Zygerrian

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"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 —

Listen (file info)^[3]

The Zygerrians were a humanoid feline species^[2] from Zygerria.^[6] Having evolved from a horned sentient canine species,^[9] they built a powerful empire by capturing and selling slaves until the Jedi of the Galactic Republic went to war with them and outlawed it. The Zygerrians openly revived their slave trade when they allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.

History[]

Height of power[]

"For thousands of years, Zygerria supplied slave labor to the galaxy. We prospered. Our customers prospered. Then the Jedi came."

―Darts D'Nar^[1]

DartsDNar-TCWCEJtB — Zygerrians favored cruel methods of control, like electro-whips.

The Zygerrians were a powerful people in the days of the Old Republic.^[10] Their empire provided slave labor to the galaxy in which both the Zygerrians and their customers prospered.^[1] However, their slave trade was outlawed by the Old Republic. The Jedi Knights liberated countless slaves from the Zygerrians and pushed their Empire into the underworld's shadows, resulting in many Zygerrians developing a seething hatred of the Jedi and their Order.^[10] Despite the fall of their overall empire and the ensuing loss of much of their political influence,^[1] the Zygerrian slave trade continued^[11] in a reduced state. Much of the Zygerrians' wealth dried up with the collapse of their high-profile slave trade, however.^[1]

During the High Republic Era,^[11] the tradition of Zygerrian slavery^[1] was covertly continued through the Zygerrian Alliance, which publicly existed as a legitimate enterprise.^[11] The Nihil marauders maintained relations with the Zygerrians during the era, such as by selling off prisoners to the Zygerrians to make a profit.^[12] Around 255 BBY,^[13] the Jedi Order launched an attack on a Zygerrian camp to free everyone within. Among those rescued was a Twi'lek woman named Lourna Dee, who would go onto join the Nihil and arise to the rank of Tempest Runner.^[11] When Tempest Runner Kara Xoo's Nihil Tempest kidnapped children to recruit them into the ranks of the Nihil, Xoo had those who disobeyed during training sold off to the slavers, instilling fear in those who remained to help push them to accept the Nihil.^[12]

Rebuilding the slave trade[]

Clone Wars[]

"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 —

Listen (file info)^[1]

Zygerrians2-SWE — Two Zygerrians in service to the Slave Empire

In the late Republic Era, the Zygerrians maintained slave-run work colonies,^[14] yet their empire still had not yet been truly reformed. During the Clone Wars, Zygerria's queen Miraj Scintel, formed an alliance with Confederate leader Count Dooku to finally rebuild her people's Slave Empire.^[1]

She sent Commander Darts D'Nar to accompany Dooku, a tactical droid and their forces to occupy Kiros. Lead to believe by Dooku they would be brought to a safe place to wait out the war,^[1] the Togruta colonists were then taken to Kadavo's slave processing facility. However, the Republic and the Jedi would once again crack down on the Zygerrian enterprise by launching an attack on the facility, freeing the slaves and destroying their installation. Additionally, Dooku had killed Scintel for her disobedience, leaving Prime Minister^[3] Atai Molec to take her place as the empire's ruler.^[15]

Imperial Era[]

"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^[16]

ZygerriansAreBack-TBB — A group of Zygerrians operated on Ord Mantell after the Clone Wars.

Despite their defeats during the Republic Era, the rise of the Galactic Empire saw new opportunities for the Zygerrians. A group of slavers led by Raney were established on Ord Mantell shortly after the end of the war.^[16] The Zygerrian MaDall also established an empire on the Outer Rim world of Oon during the Imperial Era. MaDall's operations were disrupted by the Mandalorian Sabine Wren.^[4]

Following the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, at least one Zygerrian slaver was based at an Imperial slave labor mine on the planet Sevarcos. During the Battle on Sevarcos, the slaver tried to kill the Wookiee slave Greybok but was bludgeoned to death by the Weequay Hatchet.^[17]

Under the New Republic[]

During the New Republic Era, the Zygerrians were still hopeful of rebuilding their slave trade, and benefited from the strain that the First Order had placed on the New Republic.^[9] At some point, Zygerrian slavers captured the hulking Talz Ramakak, but Ramakak was eventually rescued by the ruthless treasure hunter Zool Zendiat. As thanks, Ramakak joined the Zendiat Collective as his muscle.^[18]

Society and culture[]

They were ruled by a monarchy, who was served by the Prime Minister and the Zygerrian royal guard. They patrolled on the backs of flying brezaks and brandished electro-whips to control their slaves.^[19]

Their ears inspired the hairstyle known as Zygerrian-style faux crests. The hairstyle was sported by Razoo Qin-Fee, a Kanjiklubber who once participated in the underworld Zygerrian fighting circuit.^[20] They lived in a rocky natural habitat.^[7]

Zygerrians in the galaxy[]

TasiLowa-LostFound — Jedi Padawan Tasi Lowa

Despite their acrimonious history with the Jedi,^[1] individual Zygerrians could be found within the Jedi Order's ranks over its history. Farzala Tarabal^[21] and Tasi Lowa were Zygerrians who served the Order as Jedi during the High Republic Era.^[22] Active during the later Republic Era, another Zygerrian Jedi was named Tosan, who arose to the position of Jedi Master.^[23]

In a dream of the young enslaved Anakin Skywalker, he saw his mother Shmi Skywalker and other enslaved individuals set to be shipped off to Zygerrian work colonies, only for him to appear—as a Jedi returning home with a yellow lightsaber^[14]—and free them all. While Skywalker would indeed join the ranks of the Jedi Order,^[24] his mother would be freed from slavery at the hands of the Toydarian Watto thanks to the Lars family,^[25] although she would die in her son's arms when he finally returned to Tatooine.^[26]

Behind the scenes[]

The Zygerrians were first mentioned in The Star Wars Sourcebook, written by Bill Slavicsek and Curtis Smith and published in 1987. The species remained relatively untouched by the Expanded Universe until the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars project. The Zygerrians played a major role in Slaves of the Republic, a story arc of The Clone Wars comic series written by Henry Gilroy that ties into the television series. In 2011–2012, the Slaves of the Republic comic books were adapted into three episodes of the television series, titled "Kidnapped," "Slaves of the Republic," and "Escape from Kadavo."

The episodes followed the same premise, but featured a number of differences, most notably, a redesigned appearance for the Zygerrians, who were originally depicted in the EU as resembling humans with pointed ears, long red hair and bony spurs on their forehead and chins. Dave Filoni felt this look was too close to a live-action TV show with limited makeup resources for aliens, and opted to blend them with a coyote-like appearance, stating the coyote's trickster reputation helped the Zygerrians look more cunning and deceitful.^[27]