History VideoGame / DarkForcesSaga

* DeathGlare: The Dark Side power "Deadly Sight" is a literal form of this.

'''Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy''' (2004), essentially an ExpansionPack in the body of a true sequel, featured a brand new character, Jaden Korr. This character is customizable, with male/female voices for several species as well as hair and clothing variations ([[spoiler:though later novels pin down canonical species and gender as human/male, respectively]]). You can also choose from a selection of lightsaber hilts and colors, and later in the game can upgrade to dual wield or use the double bladed version. Jaden has somehow constructed a lightsaber without any prior Jedi training, and news of this remarkable feat results in being transported to the Jedi Academy, where you become the apprentice of Kyle Katarn. The game consists of progressing through missions assigned by Luke or Kyle until you become a Jedi Knight. Unusually, the game takes a free-form yet tiered approach--as an initiate, you can pick any of five missions to take in any order; at apprentice level, you gain a set of five new missions; and at Jedi Knight level, you get five more. Also noteworthy is that you need finish only four missions to progress to the next level, though as you get more powers with each of these missions it's in your best interest to do them all. In between each level of difficulty is a compulsory mission, linked directly to the main story. The story involves a group of Sith Cultists seeking to resurrect an ancient Sith Lord, Marka Ragnos. Like Dark Forces 2, there are two endings, one for each side of the Force (as usual with LucasArts, the light side one was eventually determined to be canonical).

-->''I'm no Jedi, just a guy with a lightsaber and a few questions.''\\
-- '''Kyle Katarn'''

* SandWorm: The Sand Burrowers on the Blenjeel level in ''Jedi Academy''. Can be HighOctaneNightmareFuel if you don't know [[FeedItABomb how to kill them]].

* IllKillYou: Thrawn, in his pre-Grand Admiral days, briefly features in an audio drama of this series, when he sends out a commander who hates nonhumans. Thrawn's not human.

* [[IllKillYou]]: Thrawn, in his pre-Grand Admiral days, briefly features in an audio drama of this series, when he sends out a commander who hates nonhumans. Thrawn's not human.

* MagikarpPower: Most of the Force Powers in ''Jedi Outcast'' and ''Jedi Academy'' are like this, but Force Lightning is the most notable. At level 1, it fires a single weak bolt that can barely kill a single stormtrooper using your entire Force bar. At level 3, it fires a massive arc of lightning that can wipe out an entire roomful of stormtroopers in a second or two. It also sends them flying. You can even pin them against walls by maintaining the attack.

** HammerSpace: Where exactly does Jaden keep all of those large bombs when blowing up the weapon caches? (For context, the bombs are about half his/her size and wider than him/her)

'''Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight''' (1997) was the first game to feature first-person lightsaber battles. This story takes place after the events of the original trilogy. Here, Kyle learns of his Force potential and receives his own lightsaber, once owned by a Jedi Master named Rahn, whose spirit occasionally guides him in dreams and visions. He follows a lead to the Dark Jedi Jerec, with the intent [[YouKilledMyFather to avenge his father's murder]] (which he recently learned was not done by the Rebels, as the Empire had told him, but by an agent of the Empire itself). Jerec seeks for a mysterious [[ForgottenSuperweapon Valley of the Jedi]] that legend tells has monumental power, providing additional incentive to stop him. Part of the feature is a light side/dark side progression, where your actions (kill innocents or protect them) and choices and uses of Force power dictate which side you will lean to. There are two endings, light side and dark side. WordOfGod (and future games) say that the light side ending is {{canon}}. Live action cut scenes moved the plot along, elevating the game to an almost movie-like experience ([[SoBadItsGood albeit with daytime-soap-opera-level acting]]).

* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Available in several shapes, sizes and colours throughout the series, although the sequential sluice gates in the third level of ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Dark Forces]]'' will probably haunt your nightmares the longest.
* ActionGirl: Jan Ors but [[FauxActionGirl not in the first Jedi Knight]], Mara Jade in Mysteries of the Sith and finally your own character in Jedi Academy if you choose.

* {{Badass}}: Kyle Freakin' Katarn. His lightsaber? It's the one that says "Bad Motherkriffer" on it.
** His most notable accomplishment is beating at least one Kell dragon to death. ''With his fists.'' Note that each Kell dragon is as tall as a human, at least three times as long, and normally ''eats humans for breakfast'' (at least the one Kyle fought did). And he did this ''before'' [[BadassNormal learning to use the Force]].

** Kyle can use Bowcasters and Concussion rifles. Weapons considered TOO BIG AND POWERFUL FOR HUMANS.

* BatmanGambit: Desann manipulates Kyle Katarn quite handily near the beginning of ''Jedi Outcast''. [[spoiler: He lets him try to beat him without Jedi abilities to show how impossible it is, and apparently kills his girlfriend, all just to make him return to the Valley of the Jedi to regain his powers for purposes of revenge so that Desann can follow him there.]]

* BonusBoss: [[spoiler:Kyle replaces the final boss]] in ''Academy'' if the player takes the dark path; the Light side final boss is quite pathetic by comparison. [[spoiler:But then, it's ''Kyle Katarn''.]]

** ''Mysteries of the Sith'': A downloadable extra level unrelated to the main story, [[spoiler:featuring Luke Freakin' Skywalker arriving at Cloud City during ''The Empire Strikes Back'', with a final confrontation with a dark-side Kyle (standing in for Vader).]]
** ''Jedi Outcast'': The Pit, used as the demo to Jedi Outcast, featuring a non-canonical battle to the death (usually [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard yours]]) against Tavion in an inescapable pit arena.

** And resumes life as a Rebel agent in the meantime. Yes, folks, Kyle Katarn ''can't even stay BadassNormal.''

* ChewingTheScenery: (Male) Jaden's performance in ''Jedi Academy'' if you choose to turn to the Dark Side consists entirely of this, with every single word fairly bursting with emphasis, passion, and perpetual rage at everything.
** EvilIsHammy: Christopher Neame from ''Dark Forces II'' is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EeFTEKZxgo clearly]] having a ''bit'' too much fun as [[BigBad Lord Jerec]]. Admiral Fyyar from ''Jedi Outcast'' is slightly more low-key until his [[EvilGloating hammy villainous]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOF4pyGSwlw rant]].
* CollapsingCeilingBoss: Inverted. Despite Desann's difficulty as a boss, the fight can be ended instantaneously by hacking through one of the three stone pillars around the arena. If the resultant avalanche falls on Desann, he [[OneHitKill dies instantly]].

** [[ZeroPunctuation Manchester United: 0. Sorry.]]

** As a boss in ''Academy'', [[spoiler:Kyle]] can force pull your saber clean out of your hand, something that's impossible for anyone else. [[spoiler:Again, it's Kyle.]]
** Desann takes this to a whole new level in the final duel of ''Outcast''. Not only does he have his own unique saber style that does as much damage as the Strong style (killing you in just 2 or 3 hits on ''medium'' difficulty) and is as fast as the Medium style, but his Force powers are insanely stronger than any other NPC in the series, most notably his nearly unbreakable Force Choke. Marka Ragnos in ''Academy'' is a pushover by comparison. This is justified in-universe by the fact that he has drawn on the power of the Valley of the Jedi, something that would have made either Kyle or Jerec powerful enough to conquer the whole galaxy in the previous game.
*** If you use console cheats and set your Jedi Mind Trick to level 4 you can mind control Desann to see how broken he really is. He'll block blaster fire and force push stuff like rockets back at opponents automatically, and some times he'll force choke or push/pull enemies on his own without you even inputting any commands. Hell, try mind controlling him and spawning five or ten high-level Jedi enemies and see how easily you turn them all into Jedi sandwich spread. It's kind of amusing.
** Rodians carrying disruptor rifles, at least in ''Outcast'', can often fire multiple shots with less than half a second between each.
** In Academy, each type of saber and style comes with its own energy-expensive sequence of unblockable swings, some more useful than others. Reborn can use any of these with any style, including a two-bladed version of ones that are only available to you when you have one sword. (It'd also be nice to be able to separate your lance into dual swords. A specific type of good guy NPC Jedi can do it. You can't.)
*** Some enemy Force users have limitless Force, allowing them to break free from drain and grip at any moment. They can actually abort their special swings to avoid attacks and tend to aim at your model - sometimes killing you by hitting something that seems empty space for the player (oh yeah, they also invisibly "evade" your attacks - slashing their face will occasionally leave them unharmed except for a visible burned mark in the middle). Their Force Throw is perfectly targeted - it will stop right where you stand and keep swinging until it kills you or is parried. Yours, on the other hand, will pass further and stop at maximum range. Finally, This Troper dares you to kill "Force Fighters" without lightsaber, force lightning or environmental kills.

** Luke's office/training chamber/whatever is the throne room from the original movie where the heroes (except Chewie) get a medal at the end.

* DarkActionGirl: Sariss, Tavion, Alora and the (doubly non-canonical) darkside female Jaden Korr are all female dark Jedi who are among the most dangerous characters in their respective games.

* DecapitationPresentation: Maw mentions doing this to Kyle's father in ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II]]'', but the actual decapitation and subsequent public display of the head on a spike occurs offscreen. Unless you have the book...

* DragonAscendant: Tavion, TheDragon in Jedi Outcast, turns out to be the BigBad of Jedi Academy.

* EmergencyWeapon - Your fist in ''Dark Forces'' and in ''Jedi Knight'' prior to receiving your lightsaber (though you still have the option of using your fists). The EmergencyWeapon of ''Jedi Outcast'' is a stun baton, which is replaced by your lightsaber later. However, it can be said that this trope is mostly averted, since, if you run out out ammo, you have to "settle" for the awesomeness of your lightsaber.

* EnemyCivilWar - Mostly averted, in relation to your Imperial foes, save for some hints that stormtroopers were fed to, or accidentally happened upon some kell dragons in ''Jedi Knight''. Also, in one case in ''Jedi Outcast'''s second level, some turrets in one room appear to be programmed to kill stormtroopers, as well as the player. Mooks working in the underworld seem much more prone to this sort of behavior, however. One notable example is a BarBrawl between a number of Grans in Barons Hed in ''Jedi Knight''. In ''Mysteries of the Sith'', the palace of Ka'Pa the Hutt also has a few sequences in which Mooks attack one another.

* EpicTrackingShot - A particularly good one appears in ''Jedi Knight's'' introduction to Nar Shaddaa.
* EscortMission - Occurs a few times in ''Outcast''.

** Also, in ''Jedi Academy'', Kyle Katarn accompanies you for most of the second of the game's three main story missions. Subverted in that he's ''Kyle frickin Katarn'', and is capable of almost effortlessly obliterating the small army of Imperials and Sith that appear throughout the level, without needing any help from you. If you want, you can just lead him from point A to point B and watch him kick ass. One of the few (and welcome) times in a video game where it's practically the ''player'' who's being escorted.

* FakeKillScare: This is how Dessaan tricked Kyle Katarn into leading him to the valley of the Jedi. In retrospect, this was a [[BerserkButton very]], [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge VERY]] '''[[OneManArmy BAD]]''' ''' ''[[BadassNormal IDEA!]]'' '''.

* GenreSavvy: Kyle Katarn (and how!)

** These can be given to the player (albeit VERY underpowered) by using the console commands "give weapon_melee" and either "meleedebug 1" or "debugmelee 1" (it's one of the two). iknowkungfu also works, but gives max force powers, breaking the game (by locking you in the next coming level-up screen, because you don't have anything more to level) in single player.

** Special mention should go to the stormtrooper rifle in Outcast. Not only does it blaze through ammunition, but it's entirely possible to miss a stationary enemy at point-blank range. Repeatedly. Whether this is a ShoutOut to [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy the movies]] or bad programming depends on the player's generosity.
** ''Academy'' does this much more heavily than ''Outcast'', even though they have nearly exactly the same weapons. ''Outcast'' simply offers more varied tactical situations that may still need various ranged attacks, whereas ''Academy'' focuses on lightsaber combat and Force powers.

* [[HeyItsThatVoice Hey It's That Voice!]] Rosh is [[WesternAnimation/GoofTroop Max Goof]].

*** Jennifer Hale not only voices Jaden, but [[KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Bastila]] and [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe Aayla]]. [[FridgeBrilliance Guess who you can]] [[GameMods play as with mods]].
** [[WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}} Brooklyn]] is Kyle. Kriffing. Katarn. I guess [[ScrewedByTheNetwork the franchise's various woes]] [[TookALevelInBadass preventing him from taking that level in badass]] worked out all right for him in the end.

* [[{{ILLKILlYOU}} I'll Kill You]]: Thrawn, in his pre-Grand Admiral days, briefly features in an audio drama of this series, when he sends out a commander who hates nonhumans. Thrawn's not human.

--> '''Thrawn''': "Oh, and Commander, if I ever find out that your bigotry is affecting your performance, [[{{ILLKILLYOU}} I'll have your carcass ejected with the next garbage load]]. Understood?"

** The series also includes a subtle possible LampshadeHanging on the subject, as the standard Stormtrooper blaster is a ''terrible weapon'', easily capable of missing most shots on fully automatic at near point-blank range. It's not so much that the Imperial Stormtroopers have bad aim, as they have crappy guns. Which is [[FridgeLogic even worse when you really think about it.]]

** Requiring almost StupidEvil behavior to go to TheDarkSide.

* KubrickStare: [[spoiler: Jaden at in Academy's dark side ending.]]

* MalevolentArchitecture: Between the NoOSHACompliance and more [[BottomlessPit Bottomless Pits]] than you can shake a Star Destroyer at, the architects of the majority of Imperial bases must have been strange, ''strange'' men. Lampshaded at one point by Kyle: "Not ''another'' thing to fall from!"

* MagikarpPower: Most of the Force Powers in ''Jedi Outcast'' and ''Jedi Academy'' are like this, but Force Lightning is the most notable. At level 1, it fires a single weak bolt that can barely kill a single stormtrooper using your entire Force bar. At level 3, it fires a massive arc of lightning that can wipe out an entire roomful of stormtroopers in a second or two. It also sends them flying. You can even pin them against walls by maintaining the attack. No wonder [[RevengeOfTheSith Palpatine was screaming about unlimited power]].

** The final boss of the original ''Dark Forces'', the Dark Trooper Phase III, is essentially BigBad General Mohc wearing a specially designed Dark Trooper exosuit.
** EvilGenius Admiral Fyaar fights Kyle wearing a large suit of PoweredArmor as a boss battle about 3/4ths of the way through ''Jedi Outcast''.

* PurelyAestheticGender: The most Jaden's gender will effect is pronouns... And the quality of Jaden's voice acting (Females get JenniferHale, males get [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0849910/ some guy otherwise only credited for extras and one off characters]]).

* TheScrappy: Rosh: his personality, voice, and carelessness, among other things [[spoiler:- such as the fact that the path to the dark side is to kill him -]] show that he was designed as an [[TheyPlottedAPerfectlyGoodWaste invoked example]]. [[spoiler: Runs into AlasPoorScrappy in the dark side ending, his death scene is oddly affecting.]]

** Or unless you have maxed Force Lightning. Or Absorb.

* UnusualEuphemism: Borrowed from other parts of the StarWarsEU, but made sufficiently badass.

* VideogameCrueltyPotential: Force Grip + MalevolentArchitecture = Pure Bastardosity. But even ''worse'' would have to be the CheatCode ?[[ChunkySalsaRule g_SaberRealisticCombat 1]]".

** In ''Jedi Outcast'', you can use the code "npc spawn jan" to spawn Jan Ors. As long as you don't have to escort her, you can kill her. Repeat as many times as you want, you monster.

* WhatMeasureIsAMook: Especially from Outcast onwards, Imperial Stormtroopers can be overheard chatting with one another about minutiae, their hopes of getting transferred to pilot status, family back home, petty gripes and grudges, etc.

* [[HeyItsThatVoice Hey It's That Voice!]] Rosh is [[GoofTroop Max Goof]].

* StandBackHello: Played hilariously straight.

* SecondHourSuperpower: ''Jedi Knight'' and ''Outcast'' initially start out like a shooter, but a few levels in , and you're a Jedi. ''Academy'' thankfully averted this: you get your lightsaber from the get-go, apparently because your character was smart enough to build one unaided.

* MagikarpPower: Most of the Force Powers in ''Jedi Outcast'' and ''Jedi Academy'' are like this, but Force Lightning is the most notable. At level 1, it fires a single weak bolt that can barely kill a single stormtrooper using your entire Force bar. At level 3, it fires a massive arc of lightning that can wipe out an entire roomful of stormtroopers in a second or two.
** It doesn't just ''kill'' roomfuls of stormtroopers, it sends them flying. You can even pin them against walls by maintaining the attack. It's like the game acknowledges that you just broke it.

** PrecisionFStrike: Luke, of all people, drops a quiet "Damn" in one of the latter levels of ''Outcast'' after learning that [[spoiler: the villains are stockpiling a rare mineral that can deflect lightsabers.]]

* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: The Chiss bartender Baldarek on Nar Shaddaa in ''Jedi Outcast'' has problems speaking Basic and constantly confuses [[Pluralses singular and plural nouns]].

* DecapitationPresentation: Maw mentions doing this to Kyle's father in ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II]]'', but the actual decapitation and subsequent public display of the head on a spike occurs offscreen.

** Kyle can use Bowcasters and Concussion rifles. Weapons considered TO BIG AND POWERFUL FOR HUMANS.

* ColonCancer: The full title of the latest installment should arguably be ''Star Wars: Dark Forces IV: Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy''.

* AbsurdlySpaciousSewer: Available in several shapes, sizes and colours throughout the series, although the sequential sluice gates in the third level of DarkForces will probably haunt your nightmares the longest.

* AppropriatedTitle: The ''DarkForces'' title was replaced with ''[[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Jedi Knight]]'' when the second game (''Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight'') proved more popular.

* InconvenientlyPlacedConveyorBelt: Since half of DarkForces is spent slogging through the various construction facilities of the Dark Trooper project, these are available in all shapes and colours, culminating in a horrific sequence made up entirely of these and long falls in the final two levels.

* OneManArmy: Kyle Katarn. Notably, in the first game, before he gets any force powers, he sneaks (i.e. shoots his way through) on board the ''Executor'' (Darth Vader's personal flagship!), just so that he can get on board an inter-ship shuttle to the Arc Hammer, where the Dark Troopers are being created. He then shoots his way through the ''entire ship'' (which is about half the size of the Executor, but still larger than a Star Destroyer), kills a ''dozen'' Dark Troopers (six of which were enough to take out an entire colony's defenses), destroys the most powerful Dark Trooper yet made, then ''destroys the Arc Hammer''. While ''Vader'', apparently unaware until now, watches from the bridge of the Executor. ''[[BeyondTheImpossible Then he got force powers!]]''

* AppropriatedTitle: The ''DarkForces'' title was replaced with ''JediKnight'' when the second game (''Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight'') proved more popular.

* DecapitationPresentation: Maw mentions doing this to Kyle's father in ''[[JediKnight Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II]]'', but the actual decapitation and subsequent public display of the head on a spike occurs offscreen.