Fabarian

Fabarian was a human Agent in the Galactic Empire's Imperial Security Bureau. The foremost investigator of the planet Coruscant's sector 35, he believed in his career and disapproved of the corruption within the Empire, instead desiring order. When the Sith Lord Darth Vader released the Scourge intelligence on Coruscant, Fabarian defended the people of sector 35 from the infected droids until Emperor Palpatine ordered the destruction of the sector, killing numerous people in the process. Fabarian defied orders to investigate the events, but was charged for doing so and was sent to the ISB Office of Internal Review, where Sub-Administrator Sly Moore recruited the agent into the Schism Imperial, a faction intending to restore order to the Empire by overthrowing the Emperor. Accepting his demotion to Assistant Data Processor, Fabarian awaited orders from the Schism. The Schism Imperial eventually came to work for Vader himself, although Fabarian disliked having to serve the Sith Lord.
Fabarian used his position to investigate Baron Slandarv, who the Schism suspected was developing a new battle droid. Fabarian obtained data to confirm the suspicions, subsequently accompanying forces of the Schism, including Vader, to Slandarv's factory on Slandarvia M-9 to claim the battle droids for the Sith Lord. Slandarv intended to destroy the facility, unfazed by the resultant civilian casualties, but Fabarian shot and killed him, although later regretted the action as having been influenced by his service to Vader. On the planet Tython, Fabarian assisted in acquiring kyberite and clashed with Senior Lieutenant Enric Pryde, who served the Schism out of loyalty to Vader. Fabarian then accompanied the Schism members in a kyberite-plated Lambda-class shuttle to the world of Exegol, where Vader launched an assault on the Sith Eternal forces of the Emperor.
==Biography==
===The Scourge and the Schism===
====No good deed goes unpunished====
The human Fabarian served as an investigator in the Imperial Security Bureau of the Galactic Empire during its reign. Holding the rank of Agent, he operated within sector 35 of the Core WorldsStar Wars: Timelines planet Coruscant. According to Baron Slandarv, Fabarian was the most prominent ISB investigator of sector 35. Between 3 ABY and 4 ABY,The events of Darth Vader (2020) 40 are set between the Escape from Cloud City and the Rescue of Han Solo, which are dated to 3 ABY and 4 ABY, respectively, by Star Wars: Timelines. Fabarian was present in sector 35 when the Sith Lord Darth Vader released disk droids carrying the Scourge intelligence onto Coruscant to test his master, Emperor Palpatine. As the Scourge infected more droids and began massacring the population,Darth Vader (2020) 40 Fabarian attempted to hold back the onslaught of droids while the people of sector 35, including children, fled to safety.
The ISB investigator requested backup, but was informed of the imminent enaction of protocol 23—ordered by Grand Vizier Mas Amedda under the command of the Emperor—and instructed to evacuate. Before Fabarian could protest, sectors 35 and 36 were destroyed to contain the Scourge incursion, and the investigator was thrown to the ground by the explosion. Distraught upon seeing the destruction and the bodies of dead civilians, Fabarian called out for help, only to spot Vader in the distance atop the Imperial Palace.
Fabarian launched an independent investigation into the destruction of the two sectors, despite having been ordered to report to a new assignment on the planetDarth Vader (2020) 28 Skako Minor. He discovered that the official reports of the incident did not mention Vader's presence on the scene, also learning that protocol 23 had been ordered by Amedda at the Emperor's command. Despite knowing Vader himself was not responsible for the order, Fabarian heard that the Sith had been infected by the entity controlling the droids. The Imperial officer was charged for his actions and brought in stuncuffs to the ISB Office of Internal Review to be sentenced.
====Standing against chaos====
At the office, Fabarian and several other charged Imperials—Admiral Corleque, Governor Tauntaza, and Council Member Xanto—were delivered by an RA-7 protocol droid to speak with Sub-Administrator Sly Moore. Moore reviewed their charges, with Fabarian stating his belief of Vader's involvement. Afterwards, Fabarian protested that Moore was ignoring the corruption within the Empire that he and the others had spoken of, and the Sub-Administrator asked whether he felt unjustly treated and wished to appeal to the Emperor. Xanto was the only one to accept the offer of a personal meeting with the Emperor, with Moore detecting the thoughts of Fabarian and the others—a lack of faith, believing that there was no appeal and no justice to be had in the Empire.
However, Moore instead executed Xanto and addressed Fabarian and the others, telling them that they knew the Emperor's nature and saw the Empire for what it truly was. Moore released their cuffs, welcoming Fabarian, Corleque, and Tauntaza to the Schism Imperial, a faction of Imperials who were dissatisfied with the Emperor and wished to overthrow him to restore order. Under Moore's instructions, Fabarian accepted his penalty and demotion to the rank of Assistant Data Processor, quietly waiting until the Schism Imperial required his service. In his new role, Fabarian processed fines and other records under the orders of a supervisor. Eventually, Vader himself aligned with the Schism Imperial, whose members were also made to serve the Sith Lord.
===Barons and battle droids===
====Investigation through irritation====
A month after his induction into the Schism, Fabarian's supervisor instructed him to delete a traffic fine for the speeder of Baron Slandarv. Fabarian was hesitant, but his supervisor demanded it to avoid the backlash they would face for fining a baron. However, Slandarv was a person of interest to Administrator Moore, Vader, and the Schism, who suspected that he was developing a new and advanced model of battle droid. As such, Fabarian deleted four tickets for Slandarv but let one remain approved, which, as planned, irritated the baron. While on break later that day, Fabarian visited the under-repair sector 35 and viewed a memorial. He was then contacted by his supervisor, who informed the processor that Slandarv had summoned him to his private offices.
Visiting Slandarv's office, Fabarian carried a comlink in which Moore had fitted an autoslicer in the hope of discreetly copying the baron's data. Baron Slandarv greeted Fabarian by informing the former ISB agent that he knew of his history and his demotion as a result of prying in the business of the Emperor and Vader. Fabarian attempted to explain, but the baron reprimanded him for speaking and disparaged him as being insignificant. Slandarv ordered that Fabarian be discharged from Imperial service, despite the latter's protest, and two RA-7 protocol droids removed his uniform's insignia and requested he hand over his tablet and comlink. Fabarian argued that he had paid for the comlink himself, and Slandarv mockingly let him keep it before having him thrown out of the office. Outside, Fabarian's supervisor scolded him and told him that his time in the sector was done, recommending that he leave the planet.
====Enforcing the fine====
Fabarian departed Coruscant, taking a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle to meet with a starship carrying Moore and Vader. Moore sensed Fabarian's distress and ordered him not to hide it from Vader, and the former ISB agent explained his experience during the destruction of sector 35, stating that although he did not blame Vader, he was concerned that the Sith had been infected by the Scourge. Vader, however, declared that he had merely been testing the entity and was not under its influence. Fabarian subsequently recognized the M.A.R. Corps, a group of rebel cyborgs who had been captured and controlled by Vader, and greeted Tauntaza, who questioned how he would increase Vader's power. Although Fabarian expressed confusion over serving both the Schism and Vader, he insisted that he had been useful, revealing the data that the comlink's autoslicer had copied from Slandarv's office.
As the Schism forces arrived on the Mid Rim astronomical object Slandarvia M-9, where Slandarv's factory was situated, Fabarian explained that the baron had been working on the advanced battle droid model in secret to maximize bargaining power when selling it. As the factory was surrounded by worker housing that was home to hundreds of civilians, Fabarian recommended a blockade and parley, believing Slandarv would agree to a deal; however, Vader refused, instead launching an attack to breach the factory alongside the M.A.R. Corps. Entering behind with the droid ZED-6-7, Fabarian led the way to a shocked Baron Slandarv. Fabarian aimed a blaster at Slandarv as ZED-6-7 requested that he authorize a reprogram of his droids, and the baron refused until he learned that they were working under Vader. As ZED-6-7 reprogrammed the droids to serve Vader instead of the Emperor, Slandarv, who was loyal to the latter, refused to involve himself. ZED-6-7 declared that the baron was not invited, and Slandarv fled while his guards attempted to hold off Fabarian.
Shooting the guards dead, Fabarian pursued Slandarv through the facility, ordering him to surrender. However, Slandarv revealed that he could destroy the entire factory save for the chamber he and Fabarian were standing in, killing everyone but them in the process. Slandarv declared that Vader could not beat the Emperor and nothing would be gained even if he did, and Fabarian questioned whether the civilian housing would also be destroyed. When the baron claimed the civilians were a necessary sacrifice, Fabarian shot him in the chest. Injured, Slandarv criticized Fabarian for trying to keep a conscience, but the latter merely told the baron he should have paid his ticket before shooting him again, killing him. Moore entered, commenting on Fabarian's motive for killing Slandarv, but the administrator—along with Vader, both being Force-sensitive—were struck by an episode of disorentiation as a result of the Force Wave. After the Schism forces departed and Moore awoke, stating that she had felt the fear and anger of the M.A.R. Corps' trapped consciousnesses while unconscious, Fabarian entered with Tauntaza, blaming the administrator for involving the Schism with Vader.
===Expedition to Exegol===
====The confessions of Tython====
Fabarian subsequently traveled with Corleque, Tauntaza, and Senior Lieutenant Enric Pryde in a Lambda-class shuttle to the Deep Core planet Tython, intending to rendezvous with Vader in the Meridional Ice Cap. However, their shuttle crashed due to a storm, forcing them to ascend a mountain to their destination on foot. When Vader flew overhead in his TIE Advanced, unaffected by the storm, Fabarian expressed his distaste for Pryde's admiration of the Sith Lord. Pryde asserted his loyalty to Vader, leading Fabarian and the others to note their hatred for the one they now served. Fabarian explained his past as an ISB officer, noting that his recent actions, including the raid on the droid factory and his murder of Slandarv—the latter of which he recognized as having been influenced by his service to Vader—were not the order that the Schism desired.
Soon afterward, Fabarian and the others met Vader, Moore, and ZED-6-7 outside the Martyrium of Frozen Tears, part of an ancient Jedi temple that contained a confessional made of solid kyberite, which Vader intended for the group to mine. After Pryde became fearful when Vader ordered him to lead the group into the Martyrium, Fabarian mocked the former's previous words. As the Rebel Alliance had previously used the site as a base, Pryde scouted the area and destroyed a trap left by the rebels. However, a droid activated the Martyrium, leading the Force-sensitive Moore and Vader to be presented with a vision of the confessions of ancient Jedi. Fabarian was saddened when Moore described a confession from a Jedi whose students perished in a fire and was haunted by their faces. Vader, after witnessing a confession from his son,Darth Vader (2020) 46 Luke Skywalker, ordered the Schism forces to acquire as much kyberite as possible before destroying the site.
====Ultimate power====
After carrying out Vader's demands, the Imperials were ordered to shield a shuttle with the kyberite and rendezvous with the Sith Lord at the edge of the Red Honeycomb Zone—a passage through space that led to Exegol, an ancient Sith world in the Unknown Regions where the Sith Eternal cultStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary and forces of the Emperor resided. Although Vader did not initially divulge his plans, he intended to launch an assault on Exegol in order to loot the world and challenge the Emperor's power. Once the Sith Lord departed Tython in his TIE Advanced, Fabarian confronted Pryde as to whether the latter expected any recognition for his service to Vader, while Tauntaza suggested that Pryde flee the conspiracy while he had the chance; Pryde, however, reaffirmed his choice and his loyalty to Vader.
While Corleque met Sith Eternal cultists outside the Red Honeycomb Zone with a shipment of supplies and kyberite for Exegol that secretly held battle droids and Vader himself, the Schism forces shielded a Lambda shuttle with kyberite plating. Fabarian accompanied his fellow Schism members aboard the kyberite-shielded Lambda shuttle, carrying a droid decoy of Vader. The shuttle traversed the Red Honeycomb Zone, with the plating partially protecting them from the psychic effects of the summa-verminoth subspecies that lived within the area. After the shuttle landed outside the Sith Citadel on Exegol, the Sith Eternal cultists swiftly defeated Vader's decoy, but the Sith Lord himself emerged, claiming a large kyber crystal from the Kyber Temple; however, the cultists summoned multiple summa-verminoth to assist them.
As Vader and Pryde returned to the shuttle with the kyber, Fabarian approached with Tauntaza and ZED-6-7, wishing to load the crystal on board before the remaining cultists attacked. Aboard the shuttle, Tauntaza expressed concern over the summa-verminoth, but Fabarian assured her that they were protected by the shielding and only needed to outrun the creatures. Although Fabarian doubted that they could take on the summa-verminoth, Moore refused to run, citing the Schism Imperial's recent accomplishments that had empowered Vader. As Fabarian and the others watched, the Sith Lord used portions of the kyber to strengthen his shield and electrostaff. Pryde piloted the Lambda shuttle toward the summa-verminoth, crying out from the creatures' effect; Fabarian questioned whether he was alright, but Pryde remained determined. Vader, standing atop the shuttle, used his empowered weaponry to defeat the summa-verminoth.
==Personality and traits==
As an officer of the Galactic Empire, Fabarian sought to maintain order and protect the people of his sector, but had difficulty with grayer moralities. Fabarian nevertheless believed in his career with the ISB, feeling that people would turn to the worst acts imaginable if rules were not enforced. Though he understood it was challenging to keep a pure conscience, he was outraged at the corruption and chaos that was present in the Empire, knowing that as a result of the regime's nature, justice and order were not permitted for most. Like the other members of the Schism Imperial, Fabarian had little faith in the Emperor and believed that order could be restored if he was overthrown. Fabarian felt that he had to determine who had been responsible for the destruction of sector 35 and the deaths of many people, including children. He was unafraid to defy orders and investigate the matter independently, even when it led to his demotion.
Fabarian hated Darth Vader, regarding the Sith Lord and his actions to be evil. He was disturbed by serving the Sith Lord and questioned whether Vader's approach would restore order. Fabarian was not proud of his actions while working for Vader, particularly his murder of Slandarv. Despite disliking Slandarv and knowing he had to be stopped, Fabarian felt that there had been nothing to prevent him from following through with the urge to execute him as a result of his own service to Vader. Fabarian clashed with Enric Pryde during their collaboration; he was irritated by the latter's admiration of Vader, while Pryde saw Fabarian as being soft on the Empire's enemies.
Fabarian was protective of the lives of civilians, not wishing to endanger innocents on Slandarvia M-9 and shooting Slandarv when the baron planned to kill them all to destroy his factory. He had little sympathy for Moore when she was pained by the suffering of the M.A.R. Corps at Vader's hands, as it had been her her who had pulled the Schism into allying with the Sith Lord, but found some familiarity in the cyborgs' fear and anger. As an Assistant Data Processor, Fabarian was reluctant to erase official records to let Baron Slandarv off of a fine. Fabarian had gray hair, blue eyes, and light skin.
==Equipment==
While a member of the Imperial Security Bureau, Fabarian wore an Imperial officer's uniform, including a cap with an officer's disk. His uniform featured code cylinders and a rank insignia plaque that displayed two blue squares and two red. Fabarian also carried a comlink and a blaster. As an Assistant Data Processor, Fabarian wore a gray uniform that featured the Imperial insignia and carried a datapad and a comlink, the latter of which had an autoslicer installed into it by Administrator Moore. After being discharged from service, Fabarian changed into a black Imperial uniform and carried a blaster and a holoprojector. In the Meridional Ice Cap of Tython, Fabarian briefly wore an outfit consisting of a heavy white jacket, gray pants, gray gloves, and a white cap that covered his ears. Fabarian piloted a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle when traveling from Coruscant to meet with Vader and the Schism.
==Behind the scenes==
Fabarian first appeared in the forty-third issue of the 2020 Star Wars: Darth Vader comic series, written by Greg Pak, illustrated by Adam Gorham, and published by Marvel Comics on February 14, 2024.
==Appearances==
*Darth Vader (2020) 43 
*Darth Vader (2020) 44
*Darth Vader (2020) 45
*Darth Vader (2020) 46 
*Darth Vader (2020) 47
*Darth Vader (2020) 48
*Darth Vader (2020) 49
*Darth Vader (2020) 50
==Notes and references==
Category:Humans
Category:Imperial Security Bureau officers
Category:Individuals of unspecified gender
Category:Individuals with he/him pronouns
Category:Individuals with lost limbs