Merillion Tarko

Merillion Tarko was a male Human baron hailing from the Core World of Anaxes. Coming from a family that possessed ties to the Galactic Republic's government and military, he attended the Anaxes Citadel, from which he graduated with the highest honors. When the Clone Wars broke out between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Tarko was quickly assigned to a Republic flagship. By the conclusion of the war, and the birth of the Galactic Empire, he had embarked on a fast rise to positions of power.

With the assistance of Governor Wilhuff Tarkin, Tarko ascended to the rank of Moff and assumed control of Imperial operations on the planet Cato Neimoidia. The baron profited greatly from his ventures on the Neimoidian purse world, which included the operation of casinos and the management of a successful slave trade. Using his new-found wealth, Tarko constructed a for-sport-and-profit gladiatorial arena on Cato Neimoidia.

Biography
Born on the Core World of Anaxes, Merillion Tarko hailed from a lineage with ties to both the military and government of the Galactic Republic. A baron, Tarko attend the Anaxes Citadel, a massive government complex on Anaxes that housed, among other things, training schools. He graduated from the Citadel with top honors. The timing of his graduation coincided with the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY, which pitted the Republic against the breakaway Confederacy of Independent Systems. Tarko was assigned to one of the Republic's flagships immediately after the war's outbreak.

The war ended three years later, in 19 BBY. Simultaneously, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine reorganized the Republic into the Galactic Empire. Tarko embarked on a meteoric rise to power in the wake of the Empire's formation. His ascension through the ranks concluded when he was granted the title of Moff, on the urging of fellow Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Following this promotion, the baron took control of the Empire's outpost on the planet Cato Neimoidia, and established his headquarters in a bridge city spanning a massive sinkhole. He began incorporating elements of Neimoidian clothing into his Imperial officer's uniform.

In his position as overseer of the Imperial outpost on Cato Neimoidia, Tarko operated a successful slave trade. The baron's business venture provided the Empire a source of manual labor to be utilized in the construction of facilities on worlds occupied by Imperial forces. Tarko also opened casinos on-planet; he used the wealth they generated to erect a gladiatorial arena that played host to combat matches for profit in addition to sport. Tarko's activities eventually drew the attention of the fledgling Rebel Alliance, which gathered data on the baron's activities and the strength of his headquarters's defenses&mdash;intelligence that ultimately proved to be inaccurate.

Behind the scenes
Baron Merillion Tarko first appeared in the novelization of the 2010 game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, before going on to appear in the game itself. Prior to both the novel's and game's releases, Baron Tarko was featured in a character profile on The Force Unleashed II official website.

Appearances

 * The Force Unleashed II novel
 * Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Notes and references
Merillion Tarko Tarko Merillion Tarko