Wookieepedia:Featured article queue/May 4, 2009

Lady Valarian was a female Whiphid from Toola who became a crime lord and Jabba Desilijic Tiure's main competitor on Tatooine. Her parents were both gangsters on Toola, though when they were imprisoned for life she took up a criminal life of her own. She eventually traveled to Mos Eisley on Tatooine and purchased the Lucky Despot, an old cargo hauler that had been refitted as a hotel and cantina. She found stern opposition to her presence from Jabba the Hutt, but the two criminals eventually reached accords; privately, however, they still despised and sought to ruin each other.

In 0 BBY, Valarian arranged to wed famous Whiphid bounty hunter D'Wopp, and organized an elaborate ceremony and reception in the Lucky Despot. When D'Wopp accepted a bounty on Han Solo posted by Jabba during the wedding, Valarian attacked and killed him, starting a massive brawl. Stormtroopers eventually arrived to raid the hotel; Valarian's illegal gambling was discovered and her wedding, already a fiasco, was stopped. Valarian had D'Wopp shipped home in tiny pieces, though she was determined to continue her criminal operations and usurp Jabba. She had a former lover, J'Quille, among others, infiltrate Jabba's Palace and attempt to kill the Hutt, though in the end he was killed by Leia Organa during the Skirmish at Carkoon. Valarian attempted to take control of Jabba's organization, and although she encountered many difficulties, the Whiphid eventually seized command of Tatooine's criminal affairs. She made a pact with the New Republic, and was still active during the Yuuzhan Vong War.