Ashaar Khorda

"He led a military coup on Annoo, and would've succeeded in overthrowing the government if the Republic hadn't interceded. And there were accusations of war crimes&mdash;''" "''Yes, but Khorda escaped before he could be brought to trial. Now he fancies himself a freedom fighter against the Republic's tyranny."

- Jedi Masters Saesee Tiin and Mace Windu

Ashaar Khorda was an Annoo-dat Prime revolutionary who attempted to destroy Coruscant in 27 BBY. After trying to seize control of his home planet, Annoo, only to have the Galactic Republic end his rebellion, Khorda developed a great hatred for the Republic. He fled the planet and began to form a group that shared his contempt. Khorda also located the Infant of Shaa, an ancient artifact that was rumored to have the power to destroy a planet, although once he had found it, the object was stolen from him. He hired the bounty hunter Jango Fett to retrieve it and, once it was back in his possession, went ahead with his plan to destroy Coruscant&mdash;the capital of the Republic and, in his view, a planet that was ripe with corruption and injustice.

Khorda and his most devoted comrades made their way to Coruscant's power relay, located at the planet's core. There, they intended to destroy the Infant, creating an explosion that would consume Coruscant. However, they were opposed by Fett, the hunter Zam Wesell, and Jedi Master Yarael Poof. Fett shot and killed Khorda, while Poof stopped the Infant from exploding, ending his short-lived rebellion.

Biography
"Together we will finally strike a deathblow against the corrupt, bloated creature that is the so-called Republic."

- Ashaar Khorda

The male Annoo-dat Prime Ashaar Khorda was a general from the planet Annoo. At some point, Khorda attempted to start a rebellion on his homeworld. However, thanks to the Galactic Republic, the rebellion was defeated. Nonetheless, Khorda did not give up and tried to gain control of the planet with the help of military forces that he had usurped from the government. The Republic was able to put down the insurrection and install its own leader, and Khorda fled the planet before he could be tried for war crimes.

Claiming to be a freedom fighter who battled against the corrupt and unjust Republic, Khorda assembled a band of followers who bore a hatred for the Republic. He also began searching for the Infant of Shaa, an artifact made by the Seylott species that was rumored to have incredible powers capable of even destroying a planet. Khorda had heard of it from a prisoner under interrogation, and although most believed the artifact to be mere rumor, Khorda believed that he could use the Infant against the Republic.

Khorda was able to locate the artifact; however, it was not in his possession long before it was stolen by a native of Seylott. In 27 BBY, Khorda had one of his followers, the Dug Fernooda, contact the bounty hunters Jango Fett and Zam Wesell to retrieve the object. Under the General's orders, Fernooda did not reveal his master's identity and claimed only that he was an art aficionado who had had the valuable piece stolen from his collection. The two bounty hunters agreed to the job, and Fett was able to recover the artifact on Seylott. He returned it to Fernooda, who in turn gave it to Khorda. With the artifact in his hands once more, the General began plotting to use the artifact's legendary power to destroy a world. However, the Jedi High Council was able to learn of Khorda's plans&mdash;namely, that he planned to destroy Coruscant, Corellia, or Alderaan. A Jedi Master was chosen to safeguard each planet, in hopes of finding Khorda and stopping his plot.

Khorda chose to use the Infant to destroy Coruscant and met with a small group of his most trusted followers in Coruscant's underlevels. The General explained to them his plans to place the Infant in the power relay at the planet's core. The Infant was a Force-imbued object and therefore contained a massive amount of Force energy; when the artifact was destroyed by the electric currents produced by the power relay, this energy would be released, causing a massive explosion that would consume the planet. Although Khorda and his group would die in the process, he had no qualms about this. The destruction of Coruscant, Khorda believed, would inspire others and would "cleanse" the Republic that he believed to be so corrupt. He felt that his death was a necessary sacrifice to save the galaxy from the Republic.

Khorda led his followers to the power relay at the planet's core and killed all the guards who had been stationed there to prevent access. The group reached the core, where Khorda took a moment to bask in his victory. However, it was then that they were attacked by the two bounty hunters, Fett and Wesell, as well as Jedi Master Yarael Poof. The bounty hunters had learned of the Infant's planet-destroying properties, and as Wesell had helped Fett recover it, both felt guilty for giving it to Khorda. Khorda ordered his men to attack the new arrivals. However, his seven accomplices were quickly killed. Placing the Infant in the electric current of the power relay, Khorda attacked Poof. The Jedi cut off his arm, and although Khorda was able to stab Poof with a vibroblade, Fett shot him dead. Poof took the Infant and, using the Force, was able to keep it from exploding. Though the effort ultimately killed the Jedi Master, Coruscant had been saved.

Personality and traits
"In order to save the body of the Republic&hellip;we must destroy its infected brain."

- Ashaar Khorda

Ashaar Khorda believed himself to be a brave freedom fighter battling against the corrupt Republic. He felt that the Republic was a tyranny that needed its tainted capital to be destroyed for it to be saved. Thus, he planned to annihilate Coruscant, thereby eliminating the "infection" that existed at the highest levels of government and shaping the Republic into a noble body once more. With the "head" of the Republic&mdash;its capital world&mdash;destroyed, the body would be free, as the Annoo-dat Prime believed. Khorda dedicated his life to fighting the Republic and was willing to die for the cause. This commitment and drive came from witnessing what he saw to be the Republic forcing and imposing its unjust policies on his homeworld. Khorda was willing to kill innocents, as he stabbed to death the driver of the airspeeder that took him to meet with his group in the underlevels. The Jedi High Council considered Khorda to be a terrorist, and Fett believed him to be a madman.

Behind the scenes
Ashaar Khorda was created for the 2002 comic Star Wars: Jango Fett and appeared in its sequel, Star Wars: Zam Wesell. He later received an entry in The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Jango Fett
 * Star Wars: Zam Wesell

Notes and references
Ashaar Khorda Ashaar Khorda