Star Wars: Exodus Visual Encyclopedia
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Cadden-Current
Cadden Blackthorne
Biographical Information
Homeworld

Corellia

Date of Birth

33 BBY

Physical Description
Species

Human

Gender

Male

Height

1.83 meters

Hair Color

Black

Eye Color

Green

Force Sensitive

No (Severed)

Personal Information
Weapons
  • Beskad
  • Assorted blasters
Fighting Styles
Professions

Mercenary

Political Information
Former Affiliation
Current Affiliation
Exodus Information
Creator

Cadden

NPC

No

"Nothing will stop me, no amount of force, no volume of strength, no number of troops or ships. If you kill me, I will walk again, if you wound me, I will keep fighting. If you capture me, I will escape... there is no way around, or through me. Once you are a target, your fate is already sealed."
— Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden Blackthorne grew up on the planet Corellia. He was born to Faarel Blackthorne, Jedi Master in the Jedi Order, and Trina Blackthorne. Due to this complication, and that Cadden' Force-sensitivity was naturally masked, he was raised by both his mother and his grand-father, Akitane. When he reached seventeen years old, Cadden was accepted into the Imperial Military Academy on Carida. There, he continued his studies and graduated with honors as a soldier for the Galactic Empire. During the height of the Galactic Civil War, Cadden continued his training as an elite warrior, recognized for his skills, and became a commando for the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps. There, he became a sniper and forward assault soldier in the commando division, until he resigned his commission after learning of the Empire's raid on his family's estate on Corellia.

Cadden went on to further hone his skills in piloting and bounty hunting, becoming a notorious bounty hunter. He eventually came across a suit of Mandalorian armor, and continued to work as a bounty hunter until after he captured, and later released, Cazzik Wyn. Afterwards, he went into the life of a mercenary and freedom fighter, and was the man responsible for a devastating explosion on Bilbringi. During this time, he came to realize his own strong connection to the Force, and that he had two sons also strong in the Force, Guan and Jerik.

Eventually, he came to the planet Mandalore and was later dubbed Mandalore, leader of the Mandalorians. Cadden went on to form the Mandalorian Protectors, and led his people through many battles, particularly against the Xen'Chi.

Cadden later fell to the Dark Side of the Force in pursuit of additional power, to aid him in the quest to avenge his father's death. This pursuit lead hastily to a well-conceived plan by the Nomad Soul to take over Cadden's body, a plan which had partially failed, and instead the two merged their souls into a single identity. Knowing he could never return to the Jedi Order, Cadden set out on his own, with but one ally to accompany him.

His basis of allies grew, however, as Cadden released a cryogenically-frozen army in the Udine System, as well as Zan successfully recruiting several Jedi to their cause, despite the Kora Jedi Council denying them their aid. Cadden at that point severed what little connection to the Jedi Order he had and took up the name Darth Trayus. It was at this point he acknowledged his path into the Dark Side, however justified he would proclaim it to be, and harbored no regrets for anything he had done in the past.

Using his newfound power, Trayus quickly moved to sieze the Sith Brotherhood and, later, the Shadow Imperium for himself, slaying all those that stood in his way. After establishing his new empire in its place, he proceeded to dominate the Cylon Imperium, and face off with Sivter for the first time. Any traces of who he once was were now gone, replaced by a dark abyss of anger, hatred, and most of all, vengeance.

Darth Trayus eventually met his end after the Battle of Ossus, when he was captured by Cazzik Wyn and a handful of other Jedi. He was stripped of the ability to use the Force as punishment for his crimes and, upon learning that he did not guide his own actions, Cazzik took pity on him and exiled him afterwards. Cadden returned to Mandalore a broken man, whereupon he rejoined the Protectors' ranks in an attempt to rediscover himself. However, his time of recovery was cut short as he was eventually captured and delivered to Nar Kresh to become a gladiator for Kroda the Hutt.

Biography

Early Life (33 BBY11 BBY)

"I'm surprised you were not selected for Jedi training."
"I'm not my father.
"
— Republic officer and Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden Blackthorne was born to Faarel and Trina Blackthorne on the world of Corellia. He was raised with his younger sister, Aaralyn, by his mother and grandfather. His grandfather, Akitane, was a political figure in the Galactic Republic, and was played a part in getting Cadden later accepted into the Imperial Military Academy.

Growing up an intelligent individual, Cadden attended, and graduated with honors from, Coronet's best institute, which granted him the extra boost he required to being accepted into the Academy. Once again showing his intelligence and skill, his graduation from the Imperial Military Academy was decorated with honors. However, soon after Cadden's graduation, the Galactic Civil War began.

In Service to the Empire (11 BBY3 BBY)

Early Military Career

"The ends do justify the means!"
— Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden was placed in command of a squad of stormtroopers at the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. He grew notorious for leaving no enemy alive, and fought the Rebellion with a sense of ferocity. Cadden soon became aware of his father's true background during the Clone Wars and resuming a life of secrecy on Corellia as a Moff, but despite his loyalty to the Empire he swore to both his family and himself to never reveal Faarel's secret. However, his views on the Rebellion differed greatly, which led to many arguments and heated debates when he was at home, on leave.

Part of Cadden wished to report his father for his under-the-table dealings with the Rebellion - his conditioning as a soldier and a loyal member of the Imperial side. However, his strong sense of family and loyalty to them above all else kept him quiet. His father's dealings began to wear on him, however, and after a while Cadden became more sympathetic toward the Rebels, yet still viewed their cause as treason.

Soldier for the Empire

As time progressed, Cadden's squad was re-assembled into an elite division of stormtrooper commandos. Retaining the original look of stormtroopers, but with vast improvements over their shock trooper comrades, the squad became more of a specialist unit in the Empire, and slowly shifted into the ranks of the Stormtrooper Corps front lines assault units. However, they continued to act as a commando unit, and often penetrated enemy lines during the heat of battle in order to achieve a favorable outcome much sooner than conventional means would allow.

Cadden's personal life became far more complicated, however, when he was assigned to Corellia to eliminate Rebel insurgents planted planet-wide. He and his squad were assigned search-and-destroy duty, and these actions nearly led Cadden to becoming disowned by his mother and father, as they saw this as placing his own loyalties to the Empire above anything else, and even compromised his father's secret.

Death of a Family

"They killed my family, destroyed my life. I'm not going to associate myself with that."
— Cadden Blackthorne

This was mostly true, as the Empire had eventually discovered Faarel's underground activities. They sent an elite stormtrooper unit, lead by the Dark Jedi Ilan Garuda and stormtrooper commander Jerel Tremok, to the Blackthorne Estate. Ilan killed Trina and wounded Faarel, who had managed to escape and flee to exile. From there, the stormtroopers did their work on destroying the estate. All that was left after their work was its ruins.

Mere days after the event, Cadden learned of the Empire's actions. Infuriated, he resigned his position in the Empire, and traveled to the remains of his family's estate, in search of clues as to who was responsible for the murder of his parents and, he assumed, his sister as well. After discovering the unit that destroyed the estate, Cadden stumbled upon a data disc, located in the sublevels of his former home. When he searched the data, however, what he found was entirely unexpected. Coordinates were listed for the whereabouts of a suit of armor, which had belonged to one of his ancestors.

Rise of a Bounty Hunter (2 BBY3 ABY)

Dawn of a Legend

"It's a first come, first serve business. I don't need the Guild's 'Code' to be successful."
— Cadden Blackthorne
Cadden-2

Cadden Blackthorne, Bounty Hunter.

Cadden followed the trail, having to fight many fights over the next couple months, before he found himself on Dathomir, and the location of an old hut. Entering the former homestead, Cadden found a chest, sealed shut and air-tight. He spent the next couple days attempting to open the chest, until he finally was able to open it. Contained inside was a full suit of blood-red Mandalorian armor. Cadden looked at the perfectly-preserved legendary piece of equipment with awe, all the while wondering how anyone of his family could have gotten their hands on such a thing. It was at that point Cadden was a free man.

From that moment on, Cadden trained himself rigorously on several different worlds, taking on beasts of nature big and small alike. During this time frame, Cadden had purchased a Firespray-class Patrol Ship, dubbing it the Pursuer, based off of his pursuit for his Mandalorian armor. He used this ship as his personal transport, and each week he put a distinct modification to it. Like Boba Fett, Cadden had remained silent about the origins of his armor. He used the mysticism, and the perk that a similar Boba Fett was a notorious bounty hunter, to climb even higher in notoriety in the Underworld, until Cadden had become a very common household name. Not even the Empire was capable of touching him at this point, for the Blackthorne bounty hunter had become one of the most feared individuals in the fringes of space, next to Boba Fett, Bossk, IG-88, Raptor, and other well-known bounty hunters.

Cadden made certain to upkeep and upgrade his armor as often as he was able. He modified his armor to include a macrobinocular viewplate helmet, motion and sound sensors, infrared capabilities, an internal comlink with his ship, the Pursuer, and a broadband antenna for intercepting and decoding transmissions. Wrist gauntlets housed lasers, a miniature flame projector, and a fibercord whip/grappling device; a backpack jet pack included a turbo-projected magnetic grappling hook with twenty-meter lanyard. Cadden also carried a knee-pad rocket dart launcher, spiked boots, a concussion-grenade launcher, and a BlasTech EE-3 rifle. Even though his gizmos were those of Fett's, Cadden's skills didn't quite equal the other hunter's, but he was confident that soon he would get the opportunity to rise to second best soon enough.

Cadden-rough

Cadden Blackthorne in his Mandalorian armor.

Cadden never took his helmet off, not for anybody or under any occasion. It was rumored that he was a grotesquely disfigured man, and was ashamed of seeing his own face. Another rumor had it that he did not wish to be reminded of his family, and the tragedy that remained in the memory of Corellia. The truth behind Cadden's behavior remained the same, however, in the fact that he used the armor to strike fear into others. He was quick and agile enough to hunt without it, but Cadden knew that anyone whom bore Mandalorian armor automatically gained the respect of others.

Cadden returned to working for the Hutts, and got a hefty salary out of his occupation with them, and even started working for the Empire. He was always slow and methodical and as unpredictable as the shifting sands of Tatooine. He rarely lost his quarry, and had shown no remorse for their fate. Cadden was known to work with other bounty hunters, but his motives may have been to show the others up; Cadden had always emerged as the one who caught the prize. He had yet to actually test his skills against the famed Boba Fett and find out who was the better hunter.

Chasing a Jedi

"He was definitely a worthy adversary...."
— Cadden Blackthorne, about Cameo Naton

At one point, Cadden had been on hire to intercept and eliminate Jedi Knight Cameo Naton, and was backed by a very large reward. Cadden had spent several weeks tracking Cameo and learning about the other. Opportunity struck when the Jedi was to meet with someone interested in becoming his apprentice on some backwater planet. Cadden had taken the opportunity to exterminate the future apprentice and take the ten thousand credit reward, and used that as his chance to ambush the unsuspecting Jedi Knight. Cameo took the bait, but he had escaped Cadden's grasp.

The bounty hunter chased Cameo around for some time, never meeting with success, before he finally gave up the pursuit and accepted the ten thousand, instead of the heavier 900,000 offered on the Jedi Knight, and went on his way. Cadden and Cameo would eventually meet again, nearly fifteen years later. However, Cadden had finally found a chance to face off with the Imperial Inquisitor, Ansara Bansari, responsible for his parents' deaths. He dueled Ansara, and had emerged victorious with nothing more than a mere cut in the Inquisitor's right arm before she fled the scene. Several weeks later, Cadden had finally tracked down and eliminated the team he believed responsible for his parents' deaths, thus effectively removing an aged act of vengeance.

Fall of a Hunter

"I know there is still good in you, Cadden. Let it go."
Renalla Starrider

As his last jobs, Cadden had turned in the Imperial traitorous senator Ubio for 300,000 credits and a hyperdrive for the one partially responsible for his capture, Councilor Jobe. During the capture of the Bothan former senator, Cadden had run in to a Jedi Knight named Renalla Starrider. He did not know it at that point, but that woman was to be the sole person responsible for his leaving the bounty hunting trade. When Cadden returned from his deliverance of Ubio to Imperial authorities in order to give Jobe his hyperdrive, complications came along and Jobe left the ship to, unexpectedly, Jade. Later Cadden returned and successfully captured Dark Jedi Cazzik Wyn and turned him in to Karde for 1,500,000 credits. That was his last bounty, and Cadden assisted the Dark Jedi in escaping Karde's clutches for reasons unknown.

It is unknown how long Cadden had planned to change, but when he did, the entire galaxy was in shock. The famous bounty hunter returned to a life of mystery, simply fading into the dark expanding abyss of space. It was here that he had met Trai Kanossi. Trai helped Cadden discover his potency in the Force, as well as bring him and Renalla together for their first, and last, adventure together.

Over the course of time, Cadden had developed a perfection for hiding his presence in the Force. Much like how the Jedi Master Yoda had hid himself with the Dark Tree on Dagobah, but Cadden did not need any kind of mysterious, dark location to remain hidden. It was a trait that could only be perfected to this extent by few, and the Blackthornes were no exception. In order to keep his situation a secret, Cadden had placed an under-the-table order for an HRD, which would look exactly like him, to do his dirty work. For some time, the HRD succeeded in keeping the Empire away from Cadden.

Mercenary and Freedom Fighter (3 ABY15 ABY)

Liberation

"A life-debt?"
— Cadden's reaction to Ryy'Suuk's freedom.

Cadden and Trai continued to work on their own, eventually stumbling across a slave ship under the Imperial Remnant's employ. Here, they helped free the slaves, amongst them being a Wookiee named Ryy'Suuk. Cadden in particular was befriended by the Wookiee, who swore a life-debt to the man. Cadden was taken aback, and argued against the idea, which merely offended the Wookiee. Had Ryy'Suuk not pledged his life-debt to Blackthorne, one of the two would have wound up dead due to those actions.

The trio continued onward, eventually meeting up with Renalla Starrider, who was the primary benefactor to Cadden leaving his previous occupation as a bounty hunter. They helped out those in need for a short while, performing acts against local criminal organizations, Imperial Remnant outposts and bases, and the like, before Cadden finally decided to begin a more settling lifestyle.

Blackthorne Enterprises

"It's as if he's a completely different man. Almost as though the Cadden Blackthorne the galaxy knew died, and in his place was some impostor, hoping to redeem the man's name."
— Trai Kanossi, on Cadden's change

Later, Cadden finally resurfaced and re-established Blackthorne Enterprises in the Hoth System, a family corporation which operated out of the Udine system generations ago. The company had gotten off to a good start, and continued to see some promising times at the rate it was going, yet Cadden's old ways got the better of him again. The freedom fighter, and now Jedi-in-training, decided to send a kamikaze ship to Bilbringi, the center of the Empire. He was to pilot it, and collide a modified, custom frigate, packed to the max with highly dangerous and explosive missiles and other detonating projectiles into the planetoid, but one of his Elite Guard members, Trasj Ricknas, took it instead.

Following the kamikaze attack, the Empire sent massive forces to the already-fleeing Blackthorne Enterprises forces, but they still outnumbered the company three to one. Because of an Interdictor field, Cadden's forces lost approximately 75% of its military forces and around 12% of its evacuees, a heavy loss for the company. Captain Irrad of the Red Star Alliance Star Frigate Benevolent gave the ultimate sacrifice, however, staying behind to delay the Empire. As soon as he knew that the company could escape, the Benevolent self-destructed, destroying all on-board, which seemed to include Cadden's personal ship, the Pursuer.

After the Blackthorne Enterprises forces had retreated to Midpoint Station, they hypered out toward their next rendezvous point in a series of jumps to shake the Empire off of their tails. However, Cadden, along with Trai, Ryy'Suuk, and Renalla Starrider, all found themselves in an unknown sector of the Outer Rim to face their ultimate trial of their skills.

Trial of a Warrior

"The same blood runs through both of us. The blood of a beast who wanders, hunting for the blood of others."
Ulfik Nevekron, during his and Cadden's duel

But while they were stuck on the ice world Talmohkt, Black one-eighteen, Cadden's Human Replica Droid, sacrificed himself to Ket Maliss in order to have the bounty lifted off of the real Cadden Blackthorne's head. His last move was sending out a message to an agent of Cadden's by the name of Kay'l Syao, a message that would have to be given to Ket Maliss prior to the agent's visit to Junrest, in order to get the apparent killer of Cadden Blackthorne a message from Cadden himself (prior to his departure from Midpoint).

A week after being on the ice world, Cadden finally faced a great soul stealer named Ulfik Nevekron, who had a Dark Jedi Master inside his essence. After a heated duel, Cadden managed to get a jab through Ulfik's defenses with his lightsaber, killing the man almost instantly. While that was going on, a heated battle between Triad and Imperium forces was going on just outside the spaceport they were sent to destroy. Cadden got the detonators placed and had to manually detonate them, racing the explosion out on a hoverbike and barely escaping with his own life, while I'Flym valiantly saved Renalla's life by stopping a jab at her from an Imperium troop's baton. The troop was confronted by Renalla and Ryy'Suuk and taken away, and Renalla went down to the wounded Cadden.

After saying their good-byes, the gang hypered away from the planet and to a secluded, independent system, where Cadden spent the next few weeks recovering from his wounds on the world of Thonner. However, when he had first awoken, he discovered Renalla had left, and perhaps would never know of the real reasons why. As soon as he was healed, he was cleared of all doubts. He could not remain hidden forever... but he did know that there was one thing he had yet to do. Unaware of what was stirring within his own essence, Cadden departed from the others in a personal fighter he had acquired, to seclusion once again. During this time, he had constructed his own, unique lightsaber.

It was sometime during this time period that Cadden ran into an individual named Zan Fyar. Sensing the man's potential in the Force, Cadden took it upon himself to train Fyar as the first Guardian of the Force to follow in Cadden's footsteps. He warned Zan of the dangerous path that is walked, being a Guardian, and for a time, the two ventured together as instructor and pupil.

To Fall and Rise Back Up

"I always knew you were destined to the Dark Side."
Klatonn

Later, Cadden received a call for help from a familiar source - Talmohkt, the ice world in which Cadden and his friends had returned from but a standard year prior. Cadden accepted the stressed call for aid, and returned to the ice world, alone this time. However, the call was a trap - the Nomad Soul had returned in his full form, a grotesque alien by the name of Klatonn. Klatonn, the original Nomad Soul, had gathered enough strength to return from the netherworld, whereupon he goaded Cadden to the Dark Side by claiming to be the cause of the deaths of his entire family, including Renalla Starrider. Cadden, infuriated, charged the Nomad Soul, lightsaber in hand and blade extended, and brought the saber down on the ancient nemesis of his with all his might. However, Klatonn had a new apprentice with him - a man by the name of Carth Dyral. Carth blocked the blow, but Cadden simply kicked the younger man away in response, and cut Klatonn down. Letting his rage take over, Cadden released a destructive surge of energy on Klatonn, completely destroying the creature's body, and sending his spirit back into the abyss. But at a great cost. With that simple act, Cadden had engulfed himself in the Dark Side, and soon after the defeat of the Nomad Soul, Cadden arose to the creature's place.

He led Talmohkt into a revolutionary stage, where the planet was to engage in modern technological advances of space, a movement that the people accepted well, but was masked with a true purpose - Cadden, with his newfound rage and dark powers, was intending on launching a frontal assault against the outskirts of the Outer Rim, in an attempt to raise a force to strike at the heart of the Empire. However, plans went awry, and Cadden found himself engaged in a fierce duel against Carth Dyral for the position of leader. At the end of the duel, though, both warriors ended in a draw, but both with a price to pay. Carth lost his vocal cords, and Cadden his right eye.

Agreeing to continue the duel another time, the two decided to focus on getting off Talmohkt, first. However, when civil war erupted with the rebels, led by Cadden's long-time friend, Trai Kanossi, alongside Ryy'Suuk, Cadden's friends managed to convince him to abandon his efforts. After some struggle, Cadden launched into space, using the very single-crewed fighter he arrived on the world with, and destroyed a subspace portal that was to lead the people of Talmohkt to their new home. Staging his own death, Cadden used decisive timing and expert piloting to escape through the portal, as it collapsed upon itself. He emerged in the Outer Rim territories, and ultimately decided to head to the Hoth System, whereupon he crash-landed on the ice world. He barely survived the wreckage, due to the interference of a Zabrak named Zartok Ular. When Cadden awoke three days later, he found himself with an artificial eye, and a thanks to be found with a new ally. He spent the next two weeks in recovery and, with no way off Hoth, he dedicated a lot of that time to meditation and training. Cadden had realized the kind of monster he had become, back on Talmohkt, and saw his time on Hoth as a good one to remain separated from all those whom he cared about, in hopes that his seclusion could rid him of his taint.

After the third week, Cadden received a visit from a man named Kladaar, an older ancestor of his from six generations prior, in his spirit form. Kladaar informed Cadden of a dark past that his family had shared, for quite some time, until they had come to the Jedi Order and a new generation of Blackthornes had been established. However, to keep Cadden from walking down the dark path, he refused to disclose any details. Instead, he warned Cadden of the dangers of the Dark Side, that once one walked down that path, it would forever dominate one's destiny, consume their will. And, for those that repented, they would be engulfed in a war with themselves, a war to purge the dark taint that would remain. Kladaar parted with these words: "A Jedi is free to follow the path he has chosen, but do not mistake the path of the Dark Side to be the strongest of the two. It is merely the easiest."

It was only afterwards that Cadden had realized that the last he saw his ship, the Pursuer, it was in the Empire's raid of Blackthorne Enterprises two years prior. Taking a gamble, he called the ship on a personal wristpad, and but a couple hours later, his Firespray-class ship found its way to his location, and landed outside. Cadden then made long preparations to leave Hoth, once and for all, and took Zartok and his medical droid with him after a week's worth of preparations.

From there, Cadden re-surfaced, joining forces with Jhuston Vox in the apprehension of the notorious pirate Kaldone for Esran Croft. They managed to pull off the bounty with little trouble. However, during the capture of Kaldone, Zartok had detonated the Pursuer in order to grant them the time needed to escape Kaldone's ship. Only weeks later had Talon Karde approached him with the gift of the Pursuer II, as a reward for Cadden helping him some time ago. Cadden once again went into seclusion, where he had discovered that Carth Dyral had escaped Talmohkt and, after repenting from the Dark Side himself, had fallen under the magics of a Sith Lord. Cadden faced off with Carth for the last time, aiding the old rival in purging the Sith from his mind, whereupon they parted on peaceful terms. He then joined up with Ryy'Suuk and Jaylin Kumar, and held some minor adventures with the two for the next couple of years.

Cadden eventually re-surfaced and re-established Blackthorne Enterprises, this time in its rightful place in the Udine system. The company progressed well, with Cadden collaborating with the Loris Empire to obtain independence from its debtors. Plans went awry, however, and with the help of Cadden's sons, Guan and Jerik, they managed to avoid a disastrous outcome.

Cadden decided to leave the new Blackthorne Enterprises, and resold all its assets. Using the credits he got for that, as well as a healthy sum of credits from commission costs from selling older Blackthorne Enterprises designs to Esran Croft Enterprises, before his older incarnation of the company went belly-up, Cadden went into retirement. However, old habits die hard, and within a matter of a couple years Cadden was secretly scouring the galaxy once more in the Pursuer II. During this stint of bounty hunting, Cadden only took jobs against the criminal underworld, and kept a low profile. Despite using the Pursuer II as his transportation of choice, Cadden had installed separate transponder codes on the ship, allowing him to operate under a different alias.

Tangled Webs

In 14 ABY, Cadden was contacted by the Triad to stop a smuggling operation of a drug known as Chronic. Cadden soon learned he was competing against long-time rival Dahdtoudi, but the more the two learned the more they were forced to work together, until they formed a steady partnership and collaborated to bring down the operation, as well as the inner workings lead by both Kroda the Hutt and the Triad itself.

The Xen'Chi Invasion(15 ABY16 ABY)

The Mandalorian Protectors

"The Force has brought us together, whether you choose to believe it or not. Our meeting is no coincidence. I sought you out, because the Force instructed me to do so."
Teslar Maladan
Cadden-Jedi

Cadden Blackthorne, Jedi Master

By 15 ABY, Cadden had purchased a Rogue-class Armed Transport, the Rogue Star, after hearing of the Xen'Chi and Gait threats. Cadden assembled together a crack team of combat and information specialists to deal with petty thugs, preparing them to combat the new threats on their own.

The Falleen named Xhander joined the Rogue Star's crew shortly after Cadden had a run-on with a deadly Dark Jedi by the name of Ilan Garuda, whom Cadden later discovered had been undergoing the Jedi Trials during the Clone Wars, and subsequently fell to the Dark Side during Darth Vader's raiding of the Jedi Temple. Cadden defeated Ilan Garuda twice over the course of three weeks. During those three weeks, he had met with a Jedi Master whom had been in exile since the Clone Wars began named Teslar Maladan. Teslar guided Cadden toward a new path, separate from that of his ragtag team of specialists. After Cadden had supposedly killed Garuda on Holoworld III, he decided to take Teslar's offer and leave the group for his own destiny. Little did he know it would lead him to the planet Mandalore. When Cadden arrived in the Mandalore system, his ship's hyperdrive had suffered a major malfunction, due to the tampering of the Pursuer II's computer systems, causing the ship to explode. Locke Rekkon and Gandon Belak, two surviving Mandalorians, found Cadden floating in space above their world, after receiving news about the explosion, and nursed them back to full health. Only three days later did Cadden become accepted as a true Mandalorian, despite his past being devoid of the Mandalorian lifestyle. Cadden vowed to lead the Mandalorians to their former glory, or die trying. During the quest to reunite the clans, Cadden had been chosen to become the new Mandalore, and he immediately began the process of combating for his position, and reuniting the clans.

As soon as the clans were reunited, and the skirmishes between Cadden's Mandalorian Protectors and opposers of the new structure came to a closure, MandalMotors swore its fealty to Cadden, and the company became once again under Mandalorian control. With the fast-approaching threat of the Xen'Chi looming but on the horizon, there was little time to waste. Gandon Belak was charged with resurrecting the Mandalorian Warriors to fend off this and future galactic threats, whilst Locke Rekkon was tasked with the training of the fleet, alongside Admiral Ghrark Fyrebyrd, in orbit of Mandalore.

Mandalore

"Even if they outnumber and outgun us, we will need to be prepared to fight to the bitter end. We must remain superior."
— Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden and his Protectors did not enter the Xen'Chi War until its closing stages. After the reunifications of the clans, Cadden had set his sights on rebuilding the Mandalorian strength that it had once had, so long ago. With thousands of shock troopers, and hundreds of supercommandos, he finally viewed his Protectors ready to fight by roughly 14 ABY. They would soon get that chance, when upon heading to the Corellia system, to receive a new ship, a VCX-820 Escort Freighter he later dubbed the Hellfire, Cadden intercepted a call for help from the most unlikely of sources.

While in the Corellia system, Cadden visited his father and Cameo Naton, in order to tie up loose ends and square away old feelings that may have been harbored toward him. Then he set off with his son, Jerik, to the source of the distress call he had received but moments earlier, and rendezvoused with the long-thought-dead Cazzik Wyn. He was asked to help him begin his search for his missing sons, Caius and Xanic, leading them to the City of the Jedi. The group discovered the location of the City of the Jedi, and immediately set out to get there before Kamulos would. There, Guan, along with the Conqueror and her crew, met up with them and aided them and the Mandalorians in the defense of the planet from Kamulos's forces. Cadden's moment of glory, and show of his continuous dominating presence over many others, was shown when he successfully beat K471 in personal combat.

After the battle was won, Cadden left his sons under Cazzik's care, and returned to Mandalore, to finalize preparations for the war against the Xen'Chi.

During the Battle of Taylon, however, a second group of Mandalorians was tasked at traveling to Mechis III and attacking the Xen'Chi presence there. While greatly outnumbered and outgunned, the group did its job well, with the unexpected aid of Oremin operatives that had targeted the world for liberation as well. The Mandalorians, led by a Zabrak shock trooper named Nedth Dinsan, proved their worth to the tee, and combined with Oremin intelligence, gave Cadden a thorough report on Xen'Chi tactics.

Operation: Dissection

"The Xen'Chi will strike at Mandalore. The Defense Force won't be able to repel a large-scale Invasion, Mandalore."
"It won't have to. Mandalore is not their target.
That is."
Locke Rekkon and Cadden Blackthorne.
Cadden-Mandalore

Cadden Blackthorne, Mandalore.

With this information, as well as the final preparations to the Mandalorian First Assault Fleet completed, Cadden set out a daring plan to strike back at the Xen'Chi and sever their invasion path which separated Mandalore from Coruscant itself. Nicknaming it Operation: Dissection, the order of attack was to strike at close-by systems, and purge them of Xen'Chi presence. The series of attacks began with an overwhelming victory at Woostri, and continued toward Aquaris. With their victory at Aquaris, the Mandalorians made an astonishing example of their growing strength, as they continue to press forward in their goal to stall the Xen'Chi invasion long enough for the galaxy to counter-attack.

Now, the Mandalorians ferociously duke it out on Ploo, poising to strike next at Obroa-Skai and continue onward to Myrkr. If done well, the tactic would cause the Xen'Chi to divert a fleet to Mandalore, where the planet would then be defended by the Protectors' full arsenal, and show the Xen'Chi just how unwelcome they are in this galaxy.

However, not all went according to plan. As the Assault Fleet returned home, they found Mandalore already under seige, and the Mandalorian defensive weakening by the minute. In a moment of desperation, the Assault Fleet counter-attacked, and sent the space above Mandalore into disarray. Cadden led the assault on his Basilisk War Droid, until it was destroyed, where he was picked up by Kya Waise on the Star's End. It was during this time Cadden experienced a disturbing vision of mysterious proportions.

Being awoken from his subconscious state, Cadden was questioned by Kya where he should be dropped off. After some consideration, Cadden instructed her and her crew to drop him off above Kedalbe, Mandalore's capital city, so that he could liberate the command tower from a pressing Xen'Chi presence. Making his way to the Square, where the remaining Mandalorians in the city were holed up, Cadden managed to get to the command tower and call for reinforcements. Just as the battle inside the Square seemed to be at a loss, Garen Starfall and his Mandalorians arrived to provided the assistance that was desperately needed. Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that the Xen'Chi commander was a Chosen. He quickly made work of several Mandalorians, and nearly killed Garen, before confronted by Cadden.

The duel was fierce, and quick. In the end, Cadden utilized the unorthodox method of destroying an explosive barrel near the Chosen to shatter his weapon, a deadly barbed lightsaber-resistant whip, before he leapt over the Xen'Chi warrior and penetrated his chest with one of his lightsabers. The Chosen, however, responded by cleaving some of Cadden's flesh with the remnant of his whip. It was at that point that Cadden returned the favor, with interest, by relentlessly severing the Chosen's head from his body.

He was then forced to leave the battlefield, from which point he provided some assistance to the Mandalorians from the command tower. Afterwards, Cadden picked up an assault rifle and continued to stay in the fight from the perspective of the tower, until Kladaar's voice instructed him to rely on the Force to aid him in battle.

It was at this moment that Cadden felt more connected to the Force than ever before, and surged into the heat of the battle, once again saving Garen's life as he and two others were surrounded by several Xen'Chi. Once Garen was clear, he took charge of the battle, and coordinated Nedth Dinsan's and Aeorn Mors' forces into the Square.

When the battle was over, Cadden collapsed in exhaustion, later to wake up, and on the road to recovery. It was at this point that he made his firm decision, that he would place the Jedi, his friends and family, as his priority, and thus began the transitioning of his title over to Garen Starfall.

The Second Fall (16 ABY18 ABY)

"You no longer need to sacrifice for your people. You no longer need to bear the weight of your name. I've taken care... of everything...."
— The Nomad Soul speaks to Blackthorne at the end of the Battle of Onderon.

Cadden left Mandalore shortly after his recovery, and traveled with Ryy'Suuk and Neddac to the Udine System. There, he recovered an old, forgotten ship, and continued to investigate the mysterious outposts deep within the asteroid field.

Afterwards, Cadden traveled to Onderon, where just after his arrival the planet was attacked by the Cult of Shadow. With very few truly skilled Jedi to guard the praxeum from a full frontal assault of such a caliber, Cadden teamed up with his father, and an unlikely encounter with his old apprentice, Zan Fyar, to help drive off the Cult. None were aware of the Cult's true intentions of the attack.

Faarel departed from the group, after sensing Sivter in the Force, and went to investigate, leaving Cadden and Zan to finish off a group of Dark Jedi that were attempting to enter a side entrance to the praxeum. Once the two Jedi defeated the group, Cadden led Zan around to find an unlocked door, and more cultists.

There, Blackthorne engaged in a duel with a wounded Dark Knight. During the duel, he maintained a defensive position, until he sensed a disturbance in the Force. He set for a distraction, and utilizing the time, made his way into the Praxeum, where he eventually came upon his dieing father in the archives.

There, Faarel asked Cadden to remain with the Jedi, but before he could respond, his father died in his arms. Cadden became enraged, and stormed out of the temple, hell-bent on destroying the Cult of Shadow, particularly the one who killed his father.

The quest lead Cadden and Zan to a distant planet deep in the Unknown Regions. There, he recovered an ancient sword by the name of Soulblade. Though warned against the idea by both Zan and a Jedi spirit, Cadden nonetheless took the blade, casting his own two lightsabers aside. The price for this acquisition of power was Cadden's eyesight, which was later enhanced through the Force to a level Cadden had never experienced before.

With the blade in hand, he proceeded on his mission to become powerful enough to avenge his father's death. This mission lead him to another place within the Unknown Regions. Due to Cadden's desire for power, he threw caution into the wind and traveled to an ancient tomb. Therein, Cadden and Zan entered a burial ground, whereupon he unleashed a powerful spirit from its grave. Vying for additional power, he was unwilling to be controlled, and so the failed attempt resulted in the merging of both his soul, and that of his greatest enemy - the Nomad Soul - into his body.

The merging complete, Cadden gained the wisdom, experience, and power of the Nomad Soul. He retained his own memories and personality, but the price was severe, as Cadden knew he could no longer return to the Jedi Order. With only Zan at his side, he decided to travel to the Udine System once more, and set up a base of operations within the asteroid field.

Cadden set up base in the Udine System, having discovered thousands of individuals frozen in cryogenic sleep onboard a large asteroid facility deep within the field. From here, he staged his plans for striking against the Cult of Shadow.

Utilizing the Battle of Onderon to his own ends, Cadden began a quest to seek out Jedi who wished to aid him in his quest to hunt down and destroy those responsible for his father's death. He and Zan left Udine in charge of Olan Signas, commanding officer of Cadden's new army.

Knowing that the dark side presence within Soulblade would be sensed and discovered, Cadden opted to leave the powerful Sith artifact behind. At this point in his transition, the blade no longer held any significant powers on its own, as the Nomad Soul's consciousness had transfered to Cadden earlier. Thus, departing from the blade had no effect on Blackthorne. In its place, he took a crimson lightsaber which belonged to an ancestor of his, Trak Blackthorne. Knowing he would not need to utilize the blade, its presence was merely for show.

The two set out for Taylon to seek allies to their cause. Aware of the danger of sensing the Dark Side within him, Cadden was prepared to exercise a new technique he had picked up, that would mask his presence in the Force and cause any who sensed it to believe what he wished them to. Though Cadden was uncertain if his old friend, Cazzik Wyn, would see through the mask, he was confident that most of the other Jedi in the Order would not be so skilled. It was this technique, which Cadden called Shadow Calling, which would be the determining factor of his success.

Darth Trayus

"I am not a member of the Jedi Order, I am merely a man whom operates with the Order. You, Cazzik, know this above all. And I will find this Cult of Shadow - this Sivter - with or without the Council's blessings."
— Cadden Blackthorne to the Kora Jedi Council.
Darth Trayus

Darth Trayus, Dark Lord of the Sith.

At the City of the Jedi, the Council declined Cadden's request for aid in hunting down the Cult of Shadow. Disappointed, Cadden held the Council in contempt and left the Council chambers. He decided against traveling to Onderon, as he knew that, if Cazzik denied his request, Daer'Gunn certainly would. Betrayed in this regard, Cadden scorned the Jedi Order, and instructed Zan Fyar to recruit any that would be willing to accompany him on his quest, and in the end meet him back in the Udine System.

Cadden traveled off-world, and ventured to Holoworld III, in order to pick up the trail of an old enemy of his, Ilan Garuda, through wakes in the Force. During this time, Cadden's feelings of anger and hatred toward the Jedi Order caused him to abandon his birth name and take up the name Darth Trayus, in regards to his betrayal of the Order, and its betrayal of him.

Soon, Trayus discovered the whereabouts of Garuda, and sensing the danger involved in facing him single-handedly, set out to build his army even further. The Nomad Soul's wisdom granted upon him an ancient, forgotten world deep in the Outer Rim known as Dromund Kaas. There, he fought through the traps set by the Sith acolytes of Palpatine's Sith Order to discover an ancient holocron, which in turn lead him to the planet Morazis. When he arrived, he followed the holocron's directions and unearthed an army four thousand years old, frozen in carbonite. Upon unfreezing the army, and having their allegiance sworn to him, Trayus lead them back to Udine, whereupon he assembled his entire army, and grown navy, and lead an assault on Garuda and the Shadow Imperium.

The initial attack on the Imperium proved to be very fruitful to the Sith Lord, as Trayus built up his arsenal through the capturing of Imperium warships that defended the Delta Serpentis region. When his forces were ready to progress forward, Trayus lead an attack on Kiteras, whereupon he met the Dark Jedi Sidon Kun. Sidon, who appeared in the system during the heat of the battle, was visiting Kiteras on a lead to finding an ancient Sith location. What he found instead was a raging battle in orbit above his destination. Sidon was captured by Trayus's forces, and was later visited by the Sith Lord himself.

Impressed by Sidon's power in the Force, Trayus offered the Dark Jedi a position within his organization, and accompanied Sidon to the surface of Kiteras. The two ventured to the Sith location Sidon sought, and fought two Force-powered battle droids wielding dual cortosis-weave swords. Both were dispatched of fairly easily, and the two entered the chambers into a great library.

There, an ancient Sith spirit coerced Sidon into attacking Trayus. The Dark Jedi, confident in his abilities, challenged the Sith Lord, who gladly accepted. The two then engaged in a duel that would determine who would inherit the vast knowledge that was discovered in the hidden library. It was short, but fierce, and in the end, Trayus's superior skills and knowledge of the Force were clearly the determining factor. Trayus crippled Sidon, and forced him to choose between life and servitude, or death. Sidon chose the former, and the two took what they could from the library and returned to the ship. Trayus would later return in the Shadow Hunter to retrieve the rest of the rest of the knowledge found in the library.

With the newfound knowledge in hand, Trayus continued to launch his campaign against the Imperium and Garuda's forces, until he pushed to the planet Testria. There, he lead a surface assault to the planet, whereupon he guided his Force-trained followers to Garuda's position. Both sides fought well, and both suffered casualties. But Trayus ended up victorious, slaying Garuda in combat with the help of his newfound powers from the Nomad Soul, and so progressed to securing a new alliance with the Shadow Imperium.

The Betrayer
"I've betrayed everyone, and everything, I've ever loved. And still I feel no remorse. No shame. No pity."
— Darth Trayus

Next in line was the complete dissolution of the old Sith Brotherhood. With but one known survivor left, Trayus traveled to Tarix with a good portion of his own personal army and attacked the world. The fierce battle ended in the death of Darth Sadis in a heated lightsaber duel. Afterwards, Trayus sat on the throne of the Tarix fortress, and declared to the entire Shadow Imperium of its own dissolution and reorganization into the Crimson Empire.

With his quest complete, he was now ready to begin his plans at hunting down and killing Sivter. However, he knew that he would have to bolster his forces before he could accomplish such a feat, and so Trayus set out to secure the allegiance of the Cylon Imperium. In order to do so, he initiated a well-conceived invasion on Cylon space, ending with the Battle of Cylon. Trayus dueled K471 several times, before disabling the supercomputer that kept the droid's programming. Upon doing so, he fought and defeated K471 once more and force him to swear his loyalty, or die. K471 begrudgingly accepted, and Trayus kept the last remaining copy of the droid's programming for himself. The surrender of K471 brought about the end of the war and the dissolving of Cylon's forces into the Crimson Empire, thus making Trayus's armies even stronger.

However, during this process, Darth Trayus square off with Sivter during the Defel's unexpected visit to Cylon. During the duel, Trayus unleashed more and more of his potential on Sivter, but was ultimately felled by a powerful application of Force Lightning. While he was able to block most of the lightning, that which got through reminded him that he had a wound that was healing from the Battle of Mandalore, and, after he was able to stop Sivter's barrage, found himself unable to perform at peak capacity any longer. He seceded to Sivter, and the other Darksider struck an alliance with Trayus, with the same goal of turning their combined attention to another threat common to both.

When Sivter left, Trayus contemplated on his next moves, and knew he would need to grow stronger in the Force if he were to defeat the Defel in combat.

Eye for an Eye
TrayusTaylon

Darth Trayus leads the attack on the City of the Jedi.

"If all those in the Jedi Order would deny me my vengeance, then all of the Jedi Order will die."
— Darth Trayus

The additional power Trayus acquired would wipe away the last remnants of Cadden Blackthorne that Trayus possessed, thus making him a truly unique monstrous figure. He set out to gather more support from the Jedi Order, seeking out any whom would willingly join him. Trayus soon learned that the Jedi Council was forbidding any and all Jedi from joining his cause, thus making him infuriated, and turning against them in full. As Darth Trayus, he declared open war against the Jedi Order, and set his sights on a new target.

Knowing that his search for Sivter would not be easy, Trayus ordered the former Cylon Imperium to begin mass production of a new and improved army, and prepare for a war that would shake the very foundations of the galaxy. During this time frame, Crystal Roshia, possessed by the spirit of Aliah'ara, found Trayus and swore her allegiance to the man with merged souls. Trayus, unaware of the Nomad Soul's plans, recognized Roshia's power (who now went by the name of Alexis Kiara) and reluctantly agreed at the advise of the Nomad Soul, knowing full well that the Nomad Soul had just as much to lose as he did if he were wrong. Unbeknownst to both Crystal and Cadden, however, this simple act brought two ancient lovers back together, and set into motion a chain of events that would hold a drastic impact on the galaxy at large.

As soon as Trayus's forces were ready, the Dark Lord of the Sith set his sights on the first planet that would suffer his wrath; Taylon. Mass producing a new army, Darth Trayus attacked the world, marking the first event in the Shadow War. During the battle, Trayus mostly stayed out of the fight, as he made his way to his own primary objective - Cazzik Wyn himself - to stake his revenge on the Kora Jedi Council's refusal of offering him any aid months before.

When Trayus finally faced Cazzik, he also faced off with Jessica Sterling. Combined, they gave Trayus a good run for his money, where the Dark Lord of the Sith attempted to separate them on several occasions. Finally, he was able to fight Cazzik solo, and defeated the Jedi Master. It was this single moment that signaled the end of the battle, and obediently, the Sith forces withdrew from the battle.

Three days later, Cadden discarded his guise as Darth Trayus and revisited Taylon. Successfully using his Shadow Calling technique, he met with Cazzik personally and informed the Jedi Master that the Sith Empire had returned, and that they were the catalysts of the attack. After sharing this false information with Cazzik, in hopes of it reaching the Jedi Council on Onderon, Cadden departed from Taylon once more, to return to his empire in the Outer Rim Territories. Knowing full well he had much to learn still from the Nomad Soul, Darth Trayus opted to stay out of the fight and, instead, spent more time on meditating to fully understand the wealth of powers that were now at his disposal.

During this time, Trayus encountered a strange vision. It started on a dark, damp, and eerie world where two warriors engaged in battle against each other, and then shifted to an ancient stone temple on a desolate, dry planet. Neither of these two parts of Trayus's vision allowed him to learn more than he had witnessed, but it was clear to the Dark Lord that both held a key to the events that were about to unravel.

The Shadow War

TrayusInvictus

Darth Trayus and Darth Invictus during the Third Jedi Purge.

"Myself? My path is a far greater one. I shall meet my enemies, both on the battlefield and in spirit, and crush them, devouring them by the hundreds and the thousands. Soon, all that was promised me shall be mine, and then Sivter will be as nothing against me. Even the Jedi Order will pale before me, and I shall stretch out my hand and wipe this galaxy clean, to remake it in my own image!"
— Darth Trayus to Darth Malice, when inquired about his plans

Despite his reluctance to engage directly in the war he had started, Trayus took to progressing the war through the various agents he had at his disposal. He had sent Alexis Kiara and Epsilon Squad to Dathomir to incite rebellion on the world, and Keldon Tyfus was assigned with the task of leading the Crimson Empire's 3rd Battle Fleet in a skirmish against the New Republic. Both engagements were designed to look as though the Republic and the Empire had been the instigators, respectively.

Upon completion of this initial act of the war plans, Trayus allowed the Shadow War to unravel at an unprohibited pace. During this time, Trayus attempted to regain control over himself from the Nomad Soul's influence. A vicious mental battle between him and the Nomad Sould ensued, whereupon Trayus was defeated and knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he saw the world around him differently, and when he walked, he felt different as well.

Upon meeting and being debriefed by Alexis Kiara, Trayus realized that he had a better command over the Force than before. At the same time, he also realized that he could not escape his fate, and that he had become a servant to the Nomad Soul himself. But most of all, he realized that not even he could determine where the line between he and Rahk'neqah was drawn.

Digging up the Past
"I have received a vision of a lush world, containing the whereabouts of a host of arcane artifacts that could prove useful in our conquest. I have been able to pull the name of this place from this vision. Wayland."
— Darth Trayus to Alexis Kiara

Several days later, Trayus and Alexis departed from their controlled space to Coruscant, where they sought out hidden vaults in the Imperial Palace. Their infiltration of the palace was fruitful, as Alexis found what they sought out, alongside some additional useful information that Trayus himself discovered. The two Sith made a daring escape from the palace and barely managed to avoid being trapped by the planetary shields.

Their travels took them to the planet Wayland, where they raided Mount Tantiss and procured the Scimitar from its resting place within the labrynth storehouse. Making a daring escape, the two Sith left the world behind. The Scimitar was taken back to Tarix, where Trayus transferred the DRK-1 Dark Eye probe droids to the Shadow Hunter, taking them to Morazis in search of an ancient temple he witnessed in a vision. Procuring no results from the droids, they were transferred back to the Scimitar, and Alexis was granted full use of the ship as she saw befitting to the Brotherhood's mission.

Forging Alliances
"There are other groups consisting of those strong in the Force that could prove useful to us. I sense that there are at least three others that share a common goal as yourself."
"Killing Sivter?"
"One of them. The other two hold a much larger set of interests in mind. The eradication of their enemies, no matter the cost. Allying with all three will make you -"
"Unstoppable.
"
— Rahk'neqah and Darth Trayus

The Shadow War soon paid off, as the Galactic Empire and New Republic began to see these hostilities as what Trayus planned them to be. Acts of aggression soon turned into an act of war, and civil war was, once again, at the galaxy's doorstep. Pleased with his results, and upon hearing of internal conflicts rising in both governments, Trayus ordered the Crimson Empire to witdraw from its efforts. He redirected his forces into securing several worlds to support a secret project he had procured from the archives on Coruscant.

At this point, Rahk'neqah advised him to focus his efforts in finding new allies to support him in eradicating him of his enemies - the Sith Empire, Cult of Shadow, and the Jedi Order itself. Trayus personally traveled to Mandalore to meet with the Mandalorians and forge an alliance with them, promising them that they would be attacked first. After receiving counsel from Rahk'neqah on his next move, Trayus prepared the Crimson Empire and Sith Brotherhood for its deadliest move yet.

The First Moves
TrayusArmor

Darth Trayus walks away from the ruined Taylon Jedi Temple.

"It is time to initiate our plans. Your first target is the Sith Empire. You know what to do."
— Rahk'neqah

Darth Trayus's plans were meticulous in nature. a trait which allowed him his many victories, both personal and as the leader of the Mandalorians, in the past. Rahk'neqah instructed Alexis Kiara to dispose of Blackthorne's son, Guan, on the planet Dagobah, a task which was only partially successful, unknowing to both. This simple order caused Cadden to go into a furious rage against the Nomad Soul's command, which in turn caused him to become trapped inside his own mind, much like Aliah'ara did to Crystal Roshia. At this point, Rahk'neqah assumed full control over Blackthorne's body, as Cadden's spirit became completely subjugated by the Nomad Soul's will.

At some point after Alexis was nearly successful with her mission, Crystal regained control and purged Aliah'ara from her body, and back into her blade. She then went to confront Darth Trayus, and the two fought on Testria. Crystal, utilizing the techniques she learned while under Aliah'ara's control, held her own, but was forced to flee after additional Sith arrived on the scene. The result of the duel left grievous burns along Trayus's jaw, and the resulting wounds he received during the duel forced him to don a mask that covered his nose, mouth, and neck.

The second phase of Trayus's plan was to strike at the City of the Jedi, this time with the intention of destroying the city in its entirety. Knowing that their previous method of penetrating the shields would not work, Darth Trayus's scientists resolved the problem with a new warhead that was capable of passing through shields of Kora's magnitude. The only drawback was that the shields, in their full capacity, could still stop the warheads from passing through. Trayus lead the assault on the planet, focusing once again on the City of the Jedi itself, and pummeled the shields with the strike force, until they were weak enough for the warheads to pass through. Upon the shields' failure, Trayus himself lead the battle against the Jedi temple on Kora, where he fought Cazzik until the Jedi escaped. Deeming the demonstration sufficient, he recalled his troops, and had his fleet pummel the city until nothing was left worth rebuilding. Taking their own personal salvage, Trayus's forces left the system just before New Republic reinforcements arrived.

While the battle at Taylon was raging on, a separate strike force had been sent to Mandalore to stage an Imperial assault on the world. As a result of the battle, the Mandalorian Protectors declared war on the Empire, as per Trayus's heedings, and began the Rimma War. During the early stages of this war, Darth Trayus learned that Imperial Intelligence managed to uncover vital information that would cease his plans, and dispatched an agent to recover the plans, and kill their courier.

The Hammer Falls
"I am Darth Trayus, scourge of the Jedi Order, conqueror of worlds, destroyer of the Light."
— Darth Trayus

After the closing of his assault on Taylon, Darth Trayus began to intiate his plans for the final piece that would spark war between the New Republic and Galactic Empire. At this time, he discovered, and confronted, a dark Jedi named Sathine Teyir, and initiated her into his Brotherhood. After he sent word to initiate the final stage of his plans, Trayus sent Tyfus and Invictus, with a small military force, to the Pravus Imperium, where talks of an alliance were initiated. He suspected that there was a connection between the Pravus Imperium and an elusive Sith organization, with a leader whom hid himself well in the Force. Intrigued by the prospect of two other organizations sharing the objective of eradicating the Jedi from the face of the galaxy, Trayus sent out emmissaries to seek out his other future ally.

Following the creation of the Sith Triumvirate, Darth Trayus learned of a covert operation into his territories to delve into the secrets of who sent the Cybrid to Taylon. Trayus prepared the agents for their arrival on Cylon itself, and set a trap within their designated Cybrid manufacturing center. Underneath the factory, the group ran into a collective of Husks, one of which was their former leader and Imperial agent. He then sent Kir Varrus to fight Solan Phota, a battle which the former lost. Impressed by the prowess of the Mandalorian, Trayus himself fought him, and during their duel he came to the conclusion Solan would be a valuable asset to his ranks. In exchange for letting the mercenaries escape Cylon unharmed, Solan offered his services to the Dark Lord.

Shortly after Solan joined the Crimson Empire's ranks, Trayus took Commander Tyfus and the 3rd Battle Fleet to join the New Republic and Galactic Empire in defending Alsakan from Sivter and his Cult of Shadow. Much to his amazement, Trayus witnessed as Sivter brought the Charon into the galaxy. Seeing no other option than cooperation, he ordered his fleet to hold its fire, believing that the Charon would not engage them so long as they did not pose a threat to Sivter. The gambit proved to pay off, and once the interdiction fields were down, the 3rd Battle Fleet joined the rest of the allied forces and jumped to lightspeed, leaving Alsakan to its fate.

The Third Jedi Purge

TrayusInvictus2

Darth Trayus and Darth Invictus press the Jedi Order hard.

"All the events that have transpired... the Xen'Chi, Sivter, Taylon, Onderon... with each passing moment, with each victory of our enemies, the galaxy is sent deeper into chaos, and darkness. The dark side is revealing itself, and if we cannot stand to face this terror, then who can?"
L'hnnar

Following the battle, Trayus returned to his throne on Dromund Kaas to meditate, where one of his agents delivered a small amount of the rare substance known as kolcta. Trayus applied the substance to his wounds, effectively healing them within minutes. Trayus traveled to the Kuat Sector, where he manipulated a chain of events which resulted in the death of the residing Kuat of Kuat.

Trayus then ventured to Cylon, after receiving word of recent trouble on the planet. There he faced off with Aaralyn Blackthorne, whom he was able to defeat. Rather than killing her, however, he opted to break her will, and turned her to the dark side. Aaralyn joined the Brotherhood, and accompanied Trayus back to Kuat upon word of the next stage of their operation ready to commence. The two assisted the inquisitor Tarash Khel in successfully capturing a new ship that was transferred to the Empire, and following this incident took it to Onderon, where Trayus ordered the Jedi temple there to be destroyed. After the temple's shields were knocked out and the temple left to ruin, Trayus's forces were lead planetside, where a mop op operation commenced.

However, Aaralyn, after seeing what she had become, turned against him, and the two dueled. Despite being a more formidable opponent, Trayus managed to defeat her once again, and left her to death as he extracted all the information he could from the temple's information archives, before leaving the planet.

Chasing Shadows
"My special talent is having a knack for knowing how people – how their minds - will react to certain stimuli and events. I used that knowledge to refine the mind twist that has been so well implemented in the Cult of Shadow and as such I know ways to retrieve the information it protects without setting it off. If I decide you’re worthy, you’ll be given that information as well as knowledge of how to disable the bomb beneath this building."
Malasik

After the successful operation, Trayus left on his own, re-donning his previous armor to conceal his identity after the damage Aaralyn left against his prior replacement, while he sough out agents of Sivter's across the galaxy. His searches lead him to Charros IV, where he instigated a final push to locate an agent of the Cult of Shadow that would divulge the whereabouts of Arcanix, Sivter's fortress world. The first attempt was left in complete failure, but it did not deter the Sith Lord. He continued to search for agents, bringing him to Tholatin, where he took note of an abandoned operation within a crevice on the planet's surface. Crates that bore the symbol of an organize far too familiar to him. Trayus opted to put the information to memory, and explore it later if it was worth his time.

The face-off with the Cult member there only proved more frustrating, but once more he managed to secure another location of a Cult member on Deysum. There, he faced one of the most influential members of Sivter's organization, an individual known simply as Malasik. Trayus was lead to a trap, and knowing the only way out was to play Malasik's game, he indulged the Dark Lord. Malasik challenged Trayus to a game of holo-chess and, after a long and arduous match between the two, the Sith Lord emerged victorious. The location of Arcanix was handed over to Trayus, as was the method on how to disable the trap. Equipped with the information he sought, Trayus began to plan the final showdown against his enemy.

Trayus vs Sivter

Darth Trayus duels Sivter on Arcanix.

Trayus followed the coordinates to Arcanix, where he arrived as a joint assault force was hammering its way toward the planet. He used the battle to his advantage, and maneuvered the Shadow Hunter through the chaos to the surface, where he eventually met up with Sivter. The two engaged in a duel, which left Trayus wounded in the end. Sivter left him for death, certain of Trayus's defeat, and went to secure his victory against the galaxy. He didn't count on the fact that this was exactly what Trayus wanted. As Sivter fought Kalja Leidias, a duel that seemed to be in Sivter's favor, Trayus silently approached his enemy from behind and fulfilled his promise from their first duel, and drove Soulblade through the creature's heart. The move didn't kill him, but it wounded him enough for Kalja to finish Sivter. The transferred energies from Trayus's attack healed him enough to get away in the resulting confusion, and retreat back to Dromund Kaas.

Checkmate
"It's time to end this game, once and for all."
— Darth Trayus

As Trayus finished his recovery, he received word that his new fleet was ready. He paired the fleet with the Harbinger and proactively sought out Jedi to defeat with his new force; in particular, the Jedi Masters Cazzik Wyn and Daer'Gunn.

Trayus would face off against Cazzik several times during these events, leading up to the Jedi Master learning of his true identity. During this time, he suffered a major wound in combat, limiting his physical prowess. Additionally, Cazzik had learned more than just Trayus's true identity, which forced the Sith Lord's hand in taking the fight directly to the Jedi.

The fleet was deployed to their new headquarters on Ossus, where a massive battle took place between the Brotherhood and the Jedi Order. The timely arrival of the Sith Empire's fleet, which proceeded to open fire upon the Harbinger itself, allowed for a valuable turn of events, which shifted the battle against the Brotherhood, and Trayus was forced to retreat, knowing that if he continued to press on, the combined forces of the Jedi, the Sith, and the New Republic would crush his.

He saw his ultimate end on the horizon, and so Trayus made his final gambit: he lured the Jedi Order to the planet Morazis. There he waited as a Jedi strike team arrived, lead by Cazzik Wyn himself, to secure their victory. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, Trayus lead them into a well-timed trap, and after the Jedi touched down on the surface, Darth Invictus arrived in orbit with the Inclement, the Crimson Empire's flagship, to secure a blockade against them.

The Final Betrayal
Trayus vs Jedi

Darth Trayus fights Jedi on Morazis.

What Trayus did not anticipate, however, was that his apprentice saw this as the perfect time to initiate his own plans, which he had begun to formulate since Sivter's defeat. Rather than coordinate what the two Sith had already schemed, Invictus waited until the Jedi engaged against Trayus in a duel, and bombarded their location from orbit. Confident that he had killed the entire strike team and his former master, Invictus declared himself the Brotherhood's new Dark Lord of the Sith.

Darth Trayus survived the bombardment, however, though he was in critical condition. Alongside his survival was that of Cazzik Wyn's and a few of the other accompanying Jedi. Invictus was forced to leave the system when the New Republic arrived to provide logistical support to the Jedi's operation. Cazzik took Trayus into custody and, while bringing him back to health, attempted to determine information about the Brotherhood and Crimson Empire. When Trayus proved uncooperative, and fully capable of still being a threat, the two fought once more, but in his weakened state Trayus was defeated by his Jedi captors. Recognizing Cadden's actions were no longer his own, Cazzik decided that instead of killing the Sith Lord he would strip Trayus of his ability to use the Force.

As he performed this feat on the fallen Sith Lord, Rahk'neqah violently ripped himself away from Cadden's body, a process that would have killed him if it weren't for his inherent longevity. Instead, it deteriorated his decelerated aging, cancelling the effect on his body. In the process, Rahk'neqah wiped all evidence of his existence from Cadden's mind, making him a useless prisoner to the Jedi.

Cadden, weakened and emotionally unstable from both processes, could not give Cazzik much information. He saw his actions as his own alone, and preferred death to being separated from the Force. Nonetheless, he provided Cazzik with what information he could. Cazzik released Cadden out of pity for his fallen friend. With nowhere else to go, Cadden opted to return to Mandalore, in hopes that his stay there would help him recuperate and get a level head back on his shoulders.

The Path of Redemption (18 ABY)

Return to the Mandalorians

"I'm not your Mandalore. Nor do I deserve to be. I've disgraced my family name, and the Mandalorians. I'm nothing, now."
— Cadden Blackthorne to Freedom Nadd

Cadden met with Garen Starfall, who succeeded him as the new Mandalore, and despite the tensions that were in place between Cadden and the Mandalorians, he was given the title of honorary general in the Protectors' army. Garen pressed Cadden to return to battle in anticipation it would help his current mental state. However, during Cadden's first battle, he bore witness to the drastic changes that had been undertaken in the Protectors. He confronted Garen about the slaughtering of innocents, who did not seem to be bothered by the idea, and instead Garen gave Cadden his single warning not to contradict his mandate again.

Cadden was released from custody, yet put under strict watch. Garlen Kell attempted to end Cadden's life just before Freedom Nadd led a cadre of Mandalorians to extract him from his place of residency and take him to the Aden homestead. There, Cadden was subjected to physical strain beyond any he ever experienced, and was put through a brutal and rigorous hand-to-hand combat regimen. This cost him several injuries, both minor and severe, though despite his capabilities as both a warrior and a leader he refused to fight back, fearing what he might become if he did so.

A couple weeks would pass before Cadden was convinced by Kyr Aden that he needed to stop pitying himself and fight for his right and reclaim the title of Mandalore. Cadden came to realize that what had become of the Protectors was as much of his doing as it was Garen's, and, after long contemplation, finally chose to help Kyr and his allies work against Garen in bringing the Protectors back to what they once were, though Cadden would remain doubtful he would be the right choice as the new Mandalore when it was all over. Despite this, Cadden, during his final battle circle fight, incapacitated Tal and Carud Wa’yan after a few rounds of losing to the two, shocking the gathered spectators in the sudden turn of his mannerisms and capabilities. Afterwards, Kyr opted to place Cadden as his second hand man, and gave him temporary command over the Shadow Warriors to ease him back into leadership, whereupon he was responsible for overseeing the construction of several safe houses across the planet.

It wasn't long before Kyr stepped down from his position of the leader of the resistance in favor of making Cadden his successor. The move was not wholly favorable among Kyr's followers, as it arose anger and frustration among the more extremists in the group, but it was generally accepted, if not begrudgingly. Cadden used his investigative skills to determine the location of a Death Watch bunker on Concordia while spearheading an operation that crippled the Death Watch's beskar refining. In retaliation, Garen Starfall tracked down an old enemy of Cadden's and formed a pact. Dahdtoudi traveled to Concordia and fought Cadden. They were captured at the end of the fight by Kroda the Hutt's men and Cadden was sentenced to serve as one of Kroda's gladiators in the Crucible, whereas Dahdtoudi was kept at Nar Shaddaa as an interest item for the Hutt.

The Mandalore

""What name does this man carry?"
"We never cared to ask."
"The way he fights, like the legend of the Taung who organized his people into what would eventually become the Mandalorian Crusaders. Mandalore, he was called."
"
Toruk Direj Thinatj, Kroda Direj Thinatj, and Aen Brakkin on Cadden's fighting abilities on Nar Kresh.
Cadden gladiator

Cadden Blackthorne as "the Mandalore."

Cadden's first encounter in the Nar Kresh arena was an attempted execution on him for crimes Kroda claimed he committed to the Hutt's holdings. During the execution, Cadden fought three gladiators from a rival kajidic of Kroda's, and through the spectacle, Toruk Direj Thinatj, Kroda's younger brother, gave him the name "Mandalore," based on how he fought in the arena, and Cadden was granted amnesty based on the idea that he would bring Kroda additional credits in the games. The next day he and the other new gladiators were initiated by Gorgg and Asael, Kroda's Master Trainer and champion, respectively. Cadden was chosen to make an example out of, though at first refused to fight. When he was given a real sword, Cadden attempted to kill the Master Trainer, though Asael intervened and fought Cadden in a one-sided duel in the Devaronian's favor. When he was proven the lesser of the two, Cadden succumbed to his inner dark side and, in a bout of rage, made a failed attempt on Asael's life by throwing his sword at the champion. Instead of meeting its mark, however, Asael deflected the weapon at the last second, sending it into a bystander gladiator recruit's neck, leaving Cadden in shock at what he had just caused. Asael brought him into submission, though Cadden was offered a chance to surrender, to plead for mercy. He refused, and his life was only spared because of Kroda's intentions for him.

Cadden was sent into the arena sparingly, each time in an attempt to end his life without raising suspicions on his identity. This proved to backfire against Kroda, however, as Cadden inadvertently began to earn the crowd's favor during his fights. In an effort to quell the rising star of Direj Kajidic, Kroda agreed to send Cadden and Asael against a rival kajidic's champion, Shorbecca. The two fought, and both nearly perished, against the Wookiee, though in a last ditch effort Asael reflected the sun's light into Shorbecca's, allowing Cadden to take advantage of the momentary distraction and behead the Gorensla kajidic's champion. Cadden was henceforth known as the Slayer of Shorbecca and the Slayer of the Shadow of Death. Infuriated, as the match elevated Cadden to the position of future champion of Direj kajidic in the crowd's eyes, Kroda ordered Toruk to keep Cadden from the arena as much as possible, in order to ebb off his growing popularity. Toruk remained defiant, however, and staged a battle between Cadden and mock-up Mandalorians to further profit their kajidic. Cadden successfully defeated all the fake Mandalorians and, during that point, saw a mirror image of his old self as Darth Trayus in one of them. Disgusted at the thought of Darth Trayus becoming reborn again, Cadden severed the man's head. Reminded of his clan's words, a warrior being more than his armor, Cadden made his declaration to the crowds, becoming reborn as Mand'alor.

Over the next week, Cadden became something of a rising force and a star among direj Kajidic. His notoriety had increased, though it became clear he still had much to learn, and was pitted against Kroda's most talented gladiators with the intent to learn all he could about fighting as one. He witnessed rival kajidic Trinivii's rising star Skarrek kill Mandalorians that were, undoubtedly, sent to find him. This reverberated Freedom Nadd's words from weeks prior on Mandalore about his indecision and self-loathing causing the unnecessary deaths of fellow Mandalorians, which triggered a bitter rage within him. Observing his reaction, Toruk put the pieces together and identified Cadden, thus entrapping him in a mess of deceit between the Hutt and his brother. Toruk began to intensify Cadden's training, with the intent on making him the new champion of Direj kajidic behind Kroda's back and claiming the gladiator operations on Nar Kresh as his own.

Personality and Traits

"I had met Cadden once before he arrived on Onderon. There was much confusion and internal conflict within his soul. Even when he was here during the battle, I could feel that he was more comfortable in combat than at peace. What has worried me now is that after his father was slain, he became consumed with a darkness I myself do not understand."
Daer'Gunn

Cadden had, since very early in his career, developed a cold and calculated nature. This helped him succeed in both his servitude to the Galactic Empire and his time as a bounty hunter. However, no matter how ruthless his methods were, there was always a spark of compassion within him, first noted by Renalla Starrider. It was due to Renalla and their developing love for each other that Cadden was able to turn from the life of a bounty hunter. Ironically, it was that very same love that would cause him to turn to the dark side years later.

As Blackthorne grew in the Force, he became something of a prodigy, as well as a loose cannon. He never did fit well in the Jedi Order, and often distanced himself from it, only getting as close to it as an ally. While Cadden did collaborate with Jedi from the Order on several instances, most notably with Cazzik Wyn, he largely operated on his own, and was often quick to correct anyone who claimed him to be a Jedi. Though he was considered a vagabond to the Order, Blackthorne did manage to keep himself from straying to the dark, something even he admitted was no easy feat.

Cadden was also noted for having a charismatic personality and insatiable desire for knowledge. His abilities in charisma and persuasion were more than powerful enough to win the personal loyalty of countless Mandalorians during his rise to the position of Mandalore, and dozens of Jedi who willingly stood with him against the wishes of the Jedi Council after the Battle of Onderon. As Mandalore, Cadden was acknowledged as one of the greatest military tacticians of his time, especially due to the fact that his entry into the Xen'Chi War granted the galaxy a valuable ally in the Mandalorians against their common threat. Intelligent and decisive, Cadden won the devotion and admiration of not only his followers, but also several of his enemies, many of whom were humbled after being defeated by his tactics.

Cadden's involvement in the war against Sivter's Cult of Shadow, including his descent into darkness, was ironically facilitated by his love for his crumbling family. From the beginning of the conflict, he was defiant towards the Jedi Council's decision to keep the Order out of the fighting while civilians and soldiers died by the millions. As the Cult of Shadow grew increasingly aggressive, Cadden reached his breaking point when they assaulted Onderon and Sivter murdered his father. Ultimately, it was his strong sympathy for the victims of the war and the desire to bring Sivter to justice that compelled Cadden to lead a portion of the Jedi Order against the aggressors.

Ultimately he turned to the dark side by becoming the feared Sith Lord Darth Trayus, determined to destroy the Cult of Shadow no matter the cost. His maneuvers began with subtlety and subterfuge as he gathered his allies and created an army that would have been capable of taking on the Cult of Shadow. As time went on, however, Cadden grew more ruthless to the point where he despised weakness and indecisiveness, thus becoming very similar to the monster he was fighting. He regressed to his cold and calculating nature prior to Sivter's demise on Arcanix.

At the height of his reign as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Trayus had given himself fully to the dark side. Honor and glory meant nothing to him any longer. The feelings of compassion, mercy and loyalty no longer held any relevance to him as they once did during his time as a Jedi; he had embraced his fate for the sake of power and control through the dark side of the Force, under the false promise to fulfill his lust for vengeance. No small part was attributed to Rahk'neqah, the Nomad Soul that manipulated the events that lead to Trayus's rise, and reign, as a Sith Lord.

One of his greatest traits as the Dark Lord, however, was his ability as a manipulator. The combination of his charismatic personality and the allure of the dark side was more than enough to cause dozens of Jedi and countless soldiers to break their former allegiances and flock to Trayus's cause. The greatest testament to his skill in manipulation was in the person of his first follower and best friend Darth Invictus, formerly the Jedi Zan Fyar who once possessed a strong affinity for the Jedi. In training Invictus, Trayus turned a once prominent Jedi Knight, who staunchly upheld the values of the Jedi Order, into a brutish Sith Lord with a bloodlust for extreme violence and carnage.

After being severed from the Force by Cazzik Wyn, Cadden became wrought with grief over what he had done. Coupled with the physical ailments that came from such an experience, Cadden regressed into a state of self-doubt and denial, withholding himself from what he was capable of doing out of fear of returning to the dark place he had ventured. He slowly began to regain who he really was through the Mandalorians, but was aware that he would never be the same again.

Physical Characteristics

"Indeed you are an interesting specimen."
— Unknown Imperial medical officer

Due to an unusual genetic feature, Cadden became capable of aging at half the rate of a normal human being, effective at the time of adulthood. The reasons for this have remained unknown since it had first kicked in, and have served both as a blessing and a curse to Blackthorne.

This particular ability had first been recognized during Cadden's service to the Empire, when he had sustained injuries on the battlefield. The medical officer on duty at the time of his blood analysis showed that his cells reproduced at a rapid rate, allowing his body to maintain its current age for twice the period of time as a normal human. Though the medical officer was unable to discover the reasons for this phenomena, nor was he able to reproduce the effects in various studies, it had been reported in his analysis during Cadden's bed rest.

Because of this ability, Cadden appeared several years younger than his true age, and his performance reflected his appearance.

Equipment

Over the years, Cadden sported a variety of conventional weaponry. Most notably was his arsenal as of the New Mandalorian Crusade, which was practically a carry-over from his bounty hunting years.

Though Cadden seemed to adapt to his role as Mandalore well, he never forgot his training. He often carried, and liberally used, blasters or other crude methods of battle, despite his lightsaber training. He typically employed his more conventional means of accomplishing a wartime task - with blasters and explosives - yet did not hesitate to call upon his lightsaber skills and Force abilities if the situation deemed them necessary. Typically, this required that Cadden start out with ranged weaponry in a battle, and shift to his lightsabers once he breached the enemy's line. For a time, Cadden also no longer carried with him a jetpack.

Cadden's arsenal while he was Mandalore consisted of two Modified DC-15S Blaster Carbines, two DH-23 "Outback" Blaster Pistols, two Lightsabers, one MM9 Mini Concussion Rocket, and a set of wrist-mounted cortosis weave blades. In addition to his weaponry, he modified his armor to include macrobinocular capabilities in the visor of his helmet; neural, infra-red, technology, and thermal vision modes for his visor; Long-range radio (1,000 meters) for the purpose of picking up sounds; and audio recorder and playback features for his helmet.

When Cadden became Darth Trayus, however, much of his conventional weaponry was discarded in favor of his more Sith-oriented choices. As a result, he often carried with him, instead of that which he was fond of as a Mandalorian, two red lightsabers, one Sith sword, and a set of wrist-mounted cortosis weave blades. Furthermore, Darth Trayus modified his Mandalorian armor to the point of distinction, bearing only resemblances of what it once was before.

He lost all of his equipment and armor upon his defeat as Darth Trayus, and after reintegrating himself into the Mandalorian culture, he adorned a traditional set of Mandalorian armor in addition to an EE-3 carbine rifle, DH-17 blaster pistol, and his beskad inherited from Trak Blackthorne.

Skills

Cadden-boom

Cadden Blackthorne escapes near-death.

"Do you think I got to be the best just by showing off this armor and waving my weapons around?"
— Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden held a great prowess in battle. Trained by the Imperial Military Academy on Carida in melee and ranged combat, as well as concepts of warfare, Cadden could take a stand against even the most formidable of opponents. Cadden learned many studies of martial arts from Trai Kanossi:

In addition to his proficiency in the martial arts, Cadden was also an expert marksman and a highly skilled user of both lightsabers and vibroswords.

Aside from combat abilities, Cadden was a highly intelligent individual, a decorated warrior, and one of the best bounty hunters in his time. He was also an exceptional pilot and mechanic, and capable of patching up most non-lethal injuries he sustains.

Powers and Abilities

"Give him a lightsaber, and pray he's your ally. Grant him the ability to use the Force, and pray he will never stray to the Dark."
Faarel Blackthorne

Lightsaber Combat

Since Cadden's merging of souls with the Nomad Soul, he became a great wielder of the lightsaber, as well as his current primary weapon, Soulblade. Previously, he had little to no formal training in the seven forms of combat. But, with the Nomad Soul's wisdom, experience, and power embedded in him, he gained valuable skills and traits he had not possessed before.

It has also become clear that, with the Nomad Soul's help, he was able to utilize the various forms of lightsaber combat with greater ease. Over time, Trayus was able to unlock the full extent of Rahk'neqah's mastery of the blade, and became a known master of nearly every form of saber combat known. It remained unknown if he had retained this knowledge upon the Nomad Soul's violent departure from his body, and the severing of his ability to use the Force, or if it was lost to him.

The Force

Trayus Lightning

Cadden Blackthorne, as Darth Trayus, unleashes Force Lightning on his enemy.

Cadden's training in the Force was largely based off of self-discovery. Because of this, Cadden often squared off with the dark side in himself, once even embracing it. It was not until he learned of why these urges occurred that he was able to further control them. Nevertheless, since he discovered his connection to the Force, Cadden engaged in constant self-training, despite popular belief that this lead him down the path of a dark Jedi. The belief eventually became reality, as Cadden's quest for revenge through power lead him down the path of the dark side once again.

Cadden was gifted with the heightened awareness to the Force, and the wake which others leave behind within it. This allowed Cadden to be able to feel other people's presence from days gone by, and if the wake was "fresh" enough, and Cadden's connection to the person who formed it was strong enough, he could follow it in pursuit of the individual.

Cadden had an ongoing struggle with the dark side of the Force. The Nomad Soul and the Fallen Jedi Teslar Maladan both took interest in him, but both for their own separate reasons.

Most of Cadden's Force powers were a means of aiding him in battle. However, he also used common rudimentary and fundamental Force abilities, and had a strong ability to communicate through the Force. Though others may have been able to possess this feat, Cadden was able to use this ability much easier than most were capable of. Cadden was also capable, though not in his own will, to form bonds in the Force. This allowed him to sense wakes in the Force where others could not. He typically employed this technique when seeking out Force-sensitive individuals, most notably on two occasions - to find the Jedi Order stationed at Corellia, and to assist Cazzik Wyn in finding his sons. Cadden was also prone to receive visions in the Force and, at certain times, even seek out these visions. However, if he received a vision during his waking hours, it could be very draining, both physically and mentally.

Aside from these particular powers, Cadden held an array of command over the Force, primarily for combat-enhancement actions such as Battle Precognition and Force Valor. However, he was known to use Saber throw, Force Push (and its variants), Force Grip and Force Healing. Also, he had the capability to use darker powers such as a much lesser version of Force Destruction, and also sometimes employed Force Rage during his duels. The extent of his ability to use the Force, however, went beyond this.

Due to the dark side powers inherent in the Soulblade, Cadden acquired an advanced version of Force Sight, granting him the ability to see far better than he had before. The Force literally showed Cadden his surroundings, providing far more information than his normal eyesight could ever give him.

Upon the merging of the Nomad Soul's and Cadden's souls, Blackthorne gained a variety of new techniques and abilities in the Force. Among them was the capability of understanding alien languages with ease, as well as many Force abilities stemming from the Dark Side (including the varied stages of Force Lightning and Force Wound). Cadden successfully created a new technique that combined Force Concealment and Force Cloak into an advanced method of hiding oneself, both visually and through the Force.

It was also apparent that Cadden possessed the ability (due to the merging with the Nomad Soul) to telepathically issue orders to all personnel on a battlefield simultaneously. Also, evidenced by his involvement in the Battle of Taylon, his overall ability to use the Force was heightened to extreme levels. This included talents such as telekinesis and combat-related Force powers.

Upon the completion of his merging with the Nomad Soul, Blackthorne became an extremely powerful force to face off against.

Awareness and Early Training

Cadden became aware of his potency to the Force through his close friend, Trai Kanossi. During a personal mission on one of Cadden's many ships he owned in his lifetime, Trai learned of his connection to the Force through a medical scan. Regardless of his past experiences in this area, Cadden took the medical scan as well, and proved this time to be positive. Thus began Cadden's journey.

Later, Cadden met with Renalla Starrider, as he was already diving into the mysteries of the Force. Though the two eventually fell in love, she served as Cadden's mentor, showing him the light side and the dangers of the dark side. It was not much, as their time together was cut short after the fall of the Frozen Empire on Talmohkt, but it was enough for Cadden. Trai also departed from Blackthorne's company, leaving him with the philosophy of the Grey. He would later abandon this philosophy, in favor of additional power and the dark side of the Force, when he returned to Talmohkt and assumed control of the planet alongside dark Jedi Carth Dyral, though upon his redemption from this brief stint Cadden continued to walk the fine line between the dark side and the light.

Despite all he had been through, Cadden's potential still appeared to be limitless. He participated in many battles, and often uncovered more of his potential through each, as he continued to grow in the Force. Even when his soul and Rahk'neqah's merged together as one, Cadden still possessed strong raw power in the Force, and he continued to learn what the extent of his abilities truly were. He would even surprise himself with what he could accomplish through the Force. One notable instance was, while on Falleen, Cadden was able to hide the Pursuer II, while rested in its concealed docking bay on the Rogue Star, from two Falleen customs officers.

The Call of the Dark Side

DarthTrayus

Cadden Blackthorne as Darth Trayus.

"But beware of using such powers, for using them for the wrong reasons will lead you down a path you are all too familiar with. Yes... I can sense the taint of the Dark Side within you... but, unlike other Jedi, that taint is much more natural with you, and I feel it is supposed to be there, to keep you in check, should your destiny be fulfilled."
"And what may that be?"
"I cannot say, for only you can fully comprehend your own destiny. The only thing I can say is... I sense that your destiny will take you down a path all too familiar, and if you are not careful, it will consume you to the darkness you have been in a constant fight with these past twelve years.
"
Teslar Maladan and Cadden Blackthorne

Cadden, since his discovery of his powers, had become a fierce warrior with the Force. However, he had no way to control his dark side. Because of this, as mentioned by Teslar Maladan on Falleen, it grew into a natural presence for Cadden, and became synonymous with him. Of course, he became a topic of controversy to the traditional-minded Jedi of the New Jedi Order, many Jedi (both traditional and not) seeing him as having already fallen to the dark side a long time ago.

This was partially true, in that Cadden Blackthorne was always at a constant struggle with his own dark side, and at times even accepted it, going so far as to embracing it. However, it was noted that he had often acted with the best interests of others in mind. It was clear that his flirting with the dark side had come with dire consequences, such as his becoming Darth Trayus and his deadly alliance (if one could call it such) with Rahk'neqah.

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