Many people have someone they look up to, or someone whose actions inspire them. This person influences their personality, and also drives them to succeed.
Role Model: Well, many people have a role model, but few have a videogame character as their role model. However, after evaluating my personality and my views, one of my biggest influences is Revan from the Knights of the Old Republic series. Below is the story of Revan, the Prodigal Knight. You can click any of the links to see relevant media. All images are sourced from Wikipedia and are screenshots of the game, and thus are fair use.
The Story of Revan: Revan was a Jedi during the era of the Old Republic. Revan trained at the Jedi Academy on Dantooine, like many Jedi. His masters were Zhar, Dorak, Kae, and also, most famously, Kreia. It was here that Revan learned much of the Force, and perfected my techniques. However, when the Mandalorians invaded the Republic, the Senate asked the Jedi for aid. The Jedi Council refused to help, instead deciding to "evaluate the threat". Revan, and many of the younger Jedi, did not agree with this move. Thus, Revan, and his close friend Malak (who he had trained with), began rallying the Jedi for war. They left for the Outer Rim to help in the war. Revan assumed command of the Republic fleet, and under his leadership, the Republic began acheiving victory after victory. However, while on the Outer Rim, Revan discovered that the Mandalorians were influenced by something, and that it hadn't been their choice to attack the Republic. Revan was determined to find the source of this influence, and during his search, he discovered the shadowy world of Malachor V. Malachor V was an ancient Sith planet, a place considered taboo by the Mandalorians. Revan descended to the planet, almost to be destroyed by the power of the Dark Side. However, Revan survived the onslaught, and fed off its power. He discovered the Trayus Academy, and learned the secrets of other Sith planets, and also discovered the location of the ancient Sith. Revan realized that they had been lying dormant beyond the reaches of the Republic for years. He also realized that should the Sith attack the Republic in its current state, that the Sith would destroy them. Revan refused to allow this to happen, and to save the Republic, Revan turned to the Dark Side. He began establishing secret bases along the Outer Rim, and he began converting the troops and Jedi under his command to the Dark Side. However, some resisted, so when Revan sensed the final battle of the war, he sent the soldiers whose loyalties to him were in doubt. He then instructed Republic Lieutenant Bao-Dur to construct the Mass-Shadow Generator, a device that took advantage of the gravitational anomalies in the system to create a quantum singularity that would crush both fleets. He instructed the Jedi General Exile to activate the device, and the device destroyed both fleets, giving Revan the ultimate victory in one stroke. He then proceeded to leave Republic space, claiming to be searching for the last remnants of the Mandalorian Fleet. In reality, Revan was searching for a device known as the Star Forge. During the Mandalorian Wars, Revan and Malak learned of the device in the Trayus Academy, and learned of a series of Star Maps that showed its location. Revan then proceeded to visit Dantooine and find the first map. Malak questioned Revan's motives, asking him "are the secrets of the star forge so valuable...can it truly be worth the risk?". However, Malak had not learned of the ancient Sith, so he did not understand Revan's actions. Revan ignored Malak and proceed to discover the other Star Maps on Tatooine, Korriban, Kashyyk, and Manaan. He then found the Star Forge, a massive space station that fed off the power of a star. He also discovered the ancient planet Lehon, which he proceeded to manipulate into helping him reach the Star Forge, and taking control of it. Once Revan was in control of the device, he began adding more ships to his fleet. Three months after disappearing from known space, the Republic assumed a huge disaster had befallen the whole fleet. However, Revan returned at the head of a massive invasion fleet, and he began conquesting the Republic. He used assassin droids such as HK-47 to eliminite threats to his fledgling empire. Revan also was a genius in strategy and tactics. He beat the best of the Republic's fleet, and began taking over planets. Surprisingly, Revan ignored the infrastructure of the Republic, and left key military facilities intact. Despite this, the Republic viewed Revan as evil. Revan knew that if he conquered the Republic, he'd be able to defend it from the Sith, but even if he failed, the Republic would be much more prepared for any attack. However, during the Jedi Civil War, as it was called, the Jedi set a trap for Revan, luring him into battle. A small strike team boarded his flagship, and tried to capture him. However, Revan's "friend" Malak had other plans, shooting on his master's ship and injuring him. Malak believes Revan is dead, but the Jedi Knight Bastila saved Revan, and took him off the ship. Back on Dantooine, the Jedi Council used the Force to erase Revan's memories, and they reprogrammed his brain to think he was just an ordinary soldier. At this point, the Jedi did not know of the Star Forge, and the Jedi Council believed that this training would jog some of Revan's memories about the Star Forge, allowing them to find the source of his fleet without him being dangerous. Then they arranged for Bastila to meet Revan aboard the Endar Spire, a Republic ship. The Endar Spire falls under attack over the world of Taris, and Bastila evacuates the ship. Revan also escapes the ship, thanks in part to Republic soldier Carth Onasi. Revan and Carth proceed to rescue Bastila from the planet below, and they also manage to acquire a ship known as the Ebon Hawk. They barely manage to escape Taris before it is destroyed. They head to Dantooine. Under orders from the Jedi Council, Revan is trained, and then Bastila and Revan begin finding the Star Maps again, unbeknownst to Revan, he had already done it before. Along the way, more people join Revan in his quest to save the galaxy. His party eventually consists of Jolee Bindo, T3-M4, Zaalbar, Mission Vao, Juhani, Canderous Ordo, and the aforementioned Carth Onasi, Bastila Shan and HK-47. As they find the Star Maps, they come closer to finding the Star Forge and the source of the Sith Fleet. However, during a chance encounter, Malak and Revan meet aboard Malak's flagship, the Leviathan after Revan and his crew were captured while flying the Ebon Hawk. Malak reveals Revan's true identity to him, resulting in a critical choice for Revan: should he continue on the Light Side, or should he fall back to the Dark Side? Some of Revan's memories begin returning, but not all of them. Revan stays on the path of the Light Side, mainly thanks to Revan and Bastila falling in love. However, Bastila is captured by Malak during the Ebon Hawk's escape, and Malak flees. Revan, determined to save his lover, the Republic, and his friends, proceeds to find the Star Forge, and after calling in the Republic Fleet, Revan duels Malak and kills him, and then destroys the Star Forge. In the aftermath of the battle, Revan begins to remember more of who he was, and Bastila begins to feel Revan's past. Finally, Revan remembers the ancient Sith, and leaves Bastila and Carth to defend the Republic while Revan goes to fight the ancient Sith.
Lessons from Revan: Wow, so you read all that. I'm surprised. A lot takes place in Revan's story, but from it, I took several ideas and used them as ideas for my own actions.
1. Be true to yourself, always. No matter what personality Revan wore, he was always true to himself and his ultimate belief in himself to do the right thing.
2. Trust in yourself to make the right decision. If you can't trust yourself to make the right decision, why would you trust someone else to make that decision for you?
3. Know yourself, and your motives. If you don't know what you're trying to do, and what you wish to achieve, you cannot succeed.
4. Strategies and tactics are important. Learn to find ways to achieve what you want, and success will come easier. Also, if you try hard and have a good plan, you can't lose.
5. Know your enemy. One of the keys to victory is knowing your enemy, their weakness, and how to manipulate them.
6. You can't escape your past. Your past makes you who you are today. Any trouble you have is likely to be your fault. If you could live your live over again, would you really change anything? Knowing all that would transpire, would you still make the same decisions? You should. Don't ever regret decisions, as they shaped you into who you truly are.
7. A smoking gun is hard to dodge, especially if you're holding it. A smoking gun refers to evidence against you that is irrefutable. If you do something, then you're the one who is responsible. Don't try to blame others for your problems. Also, if someone tries to manipulate you, make sure you have the evidence that can bury them.
Welcome
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