Part 15: Nar Shaddaa: The Evil Overlord List

Be warned, this is the biggest update yet.



Last update, we were invited by the local Exchange boss to his secret lair.



Well that's not suspicious at all; let's go meet him. Alone.





Aww, I didn't know he cared.

"I won't be able to contact you via the comlink if something happens, and I'm betting that squid-head knows it. Look, take these - they're healing packs. If your suit gets breached, you'll need to inject them fast if you don't want your lungs to seize up. And trust me - once the seizures start, you'll be dead."







Theres some cut lines in this sequence for Atton. He had two sets of dialogue; one if the Exile had high influence, and one for low influence. I think only the high influence one is in the game; this is the alternate dialog:

"Well, I'm not staying aboard the ship while the exile goes out and has all the fun."
"Do not stray far. He may need us."
"I won't - who cares what happens to him? He'll come out unscathed like he usually does. If you're so concerned, you go follow him. Me, I've got better things to do."
"And I know just the place."



Ah, say hi to Mira finally. She's been sulking around in the shadows for the last while.



"What, were you planning to save everyone on this moon? You're attracting more attention than a fleet of Sith warships."



"Who are you?"
"I'm Mira. I'm the best bounty hunter in this system, and that's not me bragging, that's fact. I had you in my sights ever since you landed. I've been watching you run all over the Refugee Sector like a bantha, and for someone with a price on their head as high as yours, you sure don't know how to keep a low profile."
"Look - I know that squid-head Visquis sent you a message to meet him in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. He works for Goto, and it's a trap. I'm betting he's going to lure you in there, start a fight, and then he's going to wrap you up and deliver you to Goto, dead, claiming you attacked him."
"So? What's it to you?"
"Just this - I know you're meeting with Visquis. If I know about it, that means everybody else on this moon knows about it - or will soon enough. And when that happens, the bounty hunter truce is off. That means things are going to get real ugly, real quick."
"I've been a target ever since I've entered Republic space."



Mira is your standard, spunky, won't-take-shit bounty hunter with a heart of gold. She doesn't change that much over the course of the game, but the basis of her character is her emnity with Hanharr, her Dark Side Wookiee counterpart.



"...should be enough to keep me out of trouble until our fearless leader straightens things out."

Naturally Atton ends up at the cantina.



"Well, looks like staying on the ship was a bad idea after all. So... I don't think I caught your names. Uh, do you two work here, or...?"





It seems all the Twi'leks we see in Star Wars are either whores, or femme fatales, or spunky 14 year old kids.

I wonder if there are any non-hot Twi'leks?



Hmm.









"Schutta" is a word invented for this game I'm told.

I think at some point in a comic, they ended up explaining a schutta as a type of weasel from the Twi'lek home planet, or something like that.



There's a bit more that got cut. There's an animation that was suppose to go in when the Twi'leks approach Atton, probably lost due to time.

:: Gameplay Programmer: Cut to a scene of Atton, sitting, the two twi'leks facing him. Don't know if we can give them an "activate" animation to simulate getting a neck massage, but the intention should be that Atton should look like he's relaxed, getting the star wars equivalent of a lap dance. ::

Or maybe it didn't get past the Lucasarts censors? Anyway, there's a bunch more cut lines here if you have low influence with Atton, and Atton recognizes the Twi'leks as assassins right away.

"Perhaps you are looking for something... perhaps us?"
"No, no... I'm not here for the Nar Shaddaa night life. I'm actually not sure why I'm here sometimes."
"I mean, I don't even like the people I travel with, yet somehow... eh, I don't get it."
"You don't need them. We will take care of you... as long as you stay here until the exile returns; that is all we want."
"Really? Good thing I didn't have both of you pegged as assassins as soon as I walked in here. I didn't realize so many bounty hunters had turned their trade into murder, but I guess you two are so desperate you'll turn to anything for a quick credit."



Ah, the famous Atton bar fight.

Keep in mind I'm playing on Difficult, and Atton has no armor on.



I know, I know; if you walk around the counter behind Atton, the Twi'leks won't follow you, and you can just stand there and shoot them to death.

But that's kind of lame. The proper way to do it is with melee weapons.



Note the Twi'lek dance audition in the background that's happily continuing on throughout the fight. "Keep shaking those hips! It's just another bar fight."

I've beat them with guns on Atton before, so if even I can do it, it can't be that hard . It just involves Force Speed and a lot of running in circles around the pazaak tables. But there's a lot of reasons why you shouldn't do that; these twins use energy shields right off the bat, so guns just get absorbed. Vibroblades slice right through the shields though. Guns also come with a huge close quarters penalty against melee users. But it doesn't even matter what the hell you're using as a weapon, because this fight is all about the purple Mandalorian Melee Shield spam.

Anyway, Atton's a trained Jedi killer. He shouldn't have that much trouble beating up a couple of women. He's a reliable guy that way.









"But to be in a place where one drowns in the Force - why would a Jedi wish that?"
"A simple question. To which I ask another - why should a Jedi want to hide?"



I apologize for the purple Atton, but his melee shield hasn't worn off yet.



"The truce between the bounty hunters in Nar Shaddaa is off. There's going to be war. A trap in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr is bad enough, but having a hundred bounty hunters on your back is something else."
"He was told to meet alone. We cannot disrupt their meeting until the alien reveals the information he has."
"Look, we need to move. They're coming after us, not the exile."
"If they are coming after us, then they will be after him as well. We need to go rescue him."







"Or perhaps you have lost your criminal Jedi exile leader perhaps that is more likely, yes, very. I am Azanti Zhug, leader of Zhugs, very powerful, very skilled hunters."
"It would be very smart of you to tell me where the criminal Jedi has gone. And do speak very quick, my patience is very low."
"Anybody here catch that? All I understood was 'very.'"



"Ah. well that would explain it. Which one do you want?"





In the original script, instead of cutting away, you get the play the fight with the Ebon Hawk crew against the bounty hunters. You have to choose Atton and 2 party members, and fight your way through a 'crapload' of Duros to the dock exit. In the dock area there'd be a big cluster of Gand waiting near the Flophouse as well. When you reach the Jekk'Jekk Tarr, the scene would cut away to Mira and Exile inside.

I'd like to think it got cut because it's largely unnecessary; this whole sequence through to the end of the planet is a big, rollicking fight anyway, there's no real need for another non-Exile fight. However I believe the Restoration Mod is adding it back in.



Meanwhile, Jesus has arrived in Mira's apartment.

Normally, this sort of thing would be preceded by a few drinks. And maybe karaoke.



"Yeah, well, it's one of those tradeoffs. All the freighter exhaust from the docks, you know. Some aliens actually like breathing it, if you can believe it. You could say I've gotten used to it. This is actually perfume compared to how the rest of the docks smell."
"Enough talk. Get to the point."
"You know Visquis is arranging a trap for you in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. No surprise there. Thing is, he intends to cut the bounty hunters out of the loop and deliver you to Goto personally. Hm. Not smart from where I'm standing."



"That's some imagination you've got."









Aw, not this bug again.

Mira is suppose to steal Jesus's space suit and disguise herself with it. Unfortunately, half the time when you get the Jekk'Jekk Tarr she's not wear it. It doesn't matter in the end, but the dialogue is really stupid if she's not disguised.

Reload.



Much better.









Mira does the spacewalk to the back of the bar.



Right here is when it gets a bit stupid if she's not wearing the suit.







"Restrain yourself, Hanharr. There is no need for violence. I gather from your conversation that this is not the Jedi I invited here - it is difficult for me to tell, you humans all look so alike to me. Perhaps you would care to explain what I owe the honor of this visit? And where I might find the Jedi?"
"Yeah, and maybe you'd like to explain why you've decided to backstab Goto and claim the Jedi for yourself."
"Ah, what a prime example of human arrogance. What you know is substantially less than what I know. Otherwise, you would not have come. One, everything that goes on in the Jekk'Jekk Tarr is invisible to Goto. It is something I discovered by accident, and have tested many times since to insure accuracy."



"You've signed on with Vogga the Hutt? Visquis, you're dumber than I thought. There's no way Goto won't find out."
"He might, it is possible. But it is a risk I am willing to take. You see, Vogga is very tired of having his freighters hijacked by Goto - it is causing his word to have less... weight on Nal Hutta. There is a leak in his operations here on Nar Shaddaa. Rather than simply find the leak and eliminate it, his anger has compelled him to eliminate the source of the irritation altogether."
"Unfortunately, Goto is very careful about showing himself to others - Vogga's employee, Hanharr, discovered this when he attended the gathering on Goto's yacht. It is always holograms with Goto - always. But I have a suspicion that Goto will reveal himself to a Jedi. When that happens, that is when I intend to strike. Unfortunately, it is clear he will not reveal himself to a two-credit bounty hunter with the audacity to try and strike a deal with me. So please - tell me where the Jedi is. I am not in the mood for negotiation."
"Yeah, right. I'm not telling you where the Jedi is - it's my bounty, and that means he's under my protection."

Good for her. You go girl.



Let's think about Mira's plan for a second.

What was she even trying to accomplish? She strolls into a poison gas pit, confronts the local crime boss and threatens him? She wasn't even armed! What the hell.

Spunk, yes, smart, no.



"Take her away. It looks as if we will not be getting a Jedi this day."
"What of our deal? And my payment?"
"Hanharr, please - calm yourself. The Jedi was on the way to meet us when sidetracked. We must be patient."



It's around this point that Visquis devolves into a textbook case for the application of the Evil Overlord List.

http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html

Rule #195: I will not use hostages as bait in a trap. Unless you're going to use them for negotiation or as human shields, there's no point in taking them.



The lost Jedi we're searching for finally shows up. Unfortunately we're too gassed to do anything about it. He's got a name, but I don't even remember it as it's so unpronounceable.

"When I first heard you were on Nar Shaddaa, I didn't quite believe it. I didn't think anyone could track me here, but I see I underestimated you. I have watched you as you have traveled the Refugee Sector. I've seen what you have done... what I refused to do. Even exiled, you are more a Jedi than I. If anything, know that your actions have convinced me I can stand by and watch no longer while the Exchange closes its grip on this sector."



Bah, he's lying, he never goes to rescue her.



If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Unfortunately, Mira's stolen our space suit.



"But the Jedi has come without an environmental suit - brave, indeed."



Rule #6: I will not gloat over my enemies' predicament before killing them.





:: Still your breathing, let the trace amounts of air in your lungs hold you. The Force can sustain you... listen to it. Let it keep you alive until you can reach safety. ::



Like many other abilities you learn, the first time is the only time it's useful.







"You think they can stop the Jeedai? He will carve through them like a blade."
"Hanharr, do not take me for a fool... they cannot kill the exile, only weaken him for capture. But be silent - and let us watch the amusements on the monitors."



Rule #80: If my weakest troops fail to eliminate a hero, I will send out my best troops instead of wasting time with progressively stronger ones as he gets closer and closer to my fortress.



There's 4 large rooms in the cantina, and each has at least 15 or so guys in it. It's a huge slog through to the end.



But then you get to the Gand rooms.



Gands like to all rush you with melee. You really have to save your Force powers for this.







"So it is as I heard. You do have a base beneath the Jekk'Jekk Tarr to trap the Jeedai."
"Yes, it is a... private sanctuary. Stocked with other hunters as eager to capture Jedi as much as I - and you. We will trap the Jedi there, then wait until the gases overcome the him and make him fit for delivery."









The back entrance of the bar leads to a series of tiny, interconnected, mine-filled rooms. It's vaguely text-adventure inspired. As soon as you enter a room, the door closes behind you, and you're suppose to get disoriented and lost.



The map is also scrambled for your pleasure, so you're not suppose to be able to see where you are. In reality it doesn't really work because the maze is only like 4x5 rooms or something, so just wandering around aimlessly for a minute or two will get you to the exit.



It was pitch black. She was eaten by a grue.



Ah, the exit. Unfortunately we're still locked in because the doom's sealed.





Rule #125: Should I actually decide to kill the hero in an elaborate escape-proof deathtrap room (water filling up, sand pouring down, walls converging, etc.) I will not leave him alone five-to-ten minutes prior to "imminent" death, but will instead (finding a vantage point or monitoring camera) stick around and enjoy watching my adversary's demise.







Rule #129: Despite the delicious irony, I will not force two heroes to fight each other in the arena.



"That does it, Hanharr. I don't want to kill you, but I will if you don't get out of my way."





The fabled Hanharr vs. Mira fight. Some basics:

Mira starts off at level 6 and unarmed. You can immediately level her to level 15 to catch her up to the Exile. This makes this arena fight miles easier. However, she can be turned into another class later, so it's not ideal to waste all those levels. This presents a dilemma.

In our LP we're going to keep her at level 6 and fight Hanharr that way. She doesn't really even need a gun.



You'll notice the 6 mines around the edges of the arena. Mira is a light step and won't trip them off. So just stand behind them and wait for Hanharr to come running up.



That'll take him down to half health. For the rest, Mandalorian Melee Shield spam, Adrenal Alacrity to run away faster, and set a bunch more mines of your own. Mira shares the Exile's inventory, so there's gotta a bunch of mines lying around.

Here's a bonus video I did of it with just mines and grenades.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?do...975371958879355



"Still, I have the Jedi. And now I have no need to pay Hanharr for his services."





Why don't they just eat Hanharr instead of Mira? I mean, he's lying right there.



This is possibly harder than the Hanharr fight, but again, Mandalorian Melee Shield spam.





A corpse at the back of the cage has the keys to get out of here.



There was a point where Mira does NOT break out and fight through dozens of Ubese. Remember Atton and friends from the Ebon Hawk were making their way down here to rescue you? Well, they don't find the Exile, but they do kill Visquis and find Mira locked up.

"Glad somebody arrived - saves me the trouble of having to break out of here. Name's Mira - I've been watching you all stumble around this moon for a while, causing trouble. Now you've got Goto's attention, and he's the last person you want to have watching you."
"And how did he capture you?"
"Ugh! I was taken down like an amateur. I've never been inside the Jekk'Jekk Tarr, but they won't catch me the same way twice. You may have defeated Visquis, but you won't take down Goto so easily. And now he's the one who has your friend."



Here's where underleveling can be tricky. Mira has to fight through a huge number of Ubese bounty hunters, which are melee-based and no joke in the damage department. The first few Mira can dispatch with mines and melee shield, but we start running out of mines after a while.

So what we'll do is just level Mira up once.



And put 1 point into Stealth. Since she has massive Dexterity, and she shares the Exile's inventory, we can pump her Stealth up to 16 with a few items.



It's more than enough to sneak past the guards.



These Ubese bounty hunters have their own backstory. Their home planet was bombed to smithereens by the Republic during the last war, and so they blamed... the Jedi. For not interceding. That makes sense.





Opening the escape hatch decloaks her, but it's too late for them to do anything about it. She also managed to open the door to the Exile's hatch too.



"Who opened the door to the vent tunnels early? I ordered it sealed until I gave the command! How could the Jedi have opened it from the ins-?"
"Mira."





Cue the showdown at high noon music.





Jesus is much better equipped to handle these guys than Mira.





Visquis is down inside the arena. Let's not keep him waiting.







"Very well, let us dispense with the pleasantries. You are, after all, human. Based on your actions alone, I take it you are not familiar with the organization I serve... or my responsibilities. I run the Refugee Sector - I decide what happens here, I control the flows and currents of this sector. You have caused a great deal of trouble for the Exchange here on Nar Shaddaa, and I wish to know why."
"Because you've all put a bounty on my head."
"So you are the exile mentioned in the coreward database. It seems my squeezing of the Refugee Sector has yielded success, after all."



"Your price is so high that any bounty hunter who captures you would be able to buy their own planet. You must have angered Goto greatly for him to hunt you so."



Rule #189: I will never tell the hero "Yes I was the one who did it, but you'll never be able to prove it to that incompetent old fool." Chances are, that incompetant old fool is standing behind the curtain.





Rule #6: Shooting is not too good for my enemies.



Is it just me or do they look like Master Chief from Halo?



They run right by Jesus.



No, that's Master Chief all right.





The voice of Goto, Visquis's boss, chimes in from the com systems.



"Please, take the Jedi - I offer the human as a gift, freely, as I would my own li-"
"Enough."
"He's *mine* to kill, not yours."











Da da duh...

What will happen next time? Is Jedi Jesus dead? Will we be forced to play the rest of the game with Atton as the main character? Find out next update.





Okay, let's talk cut content. First, the Exchange wasn't even suppose to be here in the underground lair beneath the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. It was the original home of the Genoharadan. Parallel to the whole Goto/Bounty Hunter plot, the Genoharadan were sending out assassins to kill you, and you follow the trail back to here. It's a little weird because the Genoharadan were portrayed in KOTOR 1 as a secret society in the manner of the Illuminati or something. In KOTOR 2, they were a death cult dedicated to wiping out the Jedi. The Exile would have broken into here and killed a bunch of Genoharadan disciples, all of whom mutter things like:

"The GenoHaradan is life... and death."
"We see the death of our enemies in our waking thoughts and as we meditate."
"Death is the religion we worship."
"There is no higher calling than the GenoHaradan."

The Genoharadan leader was called Dessicus:

"So... you've crawled your way here. I admit, I thought to be dueling you on some far-distant world. But you have honored me by not wasting my time hunting you down."
"You think you can kill me?"
"I do not think I can kill you - I have watched your movements, seen you fight, and I have already killed you a dozen times over."
"I'd rather talk with you first - and find out who hired you to kill me."
"Do you think I would reveal it to you? If so, then you thought wrong. Prepare yourself - I have waited for this moment to test myself against the Jedi for some time. GenoHaradan Brothers - attack!"

After killing him:

"You have defeated me... but you will not leave here alive. This complex is a trap... when my heartbeat fails, this place shall explode, removing all trace of the GenoHaradan... and you."

At which point the underground base explodes. With the Exile still in it.




...

No, the exile doesn't get blown up; Zez-Kai Ell, the lost Jedi, rescues the Exile from the explosion. Obviously this doesn't jive with the fact Goto captures the Exile along the way too. I guess that's why the call it cut content.

Are you still following? Good. Back at the ship, everyone's panicking about the Exile's 'death'.



"The exile, he is dead. We have lost - it is over."
"No, now it begins. In hatred, there is unity. Against a common foe, even enemies may stand side by side."
"Now they will turn on each other, and the betrayals will begin. They will feed on each other, until only one remains."
"That which waits in the darkness will now show itself... and now the galaxy will begin to die."

Okay, here's the last part of the plot thread: Darth Sion. At the beginning of Nar Shaddaa, I included the cut scene where Sion follows the Exile to this planet. So in addition to the Genoharadan and the Exchange chasing after the Exile, you had Sion running around too. Well, Sion gets here too late, and thinks the Exile is dead, having died with the secret exploding Genoharadan base.

He then leaves and goes to... Darth Nihilus.



"I have ended the Jedi Order. The last, the exile, is dead. I did, with what all your power, you could not do. There is more.
*um nash dai no kari to. un na tari to.*
"Darth Traya yet lives. You did not kill her, as you assumed. Our alliance is finished. I have no need of you."

Nihilus does not move, camera shows him from the front, half side, as Sion walks away behind him. There is a few seconds of silence.

*day no kash y nam temnay tari.*

Cuts to Sion's face, furious, Sion stops, ignites blade. Facial expression is already set to angry. Nihilus turns, dark wave energy exploding from him, blasting Sion back, as supports smash down around him. Big fight scene between Nihilus and Sion here.

"Now it ends. And the darkness comes."

Somebody (not me!) put the voice files for this cutscene together with the engine, it's definitely worth taking a look:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IobIhctxRXg