Dark Apprentice The " Dark Apprentice , " also known as " Starkiller , " was a clone of Galen Marek , a Human male taken on by the Sith Lord Darth Vader as his secret apprentice . Following Marek ' s death , Vader embarked on a quest to create a perfect , obedient duplicate of the man to take Marek ' s place . Within the cloning facilities of Kamino , hundreds of failures were produced before the Dark Lord of the Sith succeeded in creating a clone of the deceased apprentice that was able to overcome his template ' s emotions and submit himself entirely to the dark side of the Force . As his training progressed , the Dark Apprentice surpassed all those who had come before him ; he was able to store Marek ' s memories independent from his own and suppress the dead man ' s feelings . Vader planned to have the apprentice face a final test against a rogue clone of Marek during the Rebel attack on Kamino , but the Dark Apprentice mysteriously did not participate in the battle , and his Sith Master was captured by the Alliance . Biography . Created on the ocean - covered world of Kamino around 1 BBY , the Dark Apprentice was a clone of Galen Marek , the deceased apprentice of the Sith Lord Darth Vader , grown as part of Vader ' s endeavor to create a perfect and obedient substitute to take Marek ' s place . Several clones had come before him , all of which had been trained using memory flash es from the original Marek ' s life . These predecessors had failed to meet expectations in one way or another , either due to genetic defects or succumbing to their template ' s emotions , and were subsequently discarded . Upon his awakening , presided over by Vader , the Dark Apprentice was confronted with Marek ' s memories , specifically the man ' s feelings for his former pilot , Imperial - turned - Rebel Captain Juno Eclipse . Immediately , he asked about her whereabouts , but Vader announced that she was irrelevant — all that mattered was what needed to be done . This , however , did not prevent the Dark Apprentice from inquiring about who Marek was in the future . When questioned , Vader repeatedly found it unnecessary to answer directly — rather , he stated the clone had inherited the memories , thoughts and dreams of a broken man , one far less powerful than the Dark Apprentice . As a side effect of the cloning process , he possessed both the skills and weaknesses of his genetic template . The Dark Apprentice was trained in lightsaber combat against several Sith Training Droid s . After viewing his progress , Vader showed him the cloning platforms in Timira City ' s clone spire , which displayed all of his rejected brethren locked up in stasis . The clone was determined to surpass all the others , but he was curious as to know how many had preceded him . Vader disregarded the question ; instead , he told the Dark Apprentice that the only number that mattered was the quantity of clones that would be needed if he failed like the rest . Vader warned him that if he could not overcome Marek ' s emotions , he would fail like his predecessors . Over time , the lead cloning technician noted that the Dark Apprentice was able to compartmentalize the memory imprints used to train him , thereby succeeding where all others had failed — the clone was able to store Marek ' s memories independently from his own , freeing him from his template ' s emotions . With the apprentice free of Marek ' s memories , Vader brought him to a chamber where his template ' s lifeless body was kept . The clone understood the significance of the act , and his Master believed that he , unlike all the others before him , would prove successful . In a training match against the holodroids , the Dark Apprentice was able to rise above Marek ' s emotions , striking down a droid bearing the appearance of Captain Eclipse . To Vader , the clone revealed his disgust and hatred for his template ' s weaknesses , and his pride for being able to overcome them when those before him had failed . Satisfied , Vader replied that he was almost ready for his final test . During the final stages of the Dark Apprentice ' s training , a renegade clone of Marek , who had previously fled Kamino , joined with the Rebel Alliance in an attack on Timira City ' s cloning facilities . Vader intended to use the battle as a final test for the Dark Apprentice by drawing Starkiller into a trap atop the cloning spire . Before leaving to confront Starkiller , Vader instructed the Dark Apprentice to wait until his assistance was required . The apprentice announced that he was ready to fulfill the purpose of his creation . The trap did not go as planned , however . Starkiller bested Vader in a lightsaber duel but refused to strike him down , having previously seen a vision in which he was killed by Vader ' s new apprentice — the reborn Starkiller — when he attempted to kill his opponent . The Sith Lord was captured by the Alliance upon the battle ' s conclusion , with no interference from the Dark Apprentice . Personality and traits . Unlike the clones that preceded him , the Dark Apprentice was able to overcome Galen Marek ' s emotions , making him the lone success in a project filled with failures . To the delight of the lead clone technician who observed his progress , the apprentice managed to isolate the original Marek ' s memories ; as a result , the clone could differentiate between his own thoughts and those of his genetic template . The Dark Apprentice grew to despise his template for his emotions and failures , ultimately feeling pride for rising above those weaknesses that had inhibited the clones who came before him . Powers and abilities . The Dark Apprentice , created from the genetic template of Darth Vader ' s former apprentice , possessed the same abilities and Force potential as his progenitor . During his tutelage on Kamino , the Dark Apprentice was trained in lightsaber combat against multiple Sith training droids , using the dual blade form of combat known as Jar ' Kai . As the clone ' s training progressed , Vader told the Dark Apprentice that he had become more powerful in the Force than the original Starkiller had ever been . By the time of the Rebel attack on Kamino , the Dark Apprentice ' s deep immersion in the dark side of the Force caused him to manifest its physical effects , making his skin pale and turning his irises red . Behind the scenes . The Dark Apprentice , referred to as the " reborn " Starkiller , first appeared in " The Force Unleashed II " novelization in a vision that corresponds with the non - canon dark side ending to " " . In addition to the video game ' s Databank section , the dark clone ' s origins were detailed in a series of cutscenes entitled " Distant Thunder , " extras in the game which can be unlocked by completing several challenges . In these video clips , Sam Witwer provides the voice of the Dark Apprentice . As these cutscenes have no impact on the game ' s progression , and in terms of time placement precede the player ' s decision between the canonical or non - canonical endings , it is assumed that the Dark Apprentice is canon , even though he does not appear in the light side ending of the game . This is primarily due to the fact that , in the novelization of the game , Starkiller experiences a vision wherein he attempts to kill Vader at the end of their duel , but is instead killed by the Dark Apprentice . This revelation ends up becoming one of the reasons for his decision to spare Vader ' s life . The vision also coincides with the material presented in the " Distant Thunder " extras and with the events of the non - canon dark side ending . The Dark Apprentice further appears in extra content that can be downloaded for " The Force Unleashed II " ; a non - canon bonus mission that follows the dark side ending of the game . Alternate ending . In the non - canon dark side ending of " The Force Unleashed II " , the player , as the clone of Galen Marek , chooses to strike down Darth Vader . Before this can happen , however , a lightsaber blade suddenly appears through the clone ' s chest . A hooded figure , having used a cloaking device to get near the clone , is revealed to be the wielder of the blade ; he proceeds to best Jedi General Rahm Kota in a brief duel before Force - choking the General and pushing him and several Rebel troopers into the ocean below as Terror Trooper s deal with the remaining Rebel soldiers . Vader approaches the dying clone of Marek , announcing that he lied about the failure of the cloning project as the hooded figure reveals himself to be the Dark Apprentice , Galen Marek ' s perfect clone whose immersion in the dark side was physically reflected through his pale skin and yellow eyes . With the Rebel attack repelled , Vader commends his new assassin for succeeding in his final challenge . The obedient clone kneels before Vader , who tasks him with taking the " Rogue Shadow " to find and eliminate the surviving Rebels scattered throughout the galaxy . As he departs , the Dark Apprentice takes a moment to glance at the lifeless body of Juno Eclipse ; feeling no emotions for her , he raises his hood and continues on his way . Escorted by a group of TIE fighters , the Dark Apprentice leaves Kamino in the " Rogue Shadow " and enters hyperspace to fulfill his orders . " The Battle of Endor " DLC . In content available for download , the Dark Apprentice participates in an alternate version of the Battle of Endor . The remnants of the Rebel Alliance launch an attack on the second Death Star above the Forest Moon of Endor , beating back Imperial forces and gaining access to the shield generator bunker with the assistance of the native Ewoks . Darth Vader dispatches the Dark Apprentice to the moon to deal with the threat while Vader remains with Emperor Palpatine aboard the new battlestation . Landing the " Rogue Shadow " on Endor , the Dark Apprentice fights through Rebel soldiers and Ewoks en route to the bunker , destroying the Alliance ' s shuttle in the process . At the base , the apprentice is confronted by smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca , the latter having commandeered an AT - ST to guard the bunker ' s entrance . The clone kills the duo before proceeding into the bunker , where he proceeds to kill Rebels and Imperials alike . At the heart of the bunker , the Dark Apprentice encounters Leia Organa , the Alderaanian princess who became a Jedi after her twin brother ' s death on the planet Hoth . The two duel , with Organa attempting to use the compound ' s machinery against her opponent . The apprentice repeatedly bests Organa , forcing the fight to continue on the roof of the bunker . Although the dark clone is impressed by Organa ' s skills , his own abilities enable him to overpower and kill the female Jedi . Aboard the Death Star , the Emperor revels in the Imperial victory before revealing to Vader that he knew of the Dark Apprentice ' s existence . Referring to his treacherous apprentice as " Skywalker , " Palpatine threatens to kill Vader for plotting to overthrow him . Vader activates his lightsaber in an attempt to strike down his Master , but Palpatine forces him to his knees with a barrage of Force lightning . He proceeds to order Captain Sarkli to take his forces and kill the apprentice on Endor . As the dark clone meditates near Organa ' s body , he senses the approach of several Star Destroyers and opens his eyes .