and bringing back its heart as proof. Upon completion, Mandalore offers to induct the Hunter into his clan and requests they replace him on the Blacklist, an exclusive group of hunters made up of other Grand Champions, ensuring a Mandalorian presence. He explains that with a Mandalorian taking his place, he can return to "winning the Sith's wars for them". The player decides whether the Hunter accepts or declines.