- "Slavery is the natural order of things. The weak deserve nothing more than to kneel before the strong, bound to our service."
- ―Queen Miraj Scintel
The Zygerrian Slave Empire, known as the Zygerrian Empire, was an empire of the Zygerrian species located inside the Outer Rim Territories of the galaxy. From their capital of Zygerria, a vast slavery industry for thousands of years was maintained before the Old Republic declared it illegal and the Jedi Order fought and dismantled their slaving operations and left the empire shattered.
During the Clone Wars, Queen Miraj Scintel wished to restore the ancient slavery industry as part of a plot with the Confederacy of Independent Systems and its leader Count Dooku. The two governments dispatched forces to the Togruta colony world of Kiros, and captured the local population. However, their plans were foiled by the Jedi who located the missing colonists, while their queen was killed by Dooku.
Understanding that the laws concerning slavery could be different under the Galactic Empire, the slaver known as Raney, who along with his troops, took advantage of the Republic's fall and sought a return to Kadavo, hoping to flourish once more.
By the Galactic Civil War, King Atai Molec ascended to the throne and his heir, Prince Sono Molec, assumed control of Kowak. The two began to resurrect the Zygerrian Empire to its full glory.
History[]
Prospering and defeat[]
- "For thousands of years, Zygerria supplied slave labor to the galaxy. We prospered. Our customers prospered. Then the Jedi came."
- ―Darts D'Nar
The Zygerrian slavers successfully maintained their slave industry for thousands of years, which supplied slave labor to unscrupulous masters in the galaxy who were wealthy and powerful. At its height, the population of Zygerria built fortresses and cities on top of the mesas scattered throughout the planet, using their slaves. However, it would fade from its glory after the Old Republic declared slavery illegal, the Jedi cracked down on their slaving operations and liberated countless beings from bondage. This action ended the slavery the Zygerrians excelled in, pushing it into the shadows of the underworld, dismantling the empire, and confining what was left of its government to Zygerria, the civilization's homeworld.[6]
During the High Republic Era, the Zygerrian Alliance existed, which continued slaving operations. The future Nihil Tempest Runner Lourna Dee was among their slaves, but she was freed by a joint Jedi–Republic attack on an alliance camp.[10]
Restoration[]
- "My queen is going to bring back the royal slave auction as in the days before the Jedi. Zygerria will be rich and powerful again."
- ―Darts D'Nar
During the late Republic Era, the Zygerrians maintained slave-run work colonies.[11] with Queen Miraj Scintel seeing an opportunity to renew Zygerria's ancient slave trade and developed a plot to gain the aid of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and its Head of State, Count Dooku during the Clone Wars, . Dispatching the Zygerrian Commander Darts D'Nar to the Togruta colony world of Kiros[9] in a conquest,[12] D'Nar and his forces moved in to "occupy" the colony. Dooku had convinced the governor, Gupat Roshti, to be taken to a "safe haven," only for battle droids[9] and Zygerrian slavers to take the population away.[13] When the Republic responded and a battle on Kiros began, Dooku and Zygerrian Prime Minister Atai Molec then contacted him as he negotiated with, and later fought, Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi. Dooku then ordered D'Nar to bring Kenobi to him on his knees, but the incident ended in D'Nar's capture. The Confederacy supplied the Zygerrians with the captured Togruta population, whom the Zygerrians hoped to sell by bringing back the royal slave auction, a tradition of the old Empire.[9]
However, their plans were foiled by the Jedi who located the missing colonists, and sent Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who was a Togruta, undercover to infiltrate the slavers' auction on Zygerria, where Skywalker and Tano posed as master and slave. Tano later threatened Scintel, but the queen had already outfitted the girl's neck with a shock collar, which she then remotely activated, electrocuting Tano unconscious. Skywalker and Kenobi were captured too.[1] At this point, Scintel started developing feelings for Skywalker and decided not to kill him which Molec saw as a weakness and invited Dooku to Zygerria to speak with the Queen about her defiance in not killing Skywalker. When the Queen refused to kill him, again, Molec and Dooku decided to take matters into their own hands, seeing Scintel unfit to be queen. Molec then stood by, watching, as Dooku Force-choked her. However, she was saved by the timely arrival of Skywalker, who tried to convince Miraj Scintel that she too was a slave and pawn in the Separatists plot, something she realized to be true just before succumbing to her injuries and dying while escaping in the hands of Skywalker.[14]
With the queen dead[14] and Atai Molec having taken her place as ruler,[15] Skywalker and Tano escaped from the Zygerrians and headed for Kadavo to rescue Kenobi, Rex, and the Togruta captives, who had been transferred to the Zygerrian slave processing facility on the planet. While en route, the two also called for reinforcements from the Republic.[14]
Tano and her Master soon arrived on the planet onboard the YV-865 Aurore-class freighter Tecora and tried to break into the slave processing facility. When ordered to cease by the Zygerrian Keeper Agruss under threat that the slaves would be killed, Skywalker did not comply. Later when Galactic Republic reinforcements led by Admiral Barton Coburn and Jedi Master Plo Koon landed on Kadavo, they confronted the slavers, with the Wolfpack detachment attacking the facility with LAAT/i gunships and clone Z-95 starfighters. However, although they were initially halted by its ray shields, Skywalker was able to destroy the defensive towers. Meanwhile, Kenobi and Rex rebelled and killed Agruss who, in a last act, tried to throw the Togruta hostages into the volcanic crevice below the facility, but following a plan devised by Tano, the Republic forces evacuated everyone onto Admiral Coburn's Arquitens-class light cruiser Hand of Justice. The Republic strike team then destroyed the slave facility, with its destruction dealing a crippling blow to the Zygerrian slave trade. After their escape, the Togruta gladly joined the Republic.[14]
Rebuilding[]
- "With the meddling Republic gone, we can return to Kadavo and rebuild what was taken from us. Under this new empire, our operation will flourish once again."
- ―Raney
Despite the defeat of the Separatist-aligned Zygerrian slave trade,[14] a Zygerrian named Raney came to command a group of slavers; which were made up of a YV-865 Aurore-class freighter[16] and an encampment[17]–staffed by Zygerrian soldiers and his pet Brezak—in the ruins of Old Ord Mantell City on the planet of Ord Mantell.[16] The Clone Wars would also come to an end, as the Confederacy collapsed after the deaths of its leaders, while the Republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire.[18] Understanding that the laws concerning slavery could be different under a new regime,[16] Raney and his troops took advantage of the Republic's fall, taking captives to build a new empire. Their prisoners included humans and Falleen, who were made into their slaves,[17] and an adolescent rancor named Muchi, which had belonged to crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure.[16]
Raney sought to return to Kadavo[17] to make up for their defeat during the Clone Wars. Meanwhile, desperate for the return of his pet, Jabba had his majordomo, Bib Fortuna, hire the Trandoshan Cid to rescue the rancor; Cid hired a team of deserting clone commandos named Clone Force 99, otherwise called "the Bad Batch," to rescue Muchi from the slavers, albeit without informing them Muchi was a rancor. Ordering their youngest member—the enhanced clone Omega—to stay back at their ship, the Marauder, the commandos attempted to attack the encampment, only for the Brezak to attack CT-1409 "Echo," revealing the presence of the team. The commandos were captured to be made into slaves, and two Zygerrian guards searched through the Marauder but found nothing, as Omega remained hidden and GNK-series power droid Gonky pretended to simply be a box. Seeing that her friends were captured, Omega set out to rescue them, being caught only after she removed the lock on Muchi's cage and rampaged throughout the encampment, allowing the Bad Batch to rescue the slaves. As Echo and Omega escorted them to safety and while Muchi fought the Brezak, Clone Sergeant "Hunter" fought Raney, who attacked the commando with his electro-whip. Nevertheless, Hunter overcame the pain and quickly defeated the slaver. Afterward, Omega would claim a Zygerrian energy bow, and clone commando "Wrecker" began to fight Muchi in order to convince the rancor to follow them. With the Zygerrians defeated, the Bad Batch was able to escort Muchi back to Cid's Parlor, where she was reunited with Fortuna.[16]
By the Galactic Civil War, Molec had ascended to the throne and his son Prince Sono Molec assumed control of the Zygerrian outpost on Kowak from his palace.[4]
Organization[]
Government[]
The Zygerrian Empire was ruled by a king[4], or queen as the sovereign ruler. Aiding the ruler was the prime minister, who wielded considerable powers and additionally was the Captain of the Guard of the royal guards, a group of sentinels sworn to protect Zygerria's Queen. These positions thereby collectively form into one common order, and controlling the slavery industry, making the Zygerrian Empire wealthy and powerful but at the expense of others.[1][3]
Outside relations[]
Diplomatically, the Zygerrians were highly corporate-minded who sought to maintain their empire at the expense of other civilizations, holding countless slaves across many worlds across the galaxy. This became a valuable part of Zygerrian culture and heritage.[9]
Society and culture[]
- "How can a civilization this advanced still practice slavery?"
"It makes them wealthy and powerful at the expense of others." - ―Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker, on the Zygerrians
Cunning, the Zygerrians were a humanoid feline species that were a warlike and selfish minded race who held in great esteem that it was the natural order of life for the strong to dominate the weak, so slavery was normal for the species, and that all were bound to their service, to that they showed a large amount of prejudice towards aliens and humans alike.[9]
Astrography[]
The ancient Zygerrian Slave Empire stretched far and wide, and presided over countless sectors right across the galaxy, but was eventually pushed back by the Jedi Order to Zygerria.[6]
During the time of Clone Wars, the Zygerrian Slave Empire reappeared on Zygerria as it was during the ancient era.[1] It came to control the Togruta colony world of Kiros, located in the Expansion Region,[9] as well as Kadavo, which was located in Wild Space.[14] By the Imperial Era, it ruled Kowak in the Outer Rim.[4]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Kidnapped" (First mentioned)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Slaves of the Republic" (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo"
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Rampage" (Indirect mention only)
- Friends Like These
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Slaves of the Republic"
- ↑ Queen Miraj Scintel in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Atai Molec in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Friends Like These
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Zygerrian in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places the Battle of Mon Cala and the skirmish in Theed to 20 BBY. As the episode this event takes place within takes place between the events of the episodes the other events are attached to according to Star Wars: The Clone Wars Chronological Episode Order on StarWars.com (backup link), this event must also take place 20 BBY.
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Kidnapped"
- ↑ The High Republic: Tempest Runner
- ↑ The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special 1
- ↑ Darts D'Nar in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Clone Commander Cody Biography Gallery in the Databank (backup link) (Slide 18)
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Escape from Kadavo"
- ↑ Friends Like These
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Rampage"
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Raney in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith