Wat Tambor/Legends

"He is the Separatists' Techno Union Foreman, as well as a combat engineer. A brilliant strategist. And extremely dangerous&mdash;an expert at fighting machines, and a master of defense technologies. He is also an expert at escape."

- Jabba Desilijic Tiure

Wat Tambor was a Skakoan male who was the Foreman of the Techno Union and Executive of Baktoid Armor Workshop. Beginning his career as the Techno Union Representative in the Galactic Senate, Tambor shot up through the ranks of the Union, eventually getting the top job. He agreed to help fund and supply Count Dooku's separatist government, the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and when war broke out between the Separatists and the Galactic Republic, Tambor began devising new ways to gain a technological advantage.

In spite of multiple plots, including sabotage and C-B3 cortosis battle droids, Tambor was never able to make a concerted contribution to the war effort. In the waning stages of the war, Tambor was forced to set up shop on Xagobah, where was assailed by both Republic forces and bounty hunters. He was rescued by General Grievous, and united with the Separatist Council. In 19 BBY, he was called back to his homeworld of Skako, where he was sent on a spiritual journey by the Elders of the Power Mounds. During his journey, he saw his future, and eventually went to Mustafar to meet it. There, he was slain by Darth Vader, along with the other members of the Council, concurrent with the declaration of the New Order.

Early life
Born on Skako into the Crimlin Clan, Tambor spent most of his time on Metalorn or his private estate on Foundry. One of the few Skakoans to venture offworld, Tambor made a name for himself in both the Techno Union and Baktoid Armor Workshop. At some stage, he ascended to the position of Representative of the Techno Union in the Galactic Senate.

Techno Union representative
Following the Incident at Dorvalla in 33 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum proposed that the Republic instigate the taxation of trade routes. Tambor, knowing that this would damage the Union, was not in favor of the motion, and found himself in luck when Senator Palpatine of Naboo proposed that the matter be resolved at a Trade Summit on Eriadu. However, things went awry at the summit, with several influential figures in the Trade Federation being assassinated, and the taxation bill went on to be passed in the Senate.

Techno Union Foreman and Executive of Baktoid
Over the next decade, Tambor ascended to the role of Techno Union Foreman, and also became the Executive of Baktoid Armor Workshop. Baktoid saw a setback when, in 32 BBY, their biggest customers, the Trade Federation, used their droids to invade the peaceful planet of Naboo. When Republic officials learned this, they went about partially disarming the Federation, which also cut Baktoid's legs out from under them.

Tambor, however, followed the Trade Federation in falling in with Count Dooku's new Confederacy of Independent Systems. Dooku needed an army with which to decimate the Republic, and Tambor was able to oblige. But the possible consequences of building an army in plain sight of the Republic would be risky, and so Tambor closed an array of Inner Rim Baktoid factories, citing revenue losses, and began producing weaponry and droids in secret Outer Rim factories, most notably on Geonosis. Tambor was able to satiate disgruntled shareholders with press releases, but his ploy did not fool everyone. Senator Lanus Wrede correctly hypothesized that Tambor was building droids in secret, but his opinions were dismissed by the media, due to the fact that there was supposedly no market in the Outer Rim. Republic investigations into the allegation also yielded no results, and shortly after, Wrede "committed suicide", although the accuracy of his claims points to foul play on the part of Tambor.

When Senator Rodd of the Tapani sector, the Hutt Groodo, and designer Hurlo Holowan conspired to destroy Fondor with the Sun Runner, an ancient ship imbued with the strength of power gems, Tambor had a bounty placed on their heads. He offered the bounty, requesting that the quarry be delivered dead, to Cradossk of the Bounty Hunters Guild, who accepted. Unbeknownst to Tambor, Dooku had also placed a bounty on the trio, with the intent of bringing them in alive, since he was impressed with concept of their Sun Runner scheme. The Foreman was contacted by the Count, who convinced him to call off the debt. Rodd, Groodo, and Holowan were all eventually brought in by Jango Fett.

In spite of his Confederate involvement, Tambor still kept his hand in Republic politics, and made a token appearance at a Refugee Relief Movement fundraiser on Alsakan. Tambor could not actually consume the foods served there, but felt the need to be seen as sympathetic to the disenfranchised of the galaxy. Other secret members of the CIS in attendance were Passel Argente and Nute Gunray, as well as now-Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was in fact Darth Sidious, Dooku's master, though this was unknown to Tambor. Realizing that Dooku would make his move soon, Tambor reinforced the Union factory at Foerost with a security force of forty thousand battle droids, since the installation would be vulnerable in the Deep Core. In exchange for the seemingly copious amounts of battle droids, Tambor allowed government officials to continue their regular inspections of the facilities.

Clone Wars
"With these new battle droids we built for you, you'll have the finest army in the galaxy."

- Tambor to Dooku

Tambor met with the other leaders of the Separatist Council on Geonosis to re-pledge their allegiance to Dooku. While there, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi was caught sneaking around the Baktoid factories, and soon after, Senator Padmé Amidala and Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker were caught doing much the same thing. The trio were sentenced to death, but were rescued by a team of Jedi led by Mace Windu. The Jedi were soon followed by a large Republic army, the size of which the Separatists had never predicted, and after a long and bloody battle, the CIS was routed. Tambor was able to escape, but Baktoid had now lost one of its key secret factories.

Conspiracy with Oviedo
Tambor sought to wreak his revenge, not by retaliating with military strength, but by sabotaging Republic munitions. He was able to convince Director General Lorca Oviedo of Oviedo Engineering, a munitions manufacturer, to meet with him on the remote and dangerous world of Asturias to discuss a business proposition. Oviedo was always accompanied by a clone escort, so to maintain the secrecy of the mission, Tambor ambushed the Director while he was in transit from Aviles Prime, ensuring the safety of the Director whilst doing maximum damage to his escort. Oviedo was prepared for this, and was able to escape harm. His ship was able to land on Asturias with a minimum of fuss, despite being hit, but Tambor's droids stormed in, executing the entire crew. While Oviedo was escorted away to the rendezvous, several of the clone commandos escorting the director managed to crash land on Asturias and escape the wreckage of their ship.



Tambor himself was not in attendance but rather communicated via a hologram. He felt that Oviedo's poor standing in the Senate might incriminate him by association, and at any rate, the planet's climate would not have agreed with his Skakoan temperament. He discussed with Oviedo the idea of sabotaging Republic supplies and munitions, which would both be profitable for Oviedo and beneficial to the CIS. Tambor also explained the need for the recent violent events, believing that an "assassination attempt" would effectively give Oviedo clemency in the eyes of the Senate. Unfortunately for the conspirators, the clone commando escort had overheard the conversation, and were able to extract Oviedo, but not without heavy losses. Tambor ordered his troops to kill Oviedo should he be on the brink of escape, but they failed. However, shortly after Oviedo had returned to Coruscant, he passed away before he could relate the story.

The cortosis battle droid plot
Tambor sought new ways to gain an advantage against the Republic in his new role as CIS combat engineer, and as a result, his Techno Union engineers on Metalorn devised the C-B3 cortosis battle droid, a modified version of the B2 super battle droid that was resistant to lightsaber attacks. Tambor obtained the required cortosis from crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure, and the C-B3's made their combat debut on the capital of the Republic, led by none other than Count Dooku. Though Dooku was able to retrieve an ancient Sith artifact from the Jedi Temple, the droids were driven off by Anakin Skywalker and Rom Mohc.

When Tambor learned that the Jedi Council were planning to send Skywalker to destroy the C-B3 factory on Metalorn, he began to fear for both his own life and the life of his project. He hired the bounty hunter Vandalor as his personal bodyguard, but his forces were unable to stop Skywalker's sabotage mission; Vandalor was killed by Skywalker and Tambor was arrested. With the factory destroyed, the idea of integrating cortosis into battle droids would go undeveloped and unused for the remainder of the war. Tambor was imprisoned on Delrian, but the Commerce Guild were privy to the layouts of the facility he was kept in. Two Skakoan members of Tambor's staff, along with the Clawdite changeling Nuri, were granted a visit to the Foreman's cell. Upon entry, the Skakoans decompressed their pressure cells, blowing themselves up and allowing Nuri to ferry Tambor to safety. He returned to his home in Denus, Foundry shortly afterwards, where he had to recuperate in a hyperbaric recharge globe in order to heal his wounds from the ordeal.

Upon his recovery, Tambor publicly decried Kuat's attempted robbery of Neimoidian technology. He also championed the defensive capabilities of CIS droids during the crisis. Tambor would once again face the press about the Republic's hiring of over 125 Givin scientists in an attempt to gain a technological advantage over the CIS. Tambor claimed, essentially, that it was data that would win the war, rather than advanced technology.

Operations on Xagobah


In the later stages of the war, the Confederacy began fortifying their Outer Rim holdings. Tambor went to Xagobah, which was the location of a large fortress that he had designed. While there, he lorded an unofficial rule over the Xamsters, and wreaked havoc on the flora and fungi of the planet, making the area around the citadel a natural deathtrap. His citadel was virtually impervious, due to the deadly mutated fungus that fed off a "heart" in the citadel's core. This made it a perfect staging ground for Confederate forces, and made it ideal for his own protection. The Republic, however, was not deterred, and dispatched Jedi General Glynn-Beti and her Padawan Ulu Ulix, along with now-Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, with a sizable force of clone troopers to breach Tambor's defenses. The attack, however, quickly transformed into a siege, with the Republic digging in and battering away at the citadel, while Tambor continually sent out squads of droids to break enemy lines.

Unbeknown to Tambor or the Jedi, high ranking officials in the Senate had placed bounties on the heads of the Separatist council. Jabba Desilijic Tiure, who Tambor had dealings with several years prior, acted as a fence for these bounties, and assigned Tambor's to the young clone, Boba Fett. It was Fett's first genuine bounty, and he was more than willing to accept, despite the danger and improbability of his success. While Fett made his way to the fortress, Tambor tried to break the siege by having a substantial ramship piloted towards the Republic forces, but his gambit failed when the young bounty hunter destroyed the ship. Eventually, Fett made his way into the citadel and after fighting off several of Tambor's guards, came face to face with the Foreman in the citadel's core.

In spite of his unwieldy appearance, Tambor was more than able to defend himself. Using a weapon built into his suit, he fired rays of energy at the young Fett, who dodged and returned fire. Tambor quickly evaded Fett's fire, while the tentacles of the citadel's living "heart" attempted to subdue the young clone. The duel between the two raged on for a while, until Tambor called in the Kaleesh General Grievous. Fett, who had hidden from Tambor's repeated attacks, activated a holoshroud built-in to his suit, giving him the appearance of the notorious bounty hunter, Durge. This failed to help Fett, since Grievous had no love for the hulking Gen'Dai, and the droid general had his troops open fire. Fett fled, with his holoshroud rendered useless, but Grievous caught up with him and subdued him. Before Grievous could land a killing blow, Fett touched some of the citadel's fungi, paralyzing him and rendering him, to the naked eye, dead. With his citadel crumbling around him, Tambor directed his concerns towards evacuation. While the Foreman was able to leave safely, he was pursued once again by Fett in space, but this time Tambor's retreat was successfully covered by Asajj Ventress.



Dealings with Bail Organa
"You'll pay for this, Organa!"

- Wat Tambor

On Metalorn, Tambor's troops had captured Jedi Master Shaak Ti, and in turn imprisoned her in the maximum security section of Metalorn's Unreal City, a gargantuan prison. Shortly thereafter, Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan contacted Tambor, citing interest in applying Metalorn's infrastructure template to his homeworld. Meeting with Organa and his aides on Metalorn, he began giving the Viceroy a tour of the planet, spooling off facts and statistics about the economy of the system. Organa, however, expressed an interest in the prison facilities, which Tambor was only too happy to show off. Upon entry, however, Organa was able to pass a lightsaber to the captive Ti, allowing her to escape. Though Tambor called in droids to stop Ti and the Alderaanians, his efforts failed, and his adversaries escaped. As Organa's Tantive IV shot away from Metalorn, Tambor stood cursing him, in a fit of rage.

Quest for the Sacred Eye of the Albino Cyclops
"My mind lattice is calibrated for the quickening&hellip;"

- Wat Tambor

At some stage after the incident on Metalorn, Tambor once again encountered Anakin Skywalker, this time losing his right eye to the "Hero With No Fear". Following this, Tambor was summoned to the Power Mounds on Skako, a holy place where the Elders read from the Book of the Boolmide. It was an honor reserved for few, and Tambor willingly accepted the call. Due to the loss of his eye, he was dispatched on a mission to retrieve the Eye of the Albino Cyclops, though he was warned not to take it for his own benefit. Clongor, the chief Elder, gave Tambor several of the sacred symbols from the book, and sent him on his way.

Upon reaching the Gates of Grontessiant, where the Albino Cyclops was believed to reside, Tambor was stripped bare of his pressure suit, and set upon by the Lord Being of the Swirblies. He encountered the Albino Cyclops, and imbued himself with the fabled eye, which allowed him to see his future, which somehow involved the Techno Union world of Mustafar. The Elders sought to send him there, but they would soon be overruled by Confederacy officials.

Fulfilling the prophecy of the Cyclops
"Please, I'll give you anything. Anything you want!"

- Wat Tambor's final words

Grievous reunited Tambor with the rest of the Separatist Council, and sent them to the safe-world of Utapau for protection. Following his unsuccessful raid on Coruscant, however, he relocated the Council to Mustafar, fulfilling the Albino Eye's prophecy. The move proved canny, since the Republic attacked and conquered Utapau shortly after the Council's departure. During the battle, Grievous was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and since Dooku had perished over Coruscant, the Council was in control of the Confederacy. Nute Gunray, as head of the council, became the new Head of State, but his and the Council's "rule" would be short-lived. Betrayed by Darth Sidious, who was actually Supreme Chancellor, now Emperor, Palpatine told the Council was to await delivery of a "reward" for their efforts. The "reward" was in fact assassination, and was delivered personally by Sidious' new apprentice, Darth Vader. Tambor fled into the confrence room away from Vader. Vader, who, as Anakin Skywalker had once captured Tambor, systematically executed the Council members. Tambor pleaded for mercy, but his cries fell on deaf ears. Vader slew Tambor without a second thought, and moved on, eventually killing all present, and destroying the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Personality and traits
Tambor was very proud of his accomplishments. He had the utmost faith in the systems he had devised for Metalorn and Xagobah, and would not shy away from advertising their advantages. He apparently had no care for the common people, and would constantly ignore their needs for the benefit of his productions. He also hoped that the system he had set up on Metalorn would be echoed by other worlds when the Confederacy had taken control of the galaxy. Unfortunately for Tambor, he would fail to see that event transpire.

Renowned as a master strategist, Tambor was never actually known to have won a victory for the Confederacy. He was, however, a skilled combatant, and was able to hold his own against certain assailants. He understood the value of security, and was usually surrounded with bodyguards, although, should they fail, he could always rely on the weapons built into his suit.

Tambor also had a desire to keep himself clean politically. He always covered his tracks, and constantly tried to avoid making himself a target. Even after the Battle of Geonosis, Tambor hoped to stay politically clean, though he would eventually fail. He was also a very religious Skakoan, being one of the few to actually ascend to the Power Mounds. Despite this, he attempted to avoid his fate on Mustafar, though he failed, this time with fatal consequences.

Tambor was skilled in several languages, able to read and write in both Binary and Skakoform, and well as being able to speak Basic, Sluissese, Verpine, Binary and Skakoverbal.

Behind the scenes
Though Tambor was developed for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, he first appeared in James Luceno's Star Wars: Cloak of Deception. This was due to the fact that Luceno was privy to much of the Clones pre-production material, and was able to write it into his book, where suitable. Tambor was also written into the HoloNet News web series, by Paul Ens and Pablo Hidalgo. In the film itself, he was voiced by Chris Truswell.

Tambor's design was developed by concept artist Michael Patrick Murnane, who created an art deco look for the character that incorporated simple shapes and lines. In his film appearance, Tambor was entirely computer-generated.

In 2008, Ben Burtt listed Wat Tambor as his "favorite Star Wars robot."

Appearances

 * Cloak of Deception
 * Star Wars Adventures 4: Jango Fett vs. the Razor Eaters
 * Star Wars Adventures 6: The Warlords of Balmorra
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones/comic
 * Honor Bound
 * Star Wars: The New Droid Army
 * The Cestus Deception
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Boba Fett: A New Threat
 * Boba Fett: Pursuit
 * Bailed Out
 * Wat Tambor and the Quest for the Sacred Eye of the Albino Cyclops
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith/comic/novel/game
 * Boba Fett: A New Threat
 * Boba Fett: Pursuit
 * Bailed Out
 * Wat Tambor and the Quest for the Sacred Eye of the Albino Cyclops
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith/comic/novel/game