Katuunko/Legends

"You have my faith. Toydaria would be honored to host a Republic base. My people are at your service."

- Katuunko, to Jedi Master Yoda

Katuunko was a male Toydarian who ruled as the king of the planet Toydaria prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire. During the Clone Wars, Katuunko was contacted by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic, who requested that the Grand Army of the Republic be permitted to use Toydaria as a supply base and staging ground in their war against the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Katuunko proposed negotiations between himself and a Republic envoy to take place on Rugosa, a neutral moon near Toydaria. The Chancellor agreed, and at the King's request, Palpatine also consented to send a Jedi to take part in the negotiations.

On Rugosa, Katuunko and the Toydarian royal delegation were greeted not only by the Jedi, but by Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress of the Confederacy as well. While Ventress proposed an alliance between the King and the Confederacy, the Jedi Order's Grand Master Yoda and several clone troopers were forced to land on the moon in an escape pod after their ship was attacked by Confederate frigates. Although Ventress claimed the attack was proof of the Confederacy's superiority, Katuunko still wished to meet with Yoda, and so agreed to a challenge set forth by Ventress. If her troops were able to capture Yoda before he could reach the King, Toydaria would join the Confederacy; however, if Yoda managed to evade Ventress and her droids, the King would pledge his alliance to the Republic.

While Katuunko remained alongside Ventress, Yoda and his small force of clone troopers trekked across the coral moon of Rugosa, combating and evading the Confederate droid forces. The Toydarian became increasingly disturbed with Ventress's tactics and dishonesty, and eventually rejected the Confederacy's offer, leading to an assassination attempt at the hands of the Dark Jedi. However, Yoda and his clone troopers succeeded in their mission, arriving at the King's location just in time to prevent his assassination. The grateful Katuunko then promised his unwavering service to the Republic shortly before departing Rugosa alongside Yoda.

King of Toydaria
"Your treaty with the Hutts may make you a guest in these parts, but we still remain neutral in your war.''" "''Neutrality may be a luxury you cannot afford, King."

- Katuunko and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

Katuunko was a male Toydarian who served as king of the planet Toydaria during the Clone Wars, the galaxy-wide conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In 22 BBY, the Republic was able to broker a treaty with the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure, which would permit Republic forces to travel freely through Hutt Space, a region that incorporated Toydaria. Although he was officially subservient to Hutt interests, Katuunko preferred to keep an independent mind in matters he could control. As such, he remained skeptical of the Republic's intentions in Hutt Space, as Toydaria was a strategically valuable world to both the Grand Army of the Republic and the Confederacy's Droid Army, as it rested along major space lanes. This placement also put Toydaria under constant danger from pirate attacks from which the King sought protection, and Katuunko conceded that he would need to ally with one of the two warring factions.

While traveling in his personal star yacht, the Thief's Eye, Katuunko was contacted by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic. The Chancellor informed Katuunko that the Republic had need of Toydaria, and wished to use the planet as a staging ground for the war effort. Although he preferred not to join the Confederacy, the King was unwilling to throw support blindly to the Republic, and so proposed a diplomatic rendezvous for negotiations to the Chancellor, under the condition that Toydaria would not be strong-armed into an agreement under threat of force. The Chancellor agreed; however, Katuunko had one additional request: the Republic emissary was to be a member of the Jedi Order, as the King had always been interested in meeting a Jedi. Palpatine did not want to dispatch a Jedi to Toydaria, as the world was close to Confederate space. Katuunko used a chance cube to select Rugosa, a moon near Toydaria, as the site of the negotiations. Palpatine agreed to the King's conditions, and Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order was dispatched to serve as the Republic's ambassador.

Unbeknownst to both Katuunko and Palpatine, their communication had been intercepted by the Confederacy's newly constructed Skytop Station, a listening outpost in the Hoth's Brand system. Count Dooku, the Confederacy's Head of State, hoped to make Toydaria an ally of the Confederacy, and so dispatched his apprentice, the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress, to initiate negotiations on his behalf.

Negotiations on Rugosa
As the Thief's Eye arrived on Rugosa, Katuunko and two of his guards were greeted by Asajj Ventress and a pair of B1 battle droids. Ventress presented the Toydarian royal delegation with a communication from Count Dooku himself, who claimed the Jedi were incapable of protecting themselves and therefore would be unable to protect Toydaria. To reinforce his point, the Count laid a trap for the Republic diplomatic cruiser, which had arrived in orbit moments before. The cruiser, which carried Jedi Master Yoda and a small contingent of clone troopers for security, came under heavy fire from two Confederate frigates. The Republic vessel was forced to retreat; however, Master Yoda refused to abandon his mission, and boarded an escape pod along with the clone troopers Thire, Jek, and Rys. The pod was launched to the moon's surface shortly before the cruiser made its escape.

On Rugosa's surface, Katuunko debated with the Count over the abilities of the Jedi and the droid army. After Dooku ceased his communication, the King witnessed the Republic cruiser retreat into hyperspace, and it was assumed the Jedi had abandoned the negotiations. Ventress hoped the retreat would seal Toydaria's fate as a Confederate world; however, she was interrupted by a communication from Master Yoda, whose escape pod had just landed not far from the King, in the coral forests that covered most of Rugosa. As King Katuunko informed Yoda of Dooku's proposal, Asajj Ventress suggested that Toydaria's alliance be decided by a challenge of Yoda's skill. She proposed that she would send her best droid troops to capture the Jedi Master; if Yoda managed to escape, Toydaria would join the Republic. However, if Yoda was defeated, Katuunko would consider an alliance with the Confederacy. The King protested the contest, as he did not request the Jedi's presence for him to fight; however, the Grand Master agreed to the terms before ending his communication. The King insisted on a term of his own to Ventress&mdash;Yoda was to be given a fair fight. Ventress agreed, however she had no intention of keeping her word, as a C-9979 troop ship soon landed and began deploying a full battalion of battle droids and Armored Assault Tanks tasked with hunting down the Jedi Master.

King Katuunko remained alongside Ventress and monitored the Jedi's progress through his rangefinder as the droids chased Yoda and the clones through the coral forests. Ventress received regular updates on the mission from her droid commander, 224, while Master Yoda would periodically contact the King. Katuunko repeatedly debated with Ventress on the likelihood of Yoda's success, angering her until she eventually destroyed his communicator with her bare hand. During their trek to the rendezvous point, Yoda and his clones seemingly became trapped after entering a canyon while followed by a column of droids and tanks. Yoda revealed himself to the droids, who surrounded the Jedi and contacted Ventress for orders on how to proceed. Instead of capturing the surrendered Jedi Master, Ventress ordered that he be fired upon. Katuunko witnessed the ensuing skirmish from afar, commenting that Master Yoda's surrender was generating an unusual amount of smoke. After Ventress learned of 224's destruction at Yoda's hand, the King claimed that all rumors about the power of the Jedi were true, provoking the Dark Acolyte to break the terms of the competition and order droidekas to enter the battle.

Assassination attempt
"Perhaps our negotiations will be more fruitful with your successor. Ventress, kill him!"

- Count Dooku, ordering Katuunko's assassination

Despite Ventress's efforts, Yoda and the clones were able to destroy all of the droids and continue their journey. King Katuunko, fully convinced that the contest was over, contacted Count Dooku to inform him that his allegiance would be given to the Republic. Although Dooku urged the King to reconsider, Katuunko was adamant in his support of the Republic, and claimed he would not deal with those who broke their word, as Ventress had when she broke the terms of the competition by attempting to overwhelm Yoda with the droidekas. Dooku decided that negotiations with Katuunko's successor would be more productive, and ordered his apprentice to kill the Toydarian. Ventress Force-pushed Katuunko's guards away and moved in to kill the King with her paired lightsabers; however, she was stopped mid-strike by Master Yoda, who had arrived just in time to telekinetically halt her attack with the Force. After Ventress was disarmed and her droid escorts were destroyed by Yoda's clone troopers, Yoda encouraged her to surrender. However, Dooku's minion had no intention of being captured by the Republic, and detonated explosives she had planted on a hill beside Katuunko, causing a landslide. While Master Yoda used the Force to halt the falling rocks and save the lives of his clones and the King, Ventress escaped Rugosa on her solar sailer.

With the Confederacy no longer on Rugosa, Master Yoda hoped to begin negotiations with King Katuunko. However, Katuunko claimed negotiations were unnecessary, as Master Yoda had proven himself and the Republic worthy of Toydaria's faith. The King unsheathed a ceremonial Toydarian sword and presented it to Yoda, entrusting the protection of his planet to the Jedi and proclaiming the Toydarian people to be at the service of the Republic. Shortly after, Katuunko was ferried up to a Republic Venator-class Star Destroyer in an LAAT/i gunship alongside Yoda, the clones, and the Toydarian guards.

Work in the Senate
"By adding more clones to the conflict, we are only escalating destruction, not winning the war."

- Senator Padmé Amidala's address to the Senate

As a Republic member world, Toydaria was granted representation in the Galactic Senate. Katuunko was part of the Toydarian senatorial delegation when Senator Halle Burtoni of Kamino proposed that the Senate approve an increase in the production of clone troops. Although Burtoni's proposal was widely supported, an opposition faction organized by Senators Onaconda Farr and Padmé Amidala introduced a bill to the Senate that would decrease military spending within the Republic and halt the production of clone troopers. Senator Amidala herself took to the Senate floor to appeal to her colleagues for more votes in support of the hotly debated bill. Katuunko was present in the Senate's Grand Convocation Chamber as Amidala made her address, which was met with much praise. In the following days, the Senate was wracked by intrigue with the deaths of Senator Farr and Umbaran Senator Mee Deechi. Despite the strange turn of events, the vote on the bill proceeded, and Amidala's and Farr's resolution was turned down.

Personality and traits
"I will not deal with those who break their words."

- King Katuunko, to Count Dooku

Although his position as Toydarian king placed him as a servant of the Hutts, Katuunko did what he could to remain independent. He was also strongly compassionate and cared deeply for his world; he was willing to side with the Separatists if it meant keeping his people safe from the carnage of the Clone Wars. He was shrewd enough to understand the lucrative position his world held for the Republic and Confederacy. The King also understood that this position put Toydaria under constant threat, and he would need an alliance with one of the major galactic powers in order to protect his people. Although Katuunko was preferential to the Republic, he was skeptical of its intentions in Hutt Space and so was unwilling to blindly enter into a Republic treaty.

Katuunko instead allowed for negotiations to take place; however, he insisted that military power was not to be used to force an agreement, and he refused to take part in negotiations at blaster point or with warships orbiting overhead. While the King was surprised with being greeted by Dooku and Ventress on Rugosa, he did not send them away, as he wished the best for his people and wanted to join whichever faction could offer Toydaria the best protection, whether it was the Confederacy or the Republic. Although Katuunko was displeased with the contest on Rugosa, he permitted it to take place, as he wished to see a show of force from both the Confederacy and Republic.

His curiosity and fascination with the Jedi allowed the Republic's mission to succeed; but his dedication to honesty and honor almost resulted in his death. After informing Count Dooku of his aversion to the Confederacy's tactics of deception and intimidation, he was nearly assassinated by Asajj Ventress. However, even with two lightsaber blades inches from his head, Katuunko remained undaunted.

The Toydarian also showed a sense of humor, even in a serious situation such as the Mission on Rugosa. After seeing the carnage immediately following 224's report of Yoda's surrender, Katuunko commented with a snicker "That's a lot of smoke for a surrender."

Behind the scenes
Katuunko first appeared in the online comic Prelude, which served as a preview for the first episode of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series on Cartoon Network, "Ambush."

In the episode, Katuunko is voiced by Brian George, who would return later in the series to portray Pantoran Chairman Chi Cho in the episode "Trespass". Katuunko was designed to be clearly different visually than any other Toydarian in the Star Wars saga, particularily Watto from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The intentional variations included his large stomach, his unusual beard, and his rangefinder inspired by the Flash Gordon series.

An image caption in Galaxy at War mistakenly spells Katuunko's name as "Katunnko."

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: Prelude
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ambush
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Ambush

Notes and references
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