Mar Tuuk/Legends

"Our blockade is impenetrable. When the Republic attacks, they will get quite a surprise."

- Mar Tuuk

Mar Tuuk was a male Neimoidian captain charged by Emir Wat Tambor of the Confederacy of Independent Systems with overseeing the Separatist blockade of Ryloth during the Clone Wars. He commanded a Separatist fleet of Munificent-class star frigates from his flagship, a Lucrehulk-class Droid Control Ship.

During the Battle of Ryloth, Tuuk went up against Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his forces, luring them into a trap that destroyed one of Skywalker's three Venator-class Star Destroyers and forced the remaining two to flee. After realizing that the Resolute, Skywalker's flagship, had been present, Tuuk studied the Jedi Knight's history of accomplishments and began to respect him. Knowing that the Jedi would attempt another attack, Tuuk believed that should he defeat Skywalker, he would earn much prestige in the eyes of his comrades in the Confederate Navy.

Skywalker later returned to Ryloth aboard the Defender, one of his two remaining Star Destroyers, and offered to surrender himself, his crew, and his ship in exchange for the transportation of medical and food supplies to the captive native Twi'leks on the planet below. However, a scan of the incoming Defender indicated that Skywalker was the only one aboard, and that its forward shields were activated. Realizing that he had himself fallen into a trap, Tuuk abandoned the Droid Control Ship before the Defender collided with it in an explosion that obliterated both warships. The Separatist fleet, suddenly without a leader, was unable to counter the Republic attack and was subsequently destroyed, paving the way for the Republic to attempt to liberate Ryloth.

Blockade of Ryloth
"Let's see what trickery the Jedi have planned for us."

- Mar Tuuk, during the Battle of Ryloth

A Neimoidian male from the planet Neimoidia, and a veteran officer, Captain Mar Tuuk was tasked with commanding the Separatist blockade of the Outer Rim world of Ryloth by Emir Wat Tambor, the Skakoan Foreman of the Techno Union and commander of the droid occupation force on the planet below. While commanding his flagship, a Droid Control Ship, Tuuk wore a type of data goggles with a rotating scope.

In an attempt to liberate the captive Twi'leks on Ryloth, Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and a group of three Republic Venator-class Star Destroyers&mdash;the Defender, the Redeemer, and the Resolute&mdash;commanded by Admiral Wullf Yularen&mdash;were sent to destroy the blockade, paving the way for clone troopers under the command of Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu to land. A squadron of V-19 Torrent starfighters under the command of Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, was tasked with destroying the Droid Control Ship. However, Tuuk had anticipated a Republic attack, and he called upon an additional four Munificent-class star frigates to assist the two already stationed in Ryloth's orbit alongside his flagship. Their combined complements of Vulture droids overwhelmed the Republic forces, destroying many Republic fighters and launching suicidal attacks on the three Venator-class Star Destroyers. The Resolute and the Defender managed to escape into hyperspace, but the Redeemer was destroyed. Tuuk reported his success to Tambor via hologram, but the Techno Union foreman warned him not to underestimate Skywalker.

During the attack, Tuuk had recognized the Resolute and knew it to be Skywalker's flagship. Intrigued by his encounter with the famed Jedi Knight, Tuuk sought to know every bit of information that the Separatists had on him. He was impressed with the Jedi's accomplishments, and Tuuk hoped to gain prestige for defeating him. He suspected another attack from Skywalker, but Tambor, noting that the Republic's forces were spread too thin throughout the sector, doubted that any second attack would be attempted, as he considered it suicidal. Nonetheless, Tuuk decided to be prepared.

Skywalker's tactic
"A noble gesture, Jedi. And your capture would make me the envy of the Separatist fleet."

- Mar Tuuk, to a "surrendering" Anakin Skywalker

Tuuk was correct in predicting a second attack, as Skywalker, aboard the damaged Defender, returned to Ryloth. Skywalker informed the Neimoidian captain that he was willing to surrender himself and his entire crew in exchange for food and medical supplies to be delivered to the captive Twi'leks on the planet below. However, Tuuk was informed that a scan of the damaged Star Destroyer revealed that Skywalker was the only living being aboard, though the astromech droid R2-D2 was also present. Skywalker told Tuuk that he could keep the Defender, and the Jedi and his astromech droid evacuated their doomed ship in an escape pod.

Realizing the danger he was suddenly in&mdash;Skywalker had sent the Defender on a collision course for Tuuk's flagship&mdash;Tuuk ordered all cannons to open fire on the incoming Star Destroyer. When the cannons were unable to destroy the damaged cruiser, Tuuk relinquished command of his flagship to a battle droid and managed to likewise evacuate in an escape pod before the Defender collided into it, destroying both warships. Suddenly leaderless, the droid commanders of the six Munificent-class frigates were unable to defend themselves against the BTL-B Y-wing and V-19 Torrent starfighters launched from the newly-arrived Resolute. Their destruction paved the way for the Republic's planetary assault force, and in time, the Twi'leks were liberated.

Personality and traits
"His record shows that he is a great warrior. And I want him to know that it is I who has beaten him."

- Mar Tuuk, regarding Anakin Skywalker

Mar Tuuk was a capable fleet commander, having prepared his blockade for a Republic assault. He lured the enemy into a false sense of hope, and when they were where he wanted them to be, he would spring the trap. Above Ryloth, he thus forced the three Star Destroyers under Admiral Wullf Yularen into retreating and destroyed one of them before it could flee.

During this first engagement, Tuuk discovered his opposite number in the field of battle was Anakin Skywalker. After reading all available data on the famed Jedi Knight, Tuuk began to respect him as a general. He believed that, once he defeated Skywalker, he would become a celebrated commander in the Confederate Navy. However, he later fell for Skywalker's own trap when the Jedi announced he would surrender himself and the Defender in exchange for medical and food supplies for the suffering Twi'leks. Only after a scan of the Defender reported the ship to be devoid of all but one life-form&mdash;Skywalker&mdash;did Tuuk realize he had been duped.

Tuuk possessed a blaster pistol as his personal weapon. His data goggles connected him to many of his flagship's systems.

Behind the scenes
"His costume is very much Neimoidian, a heavy-draped robe, but he's got military markings on him, a hat like Rommel, and these groovy club shoes with two-inch soles."

- Designer Kilian Plunkett

Captain Mar Tuuk first appeared in "Storm Over Ryloth," episode nineteen of Season One of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, and was voiced by Corey Burton. Though unnamed in the episode itself, he was given the name "Mar Tuuk" in the "Storm Over Ryloth" episode guide published on StarWars.com. Concept art from both the episode guide and The Art of Star Wars: The Clone Wars indicates that he was originally named "Martuk." Tuuk was named by Henry Gilroy after Dave Filoni's cat.

Tuuk was originally supposed to die when his flagship was destroyed, but his life was spared because he proved to be an interesting character to George Lucas and the crew of The Clone Wars. As a result, a scene was added showing him fleeing from the bridge of the Droid Control Ship, and a line given to a battle droid revealed that he had fled in an escape pod.

In addition to establishing Mar Tuuk's homeworld as Neimoidia, and providing a pronunciation for his name, a featurette regarding "Storm Over Ryloth" in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One DVD set reveals several details regarding the Neimoidian's creation. In the featurette, concept artist Kilian Plunkett compares Tuuk to Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray; in fact, Tuuk's original character model was that of Gunray's, but with a different hat, shoulder pads, and data goggles. However, Plunkett was not impressed with the design, which still bore a considerable resemblance to Gunray, so he made some changes to the concept, including giving Tuuk a "Mick Jagger, Donald Rumsfeld"-like mouth. The featurette also introduces some confusion regarding the Neimoidian's rank&mdash;it refers to Tuuk as both a general and an admiral.

Homages to The Last Starfighter
"What should we do?''" "''We die."

- A battle droid and Tuuk, in a scene cut from the final episode

Elements of Mar Tuuk's character are references to the 1984 science fiction film The Last Starfighter, a favorite of Dave Filoni's. The rotating scope device on Tuuk's data goggles, as well as his command chair, was inspired by the gear of a Ko-Dan fleet officer, Lord Kril, from the film.

In the original version of the episode, with the Defender about to ram the Droid Control Ship, a panicked battle droid asks Tuuk, "What should we do?" The Neimoidian merely replies "We die," before the Star Destroyer rams his flagship. This whole scene was intended as another homage to The Last Starfighter, but neither the dialogue nor Tuuk's death made it into the final episode when Lucas decided to spare the captain.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Battle for Ryloth
 * The Clone Wars: Season Three
 * The Clone Wars: Season Three

Notes and references
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