Sagoro Autem

"You never got it, Venco. It's the principles of the Republic I defend. The institution is all we have between us and chaos. Individuals come and go, but the principles remain. And those I'll kill&mdash;or die&mdash;for."

- Sagoro Autem to Venco Autem

Sagoro Autem was born into a family with a proud tradition of service in the Senate Guard. He followed the expected career path and joined the Guard himself, becoming one of the Guard's best officers. When he found his brother Venco Autem, also a Senate Guard, taking bribes, he turned in Venco due to his extremely strong sense of duty, service, and honor. Autem's dedication to his work and the Galactic Republic took a toll on his family, however, distancing his wife Sula and making his son Reymet resentful. In 24 BBY, when Autem was assigned to investigate the murder of Senator Jheramahd Greyshade, he discovered that Venco was the mastermind of the assassination, and that Reymet had unknowingly aided him. Autem shot and killed his brother in the line of duty, but Venco's condemnation of the Republic's corruption shook Autem's faith in his government. Autem's wife left him, and Autem drew his blaster on his partner rather than allow him to take Reymet in.

Autem left the Senate Guard in disgrace and began a career as a mercenary before he was imprisoned on Brentaal IV for an operation gone bad. In the midst of the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Shaak Ti freed Autem and a handful of other prisoners to aid her in infiltrating the fortress of a Separatist leader. With Autem's aid, Ti and Quinlan Vos won the Battle of Brentaal IV and Autem earned a Republic pardon. Not long thereafter, Autem gave in to his sense of duty and became an officer in the Republic Navy. He served in the Fleet for two years, helping end the siege of Saleucami, for which he was later hailed as a hero. Under the Imperial regime, however, Autem was marked for execution and barely escaped with his life due to the efforts of his old partner Isaru Omin and the aid of Reymet, who had returned under the guise of a bounty hunter. Reunited with Reymet, Autem set out for the Outer Rim Territories to join his family and start a new life.

Early career
"I've made my name. I watched my brother trample it in the slime; I'm not going to watch my son do the same!"

- Sagoro Autem to Reymet Autem

Sagoro Autem was born into a family in which duty, honor, and loyalty to the Galactic Republic were deeply ingrained. His father and grandfather were both Senate Guards, elite protectors of the Republic's legislators. Autem naturally joined the Senate Guard himself, graduating from the Senate Guard Academy and beginning a dedicated career, just as his older brother, Venco, already had.

Autem was a skilled Guard, with a reputation for honesty, efficiency, and talent. He was partnered with Zalin Bey until she was promoted to the rank of commander; the promotion could have been Autem's, but he declined, wishing to remain active rather than take a desk job. Nevertheless, he was a talented investigator and had the skills for the job. After Bey's promotion, Autem gained a new partner, Isaru Omin. Omin, a Force-sensitive who had been rejected by the Jedi due to his age at his discovery, maintained a close working relationship with Autem and served as a confidante.



At some point, Autem found that Venco, also considered one of the Guard's best, had been taking bribes. Autem refused to allow family ties to get in the way of duty, and turned his brother in to the authorities, whereupon Venco was convicted and imprisoned. Ever after that, Autem effectively disowned Venco, despising him as a corrupt man who had betrayed his oath to the Republic and sullied the Autem family name.

During his early career, Autem met Sula, whose family also included multiple Senate Guards. They fell in love and married, producing two children: Reymet&mdash;born in 42 BBY&mdash;and Lissa. Autem loved his family, but he was frequently absent due to his job, and made it clear that he put the Republic over all other loyalties, including family. In addition, he held his family to his own strict standards of loyalty, discipline, and service. Sula grew to find him distant and unloving, and Reymet, who enrolled in the Senate Guard Academy due to family pressure but held no desire to be a Guard himself, resented his father's absence, strictness, and extremely high standards. Reymet frequently engaged in risky behavior, such as pit racing, and Autem furiously upbraided his son for behavior that could get him kicked out the Academy, regarding him as unmotivated and immature&mdash;and in moments of great frustration, idiotic.

The Greyshade case
"Your Republic is corrupt and dying, Sagoro&mdash;just like my body. When I die there will be someone else, and when the Republic dies, there will be something else. Maybe I don't deserve your loyalty, Sagoro&mdash;but neither does the Republic. I hope you learn that in time."

- Venco Autem to Sagoro Autem

In 24 or 23 BBY, Autem and Omin were assigned to the case when Senator Jheramahd Greyshade of the Commonality was murdered. Greyshade would have been a key vote on the upcoming Financial Reform Act, and Autem was reluctant to take on such a politically sensitive case. However, Bey, now his direct superior, felt that Autem and Omin were the men for the job. They reported to the office of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine himself, where Palpatine introduced them as some of the Guard's "most valued members" to Senator Simon Greyshade, Jheramahd's cousin and his appointed replacement. Palpatine assigned the pair of Senate Guards to investigate Jheramahd's assassination and track down the culprits, while Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his maverick Padawan Anakin Skywalker would provide security for Simon Greyshade. Greyshade had requested Jedi protection, but Autem was offended. The protection of Senators was the duty of the Senate Guard, not the Jedi, and Autem said as much. Palpatine cited the swiftly upcoming bill, which could have a profound influence on the emerging Separatist Crisis, as creating a need for extraordinary measures, and Autem could do little but accept the situation despite his dislike of Jedi and their mystical ways.



At the close of the meeting, Autem received a call from Sula. Reymet was pit racing once more, and this time he had taken Lissa with him to watch. Autem knew that a Judicial raid was planned, and if Reymet were caught, he would be expelled from the Academy for sure. What Autem did not know was that Reymet had already been suspended from the Academy, though he had not told his parents. Autem took Omin with him to the races, where they filtered through the crowd incognito. Reymet was in the air when they arrived, however, and the Judicial raid occurred during his flight. Autem and Omin were unable to get Lissa and Reymet out beforehand, and Reymet attacked a Judicial after the officer stunned Riao Siao, Reymet's Felacatian girlfriend, when she resisted arrest. Autem and Omin revealed themselves as Senate Guards, however, and were able to claim priority on Reymet and Lissa, taking them out of custody and freeing them upon their departure from the garbage pit. Autem declined to take Siao, though, whom he despised as enabling his son's irresponsible behavior. Notably, Autem displayed a willingness to bend the law and keep his son and daughter from trouble, something he had not done in the case of his brother; however, Autem doubtless considered Venco's infraction far more serious.

Autem harshly reprimanded his son when he brought him home, telling him his behavior was foolish and risky, and telling him that he must buckle down and attend to his studies in the Academy. Sula began to come to Reymet's defense, but their argument was interrupted by the arrival at their door of Venco Autem, recently released from prison. Autem berated his brother, but was brought up short when Venco told him that he was dying. Autem invited him inside, where Venco informed him that he had an incurable disease. Autem's anger swiftly returned, however, and he dismissed Venco's illness as a possible ploy; at any rate, it didn't redeem him from his crimes even if true. When Omin commed Autem with new developments in the case, Autem turned his brother out of the house as he himself left; Reymet was offended at such treatment of his uncle, whom he rather liked, and Sula despaired at Autem's cold and harsh demeanor.

Autem reported to Greyshade's apartment in 500 Republica, where a pair of modified droids had attempted to assassinate the Senator, only to be foiled by the two Jedi. Skywalker analyzed the destroyed protocol droid, finding a strange transceiver. Omin and Autem took the transceiver back to the Senate Guard forensic laboratories for analysis; Omin also reported that a scan of the droid's memory had revealed that it had been shut down an hour before Jheramahd Greyshade's death, suggesting he had been meeting with a shady character. Analysis of the transceiver established a link to Princess Tsian, who had a cybernetic link capable of interfacing with droids; cross-checking her travel history showed multiple unsolved assassinations which corresponded with her visits to various planets. Furthermore, she was currently attending a party in honor of the new Senator Greyshade. The Guards tried to get word to Kenobi and Skywalker, but arrived only after the initial attack was made. Autem stunned Tsian as the Jedi battled a swarm of attack droids; knocking her out rendered the droids inoperative. The princess was taken into custody by the Guard. The Jedi returned Greyshade to his apartments, but on their way were attacked by the Dug assassin Keluda. Kenobi captured Keluda and extracted from him the name of his employer: Venco Autem.

Unknown to Autem, Venco had found Reymet attempting to get Riao released from jail. Reymet was on the verge of arrest himself when Venco quietly bribed the guard to let Siao go free. Impressed by his uncle's way of getting things done, Reymet was open to Venco's manipulations when the elder Autem told Reymet that he was trying to lobby an unreachable Senator and asked for Reymet's Senate Guard codes to access the Senator. Reymet revealed his suspension from the Academy, meaning that his codes were no longer good. Unknown to Sagoro, however, Reymet knew his access codes, and offered them to Venco. Venco eagerly accepted.

With Venco's name revealed as the mastermind of the assassinations, Autem was taken off the case and sent home. Such inactivity&mdash;especially when it was his brother causing the problems&mdash;was not Autem's way, however, and he considered himself most likely to be able to take down his brother, who had been one of the Senate Guard's best. Autem stopped by his home, where he found Reymet preparing to leave for Siao's homeworld with her, a trip organized by Venco. When Reymet mentioned speaking with Venco, Autem grabbed him by the collar and demanded to know where Venco was. When told of Venco's complicity in the assassination attempts, Reymet revealed all that had transpired. Autem commed Omin with the news that Venco had his access codes, but Omin was busy due to a breakout attempt by Tsian, who had, with assistance from Venco, taken over several droids' programming and was creating a distraction for Venco.



Autem swiftly made his way to the Grand Convocation Chamber, where he arrived just in time to draw on Venco, who had disguised himself as Greyshade's personal Senate Guard. Venco detached Greyshade's Senate pod and moved to the center of the chamber, but Autem, in an overlooking pod, did the same with his. Autem ordered Venco to surrender, but Venco told his brother that he was in fact dying, and didn't care about escape. His prison time had changed him into a believer determined to bring down what he saw as a hopelessly corrupt Republic. Autem countered his condemnation of the corrupt senators, however, by pointing out that he served not the men, but the principles of the Republic. In the end, the two stared each other down, weapons at their sides, before Autem suddenly raised his blaster and fired, killing his brother and the one man who could entirely clear Autem and Reymet of a role in the assassinations.

No honor, no duty
"I'm sorry, partner. The Republic's not worth it. Maybe it never was."

- Sagoro Autem to Isaru Omin

In conversation with Chancellor Palpatine about the case, Autem covered up for his son, acting as if he didn't know how Venco had accessed his codes. Meanwhile, Autem received a holographic message from Sula, telling him that Reymet was leaving the planet with Riao and that she was taking Lissa and leaving Autem, and not to interfere with any of them. With his faith in the Republic shattered by Venco's accusations of its corruption and life ruined by the breakup of his family, Autem acquired a new sense of priorities. When he and Omin went to arrest Reymet as he boarded a transport to leave, Autem refused to go through with it. Reymet was wanted for questioning as an accessory to murder, as his provision of the codes to Venco allowed Venco and Tsian to kill several Senate Guards. When Omin offered to keep Autem from having to arrest his own son by doing it himself, Autem drew on his partner, telling him that he wouldn't let the Republic take any more of his family. Omin reluctantly took Autem himself into custody for his actions, saying that while the Republic might make allowances for Autem's actions, Omin wouldn't. With Reymet offworld in one last gift as a repentant parent, Autem quietly complied.



Autem was made to answer for his decisions, but the details of his departure from the service were unclear. He later characterized himself as having left by his own will and never mentioned any legal issues or prison time over the issues; it was possible that he was not brought up on any charges, but left the Senate Guard anyway due to his disgraced situation and loss of faith in the Republic. He retained the respect of many former colleagues, however, though he seemed too hurt to notice it; he continued to resent Omin for turning him in and regarded it as a betrayal five years later, though he seemed calm during the actual event.

Autem did, however, leave the Guard under a cloud and turned his skills to work as a mercenary, looking for his family at the same time, though he found no trace. He continued in this vein for some time before, during a job with a Devaronian, the Devaronian betrayed him and left Autem for the authorities while the Devaronian escaped. Autem was convicted by the Republic and by 22 BBY was locked in prison on Brentaal IV.

However, a HoloNet News story in 22 BBY on the theft of Simon Greyshade's speeder reported that Reymet Autem had been arrested as the thief&mdash;though in fact Anakin Skywalker had "borrowed" it during the pursuit of assassin Zam Wesell. The report cited Sagoro Autem as Greyshade's designated guard at the time and claimed that Reymet had stated that he had visited his father at Greyshade's residence earlier that day. This account did not agree with any of the other known facts of Autem's life, however, and was possibly the result of mistaken research on the part of HoloNet News's reporters.

The Battle of Brentaal IV

 * Vos: "Our infiltration team's a little thin, Master Ti&mdash;you me, and a clone."
 * Ti: "I'm accepting these three others as volunteers."
 * Autem: "What?! I don't recall volunteering, lady&mdash;and neither did these other two! We're not big fans of the Republic! They put us in this jail!"
 * &mdash;Quinlan Vos, Shaak Ti, and Sagoro Autem

Autem was imprisoned on Brentaal IV when the Clone Wars broke out. Around five months after the Battle of Geonosis, Separatist leader Shogar Tok led an insurrection on the planet, taking over Autem's prison in the process. This was countered by a Republic counterattack under High Jedi Generals Plo Koon, Shaak Ti, and Agen Kolar, and Senior Jedi General Shon Kon Ray. Autem and his fellow prisoners took advantage of the battle to stage a prison riot. When the Republic's forces were devastated by a set of shielded ion cannons that were supposed to be disabled, Kon Ray was killed. Koon, in orbit as the senior general, withdrew, and Kolar allowed himself to be captured. Meanwhile Ti took refuge in the prison with a handful of clone troopers and planned to infiltrate Tok's fortress. Kolar's surrender and Koon's withdrawal, she thought, would lure the Separatists into thinking they had won a complete victory and cause them to relax their guard.



In the prison, she found Autem, the Zeltron Lyshaa, and the grief-crazed Wookiee Ryyk furiously battling Tok's guards. With the aid of Ti and her troopers, the prison guards were defeated. Ti further found Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, a spy for the Republic, in solitary confinement under the alias Korto Vos. She rescued Vos, who continued operating under his non-Force-sensitive alias, but the deaths of several of her clone troopers in the prison battle left her with only herself, Vos, and a single clone for her infiltration plans. Ti thus conscripted the three prisoners into service. When Autem and Lyshaa objected, Ti promised them their freedom in exchange for their assistance. The three agreed.

They set off through the sewers to access Tok's fortress. There, they found a scrange. During the battle, Ryyk was killed, reducing the infiltration team even further. Once out of the sewers, the team split up, with Ti and Lyshaa departing to capture Tok, the clone being assigned to destroy the fortress's shield generator, and Vos and Autem aiming to destroy the ion cannon. The success of even one group would allow Koon's forces a victory when he returned four hours after his departure to renew the attack.

The clone was able to travel some way further with Vos and Autem before having to split off. Kolar's captured forces were being processed and imprisoned, however, meaning that the fortress was a flurry of activity. Vos was discouraged by this, but Autem saw it as an opportunity. Vos and Autem, whose clothing was little different from the informal gear of Tok's troopers, approached a security checkpoint masquerading as captors of the trooper. Autem was able to use his knowledge of guard customs to belligerently bluster past the checkpoint when his authorization was questioned; afterwards he revealed to Vos that he had been a Senate Guard. After this checkpoint, the clone split off.

Autem and Vos were able to reach their target, and Autem stood guard while Vos rewired the guns to overload their power supply. Just as Vos finished, however, Tok's guards arrived and captured the saboteurs. They discovered the first layer of Vos's sabotage and undid it, but a backup layer went off, destroying the cannons. Meanwhile, the clone gave his life to destroy the shield generator and Ti captured Tok despite Lyshaa's treachery. Vos used the Force to disable his and Autem's captors, blowing his cover and revealing himself as a Jedi, much to the dismay of Autem, who still considered Jedi a bad luck charm. Autem and Vos fought their way out, however, freeing Kolar's captured troopers as Koon attacked. The Separatists were completely routed.

Return to Republic service
"That planetary gun smacks us anytime we get in range and the center of the city is still covered by their main shield generator. You blow that and we can talk. Makes me think I shouldn't have let them lure me back into a uniform. Life was a lot easier as a merc!"

- Sagoro Autem to Quinlan Vos

Autem received his freedom as promised and, promising to keep Vos's secret, left Brentaal IV with no clear plans, intending perhaps to seek out his family or track down the Devaronian who had left him holding the bag. Though he still disliked Jedi, his attitude had softened somewhat towards them. Within approximately seven months, however, Autem had listened to the counsel of an old friend, Captain Jan Dodonna, and joined the war. Autem signed up with the Republic Navy; his sense of duty to the Republic ran too deep to abandon it in the midst of a fierce war, even after his earlier disillusionment.



By the last six months of the war, Autem had risen to the rank of captain, commanding a small fleet from a Venator-class Star Destroyer in orbit over Saleucami, where High Jedi General Oppo Rancisis and Jedi Generals Quinlan Vos, Ausar Auset, K'Kruhk, Sian Jeisel, Aayla Secura, A'Sharad Hett, Xiaan Amersu, Xeltek, Durnar, and T'Bolton attempted to take the capital city, where the Separatists were growing an Anzati-trained clone army of Morgukai. Autem provided fleet support, but was unable to do much directly, as a powerful and well-shielded planetary ion cannon held his fleet away from the capital. He did, however, develop strong working relationships with the Jedi Generals, including Vos, whom he already knew.

The siege continued on this track for five months, killing Xeltek, Durnar, T'Bolton, and Auset before an underground tunnel network was discovered that allowed the Jedi to infiltrate the Separatist compound. Rancisis was then slain by Separatist commander and Dark Jedi Sora Bulq, eliminating his battle meditation and masterful planning from the Republic's forces. Vos instead devised a plan which let Secura and himself infiltrate the compound and sabotage the shields while the other ground and space forces led a diversionary attack.

Vos launched the attack and successfully disabled the shields, but Autem's fleet was still overwhelmed by the ion cannon, which ran off a separate power source. He was near to calling a retreat when Jedi General Xiaan Amersu deliberately crashed her critically damaged starfighter into the cannon, sacrificing herself to destroy it. Autem made sure her life was not wasted, moving his fleet into position and beginning bombardment of the Separatist facilities as soon as friendly troops were out of the area. His orbital bombardment devastated the Separatist base and ended the Morgukai threat.

The New Order
"I can't tell you why you're on the list. Maybe you've said something you shouldn't have&mdash;wouldn't be the first time&mdash;or maybe they just found out you did time on Brentaal IV. I just know there's a list, and you're on it."

- Isaru Omin to Sagoro Autem

Shortly after the conclusion of the Saleucami siege, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine declared that the Galactic Republic would be reformed into the Galactic Empire. Two weeks after the New Order was proclaimed and the Jedi purged, Autem was summoned to an audience with Palpatine, along with dozens of other captains of the Imperial Navy. Autem stood beside his old friend Jan Dodonna, who informed Autem that he had been retroactively credited as the hero of Saleucami in Imperial propaganda now that the Jedi were enemies of the state. Autem did not care for unearned credit, but there was little he could do. Palpatine appeared before the audience, proclaiming the treachery of the Jedi and reinforcing the message of the New Order. He further announced that resignations would not be accepted at the time and that reviews of fitness for command would be conducted. He also introduced his new second-in-command, Darth Vader, who executed Captain Jace Dallin in order to make an example when Dallin questioned the guilt of the Jedi.

Autem was greatly disturbed by these developments. He had never intended to make a career of the Fleet but to stay only for the duration of the crisis, and was less than thrilled by Vader's summary execution of Dallin. Dodonna warned him to watch what he said, however, as the Empire had little toleration for dissent and many willing informers.

Autem felt the need for solitude, and rented a hotel room instead of returning to his barracks. He was contemplating his situation when an urgent knock came at the door&mdash;his former partner Omin. Autem admitted him, but was bitter and hostile towards Omin for having turned him in five years ago. Omin had vital news, however: the Senate Guard had received a copy of a list of Imperial officers slated for a purge, and Autem was among them. No reason was given, but Omin speculated that it could be related to Autem's outspoken character or his criminal history. Regardless, stormtroopers were on their way to arrest Autem. When Autem asked why Omin would risk his career and life to warn him, Omin replied that Autem still had friends among the Guard, and that Omin, who seemed to have anti-Imperial sympathies, had a new set of priorities. As Imperial troopers entered the hotel, Autem fled to the roof and from there to the Coruscant undercity while Omin stayed behind to delay the soldiers.

Omin was captured and taken before Darth Vader. When Omin confessed to aiding Autem but refused to give up any information, Vader executed him. At the advice of the Emperor, Vader hired three bounty hunters to track down Autem, as local law enforcement was too sympathetic to Autem.

Autem dodged patrols in the undercity until, taking refuge in a cantina, he spotted the Bothan Ch'ord Sy'fon, who owed Autem a favor. Autem converted that favor into passage offworld aboard the Scimitar of Kelso that night at no cost and no questions asked. Autem lingered until it was time to set out for the ship, then began to make his way there. He was ambushed en route by the Shistavanen bounty hunter Severian. However, Severian was attacked by Tartuta, another one of the bounty hunters. The Dug hoped to steal Severian's kill and chopped off the Shistavanen's hand before sending him plummeting. Tartuta then turned to Autem, but before he could wound him, he was taken down by a shot from the third hunter, Evan Hessler. Hessler remained in the shadows, however, leading Autem to conclude one of his own stray shots had downed the Dug.



Autem was nearly at the Scimitar ' s docking bay when he was attacked yet again by Severian, who had recovered from his amputation and fall. Autem was able to stab him to death with one of Tartuta's short blades, which he had appropriated. After that battle, however, he was waylaid a third time, now by Hessler. Hessler held his rifle to Autem's head and forced him to watch Vader and a squad of troopers waiting for him around the transport. Sy'fon had sold Autem out. Autem was preparing to go out fighting when Hessler took off his mask and revealed himself as none other than Reymet Autem. Reymet had made use of the contacts Venco had given him to start a career as a smuggler and information broker, keeping an eye on his father. He had gotten wind of the termination order and used the Hessler alias to gain the bounty assignment.

The pair boarded the younger Autem's ship and set out for the Outer Rim, where they would go underground and meet up with Sula, who had never truly fallen out of love with Autem, and Lissa, both of whom had remained in contact with Reymet. Autem had escaped, and gained another chance with his family in the process.

Personality and traits
"Sagoro's a good man, if a bit unyielding. He means well, I'm sure."

- Venco Autem to Reymet Autem

One of Autem's defining personal characteristics was his exceptional loyalty to the Republic. He was raised in a family with a tradition of service, dedication, and responsibility, and Autem sought to continue that tradition. To him, they were sacred ideals. The Republic stood for civilization, order, and justice, and it was a proud task to uphold those values. He placed the Republic above personal concerns&mdash;including his family, though he did sometimes bend rules to protect Reymet. Autem turned against his brother when he found that Venco had performed the much more serious act of betraying the Republic, but he also placed his work above more routine commitments to family. He was frequently absent while on cases and caused his wife and son to feel disconnected from him.

Autem's faith in the Republic was deeply shaken, however, by Venco's indictment of its corruption. Autem began to realize that the Republic may not have been as great as he had supposed. Combined with the departure of his wife and children, Autem rearranged his priorities, placing his family first; by the time of the Clone Wars, his loyalty to the Republic had at least outwardly crumbled. Imprisonment on Brentaal IV made him even more bitter. However, that spark was never fully extinguished, and Dodonna was able to talk Autem back into serving his government in a time of crisis. However, while that sense of duty did not die, it did not remain as strong, with Autem intending only to serve for the length of the crisis rather than restarting a career with the Republic.



Autem was also a demanding man, who insisted that his family and everyone else live up to his high standards of service. He expected that his family would understand his putting the Republic first and do the same, and could not understand why Reymet would not want to be a Senate Guard. It was not until his family left him that he began to reconsider those standards.

Another characteristic of Autem was his dislike of the Jedi Knighthood. He disliked their mystical nature and didn't trust them, putting his faith in traditional detective work over unconfirmable Jedi hunches. They were overrated in his opinion, and as likely to impede the proper pursuit of a case as they were to solve it. By the time of Autem's imprisonment, he considered them bad luck, as his cooperation with Jedi on the Greyshade case had not exactly turned out well for him. His rescue by Ti and Vos, however, softened his stance, and Autem began to consider that Jedi, or at least some Jedi individually, might be decent, helpful individuals, though he still did not care for the Jedi overall. By the end of the war, Autem was working in cooperation and friendship with several Jedi.

Behind the scenes
The character of Sagoro Autem was created by John Ostrander for use as a protagonist, alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, in the Star Wars: Republic arc Honor and Duty. Ostrander reused Autem as part of the supporting cast in Jedi: Shaak Ti and again in the Star Wars Republic: The Siege of Saleucami story arc. Star Wars Republic 78: Loyalties, also written by Ostrander, was the first issue to feature Autem as the sole protagonist. Currently no author but Ostrander has used the character.

Sagoro Autem's name has occasionally been misspelled as Saguro Autem. Autem is a Latin word meaning "however".

There are various conflicting sources for the time placement of Honor and Duty. Within the arc itself, the time frame is clearly identified as eight years after the Battle of Naboo, or 24 BBY. This corresponds with references in Loyalties, which identify the events of Honor and Duty as being five years earlier than that story, which takes place in 19 BBY. However, the trade paperback of Honor and Duty and Loyalties identifies Honor and Duty as taking place three years prior to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, or 22 BBY. The Databank and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia give yet another time, nine years after the Battle of Naboo or 23 BBY. That time could possibly be reconciled with the 24 BBY date by suggesting rounding of events which took place late in 24 BBY and/or early in 23 BBY, but no official explanation has been given. The 22 BBY date, however, significantly conflicts with all other sources and with plot points in Jedi: Shaak Ti, and may best be accepted as erroneous.

Another conflict is in Autem's appearance in HoloNet News, which contradicts the time placement of the other comics. Unless Autem was lying to Quinlan Vos in Jedi: Shaak Ti, by the time the news article takes place, he was no longer a Senate Guard, and was imprisoned. Even if Autem was lying, the article takes no account of Autem's separation from his family and his departure from the Guard, both of which would have to have been repeated in a second, unknown incident, in order for Autem's other appearances to mesh. However, as the news reports are in-universe, it may be possible to explain them away as flawed reporting.

Autem's eyes are consistently brown-colored in all sources except Loyalties, in which one panel shows Autem with blue eyes, and Honor and Duty, in which they generally are brown but are occasionally colored gray, especially in close-ups of Autem's eyes and face. Whether this is considered an erroneous coloration or whether Autem's eyes change colors depending on the angle of observation or other factors is unclear. The single instance of blue eyes is likely a coloring error.

In Loyalties, Autem's depiction bears a striking resemblance to actor Bruce Willis, who may have been used as photo reference. Willis's likeness has also been seemingly replicated for Kam Solusar in Star Wars: Union.

Autem's reference to being backstabbed by a Devaronian may have been intended to be a nod to another Ostrander character, the duplicitous Vilmarh Grahrk. Whether the Devaronian was in fact Grahrk is undetermined.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Republic: Honor and Duty
 * Jedi: Shaak Ti
 * Star Wars Republic: The Siege of Saleucami
 * Star Wars Republic 78: Loyalties
 * Star Wars Republic 78: Loyalties