Peccati Syn stood among the original twelve Grand Admirals within the Imperial Navy. Raised as a fervent adherent of the Sacred Way, Syn, in his youth, was compelled to forsake his religious convictions due to the oppressive rule of the Galactic Empire. Seeking to fill a spiritual void, he enlisted in the Empire, rapidly ascending the ranks due to his tactical brilliance and unwavering dedication. Achieving the rank of Grand Admiral in 2 BBY, he valiantly participated in the Galactic Civil War aboard his flagship, the Fi.
Following the Empire's disintegration post-Battle of Endor, Syn once more sought spiritual solace, discovering it within the Church of the Dark Side situated on Coruscant. While outwardly maintaining allegiance to the dwindling reign of Emperor Sate Pestage, Syn's true devotion lay with the church and its Prophets, dedicating much of his time to Kashyyyk, the abode of his spiritual mentor, Merili. When the New Republic initiated a substantial offensive against Imperial-held Kashyyyk eight months after Endor, Syn found himself in a tactical confrontation with Admiral Gial Ackbar. Ultimately, the Grand Admiral was defeated; he died when his ship was obliterated in orbit.
Peccati Syn, a male [Human](/article/human-legends], was born on the planet Taris into a deeply religious family, devout followers of the pacifistic, karmic Sacred Way and its Holy-Book. His parents instilled in him the belief that adherence to his religion's principles would lead to a glorious afterlife, and Syn enjoyed a happy, devoted childhood. However, the Galactic Empire soon began enforcing its prohibition of religion on his homeworld. While some, like the Verpine "Pera" on Aduba-3, disregarded the mandate, Syn complied.
This faith-centric upbringing left Syn spiritually empty, leading him to embrace the doctrine of the New Order to fill the void. He wholeheartedly adopted the Emperor's ideology and joined the Imperial Navy, making a name for himself. In 2 BBY, Emperor Palpatine elevated Syn, along with eleven others, to the newly created and prestigious rank of Grand Admiral. This appointment surprised many, as numerous admirals possessed comparable service records. Syn's rise coincided with the commencement of the Galactic Civil War, and he fought the Rebel Alliance with dedication and tactical skill. He named his flagship Fi, after the High Galactic word for "son" used by Sacred Way clergymen. Syn developed a close friendship with fellow Tarisian Admiral Foga Brill, aiding him in attaining governorship of the Deep Core planet Prakith.
Syn's esteemed Empire began its decline after the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, which saw the perished of Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer Darth Vader, along with the second Death Star and the Super Star Destroyer Executor. Many Imperials, including some of Syn's Grand Admiral colleagues, became warlord, seizing personal territories, but Syn continued to defend his areas of operation and followed the orders emanating from Coruscant. Former Grand Vizier Sate Pestage was nominally Interim-Emperor, though he competed for control with the Imperial Ruling Council and Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard, among others. One of Pestage's actions was to authorize the establishment of the Church of the Dark Side on Coruscant, overseen by the Prophets of the Dark Side, which preached the renewal of the Empire.
Like the masses of spiritually-starved citizens on the Imperial capital, Syn embraced the church fervently, even converting his friend Foga Brill; as his Imperial religion became untenable, a ready substitute emerged. In reality, the Church was a facade led by Imperial Intelligence impersonators, founded by Emperor Pestage and Lord Cronal in a desperate attempt to consolidate the former Vizier's weakening hold on the Empire. Nevertheless, Syn was revitalized, and while he publicly supported Pestage's regime, his true allegiance was to the Prophets. The Grand Admiral even attempted to encourage his dispirited colleague Ishin-Il-Raz, lending him a copy of the sacred book Secrets of the Dark Side.
Syn operated from Imperial-controlled Kashyyyk, the base of Prophetess Merili. Merili, one of the few genuine Prophets within the Church of the Dark Side, became Syn's spiritual advisor. Deeply entrenched in the church's doctrine, Syn vowed never to abandon another religion, serving the church's purposes with Fi and its crew. Eight months after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic launched a major offensive into Imperial territory, led by Mon Calamari Admiral Gial Ackbar. Kashyyyk was targeted; Ackbar brought his New Republic Defense Force fleet against Syn's in orbit above the planet.
Assured by two Bothans claiming to work for Imperial warlord Treuten Teradoc that reinforcements were en route from the Greater Maldrood, Syn engaged Ackbar's fleet, unaware that the Bothans were New Republic agents who had sabotaged two of his Immobilizer 418 cruisers. Locked in a tactical duel with Ackbar, the Grand Admiral, fueled by his newfound spiritual resolve, fought valiantly, disregarding his own safety and that of his crew. Ultimately, the New Republic prevailed, and Ackbar won the tactical engagement. The Mon Calamari Star Cruisers Home One and Maria, commanded by Ackbar and Captain Verrack respectively, caught Syn's Star Destroyer—now named the Silooth—in a crossfire, destroying its bridge with a barrage of proton torpedoes, killing Syn, his crew, and Merili. The Church did not survive the late Grand Admiral for long, and after wresting control of the Imperial remnants from Pestage, Ysanne Isard reinstated religious freedom, legalizing the Sacred Way.
Peccati Syn had fair skin, blue eyes, and graying hair. His life was characterized by his unwavering devotion to any cause he embraced. In his youth, he remained steadfast in the Sacred Way, experiencing his happiest moments. When the time came to replace that religion with the New Order, he did so with similar dedication, serving with distinction despite the Empire's ethos clashing with the Sacred Way's pacifism and belief in divine retribution. However, Syn did not forget his roots, naming his flagship after a word used by Sacred Way clergymen when addressing laypeople. After the collapse of the Empire, Syn found solace in the Church of the Dark Side. The church was a sham, and Syn was deceived.
Unlike many of his peers, Syn did not join the Navy out of self-importance or barbarity, but out of perceived necessity, lacking other religious organizations. Although his high rank initially surprised many, Syn demonstrated his tireless work ethic and skill in the war against the Rebel Alliance. After Endor, even after losing faith in the Empire, Syn did not attempt to claim a personal fiefdom, remaining ostensibly loyal to Coruscant.
Peccati Syn was less morally bankrupt than many of his colleagues, who committed atrocities for power or personal gain. Until his final engagement at Kashyyyk, he considered the well-being of his subordinates, even attempting to comfort Ishin-Il-Raz, an unpopular Grand Admiral; meanwhile, many of his Imperial peers clashed over territories and schemed. Syn was also close to Admiral Foga Brill, with whom he enjoyed theological debates—Syn helped Brill gain a governorship and eventually persuaded him to join the Church of the Dark Side.
Grand Admiral Syn was created by Kevin J. Anderson and Daniel Wallace for The Essential Chronology (2000), where his defeat to Ackbar is briefly mentioned. His name and title appeared in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds as a leader for the Imperial faction. Syn was briefly mentioned again in Wallace's The New Essential Guide to Characters (2002), before Wallace expanded upon the character's history with co-author Abel G. Peña in Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals, published in Star Wars Insider 66 (2003), wherein his first name is established. Who's Who was originally intended for Star Wars Gamer magazine, but after Gamer's cancellation, it was moved to Star Wars Insider, without the gaming statistics. The move also required the article to be condensed; some biographical information was cut, though Syn's remained mostly intact. The cut content revealed that Syn renamed his flagship Silooth after a type of Sithspawn; although originally cut, The Essential Guide to Warfare (2012) confirmed that the ship was called this at the time of Syn's death. The Grand Admiral has also been referenced in Wallace's The New Essential Chronology (2005) and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (2008).
The Italian word "peccati" translates to "sins" in English, while "syn" echoes "sin." This is a deliberate pun by Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals coauthor Abel G. Peña, who is fluent in Italian.
Syn's destiny was to become a "Pera" upon adulthood, but the Empire's intervention led him to abandon this dream. Instead, he became a Grand Admiral, but his campaign against the Rebels during the Galactic Civil War tested his conscience. His guilt over abandoning his beliefs led him to ignore atrocities committed within the Empire in the name of religion, such as those involving the Yevetha or Dim-U. As the Empire crumbled, Syn recalled morbid stories about Chaos from his childhood and quickly turned to the Church of the Dark Side. As a devotee of the Prophets, Syn regained his childhood happiness; he symbolically renamed his flagship Silooth after a type of Sithspawn to represent his new faith. During the Second Battle of Kashyyyk, Syn saw himself defending the church, not the Empire—he died content, fighting for a cause he believed in.