Whorm Loathsom/Legends

"Unless you call off your troops right now, I will have no choice but to destroy you!"

- Whorm Loathsom, to Obi-Wan Kenobi

Whorm Loathsom was a male Kerkoiden who hailed from the planet of Kerkoidia and served as the general of the Retail Caucus's military forces in the Confederacy of Independent Systems. An accomplished commander, his numerous victories led him to infamy throughout the Core Worlds. In 22 BBY, Loathsom captured the planet of Christophsis, and the Galactic Republic dispatched Jedi-led clone trooper forces to liberate the planet. After several days of fighting, Loathsom was forced to retreat, but he soon launched a counterattack, advancing his battle droid troops behind a deflector shield that rendered the Republic's artillery useless.

High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi pretended to surrender to the Kerkoiden in order to gain time for Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to eliminate the shield generator. Loathsom eventually lost patience with discussing Kenobi's "terms of surrender" and threatened to kill the Jedi, but after Skywalker and Tano destroyed the generator, the Kerkoiden himself was captured. The Republic forces eradicated the Confederate droids, leaving Loathsom shamed with his defeat.

Capturing Christophsis
"You are no longer in the Republic. You are no longer beholden to their laws. Yer world's resources will be transferred to the Confederacy. We wage this war for yer independence. Do not resist our efforts. Remain vigilant for Republic reprisals."

- Whorm Loathsom, to the population of Christophsis

The Kerkoiden male Whorm Loathsom came from the planet of Kerkoidia, and during the Clone Wars, he served in the Confederacy of Independent Systems as the general of the Retail Caucus's military forces. His creative strategies won many victories for the Confederacy, leading him to become considered a "legend" throughout the Core Worlds. In 22 BBY, Loathsom's forces invaded and captured the planet of Christophsis. Via a massive planet-wide holotransmission, the Kerkoiden general ordered the planet's Christophsian inhabitants of the planet to submit to Confederate rule.

As the Galactic Republic dispatched a contingent of the Grand Army of the Republic&mdash;under the command of High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi General Anakin Skywalker&mdash;to liberate Christophsis, the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress arrived on the planet. Ventress gave Loathsom intelligence that had been transmitted by her spy, Clone Sergeant Slick, on the Republic's plan to attack the Confederate battle droid forces from the North and South towers. Loathsom and Ventress used Slick's information to ambush the Republic, and Skywalker and Kenobi went to the Confederacy base to conduct an investigation behind enemy lines. After engaging the Jedi in a lightsaber duel and forcing them to flee, Ventress dispatched orders to Loathsom through a tactical droid and told the general to delay the Jedi as long as possible while she left to execute a mission for her master, Count Dooku.

Battling the Republic
With an army of greater size than the Republic had expected, Loathsom engaged the Jedi and their clone trooper forces, but after several days of fighting, the Kerkoiden was forced to retreat. Loathsom soon launched another campaign against the Republic, advancing B1, B2, and tri-droids in the front lines while he followed behind with a group of Armored Assault Tanks. However, the Republic's heavy cannons forced the Confederate tanks to halt their progress, and once Loathsom learned of the enemy's artillery, he ordered an OOM command battle droid to turn the troops around and retreat.

After his droid forces had pulled back, Loathsom set up a deflector shield and led another attack against the Republic. The Kerkoiden general dispatched his battle droids to destroy the Republic's cannons while he himself followed with lines of NR-N99 Persuader-class droid enforcers and Armored Assault Tanks. Because of the Confederacy's deflector shield, the Republic troops were unable to stop the advancing droids, and General Kenobi ordered his clone troopers to protect the cannons while he gained time by stalling Loathsom. The Kerkoiden general cornered the Jedi with his Armored Assault Tank and a squad of super battle droids and DSD1 dwarf spider droids. Kenobi "surrendered" to Loathsom, forming some crystal rubble into a table with the Force, and the two seated themselves to discuss the "terms of surrender."

Over a cup of tarine tea brought by Loathsom's assistant droid, the discussion of the Jedi's "surrender" continued, and Loathsom became increasingly impatient with Kenobi. The Kerkoiden finally realized that Kenobi was stalling, and ordered his troops to seize the Jedi general. Loathsom demanded the Jedi's surrender and threatened to kill him, but at that moment, Skywalker and his recently apprenticed Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, destroyed the deflector shield generator, causing the shield to recede and exposing Loathsom's troops to long-range artillery. Kenobi broke free of the battle droids and managed to get an arm around Loathsom's neck, and as the droids began to fire, Loathsom ordered them to stand down. With its renewed artillery usage, the Republic was able to defeat the Confederate forces, and the Kerkoiden general was taken prisoner and locked in handcuffs. Republic reinforcements arrived on Christophsis, and Loathsom was left shamed with his defeat.

Personality and traits
"'Tis a rare honor to meet one's opponent face to face. You're a legend throughout the Inner Core.''" "Thank you. The honor is all mine. I'm so glad'' you decided to surrender."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Whorm Loathsom

Whorm Loathsom was a cunning and accomplished commander, and when he realized that his droids would be useless against the Republic's heavy cannons, he ordered his forces to retreat and set up a deflector shield. He prided himself on his leadership ability, and his strategies in battle led the Confederacy to numerous victories. Loathsom had faith in the Confederacy's causes, and after his forces had seized Christophsis, he told the planet's inhabitants to submit to Confederate rule. He was considered a legend throughout the Inner Core, but his ego sometimes got in the way of his role as a general, resulting in orders and decisions formed more out of arrogance than of strategy.

Loathsom was not impervious to flattering, as evidenced by his reactions to Kenobi's comments on his abilities, and the Kerkoiden's overly prominent ego allowed Kenobi to stall him while Skywalker and Tano destroyed the shield generator. Loathsom was impatient and wasted no time in gulping down his tarine tea&mdash;unlike Kenobi, who sipped it with more "civility". His eagerness to "teach the Republic a lesson or two" sometimes caused his comments to lack respect when addressing figures such as Asajj Ventress. When it was revealed that Kenobi was simply stalling for time, Loathsom was quick in attempting to force the Jedi to surrender, but the Kerkoiden was later shamed after he was defeated and captured. Loathsom was able to speak both Galactic Standard Basic and Kerkoidese.

Behind the scenes
The character of Whorm Loathsom was created for the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars film, which served as an introduction to the television series of the same name. First mentioned in the film's novelization and the book Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide, Loathsom made his debut in the film's junior novelization, which was written by Tracey West. In the film, he was voiced by Corey Burton, who also provided the voice for Count Dooku and Ziro Desilijic Tiure.

Details relating to Loathsom's backstory were released in the January 2009 sourcebook The Clone Wars Campaign Guide by Wizards of the Coast, and he was also identified as the first of his species&mdash;Kerkoiden&mdash;to appear in Star Wars canon. Loathsom later appeared in the television series' first season episode "The Hidden Enemy," aired on February 6, 2009, which served as a prequel to the 2008 film. However, he did not have a speaking role in the episode. Loathsom also appeared in The Clone Wars: Shadowed, the web comic leading into the television episode.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: Shadowed
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars novelization
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars junior novelization
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film

Notes and references
Whorm Loathsom Whorm Loathsom Ndorito Feereg