Leviathan (starship)
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| Star Wars craft | |
 |
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| Leviathan | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Star Forge |
| Specification | Interdictor-class cruiser |
| Type | Capital ship |
| Length | 600 meters long |
| Weapons | 20 quad laser cannons; 4 gravity well projectors; tractor beam; 2 ion cannons; 4 turbolasers |
| Shield | 7 generator defelector shields |
| Hull | Unknown |
| Crew | Darth Malak, Admiral Saul Karath (Captain) |
| Top Speed | 30,000 m/s |
| Troop Capacity | Unknown |
| Affiliation | Sith, Darth Malak |
| Cargo Capacity | Unknown |
| Passengers | 7,400 approx.(on average) |
The Leviathan is an Interdictor-class warship formerly in the service of the Republic, then became the flagship of the Sith Lord Darth Malak. The Leviathan was featured in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It was commanded by Admiral Saul Karath both in Republic and Sith service.
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[edit] Origins
Since the perfection of the hyperdrive, there has been a race to develop devices that counter its use. The ability to escape into faster-than-light corridors of space has long been exploited by criminals and fugitives, and for thousands of years there's been an invisible technological race between faster and smarter hyperdrive system and more powerful and effective interdictors. Four thousand years ago, the vanguard of interdicting technology was encased in a massive Republic warship, the Leviathan. Though inefficient by modern standards, the vessel was capable of preventing the use of hyperdrives of the era by simulating the presence of planet-sized masses with its four enormous gravity-well generators.
It was a great blow to the Republic when the Leviathan's commander, Admiral Karath, defected to the growing Sith forces. The pride of the Republic navy became its greatest threat. Karath filled the cavernous hangar bays with two squadrons of agile Sith fighters, which supplemented its formidable arsenal of 20 quad laser cannons, a tractor beam projector, two ion cannons and four turbolaser batteries.
[edit] Appearances in Knights of the Old Republic
The Leviathan first appears over Taris, where it leads a planetary blockade to aid the capture of Jedi Knight Bastila Shan, who was on the planet after the Republic warship she was on (the Endar Spire) was destroyed by the Leviathan. Following an extensive search of Taris, Darth Malak orders Admiral Karath to perform an orbital bombardment of Taris with the spacecraft's cannons (more generally known in the Star Wars universe as a Base Delta Zero operation). Despite extensive damage to the planet, Bastila, Carth Onasi, and Darth Revan (along with the Mission Vao, Zaalbar, Canderous Ordo, and the utility droid T3-M4) manage to escape the bombardment in the Ebon Hawk, a light freighter stolen from Davik Kang.
The Leviathan is seen at various points throughout the game, often in cut scenes that reveal Calo Nord or Darth Bandon's plans to hunt Revan and Bastila down.
[edit] The capture (and escape) of the Ebon Hawk
Following the discovery of the third Star Map, the Ebon Hawk is attacked and captured by the Leviathan, and the crew is detained for interrogation. One of the crew members either avoids detection or escapes from captivity, and frees the other crew members. While the rest of the crew recapture the Ebon Hawk, Revan, Bastila and Carth proceed to the bridge, where they confront and kill Saul Karath and his guards. The three set out to reach the Leviathan's docking bay, but are stopped by Malak, who reveals Revan's true identity. After a brief skirmish, Bastila distracts Malak, and Carth and Revan escape to the Ebon Hawk.
[edit] The fate of the Leviathan
The Leviathan does not re-appear in KOTOR 2; various theories have emerged about its fate.
[edit] Light side ending
In the canon lightside ending, after Bastila stops using Battle Meditation, the Republic fleet manages to break through the Sith's defense, destroys their fighters, the two Sith ships guarding the Star Forge, and ultimately, the Star Forge itself.
Two popular theories are that the Leviathan is either one of the two ships guarding the Star Forge, or is docked in the Star Forge when it is destroyed. In the event that the Leviathan was one of the two aforementioned ships, it was destroyed either directly by the Republic's capital ships, or by the explosion that occurs when the Star Forge is destroyed.
[edit] Dark side ending
Bastila uses her Battle Meditation to seal the fate of the Republic fleet, annihilating them with minimal losses. In this case, the Leviathan either becomes Revan's new flagship, is returned to service as a regular ship, or is decommissioned.
[edit] External link
- Entry for the Leviathan in the Star Wars Databank
- Leviathan on Wookieepedia: The Star Wars Wiki
