The graphic novel adaptation of the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is titled Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. It was first revealed to the public in the March 2007 edition of Game Informer. This graphic novel, together with the novel, presents the official and accepted storyline of the game.
According to LucasArts, their game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, is set to be the most significant Star Wars event of the year. The gameplay is expected to be visually impressive, but the narrative is what they believe will truly captivate audiences.
The graphic novel unveils the backstory of Darth Vader's clandestine apprentice, the perilous missions he undertook to hunt down and eliminate Jedi, and the monumental choice he is compelled to make. This decision will fundamentally alter your understanding of the Star Wars saga!
Written by Haden Blackman, the game's writer, this graphic novel can be enjoyed independently or as a companion piece to the groundbreaking new game.
In the year 2 BBY, Captain Juno Eclipse and Senator Bail Organa discover the droid PROXY on Corellia. They request PROXY to recount the tale of Starkiller, also known as the Dark Jedi and Darth Vader's apprentice. Vader trained Starkiller to assist him in his opposition against the Emperor. PROXY, Starkiller's companion and training droid, was programmed by Vader with the primary objective of constantly attempting to assassinate him. As a holodroid, PROXY could also alter his appearance holographically to deliver messages and information to Starkiller or to disguise himself.
PROXY recounts how Starkiller, after extensive training, was tasked with assassinating General Rahm Kota—a Jedi Master who, due to his distrust of clone troopers, sensed and survived Order 66—and claiming his lightsaber. Before this mission, Starkiller encountered Juno Eclipse, the new pilot of his ship. Upon locating Kota, who had attacked a crucial Imperial TIE Fighter Construction Facility above Nar Shaddaa, Starkiller engaged him in combat. The confrontation concluded with Starkiller blinding Kota with his lightsaber. Kota was subsequently thrown out of a window into space but survived by landing on a ship. Starkiller retrieved Kota's lightsaber and falsely reported to Vader that the Jedi Master was dead, despite knowing otherwise.
Vader's subsequent mission for Starkiller involved locating and assassinating the Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti, a member of the Jedi High Council who was in hiding on Felucia. Vader informed Starkiller that success in this mission would prepare him to assist Vader in overthrowing the Emperor. After battling his way to Shaak Ti, Starkiller confronted her at the entrance of the Ancient Abyss. During their fight, she mocked Starkiller, revealing that he was merely Vader's disposable pawn. Realizing her situation, she committed suicide by falling into the Ancient Abyss. Starkiller attempted to save her, but he was too late. PROXY is uncertain whether Starkiller's action was driven by a desire to kill her himself or by a realization of the truth in her words. Following Shaak Ti's death, Felucia was consumed by darkness.
Upon Starkiller's return, Vader revealed that the Emperor's fleet had arrived, as Starkiller had been followed by spies. As Palpatine entered, Vader betrayed Starkiller by impaling him from behind, inflicting severe injuries. The Emperor demanded Starkiller's death, citing the secret apprenticeship as an act of betrayal. Vader complied by telekinetically pushing Starkiller out of a viewport, seemingly to his death. However, a Viper probe droid secretly recovered his body.
Six months later, Starkiller awoke in agony aboard Vader's scientific vessel, the Empirical. Vader entered Starkiller's room and explained that he had betrayed Starkiller and faked his death to deceive the Emperor into believing that the secret apprentice was no longer a threat. This deception would allow Vader and Starkiller to secretly instigate a rebellion against the Empire to distract the Emperor. However, Vader was not physically present on the Empirical; it was merely a hologram projected by PROXY. It became clear that PROXY had been sent to destroy any evidence of Starkiller's presence on the ship. This involved freeing Starkiller and destroying the vessel and its crew. After freeing Starkiller, PROXY set the ship on a collision course with a nearby star. En route to the Rogue Shadow, Starkiller and PROXY also freed Juno Eclipse, who had been labeled a traitor by the Emperor for aiding Vader's apprentice. Successfully escaping, they journeyed to Nar Shaddaa in search of Rahm Kota, hoping that Kota could enhance Starkiller's abilities in the Force by teaching him skills that Vader had withheld.
After a six-month search, they located the blinded and destitute Kota in a Cloud City cantina. Starkiller entered the cantina and, without revealing his identity, requested Kota's assistance in fighting the Empire. Kota declined the offer. Suddenly, a squad of Stormtroopers appeared and attacked Starkiller. He eliminated them all, initiating his personal vendetta against the Empire. Starkiller was also attacked by a member of the Emperor's Shadow Guard. Starkiller defeated the guard by utilizing the environment, trapping him in a block of carbonite from a severed pipe. Subsequently, Kota was persuaded to join Starkiller, train him, and assist in launching a rebellion against the Empire.
They then traveled to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld, as Kota had informed Starkiller that a significant individual was imprisoned in an Imperial base on the planet and needed to be freed to initiate a rebellion. PROXY then reveals to Senator Organa that Kota had brought Starkiller there to rescue Organa's daughter—though Starkiller was initially unaware of this. Upon landing, Starkiller noticed a wooden hut radiating darkness. Despite Kota's warning, Starkiller entered the hut. Inside, he observed a prominent symbol. While exploring the house, Starkiller entered a room and experienced a vision of a hooded figure confronting Vader. Vader ignited his lightsaber, preparing to strike down the hooded figure. Suddenly, the lightsaber vanished from Vader's hand. It was revealed that a young Starkiller had disarmed Vader; Starkiller observed his younger self nervously holding the lightsaber. The hooded man (identified as Starkiller's father) was then Force choked to death, and Vader reclaimed his lightsaber from the young Starkiller. However, when Stormtroopers attempted to kill the young Starkiller for attacking Vader, Vader intervened, swiftly eliminating them. Starkiller watched as his younger self was taken away by Vader. The vision concluded with his father apologizing to him.
According to PROXY, Starkiller emerged from his old home transformed by the vision. He became more formidable and intimidating. After fighting through the Imperial base, he rescued the young woman imprisoned within, who was surprised to learn that Kota, whom she believed to be dead, had sent him. Starkiller angrily dismissed her and confronted Kota, expressing his shock that they had traveled so far to rescue a girl. However, Kota explained that Senator Bail Organa had tasked him with rescuing his daughter—Princess Leia Organa. Kota also informed him that Bail could assist Starkiller in starting a rebellion. Starkiller inquired about Bail's whereabouts, and Kota revealed that he was on Felucia, attempting to recruit Shaak Ti into the rebel cause.
Traveling to Felucia, they discovered that Bail had been imprisoned by Maris Brood, Shaak Ti's former Padawan who had succumbed to the Dark Side. Maris had imprisoned Bail to use him as leverage in case she encountered difficulties with Vader. Starkiller soon located Maris, but before he could attack, he was confronted by her bull rancor. As Starkiller leaped over the rancor to reach Maris, she hurled her lightsabers at him. He caught one and deflected the other, then plunged his and Brood's sabers into the back of the rancor's throat. While he was distracted, Maris retrieved the deflected saber and concealed herself using the Dark Side. After the rancor's death, she attacked Starkiller from behind with her saber drawn. He quickly turned and stopped her with Force lightning. She then surrendered, handing Starkiller the Senator and explaining that Shaak Ti's death had led her to the Dark Side. Despite Bail's warnings, Starkiller allowed her to leave. Back on the Rogue Shadow, Bail and Starkiller devised a plan to create an organization dedicated to the destruction of the Empire. Bail would recruit more Senators to their cause and attempt to forge an alliance between all of the Emperor's enemies. Afterwards, Starkiller meditated and then communicated with Darth Vader through PROXY. Vader cautioned Starkiller against becoming too attached to his new allies. Vader then assigned Starkiller a new mission, instructing him to destroy the shipyard above Raxus Prime, where the Empire was constructing Star Destroyers. After the conversation, a distressed Juno revealed that she had overheard Starkiller's conversation with Vader. She argued that Starkiller was still Vader's slave and that Vader was inherently evil. Starkiller retorted, stating that he had only saved her because she could fly the ship. However, she countered that she knew that wasn't true. She then asserted that he controlled the fledgling Rebellion and had a choice to make: remain Vader's slave or help the Rebellion overthrow both the Emperor and Vader. She urged him to make a decision soon.
Subsequently, Starkiller traveled to Raxus Prime to destroy the Star Destroyer Factory. To accomplish this, he redirected an Ore Cannon to target the shipyard directly. During the assault, he faced attacks from all sides by Imperial forces, so he attempted to overload the cannon with Force lightning instead of redirecting it. The strategy worked, but a Star Destroyer was dispatched to intercept Starkiller and began firing at the cannon. Kota, communicating via comlink, instructed Starkiller to use the Force to crash the ship into the cannon. Initially skeptical due to the ship's size, he attempted it nonetheless. Despite the immense effort required, he succeeded in crashing the Star Destroyer into the cannon, causing the entire shipyard to explode. PROXY expresses his astonishment at Starkiller's survival, admitting his lack of understanding of the Force's capabilities.
The Emperor's adversaries then convened on Corellia and established an alliance. Bail pledged to fund the Rebellion, Garm Bel Iblis promised to provide ships, and Mon Mothma committed to supplying soldiers. Starkiller was chosen to lead the Rebellion. The group was then attacked by TIE fighters and a Star Destroyer. Vader entered the room, surrounded by Stormtroopers. Vader commanded that the Senators not be killed, as the Emperor desired to execute them personally. It became evident that this had been the Emperor's plan all along, and Vader had never intended to overthrow him with Starkiller's assistance. After the Senators were taken prisoner, Starkiller confronted Vader, who Force pushed Starkiller off a snowy cliff. However, Starkiller managed to grab the cliff's edge. Just before Vader could strike him down, a mysterious figure instructed Anakin to drop his weapon. The mysterious figure was revealed to be Obi-Wan Kenobi, who immediately attacked Vader. Vader easily defeated him. It was then revealed that this was not the real Obi-Wan, but merely one of PROXY's training exercises (previously used against Starkiller). Although PROXY was highly resistant to lightsabers, he sustained significant damage in the fight. Vader then turned back to the cliff's edge, but his secret apprentice had vanished. PROXY's distraction had provided Starkiller with enough time to escape or fall to his death.
At this point, the flashback narrative converges with the "present," and PROXY can no longer narrate the story. Juno then assumes the role of narrator. She explains that they located Starkiller using the Rogue Shadow's advanced sensors. Starkiller, though weakened, managed to inform her that Vader had captured all the Senators and that Starkiller intended to find him. After recovering, he meditated to determine Vader's location, explaining to Juno that he was using a Jedi technique to foresee the future. After experiencing a vision, he declared that he had seen a massive space station under construction and that they needed to travel to the Outer Rim.
They approached the space station, which was revealed to be the Death Star. Starkiller instructed Juno to remain on the ship while he went to free the Rebels. He acknowledged that they might not meet again, and they shared a kiss. He bid her farewell and entered the heart of the Death Star. Starkiller fought his way towards the Emperor's observation dome, where the Senators were held, eliminating Stormtroopers along the way. Upon reaching the observation dome, he found Vader and the Emperor waiting for him. He immediately engaged Vader in a duel. Starkiller declared that he was no longer Vader's apprentice, as Vader had nothing left to teach him. As their battle intensified, Starkiller ripped two of Palpatine's massive statues from the bulkhead and hurled them at Vader, crushing the unfortunate Sith Lord. Although he survived, Vader sustained significant damage, with the left side of his helmet destroyed. He then attempted to convince Starkiller that this was merely a test, but Starkiller refused to believe him. Throughout the conflict, the Emperor attempted to manipulate Starkiller into killing Vader and taking his place at the Emperor's side. However, Kota, who was also a prisoner, managed to break free and intervene, stealing Palpatine's lightsaber and killing the guards. He then lunged towards the Emperor, who struck Kota with a surge of Force lightning.
Starkiller cried out and resolved to confront the Emperor to save his friend, rather than seeking revenge by killing Vader. During the final confrontation, the Emperor revealed that he had ordered Vader to kill Starkiller's father and teach the young Starkiller the powers of the Dark Side. Vader had never truly been Starkiller's master, and Starkiller had never been kept a secret from the Emperor. Starkiller defeated the Emperor and was about to kill him when Kota intervened. Kota persuaded him to spare Sidious, arguing that killing him would perpetuate Starkiller's role as an assassin. Starkiller agreed and instructed Kota to escort the Senators to safety. The Emperor then attempted to use Force lightning on Kota again, but Starkiller countered by using the Force against the lightning. The Force battle escalated as the Senators and Kota escaped onto the Juno-piloted Rogue Shadow. As they flew away, a blue explosion was seen behind them. Kota informed Juno that Starkiller was gone. Back on the Death Star, Vader and the Emperor stood amidst the fiery aftermath of the battle, both severely injured. Starkiller was seen dead on the floor. The Emperor explained to Vader that Starkiller was more dangerous dead than alive. He had given the new Rebellion something to fight for, and his sacrifice would strengthen them.
Returning to the perspective of the rebels, Bail Organa explained to PROXY the significance of Starkiller's death. The Senators gathered around a table, and Bail announced the birth of the Rebel Alliance. Leia then unfurled a parchment bearing the symbol of the Rebellion, which was the Marek family symbol Starkiller had discovered in his old home on Kashyyyk. The symbol was adopted as a tribute to Starkiller's sacrifice. Juno and Kota were then seen conversing outside. She asked him if he had always known that the apprentice he fought on Nar Shaddaa and Starkiller were the same person. He replied that he had recognized Starkiller as soon as he approached him in Cloud City. He had decided to join them because he had sensed some light within Starkiller's darkness—his love for Juno.