Escape: Yavin IV is a modification for Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. It puts you in the shoes of Jaden Korr and serves as a sequel to Jedi Academy itself. But instead of staying on the canonical light side route that the official game took, this modification takes you through the events of the non-canonical dark side route.
Jaden, after taking the Scepter of Ragnos for his own, begins a spree of domination and destruction. Both the forces of the Imperial Empire and New Republic end up getting destroyed in the process. While chaos has taken over the galaxy, the Sith build up their forces and gain a new leader known only as the Sith Lord. The Sith Lord invades Yavin IV, beginning what is to be known as the "Great Jedi War". The Sith win, and the established Sith Lord seeks you out of desire for the Scepter. After a short confrontation, Jaden surrenders the Scepter and is imprisoned on Yavin along with the rest of the Jedi that managed to survive the war. Years later, a resistance group known as the Alliance is formed to combat the Sith's oppressive control over the galaxy. Unfortunately, the Sith proceed to crush all but one Alliance system - an isolated planet called Hypori.
Jaden, still imprisoned, is guilty over his actions while he was influenced by the dark side. He desires to become a Jedi once more, but also seeks revenge on the Sith for his situation. A convenient fault within the prison he is in ends up giving him that chance, releasing him from captivity but also thrusting him into a drastically changed world...
Escape: Yavin IV provides examples of the following tropes:
- Action Girl: Odi'ly Secura
- Alignment-Based Endings: Unlike the game it was based on, Escape: Yavin IV features three endings. There's a Light Side ending, a Dark Side ending and a more bittersweet Light Side ending.
- All Your Base Are Belong to Us: The Sith invasion on the Alliance systems, with Hypori being the only one remaining.
- Always Save the Girl: Subverted in the case of Mirala's capture, as it turns out that "Mirala" was actually Maul the entire time, with the real Mirala having been killed years ago. Played straight in the rescue of Queen Monthma, however.
- Anyone Can Die: Rosh is killed by Maul (who was disguised as Mirala), Savet is killed by Asajj Ventress and her clone soldiers in the semi-good Light Side ending, and the entire Council gets killed by Jaden and the Sith Lord in the Dark Side ending.
- Big Bad: The Kel Dor Sith Lord.
- Big Damn Heroes: Jaden's arrival on Hypori in order to help counter the Sith attack.
- Bittersweet Ending: In the semi-good Light Side ending, the Sith invasion of Hypori is suppressed and Jaden becomes the new leader of the Jedi Council. But Hypori's defense system is destroyed, Savet is dead and a good portion of Hypori itself is incredibly damaged by the wreckage of the Sith Lord's command ship. Even in the Light Side ending, there's Rosh's death, the genocide-level consequences Jaden used to progress in his journey and the fact that the Sith still possess control over the rest of the galaxy.
- Dead All Along: Poor Mirala, indeed...
- Disney Death: Rosh. At least, the first time...
- Dual Boss: Darth Maul
- Foreshadowing:
- In your first meeting with Mirala, she vocally stumbles a little when she tells you about the chip that allows you to shut down the force field blocking entry to the power generator. It's as if she's hiding something from you. As it turns out, "Mirala" was actually Maul posing as her, as the real Mirala was killed years ago.
- Prior to heading out to Massassi Falls, Rosh tells Jaden that he senses one of them won't make it out alive. He's very much right.
- Harder Than Hard: Definitely bumped up the difficulty compared to Jedi Academy.
- Last Villain Stand: In the Light Side ending, the Sith Lord and his bodyguards face down Jaden and the Jedi Council in a final clash.
- Loser Has Your Back: Seems like Rosh actually managed to survive getting a lightsaber shoved through his stomach, serving as one of your more direct allies.
- Katanas Are Just Better: The light blade and the Vibroblade qualify.
- Multiple Endings: In tradition to the official games.
- My Significance Sense Is Tingling: There are several characters who will remark on this, and Jaden himself experience it time to time. This becomes a brief build-up before the truth about Mirala is revealed by Maul.
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Nintendo Hard: Just so we're clear, you end up starting the game with only your bare hands. If you're not quick enough to grab the lightsaber dropped by the dead cultist, it'll disappear and leave you facing down an enemy wielding a lightsaber, two crossbow-wielding Weequays, and a turret if you stray too far from the cell. The only help your unarmed cellmates can possibly provide is a distraction before they're torn up by their lethally armed adversaries. - No Endor Holocaust: In the semi-good ending, the Sith Lord tells Jaden that his usage of the Sith Castle underworks have polluted the water supply. As a result, countless inhabitants of Yavin are dying from the toxins released within the water.
- One-Man Army: Even prior to the game's start, Jaden's made a habit out of slaying thousands of people. Throughout his journey, he cuts down dozens of hostile refugees and Sith Loyalists all by himself.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Throughout the course of the game, Jaden is seeking revenge for his defeat and imprisonment at the hands of the Sith Loyalists. Rosh's death and "Mirala"'s capture serves as fuel to the fire.
- Unique Enemy: The mutant rancor appears only at the Sith castle prior to the battle with the Sithress.
