Mar Tuuk/Legends

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

- Mar Tuuk, to Wat Tambor

Mar Tuuk was a male Neimoidian captain charged by Emir Wat Tambor 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 returned aboard the damaged Defender and offered to surrender himself, his crew, and his ship in exchange for the transportation of medical and food supplies to the captive Twi'leks on the planet below. But 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 Resolute arrived as well, employing a Marg Sabl maneuver to launch its BTL-B Y-wing starfighters. 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, Captain Mar Tuuk was tasked by Emir Wat Tambor, the Skakoan Foreman of the Techno Union and commander of the droid occupation force, with commanding the Separatist blockade of the Outer Rim world of Ryloth. While commanding the Droid Control Ship, he 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 three-ship group&mdash;comprised of the Defender, the Redeemer, and the Resolute&mdash;commanded by Admiral Wullf Yularen were sent to destroy the blockade to pave the way for clone troopers under the command of Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. 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 there alongside his flagship. Their combined complements of Vulture droids overwhelmed the Republic forces, destroying many Republic fighters and launching kamikaze 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 his adversary.

During the attack, Tuuk had recognized the Resolute and knew it to be the flagship of Anakin Skywalker. 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 would 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, and Skywalker, onboard 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. 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, 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 to an battle droid and managed to evacuate his doomed flagship in an escape pod before the Defender collided into it, destroying both warships. The newly-arrived Resolute launched BTL-B Y-wing and V-19 Torrent starfighters against the six enemy frigates, using a Marg Sabl maneuver to give the fighters the element of surprise. The droid commanders of the Munificent-class frigates, suddenly leaderless, were unable to counter the Republic's strategy. The Republic bombers succeeded in destroying the remaining Separatist ships just in time for the arrival of three Acclamator-class assault ships carrying Jedi Masters Kenobi and Windu, along with the planetary assault force.

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 to Wat Tambor, 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. When he did this above Ryloth, he forced the three Star Destroyers into retreating, and managed to destroy one of them before it could flee. It was in this engagement that he discovered his opposite number in the field of battle was Anakin Skywalker. After reading all available data on the Jedi Knight, Tuuk began to respect him as a general. He believed that, once he defeated the famed Jedi warrior, he would become a celebrated commander in the Confederate Navy. However, he 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. It was only after a scan of the Republic Star Destroyer reported the ship to be void of all but one life-form when Tuuk realized he had been duped.

Behind the scenes
Captain Mar Tuuk first appeared in "Storm Over Ryloth", episode nineteen of Season One of Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, and was voiced by Corey Burton. Concept art indicates that he was originally named "Martuk." The rotating scope device on Tuuk's data goggles were partially inspired by a mechanical monocle worn by a Ko-Dan fleet officer from The Last Starfighter.

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.

Notes and references
Mar Tuuk Mar Tuuk