Gwarrk

"This Jedi is very powerful&mdash;or very dead!"

- Chieftain Gwarrk, commenting on Kit Fisto

Gwarrk was a male Rishii chieftain during the time of the Clone Wars. Around 22 BBY, Confederate Geonosian forces invaded the world of Rishi in order to get the planet's exonium&mdash;a mineral which was used to power sonic weapons. After the Separatists successfully captured the exonium mines, the Jedi High Council sent Green Company, a unit of clone troopers, to Rishi in order to retake them. The clones were told not to attempt an attack until a Jedi General arrived to lead them, but Gwarrk ordered the clone commander to begin the battle anyway.

The Geonosians had the far better position and were able to beat the clones' attacks back. After a short time, Jedi General Kit Fisto arrived and called for a retreat of the Galactic Republic troops. Gwarrk asked Fisto why he had recalled the clones and insisted on another attack. Fisto, however, invented another plan and asked the clone commander for the company's best sharpshooter. Fisto then went to the entry of the mines and used his lightsaber to deflect the sharpshooter 2242's shots at the Geonosians. After Fisto weakened the Geonosian defenses, the Republic forces&mdash;aided by some Rishii warriors&mdash;were able to retake the mines. After the battle, Gwarrk stated that Fisto was very powerful, and the Jedi said that the power of his mind and the help of 2242 had made the victory possible.

Biography
"Created this army for warfare, did you not? I put your warriors to their purpose. They failed because their power is not great enough."

- Gwarrk about clone troopers

A male Rishii, Gwarrk was a chieftain of the Rishii during the Clone Wars. Around 22 BBY, in order to obtain the exonium mineral which they needed to power their sonic weapons, Geonosian forces allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems invaded the planet of Rishi to capture its exonium mines. In order to foil the Separatist plan and to protect the planet's native inhabitants, the Jedi High Council dispatched Green Company, a unit of clone troopers, to retake the mines. The clone troopers were ordered to not attack until a Jedi General arrived, but Gwarrk assumed command and ordered the clone troopers to attack the mines anyway. The Geonosians, however, had prepared a well-entrenched defense and the attack was beaten back. Seeing the troopers pulling back, Gwarrk asked who gave the order for a retreat. The Nautolan Jedi Master Kit Fisto&mdash;who had just arrived on Rishi&mdash;answered that he did and informed the chieftain that the troops were here to protect the Rishii from the Separatists and no attack should have been made before his arrival. Gwarrk stated that the Jedi had created the army for warfare, and he put the clones to their purpose. The chieftain added that the troops had failed because their power was not great enough. When the clone commander informed Fisto that the Geonosians had dug deep inside the canyon leading to the entrance of the mines, Gwarrk stated that his people needed the exonium to prepare their food in the frost time and once again insisted on another attack. Fisto, however, formulated another plan and ordered the clone trooper commander to provide him with the company's best sharpshooter. Soon, without informing Gwarrk of his plans, Fisto went to the entrance of the mines. When Gwarrk asked the clone commander where the Jedi was, the latter told him that Fisto had apparently began an attack. Meanwhile, Fisto ordered the sharpshooter 2242, nicknamed "Cooker," to aim at his shoulder and fire continuously. 2242 opened fire and Fisto started deflecting the shots at the Geonosians with his lightsaber. As the clone commander rallied his forces and went to help Fisto, Gwarrk stated that the Jedi "was either very powerful or very dead." By this time, however, all Geonosians in the canyon had been killed by Fisto and Cooker's combined efforts. The rest of the Republic forces&mdash;along with some of the Rishii warriors&mdash;then arrived and attacked the Geonosian troops inside the mines, forcing the remaining CIS forces to flee. Afterward, Gwarrk acknowledged that Fisto was very powerful, to which the Jedi replied that two factors had made this victory possible&mdash;the power of his mind and Cooker's help.

Personality and traits
"We need strength to give us victory!"

- Gwarrk during the battle of Rishi

Gwarrk was desperate to reclaim the exonium and ordered the clone troopers to attack without any chance of success. He thought that the attack had failed because the clone troopers were not strong enough, not because the enemy troops had a better position. Gwarrk did not care much about the clones and spoke to the commander with no respect. However, he greatly admired Fisto's skills and acknowledged that to him when the battle was over and shook the hand of the clone commander.

Behind the scenes
Gwarrk first appeared in the 2009 Free Comic Book Day's comic Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Gauntlet of Death, written by Henry Gilroy and illustrated by Ramón K. Pérez.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Gauntlet of Death

Notes and references
Gwarrk