| “ | We will disperse into the galaxy in small numbers, masking ourselves, hiding amidst the enemy. We will infiltrate governments on every planet. All must be brought down for something new to be created. Together or alone, we will slip onto worlds and strike from the shadows. We will be invisible. We will be patient. All that exists will be torn apart from within. Darth Krayt's vision of the galaxy remade will be realized. He lives in us. The Sith will prevail. | „ |
| ~ Darth Nihl after becoming the new leader of the One Sith. |
Darth Nihl is a Sith Lord that served under Darth Krayt and a major antagonist in the Star Wars Legacy comics. He later becomes the Dark Lord of the Sith and leader of the One Sith after Krayt’s death.
History[]
Past[]
Nihl was once a warlord on his homeplanet, Nagi, using his underdeveloped Force powers to lead his band of raiders in attacks all over the planet. Eventually Darth Krayt, who was rebuilding the Sith Order, came across Nihl and asked the Nagai to join his new order. He agreed and was trained to be a Sith Lord, at one point destroying an entire village after being put in the Embrace of Pain. Nihl became Krayt’s main enforcer, eventually becoming his military commander and was promoted to the position of Hand after the death of the last one, where he acted as the Dark Lord’s most capable servant, existing only to carry out his will.
Early Missions as Krayt’s Hand[]
Nihl preparing to attack the Jedi Temple
Two days after the Imperial take over of Coruscant, Nihl led a Sith attack on a Jedi Temple on Ossus, ordered by Krayt to kill every Jedi inside. However Nihl and his forces were attacked by Kol Skywalker, trying to help a group of Padawans escape. Kol and fellow Jedi Master, Zabrak Wolf Sazen did well against Nihl’s forces at first, but eventually the Sith Lord fought and cut off Sazen’s arm, badly wounding and apparently killing him. Kol fought Nihl himself and the Jedi’s son Cade eventually arrived to help his father fight. Kol had Cade get Sazen to safety and continued to fight Nihl, who finally killed the Jedi with a blast of Force lightning. The Sith Lord left Ossus with most of the Jedi slain and went to Coruscant.
There, Nihl watched Krayt become the Emperor of the newly formed Sith Empire after killing a double of Emperor Roan Fel and taking over the Fel Empire. After seven years, Nihl was no longer the only one with the title of Krayt’s Hand, the second being Darth Talon.
Nihl and Talon working out their plan
After she was sent on a mission to capture Princess Marasiah Fel to lure out her father, Roan Fel, Talon found herself facing off against a number of Jedi. She called for help from Nihl and she ordered him to stealthily send soldiers to her and wait for Roan Fel to show up, before launching an ambush to take him out, along with his forces and the Jedi. Nihl’s forces managed to take down Fel’s ships and Talon cornered him, only to find out that he was actually one of the Imperial Knights, Antares Draco.
She retreated and met back up with Nihl and his soldiers, who wanted to attack again, so as to capture the princess and wipe out the rest. In the attack, Nihl took on a still living Sazen, who was joined by Cade Skywalker so as to have revenge for his father’s death. However Sazen stopped Cade from attacking Nihl, who believed that the Jedi had done the right thing and said that just because the bounty hunter wielded a lightsaber, he wasn’t a Jedi. Nihl continued to taunt Cade, saying that a desire for revenge wasn’t a Jedi trait, but the bounty hunter didn’t care and re-engaged the Sith Lord.
As they continued to fight, Nihl offered Cade a quick death like his father’s, certain of victory, but he refused to give up, determined to kill the Nagai. Eventually the Sith Lord was shot by Jariah Syn, Cade’s companion, who Nihl hit with a telekinetic blast. While this gave the bounty hunter the opportunity to take down the Nagai, he instead chose to escape with his allies and the Imperials. Afterwards Nihl told Talon that he’d soon be Krayt’s only Hand again, thinking that she’d be killed for failing the mission.
Capturing Cade Skywalker[]
Nihl choking Cade
But Nihl was disappointed when Talon was allowed to live and instead Krayt, who’d developed an interest in Cade Skywalker, ordered that he be found. Talon tracked him down, but was defeated when he called on the dark side and Nihl engaged Cade. He put the bounty hunter in a telekinetic chokehold, wanting to kill the last Skywalker. However Talon told Nihl that Krayt wanted Cade alive and he reluctantly let him live, reporting his capture to the Dark Lord.
Nihl being barred from entry by Wyyrlok
Krayt began trying to get the bounty hunter to become a Sith, bringing him to his chambers to talk. When Nihl tried to enter, he was stopped by Darth Wyyrlok and tried to argue, pointing out that he was Krayt’s Hand. However Darth Maladi said that Nihl wasn’t allowed, because he wasn’t born a Sith. She went on to say that Krayt only made him his Hand because Talon wasn’t ready at the time of the last Hand’s death. Nihl asked Maladi why she wasn’t allowed in despite her being a born Sith, to which she replied that she was loyal to Krayt, though they did wonder why their master was so interested in Cade.
As the bounty hunter began to grow in power as a Sith, the Dark Lord became more and more obsessed with him, hoping Cade could heal him of the Yuuzhan Vong implants making his body fail. Nihl disagreed with Krayt’s obsession and talked to Maladi about this. She also wondered if Cade could even heal their master and what would happen if Krayt died. Nihl believed that because the Dark Lord hadn’t chosen his successor, there would be a fight due to the power vacuum generated. Thus the Nagai believed that if Krayt was not healed, then Cade would be chosen to succeed him.
But when the bounty hunter, not actually wanting to be a Sith, was caught trying to escape, he was brought before Krayt and ordered to kill the Jedi, Hosk Trey’lis. Nihl watched as Cade refused to slay the Jedi, even under threat of death, and when Krayt killed Trey’lis himself, the bounty hunter had a vision of his father. Cade telekinetically took up his father’s lightsaber and impaled Talon, before fighting Nihl. As they fought, the Nagai found himself betrayed by Krayt, who encouraged Cade to give in to his anger and kill his opponent to avenge his father. Finally, Nihl’s arm was cut off and he was left unconscious, before Cade attacked him with Force lightning. However Krayt fought the bounty hunter himself, before Cade was rescued by his mother, Morrigan Corde, and his companions.
Nihl after his fight with Cade
Enraged at Nihl and Talon’s failure to keep Cade captured, Krayt became determined to punish the two. He wanted to kill Nagai for his failure, but Wyyrlok convinced him that Nihl was still of use, even though he was no longer worthy of being Krayt’s Hand. The Dark Lord named Darth Stryfe as the Nagai’s replacement, despite Nihl protesting he’d earned the position, before sending him and Talon to be healed. Maladi tended to the two and was going to reattach Nihl’s arm, but their master refused to allow this as punishment, so he was instead given a Yuuzhan Vong bioform replacement. Nihl remained in healing even after Talon recovered, until after Krayt was murdered by Wyyrlok, who then took over, while pretending to act in a surviving Krayt’s stead. The Nagai joined him in securing the Empire’s throne in the Dark Lord’s name.
Krayt's Death and Return[]
Nihl telling Wyyrlok that Krayt's body is gone
Despite Wyyrlok making most of the Sith believe Krayt was alive and in long term stasis, Maladi was not as convinced. She met with Nihl and explained that she was concerned Wyyrlok would try to take power and wipe out anyone he viewed as a threat, which included the Nagai and herself. Maladi added that she thought Nihl was far more worthy to led the Sith and asked him to go to Korriban to confirm Krayt’s demise, then do as he saw fit. Nihl went to Korriban’s Sith Temple, but when he tried to enter the stasis room, Talon stopped him. He lied that Krayt himself had summoned him and the two entered the room, finding only the Dark Lord’s empty armor. Nihl quickly contacted Wyyrlok, informing him that Krayt’s body had disappeared.
The Sith Lord arrived and he and the Nagai looked over the stasis chamber that supposedly contained Krayt. Wyyrlok claimed that someone must have murdered the Dark Lord and taken his body, asking Nihl to keep his demise a secret. Meanwhile Wyyrlok would rule until they found a replacement and he even asked the Nagai to be his advisor. Despite knowing the Chagrain had killed Krayt long before this, Nihl took the opportunity to get rid of his rival, suggesting that Talon was the culprit. He pointed out that she entered the room with him and disappeared after Krayt’s body was found gone. Wyyrlok quickly agreed, pleased to have a scapegoat, and ordered Nihl to track down and question Talon.
Nihl being reprimanded by Krayt
He found her in the Korriban tombs in the Valley of the Dark Lords and fought his rival, accusing her of killing Krayt. But to Nihl’s shock, the Dark Lord showed up, alive and stronger than ever and reprimanded him for seeking power by turning on Krayt. However the Nagai was allowed to live and followed his master to a secret chamber containing his new army. It included a group of Force-senstive Sith troopers and more Sith warriors, which Krayt planned to use to retake power.
Recreating the Sith[]
Nihl stood at Krayt’s side as he moved to retake his throne from Wyyrlok and they headed to Coruscant, attacking the Sith temple. Nihl, Talon, and two of Krayt’s troopers fought through Wyyrlok’s loyalists, heading for the throne room, where they faced Wyyrlok himself. Eventually Krayt himself engaged and defeated the Chagrian and Nihl continued his service to the Dark Lord. After Krayt learned of a hidden Jedi temple, Nihl was ordered to work with the Moffs as the Dark Lord prepared his forces to attack it. He was also commanded to keep them from learning of the Sith troopers secretly reporting to him. As the Sith attacked, Nihl unleashed the troopers, who viciously killed everything in their path, no matter who they were.
Nihl telling Havok of the Sith's new path
After their victory, Nihl and his Sith troopers went to meet the allied forces battling for Coruscant. However the Sith were defeated and in the Sith Temple, Krayt was killed by Cade, sending shockwaves through the Force. Nihl quickly ordered the Sith to retreat, killing the Sith troopers after they went insane from Krayt’s death. The Sith withdrew across the galaxy to rebuild their power and Nihl was joined by Darth Havok. He described a new path for the Sith to Havok, a patient and secretive path that involved infiltrating governments so as to take over.
Personality[]
Nihl is loyal to Krayt, following his every command, even though he occasionally didn’t agree with his master’s decisions. He has studied and believes in old Sith traditions, thinking that the strongest Sith should take command, rather than an heir being named. Nihl has something of an interest in Cade Skywalker, despite disagreeing with Krayt’s obsession with him. He is also ambitious, wanting to be his master’s only hand and has something of a grudge against Talon. Nihl is somewhat arrogant and believed himself to be a superior Sith, as well as having a habit of taunting others.
Abilities[]
Nihl is a powerful Sith and has skill in lightsaber combat, wielding a long-handled lightsaber and combining Force techniques in with his lightsaber attacks. Nihl is knowledgeable in the power of the Force, able to use telekinesis and Force lightning. Nihl can also use his telekinesis to strangle opponents and his Force powers allow him to tame animals.
Trivia[]
- Nihl's name is based on the words, "nill" and "nihilist."
- Darth Nihl is the last known Dark Lord of the Sith in the Expanded Universe.
