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- "May there be prosperity and stability in all our Republic lands! May our people be free and safe! Long live the banks!"
- ―Sheev Palpatine
The InterGalactic Banking Clan (IGBC), also known simply as the Galactic Banking Clan or as the Banking Clan, was one of the most influential commerce guilds during the waning days of the Galactic Republic and the most important organization in the Outer Rim.[14] It was governed by the Core Five from the Main Vault located on the Outer Rim world Scipio.[2] The Banking Clan survived into the reign of the Galactic Empire, but the guild found itself embroiled in a series of trade wars with the Hutt Clan.[15]
History[]
Republic Era[]
During the time after the fall of the Old Republic and rise of the Galactic Republic, the settlers of the world of Eriadu lacked the funds needed for mining, processing, and shipping lommite ore, so they were forced to get high-interest loans from the Banking Clan. However, hyperspace travel from their location to the Core Worlds required use of hyperspace beacons and reversions to realspace, meaning ore shipments were often delayed or lost. Until entrepreneurs from the Core planet of Corulag intervened, Eriadu risked becoming a client world to the bankers because of their growing debts.[16]
Since it left the aurodium standard, the Republic partnered with major banks, including the Banking Clan, to keep a credit reserve. This was to ensure the Republic's money remained stable.[4] During the Separatist Crisis, the organization joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and its chairman, San Hill, was given a place on the Separatist Council.[12] However, the Banking Clan continued to conduct business with the Republic during the Clone Wars, though at exorbitant interest rates.[7] By working with both sides, it was seen as a neutral party.[2]
Republic control[]
- "I believe in the banks. The system works. The Muuns aren't bad people. It's just a dishonest few who are destroying everything for their own gain."
- ―Rush Clovis
At least in part due to their alliance with the Separatists, who failed to pay back their loans and the interest on them out of concern for the corruption present amongst the Core Five,[17] the Banking Clan was at the verge of bankruptcy as the Clone Wars neared its close.[2] In truth, much of the corruption was pro-Confederacy, with the Core Five allowing the Separatists to take money out without interest. However, Count Dooku moved to topple the Core Five[17] to ensure his Sith Master, Darth Sidious, could take control of the banks.[3] After Senator Padmé Amidala traveled to Scipio to secure aid for civilians displaced by the war, she was informed of a scheme by the Core Five to steal from each bank account from an old romantic partner, Senator Rush Clovis.[2]
After Amidala was able to recover the evidence and return it to Coruscant, Clovis was then chosen to be the next head of the banks. Because he was only able to reach the position with help from Dooku,[17] Clovis was forced to raise rates on the Republic and respect a Separatist military presence on Scipio. The Republic then countered with an invasion of Scipio, bringing the banks into the control of the Office of the Supreme Chancellor. Unbeknownst to everyone, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's was but the alter-ego of Darth Sidious, who gained more political power in time for his eventual galactic takeover. Despite the Republic control of the banks,[3] the Muunilinst Banking Clan under San Hill continued to support the Confederacy[18] and became entrenched on their stronghold of Mygeeto.[5] Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi was dispatched in reaction, leading the 21st Nova Corps against the battle droids until he was executed by his own clone troopers during Order 66.[18]
Imperial Era[]
Having survived the Clone Wars, the Banking Clan continued to do business into the reign of the Galactic Empire, although found itself in a competition with the Hutt Clan known as the trade wars. The Clan's Vice Chairman, the Muun Anolo—who resided on Mygeeto and had come into possession of Ki-Adi-Mundi's lightsaber, which the Jedi General had dropped after being killed—plotted to wage a subtle trade war with the Hutts for the control of their smuggling routes, hiring a Givin codebreaker to advise them on what moves to make; the Givin's brain was linked to the Imperial algorithm that generated security codes. However, Jabba the Hutt came to learn of the Givin and desired to kidnap him to help his smuggling operations, so he hired the veteran bounty hunter Greedo to lead a team to Mygeeto to capture the Givin.[15]
Greedo kills a Banking Clan guard during his mission to kidnap a Givin codebreaker.
Making their presence known by firing a sniper shot into the Vice Chairman's office, Anolo instantly sought to evacuate the tower, and Greedo ordered his team of mercenaries to attack the front gates as Anolo and the Givin fled; thus, the Vice Chairman and codebreaker had moved to walls that were weaker than those in the Muun's office and were away from most of the Banking Clan guards, as most of them were dispatched to the front gates. Anolo understood the Hutts were behind the operation, knowing the capture of the Givin could heavily impact the trade wars, but the codebreaker understood the mercenaries had tricked them, and Greedo, joined by Kadas'sa'Nikto operative Takvaa, broke into the room via an explosion at one of the walls. Despite being outnumbered, the two engaged the guards, with Greedo using Takvaa as a living shield to block an electrified baton. With all guards in his immediate vicinity dead, Greedo murdered Anolo, having been reminded by the Vice Chairman that the Banking Clan would never allow him to kidnap the codebreaker and someone with such a high rank.[15]
However, a new team of guards arrived and were instantly angered by the murder, running at Greedo and making the codebreaker state that the bounty hunter's chances of success had fallen. While being chased, the Rodian locked himself and the Givin in Anolo's office by shooting the door controls after entering, which only lessened their chances at escape because it was the only exit. Learning from the Givin that his blaster pistol would not break the glass of the office windows, Greedo spotted and used Mundi's lightsaber to break the glass as the Muun guards used their heavy blasters to melt through the door. However, Greedo overestimated the strength of the grabbling line the mercenaries fired from their Bantha-II cargo skiff, so the codebreaker fell to his death, robbing both the Banking Clan and Jabba of the Givin's skills. For his failure, Jabba nearly killed Greedo by dropping him into his rancor pit, only stopping when Ithorian collector Dok-Ondar offered to buy Mundi's lightsaber.[15]
Legacy[]
In 34 ABY,[19] Dok-Ondar told the story of how he had come to own Mundi's lightsaber to stormtroopers of the First Order.[15]
Behind the scenes[]
According to Pablo Hidalgo of the Lucasfilm Story Group, Muunilinst was a "colony" of the Banking Clan.[20]
Appearances[]
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "An Old Friend"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Crisis at the Heart"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Rise of the Separatists
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Star Wars: Complete Locations
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "An Old Friend" Episode Guide – The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Pursuit of Peace"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Revival"
- ↑ Mygeeto in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Solo: A Star Wars Story The Official Guide
- ↑ InterGalactic Banking Clan in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ Battlefront: Twilight Company
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Galaxy's Edge 2
- ↑ Tarkin
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Rise of Clovis"
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ Galaxy's Edge: Black Spire begins concurrent with the events of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, then jumps four months ahead to the Resistance establishing its presence on Batuu, and concludes with an epilogue set several weeks later, when the First Order occupies the planet and the Battle of Batuu begins. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is also set during the occupation of Batuu and depicts the Battle of Batuu via the attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The Star Wars Book dates the Battle of Batuu to 34 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which corresponds to 34 ABY according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary also places the Battle of Batuu six months after The Force Awakens, which Galactic Atlas dates to 34 ABY. Therefore everything within Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and any related tie-in media depicting the Battle of Batuu, or set between The Force Awakens and the battle, must also occur in 34 ABY.
- ↑ Pablo Hidalgo (@pablohidalgo) on Twitter: "Correct." (screenshot)
