I dedicate the article and the handmade custom HK-47 for the respect of Mr Kristoffer Tabori, who sent me these awesome section opening voice samples.

HK-47 was a Hunter-Killer assassin droid and Jedi hunter what was constructed (or due to his complex personality we may risk WHO was constructed) by Revan shortly after the beginning of the Jedi Civil War to assassinate those (without a military or diplomatic conflict) who Revan believed would destabilize the galaxy. Although he considered himself to be a unique construction, he bore a close resemblance to other Hunter-killer droids produced by Czerka Corporation. Revan did, in fact, use the HK-24 design as a basis for his model, with several of his own upgrades. HK-47 had a definite sense of pride, and considered himself superior to all organics and all droids except for Revan, who was the only person he seemed to admire; mostly for what the droid considered creative atrocities that Revan performed as a Sith Lord. HK-47's programming resulted in his enjoyment of bloodshed, and he took pleasure in any sort of violence, even describing his work as a form of art. He had a relatively condescending opinion towards organics, and made a habit of branding all organic lifeforms meatbags. This insult was originally used in passing by the droid when Revan's apprentice Darth Malak had asked what the droid thought of him. In his statement of opinion, HK-47 informed Malak of his meatbag status. Revan found the insult, as well as Malak's annoyance, amusing enough to re-program HK-47 to consider all organics "meatbags", except his master, what was not allowed for him.

Revan designed HK-47 to look like a simple protocol droid. Due to his appearance, he were often mistaken for protocol droids by many, and he used this to his advantage hiding his true nature in order to covertly achieve his goals, liquidating his prey. HK-47 was a proficient killer, as well as highly innovative, using many varied techniques, most notably when hunting Jedi.

Revan's special designs and upgrades made HK-47 was a dangerous opponent, able to fight effectively in a stealth operation as well as in open combat. Revan uploaded the complete anatomy database, of the human body into HK-47's memory, making him a real terminator. He got an "agility upgrade" which module gave him extra dexterity and an increase in his reaction time. His combat programming made him a deadly combatant with a large variety of weapons, including blasters of any design as well as a multitude of droid weapons such droid arms with 10 shot like molten cannons (kind of droid flamethrowers), neural pacifiers, ion strikers, plasma throwers, or carbonite projectors. HK-47 had a particular affinity for blaster rifles, using the Droid Assassin's rifle primarily, but I found him the most dangerous and devastating with a charric rifle. Since Darth Revan was once a Jedi, he knew them well, even possessing information on their weaknesses, so he prepared his HK droid with many techniques how to assassinate the Jedi, which later HK-47 explained to the DS Jedi Exile so he could better defend himself against his Jedi enemies. When faced with a Jedi, HK-47 utilized various weapons specifically selected to be most effective against lightsaber techniques, such as grenades, sonic screamers, cluster rockets, plasma charges, poison gas and mines, showing the droid's versatility in combat. These weapons could not be deflected by a lightsaber, and sonic weapons were useful in shattering a Jedi's concentration, preventing the use of Force powers. Mines and gas were useful in catching a Jedi by surprise, giving HK-47 the advantage in combat. HK-47 mentioned using a sniper rifle to attack from long range in order to avoid detection. In addition to these weapons, HK-47 also would attempt to erode the will of his opponents and make them doubt their beliefs, which he found to be an effective method for weakening their concentration and disrupting their connection to the Force. If these still would not enough, Darth Revan taught the droid to attack a Jedi's allies, as Jedi would often sacrifice themselves to save an ally.

Like many droids, HK-47 was a good mechanic and had some knowledge in repair, demolitions and slicing, but his primary programming was fighting. He got a warfare upgrade, to be a really good fighter. Revan also upgraded HK-47 on various occasions, increasing his overall efficiency, and with all of these high tech upgrades he sent the droid for his missions.

While HK was on a mission, Revan was attacked by the Jedi after Malak turned on his master and fired with his turbolasers into the bridge of Revan's flagship. As a result, Revan felt, hit his head, and lost his memories, including those of HK-47's existence. Though HK-47 succeeded in his assassination mission somwehere around Mandalore, his motor functions were damaged, and he ended up in the possession of a Mandalorian soldier who claimed him as his spoils. HK-47 had lost much of his memory due to the damage he received and he lacked the knowledge as to where he had been created, though he still had his affinity toward violence, although he could not recall why he had been equipped for such a purpose, but he enjoyed it. The Mandalorian repaired HK-47, (that is why he had such a mandalorian implant that Canderous Ordo had, which gave him a constant health regeneration), and began using him to elevate his rank by having killed his rival clan mates. Eventually, the Mandalorian ordered HK to assassinate the Mandalore of that time. That was a failer, HK-47 was captured by the Mandalore, who re-programmed him and sent him after his former master, who he successfully terminated. Since HK-47 was programmed to shut down whenever his current master died, he deactivated himself after killing the Mandalorian, and was sold to Bochaba the Hutt, a crime lord on the planet Sleheyron.

HK-47 had to help Bochaba maintain his reputation as "the most feared gangster on Sleheyron", terminating 322 targets in a single year before Bochaba was finally assassinated by his rivals. The droid shut himself down once again after this discovery, and was sold to a Human senator on Coruscant.

The senator first assumed HK-47 to be a mere protocol droid, but later one of his assistants discovered the droid's assassination functions and told the senator his discovery. It was a mistake. The senator ordered HK-47 to kill the assistant, then started to use the droid to eliminate his political enemies. The senator was on the way to being elected as the Supreme Chancellor, but things did not go as they were planned. The next target the senator ordered HK-47 to kill was his own wife, who, as he discovered, was cheating on him. As HK-47 approached the wife and her lover to terminate them both, his master suddenly regretted his order, changed his mind, and dove between the droid and his intended victims, and he got that bullet which was fired towards the lover. Having accidentally terminated his master, the droid had no choice but to shut down. The senator's wife later sold him to a low-ranking commercial officer of Systech Corporation.

At first, the officer used HK-47 as a protocol and bodyguard droid, but later he found out about the droid's assassination protocols. After that, he sent HK-47 on a mission to eliminate workers of a competitor company that was developing a product which, if launched onto the market, would ruin the officer's career. The officer did not realize that the competing company was, in fact, another branch of Systech Corporation. By the time he realized his mistake, HK-47 had already terminated 104 Systech employees. The officer in his anger and dismay attacked the droid. While doing so, he pierced one of HK-47's actuators with a writing utensil, resulting in an electric shock that killed him and destroyed the droid's assassination protocols, once again forcing the droid to deactivate himself for killing his master.

After these HK-47 was sold to Yuka Laka, an Ithorian droid dealer in the Anchorhead settlement on Tatooine. The hammerhead fitted him with a restraining bolt, further restricting his memory and his assassination protocols. There, and in this quite restricted and malfunctioning state he was encountered by his original and recent new master, Revan, whose mind had been erased by the Dantooine Jedi Enclave Council. He purchased the droid immediately for his knowledge of the Sand People dialect, (since HK-47 spoke the tusken language) which was needed for Revan, because he intended to negotiate with the local chieftain about ceasing attacks against Czerka Corporation and the local citizens.

So HK-47 reunited with his master, although none of them remembered the other. Revan started to repair the droid at once, slowly restoring most of his abilities, which gave HK-47 some extra dexterity points, and health regeneration in every 6 seconds, later after every 3 seconds, and some extra constitutions due to his now fixed mandalorian implant. Additionally, his vitality and dexterity were also increased to a pretty good level. HK-47's great dexterity of 25 could give him an almost perfect aiming, causing almost all of his shots a punctual hit. Revan fixed most of HK-47 memories, however he couldn't fix his main memory core, which could be only accessed by his original master, and will be triggered by a yet unknown event. The droid went on to help Revan find the Star Forge from this point, and HK served him even a bit after the battle of Star Forge. The droid would have liked to accompany Revan to the edge of the Unknown Regions to face an unknown threat along with T3-M4, but Revan went away alone, leaving his droids behind in the Ebon Hawk with his former teacher Kreia before departing for the Unknown Regions, and never came back. HK-47 never forgave for himself not to be there to protect his master.

Additional informations on HK-47:

The origin of HK-47's name comes from BioWare writer Drew Karpyshyn, whose billiard team was made up of some players with the last name starting with an H, and some with a letter K. But they decided HK-47 sounded more intimidating because of the well known AK-47 rifle, also HK can stand for a Hunter-Killer robot assassin perfectly.

HK-47's voice was presented by Kristoffer Tabori in KotOR1 (2003), and later in the KotOR2 (2004). The actor has some Hungarian relations, therefor he is a loved personality in Hungary, and is one of the most popular voice actor amongst the others who worked in the crew of the Knights of the Old Republic games. It is a gift that we can welcome his friendly voice message in the opening voice of the KotOR2 main section, it is very honorific for us. The male gamers all love to hear the female protagonists while playing the game of course, since Ms Jennifer Hale and Ms Kelly Hu were our female partners while directing our male character, but having the only actor on the site, who has Hungarian attachments is even a bigger respect and joy for us! His friendly message worth gold for us! When I contacted the Actor, I suggested a short and easy sentence, in which he can introduce himself, and as the voice actor of HK-47 he greets his fans on his own voice. Mr Tabori remembered that his voice was filtered, but I didn't want such a difficult sentence, it would have been plenty enough for us to hear his own voice with a short friendly message. Well, we received that simple sentence, but Mr Kristoffer Tabori sent us an unbelievable extra gift, he recorded an intro, which I have never dared to dream of, he planned a funny HK-47 intro, in which he prefixed all sentences like he did in the game, called all human beings a meatbag, and mentions our pathetic hearing device (named that ear) ironically. You will encounter the same funny, ironic, and robotic HK communication which is similar to the game, but much more unique, since these sentence was made for us by the Actor! The shorter sentence was decided to open HK-47's own article within the KotOR2 main section, and the long, and awesome message was selected to be the opening voice sample of the main article itself! It is like: "Broadcasting: Hello to all Hungarian meatbag fans of Knights of the Old Republic, who are within hearing range of this transmission. Snider side: It is hard to imagine giving the pathetic hearing device meatbags employ name that ear, hahahaha. With great warms: This is HK-47 channelling my presence through the meatbag of thespean Kristoffer Tabori, wishing all Hungarian meatbag fans happiness and good will. With relish: Now, shall we all band together, and start killing and destroying with a band on?" This IS an HK-47 greetings, indeed! Isn't it great? And let me repeat, this was made by Kris from his heart, and was sent to me to share it with his Hungarian admirers and fans! And for this we respect him, and love him even better. Not all actors love their fans, and even true Hungarians forget their origins when leaving this country, letting down the home country, and the people, but fortunately that is not true for the US origin Kris, who was raised by a Hungarian father, Mr George Tabori. That is the relation, which he can be connected to our country, that is why he is the most beloved person in the KotOR games, and that is why I chose him to contact, and I am very proud that he was kind to answer, and cared with his fans. Of course this is his favorite role for us, but we know that this was only a short segment of his career. He was blazing in many roles, he is a great theatrical actor, his stage appearances cannot fit in a monitor size! He played in many films, too, some of them were episode roles, but many of them were more important roles. He was a film director and a stage director, he can be seen in series, mini series, and movies. He recorded pilots and was an award winning audio narrator, and performed audio books. He is a great voice actor too, he can be heard in three Star Wars games, in the KotOR series, and in the Empire at War game, these are the most loved for us Star Wars fans, but we know and love his works in other games, such as in Battlestar Galactica, in Spiderman, in Gladius, in Dungeons and Dragons, in Everquest II, and we can enjoy his work in Aplha Protocol too, released in 2010. With Kristoffer Tabori's work HK-47 won at the 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards, the HK-47 character won the category of "Original Game Character of the Year". The character also won Computer Gaming World's 2003 "NPC of the Year" award. HK is one of the most popular characters, he is loved for his funny sentences. His sentences has a double effect, first is their funny content, seconds is the way he tells them. HK-47 has a unique speech trait, where he vocally prefix every statement he made with a speech conditional that described the type of statement it was. For example, if asking a question, he would first say "Query:", before beginning his question. Like:

You can find the best of HK-47 quotes in a pile visiting this link, but I will also publish for you many, illustrated with screenshots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqpGfWrmc4

HK-47 sentences, jokes, and quotes:

During gameplay HK-47 will say funny things, just take him with you everywhere! In this screenshot we are in Dantooine, defeated a local citizen, in which fight HK participated with joy. Statement: Master, there are times when your actions make my behavior core glow. 



In this picture we are at Dxun, and have blown up a mandalorian warrior with a permacrete detonator. Query: That was wonderful Master, next time may a try? Meaning activating the detonator. :-)

Let's stay on Dxun a littlebit, however HK-47 HK-47 might be unhappy with that. Because he was attacked in the jungle by a beast, which bit him in the worst place that can happen to a human being. Fortunatelly HK-47 is a superior construction, not a gland driven meatbag, otherwise that "meatbag" could hurt a lot for him. But such a byte is nothing for a robot. The Exile Jedi and Brianna ignite their sabers immediately, and rush to help HK-47, but until they arrive, HK will deal the beast alone, sending a precisely shot bullet right between its eyes.

Here HK-47 confronting his robotic perfection against the imperfect human body, saying he is a superior construction. Answer: Oh please Master, even as a metaphor, that idea is repugnant. You are a gland driven meatbag, while I am of superior droid construction.

When we occupied Telos a Dark Exile can decide to help an injured telosian soldier get rid of his pains, but not with treatment, or with medicines, but with lightsaber. After killing him, HK-47 reacted: Observation: You display a variety of cruelties, Master. It is difficult to catalogue them all!

Here I told something to HK-47 on aboard the Ebon Hawk, who answered like this: You are like a delightful random cruelty generator, Master, poisoning all you touch with your presence. You are a testament to all organic meatbags everywhere.

We are at Dxun again, a dark Exile and his two wicked droids, GOTO, and HK-47 has just killed an opponent. HK reacts: Statement: Your actions make me proud to be your loyal droid.

HK-47 speaks of a quite weak enemy in low terms in the desert Dune Sea of Tatooine: Prepare the blasters master, it's going to be funny!

HK protects his master with weapons, but if needed, he rallies to his aid verbally, too. When a Dark Jedi tries to intimidate his Master at Manaan, HK-47 encroaches: Commentary: The master cannot be destroyed. I suggest you running meatbag, till my gun reaches its operating temperature. 

When on Korriban, Uthar Wynn did not wanted to help the Dark Revan with tips and suggestions how to impress him. HK-47 then tells his idea, suggesting his Master to kill every single meatbags in the Sith Academy, that would surely impress the Sith master.

HK-47 knows the Jawa language, too. He translated the sentences of a Jawa to Revan, telling that he understood only the 98% of his dialect. Here is the remaining 2%: Translation: 2% probability that the miniature organic is simply looking for trouble and needs to be blasted. That may be wishful thinking of my part, Master.

This wookie was injured by mandalorian hunters. When he asked medical assistance from a Dark Revan, he let him die there, even threatening the wookie to shut up, or Revan will finish him. This "medical treatment" was very adequate by Dr HK-47, too! Observation: Your cruelty and savageness for an organic meatbag is very exhilarating, Master! Are you sure you do not have some droid parts?

When Revan got Ajunta Pall's sword in the Valley of the Dark Lords on Korriban, on his way out from the pyramid a Sith student, called Sharadan chose the easy way, and threatened Revan to hand over the valuable sword, or he will take it with force. HK-47 comes to protects his master at once, warning Sharadan no to even touch the master's sword, or his arm will be torn out!

Finally a repair joke. When my female Revan, who was not very good at repairing, tried to fix HK-47, made some mistakes, even causing some malfunctions within HK. HK-47 started to be mistrustful, and asked Revan to be careful, because I am to valuable to be a victim of an incompetent. :-)

***

Most of my custom figures was made years ago, when I was not able to make digital making of pictures. Due to the request of some readers, you would be happy to see some phase photos, I publish a halfway photo of my custom HK-47. You also wanted to see some plan, or a drawing, which I made in some earlier state of the process, so here is a drawing of HK-47's head, what created while playing the game, pausing it drawing HK's head on the back of a bill. :-) Here you are:

custom HK-47 figure front view without gun

custom HK-47 figure front with a sniper rifle

custom HK-47 figure back

custom HK47 figure front the left

custom HK-47 figure from the right

custom HK-47 figure perspective