On December 22, 2025, Samantha Béart dropped news that sent both Star Wars and Baldur’s Gate 3 fans into a frenzy. The voice actor best known for bringing Karlach to life in Baldur’s Gate 3 announced they’re voicing Darth Nul in Star Wars: The Old Republic’s latest update. And judging by their Instagram post, they’re just as excited as the fans: “When I said I was in my Sith Era, I really meant it.”
Darth Nul has been a mysterious presence in SWTOR’s story since the Legacy of the Sith expansion, lurking in the background of the game’s lore without ever speaking. Players have spent years piecing together clues about this ancient Sith who was once a Jedi Master, built mind-control devices for the Sith Emperor, and had her records erased from history. Now, with Game Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin” and the Galactic Threads storyline, she finally has a voice, and it belongs to one of gaming’s hottest voice actors right now.
From Tiefling Barbarian to Sith Lord
The casting makes perfect sense once you think about it. Samantha Béart earned a BAFTA nomination for their performance as Karlach, the fiery-hearted tiefling barbarian who became one of Baldur’s Gate 3’s most beloved companions. Their ability to balance intensity with vulnerability, to convey layers of emotion beneath a tough exterior, is exactly what a character like Darth Nul demands.
But the characters couldn’t be more different. Karlach is all warmth and loyalty despite being forced to do terrible things in the Nine Hells. Darth Nul is cold, calculating, and willing to sacrifice anyone to pursue knowledge and power. Where Karlach’s story is a redemption arc about choosing to be good after escaping hell, Darth Nul chose darkness willingly, abandoning the Jedi Order because they wouldn’t let her experiment on anyone with even a hint of Force sensitivity.
In the official SWTOR developer interview released alongside the announcement, Béart discusses the challenge of finding Darth Nul’s voice. “She isn’t just a cold-hearted Sith who has rage and power like a Darth Malgus,” they explained. “She can straddle the fence of Jedi and Sith.” That ambiguity, that ability to exist between light and dark for purely selfish reasons, gives the character depth beyond typical Sith villains.
Who Is Darth Nul Anyway
For players who haven’t been following SWTOR’s story closely, Darth Nul has been one of the game’s biggest mysteries for years. She was first referenced way back in Update 6.3 “Secrets of the Enclave” when players discovered Darth Malgus searching for ancient Sith relics and information about someone whose name had been deliberately erased from historical records.
Over the course of several updates, the story revealed that Darth Nul was born Raniah, a Miraluka who achieved the rank of Jedi Master. The Miraluka are a Force-sensitive species born without eyes who see the world entirely through the Force, making them naturally powerful Force users. Raniah believed that anyone with even the slightest connection to the Force should be trained in its use, a philosophy the Jedi Council vehemently rejected.
When the Jedi kicked her out, she took her followers and accidentally made contact with the Sith Emperor, who hunted them down and claimed them all for himself. Rather than resist, Raniah embraced the dark side, took the name Darth Nul, and began working on inventions that could replicate her ability to sense and connect Force-sensitive beings across the galaxy. Her mind-control technology became instrumental to the Sith Empire’s operations.
What makes Darth Nul interesting is her motivation. She doesn’t care about the eternal Jedi-Sith conflict. She doesn’t want to rule the galaxy or destroy her enemies. She just wants to pursue knowledge and perfect her inventions, and she’ll work for whoever gives her the resources and freedom to do that. Other people’s lives are irrelevant as long as she gets to find truth at the end of it.
The Interview Reveals Her Complexity
The official SWTOR developer interview with Béart provides fascinating insight into how they’re approaching the character. The developers emphasize that Darth Nul represents a shift in SWTOR’s storytelling toward character-driven tension rather than spectacle-first narratives. She’s not loud or explained away. She lingers in the background, operating with restraint and ambiguity.
“She just kept it with her,” Béart says about Darth Nul’s unique lightsaber that blends Jedi and Sith techniques, a physical manifestation of her willingness to use whatever works regardless of ideological purity. The developers discuss how they wanted to create a character who rewards attention, especially on repeat playthroughs when small vocal choices and pauses start to stand out.
Ashley Ruhl and Caitlin Sullivan Kelly, the SWTOR developers conducting the interview, explain that Darth Nul has been in the story for years but only recently began speaking from her own perspective. Players encountered references to her, found her inventions, and dealt with the consequences of her actions, but they never heard her voice or understood her motivations directly until Game Update 7.8.
When asked about what Star Wars class they’d want to be, Béart’s answer perfectly captures their range as a performer. “A really good Jedi that can’t be corrupted and saves the whole universe,” they joke, before admitting, “But I like a little rogue. I like a smuggler. I like using my words sometimes.” That versatility, that ability to inhabit different archetypes, makes them perfect for a character as morally ambiguous as Darth Nul.
Game Update 7.8 and Galactic Threads
Darth Nul’s full voice debut comes as part of SWTOR’s Game Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin,” which launched on December 9, 2025. The update continues the Galactic Threads storyline that picks up after Mandalore Shae Vizla freed Darth Malgus from prison, creating massive political tension across the galaxy.
Players join several allies seeking answers about Shae’s betrayal, Darth Nul’s holocron, the Hidden Chain terrorist organization, and the looming threat of Darth Malgus. The story takes players to multiple locations across the galaxy, weaving together political intrigue, ancient Sith lore, and the personal motivations of characters who’ve been developed over years of updates.
The update also introduces new Dynamic Encounters at the Wreckage on Dantooine, where a crashed ship created three unnatural biomes. Players can level up these biomes to unlock a challenging four-player boss fight against the Orbital Core. There’s also a new Dantooine Stronghold, PvP Season 9, and extensive class balance changes across all disciplines.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 Connection
Béart’s casting in SWTOR demonstrates how Baldur’s Gate 3’s success has elevated voice actors to new levels of recognition and opportunity. Before BG3, Béart auditioned for roles in the game multiple times and got rejected, including for what would eventually become Karlach and minor roles like “Goblin 49.” It wasn’t until they landed a breakout indie performance and slid into director Swen Vincke’s DMs on social media that they got another chance.
Once cast as Karlach, Béart’s performance captured something special. They brought depth and authenticity to a character who could have been one-dimensional muscle. Karlach’s struggle with her infernal engine, her fear of returning to the Nine Hells, and her determination to be a good person despite everything she was forced to do resonated with millions of players.
That performance earned critical acclaim, a BAFTA nomination, and opened doors to bigger projects. Béart recently announced they’re voicing One, the shapeshifting protagonist in New Tales’ action-adventure game Fading Echo. Now they’re bringing that same talent to Star Wars, one of the biggest entertainment franchises in history.
SWTOR players on Reddit are already speculating that Darth Nul will become more than a one-time character. “They cast a prominent voice actor for Nul, which suggests she will have a significant role moving forward,” one commenter noted. Given SWTOR’s ongoing development and the deliberate buildup of Darth Nul’s character over multiple years, that seems likely.
Why This Casting Works
What makes Béart perfect for Darth Nul isn’t just their technical skill as a voice actor. It’s their ability to find humanity in characters who’ve done terrible things. Karlach was a soldier in the Blood War who admits she “was a piece of work in hell,” forced to do awful things to survive. Yet players love her because Béart conveyed the person underneath the violence, someone desperate for redemption and a chance to choose who they want to be.
Darth Nul is Karlach’s dark mirror. She had opportunities for redemption but chose power and knowledge instead. She uses people as tools and discards them when they’re no longer useful. She serves the Sith Emperor not out of loyalty but because he gives her resources to continue her research. Yet she’s not mindlessly evil. She’s purposeful, intelligent, and operating according to her own moral framework that values truth above all else.
That complexity requires an actor who can convey layers of meaning in small moments. Based on the developer interview, SWTOR is focusing on restraint and ambiguity with Darth Nul, letting the character breathe through pauses and vocal choices rather than exposition dumps. Béart has proven they excel at exactly that kind of performance.
The Fan Reaction
When Béart announced the role on social media with the caption “When I said I was in my Sith Era, I really meant it,” fans from both communities erupted with excitement. Baldur’s Gate 3 players who’d fallen in love with Karlach were thrilled to hear Béart in another major role. SWTOR players who’d been waiting years for Darth Nul to finally speak celebrated that such a talented actor was bringing the character to life.
On the SWTOR subreddit, players discussed how this casting signals the developers’ commitment to quality storytelling. “This occurs quite late in the narrative,” one commenter explained. “Although she appears earlier in the story, it is only recently that we begin to hear her perspective.” The fact that they waited until they had the right actor and the right story moment rather than rushing shows respect for the character and the players.
Some fans are already theorizing about Darth Nul’s future in the SWTOR storyline. Will she become an ally against Darth Malgus? Will she betray everyone to pursue her own goals? Does her unique perspective on the Force represent an alternative path beyond Jedi and Sith? The ambiguity is intentional, and it’s working to generate genuine excitement rather than predictable plot progression.
FAQs
Who is Samantha Béart?
Samantha Béart is a voice actor best known for voicing Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3, a performance that earned them a BAFTA nomination. They’ve now been cast as Darth Nul in Star Wars: The Old Republic Game Update 7.8.
Who is Darth Nul?
Darth Nul was born Raniah, a Miraluka Jedi Master who was expelled from the Jedi Order for believing all Force-sensitive beings should be trained. She joined the Sith Emperor and created mind-control inventions, becoming one of the most mysterious figures in SWTOR lore.
When was Darth Nul added to SWTOR?
Darth Nul was first referenced in SWTOR Update 6.3 “Secrets of the Enclave” and has been a background presence in the story for years. Game Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin” (December 2025) is the first time she speaks with Samantha Béart’s voice.
What is Game Update 7.8 about?
Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin” continues the Galactic Threads storyline following Mandalore Shae Vizla freeing Darth Malgus from prison. It includes new story content, Dynamic Encounters on Dantooine, a Dantooine Stronghold, PvP Season 9, and class balance changes.
Is the interview with Samantha Béart available to watch?
Yes, the official SWTOR developer interview with Samantha Béart was released on December 21-22, 2025 and is available on YouTube and the SWTOR official channels. The interview discusses Darth Nul’s character, Béart’s approach to the role, and the Galactic Threads storyline.
What other games has Samantha Béart worked on?
Beyond Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Darth Nul in SWTOR, Béart is voicing One, the protagonist in New Tales’ Fading Echo. They’ve also worked on various other voice acting projects and were previously an IT consultant before focusing full-time on acting.
Why is Darth Nul important to SWTOR’s story?
Darth Nul created mind-control technology that connects Force-sensitive beings across the galaxy. Her inventions and philosophy about training all Force users regardless of light or dark side affiliation make her central to understanding the current conflict between Darth Malgus, the Hidden Chain, and the player’s character.
Can I play Game Update 7.8 content now?
Yes, Game Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin” launched on December 9, 2025. To access the Galactic Threads story content, you need to complete the critical path missions from Onslaught and Legacy of the Sith expansions.
The Bottom Line
Samantha Béart voicing Darth Nul represents a convergence of talent and timing that benefits everyone involved. SWTOR gets a proven voice actor with the range and skill to bring one of their most enigmatic characters to life. Béart gets to expand their portfolio with a major role in the Star Wars universe, one of entertainment’s biggest franchises. And fans get to hear a beloved performer tackle a completely different type of character than what made them famous.
The casting also signals SWTOR’s commitment to quality storytelling despite being a 14-year-old MMO. Instead of rushing Darth Nul’s introduction or settling for a lesser-known actor, they waited until they had the right person and the right story moment. They cast someone whose recent work demonstrates exactly the kind of nuanced performance the character demands.
From Béart’s perspective, the role offers creative challenges that differ significantly from Karlach. Where Karlach wears her heart on her sleeve despite trying to appear tough, Darth Nul conceals her true motivations behind layers of calculation and restraint. Where Karlach seeks redemption for past violence, Darth Nul feels no remorse because she believes her pursuit of knowledge justifies any cost. The characters exist on opposite ends of the moral spectrum, giving Béart a chance to showcase their range.
The timing couldn’t be better for Star Wars gaming content either. With Casey Hudson’s recently announced Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic promising a spiritual successor to Knights of the Old Republic, interest in Old Republic era content is surging. SWTOR remains the only place to experience ongoing Old Republic stories, and updates like Galactic Threads demonstrate the game still has compelling narratives to tell.
For players who fell in love with Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3, hearing Béart voice a character so fundamentally different offers a glimpse into their versatility as a performer. For SWTOR fans who’ve been theorizing about Darth Nul for years, finally hearing her speak with such a talented actor behind the role validates the patient buildup. And for Béart themselves, landing a major Star Wars role less than two years after their breakthrough performance shows how quickly the industry has recognized their talent.
The interview footage shows genuine enthusiasm from everyone involved. Béart is clearly thrilled to be part of Star Wars, repeatedly expressing excitement about being “in my Sith Era” and bringing this ancient, mysterious character to life. The SWTOR developers are proud of how they’ve developed Darth Nul’s character over multiple years and finally giving her a voice that matches her importance to the story. And the community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with fans from multiple gaming communities celebrating the casting.
Whether Darth Nul becomes a long-term fixture in SWTOR’s story or her arc concludes within the current expansion remains to be seen. But given the effort invested in building her character, the caliber of talent voicing her, and the fan response to her introduction, it would be shocking if this was a one-and-done appearance. Star Wars has always been about characters whose choices echo across generations, and Darth Nul embodies that concept perfectly.
So welcome to the dark side, Samantha Béart. May the Force serve your ambitions, and may your pursuit of knowledge lead to some incredible performances that Star Wars and SWTOR fans will remember for years to come.