Zygerrian

"How can a civilization this advanced still practice slavery?''" "''It makes them wealthy and powerful at the expense of others."

- Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker, on the Zygerrians

The Zygerrians were a humanoid species from Zygerria. They built a powerful empire by selling their slaves, until the Jedi of the Old Republic went to war with them and outlawed it. The Zygerrians attempted to openly revive their slave trade when they allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.

They were ruled by a monarchy, who was served by the Prime Minister and the Zygerrian royal guard. They patrolled on the backs of flying brezaks and brandished electro-whips to control their slaves.

During the Age of the Empire, the Zygerrian MaDall established her own slaving operation, which collapsed when the Mandalorian rebel Sabine Wren freed her slaves.

Their ears inspired the hairstyle known as Zygerrian-style faux crests. The hairstyle was sported by Razoo Qin-Fee, a Kanjiklubber who once participated in an underground Zygerrian fighting circuit on Nar Kanji.

History
"For thousands of years, Zygerria supplied slave labor to the galaxy. We prospered. Our customers prospered. Then the Jedi came."

- Darts D'Nar

The Zygerrians were a powerful people in the days of the Old Republic. Their Empire provided slave labor to the galaxy in which both the Zygerrians and their customers prospered. However, their slave trade was outlawed by the Old Republic. The Jedi Knights liberated countless slaves from the Zygerrians and pushed their Empire into the underworld's shadows.

Clone Wars
During the Clone Wars, Zygerria's queen Miraj Scintel, formed an alliance with Confederate leader Count Dooku to rebuild her people's Slave Empire. She sent Commander Darts D'Nar to accompany Dooku, a tactical droid and their forces to occupy Kiros. However, in reality, the Togruta colonists were then taken to Kadavo's slave processing facility.

Age of the Empire
In 5 BBY, the Zygerrian MaDall established a slave empire on the Outer Rim world of Oon. MaDall's operations were disrupted by the Mandalorian Sabine Wren.

Following the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, at least one Zygerrian slaver was based at an Imperial slave labor mine on the planet Sevarcos. During the Battle of Sevarcos, the slaver tried to kill the Wookiee slave Greybok but was bludgeoned to death by the Weequay Hatchet.

Behind the scenes
The Zygerrians were first mentioned in The Star Wars Sourcebook, written by Bill Slavicsek and Curtis Smith and published in 1987. The species remained relatively untouched by the Expanded Universe until the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars project. The Zygerrians played a major role in Slaves of the Republic, a story arc of The Clone Wars comic series written entirely by Henry Gilroy that ties into the television series. In 2011–2012, the Slaves of the Republic comic books were adapted into three episodes of the television series, titled "Kidnapped," "Slaves of the Republic," and "Escape from Kadavo."

The episodes followed the same premise, but featured a number of differences, most notably, a redesigned appearance for the Zygerrians, who were originally depicted in the EU as resembling humans with pointed ears, long red hair and bony spurs on their forehead and chins. Dave Filoni felt this look was too close to a live-action TV show with limited makeup resources for aliens, and opted to blend them with a coyote-like appearance, stating the coyote's trickster reputation helped the Zygerrians look more cunning and deceitful.

Appearances

 * Darth Maul, Part I
 * Tarkin
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Han Solo, Part I
 * Aftermath
 * "All Creatures Great and Small"
 * Poe Dameron 2: Black Squadron, Part II
 * Tarkin
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Han Solo, Part I
 * Aftermath
 * "All Creatures Great and Small"
 * Poe Dameron 2: Black Squadron, Part II
 * Poe Dameron 2: Black Squadron, Part II

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes