Eternal Throne

The Eternal Throne was the throne of the Emperor of the Eternal Empire, located at the peak of the Spire above the atmosphere of the planet Zakuul. The term "Eternal Throne" referred to the ruler of the Eternal Empire, and later on, in the post-Galactic War era, ruler of the entire galaxy.

History

Creation

After using the Scions of Zakuul's Force visions to locate the dormant Eternal Fleet,^[10] Zakuul Eternal Emperor Valkorion still lacked a means to control it. To that end, he gathered Zakuul's greatest minds and set them to work building the Eternal Throne, a work that took generations to complete.^[1] The Throne was build utilizing technology from Iokath,^[11] a forgotten world on which the Eternal Fleet originated,^[12] resembling the thrones that were used to control the Six Gods on Iokath itself.^[11]

Finished over a century before^[1] 3636 BBY,^[2] the Eternal Throne was installed in Valkorion's throne room at the top of the capital city of Spire, the highest point on all of Zakuul.^[13] The precise method by which the Throne controlled the Eternal Fleet was known only to Valkorion himself, who later shared it with his children Arcann, Thexan, and Vaylin.^[1] The Throne was connected to a hyperwave relay station located ten kilometers below the Spire, powered by two hundred generators that tapped into Zakuul's core. This allowed the Throne's occupant access to the GEMINI frequency through which they would communicate with and control the GEMINI units that ran the Eternal Fleet.^[14]

Valkorion's reign

When Vaylin was allowed to return home from Nathema, she entered the Eternal Throne room where Valkorion sat with her brothers at his side and stated that he should have left her ther. Valkorion replied that his daughter belonged at his side and presented Vaylin with her lightsaber. Vaylin ignited the blade, which prompted Arcann and Thexan to move to defend their father, but he ordered them to stay back. To their relief, Vaylin deactivated her lightsaber and knelt down before Valkorion, acknowledging his superiority.^[15]

When Valkorion's twin sons returned from the Eternal Empire raids, they presented trophies of lightsabers and banners of their defeated foes to their father at the foot of the Eternal Throne. Valkorion responded with silence and turned away, infuriating an already resentful Arcann who was overcome with anger and leapt at his father, intending to kill him with his lightsaber. Thexan reached out with the Force and pulled his brother back in mid-leap, and Arcann—still caught up in his anger and the dark side—engaged in a furious but brief lightsaber duel with Thexan that ended with Arcann slaying his own twin. As his horrified son came to his senses, a seemingly unmoved Valkorion approached him and commanded Arcann to come with him.^[16]

Not long after, Darth Marr led a joint Republic–Imperial task force into the Unknown Regions. As they approached Zakuulan space, Arcann reported their approach to his father atop the Eternal Throne, and Valkorion—alreaedy well aware of the visitors—deployed the Eternal Fleet. Marr's expedition was wiped out, but Arcann's forces captured Marr and a second figure who had been brought to Zakuul and before the Eternal Throne, where the foreigners recognized Valkorion as the former Sith Emperor Vitiate. Valkorion offered to share his power and influence with his prisoners, and killed Marr when the Sith Lord attacked him. Vaylin ordered everyone out of the Eternal Throne room, leaving only Arcann, Valkorion, and the remaining prisoner, to whom Valkorion repeated his offer. Arcann used Valkorion's preoccupation with the Outlander to once again attempt to strike his father down, and in the resulting confrontation Valkorion's physical body received a mortal wound,^[5] while his spirit refused to surrender to mortality and entered the Outlander's body in search of a new host.^[8]

Arcann's reign

Arcann sensed that his father's spirit was still present inside a new host body and ordered the Outlander to be immediately frozen in carbonite. Arcann immediately claimed the Eternal Throne and proclaimed himself the new Eternal Emperor, launching a full-scale conquest of the Core Worlds.^[5] With the power of the Eternal Throne and the Eternal Fleet at its disposal, Zakuul had achieved naval superiority over both Republic and Sith Empire, who sued for peace after but a year.^[17] Both sides sent emissaries to Zakuul, where they were brought before the Eternal Throne. Vaylin was present in the Eternal Throne room when Republic Senator Evran and Sith Empire Dark Councillor Darth Vowrawn pledged their loyalty to Arcann, and after they left she sensed an unseen presence in the room with her. Arcann inquired what it was, but Vaylin did not reply, instead stabbing the empty spot she senses the presence in with her lightsaber^[18]

Five years after the death of Valkorion, the Outlander was released from their carbonite prison and escaped with their allies aboard a stolen shuttle.^[19] and crashed in the Endless Swamp. Vaylin reported the news to her brother in the Eternal Throne room, where Arcann determined that the damaged shuttle could only land in the Endless Swamp and sent skytroopers to sweep the area for large metallic sensor reading.^[17] However, the dissidents managed to locate the Gravestone, a legendary starship that once overpowered the Eternal Fleet, and get it airborne. From the Eternal Throne, Arcann ordered the Eternal Fleet to blast the vessel as it tried to escape Zakuul, only to witness as one omnicannon blast from the Gravestone destroyed more than two dozen Eternal Fleet warships before jumping into Hyperspace.^[20]

Vaylin was able to confirm that the Outlander was aided by their mother Senya Tirall, who turned on her children. Vaylin wondered whether Senya was aware of Valkorion's survival inside the Outlander's mind and was attempting to restore his rule, but Arcann claimed that it was irrelevant, vowing that their mother would either return to them or face the consequences.^[21] Not long afterwards, the Outlander and Senya returned to Zakuul and were spotted in the Old World. When Vaylin informed her brother about this development, Arcann wondered why their foes would escape only to return and from the Eternal Throne publicly informed the denizens of Old World to watch out for the fugitives.^[22]

After the Battle of Asylum, Arcann was brooding on the Eternal Throne over the fact that Valkorion was now plotting against his own children. Vaylin mentioned that she revealed to Senya during their duel on Asylum that Thexan was slain by Arcann and not killed during the fighting in the Core Worlds, as was publicly announced. Mildly sentimental, Arcann remarked that Thexan should be alive, ruling the Empire alongside his brother and sister as it was meant to be ruled.^[23] Despite a widespread search for the Gravestone and the Outlander that Arcann ordered, neither Vaylin nor the Eternal Fleet patrols were able to located them for weeks. Losing patience, Arcann ordered Vaylin to bombard one inhabited world in five sectors each, hoping to either lure the Outlander out of hiding or give someone else an incentive to reveal their whereabouts.^[24]

The Outlander had formed an Alliance to fight against Zakuul, and Arcann voiced to aylin his frustrations at their father for refusing to face him in open combat. Vaylin suggested that Valkorion was punishing Arcann for stealing his throne, but Arcann countered that their father was completely devoid of emotions all their lives, not even acknowledging him murdering Thexan. As Vaylin became nostalgic regarding their late brother, Arcann asked whether he still had her support, which Vaylin affirmed.^[14] After Vaylin returned to Zakuul from Vandin, Arcann interrupted her fantasies of revenge against Senya by asking whether she remembered their mother from when they were children. Vaylin refuted her strong belief that Senya hated her for being more powerful, with Arcann agreeing that Senya never truly understood her children or their father. Though Vaylin reminded that the Outlander and Senya stole their valuables, which would inspire other worlds to rise up in rebellion, Arcann assured her that the riches could be replaced and fear of his power would discourage any further uprisings.^[25]

From the Eternal Throne, Arcann and Vaylin observed a holographic report of a Mandalorian army assaulting an Eternal Empire weapons factory on Darvannis. Vaylin suggested dispatching the Eternal Fleet to annihilate the Mandalorians, but Arcann was content to watch their enemies struggle and declined. As the battle progressed, the Mandalorians were gaining the advantage, and noting that the Mandalorians seemed inspired by a cause they could believe in, Arcann realized the Outlander was on Darvannis alongside them.^[26] They received a distress call from a GEMINI captain revealing that the Outlander and Senya were attempting to commandeer an Eternal Fleet warship, and Arcann took his Eternal Flagship and a significant detachment of the Eternal Fleet to intercept his enemies, with Vaylin at his side.^[6]

SCORPIO usurps the Throne

While the siblings were away from Zakuul, an advanced artificial intelligence SCORPIO uploaded herself into the GEMINI frequency with the goal of taking the Eternal Throne for herself. Through the frequency, SCORPIO used Eternal Empire skytrooper forces to attack and dispose of the Knights of Zakuul protecting the Eternal Throne. SCORPIO then assembled herself a new body, installing herself directly onto the Eternal Throne.^[6] SCORPIO took control of the Eternal Fleet, deliberately leaving a significant detachment under Arcann's control. SCORPIO then manipulated her enemies to destroy each other, revealing the Alliance base location on Odessen to Arcann and correctly predicting that he would go after the Alliance and its Commander first instead of her.^[7]

Arcann was defeated and deposed as the Emperor, and SCORPIO used the Eternal Throne to reprogramming all GEMINI units, granting free will to her "children". Returning to Zakuul, Vaylin cut her way through SCORPIO-controlled skytroopers in the Eternal Throne room, but then put away her lightsaber after SCORPIO ordered her droids to stop firing. SCORPIO welcomed Vaylin and explained that she only took the Eternal Throne to liberate the GEMINI droids. Vaylin proclaimed herself more deserving of the Eternal Throne's power than Arcann was. Surprised that SCORPIO did not wish to control her children, Vaylin agreed that the ability to choose made them stronger. SCORPIO then willingly surrendered the Eternal Throne to Vaylin, offering to stay and advise the new Empress of Zakuul on how to destroy their enemies.^[7]

Vaylin's reign

Vaylin tracked Senya and Arcann to Voss and invaded the planet with the Eternal Fleet to burn them out of hiding. From the Eternal Throne, Vaylin watched as her forces landed in and captured the capital city of Voss-Ka, after which Vaylin gleefully ordered the planet to be burnt to ashes. As the fighting continued, SCORPIO noted from a presence of Mandalorian forces in Voss-Ka that the Outlander was on-world as well, with the spirit of Valkorion still inside them. Vaylin located all three of her family members inside the Shrine of Healing and ordered the Eternal Fleet to bombard it in an attempt to kill them all. However, before the Eternal Fleet ships could scorch the planet's surface, the Imperial fleet had arrived and caused the GEMINI units to flee the battle. Vaylin was angered at them for retreating without orders, but SCORPIO noted that the GEMINI merely made a choice she did not like and urged the Empress to focus on the big picture. At the same time Valkorion had decided that his children were unworthy of the Eternal Throne, and made his clear intention for the Outlander to take the throne in his place.^[27]

Not long after, news from Dromund Kaas reported that the Outlander had died. Though Vaylin could sense from feeling Valkorion's presence this was not the case, SCORPIO noted that the resulting disarray was the perfect opportunity to strike against the Alliance and set up a trap. SCORPIO, Vaylin and a host of Knights of Zakuul and Horizon Guard took control of the Gravestone,^[28] but SCORPIO betrayed Vaylin and took the Gravestone and the Eternal Fleet to Iokath.^[29] Vaylin became determined to have her fleet obey her orders without questions and brought a Purifier droid from Iokath with her back to the Zakuul. She plugged it into the Eternal Throne, and the purifier used the connection to restore every single GEMINI unit to their original settings, which Vaylin tested by ordering one ship in the fleet to destroy another. Afte it did so without hesitation, Vaylin expressed satisfaction with the result and smashed the Purifier into dust.^[12]

Eternal Alliance

Vaylin was killed the by Outlander during the assault on Odessen, which left the Eternal Throne empty. Without orders, the GEMINI captains went rogue and reverted to their most primal function - exterminating all complex life in the galaxy. Eternal Fleet warships began bombarding heavily populated worlds including Zakuul itself,^[30] and also established a blockade around the Spire, protecting the Eternal Throne with a ray shield.^[8] The Alliance leadership departed to Zakuul,^[30] and the Outlander, Senya and Arcann who has been redeemed made their way towards the Spire. They reached the Eternal Throne room, Where Arcann was taken aback at seeing his old Throne and lamented the death of millions he caused while sitting on it, while Senya assured him that he became a better man since. Arcann offered the throne to the Outlander to atone for his past crimes. The Outlander claimed the Eternal Throne and send a signal to the Eternal Fleet, which immediately went silent.^[8]

However, the spirit of Valkorion then revealed his true goal: to eradicate the Outlander's mind and take possession of their body. While the Outlander was fighting back within the depth of their mind, the Throne room was breached by skytroopers. Arcann and Senya held them off for a while, until Senya told Arcann to use Dramath's holocron to join the Outlander in the fight against his father. Meditating on the holocron, Arcann entered the Outlander's mind, where they were joined by the spirit of Vaylin. The Outlander used Valkorion's conditioning of Vaylin against him and put a final end to his millennia-long existence. Back in the Eternal Throne room, Arcann noted that he no longer felt his father's presence and did not think he could return to the world of living again. Senya opened opened a holo-broadcast for the new owner of the Eternal Throne, who made an address towards the galaxy and proclaimed an age of the Eternal Alliance. In the following days, the Alliance relocated the Eternal Throne from the Spire to Odessen, where it was installed in the Alliance base.^[8]

To have his revenged on the Alliance for ending the golden age of Zakuul, former Horizon Guard Vinn Atrius launched campaign with the ultimate goal of awakening Zildrog, an ancient superewapon from Iokath that was buried on Nathema. Supervised by GEMINI 16, the Order of Zildrog excavated the superweapon and reactivated it. Zildrog revealed itself to be connected to the Gravestone, which he remotely took over as it was parked on Odessen. Zildrog took the Gravestone into Odessen's orbit and proceeded to repeatedly fire the omnicannon at the Eternal Fleet, which sat defenseless in the abscence of orders from the Eternal Throne. Zildrog then targeted Odessen itself, but its core was destroyed on Nathema which triggered the self-destruct of both the Gravestone the Eternal Throne, leaving the Eternal Alliance at a huge loss.^[4]

Behind the scenes

The Eternal Throne features heavily in the Knights of the Fallen Empire and Knights of the Eternal Throne expansions to Star Wars: The Old Republic. The player seizes control of the Eternal Throne in Chapter IX of the Knights of the Eternal Throne campaign.

Gameplay alternatives

• If the player elects to lead the Eternal Alliance as a peacekeeper in a light side choice, the Throne's control mechanisms are installed in the updated Alliance war room. However, if the player elects to become the new Emperor/Empress in the dark side choice, the Eternal Throne is set up in an actual throne room, similar to the one in the Spire on Zakuul.^[8]

• Additionally, if the player has made consistent light side choices up to that point, they will be accompanied into the Eternal Throne room by Senya Tirall and a redeemed Arcann. If the player elected to kill both Senya and Arcann (in Chapter I and Chapter VI, respectively, of Knights of the Eternal Throne), they are accompanied by Theron Shan and Lana Beniko instead.^[8]

Appearances

• "Sacrifice" on The Old Republic's official website (article) (backup link) (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire
• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Eternal Throne

Sources

• Cartel Market Specials: Week of March 27, 2017 on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
• The War for Iokath: The Faction Battle Reignites on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)
• Arcann Cosplay Kit on The Old Republic's official website (backup link)

Notes and references

External links

• Anna Inkyung Lee (@annainklee) on ArtStation: SWTOR_Zakuul Eternal Throne (backup link)