Riyo Chuchi/Legends

"To die for one's people is a great sacrifice. To live for one's people, an even greater sacrifice. I choose to live for my people. What do you choose?"

- Chuchi to Thi-Sen

Riyo Chuchi was the female Pantoran Senator of the Pantora system's eponymous moon during the Clone Wars. Chuchi oversaw the peace negotiations between the people of Pantora and the Talz inhabitants of Orto Plutonia, the planet the satellite orbits.

Conflict on Orto Plutonia


Riyo Chuchi, who had no previous field experience in personal negotiations, was far more of an idealist than her fellow Pantoran, Chairman Chi Cho, who had requested Republic protection from the Separatists, resulting in the establishment of Glid Station, an outpost on Pantora's protectorate world of Orto Plutonia. But the Pantorans did not realize that Orto Plutonia already was populated by a native tribe of Talz. When Glid Station suddenly dropped out of contact, the paranoid Cho assumed Separatists were staging an attack on Pantora and tagged along with the Jedi mission to investigate the case, led by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brought Riyo Chuchi with them so that he could exert influence over the Jedi.

When the Pantorans discovered the Talz, it seemed that their claim to Orto Plutonia was nullified; the Talz would be recognized as sovereign. But Cho refused to accept that, not wanting to lose the protection of an advanced base, he at first tried claiming the Talz were non-sentient. When that bid failed, he declared war on the primitives, framing it as a purely local affair, beyond the scope of Chuchi or the Jedi's influence.

Riyo Chuchi was stuck for a solution, but Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi suggested she contact the Pantoran Assembly for assistance. After she spoke with the Assembly and explained Cho's behavior, the Assembly declared Cho out of order and gave Senator Chuchi the authority she needed to settle the dispute. By that time, the Pantorans and the Talz had already gone to war. Blood was spilled on both sides, and Cho himself was fatally wounded by a Talz spear. His dying wish was for Chuchi to continue the battle so that Orto Plutonia would remain a Pantoran possession. She refused and told him of the Assembly's decision. Cho died seconds later, dumbfounded he had been overruled. With Cho dead, Chuchi offered peace to the Talz chieftain Thi-Sen, something the Talz happily accepted. Chuchi pulled all Pantoran presence off of Orto Plutonia, leaving the Talz alone. Both Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi complemented her courage, and Chuchi promised Kenobi that she would work to end all war.

Capture in the Senate
Later, during the Senate hostage crisis, Riyo Chuchi was one of the Senators taken hostage by bounty hunter Cad Bane, who wanted to exchange their freedom for the release of Ziro Desilijic Tiure. When the Hutt crime lord was freed, Bane and his team set the charges in the room the senators were held in and left the building. Bane used these charges as a insurance policy in case Chancellor Palpatine decided to act. After threatening to destroy the entire east wing of the Senate Building along with the Senators if he was not allowed to leave, Palpatine had no choice but to let him pass. Once safely away, Bane detonated the charges, but Riyo Chuchi and other senators were saved by the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, who managed to get them to the safe distance right before the explosion. During the incident, she helped Padmé Amidala care for the wounded Skywalker by cradling the Jedi's head in her lap until he regained consciousness.

Work in the Senate
She was later present in the Grand Convocation Chamber when Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore came to Coruscant to plead her case. She was also present with two Pantoran Chairmen when a Disk of Deputy Minister Jerec was played.

When Senator A Senator Halle Burtoni of Kamino proposed that the Senate approve an increase in the production of clone troops, an opposition faction organized by Senators Onaconda Farr and Padmé Amidala introduced a bill to the Senate that would decrease military spending within the Republic and halt the production of clone troopers. Senator Amidala herself took to the Senate floor to appeal to her colleagues for more votes in support of the hotly debated bill. Senator Riyo Chuchi was present in the Senate's Grand Convocation Chamber as Amidala made her address, which was met with much praise. It later was turned down after the deaths of Senators Farr and the Umbaran Senator Mee Deechi.

Later on in the war, when the dangerous Zillo Beast from Malastare rampaged through the Corusant, it arrived at the Republic Executive Building. Senator Chuchi was present at the Executive Building when it began climing the building. Due to the impact she fell to her knees.

Behind the scenes
Riyo Chuchi was portrayed by voice actress Jennifer Hale, who also played Aayla Secura in both "Jedi Crash" and "Defenders of Peace."

Her appearance is based on one of the concept art pieces that was originally for Queen Amidala.

Notes and references
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