Star Wars: 10 Reasons Why An Exar Kun Spin-Off Would Work

Exar Kun may not be familiar to casual Star Wars fans, but those who’ve dived deep into the Expanded Universe (now called Legends) material are well aware of his notoriety. In addition to being a powerful force wielder, Exar Kun would go down in history as one of the most frightening Sith Lords of all time, whose presence would be felt for millennia after his death.

With recent talk of an Old Republic-era film or TV series circulating the rumor mill, we began thinking of characters to focus on, and Kun’s name was an obvious choice. We think a movie or TV spin-off of Exar Kun could actually work, for a number of reasons.

10 HE HAS A LOT OF STORIES TO TELL

Exar Kun began as a Padawan in the ancient days of the Old Republic and the Jedi Order. Even in his young days, the seeds of evil germinated within him, manifesting in physical aggression, arrogance, and curiosity towards dark teachings.

Focusing a spin-off on Kun’s exploits could see his gradual distancing from the Jedi Order in favor of adventures where he pursues knowledge regarding the dark side.

9 A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW

Where almost every Star Wars movie or TV show features a hero as the central character, and Exar Kun spin-off would essentially flip the script, putting a notorious villain at the forefront. This single act could create a whole new (and quite fascinating) dynamic for Star Wars viewers who would appreciate a change.

It would also be an opportunity to expand on Sith culture and history, beginning long before Luke Skywalker’s time. Ancient Sith artifacts, strongholds, and teachings could take center stage, with Kun as the driving force, giving the audience an insider’s peek at just how the dark side operates.

8 THE FREEDON NADD CONNECTION

Freedon Nadd was another notorious Sith Lord who used his powers to proclaim himself king of the planet of Onderon. When Exar Kun began searching for dark side knowledge, he inevitably encountered the long-dead spirit of Freedon Nadd, who took Kun as an apprentice (albeit by giving him no other choice but to submit) and instructed him in the ways of the Sith.

Kun would repay Nadd by destroying his leftover spirit form so that he could no longer stand in his way, proving just how unscrupulous the fledgling Sith Lord truly was.

7 THE LUKE SKYWALKER CONNECTION

Although it’s doubtful we’ll ever see anything resembling Exar Kun’s confrontation with Luke Skywalker and his newfound Jedi Order on Yavin 4 (as described in Kevin J. Anderson’s Jedi Academy trilogy), that doesn’t mean a spin-off couldn’t capitalize on the backstory.

Star Wars movies and TV shows often feature Jedi having premonitions of the future, and Exar Kun could experience a similar phenomenon as he dives deeper into the corrupt teachings of the dark side. If nothing else, it would certainly help establish a common thread between the original trilogy, and the ancient days of the Old Republic.

6 EXAR KUN’S LIGHTSABER

An Exar Kun spin-off could take an often overlooked route, and feature the villain’s own lightsaber as an entity unto itself. Within established lore, Kun’s double-bladed lightsaber is described as a highly dangerous weapon due to its design. In contrast with Darth Maul’s extended hilt, Exar Kun’s saber was a traditional single hilt design, which made it difficult and hazardous to wield.

In truth, however, the real danger of Kun’s lightsaber lay within its very fabric. The weapon was imbued with the Sith Lord’s malevolent evil, which was capable of corrupting anyone who wielded it. It was so dangerous in fact, that the Jedi Covenant (a secret task force within the Jedi Order) encased the weapon in a nullification resin so that its dark energies could not corrupt others.

5 IT COULD FEATURE YAVIN 4 AND ITS CULTURE

Exar Kun would make Yavin 4 his staging ground for operations against the Republic, and there’s an existing backstory to explain how this happens. It would involve going even farther back into the Star Wars timeline to bring back the spirit of Naga Sadow, an ancient Sith alchemist who participated in the Great Hyperspace War in 5000BBY (before the Battle of Yavin in the original film).

Though Sadow would instruct Exar Kun further in the ways of the Sith, he did so only so that Kun could forge him a new body with which to live again. Kun would have none of it and used his powers to destroy Sadow’s spirit, taking the mantle of leader of the Massassi people who lived on Yavin 4 at the time. Since we know very little about Yavin 4 from the films, it would be nice to see how the ancient Massassi people revered the Sith in ancient days, while giving us a glimpse into their culture.

4 A TALE OF TWO SITHS

Exar Kun did not hold any allegiance to what was known in ancient times as the True Sith Empire, and this would be an opportunity to explore that schism in greater detail. Not only would it give us a distinct look at how two sets of Sith differed in terms of practice and ideology, but it would also showcase the inevitable evolution of the Sith as we know them today, including the adoption of Darth Bane’s Rule of Two.

There’s plenty we don’t know about the Sith, and many Star Wars fans might think that the order has always been one ideology, with minor policy adjustments. Actually, the reverse is true, and that’s why an Exar Kun spin-off could shine a light, err….darkness on the Sith’s early origins.

3 A MEETING OF THE MINDS

As the story goes, Exar Kun sought to destroy any challengers who might stand in the way of his goals. One of these threats was the Krath Sith cult, led by another infamous Sith – Ulic Qel-Droma. Their feud would be interrupted by the long-dead spirit of the fearsome Marka Ragnos, who crowned Exar Kun as Dark Lord of the Sith, and Qel-Droma as his apprentice.

A spin-off could feature this relationship taking place at the end of season 1, or somewhere in the middle of season 2. Not only would it give Exar Kun a character to play off of, but it would turn the entire concept of a buddy film upside down, in the wickedest possible way. It would also give Qel-Droma his own story arc, and showcase his role in Kun’s eventual downfall.

2 THE BATTLE AGAINST THE REPUBLIC

Later seasons of a spin-off show could move from Exar Kun’s early days to his ascension as a viable threat to the galaxy. With Qel-Droma at his side, Exar Kun would later go on to wage direct war against the Old Republic and the Jedi Order; a campaign that would later serve as the basis for the rise of Darth Revan and Darth Malek.

Kun’s ferocious attack on the Old Republic would lead directly to several actions that would serve as excellent plot arcs in a spin-off, most notably Kun’s murder of the Republic Supreme Chancellor. In the context of a larger narrative, his actions could redefine the words “star wars” all over again.

1 IT COULD LEAD TO MORE OLD REPUBLIC ERA SPIN-OFFS

Much like the animated Clone Wars series paved the way for Star Wars: Rebels to continue the story (with some of the same characters), an Exar Kun spin-off could lay the groundwork for continuing tales told in the Old Republic timeline. The most natural hand-off would obviously be the Mandalorian Wars which directly followed Kun’s campaign against the Republic.

The outcome of that war would have long-lasting repercussions that weakened the Republic, scattered the Mandalorians, and pushed Revan and Malek to fall to the dark side, kicking off an entirely new conflict. The Mandalorian Wars could be told within their own storyline, or used as a springboard to bring Revan and Malek to the forefront, to better tell their stories.

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