Either before or during the Clone Wars, Morit Astarte came into the world with his twin sister, Aiolin, as members of the Astarte lineage on Celanon. During this era, his family provided financial backing for the research endeavors of Doctor Cylo. However, their allegiance shifted to the Separatists during the conflict, and fearing repercussions from the newly established Galactic Empire, they entrusted their two offspring to Cylo's care.

Following the Battle of Yavin by a few weeks, Darth Vader discovered Cylo's existence through Darth Sidious, leading to Vader's capture and execution of Cylo-IV. Vader then proceeded to Cylo's research facility, where he launched an attack with two platoons of BX-series commando droids. Shortly before this assault, Cylo instructed Morit and Aiolin to await their next evaluation within the dojo, neglecting to inform them of Vader's arrival with the intent to eliminate them as potential rivals. The twins swiftly neutralized one platoon of battle droids just before Vader's entrance into the dojo. Aiolin then revealed to her brother that the droids were not part of a test, but rather, Vader had arrived.

Morit expressed his enthusiasm, and used his cybernetics to seal the door behind Vader, isolating him from his droids. The twins then engaged the Dark Lord with their lightsabers. Vader quickly discerned that Morit and his sister possessed the ability to perform Force-like feats, despite sensing a weak connection to the Force within them. Vader remarked that Morit was clearly neither Jedi nor Sith. Morit responded by stating that he had no desire to align himself with either order, believing them to be extinct, and that he was part of a new movement. Vader effortlessly deflected Morit's attacks, prompting him to step back and allow Aiolin to confront Vader, but she too was held at bay. Subsequently, Cylo-V, the latest iteration of Cylo's clone body, appeared and commanded the twins to cease their aggression.

Morit sheathed his weapon as Vader voiced his confusion to the doctor: the twins lacked a strong connection to the Force, yet he had believed Cylo was developing Force-sensitive apprentices to supplant Vader as the Emperor's primary enforcer. Cylo clarified that individuals like Morit were not intended as apprentices, but as replacements, and introduced Morit's fellow colleagues to the Dark Lord, who ignited his lightsaber and declared Cylo's creations to be an affront to the Force. Cylo countered by suggesting that in many respects, the enforcers were Vader's progeny, sharing a greater affinity for machinery than humanity. Vader, having heard enough, prepared to strike Cylo down, but was halted by Darth Sidious, who had appeared behind him. Consequently, Cylo revealed that he had orchestrated the demonstration with Morit and Aiolin, and instructed the five enforcers to assault Vader in order to demonstrate their worthiness to serve the Emperor.

The twins initiated the attack in unison. Morit evaded Vader's strikes, then retreated alongside Aiolin and activated the flamethrowers integrated into their hands. The other three enforcers then engaged the Dark Lord, but all were held at bay by Vader. Upon Palpatine's command, Cylo ordered a free-for-all battle to the death. Morit engaged Karbin in lightsaber combat, showcasing the Mon Calamari's four arms, each wielding a lightsaber. Meanwhile, Vader battled the Trandoshan and began to lose ground. Morit intervened, cutting down the Trandoshan before Vader could recover, believing he had saved Vader's life.

After Sidious commanded the fighting to stop, he informed Vader that his intervention was solely due to his perception of the "old model" Jedi and Sith, of which Vader was a part, as a non-threat, while he deemed Cylo's new world of cybernetics and clones far superior. Vader remained unimpressed, scolding Morit for "interfering" in Vader's affairs by taking a life that the Dark Lord believed was his right to claim. Sidious then informed the remaining four enforcers—including Vader—of their mission: to eliminate all who opposed the Empire and Sidious. He reminded them that ultimately, only one enforcer needed to survive to serve him, before departing with Vader, leaving Morit and the others to prepare.

Sometime later, Morit and the other enforcers journeyed to the Executor-class Star Dreadnaught, the Annihilator, within the Anthan system, under the command of Grand General Cassio Tagge of the Imperial Military. Upon Vader's arrival, Tagge briefed Morit and the other enforcers about a criminal syndicate that had stubbornly persisted despite the "Imperial crackdown" on criminal elements: The Plasma Devils, who were, in reality, a small group of Rebel Alliance pilots. The General tasked Morit and his sister with dismantling the Plasma Devils, disregarding Karbin's concerns regarding the twins' lack of experience in managing a full-scale military operation. Tagge then assigned the others—Voidgazer, Karbin, and Vader—to their respective missions and adjourned the meeting.

Morit and his twin promptly embarked on their mission to eliminate the Plasma Devils. Their investigation began in Anthan Prime's underworld, situated deep beneath the planet's surface. Accompanied by a division of Imperial stormtroopers, they raided a criminal-operated, barely legal droid fighting establishment. Instructing the stormtrooper captain to remain outside with the other soldiers, they entered the premises. They swiftly resorted to violence to intimidate the locals into divulging the location of the Plasma Devil's base; Morit and Aiolin brandished their lightsabers and began systematically eliminating the den's patrons and gladiator droids, which retaliated.

However, shortly thereafter, Darth Vader and his adjutant, Imperial Inspector Thanoth, arrived with the troopers whom Morit had stationed outside. Vader and Thanoth were surprised and angered to discover that Morit and his sister had recklessly revealed their search for the Plasma Devils, but proceeded to question Doowan, a Nautolan and representative for the Dragon, a clandestine crime lord operating within the Anthan system. Morit and Aiolin then completed the destruction of the droids and criminals. Following this, Thanoth introduced them to Doowan, who had previously supplied the Plasma Devils with weaponry—leading Thanoth to believe he could be instrumental in the twins' efforts to locate the Rebels. Morit agreed that Doowan should be questioned, but instead, he decapitated Doowan with his lightsaber. Thanoth was incensed, demanding an explanation for Morit's rash actions. Morit explained that he and his sister were pursuing the mission by instilling fear in the locals, demonstrating firsthand that the Imperial hand would deliver justice to any who opposed the Emperor's decrees, and that it would be brutal. Thanoth and Vader disapproved of their methods, likening them to "children" acting immaturely. Morit and Aiolin then departed to continue their mission.

Astarte had no desire to be Jedi or Sith, viewing them as relics of the past, condoned violent displays of power, and had no reservations about ending his sister's life. Thanoth and Vader regarded Morit and Aiolin as juvenile.