So LucasArts has announced a new Star Wars game called The Force Unleashed. The premise here is that you play as Darth Vader's Secret Sith Apprentice, and have huge powerful force ability which you use to hunt down remaining Jedi, including Shaak Ti, 3 newly created characters, and perhaps some others from the EU lingering around. What fun! Of course, now that we know he has a SECRET apprentice, we all want to know who this guy is. So indulge me in a few guesses.

1.) Clone of Anakin Skywalker: Why not? We have seen Palpatine clone himself, we have seen clones of Luke and C'boath in the EU. Why haven't we had a story about an Anakin clone already? Vader's body is basically worthless, and while this fact keeps his power in check, it also makes him an unworthy successor to Palpatine's rule.

This can work one of two ways. First, if the clone is a secret to everyone except vader, then that would mean that Vader wants to use a younger, easily manipulated version of himself as a blunt instrument to strike down Palpatine and take over the Empire himself. If it is a secret shared by Vader and Palpatine, then it is likely that they plan for Vader to jump his spirit into the younger, more powerful body (or perhaps the emperor will?), thus allowing him to be reborn and able to use all the most powerful dark side techniques.

Also, looking at the model they have for the secret apprentice, it is obviously male, and the build and what little we DO see of the face just looks like Anakin to me. This is my leading theory. Supported by the fact that the force power of the secret apprentice is off the charts, granted that is just game exaggeration, but itd make sense in the story if it were anakin. Other things to consider, if it IS anakin, its possible the clone finds a way to save itself just like boba fett is trying to in the current legacy novels, which would mean longer life, combine that with a force trance, and we might be talking about Darth Krayt of the Legacy comics here. A name that would make sense, being that he is cloned from anakin, who comes from tatooine.

2.) Drake Lo'ogan: this young former padawan of the Ithorian jedi master from the clone wars cartoon series is a part of the current evasive action webstrip, and it looks as though he is headed down a dark path. It could be him, but that would mean the incredible force powers are non-canon in terms of their power levels.

3.) Ferus Olin: Well, the guy is sitll alive, and having his brushes with the Dark Side. Of course, Vader HATES him, and it is very unlikely the two would work together. Nonethless, it is a possibility.

4.) Totally new character: This is probably the most likely solution, but also the most boring, IMO.

5.) Clone of palpatine: also possible, but unlikely.

6.) Kam Solusar: Would be a great nod to the EU to have this little known figure come back from EU obscurity and play a role in the GFFA again. We know he was a dark sider for a time.

Anyway, just some food for thought. Very curious on opinions and other ideas.

Keith "Nar" Kappel
http://www.fandomcomics.com