The Jedi Exile is a wound in the force, and it is speculated that Nihilus is a 'force shade' or 'force spectre' created when the Exile divorced himself from the Force at Malachor V. There is a lot of support for this implication in game:
- The jedi masters, Visas, and Kreia all describe the Exile in similar terms used to describe Nihilus.
- The Exile gains the last part of his force back after defeating Nihilus (In particular, if you unmask Nihilus. Retrieving the mask apparently has some sentimental value, and gives the Exile his last force replenishment, + 50 FP in game terms.)
- Visas is bound to both the Exile and Nihilus. Both show intense force bonds with the people around them (In the case of Nihilus, it's one of corruption. The Exile also draws on the powers of others. Kreia's appearance is how he reconnects to the force.)
- Kreia and the Exile share a master-apprentice bond despite not knowing each other before the events of Peragus. However, Kreia was the master to Nihilus beforehand.
- Nihilus being weakened by draining the Exile makes sense if you consider that Nihilus is a force-created shade of the Exile. One cannot feed on one's self. Especially if you're already a wound, bereft of the Force.
There's more, but I can't think about it now.
- Nihilus is the only Sith Lord ever to dissapear in the force. Sith don't dissapear in the force... So that makes Nihilus special.
The Exile was a mediocere Jedi at best before Malachor and then suddenly after that and regaining his connection to the force he becomes one of the most powerful people around. Just like Nihilus he drains the power from people around him. Not to mention the fact that both the Nihilus and the Exile are huge anomoly's never before encountered and never again...
It would make sense if they are part of the same thing.
I don't think that the Exile was a mediocre Jedi. Vandar seems to think that the Exile is charismatic and powerful, Vash in the cut content says "You were always an exceptional student."
The Exile was good enough to command a fair portion of Revan's Republican fleet. Bao-Dur says that you were charismatic.
The only source for the mediocre Jedi thing is Vrook, and Vrook was basically a stupid, callous bastard.
Vandar describes him as an average student with a gift.
Vrook as a mediocere Jedi.
Yes he has a gift, and that is most likely why he would lead an army... Revan had plenty of tacticall skills and great generals serving under him and he had a lot of powerful people too, what he needed was a loyal general. And somebody that could inspire loyalty in others. In his memorry on Korriban republican soldiers are willing to face certain death for him. Thats what Revan needed.
It's pretty much a given that pre-Malachor Exile was an average Jedi in terms of power, though Kavar does mention that the Exile did have a strong connection to the force, it doesn't seem like the Exile capitalized on this. Regardless, under the tutelage of Kreia and through the meetings with the masters the Exile surpasses whatever he was before.
I also have to agree that it's likely that the Exile and Nihilus have a bigger connection than using the same technique, but what exactly may never be reveled, even in a KOTOR 3.
Nihilus comes from nihilism which alternately means a belief in nothingness and as reality as just another state of mind. Some of the tenants of nihilism include the elimination of order and morality, and the removal of all authority and leadership through violent means.
Don't know if that helped, but since this seems to be a theoretical thread i thought i'd present that.
Though nihilus could also come from anihilation....
I didn't have too much of a problem with Darth Nihilus, myself. It was clear he wasn't intended to exist as a "character" per se. He was "more presence than man", after all. Visas Marr's "a man, nothing more" line certainly would've have had much power at all if Darth Nihilus had been fully explored and fleshed out as a personality.
I think the biggest problem for most people wasn't any lack of screen time for him, but just that the game didn't really remind the player of him quite enough before the confrontation with him. I tend to forgive it because the story wasn't too significantly about Darth Nihilus anyway.
Originally posted by Ushgarak
Which only reinforces him being pointless, then.
Besides, I didn't say Darth Nihilus was unimportant. I was emphasizing that he wasn't the primary focus. I still thought he had a pretty strong off-screen presence throughout the game anyway, for the most part. The story just stood to gain from a bit more of that.
I don't quite know why everyone's so intent on judging Darth Nihilus as though he should've had a fully fleshed-out backstory and maybe a sob story to go with it or something, though. That would've just detracted from what he was intended to be. He wasn't meant to have a clear past as an individual beyond Malachor V.