Nute Gunray/Legends

Nute Gunray (&mdash;19 BBY) was a Neimoidian from the planet Neimoidia. He was Viceroy of the Trade Federation during the Clone Wars, and was a member of the Separatist Council.

Biography
Gunray became the Viceroy of the Trade Federation after the original Trade Federation leaders perished under mysterious circumstances, Gunray being the only survivor. Under the guidance of the enigmatic Darth Sidious, Gunray filled the remaining positions with his associates, Daultay Dofine, Rune Haako and Hath Monchar, making the Trade Federation a Neimoidian monopoly.

Under Sidious' command, Gunray blockaded the peaceful planet Naboo from trade routes. He urged the young queen, Padmé Amidala, to sign a treaty granting the Trade Federation control over the planet. The Queen refused, and when Gunray took the planet by force with his battle droids, she escaped with the aid of two Jedi.

After unsuccessfully pleading for intervention by the Republic Senate, Amidala called for the expulsion of Chancellor Finis Valorum, who was unable to outtalk the Trade Federation's Neimoidian representative. Naboo's own Senator Palpatine was elected the new Chancellor.

Despite this, the Senate still would not take action, and Amidala returned home, vowing to liberate her planet or die trying. Gunray was smug in his seeming invincibility, but his reign fell apart rather quickly. The young Queen and her army ambushed and captured him in the palace, and the droid army was disabled when a boy named Anakin Skywalker destroyed the central control ship. Gunray was arrested for his actions, but only Darth Sidious knew the true motives behind the invasion.

After four trials in the Republic Supreme Court, Gunray still maintained control over the Trade Federation, although several of his associates were killed in the Battle of Naboo. Sidious then instructed Gunray to join the Confederacy of Independent Systems, who wished to secede from the Republic. Soon the Trade Federation's resources were focused on creating a droid army for the CIS to strong-arm smaller systems to join them.

When Amidala and two Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, were captured on the CIS's main base at the time on Geonosis, Gunray saw his chance for revenge, and delighted when the former Queen was sentenced to death. To his fury, she escaped once again, and Gunray was barely able to flee for his own life in the melee between battle droids, Jedi Knights, and clone troopers. The Clone Wars had begun, and Gunray suddenly found himself preparing his droids for war. Gunray was a businessperson, not a commander, but there was no way he could break his ties with the CIS without losing his life.

At the end of the Clone Wars, he and the rest of the Separatist Council were moved to Mustafar by General Grievous at Darth Sidious' command, there they were tricked and killed by Sidious' new apprentice Darth Vader. Gunray was the last of the Council to be killed.

He groveled before Vader, pleading, "The war is over! Lord Sidious promised us peace... we only want...!" but the Dark Lord killed him without pity.

His body was recovered and taken to Cato Neimodia, where the Neimoidians considered him a hero and martyr, and placed him in an elaborate tomb.

He was alleged to be having an affair with Lora Besh, who in 22 BBY, just before the start of the Clone Wars, released an unauthorized biography of Gunray, entitled Gunray On Top. It spent at least several months as a top-ten bestseller, and its sales may have increased due to its subject's involvement in the war.

Appearances

 * Darth Maul: Saboteur
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith