Chronicles of Power #1: Valkorion

Chronicles of Power #1: Valkorion Sept 4, 2017 16:05:48 GMT

Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2017 16:05:48 GMT

This is the first installment in the Chronicles of Power, a series created by DarthSkywalker0 and myself; it will expose the power of the Titans in the mythos. This installment will feature the life and power growth of the Immortal Emperor Valkorion over his millennia of existence. To preface, one of the lead writers of Knights of the Fallen Empire confirmed that Valkorion is not a Sith lord as of the time that he possesses Valkorion’s body, and that the codex is referring to Tenebrae’s origins as a member of the Sith species:

-Samantha Wallschlaeger

Many members of the fandom tend to point to the most powerful darksider quotes for Sidious as a way to indisputably bind Valkorion below other force users; however, they seem to support the Son's superiority to Sidious, (something that explicitly contradicts Sidious being the most powerful darksider ever). The following quotes are the ones generally referred to. It’s important to note that the first quote is from is from Luke’s point of view, and Luke had no knowledge of The Ones at this point (other than a story Yoda told him, which at the time he thought was just a story to scare him). The quotes state that Sidious is the most powerful darksider, with no exceptions being implied in the text:

It quickly became clear to Luke that this decrepit and seemingly defenseless old man was masterfully adept in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. Indeed, as Vader had warned, the Emperor had become the Dark Side's most powerful expression.
--Dark Empire endnotes

Even Ulic Qel-Droma would be envious of Palpatine. He had succeeded where all others had failed in taming the Dark Side.--Taken from Dark Empire Sourcebook

However, the Son’s/Abeloth’s quotes directly contradict Sidious being the most powerful darksider ever:

The Son was not a Sith -- his powers existed beyond the domain of the Sith Lords.

-- Encyclopedia: Son

it was no good. Abeloth had a dozen times the Force strength Luke had, and he could do no more than keep her from crushing his throat.
Source: Fate of the Jedi: Vortex

You're still thinking on a mortal scale, like Vader or Palpatine. Think bigger, like a storm or a tide. Like a living Force volcano.

Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse

The third panel depicted the arcade complex again, this time with a much-changed Abeloth standing in the heart of a stormy courtyard. Her hair had grown coarse and long, her nose had flattened until it was practically gone, and her sparkling eyes had grown so sunken and dark that all that could be seen of them were the twinkles. She was raising her arms toward a cowering Daughter and a glowering Son, with long tentacles lashing from where her fingers should have been. Stepping forward to shield them was a furious Father, one hand pointing toward the swamp at the open end of the temple, the other reaching out to intercept her tentacled fingers.
Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse

"Abeloth." Luke repressed a sigh. "She's here. Somewhere. Experimenting. Using the Force with greater strength than I ever did, certainly."-FOTJ: Conviction

So essentially, the quotes claiming Sidious is the most powerful darksider ever are explicitly contradicted and are literally false. They carry no definitive value. This is mentioned so that you readers can fairly rate Valkorion in comparison to the rest of the mythos without being restricted to supposedly indisputable accolades.

So without further ado, the blog will be split into 4 Main Sections: one Section dedicated to Vitiate’s childhood, another devoted to his post-adolescent years all the way up until SWTOR (this will be the bulk of the blog) the third Main Section will be dedicated to Valkorion during the events of KOTFE until his fall, and the 4th main section will be the End Notes.

Tenebrae

I knew him as Tenebrae, but my low-born son has worn many masks.

When Vitiate is born, his eyes are as black as the void itself:

The child who will come to be known as The Emperor is born. Black-Eyed, heartless, and supremely strong in the dark side of the Force, the boy seizes control of his homeworld by the age of 13 and earns the title Lord Vitiate. -SWTOR Encyclopedia

It’s important to note how much of an abomination Vitiate truly is, even at birth. Lord Dramath wanted Tenebrae’s mother to drown him as an infant because of, for lack of a better phrase, Fucked up he was:

Your mother should have obeyed my orders and drowned you when she had the chance. - KOTET Chapter 9

When Tenebrae is six years old, his father (not Dramath, but rather the spouse of Tenebrae’s mother) discovers that his wife had cheated on him, and threatens to hurt the mother. But before he could do that, six-year-old Tenebrae lashes out and snaps his father’s neck “with a thought.” He then proceeds to torture his mother for months, eventually killing her. For the next four years, Tenebrae hones his talents with the dark side of the force, and at the age of 10, he confronts his biological father, Lord Dramath. Tenebrae ultimately breaks his father’s mind and seals his spirit within a holocron of his own design:

By the age of ten, Tenebrae was feared across Medriaas as the entire northern continent fell under his sway. Sith Lord Dramath, planetary governor of Medriaas, set out to bring the boy in line. Tenebrae broke Lord Dramath’s mind, but not before revealing he was his son.
-SWTOR Encyclopedia

He was the least of my children, his mother, a nameless peasant. But he murdered me, imprisoned my spirit, and turned Medriaas into...this.
KOTET Chapter 7

Tenebrae’s ability to telepathically break his father’s mind at the age of 10 is impressive in its own right, but creating a Holocron capable of sealing, destroying, or consuming force essences at the age of 10 is a completely insane display of both power and mastery. To put into context the impressiveness of this feat, Darth Bane in his orbalisk armor lacked the requisite knowledge/capability to create a Holocron, even with using Freedon Nadd’s Holocron as a blueprint:

Using Freedon Nadd's Holocron as a blueprint, he had re-created the intricate matrix of lattices and vertices that were the key to storing nearly infinite amounts of knowledge in a data system small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. It had taken months to gather and fashion the rare crystal into the filaments and fibers of the interlaced network, followed by weeks of delicate and painstaking adjustments. The matrix had to fall within highly exacting specifications, and Bane had spent hundreds of hours making thousands of precise, subatomic alterations through the power of the Force to ensure that each crystalline strand was properly in place.

Once the crystal matrix inside the Holocron was ready, he had carefully transcribed the ancient symbols of Sith power onto the pyramid's surface. The markings were part of a powerful ritual that was critical to maintaining the stability of the matrix after it was infused with the energies of the dark side. Unfamiliar with the exact purpose or meaning of the arcane glyphs, Darth Bane had once again used Nadd's Holocron as his guide, studying the markings etched on the surface, then copying them exactly on his own creation.

But when he tried to activate the Holocron by channeling his power through it, the matrix imploded, collapsing in on itself and reducing the artifact to a pile of glimmering dust in a crackling white flash.

He had tried again several months later, only to be met with the exact same result. Forced to admit that the secret of crafting Holo-crons was still beyond him, Bane had begun a campaign to discover everything he could about the powerful talismans. With Zannah's aid, he accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge on the subject.
-Darth Bane: Rule of Two

This was a Darth Bane who had extensively studied Darth Revan’s Holocron, which provided him the knowledge of rituals so terrible that he could barely wrap his mind around them, much less utilize them:

To Bane it seemed the teachings contained within the single Holocron surpassed those of the Academy's entire archives. Revan had discovered many of the rituals of the ancient Sith, and as the Holocron's avatar explained their nature and purpose, Bane could barely wrap his mind around their awesome potential. Some of the rituals were so terrible-so dangerous to attempt, even for a true Sith Master-that he doubted he would ever dare to use them. Yet he dutifully copied them down on sheaves of flimsy, preserving them so he could study them in greater depth later.

And there was far more than just the ancient practices of dark side sorcerers stored inside the Holocron. In only a few short weeks he'd learned more about the true nature of the dark side than he had in all his time on Korriban. Revan had been a true Sith Lord, unlike the simpering Masters who bowed to Kaan and his Brotherhood. And soon all his knowledge-his understanding of the dark side-would belong to Bane. - Darth Bane: Path of Destruction

Furthermore:

Bane refused to give up. He continued his research, seeking out rare tomes, hidden documents, and forbidden works of lore. It took three more years until he learned the purpose and meaning behind the glyphs… and in doing so he found an answer to why his first efforts had failed. He discovered that each Holocron was emblazoned with symbols that were uniquely tied to the Sith Lord responsible for the artifact's creation. The miniature pyramids were far more than a simple collection of raw data. Learning was imparted through the wisdom of a gatekeeper-an advanced simulated personality that mimicked the creator's own identity. The right combination of symbols, applied in conjunction with specific sorceries and spells of the ancient Sith, would allow Bane to capture his appearance, knowledge, and cognitive processes. Within the structure of the Holocron they would be transformed into a three-dimensional hologram to guide and direct anyone who used the artifact. The cognitive network that fueled the gatekeeper also stabilized the interwoven lattices and vertices of the matrix, keeping it from collapsing as it had done on Bane's previous attempts. Armed with this new understanding, Bane had made a third attempt to create his own Holocron two years ago. He had proceeded carefully; the Rituals of Invocation required to divine and inscribe the proper symbols onto the pyramid's surface were mentally and physically exhausting. Ever wary of making a mistake, he had drawn the process out over two long weeks. Ironically, his caution proved to be his undoing. As he began manipulating the inner structures of the crystal matrix during the final phase of the project, he sensed that the power of the symbols had faded. The cognitive network of the gatekeeper had degraded to the point that it lacked the ability to support and stabilize the matrix. - Darth Bane: Rule of Two

So the art of creating a regular holocron in and of itself requires immense knowledge. But Tenebrae didn’t simply create a regular holocron. This holocron, as aforementioned, has the capability to trap, consume, or erase spirits from existence. This holocron was powerful to consume or destroy the spirits of Arcann, Vaylin, and even Emperor Valkorion himself. Valkorion felt this holocron was so dangerous that he needed to store it in his Vault on Nathema, where his most terrifyingly powerful relics are kept:

The Immortal Emperor’s Vault. Inside Valkorion stored artifacts even he feared were too powerful and dangerous to use.

Even Darth Sidious himself has had his issues with Sith spirits:

The spirits of Korriban are quite real. Indeed on one occasion they nearly killed me.
Sidious' annotations to The Science of Creating Life, Book of Sith

Not to compare 10-year-old Tenebrae to Darth Sidious, but the above quote shows that Tenebrae being capable of creating such a weapon at his age is an unprecedentedly impressive feat.

Keep in mind that the Phobis Devices, the source of the Dread Masters’ knowledge and power, were not kept in the Vault, implying that they may have been less dangerous and powerful than the artifacts Valkorion stored on Nathema and certainly were less powerful and dangerous than the Holocron:

Fear is a powerful weapon, and those who wield it can rule the galaxy. The Phobis devices were constructed for just that purpose. Brimming with dark energy, their mere presence was enough to spark crippling horror in the bravest of minds. Many Sith who meditated on the devices were driven mad by their attempt. Only the lost Sith Dread Masters successfully harnessed and perfected the Phobis devices’ frightening power. Three known Phobis devices exist, and the Emperor sealed one of them–the Core–within his Dark Temple. Although its dormant components have been scavenged, the Phobis Core remains active and will likely spread fear and hysteria for generations to come.
-SWTOR Codex

Tenebrae created the most powerful Holocron in history at the age of 10 (or potentially younger, who knows,) whereas creating a regular Holocron requires immense knowledge and mastery of the force to accomplish, as evidenced by Bane’s struggles to create one.

Tenebrae continued his hostile takeover of Medriaas, and at the age of 13 he fully takes over the planet. He then travels to Korriban, where Ragnos takes notice of his power and christens him Lord Vitiate, making him the youngest Sith lord ever:

With all of Medriaas under his power, Tenebrae traveled to Korriban and met Sith Lord Marka Ragnos, ruler of all Sith. Marka Ragnos recognized Tenebrae’s incredible power and named the boy Lord Vitiate. -SWTOR Encyclopedia

This begins the next Main Section…

Vitiate

My life spans millennia. Legions have risen to test me. […] My ascendance is inevitable. A day, a year, a millennium—it matters not. I hold the patience of stone and the will of stars. Your striving is insignificant. Let your death be the same.

Not only does Ragnos recognize Vitiate’s immense power, he even decides to take in Vitiate as his apprentice. While this isn’t explicitly stated in any Novel or the SWTOR Encyclopedia, the game itself titles Marka Ragnos as “Vitiate’s Master”:

Visited the Ghost of Vitiate’s Master on Yavin 4 - SWTOR achievement codex

Marka Ragnos is heavily implied to be the strongest of the ancient sith lords, as there are quotes implying it:

Marka Ragnos ruled the galaxy with an iron fist. He was the Dark Lord of the Sith - The most powerful of the most powerful. But now he is dead. - Source: Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith 2: Funeral for a Dark Lord (Publisher's Summary)

Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the Sith Empire has grown powerful through centuries of dark force wielding and magic and the hundred-year rule of the greatest Dark Lord of the Sith, MARKA RAGNOS. - Chronicles of the Old Republic

And it’s also generally implied through him being the leader of the Ancient Sith Spirit Council (as opposed to someone like, say, Freedon Nadd, Tulak Hord, or Naga Sadow, the latter two being confirmed to exist as spirits in SWTOR). Marka Ragnos even kept a pet terentatek that he physically beat nightly and warped with dark side energy:

Left to guard the tomb serving as the resting place for its master, Marka Ragnos, the beast has dwelled in darkness for centuries. Legend tells that Ragnos beat his pet nightly, warping it with the Force until it was a creature of pure hate and anguish. Starved for unthinkable periods of time and then fed only blood, it is said to be filled with an unquenchable thirst for more. Since the death of its master and its seclusion in the tomb, no one has seen the beast and lived to tell the tale. But the strongest Sith can feel its unnerving presence. - SWTOR Codex

The last line is particularly telling because after the Sith Warrior protagonist kills Ragnos’ terentatek, Darth Baras senses its death from across the galaxy:

The beast of Marka Ragnos was a great source of dark side energy here on Korriban. When it was slain, there was a tremor in the force. Baras felt that tremor and has become aware of you. - Overseer Tremmel (SWTOR)

It’s pretty clear from the above that Ragnos is an absolute top tier Sith Lord, and Vitiate studying at the feet of the most powerful Sith lord in history (at the time) at the tender age of 13 was sure to help fulfill his immense potential. Keep in mind that Vitiate was 13 in 5,100 BBY, which was around when Ragnos first took the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith. This would mean that Marka Ragnos could have possibly trained Vitiate for the entire century of his rule.

For the next 100 years until Ragnos’ death, Vitiate spent his time either with his master or by himself, studying the dark side of the force. Vitiate during these 100 years was not a warrior or a politician, he spent no time vying for political power. This differentiates Vitiate from the likes of Naga Sadow and Ludo Kressh, who jumped at the prospect of usurping the empty throne as Dark Lord of the Sith. This has nothing to do with a lack of power, however, in fact far from it; I would argue that Vitiate prior to his draining of Nathema was about as powerful and masterful in the dark side as any Sith lord who came before…

Vitiate’s prodigy and training culminated in “the most complex sith ritual ever attempted,” wherein he lured 8,000 sith lords to Medriaas in order to enact a sith ritual that would annihilate all life on Nathema, including the force itself. To do this, however, Vitiate needed to break the minds of the sith lords partaking in the ritual:

Once they arrived on Nathema, they quickly fell under Lord Vitiate's control. He dominated their minds, crushed their resistance. He turned them into slaves to his will, forcing them to participate in the most complex ritual of Sith sorcery ever attempted. Calling on the dark side, Lord Vitiate devoured them. He fed on their power, absorbing it into himself, utterly obliterating all traces of his victims. But the ritual was not confined to the doomed Sith Lords. They were but the eye of the storm; the center of a vortex that spread across the entire planet. Every man, woman, and child on Nathema died that day. Every beast, bird, and fish; all the insects and plants; every living being touched by the Force was consumed. When the ritual ended, Nathema was no longer a world. It was a husk sucked dry. Lord Vitiate sacrificed millions, stealing their life force to make himself immortal. Their deaths also made him stronger than any Sith who had come before, and he ceased to be known as Lord Vitiate. On that day, the Emperor was truly born. From (Darth Nyriss, Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan)

Eight thousand Sith Lords gathered on Medriaas and agreed to partake in a ritual that would bind the Sith together as an ultimate dark side weapon. The ritual lasted ten days. Lord Vitiate orchestrated the sorcery and the planet Mediraas was consumed by the largest dark side nexus the galaxy would ever see. When the ritual ended, Lord Vitiate emerged as the only survivor. The pain, energy, and suffering of every living entity on the planet fueled his power and would prolong his life for centuries. The lifeless planet of Mediraas became a void in the Force and was erased from history. From that moment forward, the world would forever be known as Nathema, the birthplace of the one and only Sith Emperor. From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

While it can be argued that Nyriss’ account may not be 100% accurate or contradicts the explanation given by the encyclopedia, I would argue that it does not make sense narratively for Nyriss to be lying (given it’s relative consistency with what is stated in the encyclopedia) or plain wrong (the whole reason she’s conspiring against Vitiate in the first place is because she knows what he’s capable of, and again, her story is consistent with the encyclopedia,) and that neither source contradicts the other. It’s stated in the Revan Novel as well as the SWTOR encyclopedia that Vitiate told the other sith that the ritual would help unite their power against the Jedi, causing the Sith to agree to partake in the ritual. But this wouldn’t preclude Vitiate from dominating their wills, given that these are the 8,000 most powerful remaining Sith lords in the Empire, so it would make sense that someone as paranoid as Vitiate would want to make sure that they were all cooperative. This feat is unprecedented in its sheer dominance from a character so far before their prime. Not only that but as shown in the quote above, this ritual was the most complex Sith ritual ever attempted, implying that no Sith before had ever manifested such mastery over the force to the same extent that Vitiate did. Vitiate’s ritual was even used as inspiration for the Thought Bomb:

Nathema: Once known as Medriaas, Nathema was an agriworld of the Sith Empire at a time when Sith also controlled the Chorlian sector. An ancient Dark Lord of the Sith named Darth Vitiate destroyed all life on Nathema with a ritual designed to grant him immortality. A transcription of this ritual was recorded by Darth Revan and served as the inspiration for Lord Kaan's thought bomb on Ruusan. From (Star Wars: Force and Destiny - Core Rulebook)

Based on the scope of the two rituals, its pretty clear that Vitiate's ritual on Nathema was far more potent than the Thought Bomb. This is paramount to note because the Thought Bomb is the source of the Valley of the Jedi, the most potent nexus in the star wars universe sans the Font of Power/Pool of knowledge/Mortis. The Valley of the Jedi granted powers far beyond anything a Jedi or sith could dream of, including nigh-omniscience and power beyond imagination:

Ultimately, all of Jerec's pupils were killed by the Jedi Kyle Katarn, but the price was worth the reward. Jerec at last gained access to the valley, and for one lucid moment, absolute omniscience was his. The will of the Force, Chaos, the ancient civilizations of the Rakata and Xim, what lay beyond the galactic barrier, and the origins of the universe - - Jerec understood them all, and endowed with Force powers beyond imagination, he would have ruled accordingly.
However, during this rapturous illumination, Kyle used an ancient Force technique to sever Jerec's connection to the Force with a wall of pure light. Kyle then proceeded to cut the Dark Jedi down, sending Jerec's soul screaming toward Chaos alongside the Sith spirit of a thousand years hence. Thanks to his enlightenment, Jerec was well aware of the torture without respite that awaited him there.

En route, he lost all his followers to Kyle Katarn, but backed by three major factions, he did indeed gain entrance to the Valley. Drawing upon the stored Force energies, Jerec realized all the wildest promises of the Valley:and for one lucid moment, absolute omniscience was his. The will of the Force, Chaos, the ancient civilizations of the Rakata and Xim, what lay beyond the galactic barrier, and the origins of the universe - - Jerec understood them all, and endowed with Force powers beyond imagination, he would have ruled accordingly.

His megalomaniacal plans would be defeated when Katarn, drawing on the same Jedi techniques that severed the Jedi Exile from the Force, or Ulic Qel-Droma, cut him off from the Valley and indeed, the Force at large. Kyle Katarn then remorselessly cut down his father's murderer, sending his soul screaming towards the abyss of the Dark side.

It’s pretty clear that Jerec, while drawing on the Valley of the Jedi, was incredibly powerful. Except that the Thought Bomb (the source of the valley’s power) is infinitely inferior to Vitiate’s ritual on Nathema. As opposed to a bomb in a cave that absorbed 1,000 + force users and trapped their spirits for all Eternity, Vitiate’s Nathema ritual caused the planet to be “consumed by the largest dark side nexus the galaxy would ever see.” Vitiate then absorbed 8,000 Sith lords (as opposed to 1,000), the millions of people on Medriaas, and all the force energy on the planet (presumably including the dark side energy that consumed the world). Essentially, a Sith Lord that was already arguably the most powerful/masterful Sith lord in Galactic History absorbed an amount of energy at least equal to that of the Valley of the Jedi. Given the similarity in nature between the two rituals, it makes sense that the nature of his absorption of everything on Nathema is similar to how the Thought Bomb absorbed/trapped the spirits of all those sith and Jedi. Scourge even notes in the Revan Novel that the spirits of those Vitiate consumed still seem to be inside of him. More on that later. The Emperor at this point is literally a walking Thought Bomb. And Vitiate is still infinitely before his peak.
Let that sink in.
Over the centuries, Vitiate continues to build his Sith Empire, and study the most uncharted depths of the dark side:

In his relentless pursuit of immortality, the Emperor explored the most sinister, uncharted depths of the dark side. - From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

During this time, it is implied that numerous Dark Councils attempt to overthrow him. They never had anything close to a chance. In all of the recorded instances of Vitiate destroying the Dark Council, it’s implied that he destroyed them without a fight even taking place:

”During a violent tempest, Darth Lokess called a secret meeting of her eleven fellow Dark Council members. Under the cover of night, the Dark Council met and heard Darth Lokess describe a brilliant and daring plan to overthrow the Sith Emperor, end his relentless exile, and lead the Empire back to war against the Republic. An army of Sith under the command of Darth Lokess were stationed outside the meeting, ready to slay any Dark Council member who refused. But they all agreed to depose the Emperor.
It remains a mystery how the Emperor learned of his council's treachery. He allowed their plan to play out, but when they gathered to confront the Emperor, his punishment was swift and devastating. Eleven members of the Dark Council died in a sudden flash on the steps of the Citadel. The last member Darth Lokess, disappeared forever, though for some centuries some claimed her screams could be heard from the bowels of the Citadel.
A new council was immediately appointed to replace the traitors. The Emperor had made his point: his will was absolute, and none would oppose him. And though this was not the last time the council would defy the Emperor, his lesson would humble the Empire and its Sith leaders for centuries to come.”From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

"The Imperial Guard were only unleashed on Nyriss and two others. The Emperor must have assumed they were the ones least likely to answer his summons. The other nine were called together in the hours before the attack to meet with the Emperor at his citadel. None of them left alive." From (Lord Scourge, Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan)

Keep in mind that the latter instance occurred very shortly after he was informed of Nyriss’s treachery, implying that a significant amount of preparation wasn’t involved. And as I said before, the Emperor slaughtered these two dark councils without even having a fight take place. To get an idea of how powerful Dark Council Members are, it must be noted how difficult it is to attain a seat on the Dark Council:

To serve on the Dark Council is to achieve the greatest position of honor, power, and influence in the Empire. Many Sith spend their lives plotting their ascension to the council, but with millions vying for only 12 seats, the competition is cutthroat. The powerful few who join the council often serve for only a few months, their lives cut short by internal power struggles or external enemies who target them for assassination. Once every few centuries, a bold few make the foolish mistake of defying the Emperor's will - a path that inevitably leads to ruin.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

(as an aside, the end of the above quote implies that the Dark Council would never stand a chance at defeating/defying The Emperor’s will).

"The Dark Council are the galaxy's most powerful Sith."
―Moff Valion Pyron (Star Wars The Old Republic)

Suffice it to say, the Dark Council is comprised of the absolute best of the best in the Empire in terms of power. While there are outliers like Vowrawn and Xedrix, the majority rule with an iron fist. Well-known immensely powerful members of the Dark Council include Darth Marr, Darth Nox, Darth Nyriss, Darth Ekkage, Darth Jadus, Darth Baras, etc. Darth Thanaton, one of the most powerful sith lords in Galactic History, only barely made it onto the Dark Council in Act 3 of the Sith Inquisitor Storyline. Keep in mind that Thanaton was so powerful that as a mere apprentice, he was sent to track down and kill the Emperor’s only known apprentice, Exal Kressh, descendant of Ludo Kressh. By the time he was a full fledged Darth, he was capable of casually oneshotting a Nox who had bound the spirits of two powerful force ghosts to her will. Despite Nox’s immense power (enough to kill a sith lord as an acolyte with force lightning,) and knowledge of the force, it’s shown and stated by Darth Thanaton that he possesses knowledge beyond her comprehension:
youtu.be/pEDSSCVL5LU?t=749

But I am older, wiser, and studied in rituals you can’t even imagine.

Despite coming prepared, Darth Nox is dropped by Thanaton in an instant, without effort on his part. And as stated before, it’s very telling that a Darth Nox who has mastered the force-walking ritual can’t even comprehend the rituals Thanaton has at his disposal. And again, Darth Thanaton didn’t even make it onto the Dark Council until the 3rd Act of SWTOR.
Darth Baras is in a similar boat. Baras was apprentice to Darth Vengean, member of the Dark Council. It wasn’t until Darth Vengean died at the end of Act 2 that Baras was able to earn a seat on the Dark Council. This was a Baras who had received a boon of power from Sel Makor (more on him later) and had the power and foresight of the Sith Entity (presumably Darth Traya’s spirit) at his disposal. These powerbases made Baras indestructible, and even after losing the power of the Sith Entity (his greatest source of power) he was still considered “nigh-indestructible”.
Another example of a powerful Dark Council member is Darth Ekkage, who is believed to be one of the absolute greatest sith in history:

The sister of Darth Baras, Darth Ekkage is one of the greatest Sith assassins to ever live. She and her network of killers were imprisoned on Belsavis after she was betrayed and handed over to the Jedi by one of her own–a Sith assassin who renounced the dark side and sought refuge among the Jedi. Many believe Darth Ekkage was as powerful a weapon as the Sith have ever had, and that their victory over the Republic would have been completed long ago if Ekkage had not been captured. But there are also many within the Sith who fear her–realizing that they could just as easily be her next target. -SWTOR Codex

Darth Ekkage, almost immediately upon being released from imprisonment, murders a sith lord with a flick of her wrist:
youtu.be/b7gQVmCX9XQ?t=225
The above examples are used as a reference point for the power it takes to become a member of the Dark Council, as well as the power members of the Dark Council. Even Xedrix, who by the time of the Revan Novel was a decrepit old man, at one point was Darth Nyriss’s rival. Speaking of Nyriss…

"A lifetime spent delving into the ancient secrets of Sith sorcery had given her one of the highest positions in the Empire."
―Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan

The important part of that statement is the “lifetime delving into the ancient secrets of Sith sorcery”. When Scourge walks through Nyriss’s compound, he sees shelves upon shelves of ancient sith tomes and relics:

"The well-lit room appeared to be a study or private library. The walls were lined with shelves, their ancient wooden frames warped by the weight of the treasures they bore.
Scourge couldn’t help but stare in wonder at the collection. During his days at the Academy he had seen only one physical manuscript—an ancient tome dating back more than ten thousand years to the arrival of the first Dark Jedi on Dromund Kaas. The book was considered a priceless artifact, one of the academy’s greatest treasures.
Yet here dozens—if not hundreds—of volumes filled the shelves on the left wall. Most of the books were large and thick, their bound pages protected by covers of leather or some similarly cured hide, though Scourge guessed that not all of them were made from skin cured from mindless beasts. They had an antiquated look about them, though most appeared to be preserved in good condition, if somewhat worn from use. Obviously Nyriss had paged through them many times.
The shelves on the right wall contained reference material that looked even more ancient and delicate. Loose leaves of yellowed parchment were held in place with delicate wire clips; rolled scrolls were encased in clear protective tubes. A hinged glass cover sheltered several books that looked as if they might crumble into dust should a strong breeze pass through the room.
But not everything in the room was an archaic relic. On the rear wall was a large bank of holodisks and datacards, and in the center of the room was a computer workstation where a figure Scourge could only assume to be Darth Nyriss sat hunched, staring at the display monitor. The hood of her loose-fitting cowl—red, accented with purple and black—was pulled up over her head, and the long, loose sleeves even covered her hands and fingers as she worked at the terminal.."
―Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan

Nyriss is incredibly knowledgeable in the dark side of the force, and clearly isn’t lacking in power. Her fight against Meetra and Scourge is evidence of such, as she defeats the duo with absolute ease, and conjures a storm of force lightning capable of disintegrating them, and even herself (even after quickly erecting a force barrier).

"A burst of purple lightning arched down the steps, catching both men in the chest. They barely had time to scream before they were turned into charred and smoking husks...
She raised her free hand above her head and fired off another burst of lightning. Both Scourge and Meetra threw themselves clear of the deadly electrical bolt, but in doing so they gave Nyriss the early advantage.
Before they could recover, she leapt at them. Despite her withered appearance, she moved with the all the speed and ferocity of a dark side warrior in her prime. She landed right between her two adversaries, her blade flashing back and forth in a series of slashes and cuts that immediately threw her two opponents on the defensive.
Scourge barely managed to parry the first wave of her assault, unable to even think about countering with an attack of his own. Another quick thrust forced him off balance and he staggered backward.
Nyriss seized on the opportunity to focus all her efforts on breaking through Meetra’s defenses. The Jedi was clearly overmatched; though she managed to hold her ground, she was forced down to one knee.
In the awkward position her right flank was exposed, and Nyriss brought her blade in to deliver a crippling cut. At the same time, Scourge lashed out with the Force, catching Nyriss flush in the center of her chest.
An ordinary foe would have been thrown clear across the room, but Nyriss instinctively threw up a Force barrier to protect herself, absorbing and redirecting the brunt of the impact. Even so, Scourge’s attack knocked her off balance just enough to send her lightsaber wide of the mark, giving Meetra the opportunity she needed to scramble away to safety.
Scourge rushed forward, hoping to drive Nyriss back into a corner, but she met his charge with an invisible wave of rippling energy. It picked Scourge up and tossed him head-over-heels, sending him crashing to the wall.
Dazed, he looked up just in time to see another bolt of violet lightning catch Meetra in the chest. Like Nyriss, she threw up a barrier to save herself from the worst of it, but she was still knocked from her feet.
'Did you think I would be as easy to defeat as Xedrix?' Nyriss shouted, raising her lightsaber triumphantly above her head.
The air around her began to crackle and grow hot as she gathered herself for the killing blow. Scourge felt the energy building inside her, and he knew he would be powerless to stop it. Nyriss was too powerful; her command of the dark side was too strong.
'Gaze upon me and see your doom!” she declared. “I am Darth Nyriss, Lord of the Sith. I am the conqueror of Drezzi, the destroyer of Melldia, and a member of the Dark Council!'
Scourge braced himself for the end."
―Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan

Furthermore, it’s stated that Darth Nyriss’s understanding or mastery of the force would always be beyond Scourge’s ability to fully grasp:

"Scourge didn’t know if that was true, but he knew that Nyriss had gained her place in the Dark Council through her knowledge and understanding of things he could never hope to fully grasp."

―Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan

Scourge is an “expert swordsman” with “incredible potential” who as an acolyte made his instructors “reluctant to face him in the ring” and can “gorge” on his opponent’s emotions (to a greater extent than a Sith traditionally can), and the Jedi Exile is the “greatest jedi hero” alongside Revan according to Scourge in SWTOR, who was capable of defeating Darth Sion, Darth Traya, and a multitude of Sith Assassins on Malachor V. And yet, Nyriss defeated them with the utmost ease. Furthermore, there’s not really much reason to believe that Nyriss is far above the other members of the Dark Council:

"Nyriss was a member of the Dark Council; she was one of the twelve most important and influential individuals in the Empire. The material treasures were a symbol of her own worth; a reminder to any visitors that she was a being of rank and power."
―Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan

All this goes to show how supremely powerful the Emperor is: even the combined efforts of the 12 most powerful sith in the galaxy, with knowledge beyond other immensely powerful force users’ comprehension, wouldn’t stand a chance in hell at defeating pre-prime Emperor Vitiate. And, speaking of the Revan Novel…
Vitiate’s meeting with Scourge shows just how transcendent and absolutely nihilistic Vitiate truly is. Scourge almost immediately notes how Vitiate’s physical shell is filled with such dark side energy that it causes a rippling in the air:

The figure before him appeared unremarkable. The Emperor was clad in unadorned black robes, the raised hood effectively hiding his face. Yet Scourge could feel the power of the dark side emanating from him with such intensity that it caused a faint rippling of the air. -SWTOR: Revan

Scourge proceeds to tell The Emperor about Nyriss being a traitor, and when The Emperor tells him that he’s staked his life on this information, Scourge realizes the Emperor’s unique, transcendent nature:

Are you certain of these accusations?
I would stake my life on them, my lord Emperor.
You already have.
Scourge felt a shiver trace its way down his spine, and he knew that far more than his life was at risk. The Emperor was no longer a member of the Sith species; his power and immortality had transformed him into a being unique in the galaxy. When he spoke of life and death, it had far deeper meaning than the mere physical existence of the lesser beings that served him. -SWTOR: Revan

This quote shows that The Emperor is beyond the domain of mere mortals. The people that serve him, including the members of the Dark Council, are noted to be “lesser beings” with far less depth in their comprehension of life and death. It’s pretty clear he gives off a sort of Abeloth-like feel; he’s an eldritch abomination beyond the domain of the sith lords in his Empire. This is further supported when The Emperor gives Scourge a brief glimpse of his mind:

Scourge cried out in anguish as the Emperor’s mind brushed against his, then he collapsed to the floor, shaking like a child. The touch lasted less than a second, but in that time he witnessed indescribable horrors that dwarfed anything the dark side could conjure even in his worst nightmares. And beneath the formless terrors lurked the unbearable Void, the pure emptiness of total annihilation.

So in “less than a second”, Scourge witnesses formless terrors that “dwarfed anything the dark side could conjure up even in his worst nightmares”, and beneath those horrors lied something even worse, the “pure emptiness of total annihilation”. This is part of the reason the Ancient Sith hated Vitiate, crowning Kun the Dark Lord of the Sith instead, along with numerous predecessors. Vitiate was an abomination to them, his evil transcending mere dominion over the galaxy or even the force itself. He wanted total and utter annihilation of all existence in order to become a God of sorts, to experience anything and everything. Again, this gives off more of a feel of Abeloth than anything else. Another interesting piece to note is that Revan believes it’s a possibility that Vitiate could “Nathema” Dromund Kaas without the help of other sith lords or extensive preparation:

He’s quarantined Dromund Kaas, Meetra said, trying to lead them to the same conclusion. What if he’s preparing to do the same thing here that he did on Nathema?
Scourge hadn’t considered that possibility, and it chilled him to his core.
Is that possible? he asked. Nyriss told me the ritual on Nathema took days, if not weeks. And the Emperor had to trick hundreds of other powerful Sith into working with him so he could draw on their power.
He is stronger now, Revan said. But even if it’s possible, I don’t think he’ll go that far. At least not yet. He is too patient, too careful. Dromund Kaas is the heart of his Empire and the seat of his power. He has too many valuable resources here to throw it all away. But once he is ready, there will be nothing left to stop him from launching his invasion of the Republic. - SWTOR: Revan

It’s hardly definitive proof that Vitiate could do such a thing, but it’s just interesting to note that Revan believes it’s potentially within Vitiate’s capability to do so. Keep in mind how devastatingly powerful the ritual on Nathema was.

[/I]Revan Fight Analysis[/I]

A lot of people across the forums like to bring up this fight as some sort of evidence that Revan isn’t that far off from Vitiate. But what we see in the Revan Novel actually contradicts that notion. First of all, Revan knew that he wouldn’t ever be able to defeat the Emperor by himself:

In their last meeting he had overwhelmed Revan completely; it wasn’t even fair to call it a battle. Revan had grown since then. He was far more powerful now, but was he a match for the Emperor? Alone, probably not. With the combined strength of Meetra, Scourge, and even T3, however, he believed they stood a real chance of victory. - SWTOR: Revan

When Revan does battle against an Imperial Guard, the Imperial Guard is able to merely draw on the Emperor’s power in order to completely tank Revan’s force push:

Revan landed on the ground and wheeled around to face the other man. He thrust out with the Force, the impact hitting the soldier square in the chest. Instead of sending him flying, it only staggered him back half a step. this close to the Emperor they were sworn to protect, the guards were able to draw on his power to protect themselves. -SWTOR: Revan

It is important to note that these guards lack force sensitivity. It’s only their unique mental link with Vitiate that allows them to draw on his power. Revan’s force push barely budging a non-force sensitive drawing on a fraction of Vitiate’s power is rather telling of how much power Vitiate possesses.
When Revan enters the throne room, he charges at the Emperor and is blown back by a force wave.

At the last possible instant, the Emperor unleashed a wave of energy that swept Revan off his feet and sent him flying backward. - SWTOR: Revan

Revan begins to proceed more cautiously, and the Emperor attempts to dominate his mind. We all know what happens next. Revan draws on both the light and dark and releases it in its purest form. The result was the following:

There was brilliant flash as the air between the two combatants lit up. The energy unleashed was powerful enough to send Revan staggering. The Emperor, unprepared and with much of his strength diverted to his effort to dominate Revanís mind, was sent flying backward.

The only reason Vitiate was sent back by Revan’s attack was because he wasn’t prepared and was diverting his strength almost solely into dominating Revan’s mind. Despite having such lesser force defenses up, the attack doesn’t cause much physical harm to Vitiate. Vitiate gets up on one knee and fires 3 bolts of lightning at Revan, and the following occurs:

The Emperor unleashed three more bolts in quick succession. Revan batted the first aside with his lightsaber, ducked the second, then deflected the third back in the direction of its source. It struck the Emperor in the chest, sending him sliding several meters back on the floor. For the first time the Sith’s emotionless veneer cracked as he let out a primal hiss of hate. The sound sent shivers down Revan’s spine. -SWTOR: Revan

Many would argue that this particular instance doesn’t exactly put Vitiate in a great light, and I would tend to agree. However, even the Son of Mortis has failed to deflect his own lightning being redirected at him:

And, just like with the Son’s, Vitiate’s positive showings and implications of power far outweigh this one negative showing. After Vitiate gets pissed off, he realizes that Revan isn’t quite as vulnerable as he was the first time they confronted each other, so he busts out his force lightning storm:

Revan knew he was gathering his power to unleash a swirling storm of pure dark side energy, just as Nyriss had done. The Jedi quickly calculated his options. Realizing he couldn’t close the gap between them quickly enough to stop the assault, he gathered his own energy and spread his hands before him, ready to catch and absorb the Emperorís attack. A dozen bolts of purple lightning arced from the Emperor toward him. Revan tried to draw them in and contain them, but the Emperor was infinitely more powerful than Darth Nyriss had ever been. Revan’s body was engulfed in agony as the electricity coursed through his body. His skin began to boil and blister, the flesh of his face melting and sticking to the superheated metal of his mask as the Emperor poured more and more power into him. -SWTOR: Revan

The bold parts are probably the most important. Vitiate was able to gather this storm attack before Revan would have been able to close the gap, presumably including a lightsaber throw or a quick force attack. And Revan similarly gathered his energy to absorb the lightning attack. Interestingly enough, it’s never shown or implied that Revan had to gather his energies to “easily” redirect Nyriss’ lightning storm and “destroy” her. The most important thing to note here, though, is that the Emperor overwhelms Revan’s tutaminis instantaneously. Both Revan and Vitiate charged up their powers (hence why the clash ended so quickly,) and Vitiate’s storm came out on top. Suffice it to say, when Vitiate is sufficiently pissed off, even Revan doesn’t stand a chance of defeating him alone. It makes sense for Vitiate to be at least solidly above Revan, given the above. All of this goes to show that Revan has absolutely no parity with the Sith Emperor whatsoever. Not that Revan isn’t immensely powerful in his own right: he easily destroys Nyriss, slaughters armies, and defeats SF Malak (who I will get to in the End Notes) in a weaker incarnation while being hindered.

Another part of this fight that people like to bring up is the idea that Scourge, Meetra, and Revan had a 50/50 chance of defeating The Emperor, based on the following quote:

The Force washed over him in a wave, and a million possible futures flickered through his mind simultaneously. In some the Emperor was no more; in others he had transformed the entire galaxy into an empty wasteland. He saw both Revan’s triumph and defeat in the throne room; he saw variations of his own life and death played out over and over in every conceivable way, shape, and form.
He had to choose, but there was no way to know which was the most likely outcome, or what actions of his would lead to which results. Revan had said visions could guide the Jedi, but for Scourge they brought nothing but confusion. The moment passed and the universe began to move again, though everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Revan and Meetra stepped forward, ready to initiate the final confrontation. Scourge knew he had to act now; he had to make his choice. In a sudden moment of clarity he saw the Emperor lying defeated at the feet of a powerful Jedi but that Jedi was neither Revan nor Meetra. And the Sith Lord knew what he had to do. Instead of advancing with his two companions, Scourge stepped to the side so that he was standing directly behind Meetra. There was a flicker in his consciousness as the universe snapped back to full speed, and he slid the blade of his lightsaber between her shoulders. -SWTOR: Revan

First of all, it’s important to note that these visions had way more content than simply the trio’s victory or defeat against Vitiate. Scourge saw his life and death play out in every conceivable way, even as far into the future as Vitiate succeeding in turning the galaxy into a wasteland. He could have had 10,000 visions of the team winning, and hundreds of thousands of other potential occurrences, but regardless, there is no way to tell what the chances were for the strike team to win based on Scourge’s visions. Scourge himself, on the other hand, has a moment of clarity in which he sees that it’s neither Meetra or Revan who succeeds in defeating The Emperor. After the fact, Scourge notes:

Betraying his allies had not altered the inevitable outcome; the Emperor would have won regardless. At least this way Scourge was still alive to carry on their cause.

Scourge, who had actually seen the clear vision of the Outlander defeating Valkorion and taking the Eternal Throne, knew that the Emperor would have succeeded in killing the Strike Team. Because in the bold above, Scourge notes that “the Emperor would have won regardless”, meaning regardless of whether Scourge chose to betray Revan and Meetra or fight against the Emperor. But choosing to betray his companions ensured that he would be able to survive until the Outlander came about. Essentially, the trio defeating Vitiate in a straight-up fight was about as likely as Vitiate consuming the entire galaxy.

After the fight between Vitiate and the trio, Vitiate rewards Scourge by granting him biological immortality and amping his battle prowess:

“Feel your mortality as it is stripped away.”
Scourge screamed as invisible claws tore at his insides, seemingly shredding his vital organs.
The heat in his chest had spread to the rest of his body; it felt as if his blood were made of fire. The agony became unbearable, and he shrieked and collapsed to the floor.
“The ritual cannot be undone,” the Emperor said as Scourge writhed and wept at his feet.
Through his torment, Scourge realized with dawning horror what the Emperor was saying. The ritual was over, but the searing heat and the rending of his insides continued unabated.
Focusing his will, he managed to still the convulsions racking his body. He forced himself to his knees, though every movement seemed to amplify the pain. Trembling, he rose to his feet and addressed the Emperor.
“How long will this anguish last?” he asked, his jaw clenched.
“As time passes you will learn to accept and endure your suffering,” the Emperor answered. “Your mind and body will find ways to deal with the pain. After many months you will become accustomed enough to it to function in your role as the Emperor’s Wrath. Eventually you will simply become numb, unable to feel anything at all.”
“Why?” Scourge asked, his voice something between a sob and a moan.
“Everything has a cost,” the Emperor explained. “This is the price of immortality.” - SWTOR: Revan

What’s interesting about the nature of Scourge’s biological immortality is that it’s heavily implied that he cannot be killed by physical attacks, similar to Darth Sion. We know this because Scourge is wandering the galaxy searching for arcane rituals in order to “end his suffering” (i.e. kill himself):

"The Emperor's Wrath? Never met him, but I've heard stories. Legends say the Emperor made him immortal, but at a terrible cost. He lives in constant pain, wandering the dark corners of the galaxy, searching for ancient Sith rituals to end his suffering. Or so the story goes. Makes for a good morality tale, but it's a little far-fetched if you ask me."

Again, this implies that Scourge wouldn’t be able to “end his suffering” by simply impaling himself onto a lightsaber, or even, say, decapitating himself. Vitiate being able to grant this degree of immortality to Scourge is immensely impressive. Vitiate also amped Scourge’s battle prowess:

Conspiracy theories held that Scourge was a title rather than a man, for even pureblooded Sith are mortal... However, the Dark Council knew the truth. There was only one Scourge, his life prolonged by Sith alchemy, and his battle prowess enhanced by the Emperor."
―Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia

Furthermore, Scourge doesn’t have to “hold his body together” like Sion was via sheer force of will. So Vitiate is capable of granting force sensitives Sion + tier immortality with ease.
For the next 300 years until SWTOR, Vitiate is consuming Revan’s force energy constantly, along with sith spirits in the Dark Temple:

Burial place, prison, and reliquary, the Dark Temple was built on the orders of the Emperor to seal away powerful artifacts and the Emperor's enemies, both alive and dead. The temple became a nexus of dark side energy as the Emperor performed rituals within, drawing strength and knowledge from his captives.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

REVAN COULD FEEL THE EMPEROR FEEDING ON HIM, drawing on his power to sate his endless hunger.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan)

Keep in mind that Meetra’s spirit was constantly replenishing Revan’s force reserves, leaving Revan as a constant source of energy for Vitiate to drain from. It’s aptly stated that Vitiate’s power is truly ever-increasing:

Servants of the Hand share their Master's longevity, living untouched by age for centuries under his command. In return, the Emperor draws on his servant's strength in the Force and body to feed his ever-increasing power, leaving the servants withered and frail.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

It stands to reason that Vitiate would have grown considerably more powerful over the 300 years between the Revan Novel and SWTOR. During this time he embraced a new philosophy in Zakuul, and had a significant new source of power to draw upon in Revan. This leads us into the events of SWTOR that I find important to note…

Children of the Emperor

Throughout the SWTOR era, hundreds of sith infiltrators known as the Children of the Emperor were embedded throughout the Republic. Each child is imbued with a portion of Emperor Vitiate’s power at birth, even if they’re not force sensitive. These hundreds of children are all concealed by the power of the First Son, the most powerful of the Children:

The Sith Emperor seeks to shape all things to his will. His Children, individuals infused with part of his being, have been scattered throughout the Republic, knowingly–or unknowingly–manipulating events to the Emperor’s advantage over the years. Above them all is the First Son of the Emperor, a master strategist placed within the Jedi Council itself. Cloaked in the identity of Master Syo Bakarn, the First Son has been hiding the Children from the Jedi for decades, playing a long game with the Republic. His actions suggest a man possessing remarkable patience, ruthlessness and power. However, as Sophia Farash claimed, Master Syo has been unaware of the First Son’s existence–suggesting he and the First Son are two separate personas. - SWTOR Codex

The ability to conceal the presences of hundreds of Children of the Emperor from all the jedi in the galaxy is an immensely impressive feat, especially when you consider how powerful random Children of the Emperor are. In Act 3, a child of the Emperor tanks Barsen’thor’s TK and blasts her and her companion many meters back with a burst of force lightning:

youtu.be/_3S44-7cbpQ?t=1103

Keep in mind that this Child of the Emperor is a non force sensitive, so any force power he has is the power Vitiate imbued him with at birth. The question then becomes how impressive is the Barsen’thor? Well…
The Barsen’thor on Taris (less than midway through Act 1) easily ragdolls an enormous chunk of metal and throws it a good 100 + feet:

youtu.be/Z5IwR52UPB4?t=265

To paraphrase, she also has numerous other telekinetic feats such as annihilating a 30x20 blast door with telekinesis in Act 1, smashing through a Rakatan Vault door in Act 3, etc. But her most impressive feat in Act 1 is defeating the Ancient Sith Lord Terrak Morrhage. To give context, the Barsen’thor was immensely weakened due to having to use the force shielding technique on multiple jedi masters in order to keep them from falling under Morrhage’s influence. The last jedi who used this shielding technique died upon using it once, but the Barsen’thor used it multiple times. In the climax of Act 1, the Barsen’thor confronts Terrak Morrhage, an ancient sith lord inhabiting the body of Parkanas Tark, a former Jedi. Terrak Morrhage is so powerful than his force plague infects hundreds of jedi masters across the galaxy, causing them to go insane and be bound to Terrak Morrhage’s will:

My plague has spread farther than you can imagine. Jedi Masters across the galaxy are succumbing to it as I speak. The plague binds these masters to me. Hundreds of them-the heart and soul of your order….Kill me, and you will kill every master I have ever infected. Every one! Shielded or not, they are still bound to me. -SWTOR

Not only that, but having all these hundreds of jedi masters bound to him, Morrhage can siphon their collective power into himself:

youtu.be/PV5_y1qsu-U?t=360

My plague isn’t just a disease. It siphons power from its victims. With the proper rituals, that power can be channeled. Soon the combined strength of your Masters will make me the most powerful force adept who has ever lived.

So essentially, Terrak Morrhage was an ancient sith lord powerful enough to infect hundreds of jedi masters with a force plague that drove them crazy and bound them to his will. The plague could only be countered by a shielding technique that can only be used by immensely powerful jedi and can kill the user. Morrhage can then siphon the energies of the jedi masters that have been bound to him to drastically augment his power. And yet, an immensely weakened end of Act 1 Barsen’thor is able to defeat him. Meanwhile, a non-force sensitive child of the Emperor can tank a beginning of Act 3 Barsen’thor’s TK and blast her 10+ meters back with a burst of force lightning. Keep in mind that this Child of the Emperor isn’t notably more powerful than any of the other Children, sans the First Son of course. Blaesus notes that abilities sith fight to master, the children are able to wield as infants:

youtu.be/lZzXVUWRxAw?t=331

This shows that the imprint of the Emperor’s power given to these children imbues them with an incredibly prodigious degree of force mastery, even for those who are non force sensitive. Despite the immense power possessed by the Children of the Emperor, Blaesus notes that the First Son is “supreme” among them and that he “can’t even comprehend the power he wields”:

youtu.be/OD5twf30oAI?t=60

And, as aforementioned, the First Son is able to passively conceal the ridiculous power of these hundreds of Children from the entire Jedi Order. Hell, the First Son is literally on the Jedi Council. All this goes to show how unfathomably powerful Emperor Vitiate is as of SWTOR; he can imbue hundreds of children, either force sensitive or non-force sensitive, an immense degree of power that allows them to contend with the likes of Barsen’thor, one of the most powerful jedi ever with some of the best feats in the mythos. And keep in mind that VITIATE WAS DIVIDING PORTIONS OF HIS BEING INTO THESE HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN, AND STILL HAD THE POWER TO PERFORM THE FEATS THAT HE HAS.
Another of Vitiate’s most impressive feats is his casual handling of the jedi strike team sent to capture him at the end of Act 2. These Jedi were noted as being the “strongest and most resolute jedi in the order”:

With Grand Master Satele Shan's support, Master Braga assembles a strike team of the strongest and most resolute Jedi in the order. Their goal is to pinpoint the Emperor's hidden fortress, capture the Sith leader alive, and turn him to the light side. The Jedi do not realize that they have underestimated the true extent of the Emperor's power. It is an error that will cost them dearly.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia)

Keep in mind that multiple individuals believe that the Hero of Tython at the end of Act 1 is the most powerful jedi in the order, even moreso than a full power Barsen’thor:

"We've lost one of our noblest Masters, but in his place stands a Jedi without equal." - Satele Shan (Act 1 ending)

"But he also forged our greatest weapon against the darkness." - Satele Shan (Act 1 ending)

"His (Vitiate’s) power is growing. Only you can stop him." - Orgus Din (ghost)

"Warren was the order's greatest soldier in his day--now that role falls to you." - Tol Braga (start of Act II)

Keep in mind how immensely powerful the Barsen’thor is by the End of Act 1, and that she grows throughout Act 2, similar to the Hero. The other jedi, while essentially featless, are also “the strongest and most resolute jedi in the order”, and while I doubt they’re actually above the Barsen’thor, there’s no doubt that they too are implied to be immensely powerful. And yet, Vitiate easily defeats the team while holding back so as not to kill them, having portions of his essence infused in hundreds of immensely powerful children of the Emperor across the galaxy, as well as caging Vaylin’s mind (it’s stated that Vitiate’s death on Dromund Kaas caused him to lose his hold over Vaylin, implying that he was consciously keeping her at bay):

The plan to invade the Emperor's fortress succeeds beyond Master Braga's greatest ambitions. However, the Jedi find more than they bargained for when they finally confront the Sith leader in his lair. The Emperor is more than a man - he is the living embodiment of the dark side. Armed with incalculable powers of corruption, the Emperor easily defeats the Knight, Master Braga, and their fellow Jedi, twisting them all to the dark side.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopeda)

Again, this is meant to paint Vitiate as immeasurably more powerful than any other force user of his era, despite the immense multitasking he does across the galaxy.
And without further ado, let’s get to the best part…

Shadow of Revan & Rise of the Emperor

After Vitiate’s death on Dromund Kaas at the hands of the Hero of Tython, his spirit retreats to the Forgotten Terrace on Yavin IV to regain his strength. During this time, Revan comes up with the bright idea to resurrect Emperor Vitiate in order to draw him out and defeat him in single combat. This idea is promptly considered ridiculous by just about everybody involved in the expansion:

The Emperor will prove far too powerful for Revan, or anyone else. -Darth Marr

The Emperor hungers. If restored, he would attempt to consume all life in the galaxy, and I am certain he would succeed. No one, not Revan, not the Jedi, not you, not me would be able to stop him. - Darth Marr

The Emperor is the dark side incarnate. You don’t stand a chance. -Emperor’s Wrath

Essentially, the idea of the expansion is that absolutely everyone in the era is nothing compared to Vitiate, and that no one would be able to stop him, and I am confident that regardless of the Empire of Zakuul, this would have been the case. More on that later.
Another interesting thing to note is how the Dread Masters stack up to Vitiate. When Satele arrives on Yavin IV, she notes:

The dark side permeates everything here. Saturates it. I’ve been to Oricon, this is another level entirely.

The sith protagonists can respond to this by saying:

The Dread Masters affected Oricon. Even their combined power was insignificant compared to the Emperor.

People tend to lowball this statement and give it less credit than it deserves. The Emperor’s power literally dwarfs that of the Dread Masters, who have nigh-unprecedented feats in the history of star wars.
To preface, I’m going to talk about what the Dread Masters really are before going through their feats.

The Dread Masters are powerful Sith Lords who have served the Sith Emperor for centuries as prophets, generals and advisors. Their name was earned when they studied the power of the Phobis devices, artifacts that have driven even the most depraved Sith mad with terror. This power allowed the Dread Masters to destroy entire Republic fleets during the Great War, until they were captured and imprisoned on Belsavis. The Dread Masters were known to spend years in secluded meditation on Dromund Kaas, emerging only to bring their wisdom to the Emperor or accept gifts from supplicants. Over the decades, they have become inseparable, their immense strength in the Force coming only from all six masters working in unison. Should the Empire ever succeed in freeing them from Belsavis, the galaxy will tremble before them again. -SWTOR codex

"The Dread Masters use the Force like no other Sith."
―Barsen'thor (Star Wars: The Old Republic)

"The Dread Masters possess incredible, unprecedented power over the dark side of the Force."
―Dread Master Styrak Codex Entry (Star Wars: The Old Republic)

Essentially, the Dread Masters were prodigies of the force discovered by Vitiate to study the Phobis devices. These devices, as I mentioned in the beginning of the blog, were supremely powerful artifacts with knowledge of fear and madness that could allow the learner to rule the galaxy. The Dread Masters studied the Phobis devices and honed their power over the course of centuries, becoming unprecedentedly powerful and masterful in the dark side of the force. The Dread Masters power was so great that they could accomplish feats such as tearing apart fleets, driving everyone within a 300 meter radius insane while drugged and weakened:

"The Dread Masters, terrifying Sith Lords of incalculable power, were first kept in Maximum Security. The psychic trauma the Sith inflicted on nearby prisoners caused so many deaths that it emptied every cell in a 300 meter radius around them."
―Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia

Dominate the wills of hundreds of Sith Lords and Jedi Masters (regarding the quote below, keep in mind that on Darvannis and Oricon there are hundreds of jedi/sith lords-turned Dread Host members).:

"Since betraying the Empire, the Dread Masters have quickly amassed a military force of their own, which they refer to as their “Dread Host”. Our research suggests that very few members of this force are willing volunteers; most are former Republic and Imperial personnel whose minds have been irreparably dominated by the power of the Dread Masters. Efforts to question or treat captured members of the Dread Host have been entirely unsuccessful. The constant psychological manipulations of the Dread Masters have rendered their followers both completely loyal and incurably, paranoically insane."
―Master Gnost-Dural (A Record of the Dread Masters)

Imbue Lord Kephess with a portion of their power, allowing him to perform immense physical feats and survive fatal injuries:

"One of the mightiest and most renowned Trandoshan warlords in galactic history, Kephess and his mercenary army nicknamed “the Warstalkers” struck terror on battlefields across known space. Kephess personally killed thousands of enemy combatants and never failed to complete a contract–until he encountered the Dread Masters. Although the details of what exactly the Dread Masters did to Kephess remain unknown, it’s clear that he has been imbued with some portion of their considerable power, managing to fully recover from fatal injuries and perform physical feats beyond that of typical Trandoshans. Kephess has become the Dread Masters’ “chosen one,” obsessed with spreading terror and violence in their name–but to what end, only the Dread Masters themselves know."
―Kephess Codex Entry (Star Wars: The Old Republic)

And, most impressively of all, the Dread Masters bring Post-Act 3 Hero of Tython to his knees from across the galaxy:

youtu.be/Y8KMItTCkPU?t=63

The above feat shows how hilariously powerful the Dread Masters, and by extension Vitiate, truly are. As I said before, the Hero of Tython is heavily implied to be more powerful than the Barsen’thor throughout their respective careers, meaning that Act 1 HoT is more powerful than (full-power) Act 1 Barsen’thor. Keep in mind that the Barsen’thor defeated Terrak Morrhage at the end of Act 1 while immensely weakened. By the end of Act 3, the Hero of Tython is capable of fighting through Vitiate’s defenses in Kaas city and the Dark Temple, including a force of Imperial Guardsmen and sith, the former of which have hype from numerous sources:

On his last visit to Dromund Kaas, he and Malak had learned everything they could about the Imperial Guard. Though not attuned to the Force in the classical sense, the elite soldiers had a connection with the Emperor, allowing them to draw strength from the dark side. They were formidable opponents, even for a Jedi.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan)

The ultimate non-Force sensitive fighters in the Empire serve the Emperor and the Emperor alone. Although most citizens know them as protectors of the Sith Academy on Korriban and the sanctum of the Citadel on Dromund Kaas, the guardsmen’s mandate takes them wherever the Emperor requires. Even the Dark Council has neither control nor oversight of the guard’s activities. Clad in blood-red robes and armor, Imperial Guardsmen serve for life. Chosen for duty and initiated through deadly tests and traditions, those too old for active duty become instructors for the next generation until their skills deteriorate to the point where they are inevitably slain by a new recruit during training. Fanatic in loyalty and unmatched in martial skill, even a lone Imperial Guard is a formidable opponent capable of standing toe-to-toe with a Jedi… or a Sith, should the occasion arise.- SWTOR Codex

The Hero of Tython fights through hordes of these guards on his way to the heart of Vitiate’s power: The Dark Temple. Vitiate even in his weakened state is powerful enough to dominate Lord Scourge (SWTOR) via his direct infuence:

You must go alone. No one else can resist his direct influence. - Lord Scourge

Keep in mind that Lord Scourge is stated to have stalemated Act 2 Hero of Tython (who, again, is a ways more powerful than full power Act 1 Barsen’thor, etc):

You fought Lord Scourge to a standstill until he broke off the battle for some reason. See what he has to say in the throne room of the Emperor's fortress. -SWTOR Codex

And yet, despite being weakened by the immensely powerful nexus of the Dark Temple, the Hero of Tython still prevails over the weakened Voice of Vitiate. Regarding how powerful the Dromund Kaas nexus is, in FOTJ: Ascension, there are multiple quotes attesting to its immense power and how it affects even the likes of Luke Skywalker in combat:

The planet he was regarding with such intensity was either ocean or marsh, with very little dry land. It was a marked contrast with Korriban, which had been their last stop. But it was, to Luke’s mind, every bit as dangerous. Maybe more."
…
"We need to watch one another closely. If Master Katarn could be swayed, then any of us could. Not just Vestara.”
...
Luke stood for a moment, his eyes and other senses searching the landscape. “Anyone sense anything?”
Ben extended himself in the Force, both opening himself to the vile sensation of the dark side and utilizing his senses—even smell, temporarily at least—to gather what information he could.
“Other than the obvious, which is a metric ton of dark-side energy, I can’t sense anything,” Jaina said.
...
“It’s…so strong,” Vestara breathed. Ben glanced over at her. Her brown eyes were wide, and her voice was a mixture of horror and attraction.
“Vestara,” Luke said, sharply but not angrily, and she blinked as if coming out of a daze. “Do you sense any signs of the Sith or Abeloth?”
She shook her head, looking more like her usual alert self. “No. That nexus pretty much drowns out anything else.”
...
Luke and Jaina were fighting back-to-back. The Sith attacking them had two advantages. One was the fact that they outnumbered the two Jedi. The second was that they were being reinforced by the emanations of the dark-side nexus within the temple. It surged forth like psychic sewage, clogging the Jedi’s reflexes as it fueled their enemies.
...
“I don’t think you did,” Luke replied. “They probably assumed we’d do exactly what we have been doing—investigating planets traditionally associated with Sith history. Khai probably chose this place because of the nexus. They could send a smaller team and still be stronger.” -FOTJ: Ascension

And the Dark Temple, the heart of Vitiate’s power, would be an even more powerful nexus than the rest of Dromund Kaas. And despite the immense power that the weakened Vitiate still wielded, along with all the fighting through Dromund Kaas and the Dark Temple, the Hero still manages to prevail. This feat places the Hero of Tython among the absolute most powerful jedi of all time, and yet the Dread Masters still manage to bring him to his knees across the galaxy without any notable strain. And yet still, their power is utterly insignificant next to Vitiate.

By the end of SOR, Vitiate had gained the requisite power to escape Yavin IV and take up residence on Ziost. When there, he mentally dominates the entire planet’s populace:

The Emperor escaped destruction on Yavin 4, and now his presence has been felt on the planet Ziost, once powerful throne world of the Sith Empire. You are called upon again to face this galactic menace when your allies realize that the entire planet’s inhabitants have been mind-controlled.
Taken from (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Community News "Welcome to Game Update 3.2: Rise of the Emperor")

Even the elite cadre of militaristic Jedi sent by the Republic was overwhelmed by Vitiate’s telepathy:

Unleashed from his sanctuary on Yavin 4, the former Sith Emperor has now struck the Imperial world of Ziost. Using his immense power in the dark side of the Force, he has dominated the minds of the planet’s Imperial troops--as well as an elite cadre of militaristic Jedi--and has set them against the populace, engaging in a bloody slaughter.

Taken from (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Emperor)

Probably the most impressive display of Vitiate’s power on Ziost was the creation of the monoliths:

Given enough intellect, knowledge, fortitude and power, Sith alchemy can be used to achieve the seemingly impossible, such as transforming flesh and bone to form vicious Sithspawn such as the imposing Massassi and the unstoppable Terentatek. But Monoliths are something beyond Sithspawn: they are everlasting monstrosities built not on a foundation of living tissue but of dark side energy itself. Enduring and merciless and quite possibly unkillable, Monoliths plainly illustrate the immeasurable power of their creator and are best avoided at all costs. -SWTOR Codex entry

Essentially, monoliths are beyond any of the sithspawn that came before (leviathans, terentateks, massassi, etc,) and Vitiate as a spirit was literally conjuring these beings into existence via sith alchemy, given that they’re spawned from pure dark side energy itself, as opposed to living tissue. Their power is such that the smallest monolith is capable of nearly-instantly regenerating it’s power after the Hero of Tython cuts it down:

youtu.be/AlqvuQzVixw?t=836

I can think of very few beings who, as weakened spirits, would be capable of creating an army of nigh-unkillable sithspawn out of pure dark-side energy. For reference, here are a couple of other monoliths the player comes across on Ziost:

www.swtorstrongholds.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/swtor-2015-05-10-21-57-23-56.jpg

i.ytimg.com/vi/NK9J1nbpEjM/maxresdefault.jpg

(the images were too big, and I didn’t feel like formatting them)

Once enough death and destruction is wreaked on Ziost, the Emperor gains enough power to wipe out all life on Ziost with a cataclysmic tsunami of pure dark side energy:

youtu.be/8Qvx3SeBZ-4?t=25

All life on the planet is destroyed, and even the atmosphere is warped into a bleak hellscape. The description of his feat in Ziost is as follows:

Global cataclysms are not unheard of. Whole worlds teeming with life have been rendered lifeless by meteorites, broken apart by instability in the planet's own core--even atomized by the destructive force of a supernova. But the eerie calm of a world stripped of life yet left otherwise intact is another matter altogether. Whispered rumors have persisted of planets snuffed out through intricate Sith rituals or by way of deadly, arcane machines--such as the device Revan sought to employ on Yavin 4--but Ziost represents a clear display of the corrosive power of the dark side of the Force taken to its extreme.
From (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Sith Emperor: Codex Entry titled "Death of a World.")

What this essentially means is that a weakened form of SWTOR Vitiate was able to consume all life on Ziost, then absorbed all of this power into himself to become even more powerful.

This leads us to Valkorion: the incarnation with no Children of the Emperor, no multitasking, no expending energies to cage Vaylin’s mind. One could say he had...shed his limitations.

Immortal Emperor Valkorion

His Glorious Majesty, Immortal Master and Protector of Zakuul: Emperor Valkorion.

Emperor Valkorion is the end result of Post-Ziost Vitiate. His power is such that he can, as a weakened spirit, utterly overwhelm Arcann with a storm of lightning:

youtu.be/8LE0qgLoxsM?t=61

Effortlessly stomps Chapter 12 KOTFE Outlander:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqy53OIwylo

Casually deflect Arcann’s lightsaber strikes with a force barrier:

youtu.be/aBTd9Z5PQh0?t=49

The above is almost certainly Valkorion because:

Arcann notes that Valkorion’s presence is still residing within the Outlander (and it is,) and after striking the outlander’s barrier to no effect, Arcann knows it to be “proof that Valkorion is still tied to him,” (i.e. that Valkorion is still within the Outlander).
The Outlander was extremely surprised at how he/she was having these strikes deflected, and doesn’t imply that it’s related to her own power growth at all.
The Outlander never displays this capability on his/her own before or after this fight, ever.
And yes, the color the barrier used to deflect the strikes is the exact same as Valkorion’s. We can use Act 3 Barsen’thor as a reference to the difference between the two:

Ragdolls Outlander prior to taking over his mind:

youtu.be/bet6XimH1Gk?t=714

I’ve seen many people try to argue that this feat was accomplished because Valkorion greatly increased his power via “consuming Vaylin’s essence,” but I find this to be complete BS for various reasons:

Valkorion uses Vaylin as an independent weapon to conquer the Outlander’s mind. He doesn’t just consume her power and do everything on his own. We know this because:
He summons Vaylin independently to fight the Outlander
The Outlander and Vaylin both note that Valkorion “enslaved” her spirit, as opposed to consuming her raw power
Outlander uses the holocron to turn Vaylin’s spirit against Valkorion, (again showing that they are separate entities, if Valkorion had just drained her power, he wouldn’t even need to summon her in the first place, lol)
The far more likely answer is that by enslaving Vaylin’s essence, Valkorion was able to use her spirit to aid in hollowing out the Outlander’s mind, as opposed to combining her raw power with his own (as they were still separate entities).

Keep in mind that this incarnation of the Outlander is a ways more powerful than even Arcann, who lolstomps KOTFE Outlander (who in turn is more powerful than, say, SOR Hero of Tython, or at least just as powerful). The idea that the Outlander was still weakened from the carbonite freezing as of KOTFE Chapter 8 is unsupported, and irrelevant given what is said in Chapter 12 of KOTFE, (i.e. that Outlander would stand no chance against Arcann without getting a saber specifically to combat Arcann, master a new philosophy of the force, and receive a boon of power from Valkorion himself). And we all know how powerful SOR Hero of Tython is...

Valkorion’s spirit in KOTET Chapter 9 utterly overwhelms the combined efforts of Spirit Outlander, Spirit Vaylin, and Spirit Arcann, until the Outlander realizes that it’s “their mind, their rules”:

youtu.be/bet6XimH1Gk?t=1899

It essentially took the Outlander becoming the god of the reality they were fighting in to defeat Valkorion :lol:

Arguably the most impressive feats of Valkorion throughout the expansions, however, is his ability to enhance the Outlander’s perceptions (or slow time), to the extent that Arcann and Senya literally get frozen:

youtu.be/bet6XimH1Gk?t=723

Ultimately, as Valkorion doesn’t have a bevy of feats (though the ones he has are ridiculously impressive,) this should end the Valkorion portion of the blog.

End Notes (Summary)

One of the best ways to understand the full depth of power that Valkorion possesses is through the power of his (vast) inferiors. To name a few:

The Barsen’thor: while immensely weakened by having used the force healing ritual multiple times in Act 1, defeats a sith lord in Terrhak Morrhage who had infected hundreds of Jedi Masters via his plague and bound them to his will, tying their lives to his and allowing him to siphon energy from them. By the end of Act 3, she’s defeated various Children of the Emperor and The First Son (with Syo’s help). Speaking of whom…
Children of the Emperor: people infused with portions of Vitiate’s being at birth. Powers and techniques that sith strive to master all their lives, the Children are able to wield at birth. A non force-sensitive Child of the Emperor is able to take a force push from Act 3 Barsen’thor with little to no effect, then blast the Barsen’thor roughly 10 meters back with a burst of force lightning.
The First Son: Infused with the largest portion of Vitiate’s being (relative to the other children). Possesses power beyond the other children’s comprehension. Passively concealed hundreds of Children of the Emperor across the galaxy. Literally kept his identity hidden from the Republic while being a Jedi Council Member. End of Act 3 Barsen’thor was only able to defeat him with Syo’s help.
Dread Masters: Centuries-Old masters of the force who can imbue beings with the ability to survive fatal wounds, telepathically dominate fleets and hundreds of jedi masters and sith lords, and bring post-Act 3 Hero of Tython to his knees from across the galaxy (whose feats are established in the meat of the blog).
Revan: Quite a longshot weaker incarnation of Revan (KOTOR) is able to defeat Star Forge Malak despite the immense disadvantages Revan had. The Star Forge (and quite possibly a mere Star Map) was the source of the powers wielded by beings such as Karness Muur, Ajunta Pall, Remulus Dreypa, Xoxaan, and Sorzus Syn:

"We were not the first to fall to the dark side. But we had more power than those before us. It came from elsewhere - our oldest secret. Only we would know, we lords. Only we would know where our power came from. It is a secret of so long ago. I no longer remember. So much power, it is blinding. You must find this place, or have you? Or did you? Or will you? Oh, so many images. I see your heart, human Jedi. I see your power, your pride. You, you will find the old place, the dark place, and you will regret it." -Ajunta Pall, KOTOR

The reason why this quote is potentially referring to the Star Map is the following quote:

We were...discovered. Or did we act? I can no longer remember. But here is where we came, to hide, to grow. And here is where we fell.

Note that this whole conversation takes place on Korriban, in his tomb. Korriban was the resting ground of these ancients lords: where they honed their power, hid, grew, and fell. Even more convincing is the following:

This secret...is it the Star Map?

I...I do not remember. A map? Perhaps it is a map. But it has not been buried with me. All I have now is my sword. -Revan and Ajunta Pall, KOTOR

Case in point, there is absolutely no evidence that the Exiles ever discovered all the Star Maps to find the Star Forge. It’s far more likely that Pall was referring to the Star Map. The Star Forge being an infinitely greater source of power than a single Star Map.

This all goes to show that Darth Malak was an immense powerhouse whilst on the Star Forge, and yet a hindered KOTOR Revan was able to overcome him.
It’s also important to note how powerful the ancient lords such as Karness Muur were. Karness Muur as of Vector was “a force unlike anything [Darth Vader] had ever witnessed,” and was powerful enough that Vader felt he’d ultimately be trading one master (Darth Sidious) for another (Karness Muur):

It’s also stated that Muur had the strength to stop Vader in Vector (which should be pretty obvious based on the above):

It’s also implied that Karness Muur was the most powerful sith in the galaxy during his fight with Krayt on Had Abaddon, which would also put him above Darth Wyyrlok III (who pretty thoroughly handled Darth Andeddu and gave Reborn Krayt a solid enough fight):

But Emperor Krayt might no longer be the most powerful Sith lord in the galaxy. Will Cade and Celeste have another Sith to defeat... or join?
Source: Legacy 31: Vector: Part 12 (Publisher's Summary)

On Had Abbadon, in the Deep Core, Krayt confronted Skywalker a second time. But a third Force-user possessed powers that outshone them both. Karness Muur, an ancient Sith spirit, blasted Krayt with overpowering energy, sending him over a cliff to the rocks below.
Source: Insider #113: Profile: Darth Krayt

Muur is pretty clearly an immense powerhouse capable of going toe to toe with the heavyweights of other eras. And yet he’s ultimately an insect compared to Valkorion.

Ultimately, the stain on the force that is Valkorion should be capable of defeating or rivalling just about any force user in any other era (sans The Ones and other eldritch abominations of the highest order). I would wager that it’s not outside the realm of possibility that he could defeat the likes of Yoda, Sidious, Luke, etc. I hope that you all read this blog with an open mind and are convinced enough to raise Valkorion. All hail the Immortal Emperor!