The game takes place five years after the events of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,[2] in a time when the Jedi have been nearly exterminated by the Sith. The player's character, a former Jedi Knight exiled from the Jedi Order, is referred to as "The Exile" or "Jedi Exile" and was later named Meetra Surik in the Old Republic novels. Throughout the game, the player's character (canonically a female,[3] although the player can choose to play either sex) restores their connection to the Force while, with the help of non-player character companions, trying to stop the Sith. The player makes choices that turn the Exile to either the light side or the dark side of the Force, and travels to six planets to either help or hinder the Republic's efforts to bring peace and stability to the galaxy.