Your former master broke The Rules, and therefore, according to Thanaton, you have to die as you are/were a part of her power base. I'm a little hazy on when that conversation happens, but I think when you meet him for the second time after Zash's ritual spectacularly backfires.

After you stubbornly refuse to get dead on many occasions, I think it just turns into a matter of pride on his part; he refuses to be bested by an apprentice, who just so happens to be a former slave (and quite possibly an alien too).

Yah, you are considered guilty by association.

Of course, Thanaton proves himself a regular hypocrite when things don't go his way, but i guess that's a typical Sith for you.

I can't figure out what rule Zash broke? I know Thanaton told my SI that Zash went against some Sith tradition when she arranged Skotia's death, but it all seemed like nonsense - basically it literally makes no sense to me in context of the Sith. Which Sith tradition states that you can't exploit a rival's (or your master's) weakness in order to kill them and take their place in the hierarchy? As Baras says in the SW story, "Every Sith must attend to his own promotion." What Zash did seems par for the course for the Sith.

What I mean is I literally don't understand what rule/tradition Thanaton is talking about. He is supposed to be the villain, but I am mostly a mixture of amused, bemused, but mostly I am confused.

I can't figure out what rule Zash broke? I know Thanaton told my SI that Zash went against some Sith tradition when she arranged Skotia's death, but it all seemed like nonsense - basically it literally makes no sense to me in context of the Sith. Which Sith tradition states that you can't exploit a rival's (or your master's) weakness in order to kill them and take their place in the hierarchy? As Baras says in the SW story, "Every Sith must attend to his own promotion." What Zash did seems par for the course for the Sith.

 

What I mean is I literally don't understand what rule/tradition Thanaton is talking about. He is supposed to be the villain, but I am mostly a mixture of amused, bemused, but mostly I am confused.

Could it be due that Zash herself is very unconventional Sith? It's been a while since I played through Inquisitor's story, but Wookieepedia states that Thanaton took immense disliking for Zash as he felt she was disrespecting the Sith culture, history and tradition.

It's pretty much summed up here as to why he has a beef with you.

It's pretty much summed up here as to why he has a beef with you.

 

 

From Wookiepedia:

 

 

You can read more here - https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Thanaton

 

There is another facet that isn't expressly outlined in that Wiki article. Teneb Kel (Thanaton before becoming a Darth) was a slave who slowly rose to power. That rise was hampered by Kel's master, Lord Calypho, being arrested and imprisoned for heresy and ambition (kinda the same charges Thanaton levels at Zash). Kel was guilty by association and had to undergo several trials before being made a Darth, and really only got there because Kel learned something that they used to blackmail the Dark Council into a promotion. Sounds pretty similar to Lord Kallig, their master, and their rise to power. Except that your rise is much quicker, you don't have to undergo all of those trials before you are promoted to Lord, and Thanaton repeated shows that they are a hypocrite. Being a hide bound, staunch adherent to tradition is fine until it's inconvenient for Thanaton then they ignore that and break the rules.

I think Thanaton's motivation is much more simple and all of that stuff about Zash being a corrupting influence is just an excuse. In Lord Kallig Thanaton sees a rival. Thanaton sees someone who started from as low a station as they did but who rose to power much faster. Thanaton's just doing what every Darth does. Eliminating a rival.

There is another facet that isn't expressly outlined in that Wiki article. Teneb Kel (Thanaton before becoming a Darth) was a slave who slowly rose to power. That rise was hampered by Kel's master, Lord Calypho, being arrested and imprisoned for heresy and ambition (kinda the same charges Thanaton levels at Zash). Kel was guilty by association and had to undergo several trials before being made a Darth, and really only got there because Kel learned something that they used to blackmail the Dark Council into a promotion. Sounds pretty similar to Lord Kallig, their master, and their rise to power. Except that your rise is much quicker, you don't have to undergo all of those trials before you are promoted to Lord, and Thanaton repeated shows that they are a hypocrite. Being a hide bound, staunch adherent to tradition is fine until it's inconvenient for Thanaton then they ignore that and break the rules.

 

I think Thanaton's motivation is much more simple and all of that stuff about Zash being a corrupting influence is just an excuse. In Lord Kallig Thanaton sees a rival. Thanaton sees someone who started from as low a station as they did but who rose to power much faster. Thanaton's just doing what every Darth does. Eliminating a rival.

Yes, this. 100% THIS. A lot of people forget the Blood of the Empire comics, and I think they're critical to understanding Thanaton as a character.

Yes, this. 100% THIS. A lot of people forget the Blood of the Empire comics, and I think they're critical to understanding Thanaton as a character.

You see, that exactly is what Idon't get about Thanaton. From what I remember of the comic, Thanaton wasn't even a lord at that point, but he used info recovered from Exal Kressh to essentially blackmail the Dark Council into making him a Darth on the spot, so he didn't exactly play by the rules either.

You see, that exactly is what Idon't get about Thanaton. From what I remember of the comic, Thanaton wasn't even a lord at that point, but he used info recovered from Exal Kressh to essentially blackmail the Dark Council into making him a Darth on the spot, so he didn't exactly play by the rules either.

True, but since when do the Sith ever played by the rules.

You see, that exactly is what Idon't get about Thanaton. From what I remember of the comic, Thanaton wasn't even a lord at that point, but he used info recovered from Exal Kressh to essentially blackmail the Dark Council into making him a Darth on the spot, so he didn't exactly play by the rules either.

That's the point of his character IMO, to be a huge hypocrite.

That's the point of his character IMO, to be a huge hypocrite.

I can see that, but my problem with it has always been that the story itself does neither acknowledge nor explain it. The story makes no attempt to give a reasonable explanation as to why Thanaton hates you.

I can see that, but my problem with it has always been that the story itself does neither acknowledge nor explain it. The story makes no attempt to give a reasonable explanation as to why Thanaton hates you.

Doesn't codex entry mentions a bit of his past? Though yeah, it would've been better if you'd be able to call him out on it.

I haven't read the comic about Thanaton so I can only go from what the class story gives us. My understanding that as well as SI being Zash's apprentice and so must die etc. Thanaton is a zealot when it comes to Sith tradition and in Sith tradition slaves just don't become Sith let alone thrive in the order.

Many Sith were forced to accept slaves becoming Sith and I think the codex says about slavery in the empire "the Sith Academy has started accepting slaves who show a strong affinity for the Force… though many still look on these former slaves with disdain."

Thanaton like most Sith had slaves, Harken says he always passes over picking from the slave acolytes and at the end of class story after everything SI has accomplished and proved he or she is worth being a Lord of the Sith, Thanaton diminish that and refers to you as a slave to the Dark Council "I will not be betrayed I will not die and when I kill this slave you will all answer for it". Pretty much implying the corruption in the Sith order is you simply because you're of low origins and that Thanaton has issues with a slave's sudden rise to power going against his beloved tradition. The whole him wanting you dead for being Zash's apprentice to me is just cover for his true feelings.

His hate is irrational (which is the nature of hate anyway) and if he was a slave himself perhaps he is projecting. If that is the case he could hate his own background , being a Sith who came from slavery and feel that he is part of the corruption to Sith tradition but to protect his own view of himself he seeks to destroy external representations (otherwise the SI) of that very thing he himself is.

After all people often hate others for what they hate within themselves. Which unresolved leads to people seeking to destroying the thing they hate. That's my understanding of Thanaton's motivation.