Darth Revan was a Jedi Knight who became a Sith Lord and then returned to the light, symbolizing the eternal struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force. He led the Revanchist movement, built a Sith Empire using the Star Forge, and was betrayed by his apprentice Malak. After his memory was wiped by the Jedi, Revan found redemption, ultimately becoming a symbol of balance in the Force. His legend spans games, novels, and canon hints, and his lightsabers—blue, purple, red, and green—mark each phase of his mythic journey.
Darth Revan stands as one of the most legendary figures of the Old Republic era, a being who walked the twin paths of the Jedi and the Sith.
Who was Revan? To the Jedi, he was once a gifted Knight and war hero; to the Sith, he became a Dark Lord of fearsome power. Living almost 4,000 years before the Skywalker saga, Revan’s name echoed through history as both savior and conqueror.
His tale is one of dramatic transformation – a Jedi Knight who defied the Order, a general who won impossible wars, a Sith Lord who forged an empire, and ultimately a redeemed hero who returned to the light.
Few characters in Star Wars lore have a journey as convoluted or mythic.
Revan’s identity was shrouded in mystery, amplified by the iconic mask he wore, the broken memories of those who encountered him and his wide range of lightsabers at different stages of his journey.
Both in Legends and in canon whispers, Revan’s story has achieved an almost mythological status, representing the complex interplay between the light and dark sides of the Force.
Originally introduced in the acclaimed video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Revan’s legend has only grown over time. In that 2003 story, Revan is revealed as a Jedi-turned-Sith who had once betrayed the Jedi Order, waged war against the Republic, and then lost his memory and found redemption.
This shocking journey – from revered Jedi champion to Sith menace and back to Jedi savior – captivated fans and cemented Revan’s place as a fan-favorite character.
Importantly, Revan’s legacy bridges the gap between canon and Legends.
While most of his exploits are Legends, his influence peeks into canon via a small mention in The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary (where an elite Sith trooper unit is named the “Revan Legion” in his honor). Such nods underscore how enduring his myth has become.
In the galaxy’s lore, Darth Revan is a figure of balance and contradiction – one who embodies both the noblest ideals of the Jedi and the darkest ambitions of the Sith.
Unraveling his legend is to explore the very concept of balance in the Force and the eternal struggle between light and dark.
The early life of Revan is cloaked in mystery, which only adds to his mystique. Born around 3994 BBY in the Outer Rim, the Force-sensitive child who would become Revan was given to the Jedi Order at a young age.
As a Padawan, Revan was unusually curious and hungry for knowledge – traits that both impressed and worried his masters.
He studied under several Jedi teachers (including the wise Kreia, later known as Darth Traya), gaining a broad perspective on the Force. This diverse training made Revan a prodigy with an independent streak.
By the time he attained the rank of Jedi Knight, Revan was renowned for his keen intellect, bold spirit and his lightsaber mastery. He also formed a close friendship wit/color/blue-sabersh another rising Jedi, Alek (later Darth Malak), sharing in many adventures.
Revan’s tendency to challenge authority and question the Jedi Council’s decisions was evident early on.
He believed the Jedi should use their power to actively defend the innocent – a conviction that would soon put him at odds with the Council. During these years, Revan constructed his first lightsaber – a single-bladed blue weapon that signified his role as a Jedi Guardian.
That blue blade, glowing with the light of justice and valor, reflected young Revan’s identity as a stalwart Jedi Knight. Little did the Jedi Order suspect that this heroic Knight – with his thirst for knowledge and strong sense of duty – would one day walk so far into darkness.
The galaxy was plunged into crisis when the Mandalorian Wars erupted. The Mandalorians – a proud, warlike culture – invaded Republic space around 3978 BBY, conquering and devastating world after world.
The Jedi Council hesitated to intervene in the conflict, fearing the dark side would corrupt the Jedi if they entered the war.
Revan, however, could not stand by while innocents suffered. Defying the Council’s wishes, he rallied like-minded Jedi to aid the Republic. This movement became known as the Revanchist cause (named after Revan himself), and Revan emerged as its leader and namesake.
Revan took command of the Republic forces as a charismatic Jedi General (with Malak at his side) and began to turn the tide of the war.
Donning a Mandalorian mask he claimed as a trophy, Revan became a symbol of hope and resistance on the battlefield. Through brilliant strategy and bold action, he won key victories that conventional Republic commanders could not.
Ultimately, at the final Battle of Malachor V, Revan defeated the Mandalorian leader Mandalore the Ultimate in single combat. To ensure victory, Revan also authorized the use of a devastating superweapon – the Mass Shadow Generator – that shattered the Mandalorian fleet and obliterated the surface of Malachor V.
The Mandalorians were vanquished, but at terrible cost. Malachor became a desolate graveyard, and the horrors Revan witnessed there would haunt him forever.
The Mandalorian Wars transformed Revan into both a savior and a rebel. To the Republic citizens, he was the hero who beat the Mandalorians.
To the Jedi Council, however, Revan’s actions (and his growing pride) were a cause for concern. He had defied their orders, embraced brutal tactics, and begun studying forbidden Sith secrets he uncovered during the campaign.
Victorious but changed, Revan now carried the seeds of his next fateful chapter. The Revanchist leader who had saved the galaxy would soon chart a course that could plunge it into darkness.
After the war, Revan’s curiosity about ancient Sith threats led him and Malak to chase Mandalorian remnants into the Unknown Regions.
There, beyond known space, they discovered the hidden Sith Empire—and it discovered them. The two Jedi fell under the influence of the immortal Sith Emperor, Vitiate.
Revan and Malak were corrupted by the dark side and bent to the Emperor’s will, at least initially.
In this crucible of evil, Revan embraced a new identity: Darth Revan, Dark Lord of the Sith, with Malak as his apprentice.
The pair also discovered the Star Forge, an ancient superweapon capable of manufacturing endless ships and droids. Revan seized control of the Star Forge, using it to build a Sith armada of overwhelming power. Believing the galaxy was too weak and divided to withstand future threats, Revan sought to unify it under his own rule.
Revan and Malak launched a brutal campaign against the Republic.
Many Jedi who had followed them in the Mandalorian Wars now swore loyalty to the Sith cause. The galaxy was plunged into the Jedi Civil War, with Revan as the masked face of the Sith’s renewed threat.
With the might of the Star Forge behind him, Darth Revan led a relentless assault on the Republic. He reclaimed ancient Sith worlds, including Korriban, and decimated Republic forces in battle after battle.
Revan’s leadership and strategic genius made him nearly invincible. His mask, taken from a fallen Mandalorian, concealed his face and erased his Jedi past.
Yet within Revan’s Empire, betrayal festered. Darth Malak, eager to surpass his master, grew jealous and impatient. He waited for his opportunity to strike.
That moment came during a Republic-led strike. A Jedi team led by Bastila Shan boarded Revan’s flagship to capture him.
During the attack, Malak betrayed his master, ordering his own ships to fire on Revan’s vessel. The bridge was obliterated. Revan was gravely wounded. Bastila, who survived the explosion, sensed Revan’s lingering presence in the Force and saved him. Unconscious and broken, Revan became a prisoner of the Jedi.
The Jedi faced a dire question: what to do with the most dangerous man in the galaxy, now helpless? Rather than execute him, the Jedi Council made a bold and controversial decision. They erased Revan’s memories through the Force and reprogrammed his identity.
Bastila, who had formed a mysterious Force bond with him, vouched for this plan.
Revan, now stripped of his past, was reintroduced into society as a Republic agent. He believed he was a new recruit assigned to protect Bastila. Slowly, he began retraining as a Jedi without any knowledge of his past.
Thus began Revan’s second journey—this time toward redemption.
With his past erased, Revan embarked on a new mission to stop Darth Malak and the Sith. Alongside Bastila and a diverse crew, including Carth Onasi, HK-47, Juhani, and others, Revan fought across the galaxy to uncover the secrets of the Star Forge.
Over time, Revan began to remember fragments of his former life.
These revelations culminated in a dramatic confrontation with Malak, who revealed the truth: the Jedi’s shining new hero was once the very Sith Lord they sought to destroy.
But Revan did not return to darkness. Instead, he chose the light. He embraced his second chance and fully committed himself to stopping Malak and ending the war he had started.
Revan confronted Malak aboard the Star Forge in a climactic duel. After defeating his former apprentice, Revan destroyed the Star Forge and shattered the Sith Empire.
The Republic was saved. The Jedi Council formally reinstated Revan as a Jedi Knight. For his valor, he received the Cross of Glory.
Though victorious, Revan remained haunted by visions of an even darker threat lurking in the Unknown Regions.
Despite his victory and redemption, Revan could not rest. Visions and fragmented memories pointed to an ancient evil beyond the borders of known space—something tied to the Sith Emperor who had originally corrupted him.
In 3954 BBY, only a year after the war's end, Revan made the painful decision to leave behind Bastila Shan—his wife—and their young son to face this looming threat.
Traveling deep into the Unknown Regions, Revan eventually located the hidden Sith capital of Dromund Kaas.
There, he joined forces with Meetra Surik (the Jedi Exile) and a Sith named Scourge in an effort to assassinate the Sith Emperor, Vitiate. Though they penetrated the Emperor’s inner sanctum, the mission failed.
Scourge, acting on a vision of the future, betrayed Revan and killed Meetra. Revan was captured alive.
Rather than execute him, the Emperor placed Revan in stasis, using his body as a conduit to study resistance to the dark side and siphon his power. For over 300 years, Revan remained imprisoned—conscious but helpless, his will engaged in an eternal battle of resistance against the Emperor’s influence.
Revan’s prison was eventually discovered and destroyed by Republic forces during the events of The Old Republic era. He was freed but emerged changed.
Years of torment had fractured his mind and soul. One part of him—the light side—remained focused on preserving peace. The other half—driven by rage and pain—sought vengeance through any means necessary.
Revan, now split in spirit, initially aided the Republic against the Sith. But over time, his darker side took control. He founded the Order of Revan, a fanatical sect bent on reviving the Emperor just to destroy him permanently. To do so, Revan planned to ignite a war so catastrophic it would force the Emperor’s return.
His efforts culminated on Yavin 4, where Republic and Imperial forces united to stop him. In a titanic battle, Revan wielded his power with devastating effect but was finally overwhelmed. In the final moments, the light side of his spirit—separated during his captivity—returned to merge with his darker self.
Revan became whole again. With clarity restored, he relinquished his quest and became one with the Force. His robes, lightsaber, and mask remained behind—testaments to a life of great contradiction and greater legacy.
Revan’s changing allegiances were mirrored by the blade colors he carried:
Each blade marked a chapter in Revan’s saga, visually narrating his journey through light, darkness, and back again.
Revan was one of the most formidable duelists and Force users of his time. He mastered multiple lightsaber forms, favoring Form VI (Niman), which blended physical strikes with Force techniques.
In times of need, he employed the ferocity of Form VII (Juyo) and the acrobatics of Form IV (Ataru). He wielded telekinetic power with such might that he could overwhelm entire groups with Force waves or tear weapons from opponents' hands with ease.
His Force lightning was devastating, capable of disintegrating weaker foes and matching Sith Lords blow-for-blow.
Perhaps most impressive was his mental fortitude—Revan resisted the Sith Emperor’s mental domination for centuries through sheer willpower, a feat unparalleled among known Force users.
Revan’s most enduring contribution to Star Wars lore may not be his battles or even his lightsabers, but what he represents—a living embodiment of balance.
He walked both paths of the Force, fell to darkness, returned to the light, and ultimately transcended both.
In doing so, he challenged the Jedi’s rigid dogma and the Sith’s unchecked ambition.
His journey illustrates that understanding one’s capacity for darkness is not the same as succumbing to it. Revan knew the temptations of power but chose, in the end, to forge his own path—one rooted in the belief that redemption is possible, and that true mastery comes from harmony, not suppression.
Many followers, known as Revanites, believed he had achieved a form of enlightenment. To them, Revan was neither Jedi nor Sith, but something beyond—a being who had accepted both halves of himself and emerged wiser.
Revan’s mystique is also captured through a few unforgettable lines that encapsulate his power, depth, and identity:
These quotes are repeated often by fans, not just for their intensity, but for the deeper truths they express about Star Wars’ central themes.
Revan’s rise to fame began in the Knights of the Old Republic video game. Players embodied him, making choices that determined whether he would redeem himself or fall once more to darkness.
The game’s reveal—that the player was actually the former Sith Lord—was one of the most shocking and acclaimed twists in gaming history.
His story continued in the sequel, and later in the novel Revan, which bridged the games to the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic.
In that game, players encountered Revan both as an ally and enemy, culminating in a storyline that explored his fractured soul and final redemption.
Even after his transition to “Legends” status under Disney, Revan remained a fixture in fan discussions. His influence pops up subtly in newer canon material, including a Sith trooper unit named “Revan Legion.” There’s widespread speculation—and hope—that Revan will be brought fully into canon, perhaps through upcoming shows or the KOTOR remake.
Despite originating outside the films, Revan has become one of the most merchandised characters in the franchise. He won a major fan poll for a Black Series action figure, and his lightsabers have been recreated as premium replicas.
From Funko Pops to cosplay staples, Revan’s look—dark robes, red or purple saber, and Mandalorian mask—has cemented his place as a Star Wars icon.
Cosplayers often choose Revan as a symbol of complexity and strength. His collectibles sell out quickly, and fans wear his imagery proudly. He’s proof that great storytelling, even in a video game, can elevate a character to mythic status.
Revan’s story—of power, fall, and redemption—has become one of the most powerful narratives in the galaxy far, far away. His influence extended even to Darth Bane, who studied Revan’s holocron while developing the Rule of Two.
That detail alone shows how Revan shaped the galaxy long after his disappearance.
Unlike Anakin Skywalker, whose redemption came at the moment of death, Revan had to live with his past, confront it, and choose good every day thereafter. This makes his redemption arc deeper in some ways, and profoundly inspiring.
Revan has united generations of fans—from those who first played KOTOR, to newcomers discovering him through streaming, novels, or lore discussions. He represents the idea that we are not defined by one choice or one failure, but by what we do after we fall.
In the end, Revan is more than a Jedi or a Sith. He is the story of the Force itself—complicated, shifting, capable of destruction or redemption. And in that story, Revan’s name will forever echo.
