Kallus (codenamed ISB-021) was an agent of the Imperial Security Bureau who served under the Galactic Empire in hunting down the rebels.
Biography
Early Career
Kallus was once part of an Imperial Squad who ran afoul of a Lasat mercenary employed by Saw Gerrera of the Onderon rebel cell. The encounter saw Kallus stunned and the rest of his unit slaughtered by the Lasat, leading Kallus to develop something of an aversion to the species.
The Lasat massacre
- “I was there when Lasan fell. I know why you fear those disruptors. I gave the order to use them!”
- ―Kallus, to Garazeb Orrelios
Kallus participated in the destruction of Lasan, and the Lasan Honor Guard with it. He didn't actually give the order to use T-7 Ion Disruptors, but merely took credit on the Lasats and defeating a member of the Lasan Honor Guard, Kallus received the fallen guardsmen's AB-75 Bo-Rifle, which he kept as his personal weapon. Unbeknownst to Kallus, the Lasat granted him his weapon as part of a Lasan Warrior Code, which called for the loser of a battle to grant his superior opponent his weapon. Though he put on a show of pride at having participated in the fall of Lasan, in reality he was distressed that genocide had been the solution.
Spark of Rebellion
Mission to Capture the Rebels
Years after the destruction of Lasan, Kallus found himself on the planet Lothal, following a series of rebel assaults. While in Capital City, Kallus spoke with Commander Cumberlayne Aresko about the frequent nature of the assaults, and how they it may signify the spark of a rebellion against the Empire, he was determined to hunt down those rebels and put an end to their Rebellion before it could get a chance to spread.
Not long after, Kallus managed to catch up to the rebels, who were attempting to rescue Wookiee slaves from an Imperial Freighter. Arriving in an Imperial Star Destroyer, Kallus caught both the Ghost and the freighter in a tractor beam. After assembling his unit, Kallus went after the Rebels. The Rebels eventually managed to escape, but Kallus was able to capture Ezra Bridger just before he could get back to the ship. After being captured, Ezra was brought to a prison cell, on board the Star Destroyer. While with Ezra, Kallus informed the young rebel about his intentions to use him as bait, a plan Ezra considered foolish, not believing the others would come for him. Kallus then ordered Ezra to be searched, before leaving the room. Following Ezra's escape, Kallus made a run for the docking bay, where the Ghost was temporarily at. Once there, Kallus and his men overpowered the Rebels, forcing them to fall back into their ship. However, before Kallus could stop them, Sabine Wren's improvised explosive went off, exposing the entire docking bay. One of the stormtroopers managed to get the shields online, however, saving Kallus' life. Kallus' hope was quickly re-ignited, however, when he discovered Ezra's helmet, which hinted at the crew's whereabouts.
Kallus orders his men into battle.
After tracing the rebels' location to Kessel, Agent Kallus ambushed the group with an Imperial Freighter, as well as a couple of TIE Fighters. This eventually led to a confrontation between the factions, with Kallus and his men on one side of the platform, and the rebels and Wookiees on the other. In order to buy some time for the crews' pilot Hera Syndulla to arrive, Kanan took out his lightsaber, revealing himself to the Empire. Kallus then ordered his men into battle, as he tracked down Ezra. His pursuit of the boy eventually brought him to a long walkway, towering above an enormous pit. Kallus then prepared to kill Ezra, as he aimed his blaster towards the boy. His plan was once again foiled, however, when Kanan arrived with the Ghost. Kallus decided to try shooting Kanan, who was standing atop the ship. This backfired, however, when Kanan deflected one of Kallus' shots, knocking Kallus over the railing. Kallus managed to survive the blast, however, by hanging onto a metallic structure. A stormtrooper, who was in the same predicament as Kallus, then asked if this was Kallus' first encounter with a Jedi. To vent his feelings, Kallus booted the trooper in the face, sending him screaming into the abyss.
Tracking down the Stolen Disruptors
Kallus challenges Zeb to a Bo-Rifle duel.
Not long after the battle on Kessel, Kallus spoke with Lothal's Prime Minister Maketh Tua, following yet another Imperial shipment raid, this time on Garel. After confirming the identity of Tua's attackers, Kallus quickly dispersed from his Star Destroyer and onto an Imperial Freighter, equipped with two AT-DP. Armed with heavy artillery, Kallus made haste for Tarkintown, where he believed the rebels were currently located. Kallus eventually arrived at the rebels' location, just as they were finishing their deal with crime lord Cikatro Vizago. Vizago didn't hesitate to withdraw his IG-RM, not wanting to go up against the wrath of the Empire.
With the rebels now alone, Kallus dispersed his ship's two AT-DP's onto the battlefield. The rebels managed to thwart the machines, however, by using the T-7 Ion Disruptors they previously stole. Kallus then dispersed some stormtroopers, whom he joined on the battlefield. While the troopers kept the rest of the rebels occupied, Kallus challenged the team's Lasat member Zeb to a Bo-Rifle duel. After shocking Zeb into submission, Kallus prepared to finish off his foe. He was stopped however, by Ezra, who used his Force abilities to push Kallus into a large rock formation. Kallus eventually awakened, only to watch the Ghost fly off, yet again.
Rebel Spy at the Imperial Academy
Kallus along with Cumberlayne Aresko.
Kallus was working at his office in the Imperial Academy while Ezra Bridger and Zare Leonis attempted to steal a decoder from his office. Ezra tried to use the force to steal the chip while Zare distract Kallus telling him that his pod racer parts have been delivered. They successfully stole it and Kallus was also present when Cumberlayne Aresko and Myles Grint was talking with The Inquisitor about the cadets that escaped.
Tracking Down Tseebo
Kallus was involved in the search for Tseebo and when the Rebels attacked the celebration, Kallus and The Inquisitor had the whole city on lock down to prevent them from escaping. When Kanan, Ezra and Sabine attempted to smuggle Tseebo off Lothal, Kallus pursued them but all his chances to apprehend the Rodian failed and the Rebels escaped him once again. However, they would later be pursued by a squadron of TIE Fighters led by the Inquisitor, piloting the new advanced TIE Fighter.
Kallus' Trap
Agent Kallus had set up a trap using Gall Trayvis who secretly was working for the Empire to trap the rebels. He planned for Gall Trayvis to meet the rebels in the old Lothal Senate Building, which then his forces would ambush them. Despite his best efforts, the rebels escaped via the sewers.
Serving Grand Moff Tarkin
Kallus with The Grand Inquisitor and Minister Tua at the arrival of Governor Tarkin.
Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Outer Rim, arrived on Lothal and despite the warm welcomes by Minister Tua, Agent Kallus and The Inquisitor; Tarkin immediately reprimanded them for their ongoing failure to put an end to the ongoing Rebellion. He and Minister Tua were later present in Tarkin's office when the Inquisitor executed Aresko and Grint for their repeated failings, horrifying them both and leaving Kallus resolved never to meet the same fate. Agent Kallus, the Inquisitor and the Imperials cornered Kanan and had Ezra, Sabine, Chopper and Zeb trapped at the top of the tower. Agent Kallus, along with the Inquisitor and Grand Moff Tarkin, tortured Kanan Jarrus aboard the Sovereign to extract information about the Rebellion.
The Siege of Lothal
Agent Kallus explained to Grand Moff Tarkin about the unrest across Lothal. Tarkin informed Kallus that the Emperor has sent an alternative solution to the Inquisitor. Suddenly, Kallus hears a mechanical breathing. He sees a tall, black figure walk out of a nearby shuttle; the figure is Sith Lord Darth Vader.
Kallus has the Rebels caught on camera.
Agent Kallus quickly proved himself to be an admirer of the Sith Lord for his creativity, strategic ability, and obvious war experience. When Tua and Kallus were arguing about more methods to find the Rebels Vader came in and told them they were going to do things his way and told Tua she was to visit Governor Tarkin to account for her failures. Later, Kallus had a probe follow Tua and discovered that she was attempting to defect to the Rebellion. He later escorted her to her shuttle on Lord Vader's orders. When the Rebels attacked and Tua got on the shuttle, Kallus blew it up and framed the Rebels for her murder. Afterwards, he burned Tarkintown and took the inhabitants captive on Vader's orders. When Admiral Konstantine reported that the Rebels got through the blockade and Vader ordered his ship prepared, Kallus informed the Admiral that the shuttle the Rebels stole had a homing device planted on it and Vader planned to follow them back to their command ship. On board the Relentless, Kallus later congratulated Vader for his victory, before being ordered to clear the bridge.
Growing Rebellion
The Seelos Debacle
After the rebels escaped from Vader, Kallus received a promotion to Commander and was tasked with helping Admiral Kassius Konstantine to locate the rebels. While aboard the bridge of the Relentless, an officer alerted him that Clone trooper Commander Wolffe had reported an encounter with Jedi on the desert planet of Seelos. While Admiral Konstantine expressed skepticism given the clone's history of making delusional distress calls, Kallus insisted that all leads should be pursued and sent a probe droid to investigate.
Wolffe's intelligence proved to be accurate and the probe droid managed to locate Kanan and his rebel cell, who were perennial foes of Kallus. Upon arriving above Seelos, Commander Kallus and Admiral Konstantine issued an ultimatum to Wolffe, demanding that he and his fellow clones surrender the rebels or face "total and immediate destruction." Instead, Wolffe's associate, Captain Rex, challenged the agent and mocked the Stormtroopers he commanded. Undaunted, Kallus first dispatched a squadron of TIE fighters to the planet. After the rebels destroyed his TIE fighters, Commander Kallus personally led three AT-AT Walkers against the clones' lone AT-TE walker.
Despite entering a sandstorm, Kallus ordered the assault to procceed. Unable to see or detect them, the Imperials were caught off-guard by and one walker was destroyed by a well-placed shot to the neck from Ezra. Kallus then ordered the remaining walkers to fire where the shot came from, chasing the ancient walker out of the sandstorm just as the rebel ship lifted off. Unaware that Admiral Konstantine had left the Seelos system to rendezvous with an Inquisitor and was no longer able to provide air support, Kallus ordered his two remaining AT-AT walkers to continue the assault against the "obsolete" Clone troopers.
Kallus fleeing on a speeder.
However, the clones refused to give up and their old walker, despite taking numerous hits, still had one good fight left in it. To the agent's disbelief, the clones brought their walker right up against Kallus' walker and rammed its legs to overbalance it, with Kallus yelling "They've lost their minds!" at this suicidal move. Rex then jumped onto the main cannon and openly challenged the walker's crew, deriding them as cowards. Thinking the clone suicidal, Kallus ordered his gunners to "finish him". Before they could do so, the Kallus' AT-AT walker was attacked by the Phantom and the second AT-AT walker, which had been hijacked by the rebels. Completing the rout, Rex fired a shot from the AT-TE's mass driver cannon right into the neck of Kallus's own walker, crippling it. Kallus and his bridge crew managed to escape the ruined walker on a speeder, though one was left frantically running after it.
Tracking the Rebels
Following the arrival of the Fifth Brother aboard the Relentless, a member of the crew detected a power surge aboard an abandoned Republic medical station. This time both Kallus and Konstantine expressed skepticism of this being anything of note, but the Fifth Brother disagreed and investigated the situation personally.
Kallus later oversaw a blockade surrounding the planet Ibaar, rightfully suspecting the rebels would attempt to aid the overworked population. His fleet successfully repelled an attack by Phoenix Squadron, destroying the rebel transport and even killing Phoenix Leader in the process. The rebels later retaliated with a prototype B-Wing Starfighter which broke the blockade and allowed their supplies to make it onto the surface. The sheer power of the single fighter left Kallus shocked beyond belief.
Kallus later received a transmission from Admiral Brom Titus, who boasted that he had captured the rebels Jun Sato and Ezra Bridger. Kallus promised to rendezvous with Titus' prototype Imperial Interdictor and advised him to keep Ezra under triple guard, but Titus dismissed his warnings. When Kallus arrived, he found only the blasted remains of the Interdictor and its fleet and a humiliated Admiral Titus floating in an escape pod. Kallus was left torn between annoyance at the weapon's destruction and smugness at the admiral's failure to heed his warning.
After the Inquisitor known as the Seventh Sister discovered a rebel presence on the planet Garel, Agent Kallus ordered Admiral Konstantine to deploy the Imperial fleet from Lothal to Garel. He convinced the Seventh Sister and the Fifth Brother to join forces to capture the Phoenix rebel cell, which included the Spectres, his perennial foes. Kallus also led the ground assault and attempted to apprehend the Spectres. However, Ezra used the Force to hurl Kallus against a wall, knocking him out. After the Spectres escaped, Kallus contacted Admiral Konstantine for information on the position of the rebel fleet. Konstantine reported that he did not know since the rebels had already escaped into hyperspace.
Agent Kallus and Admiral Konstantine later commanded an Imperial Light Cruiser which attempted to capture the Ghost above the planet Nixus. Earlier, the crew of the Ghost had rescued two Lasat refugees named Gron and Chava, who were looking for the legendary Lasat homeworld of Lirasan. Despite their best efforts, the Ghost managed to jump into hyperspace before the Imperials could trap it. However, the Imperials had managed to capture the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka, who had first alerted the crew of the Ghost to the Lasat refugees. Hondo was forced to work for the Imperials and managed to locate the Ghost due to a tracker planted in his communications device.
Kallus' Imperial Light Cruiser tracked the Ghost to an imploded star cluster in Wild Space. Upon exiting hyperspace, Kallus gave the rebels one minute to surrender before he destroyed their starship. Realizing that Kallus was the prophesied "warrior" from Lasat legend, Zeb used his bo-rifle to guide the Ghost through the unstable star cluster. When the rebels refused to heed his ultimatum, Kallus sent two TIE Fighters after the Ghost but they were ripped apart by the gravitational forces of the star cluster. Kallus' light cruiser then opened fire on the Ghost but each shot missed. Kallus was forced to withdraw his cruiser after it began sustaining damage from the gravity field. While Kallus hoped that the Ghost would be destroyed, he was disappointed when the rebel freighter managed to enter the star cluster safely.
An Unlikely Friendship
Kallus and Zeb working together.
Kallus later ambushed the Rebels on an abandoned construction module above Geonosis, only to end up trapped in an Escape Pod with Zeb that crashed on a frozen, barely habitable moon orbiting the planet. With his leg broken, Kallus found himself seemingly at the mercy of his sworn enemy, but Zeb revealed that he would prefer to face Kallus in combat again. As the Lasat attempted to keep both of them alive long enough for rescue to arrive despite the presence of hostile creatures, the two foes began to open up to each other, with Kallus confessing both his first unpleasant encounter with a Lasat and his exaggeration of his role in the slaughter on Lasan, which he noted had never been meant to go as far as it did. He also expressed ignorance as to the fate of Geonosis' missing population, something that Zeb suggested he investigate. The two later parted ways when Zeb's crewmates arrived to rescue him, and parted with a warrior's salute, as well as Zeb leaving Kallus a heat-generating rock the pair had found on the planet. Kallus then returned to Konstantine's ship, where he was met with a very unenthusiastic welcome. Saddened, he then limped back to his quarters and placed the meteorite on a shelf before contemplating his adventure with the rebels and his new outlook on the Empire.
Under Thrawn
Kallus was still hunting the rebels, along with Governor Arihnda Pryce, Konstantine, and Tarkin. Pryce then revealed that Grand Admiral Thrawn would be leading their efforts against the rebels. After hearing that Thrawn was recently promoted for his efforts in the Battle of Batonn, Kallus commented that the civilian casualties were higher than the insurgent casualties. In response to this, Governor Pryce told him that there were no longer rebels in the Batonn Sector. He was later present as the Imperials arrived to intercept the rebel raid on the Yarma System, only to have Thrawn order them to allow the Rebels to escape.
Skystrike Academy Assault
Agent Kallus along with Governor Pryce arrived at the Skystrike academy to investigate a defection possibility in one of the pilots. During the training simulation for the TIE Pilots, Sabine, Wedge, Hobbie and Rake attempt to escape but Kallus pressed a button which broke off the TIE Fighter's wings. Pryce orders another TIE pilot to destroy one of them, killing Rake. Kallus and Pryce arrested the trio and entered in a interrogation room, Kallus leaves. Later when Sabine and Wedge are attempting to escape, Kallus blocks their path but instead of arresting them, he says to go to a different hangar. Kallus tells Sabine to tell Garazeb that they are even now.
Background Information
Personality and Traits
Kallus, like all ISB agents, was devoted to serving himself and protecting his Order from rebellion at all costs. He had an intense hatred for anyone who opposed the Empire, fueled by his inflated ego and sense of superiority, both of which came from his senior rank. He is ruthless to those who oppose him, and has no qualms with inflicting torture, physical or emotional, showing a sadistic streak when he dueled Zeb. Despite his hatred for the Lothal rebels that constantly escape his grasp, he admits to Grand Moff Tarkin that they have proven themselves "elusive", showing some form of respect or at least acknowledging their skills. In Legacy, however, Kallus admits that he does respect the rebels, even though they represent his constant failures. In "Spark of a Rebellion", he also shows a disregard for soldiers under his command, such as when he kicked a stormtrooper on a pole under him to the latter's demise when the trooper had only asked a simple question. He is unfailingly loyal to his superiors, but is bold enough to (subtly) criticize Tarkin after the events of Mustafar by bringing up how Tarkin's failure has caused whispers on Lothal, how the people are beginning to see the Empire as weak and vulnerable. Kallus' single-minded loyalty to the Empire also made him (at least for the most part) unsympathetic even to his allies, such as when he expressed little to no remorse in his role in Maketh Tua's death, and appeared to take a sadistic pleasure in her fear of Tarkin and later Darth Vader.
Deep under his tough persona, however, Kallus is not as cold and cruel as he appears to be, and occasionally shows a more vulnerable side. Before the crew of the Ghost detonated explosive paint in the lower hangar of his personal Star Destroyer, the Lawbringer, he instructed his troops to take cover. Additionally, upon confirming that a Rodian civilian was not Tseebo, he told him to enjoy the Empire Day celebrations. Despite his somewhat uncaring demeanor towards the stormtroopers under his command, he was visibly shocked by the sudden and brutal execution of Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint at the command of Grand Moff Tarkin. Kallus also displayed a particularly vulnerable side when he was forced to cooperate with Zeb in order to survive, regretfully revealing his first unpleasant encounter with a Lasat and expressing a degree of remorse over the fact that genocide was used to conquer Lasan.
Weapons, Gear and Skills
Agent Kallus' Bo-Rifle.
Agent Kallus wore heavy dark gray armor, a helmet that didn't conceal his face or obstruct his vision, and carried an AB-75 bo-rifle, which he received from a fallen Lasan Honor Guard he bested. He had enough skill with the weapon to outfight and almost kill Zeb Orrelios, who spent decades wielding the same type of weapon. However, Kallus had preyed on Zeb's emotions, causing the latter to fight recklessly. Nonetheless, he was a skilled fighter.
ISB Training
Kallus was a trained Agent of the Imperial Security Bureau, and was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, dealing with riots, and apprehending and killing rebels.
Relationships
Gallery
Appearances
Episodes
Season One
- Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion (First appearance)
- "Droids in Distress"
- "Fighter Flight (Indirect mention only)
- "Breaking Ranks"
- "Empire Day"
- "Vision of Hope"
- "Call to Action"
- "Rebel Resolve"
- "Fire Across the Galaxy"
Season Two
- Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
- "The Lost Commanders"
- "Relics of the Old Republic"
- "Always Two There Are"
- "Wings of the Master"
- "Stealth Strike"
- "Legacy"
- "Legends of the Lasat"
- "The Honorable Ones"
Season Three
Video Games
Trivia
- He is voiced by David Oyelowo.
- At the time of the series, Kallus was in his late-30s.
- Kallus's animation model is slightly updated in Season 2, featuring a different insignia to denote a promotion.