Nuvo Vindi/Legends

"One can never have too many lab rats."

- Dr. Vindi

Nuvo Vindi was a scientist associated with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Previously employed by the Perma families, Vindi seemingly went missing in 32 BBY. Reappearing on Naboo during the Clone Wars as a Confederacy scientist, he was tasked with recreating the eradicated Blue Shadow Virus, a deadly water-borne plague that resulted in instantaneous death.

In 22 BBY, Vindi was not only able to re-engineer the virus, but also create an airborne strain he planned to release on key Republic star systems. His plot was discovered by Naboo politicians Senator Padmé Amidala and Representative Jar Jar Binks, who then contacted the Jedi Order for assistance. Vindi's lab was attacked shortly thereafter by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Knight Anakin Skywalker, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, and the clone troopers of the 501st Legion. The virus was released during the resulting battle, but a cure was quickly found on the planet Iego and the threat was negated. Vindi was then taken to Coruscant for trial.

Disappearance
Doctor Nuvo Vindi previously held the title of Senior Medic of the Perma families, however, he went missing around 32 BBY. By 22 BBY, Vindi was working for the Confederacy of Independant Systems in an underground laboratory in the eastern swamps of Naboo, where he was assisted by Separatist battle droids and an assistant droid.

Vindi became obsessed with remaking and releasing the Blue Shadow Virus, a previously eradicated plague that had been able to infect every species of the galaxy and caused almost immediate death, having no known cure. Vindi believed that the virus had been "murdered," and thought that those who propagated the Clone Wars should be killed in turn, as they were the true plague.

Discovery
"What's a life-form like you doing in a swamp like this?"

- Dr. Vindi to Padmé Amidala



Unbeknownst to him, the Naboo had begun investigating the reappearance of battle droids on their planet, after being informed by Gungan shaak herder Peppi Bow of their presence. Bow's herd had been startled by something in the swamps, and Queen Neeyutnee dispatched Captain Typho, of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, to investigate. His team was able to locate and destroy a battle droid scouting party and retrieve an intact tactical droid. Due to the appearance of battle droids to the planet, Naboo politicians Senator Padmé Amidala and Representative Jar Jar Binks were asked to return to Naboo to aid in the investigation. They learned of the virus following a robolobotomy on the tactical droid, and contacted the Jedi High Council for assistance. Amidala and Binks began searching for the virus's source in the eastern Gungan swamp lands, as one of the destroyed battle droids was found with a slug-beetle native to that area. Not far from the swamp lands, the two met up with Peppi Bow. Bow's shaak herd had recently been killed by a viral strain that had escaped into a Naboo river, and she directed the duo towards the swamps where the lab was suspected to be.

Vindi discovered and captured Amidala and Binks, but not before the duo reported their coordinates back to Captain Typho. Holding the two prisoners within his laboratory, Vindi demonstrated his ability to create a new, airborne strain of the Blue Shadow Virus using machinery that generated arcs of electricity. Although this new viral strain was more pervasive, it killed its victims over a longer period of time than the ingested, water-borne strain, taking around forty-eight hours to cause death. Vindi then explained that the virus was to be loaded into bombs and sent to key Republic star systems for release. Proud of his accomplishments, Vindi readied his final bomb and gave it to his assistant droid to store.

The Virus is Released
"Once the first droid breaks out of that laboratory, all Naboo is doomed!"

- Dr. Vindi

After being dispatched to Naboo by the Jedi Council, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and KnightAnakin Skywalker, along with Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, arrived in Theed, the capital city of Naboo, and prepared for an assault on Vindi's lab. They had learned of the doctor's identity and his plot to release the virus from a holorecording extracted from a destroyed battle droid. Following Tano and Peppi Bow's reconnaissance of the coordinates sent to Captain Typho by Amidala, the three Jedi were able to breach the compound and proceed with their missions: Tano was to provide a distraction for the battle droids, while Kenobi deactivated the bombs, and Skywalker was tasked with rescuing Amidala and Binks, in addition to capturing Vindi.

Alerted to the intruders, the doctor ordered his battle droids to combat the enemies while he stayed behind with Amidala and Binks. Preparing for the Jedi's arrival, Vindi tied his two prisoners to the equipment he had used to alter the virus. When Skywalker arrived, the doctor activated his machine, which began to electrocute his hostages, and ordered the Jedi and his troops to lay down their arms unless they wished to see the Senator and Representative die. Skywalker complied, and dropped his lightsaber as his clone troopers dropped their blasters. Although Vindi deactivated the machine, he knew he couldn't stop the Jedi for long, and so he offered Skywalker a choice: capture him, or save the hostages. Vindi began to electrocute Amidala and Binks once again, and escaped with several containers of the virus.



During his flight to the hangar, Vindi remotely activated the timers on his bombs, which created a problem for Kenobi's clone bomb squad, who were tasked with deactivating the explosives. As Vindi's landing platform ascended out of the hangar, both Kenobi and Skywalker burst through the hangar door and advanced on him. However, the doctor stalled the two by throwing several vials of the virus at them. Vindi was finally outside of his lab, but faced Skywalker, who had managed to climb on top of the platform. While threatening to drop yet another vial, Vindi was tackled by Peppi Bow, who had stayed outside the laboratory.

The doctor refused to give up hope though, and excitedly proclaimed that his bombs were about to go off. However, there was no explosion, as the clone bomb squad had deactivated all but one of them, which was still in the possession of Vindi's assistant droid. The droid was soon discovered by Senator Amidala, and the bomb was deactivated.

As Skywalker and Kenobi ushered the captured Dr. Vindi onto his shuttle for transport to Coruscant&mdash;where he would stand trial for his crimes&mdash;the three heard a red alert alarm coming from the laboratory below. To Vindi's delight, his assistant droid had been able to remove the last virus container from the bomb, and had run off with it before the bomb had been deactivated. The droid had snuck back into the bomb storage room and reactivated one of the explosives, destroying himself and two clones in the process. The explosion released the virus throughout the lab and sealed Amidala, Binks, Tano, the clones, and the surviving droids inside. Although Vindi was threatened by Skywalker, he refused to aid the Jedi in their search for an antidote, stating it had been his job to create the virus, not to cure it. Vindi was then taken to Theed and imprisoned while the Jedi sought a cure for the virus. The two were able to find such a cure on Iego, in the form of the Reeksa root, and return to Naboo before the Blue Shadow Virus escaped to ravage the planet.

Personality and traits
"Meanwhile, as we speak, thousands and thousands of so-called 'superior' lifeforms are spreading their disease of war throughout the galaxy! Perhaps they are the ones who should be eradicated?"

- Dr. Vindi



Nuvo Vindi was a brilliant but obsessive scientist who experienced problems with his sanity. Vindi was adamant in his belief that the Blue Shadow Virus had been murdered, and was willing to torture and kill in order to revive it. His plot to release it back into the galaxy would have resulted in countless deaths, and Vindi showed no remorse at the thought. Instead, the doctor appeared genuinely excited.

Vindi could be demeaning at times to the droids under his command, snapping at his assistant droid following the capture of Amidala and Binks. He also stood undaunted, even with a lightsaber at his throat, after his defeat at the hands of the Jedi. The doctor was delighted at the thought of the virus escaping the lab and destroying Naboo, even if it was unable to get off of the planet. Furthermore, he enjoyed the prospect of not only the death of the Jedi, but himself as well.

Behind the scenes
The character of Nuvo Vindi first appeared in The Clone Wars television episode "Blue Shadow Virus" as the main antagonist, and once again&mdash;albeit less prominently&mdash;in the following episode, "Mystery of a Thousand Moons." Vindi was voiced by Michael York in the television series.

According to the "Blue Shadow Virus" episode guide, Vindi's lab on Naboo may have been built during the original Trade Federation invasion of the planet, which had occurred ten years prior to the events portrayed during the episode.

Notes and references
Nuvo Vindi