Kyle Katarn was the offspring of Morgan and Patricia Katarn, who worked as farmers on the Sullust colony moon known as Sulon. Born in 23 BBY, this Human boy spent his formative years on the family farm. The death of his mother, caused by a faulty BT-16 perimeter security droid, deeply affected the Katarn family, leaving the two men to manage the farm without her help. He found companionship in WeeGee, his father's custom-built labor droid, with whom they could communicate using droidspeak. He spent considerable time with his father in their workshop, repairing and assembling machines, which strengthened their bond. He was captivated by his father's tools and their potential; by the age of twelve, he was maintaining WeeGee himself, and soon after, he could disassemble and repair any equipment on the homestead. His father also taught him a Primitive binary code, which he used to communicate with their agrirobots.

During his childhood, Kyle enjoyed playing hide-and-seek in a nearby canyon and cavern. Shortly before his eighteenth birthday, local authorities began surveying the area for the installation of a G-Tap. Eventually, Katarn presented his father with a multitool engraved with his initials.

Upon reaching adulthood, Kyle sought to ease his father's financial burden and acquire the knowledge necessary to continue the family trade as an agro-tech mechanic. As a resident of the Outer Rim, Kyle had limited educational opportunities, making the Imperial Academy an attractive option. His father, who Kyle knew sympathized with the Rebellion, reluctantly agreed. In 5 BBY, he enrolled at the Academy and departed from his homeworld on a freighter bound for Carida. On the eve of his departure, his father gifted him an antique Bryar pistol, and Kyle kept a holo-recording of their last meeting, in which Morgan expressed his pride in him.

During his four years of training as an engineering student at the Academy of Carida, he discovered his talent for cybernetics systems theory and information engineering. Like all engineers, Kyle received only thirty hours of training in TIE/LN starfighters, focusing more on piloting various support craft such as T-4s. Other activities included extracurricular martial arts like fencing under a strict instructor, target-shooting classes, studying battle tactics with set-pieces, and exhausting patrols in uncomfortable Stormtrooper armor, which negatively impacted their morale and readiness. His roommate was Odom Meck, and he had to deal with the annoying nobleman Nathan Donar III. He frequently encountered Jan Strange from Imperial Intell, who was secretly a Rebel operative.

Three months before graduation, Kyle, like many cadets, focused on the dangerous tradition of "walking the edge" during their ceremonial parade, conducting research and discovering that thirty-six cadets had died after falling from the cliffside, nearly half of them marching on the right flank, where he would eventually be assigned. Nathan Donar was appointed Company Commander, leading his column.

His Omega Exercise proved to be a turning point in his life and career, consisting of a raid on a Rebel asteroid base, which he led as Cadet Leader. It was during this mission that Katarn began to suspect his Force potential, inherited from his father, as he experienced premonitions that saved the lives of many of his strike team members. Katarn expressed concern about the unnecessary deaths of surrendering Rebel agents, arguing that they would be more valuable as prisoners, which annoyed Sergeant Major Hong. He also encountered Jan Ors again. Although on opposite sides of the war, Katarn and Ors felt a connection that led Katarn to spare her life and the lives of many station inhabitants. After securing the base, Kyle led his surviving troops to a cafeteria to await reinforcements, but they were ambushed by a Rebel rescue force, resulting in his injury. He was one of only seven wounded troopers who survived behind a barricade. Eventually, the Imperial group arrived and rescued the surviving stormtroopers.

Following this, Katarn was hospitalized back at the Training Base, where he was hailed as a hero. He was discharged from the hospital just hours before his graduation, where he would receive his commission and hoped to make his father proud. Unbeknownst to him, Morgan was a supporter of the Rebel Alliance and had been executed by Inquisitor Jerec. Questioning his performance and strange feelings during his last mission, he sought refuge in the Academy's library and confided in Odom, who had explored religion, about his concerns. His connection to Morgan and his own Force sensitivity drew the attention of Jerec, who attended the ceremony.

During the graduation ceremony, Katarn marched on the right flank under the command of Company Commander Nathan Donar, and despite his concerns, Donar led the parade without any casualties from falls over the edge.

He received the Imperial Medal of Valor from General Rom Mohc and was congratulated by a figure dressed in black, whom Kyle assumed to be a government official. The man introduced himself as Jerec and extended a puzzling invitation to join those with power whenever Kyle was ready. Katarn felt a chilling cold in his presence, and as the medal touched his uniform, he experienced another strange sensation: a surge of power through his nerves, granting him detailed views of the area and others' minds. His nerves discharged when the man stepped back. He was unaware that Jerec was the very man who had killed his father not long before.

After the ceremony, Kyle was approached by his cheering peers who wanted to admire the Medal up close. As he, like other residents of the Outer Rim, had no visitors, he accepted Meck's invitation to join his family for dinner, pretending that his motivation was to see Meck's attractive sister.

Soon after, he received an official message announcing that his father had been killed in a suspected Rebel raid on his homeworld of Sulon. Recalling the lives he had spared on the asteroid base, Katarn developed a strong hatred for the Rebellion, believing them to be murderers. He immediately went to the Office of Cadet Affairs and waited for it to open at dawn.

Although the Academy denied his request for funeral leave, Katarn accepted a commission in the special operations division of the Imperial Army. Now a Second Lieutenant, he embarked on a cruise on the Star of Empire, his last moment of freedom before officially becoming an officer in the Imperial navy. He boarded a military transport leaving Carida and then transferred to the orbital transfer station off Dorlon II. There, he boarded a shuttle that docked in the liner's hangar.

For the first time in years, Kyle found himself among non-human beings and was able to admire females, which led to an embarrassing moment when the mother of twin girls frowned at him, causing him to trip. To his surprise, he noticed that people were intentionally bumping into him. A businessman he met, Lando Calrissian, explained that the "real galaxy" was not as sheltered as the Academy and that his Imperial officer's uniform would attract sneers. At that moment, he was reunited with Nathan, who was also traveling with his family, and invited him to dinner, eager to introduce the heroic "cadet who won the medal" to his parents. Kyle was flattered, considering they belonged to the Empire's inner circle. Governor Dol Donar II showed genuine interest in Katarn's achievements, and in return, Kyle pretended to compliment Nathan's leadership during the parade. They dined in the Nebula Room, where Kyle ate green salad and candied insects. When asked about his background, he mentioned his father and his death, prompting Donar to launch into a Rebel-hating rant, assuring Katarn that his father would be avenged as the Emperor had something in store for the Rebels. Calrissian then approached them and invited the Governor to a game of sabacc.

After dinner, he went to the Corellia Room to rejoin the Donars playing with Calrissian. Soon after, he encountered a familiar face. Their eyes met, and he recognized the Rebel girl from the asteroid. She turned away, and Kyle tried to follow her through the crowd, not only to arrest her but also to seek revenge and answers. Catching a moving walkway, he started jogging and entered a lift tube. He realized that the level below was off-limits to passengers and used the emergency ladderway. Once he landed, he was immobilized by Rosco Ross, an accomplice of the girl who was waiting for him, and was led into a storeroom. After a brief brawl, Ors pointed out that he had spared their lives earlier. Katarn also felt another connection with Ors, not the hatred he expected. After exchanging names, Ors agreed to let him live if he promised to part ways and not act against them. Feeling desperate, Kyle promised and asked to talk to her.

The two met again in the ship's library while she was practicing her dancing in a virtual reality set, prompting him to applaud her talent. They went to the ship's cafeteria, where Katarn wanted to discuss the war and that the people the Rebels were fighting were good men, including the Stormtroopers and his innocent father. Ors's attention was piqued when he mentioned Sulon, and she realized that the Imperial was the son of one of their leaders.

Upon her invitation, Katarn discreetly went to her cabin to avoid being spotted with a Rebel agent. There, he was startled when her droid, A-Cee, initiated a self-destruct sequence, which Ors managed to override in time. It was programmed to detonate in the presence of an Imperial Officer. Ors explained her role in Alliance Intelligence and showed Katarn footage from the Battle of the G-Tap obtained by the droid and the reporter Candice Ondi it was serving. Katarn watched the holorecord skeptically until he saw his father leading other Sulonese he knew. He then realized that the Imperials had staged the attack, painting Rebel insignias on their ships to make it appear as if the Rebels were the aggressors. Their use of standard Imperial tactics, which Katarn had studied extensively at the Academy, gave them away. Seeing the footage, Katarn became distrustful of the Empire and defected, symbolically tearing off his Medal of Valor and throwing it in a recycle bin, thanking her for showing him the truth.

Sometime later, Kyle sought Ors and found her in the ship's hangar, struggling with a heavy metallic casing. He helped her lower it to the floor, suggesting she should have used a floor jack or called for a maintenance droid, which was exactly what she had been thinking, annoying her. He complimented her tools and offered to help repair her ship due to his technical training at the Academy. He performed some diagnostics on the hyperspace motivator. An hour passed, and Jan admired his knowledge and certainty. She was further impressed by how quickly Kyle finished the task, explaining that whenever he let his mind go, the solution became clear. Finally, Kyle confessed his desire to join the Alliance, his commitment evident in his eyes. Ors's team was scheduled to leave the Star in two days, and she invited him to join them.

The next morning, he received an anonymous e-mail advising him not to waste his career on a Rebel woman and to prepare for interrogation. He immediately realized it was from Nathan and that his father had somehow learned what was happening. Kyle was unaware that their movements were being observed by the bounty hunter Slyder, who sold them out to the Donars. Feeling guilty for betraying Nathan's confidence but not forgetting the reason for his defection, he called Jan and warned her that someone was after them. He armed himself with his Imperial sidearm, packed his belongings in a carryall, and rushed to the hangar, leaving his officer uniforms behind.

Rosco and Waller were already at the ship, waiting for Ors. As Kyle claimed to be able to fly it and remembered Jan's access codes, he briefly took the lead and offered to initialize the ship until Ors arrived, surprising both Rebels. His first problem was that the pressure doors were closed, and the Controller refused to cooperate without a prior request. Kyle activated the repulsors and had Waller shoot at another ship to force the Controller to open the doors. As the Sorry lurched up and down, he saw Jan entering, followed by a Rodian they met earlier, Nathan, and Imperials. He was relieved that Nathan wasn't harmed during the exchange of fire. Jan collapsed due to a lack of oxygen, and he moved the ship toward her, able to focus thanks to an oxygen mask. Once Rosco brought Jan onto the ramp, Kyle lifted them up. Men in space suits boarded a ship, but he didn't fire. They threw a concussion grenade against the Sorry. Ignoring the controller's threats, he thrust the ship toward the half-opened doors and exited into space. Ors sat next to him, and Waller notified them that a ship was pursuing them. Kyle regretted not updating the navcomp. The enemy ship was gaining, and Kyle was surprised to see Jan turn to confront it, when it unexpectedly blew up by itself. They both realized that it was an internal explosion caused by A-Cee, who had been loaded onto the ship and self-destructed in Nathan's presence.

The Sorry facilitated a successful getaway, bringing them to the New Hope. Kyle was struck by the sheer size of the repurposed, stolen vessel and the Rebels' nonchalant demeanor. Ors then presented him to Mon Mothma, the Alliance's leader. From her, he discovered his father's esteemed position and friendship with a Jedi. He explained to Mothma that his motivation for becoming an agent stemmed from a desire to avenge his father. Mothma, understanding, emphasized that the more pressing threat was Palpatine. She suggested that aiding the Rebellion was the first step in finding his father's killers. This proposition evoked a mix of doubt, apprehension, and pride within him. Mothma then revealed the existence of the Empire's Death Star, a space station armed with a superlaser capable of planetary destruction. Kyle was impressed by the capabilities of Alliance Intelligence and recalled Donar's warnings about the Emperor's plans against the Rebellion. Mothma offered him a mission: to infiltrate an Imperial facility in Trid on Danuta and retrieve schematics of the deadly station, hoping Rebel engineers could find a vulnerability. Mothma believed that his Imperial background and the all-male environment of the facility made him suitable for what could be a fatal mission. Kyle questioned why a commando raid wasn't considered, and Mothma explained their desire to minimize collateral damage to Trid, a principle distinguishing the Alliance from the Empire.

She also showed him a video of the target room where the memory matrix holding the plans was located. In the video, he recognized a familiar officer, Meck, upon replaying it. Mothma inquired if Kyle knew him, but Kyle lied, visibly sweating. However, Mothma was aware of the officer's identity and their friendship but gave no indication. Kyle accepted the mission solely for his father's sake and the Sulonese people, marking the beginning of his career as a Rebel-sympathetic mercenary and spy.

Reportedly, soon after being recruited, Kyle spent time at a Rebel base filled with smugglers and pirates, learning skills in sabotage and subterfuge. Katarn was also the one who brought the Twi'lek Rianna Saren into the organization. His first assignment for her was to infiltrate a Black Sun warehouse on Coruscant to uncover their involvement with the Empire. After Saren's successful completion, Katarn revealed his identity as a Rebel agent and introduced her to Leia Organa.

Before his departure, he received a brief message from Jan wishing him luck. Upon presenting his orders to the Deck Master, he was given a selection of old ships. After a thorough examination and comparison of their drives, systems, durability, and weaponry, he chose the freighter named Moldy Crow. He then dedicated several days to equipping the ship with various parts, tools, and facilities, some of which he secretly "acquired." Furthermore, he prepared to impersonate the pilot Dan Drexel, using forged documents, before setting off for Danuta.

The Moldy Crow's journey to his destination took five days. Kyle, accompanied only by the ship's vibrations and the sounds from the vents, spent his time on maintenance and sleeping. He attempted to formulate plans, but due to limited information, he decided to improvise. As he entered the planet's orbit, he was intercepted by two TIEs and identified himself to the Orbital patrol vessel X-Ray 291. He received clearance and was given approach vectors to the Trid spaceport, marking his first landing on the planet. Before disembarking, he preset the emergency start-up sequence and prepared to bribe the local Imperial customs agent. The agent noted that Kyle's face seemed familiar from a previous debriefing. Kyle claimed that he was pulled out of hyperspace by an uncharted gravity well, causing him to be off-schedule, and offered some credits to expedite the process.

He dedicated his first day in Trid to reconnaissance, passing by a square and walking towards the Facility. He briefly contemplated abducting a scientist for access but dismissed the idea. He felt a strange premonition of being followed, so he entered a cafe to rest and observe his surroundings. He spotted a familiar figure in the distance but didn't recognize it as Jan stalking him. Eventually, he reached the security perimeter near the Research Complex and pretended to exercise. However, as he wasn't dressed for it, he took a quiet street and returned to the spaceport, buying food from a street vendor. He concluded that entering without inside help was impossible and recalled Meck, and his choice between friendship and duty. After dinner in the Crow, he slept and had a nightmare: he was a Rebel on AX-456 shooting Stormtroopers pouring from a hatch, all with Meck's face under their helmets.

He went to town early in the morning, knowing that Meck was spiritual and would seek a religious place. Getting directions from a street vendor, he found and entered a Danuta Temple, but not before checking his surroundings. Again, Ors was behind him but he failed to see her. He arranged a secret meeting with Meck and rested in the Crow. Kyle spent a nervous afternoon and evening in the Blue Moon, buying drinks, avoiding stares and offers of female companionship, and keeping his blaster ready. He hoped Meck would appear and not betray him. About an hour later, just as he was about to give up, Meck arrived. Meck warned him that Kyle had become quite "infamous" and showed him a wanted poster with a holo from the Academy's yearbook, along with accusations of various crimes. Kyle admitted that he defected and explained his mission. Kyle promised to keep Meck's involvement secret and that they would work together to create a believable story.

Meck provided Katarn with information that helped him complete his mission. He also deactivated the perimeter, allowing Katarn to enter the base. Inside, he received a communication from Jan that the Crow was approaching. Major Horst had his men trap Kyle in the south corridor. While taking cover from the fire, Katarn decided to use the same technique as when dealing with technical repairs: emptying his mind and letting himself go. He was then able to anticipate his adversaries' positions and the direction of the blaster bolts, accurately shooting them all while avoiding the incoming fire. The feeling was similar to when he met Jerec at his graduation. He then received another message from Jan, saying that the Crow was on its way and that he wasn't insane, but the Force was with him. He made his way to the officer holding the keycard, who was sending a walker to intercept the approaching Crow. Katarn surprised Horst, who wondered how he had survived his men. Instead of handing over the keycard, Horst tried to shoot him, but Kyle shot first. He called Jan to update her and warn her that armed reinforcements were coming her way. He suggested breaking off, but Jan ignored him. Communication was then cut off. Not knowing what had happened to Jan, Kyle decided that his only option was to continue the mission.

He reached the secure room, hoping that Meck would keep his promise and open the door for him. He did, expressing his amazement at Kyle's progress. He led him into the vault where the plans were kept, and Kyle felt a sense of evil emanating from it. He thanked Meck, calling him a hero and saying that the lives they would save would atone for the deaths of his comrades. Meck demanded that he never see him again and reminded Kyle to give him a convincing bruise. Kyle thanked him and left.

The partial plans stolen by Katarn were eventually combined with those captured at Toprawa, on the Death Star itself, and by Rianna Saren and Zeeo after their battle against Imperial slave master Zarien Kheev on Danuta, to create a complete outline of the station.

Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, Mon Mothma tasked Katarn with investigating the destruction of Tak Base resulting from the attack on Tak Base. Katarn accepted, and, upon request, took on Jan Ors as his mission officer. Katarn's investigation revealed the Imperial Dark Trooper project, spearheaded by Clone Wars veteran General Rom Mohc. A series of clues led Katarn to Anoat, where he apprehended Moff Rebus, a notorious Imperial weapons engineer. Following a raid on a phrik testing facility on the planet Fest, Katarn was directed to the Gromas system, where the mineral was being mined and the initial phase of Dark Trooper production was underway. After demolishing the facility, Katarn had to liberate Crix Madine from an Imperial detention center on Orinackra and journeyed to the Ramsees Hed docking port on Cal-Seti. There, he managed to trace a smuggling vessel that was making trips to the frozen world of Anteevy, where the second phase of Dark Trooper construction was being finalized. Katarn obliterated the facility on Anteevy and was led to Nar Shaddaa, where he discovered a nav card detailing the activities of all the smugglers involved in the Dark Trooper project. However, upon departing the planet, Katarn and Ors were briefly captured by Jabba the Hutt.

After defeating several kell dragons with his bare hands, Katarn successfully recovered the card, rescued Ors, and escaped Jabba's space cruiser. Katarn and Ors infiltrated the ISO building on Coruscant, where he deciphered the nav card. He also engaged and defeated Boba Fett. Utilizing the new information from the card, Katarn and Ors tracked one of the smuggler ships to the Refueling Station Ergo. Katarn hijacked this ship and used it to sneak onto the Executor, which was the only ship with the information regarding the location of the Arc Hammer, the site of the third and final phase of Dark Trooper manufacturing. Once aboard, he stowed away on a cargo transport bound for the Arc Hammer. After an intense battle against a Phase III Dark Trooper-clad General Mohc, Katarn proceeded to destroy the Arc Hammer and escape, permanently dismantling the Dark Trooper Project. In recognition of his bravery, Mon Mothma awarded him the Star of Alderaan.

When Jan adopted an Imperial identity in an attempt to assassinate the Head of the School of Torturers, her cover was compromised, and Kyle rescued her.

Katarn also participated in a SpecForce team assembled by the former Jedi Knight Corwin Shelvay, collaborating with Force-sensitives Shira Brie and Erling Tredway to sabotage the superlaser of the second Death Star on its way to D'rinba IV.

A few years before 5 ABY, a smuggler transported weapons into an Imperial-controlled sector and managed to anger both the Rebel Alliance and another individual. The Alliance dispatched Katarn to address the smuggler's operation. During this mission, Katarn and a Gran bodyguard crossed paths and engaged in a firefight that resulted in the Gran sustaining a blaster injury to his leg. Katarn eliminated the smuggler's operation shortly thereafter.

While working for the Alliance, Katarn accumulated a substantial list of accomplishments. However, as a freelance mercenary, he gained a reputation for working with both sides, taking on jobs for the Empire and later the Imperial Remnant. Katarn also became known as a troublemaker on the moon of Nar Shaddaa.

Katarn continued to grieve his father's death and seek the person responsible. One year after the Battle of Endor, Katarn was contacted by 8t88, an administrative droid working as an information broker. The droid arranged a meeting in Rimmer's Rest on Nar Shaddaa. Concerned, Ors tried to dissuade him, but Katarn, seemingly convinced, ignored her warnings and went alone to the Smuggler's Moon, eager to learn who killed his father.

Upon arrival, Katarn waited for the droid in the cantina, rewatching a holorecording of his last farewell to his father before leaving for Carida. The nostalgia was interrupted by the droid's arrival. At gunpoint, 8t88 revealed that Jerec, the very person who congratulated him during his graduation years ago, a Dark Jedi with ambitions of restoring the Empire, had killed his father. The droid then admitted that he was working for the Dark Jedi and had lured Katarn there to help them decode a holodisc salvaged from his home on Sulon. When Katarn refused to cooperate, 8t88 left the cantina with a Gran and another bounty hunter to eliminate him, unaware that Katarn had bugged him with a tracker droid. It turned out that the Gran held old grudges against the mercenary. After briefly having his Bryar pistol confiscated, Katarn used telekinesis to reclaim it. Following a brief skirmish, he freed himself and pursued 8t88, tracking the signal from his tracker.

Evading and battling various adversaries, he caught up with the droid as he was about to depart on his shuttle. From a distance, Katarn could only shoot off the droid's arm as he waved the holodisk around to taunt Katarn, causing it to fall into the abyss. It was then that Ors caught up with him in the Crow, having followed his tracks. Katarn refused to be "rescued" and told her to wait for him at the top. Katarn climbed down into the depths of the city to the base of the platform tower and recovered the holodisk. He fought his way back until he was ambushed by bounty hunters, before being rescued again by Ors. In the process, he was aided by a voice that guided him. However, he sustained a blaster wound and a concussion. Ors stabilized his wound, but during the three-day trip back to the Rebel fleet, Katarn vomited and lost consciousness. Ors brought him to the medical frigate Mercy.

Due to Katarn's status as an agent, he was entitled to high-priority treatment in the special Ward 114 reserved for Special Operations, but his questionable past resulted in him being listed as "borderline priority." The doctor in charge also noticed that he was not on assignment when he was injured. Despite this, and the influx of casualties from Shackel, he decided against sending him to lower decks for less effective treatment and admitted him to the special Ward 114.

Approximately twelve hours later, Ors visited him in Tank 23. Curious about the holodisk's importance and aware that their Rebel peers didn't fully trust him, she "borrowed" it. However, she first discovered that Kyle secretly kept a 3-D snapshot of her in his wallet, and she whispered her love to him.

Indeed, as the doctor had said, Katarn was soon removed from the tank and found in a medical bed. While unconscious, "everywhere, between wake and sleep... with the Force," he experienced a vision with the spirit of the Jedi Qu Rahn, a Jedi Purge survivor who had recently perished. He informed him about Jerec, who had murdered his father, and their connection to the Valley of the Jedi, a nexus of power where the spirits of many Jedi and Sith were trapped. Force-sensitives could draw great energies from it, and it must not be reached by Jerec. The figure revealed that he had been watching over Kyle for a long time and that he was already in apprenticeship, but he should return to his homestead and use the holodisk to learn the ways of the Jedi and reach the Valley. Kyle pretended to be asleep, preferring to observe the movements around the ward with carefully slit eyes. He then saw Jan entering, but instead of approaching him, she stealthily opened his locker and did something with his clothes. Curious, he stood up to investigate. He was unaware that she had returned the disk she had taken. Shortly after, Jan visited him as he was packing his belongings, telling him that the Crow would remain for repairs and would stay behind. When asked if he was going after Jerec, Kyle instead said that he would visit his old home, as instructed in the dream he had seen. He asked Jan to meet him on Sulon once the Crow was available.

Katarn had to return home to continue his quest, visiting his homeworld for the first time since leaving for the Academy. Following secret paths from his childhood, he reached their estate but didn't approach, as he saw a group of people removing stones from his home and loading them into a shuttle. Katarn reactivated their family droid WeeGee and loaded the disk, revealing his father's message and a green-bladed lightsaber that belonged to Qu Rahn, setting him on the path to becoming a Jedi. He embarked on a journey to locate the Valley of the Jedi and protect it from a faction of Dark Jedi led by Jerec, who coveted the valley's energy for his own dark ends. Katarn's father, believed to have been killed in the battle of Sulon, had actually died at the hands of Jerec after refusing to reveal the location of the Valley of the Jedi. However, Morgan had etched a map to the valley into the ceiling tiles in the Katarns' house, which was later discovered by Jerec. Katarn arrived after the map had been removed.

He infiltrated the Government House in the city of Barons Hed and located the droid 8t88, who had created a digitized version of the map. Katarn was intercepted by Yun, one of Jerec's dark pupils. Katarn defeated Yun, but he could not kill a disarmed opponent and allowed him to leave. Katarn was soon attacked and had to escape without either version of the map. He tracked 8t88's shuttle to the Fuel City, a fuel station outside Baron's Hed, and he stowed away aboard Jerec's freighter, the Sulon Star. While on board, Katarn encountered and defeated two more of Jerec's pupils, the symbiotic "twins" Gorc and Pic, who had recently destroyed 8t88 to eliminate any witnesses to the Valley's location. After defeating Gorc and Pic, Katarn killed Grendel and took the droid's severed head and managed to escape the vast ship and be picked up by the Crow.

Kyle's difficult escape was followed by a pursuit by TIE fighters from the Fuel City. Kyle advised Jan to move towards the Nefra Canyons to lose the TIEs and exited to the ship's hatch. Using the Force, he managed a precise hit with his blaster on the pilot's viewport, causing him to crash.

The team returned to the now-abandoned homestead, and with WeeGee's help, they recovered the digital map from 8t88's head. In celebration, he started dancing with Jan, leading to hugging, kissing, and confessions of love. They were joined by Luke Skywalker, who sought news about their quest for the Valley. It was then that Kyle realized Jan knew about his personal quest all along, had "borrowed" the holodisc, and was there to spy on him. However, Jan convinced him that she had no other choice, given his overall secrecy. Luke welcomed him to the Jedi Knighthood, confirming that his training was complete and that he had heard the voice of Morgan.

The team lifted off from Sulon, bound for the New Hope, which was positioned above Milagro. As they transitioned from hyperspace within the system, they found themselves near a crippled Imperial Star Destroyer and its protective ships. The Star Destroyer was actively deploying TIEs to engage a larger enemy ship. Luke proposed an immediate engagement to buy the Hope time for reinforcements to arrive. Jan, however, disagreed, predicting their survival would be limited to mere minutes. Kyle, serving as her co-pilot, urged her to have faith in Luke's Jedi instincts and suggested maneuvering into the Star Destroyer's defensive zone, where friendly fire would deter enemy attacks. This tactic proved effective. Captain Purdy M. Trico, consumed by anger, abandoned formation to eliminate the two ships, thereby sacrificing his own defenses.

Alongside Skywalker, Kyle participated in the battle in the Milagro system as Jan's co-pilot, navigating through blaster fire under the guidance of the Force. They were joined by Han Solo leading three squadrons in the Millennium Falcon, exploiting the gap in the Destroyer's defenses. When the Falcon was overwhelmed by six enemy fighters, Kyle intervened, disabling one. The two exchanged lighthearted comments, joking about the Alliance's reliance on cargo freighters in combat.

The battle concluded with a victory, and the Crow safely returned to the Hope. En route to Mon Mothma's quarters, Kyle noticed, with surprise, that the guards did not require him to relinquish his weapons before entering, a first for him. Jan, sensing his thoughts, exchanged a knowing smile. Kyle then had the opportunity to meet Leia Organa and Han Solo. At Mon Mothma's request, he detailed the situation involving Jerec and the Valley and recounted his experiences. Mon Mothma revealed to Solo that Jan and Kyle were instrumental in acquiring the Death Star plans and acknowledged that Jan, Luke, and Leia had persuaded her to trust Kyle in his mission. Solo sympathized with him, recognizing that he was still not fully trusted by the Command. Kyle expressed his intention to travel to Ruusan with Jan to confront Jerec. Luke asserted that releasing the Jedi spirits would neutralize Jerec's power, countering Mothma's concerns that a full battle group would be necessary. Kyle declared that this mission was his destiny, regardless of her support.

Regarding the challenge of bypassing Jerec's blockade, Kyle seized upon Han's idea and proposed concealing the Crow within a captured Imperial transport. Han and Jan added that the transport should carry sabotaged torpedoes as ammunition. Kyle and Jan then journeyed to Milagro and Military Correction Facility 63, where they interviewed prisoner Alfonso Luiz Obota. Impressed by his capabilities, they offered him a role in the mission.

According to the mission plan, a Rebel task force impersonated the crew of the Imperial freighter High Hauler. After simulating a Rebel attack, they retreated to Hoth's Brand system. Obota assumed the role of acting Captain, while Kyle disguised himself as an Imperial Warrant Officer. Kyle informed Obota of their arrival and scanner readings, later commending him on his performance. He alerted Obota when the Imperial inspection team boarded at the docking bay. The agents maintained their disguises throughout the inspection, and when the Imperial Lieutenant began questioning the Crow in the Hauler's hangar, Kyle interrupted the conversation. Over the following hours, the Moldy Crow received clearance for routine supply runs, allowing Kyle and Jan to gather intelligence and familiarize themselves with the planet.

Upon completion of the Hauler's mission, the Moldy Crow ascended into Ruusan's atmosphere. They navigated towards a settlement that had recently been attacked by Imperial forces, hoping to uncover valuable information. During their journey, Kyle once again heard Rahn's voice, cautioning him against succumbing to hatred. Jan noticed his reaction, but Kyle remained silent about what he had heard. Kyle detected a familiar signal, a primitive binary code his father had used years ago, pointing toward a specific location. Jan questioned the chosen route, but Kyle assured her that no Imperials were present. They flew over the ruins of the Fort, where Kyle sensed no signs of sentient life. Reaching the location indicated by the signal, Kyle assured Jan that they were being watched, though he couldn't identify the observer. Kyle touched the ground and discovered an ancient dagger blade, while Jan found a helmet, remnants of an ancient battlefield. The sound of a drone interrupted their thoughts, and Kyle prevented Jan from drawing her blaster. The flyer examined them before signaling them to proceed west. They re-boarded the Crow and followed the flyer to an ancient temple, the settlers' hiding place.

There, Kyle was reunited with Grif Grawley, a Sulonese man who had known him in his youth. Grif had followed Kyle's father to this colony to escape the Empire. He guided them to the temple. Aware of Kyle's Imperial past, Grif questioned him and demanded they surrender their weapons; Kyle advised Jan to comply. They retreated to the temple and exchanged information, discussing the colonization, the Imperial attack, and their escape into the wastelands. Kyle recounted his father's murder and his defection to the Alliance. Luther Pardy, who was holding Kyle's weapons, remained skeptical of Kyle's sincerity and accused him of being an Imperial spy, questioning his claims about the Jedi. In response, Kyle used the Force to retrieve his lightsaber from Luther's belt and ignited it, convincing Grif and the others of his claims.

That night, Grif led Kyle and a team of colonists outside to meet the native species, the Bouncers, who, as Grif later learned, had met Morgan and recognized him as a "knight." Kyle was amazed, speculating that his father might have chosen not to become a Jedi Knight despite having the potential. As they encountered a group of Bouncers, Kyle sensed another presence: an Imperial patrol that had arrived to attack the indigenous creatures without provocation. Jan attempted to warn them, but it was too late. Kyle watched as Jan armed herself with a blaster rifle to defend the defenseless natives. He tried in vain to dissuade her, pointing out that it was not part of their mission and that their presence would be exposed to the Imperials. Kyle simply told Grif that it was an opportunity for retribution but that no one should be allowed to escape alive. Indeed, after Jan struck a speeder bike, the Imperials paused to search for them. The skimmer circled them and began firing, causing rocks to dislodge and kill a Rebel near Kyle. Grif, Kyle, and most of the group moved towards the squad of Stormtroopers, sneaking behind them. Kyle swiftly dispatched them with his lightsaber, including their leader.

They spent the remainder of the night burying the dead in carefully prepared graves and collecting all equipment and scrap from the battle that could potentially reveal their involvement in the patrol's disappearance, a task Kyle found tedious in the dark. Weapons and equipment were loaded onto the skimmer. At sunrise, Kyle insisted on searching for more, but Grawley believed the area was too vast and they had to leave before dawn.

One of the Bouncers, whom Grawley called Floater, agreed to guide Katarn to the Valley. Kyle thanked their leader, advised him to hide, and exchanged condolences as both groups had suffered losses. The Jedi asked the Bouncer leader if he knew if they would succeed in stopping Jerec, but the Bouncer could not offer reassurance and simply recited a line from the same poem they had told his father: Kyle or someone else, sooner or later, would come to fight a battle and free the spirits trapped in the Valley. The pair departed, but Kyle delayed their journey to the Valley and decided to return to the Temple. Jan questioned his decision, and Kyle could only explain that the time was not right; they should wait in the Temple because something was about to change.

It was the first time in a long while that the couple had time to sleep, but in the afternoon, Grif warned him that a patrol was approaching. Kyle admired Jan's sleeping posture but had to wake her and showed some lust as she put on her pants. Grif had prepared the captured skimmer to lead the patrol away from their base, allowing them to spy on them. Kyle refused to take Floater with them, deeming it too dangerous. After some time, the skimmer brought them to a mesa. It took them half an hour to reach the top, and Kyle envied the older man for maintaining his breath while Kyle was out of breath. From the mesa's summit, they observed the Imperials through electrobinoculars as they approached the rocky area where the skirmish had occurred and where they had buried the bodies, fearing their presence would be discovered. Furthermore, Kyle realized that a Dark Jedi was among them. It was Yun, who had also sensed their presence, and Kyle's, from a distance, but it was when he had a change of heart and decided to repay his debt. Jan wondered why the Jedi, knowing they were there, hadn't summoned their forces to destroy them. Kyle could not explain but assured her that they would be safe for the remainder of the night and should proceed with their mission.

That night, the team flew into a canyon, as close to the Valley as possible. Kyle left WeeGee in the Crow and, with the aid of night goggles, followed Floater's guidance through the maze-like canyons. They had to rappel down or ascend vertical cliffs and slopes to cover the five-kilometer distance without being detected by Jerec's forces. Not far from their destination, Kyle was climbing a rope below Grif, who reached a flat shelf and was spotted by attack droid AD-43. Kyle could only watch as the older man jumped on the droid, wrestling with all his strength. The droid hovered around as a wounded Grif attempted to damage it with his hunting knife, until its guidance system propelled them into a rocky wall, causing them to fall together into the canyon. Kyle felt Grif's death through the Force.

Despite the tragic event, the two considered that the droid might have alerted the Imperials, forcing them to either retreat or proceed before they could reinforce their perimeter. They decided to follow Floater, who continued high above them, and they managed to remain unseen by shuttles and speeder bike patrols that passed nearby. Floater led them to an ancient, enclosed aqueduct that followed the land's contour and led directly to the Valley. Before entering, Kyle gave Floater an approving pat. Equipped with glow rods, they followed Floater and emerged crawling on the other side. Now near the Valley, Kyle could feel years of waiting in pain, like thousands of tortured voices. Floater reminded them that the last part of the prophecy remained: a battle to be fought. The sight of the Imperial garrison built by Jerec around the Valley was far worse than Kyle had anticipated. Using their electrobinoculars, they spotted Jerec standing on a platform of the tall central tower with a woman, Sariss. He then decided to make his way to the tower, insisting that Jan should remain behind and not leave Floater alone.

By dawn, Kyle reached the bottom by descending a three-sided chimney, and once on the ground, he hid behind rocks. The area to the base of the tower was open, and he had to wait an hour for an opportunity to arise. Throughout this time, he felt uneasy, but when he tried to reach out to the Force, he sensed no danger; he was unaware that they had been observed and that Jan was Jerec's target. Then a tractor passed in front of him, followed by a train of fifteen cars. Using the rising cloud of dust and the loud noise as cover, he darted towards the tractor and hid in a coupler. At the right moment, he dashed out and sprinted towards one of the tower's footings. The agent marched to the turbolift at the inner core, while the sentries had their backs turned to him. He decided to impersonate an Imperial to avoid attracting attention, until the watch commander questioned him. The Jedi, with the lightsaber in view, exuded an aura of authority and mentioned Jerec's name, causing the guard to apologize and leave. A brace of Commandos emerged from the lift, and Kyle realized they had mistaken him for a Dark Jedi, courtesy of the lightsaber tucked under his arm. Kyle adopted a frowning, strict expression until they left, and then he rode the lift up.

Preparing to confront Jerec, his mind was filled with worries, which Rahn once again addressed; the voice assured the Jedi that Rahn and the Force were still with Kyle and that his lack of overconfidence was a sign of strength. He advised Kyle not to succumb to hatred and to mention Rahn's name against the "half-man" who awaited him. Soon, the turbolift stopped. A messenger droid entered, and Kyle exited onto an empty platform, wondering who the "half-man" was. Then, his Force sense returned after its recent absence, and on the nearby landing deck, he saw the Moldy Crow, realizing that it had been captured. His thoughts were interrupted when he was pushed by something that sent him tumbling. He ignited his saber and saw Maw, a Dark Jedi whom Rahn had cut in half; his torso was alive and floating thanks to the Force. Maw's eyes were filled with hatred, and he became enraged when Kyle mentioned Rahn's name. Maw charged with great speed, and they exchanged several strikes, but Kyle fell back down and severely injured Maw with his lightsaber as he passed above. Maw dropped his lightsaber and fell onto the walkway. Kyle approached him, and Maw taunted Katarn to kill him unarmed, recounting how his father whimpered on his knees when he was killed and that it was he who had placed Morgan's head on a pike for all to see. The thought that killing a murdering brute would bring justice crossed Kyle's mind, who, without even realizing it, succumbed to his anger and cut Maw's torso in two. He realized in shock what he had done when he felt dark energy swirling around him.

Just then, he realized that everything had been staged. Jerec emerged from the same turbolift, leading Sariss and Boc, with a captured and bound Jan Ors. He congratulated Katarn on his first step towards the Dark Side and offered him a place at his side if he would strike Ors down. Katarn indeed felt the temptation for ambition, to the point of hesitating, only to feel disgusted with himself moments later. He refused, remaining true to his father. Disappointed but not surprised, Jerec blasted Katarn with dark energy, damaging parts of the outpost and trapping Katarn inside the Sulon Star. Katarn made his way through the tumbling vessel and attempted to reach the airlock, where his ship, the Moldy Crow, was docked.

Activating the emergency start-up, he released the ship without the safety procedures. The Crow escaped the falling ship but was unable to gain altitude, and one of its wings smashed against a rock spire. Upon hitting the planet's surface, Katarn, who wasn't strapped into the pilot seat, struck the console and lost consciousness. Once more, he joined the Force and saw a vision of Rahn, who showed him how "that which was" became "that which is." In his dream, Kyle bonded with the ancient Jedi Master Tal of the Army of Light. He also experienced the actions of Dark Jedi LaTor, one of those of the Brotherhood of Darkness who created the thought bomb with Kaan, and the massacre that occurred at that very place a millennium ago, killing all of them.

Meanwhile, the three remaining Dark Jedi were sent by Jerec to find and kill him. They found the unconscious pilot in the wreckage of the Crow and pulled him outside. It was night when Kyle opened his eyes, filled with pain. Boc Aseca, the Twi'lek Dark Jedi, sadistically teased and taunted him, holding Rahn's lightsaber hilt before him. Seeing the Dark Jedi raising a rock above it, Kyle attempted in vain to rise and stop him from destroying the lightsaber, leaving him defenseless. Sariss was ready to execute Katarn and sent the Twi'lek to report it to Jerec. But Yun, out of sympathy for Katarn, who had previously spared his life, and feeling guilty for executing so many people, blocked her blow with his yellow-bladed lightsaber. Sariss' blade was deflected, mortally wounding Yun. As Katarn recovered his strength, he heard the young man's final words, possibly redeeming himself, stating that as a Jedi, Kyle deserved a battle.

Katarn picked up Yun's lightsaber and called upon Tal's wisdom. With his help, he fended off a mental attack and retaliated. The two dueled, surprising Sariss with his knowledge and skill. When Sariss began to wear him down, wounding his face, Kyle realized it had to end quickly. When Sariss lunged, he parried. Blade-to-blade, Kyle used Tal's Flowing Water Cut. As Sariss withdrew, he "expanded" with his mind and body, and the saber penetrated Sariss' chest.

Katarn defeated Sariss as the sun was rising, casting the shadow of a stone pinnacle to point at the Valley below. Kyle knew that this was his destination. He saluted the dead Yun and rushed there. He used Mind trick to bypass some sentries and a patrol and followed the stairs down. At the floor of the chamber, he was drawn to a glint, and moving closer, he saw it was the multitool of his father, which Kyle had given him years earlier with a dedication. The memory of his father and the knowledge that he had made it this far gave him strength.

An arch marked the entrance to the Valley of the Jedi, which Kyle explored. He saw effigies of Lord Hoth and Tal. He climbed a tall tomb, and from the elevated location, he spotted Jan tied to a column.

He rescued Ors. Disguising himself as one of the statues that littered the Valley, Boc revealed himself and attacked Katarn. Boc wielded two lightsabers, against which the self-taught Jedi Knight attempted to cope, both with his fencing skills and Tal's knowledge. Boc's flurrying sabers immobilized Kyle, until Rahn reminded him that his mind is also a weapon. Ors supported Kyle by throwing rocks at Boc, distracting the Twi'lek and giving Kyle time to concentrate. Giving way to the dark side of the Force, Katarn struck Boc with an ancient dark side technique known as spear of midnight black. Immediately, Katarn feared he was lost to the darkness and tried to remember how many steps it took to follow the dark path forever. It was then that Katarn realized he was truly a Jedi: it doesn't matter how far down you follow the dark path once you have returned from it.

After killing Boc, Katarn had defeated all of Jerec's Dark Jedi. Katarn then descended into the Valley Core to face the Dark Master himself. The two dueled, and though the Dark Jedi Jerec had already begun drawing power from the Valley of the Jedi and used its power to heal himself, Katarn was able to defeat him with a light-side technique that disrupted Jerec's connection to the Force. Disarmed, Jerec tried to turn Katarn to the dark side by reminding him of his father's murder, urging Katarn to strike him down and claim the Valley's dark power for himself. Katarn, not wishing to feed his hatred, showed Jerec mercy and tossed the Dark Jedi his saber. Jerec would not accept Katarn's mercy and once again attacked him. Katarn's counterstrike killed Jerec, and he fulfilled the prophecy by freeing the souls of the countless Jedi trapped by Lord Skere Kaan for over a thousand years. Afterwards, Katarn carved statues of Rahn and his father and thanked the spirit of his father.

Katarn continued working with Ors for the New Republic, cooperating with Bey, Dash Rendar, and Guri on an insertion mission to the Tof fortress world Saijo, and nearly razing Kwenn Space Station while apprehending the Ketton spy Derrida with the help of a pint-sized lagomorph. Katarn took a more permanent role with the New Republic and served with Lieutenant Judder Page's Katarn Commandos, executing missions on various worlds like Kashyyyk, Boudolayz and Garos IV.

Luke Skywalker offered to train Katarn further, but Katarn declined, still holding a great fear of the dark side.

At the height of the Imperial Civil War, a clone of Palpatine arranged for the capture of the former Imperial assassin Mara Jade, who had left the service of the Empire and cut herself off from the Emperor's telepathic commands after killing a clone of Luke Skywalker in 9 ABY. After Jade was intercepted on a mission to Senex sector, Lord Cronal had her imprisoned, but she was eventually rescued by New Republic forces under the command of Kyle Katarn. Mara later sought out Katarn and persuaded him to train her in the ways of the Force, taking up the rare bond of reciprocal apprenticeship, a facet of the Concordance of Fealty little practiced since the Cleansing of the Nine Houses. During this period, the pair moved to Altyr V to support a New Republic base there. While sabotaging an Imperial assault, Katarn discovered a lead to the Sith ruins on Dromund Kaas, a long dead world. Katarn investigated the ruins but came under the influence of the dark side of the Force. His former pupil Mara Jade went to him and dueled him. Seeing that combat was futile, she lowered her guard and opened herself to Katarn's killing blow. Just as Katarn's blade was about to touch Jade's neck, he stopped in remorse for his actions, turning back to the light side, for the time.

When Skywalker established the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, he extended a second invitation for Katarn to undergo training, which Katarn accepted, now believing it would aid him in controlling his dark side tendencies. During this period, he stored Yun's lightsaber and constructed his own lightsaber with a blue blade as an integral part of his training. Having returned to the status of a Jedi Knight, Katarn formed a bond with fellow Jedi trainee Corran Horn, but the fall of two Academy students to the dark side heightened Katarn's fear of succumbing himself. Katarn relinquished his connection to the Force, entrusting his lightsaber to Skywalker, and resumed his mercenary lifestyle as Jan Ors' partner, undertaking unofficial assignments for the New Republic.

Over the subsequent year, NRI investigators took note of Katarn's excessively zealous approach to eliminating Imperial Remnant soldiers on multiple occasions. He was dispatched on a mission to Tatooine to eradicate Imperial recruiters, where he discovered they were seeking Force-sensitive individuals. Although the mission was intended for intelligence gathering, he resorted to his impulsive tactics and attacked the Imperial headquarters; an Imperial, supposedly the leader, mentioned "reborn" before being killed in the confrontation. In his report to Mon Mothma, Katarn acknowledged that the opposing forces were stronger than anticipated and requested a corresponding increase in his payment; however, he minimized the Imperial casualties. He also expressed his hope that it would be his last mission involving the Force.

He left only one Imperial alive for interrogation, who was so traumatized that he could barely provide any information. The interrogation team could only extract that his orders originated from Kejim.

Based on this information, Katarn was sent to Kejim. En route, the New Republic intercepted fragments of Remnant communication, which were relayed to Katarn and Ors, further confirming the Republic's suspicions of illicit activities. Katarn initially hesitated, as the transmission mentioned the Valley of the Jedi. Upon inspecting the Remnant base on the planet, Katarn discovered unusual crystals that, upon analysis, were found to be remarkably similar to those used in Jedi lightsabers. Their mission was intended to conclude there, as Katarn wished to avoid any involvement with the Force, but Ors accepted the assignment on his behalf, enticed by Mon Mothma's offer of double their usual fee.

It was soon uncovered that the Empire Reborn movement, led by Admiral Galak Fyyar, was utilizing the planet to conduct experiments with these crystals and the Force, specifically to imbue non-Force-sensitives with Force abilities. Despite Katarn's successful infiltration and shutdown of the outpost, Ors was later captured and seemingly killed by the Dark Jedi Desann and his apprentice Tavion Axmis on Artus Prime.

Enraged by his partner's apparent "death," Katarn reclaimed his Force powers by tapping into the energy of the Valley of the Jedi, once again venturing dangerously close to the dark side. He visited the Jedi Academy to retrieve his blue-bladed lightsaber, which he had left with Skywalker, and learned that Desann was a former student of Skywalker's. Katarn was compelled to collaborate with his former Master and embarked on a journey across the galaxy with Skywalker to bring Desann to justice.

While Skywalker secretly searched for Desann in the Valley of the Jedi, Katarn followed Desann's shuttle to Reelo Baruk on Nar Shaddaa, where he encountered Lando Calrissian. Calrissian assisted Katarn in escaping Nar Shaddaa and eliminating Baruk. However, Katarn was haunted by the memory of hearing Desann order Axmis to "murder" Ors and her subsequent screams. These memories fueled his desire for revenge. He eventually had the opportunity to exact his vengeance on Bespin, where he confronted Desann's apprentice, Tavion. She informed Katarn that he had inadvertently revealed the location of the Valley to her and her master and was defeated by Katarn in lightsaber combat. Katarn used Force grip to suspend Axmis over a Cloud City platform. She confessed everything, revealing that Ors was still alive. Katarn spared Axmis's life and cast her aside. Axmis fled, plotting her revenge on Katarn for his mercy.

Kyle then boarded a hauler to the Cairn Installation, where the Doomgiver, the ship holding Ors captive, was docked. Katarn encountered Skywalker again and learned the purpose behind the crystals he had found on Kejim, as well as the presence of Desann's troops in the Valley of the Jedi. Katarn infiltrated the Doomgiver as it entered hyperspace and successfully located and freed Ors. Ors informed Katarn of Desann's fascination with the Academy on Yavin IV. Katarn realized the Doomgiver's destination and, with Ors's assistance, disabled the ship's shield generator, enabling Rogue Squadron to destroy it. Simultaneously, Katarn prevented the mad scientist, Galak Fyyar, from seizing power as "Emperor Galak Fyyar the first."

As the Doomgiver exploded, Katarn and Ors escaped to Yavin IV. After separating, with a kiss, to assist the Jedi Academy, Katarn battled through the jungles of Yavin IV against the legions of new Shadowtroopers and Reborn. Katarn eventually reached the Academy and repelled an invading force of stormtroopers. He ventured deeper into the academy, bravely fighting off numerous Reborn and Shadowtroopers while rescuing many Jedi. Katarn continued into the depths of the ruins, where he confronted Desann. Both Desann and Katarn attempted to persuade the other to change allegiances, but Desann, frustrated, attacked Katarn. Katarn defeated the Dark Jedi, thwarting his plan for domination. Skywalker expressed his gratitude to Katarn and offered him a position at the Academy. Katarn declined, at least for the time being. Katarn later joined the Academy after he and Ors spent time together on the beaches of Spira.

Shortly after, the Academy was attacked by a Nightsister and her band of outlaws seeking ancient Sith artifacts held by the Academy. Despite the Nightsisters exploiting the Academy's weakened state, Katarn and a group of others managed to repel them and prevent them from acquiring the artifacts.

At a later time, Katarn and Ors were dispatched to investigate Remnant activity on Alzoc III. Katarn infiltrated the base by concealing himself in a shipping crate and proceeded with his mission. Meanwhile, Ors was discovered by a squad of stormtroopers in one of the hangars and taken hostage at blasterpoint. Katarn managed to rescue her, but not before killing two Reborn, who had survived Desann's defeat. Together, Katarn and Ors escaped on the Raven's Claw.

Following the victory over Desann's Dark Jedi, Katarn regained his confidence and returned to Skywalker, where he was promoted to Jedi Master and continued to practice the ways of the Force as an instructor at Skywalker's Academy.

Katarn accepted two students, Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin, to train in the Jedi arts. Both students were talented and progressed rapidly under Katarn's guidance. When a new threat emerged in the form of a Dark Jedi cult known as the Disciples of Ragnos, Katarn and his apprentices investigated numerous worlds in pursuit of the Disciples. Their investigations spanned the galaxy, from Deep Core worlds such as Byss to Outer Rim Territory worlds such as Vjun. Katarn submitted numerous datacard reports to the Jedi on their successes, including Tauntaun Feathers A1 from Hoth.

The Jedi Order discovered that the leader of the Cult was Tavion Axmis, Desann's former apprentice. Katarn's investigations revealed that she had acquired the Scepter of Ragnos from Commenor and intended to use it to resurrect the ancient Sith Lord Marka Ragnos. While Katarn was away, his apprentice, Penin, was kidnapped and eventually succumbed to the dark side, joining the Disciples of Ragnos.

Katarn's other student, Jaden, joined Katarn to investigate Vjun, the location of Darth Vader's castle. There, the two were forced to separate when Katarn's perch collapsed beneath him, causing him to fall several floors. Korr, reaching the top of the building alone, confronted the fallen Penin. Korr pleaded with his former friend to return to the light side, but was unsuccessful. After killing the Reborn Twins, Vil and Dasariah Kothos, Korr overcame Penin and approached him. Katarn then rejoined him at the top of the tower. Suddenly, Tavion Axmis emerged from behind a pillar and revealed herself as the leader of the cult. Subduing Korr and Katarn with Force lightning, she remarked that Katarn should have killed her when he had the chance. Using the Force to pull Jaden's saber from his grasp, she used it to bring down the roof, and she escaped with Penin. Korr's actions on Vjun and Katarn's recommendation led to Skywalker promoting Jaden Kor to Jedi Knight.

Katarn later received a transmission from Penin pleading for assistance. Drawing on his own experience of redemption at the hands of Mara Jade, Katarn was determined to respond to the call. Requesting Korr to accompany him, the pair set out once more, this time to Taspir III. Once again separated, Korr went ahead and confronted Penin. Encouraged by Alora, he contemplated killing Penin as retribution. In the facilities below, Katarn sensed his precarious situation and telepathically urged Jaden to spare Penin's life. Following his master's wishes, Jaden spared Penin's life and fought Alora, who severed Penin's left arm. Jaden killed Alora just as Katarn arrived. Katarn ordered Jaden to assist the Jedi on Korriban, as he rushed Penin off to a medical facility.

Katarn went on to become the Academy's foremost Jedi Battlemaster, training numerous other Knights, and participating in the Third Battle of Yavin, where he stopped and killed a rampaging former Emperor's Hand named Jeng Droga.

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Katarn contributed to the development of strategies against the invaders and liberated the Human captives of the Imperial Remnant world Ord Sedra, collaborating with Lieutenant Pallin and his stormtroopers. Following their victory against the Vong, Kyle entrusted the Imperials with guarding the invaders in a small security building. Katarn also proposed marriage to Jan Ors after their mission, but she declined, citing her reluctance to marry due to the uncertainty of their future. The Vong eventually escaped their captivity after being left unguarded, prompting Katarn and Ors to take action. After Jan was attacked by a Yuuzhan Vong warlord, Kyle fought the Vong and killed him with a bomb while his lover saved herself with his lightsaber.

Near the end of the war, the living planet Zonama Sekot agreed to assist the Galactic Alliance, and Katarn was among the Jedi Knights bonded to seed-partners and provided with Sekotan starships for the final battle.

After the war's conclusion, Katarn heard rumors of the Sith's continued existence. Drawing on his personal experience on Dromund Kaas, Katarn investigated, following clues from Ord Sedra in the Clacis sector first to Yaga Minor, and then halfway across the galaxy to the Cloak of the Sith, near Roon. Katarn disappeared there, mirroring the fate of Daye Azur-Jamin, who had been missing since the early stages of the Yuuzhan Vong war.

It was revealed that Katarn had been kidnapped by Azur-Jamin, who had turned to the dark side. Kyle succumbed once more. Mara Jade Skywalker, Jaden Korr, and a group of Alpha Blue specialists led by Jan Ors tracked Katarn to Roon and rescued him from Azur-Jamin. Azur-Jamin was eventually redeemed, revealing the presence of a Force-sensitive Yuuzhan Vong. Katarn returned safely and assumed an active role in Jedi affairs, being appointed to the Masters' council.

Five years after the Yuuzhan Vong war, Katarn had become a respected Master who was not afraid to express his opinions. During the Dark Nest Crisis, Katarn, along with Han, Leia, and Kyp Durron, traveled to the moon of Kr, where the Killik Dark Nest Gorog resided, coordinating the conflict. Katarn joined the ground fighting while the Solos assisted Luke and Mara Skywalker. As the Killik crisis escalated, Katarn later led a Stealth-X squadron of Jedi Knights against the Dark Nest.

At some point during his service to the New Jedi Order, he authored the Spy Primer, a guide for espionage agents. Jae Juun and Tarfang were known to have consulted it as part of their training.

Four years after the Killik crisis, Katarn remained on the council. As tensions rose between Corellia and the Galactic Alliance, Luke Skywalker's nephew Jacen Solo, influenced by the dark side, began interning, torturing, and executing Corellians in his new role as a colonel in the Galactic Alliance Guard. Katarn, along with fellow Council-member Cilghal, voiced his concerns to Skywalker that Solo posed a dangerous threat in his new position. As the conflict intensified, eventually evolving into the Second Galactic Civil War, Katarn also suggested that Leia Organa Solo be exiled due to her actions, which seemed contrary to the wishes of the government he continued to serve. However, Katarn was merely acting as a voice of moderation and came to realize that the Jedi sometimes had to operate independently of the government.

Katarn's fears regarding Solo were justified as the wayward Jedi Knight amassed a considerable number of allies and political influence. Eventually, Solo amended the laws governing the Galactic Alliance and deposed Chief of State Cal Omas in a coup d'etat. Following the mysterious death of Mara Jade Skywalker, his former apprentice, Katarn attended the funeral of his close friend. When Solo, who was now Darth Caedus, arrived at the funeral, Katarn, along with Kyp Durron and Kenth Hamner, informed the co-Chief of State that he was unwelcome to stand with the Jedi Masters and that his place was either with the Knights or the visiting dignitaries; however, a grieving Grand Master Skywalker overruled them. Yet Solo now moved against the Jedi and the ideals of the Galactic Alliance Katarn served; the Galactic Alliance Guard held the students hostage at the Jedi Academy on Ossus. During the Battle of Kuat, Skywalker confronted Jacen over his actions before withdrawing the Jedi Order from the Galactic Alliance. In retaliation, the Galactic Alliance Guard soldiers on Ossus killed several Jedi Knights, mutilating Tionne Solusar and leaving her husband Kam for dead.

Katarn joined the other Jedi Masters on Endor, where they discussed their next steps against Jacen. Although Master Durron was in charge of the formulated mission to capture or kill, Skywalker selected Katarn as the team leader and assigned him a secondary objective that only he knew: to place a tracking device on Solo during their engagement with the powerful fallen Jedi and secret Dark Lord of the Sith. The team accompanying Katarn included three Jedi Knights: Corran Horn's son Valin, the Falleen Thann Mithric, and the Bothan Kolir Hu'lya, as well as the young Seha Dorvald, a former spy of Colonel Solo's. Katarn and his team infiltrated Coruscant's undercity and eventually confronted Solo outside the Senate Building.

Solo proved to be a formidable opponent, even for Katarn's skills, and the Jedi Master had to protect the weaker members of the team as he dueled the former Jedi Knight, now a young Sith Lord. As Caedus claimed, Katarn was unaware of the true nature of his opponent, and the Sith's brutality during the duel made it difficult for the Jedi Master to gain the upper hand, although the mission's primary objective was merely to attach the tracking device to Solo. Forced to defend Hu'lya from Solo's attacks, Katarn sent his lightsaber spinning at Jacen, only to have it deflected and return to his hand. When his opponent gestured towards him, Katarn braced himself for a telekinetic battle but was caught off guard by Solo's tactic: the Sith Lord used the Force to seize a passing GAG speeder and hurl it into the Jedi Master's back. Katarn was propelled forward and impaled on Solo's blade. The Sith Lord withdrew his lightsaber and turned to eliminate the rest of the team, unaware that Dorvald had attached the tracking device to his cloak and that Katarn was still alive. Although a grief-stricken Mithric was killed by Solo, Horn and Dorvald dragged Katarn to safety while Hu'lya escaped. Unfortunately for the severely wounded Master, Solo's blade had punctured his lung, and Katarn's weakened immune system was unable to resist an infectious plague unleashed on Coruscant by the Commenori, who opposed the Galactic Alliance. However, against all odds, Kyle Katarn survived both the serious wound and the diseases he contracted in the undercity sewers. Upon his return to Endor, Cilghal healed him, adding another successful mission to his record. Katarn later regained enough strength to accompany the Jedi on their mission to the Corellian system, where they rescued the abducted Hapan Chume'da Allana from Caedus' grasp.

During the final battle with Darth Caedus and his forces in the Mist, Master Katarn was among the many Jedi who participated in the assault. He, along with Sebatyne, Horn, Kyp, and Grand Master Skywalker, helped subdue the remaining Moffs after Caedus' death.

In the year 43.5 ABY, Katarn offered assistance to Jaina Solo as she attempted to apprehend the renegade Valin Horn, who was suffering from a strange psychosis. Ultimately, the Grand Master subdued Horn, who was also being pursued by Master Skywalker, his son Ben, Han, Leia Solo, news reporters, and various bounty hunters.

Katarn was present to witness the farewell between the Grand Master and his son when Master Skywalker faced exile. Sometime later, after Valin Horn was placed in the custody of the Galactic Alliance, Katarn shared his concerns with Jaina Solo and two other Jedi Knights.

During a session of the Jedi Council, Katarn displayed worry about Jysella Horn, the daughter of his acquaintance Corran Horn, following her descent into madness. After the revelation of Jaina Solo and the Darkmeld team's actions, Katarn expressed satisfaction that Seff Hellin was now under the control of the Jedi Order. However, he also voiced apprehension regarding the fact that Cilghal, Tekli, and Jaina Solo had not informed him or the High Council of these events.

Later, Kyle Katarn used the title "Grand Master" to refer to Kenth Hamner, but it was meant to be sarcastic in light of recent discussions about the growing number of Jedi Knights experiencing insanity, as observed by Han Solo. He strongly advocated for Jedi support of Tahiri Veila during her trial, a position that Masters Sebatyne and Cilghal ultimately agreed with.

Subsequently, Katarn conveyed his opinion regarding Natasi Daala's threat of a Mandalorian siege against the Jedi. When the siege, led by Belok Rhal, commenced, Katarn emphasized that the Mandalorians had blockaded all exits, both secret and public, to and from the Temple. He voiced his worries for the citizens of Coruscant, fearing potential harm if they attempted to protest the siege. Hamner concurred but struggled to devise a solution that wouldn't simply buy time. Apprentice Kani Asari volunteered to negotiate with Rhal. Following Rhal's public murder of Kani, Katarn, Saba Sebatyne, Corran, and Durron prevented Hamner from retrieving the body, deeming it unsafe for him to venture out with a deranged Mandalorian in command of the siege.

Shortly after these occurrences, Master Katarn was among the Jedi Masters present when Han Solo demonstrated to Chief of State Daala that the afflicted Jedi had recovered, prompting her to order the lifting of the Jedi Temple siege. Nevertheless, she refused to return Valin and Jysella Horn to the Jedi's care.

During a subsequent Council meeting, tensions rose due to Daala's refusal to release the Horn Jedi and Kenth Hamner's perceived lack of leadership during the crisis. Octa Ramis insisted on military intervention to liberate the Horns, even if force was necessary, but Hamner rejected this proposal. Katarn then argued that unless they were willing to endure such mistreatment from Daala, they would have no alternative but to resort to military action. The intense discussion was interrupted by Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo, who presented evidence of a revolution on Blaudu Sextus. The revelation that Mandalorians were suppressing the revolt ignited Saba Sebatyne's fury, leading her to demand Jedi intervention. As the Masters lacked information about the situation on Sextus, Katarn questioned her about the relationship between the Octusi, who were responsible for the uprising, and their enslavers. When the situation appeared less clear-cut, Katarn's focus shifted to identifying the instigator of the revolt, even suspecting the newest Council member, Barratk'l, of involvement. However, his suspicion was quickly dispelled when she denied any connection and Hamner corroborated her statement. The meeting continued, with the Jedi seeking Saba's input on which Jedi should be sent to address the Sextus situation. When Katarn suggested Tesar Sebatyne and another Barabel Jedi, Saba reacted angrily, refusing to disclose their current whereabouts and asserting that they had not engaged in any activity that would tarnish the Jedi's reputation. The meeting abruptly ended when the Masters stormed out, revealing Kenth's decision to prevent the launch of the StealthX squadron.

When the Masters convened to welcome back the Jedi who had been transported to the Transitory Mists, the events on Sextus were triggering slave revolts across the galaxy, which most Masters, including Katarn, interpreted as the will of the Force. When Kenth refused to authorize further Jedi assistance for the emerging revolts, Han Solo demanded that Kenth disclose his agreement with Nek Bwua'tu. Under pressure from Katarn, Kenth revealed that Bwua'tu had pledged to refrain from military action against the Jedi as long as they didn't launch their Stealth X's from the Temple. This revelation enraged the Council, prompting Saba to call for a vote of No Confidence in the temporary Grand Master. Katarn was among those who demanded his resignation.

During preparations for the launch, he was slated to lead a squadron of StealthXs, alongside Kyp Durron, Octa Ramis, and Barratk'l, to support Luke and Ben Skywalker against the Lost Tribe of Sith's war fleet. When Kenth Hamner intervened and forbade their departure, Saba Sebatyne instructed them to proceed to their launch stations. Kyle attempted to reason with his longtime friend Hamner, arguing that he shouldn't try to bear the entire burden of the Order alone, as that was the purpose of the Jedi Council. Hamner refused to heed his words, leading to a violent duel in which Sebatyne killed Hamner and reluctantly assumed his position as Grand Master until Skywalker's return. Katarn and the others managed to depart, subsequently participating in the rescue of the Skywalkers above Almania's moon Pydyr.

Later, Master Katarn commanded a StealthX squadron against the Sith Armada in an ambush orchestrated by Grand Master Luke Skywalker during Operation Shieldfall. The battle's conclusion resulted in the Sith Forces retreating with Abeloth and Ship. Without knowing where Abeloth and her forces had retreated, Master Katarn was part of the teams tasked with searching the galaxy for any potential hiding places. After these efforts yielded no results, Katarn returned to Coruscant to both welcome back the returning Grand Master Skywalker and to participate in further strategies against the Lost Tribe.

When the Jedi permanently departed Coruscant, Master Katarn was among those present on Upekzar to confront Abeloth. However, it proved to be a trap, resulting in the deaths of numerous Jedi when the dark energy of the location exploded, triggering a volcanic eruption. Most of the Jedi managed to escape.

Master Katarn's role, if any, during the Jedi's assault on the Lost Tribe on Coruscant remains unknown. He was present in Senator Wuul's office during the Council meeting to discuss further military action against the Lost Tribe and their new master, Abeloth. He expressed concerns about Abeloth's origins and was the only Master present to take Wynn Dorvan seriously when he claimed to have killed Abeloth. When Tekli and Lowbacca informed the Council about Abeloth's origins, Katarn proposed several theories about her ultimate goals and how Ben Skywalker factored into those plans. The Council meeting ended shortly after the discovery that Ben had been captured by Abeloth and was fleeing Coruscant.

Following Abeloth's demise, Katarn was among the Masters who welcomed Luke back after the Grand Master emerged from his coma. When Luke shared his plan to relocate the Jedi completely off Coruscant, Katarn was one of the first to endorse Luke's vision.

Katarn exhibited a strong sense of self-assurance and a notably cynical, dry humor. Conversely, he frequently questioned himself and thoroughly considered every decision. He was an independent and free-thinking individual, yet his foremost concern consistently revolved around the safety and well-being of those he held dear. A persistent element appeared to be fear – fear of death and fear of making the wrong choice. Deeming himself unlucky, he lacked enthusiasm for games.

In his later years, Kyle would acknowledge that the notion of being a Stormtrooper, wielding power and instilling a faceless fear in the populace, held a certain appeal for him. Katarn's combination of traits made him a promising cadet leader during his time at the Imperial academy. Sergeant Major Hong particularly valued the young cadet's abilities, appreciating Katarn's logical approach to assignments and his humility in seeking advice from his superior officer.

During his Omega Exercise, Katarn demonstrated a more compassionate nature than most Imperials. He couldn't bring himself to order the execution of captured Rebels, instead choosing to release them. Katarn later utilized his cynical humor, reasoning, and concern for others to inspire his team when the mission encountered difficulties. This enabled them to unite and successfully complete the mission.

When Katarn uncovered the truth surrounding his father Morgan's death, his personality underwent a significant transformation. He became embittered and harbored a more intense hatred for the Empire. Although he disapproved of Mon Mothma's psychological manipulation, he joined her cause not for her ideals but in remembrance of his father. He accepted missions from the Alliance targeting the Empire to have the opportunity to personally eliminate Imperial agents and disrupt their plans. He no longer feared death, but his fear of making the wrong decision persisted. His sensibilities remained intact when he began working for the Alliance; he questioned the morality of shooting two Stormtroopers from behind, but this hesitation vanished when one began to turn toward him, compelling him to shoot them preemptively.

Soon after graduating, he sensed negativity from the crowd aboard the Star of Empire, experiencing harsh looks and whispers due to his Imperial uniform, which made him feel isolated, unwelcome, and depressed. Even after his defection, Kyle experienced similar feelings on the New Hope, perceiving himself as an outsider among the other Rebels. He felt a connection with the ship he chose there, the Moldy Crow, identifying with its status as a bird separated from its flock.

While engaging in one perilous situation after another, Katarn consistently took care to avoid harming innocents and deeply valued the safety of his partner, Jan Ors.

During his tenure as a Rebel agent, Katarn operated as a loner, preferring to work independently, disregarding advice and dismissing assistance from Jan Ors, even when they collaborated. According to Ors, teamwork wasn't one of his strengths; Katarn recklessly placed himself in hazardous situations, and Ors frequently came to his rescue, a practice that Katarn, often found amidst fires, explosions, and ruined structures, deemed unnecessary. Ors attributed this attitude to Katarn's constant desire to impress others, despite his well-known accomplishments. During the times when he requested Jan's assistance, or their brief exchanges during his extractions, he masked his anxiety and perilous circumstances with light-hearted banter, such as "How 'bout a ride?"

Although Jan and Kyle owed their lives to each other on numerous occasions, Katarn initially remained oblivious to her romantic feelings. It wasn't until the quest for the Valley of the Jedi that the pair finally declared their love, which had to endure turbulent phases, not only through danger and death but also through coping with Kyle's dark mood swings. At one point, his close relationship with Mara Jade disrupted their relationship.

Katarn occasionally displayed a fondness for Novanian grog.

Despite being a formidable warrior and possessing a reckless nature, it appears that once Katarn discovered his Jedi powers, he began to maintain a low profile. Like his father before him, he hesitated to fully embrace the Force itself. This reluctance stemmed from his fear of the dark side and his distrust of his own motivations for wielding its powers. He repeatedly rejected the ways of the Force, at one point even severing his connection to it entirely. He recognized that deep down, he was driven by a thirst for revenge and hatred against those who had killed his father. He was acutely aware that hatred was an emotion fueled by the dark side.

He did tap into the dark side of the Force twice during the scramble for the Valley of the Jedi, killing Maw in anger and employing a dark side technique to defeat Boc. It was not only Rahn's guidance that prevented him from succumbing but also his love for Jan and the memory of his father.

It was after the Dromund Kaas incident that he completely severed his connection with the Force. His motivation for reconnecting with the Force was also ultimately driven by revenge, as he sought to avenge Ors, whom he believed had been killed. But even in his darkest moments, some light remained within him. More often than not, he would spare the lives of even his worst enemies. When he learned that Ors was not dead, Katarn underwent a transformation. His hatred was replaced with hope, and his thirst for revenge was replaced with compassion.

Eventually, he embraced his destiny as a Jedi Knight, arguing that no Force power is inherently dark or light, but that its nature depends entirely on how and for what it is used. Rather than feeling ashamed of his encounters with the dark side, he openly shared his experiences with his apprentices to prevent them from making the same mistakes he did. When Rosh Penin finally overcame the temptations of the dark side and returned to the path of the Jedi, and Jaden Korr successfully avoided the dark path altogether, emerging as the hero of the Disciples of Ragnos crisis, Katarn finally realized that he was a worthy and powerful Jedi and a great teacher. His confidence grew, and any hesitation he once had vanished. During his time as a member of the Jedi High Council, he maintained a low profile, primarily listening and gathering information rather than becoming entangled in the passions of his fellow Masters. However, it was noted that when he did speak, his comments were typically direct and honest.

Katarn never favored traditional Jedi robes, opting instead for the clothing he wore during his mercenary days. He continued to wear them even at formal events, such as Mara Jade's funeral. He disliked being addressed with titles like "Master Katarn," as titles made him uncomfortable, and he preferred to be on a first-name basis with his apprentices. This reflected his continued connection to the common people of the galaxy and his humility in preferring not to stand out.

From a young age, Kyle displayed a strong curiosity for his father's trade, his use of tools, and demonstrated impressive technical and engineering aptitude, capable of handling and troubleshooting anything in their homestead. Skills acquired during his childhood on the farm made him one of the few Humans in the galaxy fluent in the electronic language of droidspeak, as well as a primitive binary code, considered obsolete by then, whose combinations of two sounds represented letters of an alphabet.

At the Academy, he further developed his talents in cybernetics systems theory and information engineering. Kyle also received training in martial arts, including fencing, shooting, and piloting various types of support craft. He also learned breathing exercises to lower his vital signs, suppress brain activity, and slow down his perception of time. After his defection, Kyle spent time at a Rebel base populated by smugglers and pirates, acquiring skills in sabotage and subterfuge.

Katarn was proficient in using a wide range of weapons. His training provided him with exceptional skill in using Imperial weaponry. This training, combined with a natural intuition, enabled him to effectively utilize every weapon he encountered during his travels. As adept with weaponry, Katarn displayed great accuracy when using blasters, rarely missing his shots and employing all types of blasters of different shapes and sizes, shooting several adversaries with pistols, rifles, and even an assault cannon. Upon acquiring his first lightsaber, he was immediately able to wield it effectively thanks to the fencing lessons he had taken at the Academy.

Like many other Force-sensitives, Katarn initially discovered his talent in the form of intuition, which often aided him in solving engineering problems once he calmed his mind. This clairvoyance became more pronounced during his Omega Exercise, manifesting as precognitive visions that momentarily saved his team. After the Dark Trooper campaign, he discovered what he termed the "gun trick," utilizing telekinesis to retrieve a weapon nearby in difficult situations, a technique he employed on Nar Shaddaa. It was at this time that the spirit of Qu Rahn, knowing that Kyle would prevent Jerec from conquering the Valley of the Jedi, appeared to him as a voice and taught him how to use the Force to save his life. The first instance of this occurred when Kyle found himself wounded among various thugs, discovering how to slow time around him.

Despite being almost entirely self-taught and receiving minimal lightsaber combat training, Katarn learned numerous techniques from the spirits of Rahn and the ancient Jedi Tal in the Valley of the Jedi, such as the Flowing Water cut and the Falling Leaf attack. Consequently, Katarn defeated seven trained Dark Jedi: Yun, Gorc, Pic, Maw, Sariss, Boc, and then Jerec himself—an extraordinary achievement for the neophyte he was at the time. Katarn mastered the fifth form of lightsaber combat, Djem So. He also possessed knowledge of other forms, such as Shii-Cho and Ataru. Occasionally, he would adopt a reverse Shien grip. He demonstrated ambidexterity, wielding a weapon in both his right and left hands. Upon becoming Battlemaster, his study of lightsaber combat led him to incorporate elements from various forms into his own unique style.

Katarn possessed strength in Force powers, such as Force absorb and Force protection (which he demonstrated during his mission with Jaden Korr). Despite his fear of the dark side, Katarn utilized the dark powers of Force grip and Force lightning even as a Jedi Master.

During the Reborn crisis caused by Desann, Katarn revisited the Valley of the Jedi to quickly restore his connection to the Force, which had the side effect of increasing his raw Force potential. It should be noted, however, that his motivation was again revenge, stemming from the apparent death of Jan Ors. Katarn demonstrated mastery of the Force by relearning powers of both the light and dark sides in a relatively short period. Katarn displayed a strong will, resisting the many taunts and mind tricks Desann employed against him in the Yavin temple.

Katarn became one of the New Jedi Order's most respected Jedi Masters. During the events of the Disciples of Ragnos Crisis, Katarn had already become one of the strongest swordsmen in the New Jedi Order and successfully trained Jaden Korr, arguably the most famous hero during those events. An extraordinary swordsman, Katarn became the New Jedi Order's foremost Battlemaster. His general mastery of the Force was incredible and surpassed all but the strongest Jedi Masters. Even Darth Caedus acknowledged Katarn's abilities, something he rarely did.

Katarn demonstrated a comfortable understanding of Shyriiwook with his old friend Chewbacca, when he and his apprentice Jaden Korr met up with the Wookiee at the Mos Eisley.

Kyle Katarn's preferred weapon was a Bryar pistol given to him by his father. He continued to carry and use it as a backup weapon, unlike other Jedi who typically eschewed blasters, even after becoming a Jedi and constructing his first lightsaber. Katarn briefly used a packered mortar gun, rail detonator gun, concussion rifle, Imperial Heavy Repeater, E-11 blaster rifle, DXR-6 disruptor rifle, FC-1 flechette launcher, PLX-2M portable missile launcher, and Destructive Electromagnetic Pulse 2 ion carbine. He also employed sequencer charges, thermal detonators, and laser trip mines. Throughout his career, Katarn utilized a personal energy shield with a belt-mounted shield generator called the Military Mobility Shield. During his mercenary days, Katarn frequently wore body armor beneath his trademark coat. He was also one of the few non-Mandalorians to possess a set of Mandalorian Armor, which he acquired after being captured by Jabba.

Throughout his life, it is known that Kyle Katarn utilized a minimum of three distinct lightsabers. The initial lightsaber he possessed was originally the property of Jedi Master Qu Rahn and emitted a green-colored energy blade. This lightsaber was gifted from Rahn to Morgan Katarn, who subsequently passed it down to his son, Kyle Katarn. Kyle employed it during his lightsaber duel against the Dark Jedi known as Yun, Gorc, Pic, and Maw. During Katarn's venture into the Valley of the Jedi, this weapon met its end at the hands of the Dark Jedi, Boc Aseca. However, Yun, one of the Dark Jedi, experienced a change of heart and intervened to prevent Sariss from delivering a fatal blow to Katarn. Following Yun's death, Katarn commandeered Yun's lightsaber for the remainder of his journey through the Valley of the Jedi, ultimately using it to confront and eliminate Sariss, Boc, and Jerec. This particular weapon projected a yellow blade, and it is plausible that it was the same lightsaber he later employed while training Mara Jade, although its color appeared to be a more orange shade at that point.

After the events that transpired on Dromund Kaas, Katarn enrolled in the Jedi Praxeum, where he proceeded to construct a new lightsaber that emitted a blue blade. This new weapon was characterized by two handgrips and a hilt that was longer than those typically found on standard lightsabers. Given that his previous two lightsabers had belonged to other individuals, this blue-bladed lightsaber marked the first official lightsaber that Kyle owned himself.

The Moldy Crow, classified as an HWK-290 light freighter, holds the distinction of being the first spacecraft acquired by Kyle Katarn upon his joining the Rebel Alliance. He initially utilized it during his Mission to Danuta. He developed an immediate fondness for the ship, largely due to its name, which resonated with his personal sentiments regarding his place in the galaxy. In subsequent missions, Katarn's partner, Jan Ors, took on the role of piloting the Crow. Unfortunately, the ship was ultimately destroyed during his mission to the Valley of the Jedi.

Following the loss of the Moldy Crow, Kyle Katarn and his partner Jan Ors continued their collaborative endeavors aboard the Raven's Claw. Ors assumed the responsibility of piloting the ship for Katarn, ensuring his safe insertion and extraction during his various missions.

Nick Jameson provided the voice for Kyle Katarn in Dark Forces, and his likeness is presented in hand-drawn still images during the cutscenes.

The character was portrayed by actor Jason Court in the full-motion video segments of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. C. Andrew Nelson, an actor and VFX artist, served as a double for Court in the close-up shots of Katarn's hands and feet. The in-game model was designed to resemble Court's appearance. Similarly, in Mysteries of Sith, Jedi Outcast, and Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, Katarn is represented solely by a polygonal model, without the use of full motion video scenes, and is styled to resemble a slightly older version of Court. In these instances, his voice is provided by Rino Romano (in Mysteries of the Sith) and Jeff Bennett (in Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy). In Star Wars: Empire at War, Brian Bascle lends his voice to the character, while Randal Berger portrays him in the audio dramatizations of the Dark Forces novellas. Jeff Bennett's voice acting in Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy makes him the only actor to have voiced Katarn on more than one occasion.

Irrespective of the timeline, the majority of recent depictions of Katarn are modeled after Jason Court's physical appearance; however, the original Dark Forces, which is set around 1 ABY during Katarn's early involvement with the Rebellion, portrays him as a young, beardless individual wearing a brown jacket. Later works set during the same period depict him with Court's older, bearded appearance. This is exemplified in the Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire novella, illustrated by Dean Williams, which is set around the same time as Dark Forces, but anachronistically features Kyle with a beard and wearing the civilian attire seen in Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight. This is also the case in the Empire at War and Lethal Alliance video games.

In some of the games in which Katarn appears, his story features alternative outcomes. While the aforementioned storyline is considered canonical, players have the option to pursue the alternative dark side path in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II.

In this alternative scenario, Katarn kills Jan Ors when prompted and becomes Jerec's rival. Yun, unimpressed by Katarn's fall to the dark side, confronts him alone after Katarn escapes the crashing cargo ship. In this version, Katarn successfully lands the Moldy Crow. He rectifies his previous error and defeats Yun in a subsequent lightsaber duel. After defeating Jerec in the Valley of the Jedi, Katarn absorbs its power and assumes his position as Emperor of the galaxy on Coruscant, with Sariss by his side. He commands her to destroy a minor Rebel uprising on Danuta, which ironically was the location of his first major mission for the Rebel Alliance. He then retrieves the hologram of his father saying, "I want you to remember, while you're at the academy, how very proud I am of you," the same hologram he had contemplated when his mission against Jerec began. He proceeds to drop it on the floor and crush it with his boot, severing all ties to his past and the light.

A similar option is presented to Jaden Korr in Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. In this scenario, Korr embraces the dark side by killing Penin instead of choosing the path of forgiveness. Korr later engages Katarn in a duel, overpowering his master with the Scepter of Ragnos, which he had stolen from Tavion, and then escapes. Reflecting on the incident with Luke Skywalker, Katarn questions his own suitability as a Jedi, leading him to take a leave of absence to apprehend Korr.

The alternative ending of Jedi Academy, while non-canonical, offers insights into Katarn's psyche in the face of failure and disappointment. Failure amplifies his existing disappointment; he appears to feel guilty for having lost two apprentices (Penin's death and Korr's fall to the dark side), and he admits to Skywalker that he is uncertain if he should remain a Jedi Master. However, in a final act of desperation, he resolves to personally locate Korr and rectify his failure.

Despite being initially conceived solely for a video game, Katarn has achieved remarkable popularity, boasting the most appearances among all of the Inaugural Class Jedi Masters. One contributing factor is the widespread success and frequent referencing of the computer games in which he is featured. This success has been further amplified by comparisons to martial artist and action star Chuck Norris, which have inspired Star Wars-themed adaptations of the popular Chuck Norris facts.

Originally, the protagonist of Star Wars: Dark Forces was intended to be Luke Skywalker, and the game's narrative was to align with the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. However, the developers of Dark Forces recognized that this decision would impose limitations on the storyline and gameplay, leading to the creation of the character Kyle Katarn instead.

According to the Dark Forces review in PC Gamer, Katarn was envisioned as a "blank" game character, akin to other customizable game protagonists (e.g., Jaden Korr or Revan); he was intended to have a customizable name, an ambiguous and unmentioned past, and an unseen face, with the aim of facilitating player identification with the protagonist. However, this concept appears to have been abandoned, as his face, name, and background history are detailed in the manual and narrative of the final product. Nevertheless, the games still require players to enter a name to save their progress.

Kyle Katarn is featured as one of the hero character units in Empire at War and is among the few Expanded Universe characters included in the game. His special abilities consist of "thermal detonator" and "sprint." He lacks Force powers, as the game's timeline predates his discovery of his connection to the Force.

Katarn was initially slated to meet his demise in the novel The New Jedi Order: Star by Star, but the scene was removed at the last moment at the request of LucasArts, ostensibly due to considerations related to Jedi Academy, despite the game's earlier placement on the timeline. The removal of this scene paved the way for Katarn's comic book debut in "Equals & Opposites"—nearly three years after the release of The New Jedi Order: Star by Star in the United States.