Bacharan Valak

"I have taken the reigns of the Empire from Palpatine's fallen sucessors, and now I will lead the Empire to a new era of glory..."

- Bacharan Valak, shortly after becoming Emperor

A man now shadowed in mystery, Bacharan Valak was the first Emperor to succeed Palpatine, ascending to power in 6 ABY and coronated in 8 ABY.

What is known about Valak's early life is little, other than that by 6 ABY, Valak was an Imperial admiral who had managed to draw a lot of support to himself, and the eyes of the Interim Ruling Council, who saw fit to allow Valak to take reign over their Empire. At the time, however, the Empire was still split into various factions, and Valak's reign would be a shaky one.

After crushing the Vigiliant coup in 7 ABY, Valak had regained most of the Empire's remaining forces and territory, and in 8 ABY was coronated at Castle Tsabak on Dreven. The Empire had been fully reborn, and the years that followed would be one of strife for the New Republic and great victory for the Empire.

"From this day forward, no longer are we to be known as what is left of the Galactic Empire, we are the Galactic Empire, and together we will rally to save the few who have strayed from the vision of the New Order and embraced chaos."

- Bacharan Valak, after his coronation

Valak set into motion a great campaign, a campaign which produced another Death Star, hundreds of new warships, and regained dozens of star systems which had fled to the New Republic. Leading from his commandship, the Palpatine, Valak retook Coruscant, destroyed Sluis Van and Gastus IV, and pushed the New Republic and their allies back to the corners of the galaxy.

Misfortune for the Emperor would soon come, however. With the destruction of the Advanced Death Star and the return of Palpatine, Valak's hold on his Empire was loosened, and by late 11 ABY, had seemingly disappeared all-together.

In his absence, Kendal Osbourne would assume the throne, and Valak, nor his supporters, did anything to stop it, casting the impression upon the Empire that their great leader had died.

Not long after, however, Valak resurfaced, but in the captivity of the New Republic, being held for war crime charges. Prison, however, would not hold the former Emperor, and soon after his escape, Valak would disappear, never to be seen again.

Despite his eerie departure from the Empire, Valak's legacy still lives on in the Empire. Valak single-handedly brought the Galactic Empire back from the verge of total annihilation, drawing all of the Empire to his banner and eventually beat the New Republic back.