Separatist Council

"Our friends from the Trade Federation have pledged their support, and when their battle droids are combined with yours, we shall have an army greater than any in the galaxy."

―Count Dooku, to the council on Geonosis^[src]

The Separatist Council was a governing body, led by Count Dooku, within the Confederacy of Independent Systems. It was made up of a number of Separatist leaders from the various major powers that backed the Separatist cause during the Clone Wars, including the Trade Federation, the Techno Union, the Corporate Alliance, the Commerce Guild, and the InterGalactic Banking Clan.^[1] The entire Council was slaughtered by Darth Vader on Mustafar at the end of the war in 19 BBY, bringing an end to the Confederacy leadership.^[2]

History[edit | edit source]

Dooku and the Council meet on Geonosis prior to the Clone Wars.

Before the Confederacy of Independent Systems was founded, Count Dooku of Serenno secretly allied with major galactic corporations, including the Techno Union, Commerce Guild, and Trade Federation. While joining the Count was a risk, becoming one of the Confederacy's founding corporations offered them special privileges, and the chief privilege was that the corporation would gain a seat on the Council.^[4]

In 22 BBY,^[source?] the Council members were present on Geonosis and planned with Count Dooku to combat the Galactic Republic. By the time of their meeting, the Trade Federation of Viceroy Nute Gunray had pledged their Droid Army to Dooku, and the other corporations decided to do the same.^[1] During the Clone Wars, the Council acted as the secret group behind the civilian Separatist Senate, which dealt with civil matters, with the Council dealing with military matters and funding. Its members were mostly fueled by self-interest and greed.^[5]

After the Battle of Coruscant in 19 BBY,^[3] which saw the death of their leader Count Dooku, the Council members were placed under the protection of General Grievous, now the official leader of the Confederacy. On orders of Dooku's former master, Darth Sidious, Grievous ordered the Council to relocate to the planet of Mustafar. The Council members left Utapau just before a battle broke out on the planet between the Republic and the Confederacy, which resulted in Grievous' death at the hands of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Soon afterwards, they were brutally murdered on Mustafar by Sidious' new apprentice, Darth Vader, on orders of the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, who had no further use for any of the Council members following his transformation of the Republic into the tyrannical Galactic Empire. The Confederacy itself soon collapsed with the deactivation of its droid armies and the takeover of its assets by the Empire.^[2]

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Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

In Revenge of the Sith, an unidentified Separatist is seated next to Tikkes on Utapau. Without any speaking lines or focus on the character, however, it is not clear if this Separatist was part of the Separatist Council or merely an aide.^[2]