Yuuzhan Vong

For the language, see Yuuzhan Vong (language).

Warning: This infobox is missing the following parameters: class, haircolor, eyecolor, races, length, language, diet, subspecies, skincolor, feathers, habitat, lifespan, wingspan, mass, distinctions

"For all the evil the enemy do, they aren't dark, exactly—the enemy are entirely outside the Force."

―Jacen Solo

The Yuuzhan Vong ("Children of Yun-Yuuzhan", sometimes incorrectly abbreviated Vong, which implied insult) were a race of sentients who, along with the enslaved Chazrach, posed a significant threat to the New Republic.

The Yuuzhan Vong and their Chazrach slaves were the only alien species known to originate outside the Galaxy (with, apparently, the exception of the Kwa). The Yuuzhan Vong resembled Humans in form, though they were taller and heavier than the average Human and had less hair on their heads.

The Yuuzhan Vong were religious zealots who viewed mechanical technology as blasphemy. Their technological innovations were genetically engineered and purely organic, which gave them a distinct advantage in battle. Additionally, the Yuuzhan Vong deeply respected pain, and strove to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Such grafting was a status symbol within Yuuzhan Vong society,

Notably, the Yuuzhan Vong were not touched by the Force. This confounded the Jedi who first encountered the Yuuzhan Vong because virtually all life forms have a Force energy signature in one way or another.

Society description

The Yuuzhan Vong functioned in a caste system. They ranged from the powerful one-person Supreme Overlord caste to the lowly oppressed Worker caste. Below is a list of the major castes. Not much is known of their economic system, but appeared to be a command economy, and their political system was obviously a combination of theocracy or autocracy.

Supreme Overlord

The highest caste is the one-person Supreme Overlord who commands all the other castes.

During the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of the Galaxy, the Supreme Overlord was Shimrra Jamaane (or so it was believed). Only the Supreme Overlord has direct communication with Yun-Yuuzhan, the Supreme and Creator God of the Yuuzhan Vong.

Shaper caste

The shapers were the scientists who supervised the biotechnology of the Yuuzhan Vong. They concentrated on the creation and development of organic technology. Together with the priests, the shapers observed arcane rituals in the development and use of organic technology. The shapers ranked very highly in Yuuzhan Vong society and ranks of the shaper caste included Master Shaper, Shaper Adept, and Shaper Initiate.

Priest caste

The priest caste had considerable power in this rigidly theocratic society. The members of the priest caste served the many lesser deities that ruled the Yuuzhan Vong. There were several sects, each for the worship of a different Yuuzhan Vong deity. Ranks of the priest caste included Most-High Priest(ess), High Priest(ess), Priest(ess), Seer, and Novice.

Warrior caste

The warrior caste served as the armies of the Yuuzhan Vong and was one of the largest castes. They were trained from an early age to excel in combat. Warriors were also more aggressive than other Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the warrior caste included the Warmaster, Supreme Commander, Commander, Subaltern and Warrior. Notable warriors included Tsavong Lah, Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong. Their chief weapon was the amphistaff, which resembled a deadly serpent capable of spitting venom or coiling around foes. The warriors were devotees of the Slayer, Yun-Yammka, and seek honor in combat. They wear the living Vonduun crab armor which was capable of resisting blaster fire or lightsabers.

Intendant caste

The intendant caste worked to keep Yuuzhan Vong society functioning and was responsible for the Yuuzhan Vong economy. It was in charge of matters of commerce, bureaucracy, trade and the management of the sizable slave work force employed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Notable intendants include Nom Anor, the deadliest enemy of the Jedi. Members of the Intendant Caste could come from either the Shaper or Warrior Castes. Ranks of the intendant caste include High Prefect, Prefect, Consul, Executor and Attendant. Shimrra was formerly an intendant, before becoming Supreme Overlord.

Worker caste

The worker caste was the largest yet lowest caste and served mainly as servants, slaves and laborers. The worker caste includes Shamed Ones, Yuuzhan Vong whose bodies have rejected the organic implants and modifications; Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste; Yuuzhan Vong who have failed to succeed in other castes and species that have been conquered, such as the Chazrach, a reptilian race from the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy; and Shaped Slave races from the Galaxy, such as the Vagh Rodiek which were Rodians shaped to be war beasts. Slaves and the so-called Shamed Ones (fallen members of society) are technically part of the worker castes, but they are treated with contempt even by their fellow workers, though technically Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste are descended from Shamed Ones.

History

Early history

The Yuuzhan Vong were refugees from a distant galaxy. Their original homeworld, Yuuzhan'tar was destroyed thousands of standard years ago.

Yuuzhan'tar was a sentient planet and almost all their technology was organic. They were a peaceful species living as symbionts with their homeworld until they were subjugated by a technologically advanced species. They cried out to Yuuzhan'tar, who bestowed upon them the knowledge of how to turn living resources into weapons.

Eventually, the invaders were driven back when the Yuuzhan Vong struck back fiercely, conquering the invaders and in the process becoming warlike. They then subjugated other alien civilizations in a crusade to rid their galaxy of technology including the reptilian Chazrach, which became slave soldiers. As a result, they fell out of favor with Yuuzhan'tar and were stripped of the Force. The Yuuzhan Vong then retaliated against their homeworld and destroyed it. In its place, they formed a number of deities. After conquering their galaxy, the species was divided into various clans, called Domains, that fought each other in a conflict known as the Cremlevian War. During the war, the warrior Steng became the first Warmaster. His chief enemy was the rival Warmaster Yo'gand. The war ended when Yo'gand used the Yo'gand's Core tactic to destroy Yzgiir, the homeworld of a rival clan. Steng was killed in battle with Yo'gand. Succeeded in uniting the species, Yo'gand became the first Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, though most of the galaxy had been devastated. As a result, the Yuuzhan Vong were forced to leave their galaxy in massive Koros-strohna World Ships.

During this journey through the Void, the region between the galaxies, the Yuuzhan Vong nearly destroyed themselves. Violence and competition had been built into their society, and without an external target, they focused their aggression against each other. There were no all out wars like the Cremlevian War, but the Domains continued to fight each other for the favor of the Supreme Overlords.

Pre-invasion

When the Vong left their galaxy, how long their voyage took, or if they even knew what their destination would be, is unknown. What is known is that, as of 3,963 BBY, at least one scout had reached the known Galaxy. In that year, a group of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders under Canderous Ordo encountered what would later come to be known as a Yorik-Stronha, disguised as an asteroid in the Crispin system. It fled beyond the edge of the Galaxy once discovered.

Between 229 and 89 BBY, the living planet Zonama Sekot—a seed of Yuuzhan'tar—arrived in the Gardaji Rift. In 32 BBY, an advanced force of Yuuzhan Vong—termed "Far-Outsiders" by the planet's inhabitants—discovered Zonama, and noting the similarity to Yuuzhan'tar (though not drawing the connection) attempted to colonize it. However, when the Vong attempted to settle, Zonama Sekot's biosphere killed off the Vong flora and fauna, provoking outrage from them. Although Sekot attempted to negotiate with them, they began an assault upon the planet. After two years of Sekotan defense, at a high cost, the assault was called off after the arrival of the Jedi Knight Vergere, who demanded the attack cease in return for going with the Vong. That agreed to, the Vong force departed with the Jedi towards the Unknown Regions.

Information of Vong activity within the Galaxy for the next few decades is scarce. It is known that, by 27 BBY, Palpatine had somehow gained knowledge of the incoming Vong fleet; he planned to withhold it from the Republic until after his New Order could be instituted. At least two of his subordinates, Kinman Doriana and Thrawn, were informed, however, and part of the reason Palpatine ordered the destruction of Outbound Flight was to prevent its occupants from falling into the hands of the Vong.

It was also around this time that a small advance force of Vong engaged the Chiss Expansionary Defence Force, on the edge of the Chiss Ascendancy. Although the Chiss Admiral Ar'alani managed to defeat the force, the Vong fought much better than the Chiss had believed such a small fleet was capable of. The appearance of the Outbound Flight shortly afterwards led the CEDF high command to wonder for a short time if the invaders and the Republic were allies.

Palpatine let out hints of the Vong to the public, however; one of his official justifications for maintaining the Imperial Navy after the end of the Clone Wars was to ward off the threat of extra-galactic invasion. It is also known that around 25 BBY, the Vong established a base on the planet Bimmiel; after the formation of the Galactic Empire, Imperial scientists also established a base on that planet, suggesting that Palpatine might have had direct contact with the invaders.

Sometime between being dispatched to the Unknown Regions in 3 ABY and his return in 9 ABY, now-Grand Admiral Thrawn apparently encountered the advanced Vong force hiding in the Unknown Regions. The threat of the advancing invaders was one of his primary motivations for trying to reunify the Empire, as he felt that the Empire stood a much better chance against the Vong than did the New Republic.

The Yuuzhan Vong advance scouts themselves shared that sentiment. After the formation of the Imperial Interim Council in 11 ABY, following the final death of the reborn Emperor Palpatine, Vong agent Nom Anor was tasked to infiltrate the Council. He did so and manipulated its leader, Xandel Carivus, arranging the deaths of many Councilors and furthering the internecine strifes that led to the fatal fracturing of the Imperial Remnant.

It is roughly around this time that the Vong began meddling in the high politics of the Ssi Ruuvi Imperium. They installed one of their own, E'thinaa, into a high military post, and manipulated the rise to power of the Keeramak, with the goal of eventual use of the Ssi-Ruuvi in their invasion.

In 22 ABY, Vong agent Yomin Carr infiltrated the ExGal Society, stationing himself at the ExGal-4 base located along Vector Prime at Helska 4.

In 24 ABY, just before the planned start of the invasion, Supreme Overlord Quoreal began to waver. Zonama Sekot was no longer in it's original system, and there was no evidence that it had been destroyed. Worried about the possibility of once more encountering Zonama Sekot, he developed the opinion that it would be best to move on to another galaxy. However, under the influence of Onimi, Shimrra Jamaane, with the support of some of the more aggressive Domains, launched a coup, murdered Quoreal and took his place, ensuring that the invasion would go forth as planned.

Invasion of the Galaxy

On the distant world Rhommamool, the Yuuzhan Vong agent Nom Anor, disguised as the leader of the Red Knights of Life, stirred up rebellion between Rhommamool and its neighbor Osarian. The same agent was also responsible for infecting Mara Jade Skywalker and a hundred others with a fatal Yuuzhan Vong disease. As a result, elite Praetorite Yuuzhan Vong conquered Helska IV and brought down Sernpidal's moon upon the planet killing millions including the famous Wookiee Chewbacca. The Yuuzhan Vong also encountered the Jedi, whom they considered the worst of a galaxy of infidels.

The Yuuzhan Vong then began attacking worlds in their path with much ease. Bimmiel, Dantooine, Dubrillion, Obroa-Skai were among the many worlds captured while Ithor was turned into a fireball and rendered uninhabitable. Soon arose the problem of refugees from shattered planets that the government could not ignore. The Government began to blame the Jedi for starting the conflict with the aliens. Knowing that the Jedi were their worst enemies, they offered the galaxy a ceasefire in exchange that the Jedi be handed over to them. Then in a shock tactic, the invaders launched an attack on the other side of the galaxy at the planet Fondor which was close to the capital Coruscant itself. During the Battle of Fondor, the Yuuzhan Vong suffered heavy losses when Centerpoint Station was fired by Han Solo's cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo.

The Yuuzhan Vong eventually struck a deal with the Hutts that allowed them to pass through Hutt Space unmolested. But the Hutts were betrayed, and their worlds were attacked. The Peace Brigade, an organization which supported the Yuuzhan Vong, was formed through Yuuzhan Vong agents. This organization also helped the Yuuzhan Vong capture Jedi. On Yavin 4, Yuuzhan Vong of the oppressed Shamed Ones came to admire the Jedi after a shamed Vong Vua Rapuung helped Anakin Solo rescue Tahiri Veila and as a result, a heresy was formed that infiltrated all levels of Yuuzhan Vong society- particularly the underclass. With Coruscant rapidly becoming surrounded, the Yuuzhan Vong created the fearsome Voxyn beasts that hunted force sensitive individuals. A Jedi strike team lead by Anakin Solo then destroyed the Voxyn breeding facility, though most of the team was slain, including Anakin. On Coruscant, the Yuuzhan Vong captured the planet after a long battle, in the course of which Chief of State Borsk Fey'lya killed himself and 25,000 Yuuzhan Vong warriors. The Yuuzhan Vong had Coruscant terraformed and renamed Yuuzhan'tar, after their original homeworld.

The terraforming of Coruscant was sabotaged by the Jedi Knight Jacen Solo. The New Republic, having moved its capital to Mon Calamari, elected Cal Omas to replace Fey'lya and the self-proclaimed Chief of State, Pwoe, and prepared to attack the weary Yuuzhan Vong. At the same time the Alpha Red Project, which would have destroyed the Yuuzhan Vong and their organic technology was destroyed by Vergere. The Yuuzhan Vong were then lured to the Deep Core moon Ebaq 9, and their task force was destroyed. On Ebaq 9, Warmaster Tsavong Lah was slain by Jaina Solo and Vergere sacrificed herself to eliminate the rest of the invaders. After the battle, the New Republic reorganized into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances (Galactic Alliance or GFFA for short).

After the victory, the Galactic Alliance heroes Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, and the Twin Suns Squadron headed out to find powerful allies while the Jedi Luke Skywalker began a mission to find the legendary living planet Zonama Sekot. The Jedi stumbled upon a Yuuzhan Vong attack against the Imperial Remnant and helped fight the invaders off, and gained a powerful ally. Meanwhile, the Yuuzhan Vong Nom Anor, disguised as the prophet Yu'Shaa, began stirring up heresy on Yuuzhan'tar (formerly Coruscant) posing as a Shamed One after fleeing the wrath of Supreme Overlord Shimrra for suggesting the disastrous Ebaq 9 mission.

Luke's team headed into Chiss space to obtain information on the Unknown Regions and hopefully Zonama Sekot. Meanwhile, Han and Leia's team went to Bakura, where they thwarted a Ssi-Ruuk invasion. The Jedi searched the Chiss libraries for the missing planet. Later, the Jedi located Zonama Sekot, but so did the Yuuzhan Vong. Sekot drove off the attackers as the Jedi landed on its surface. Meanwhile Han and Leia attempted to bring a communication station in the Unknown Regions back online while the Jedi negotiated with the living world to help them in the war.

However, Yuuzhan Vong operatives stole one of Zonama Sekot's organic starships and the Shaper Nen Yim discovered that Sekotan technology was extremely similar to Yuuzhan Vong technology and that her people had gone terribly astray. Nom Anor disguised as Yu'Shaa along with Nen Yim and the priest Harrar arrived on Zonama Sekot where they discovered that many of the species from their galaxy could be found on the planet. A plot by Nom Anor to destroy the living world was luckily foiled. Han and Leia also managed rescue hundreds of high-ranking Alliance prisoners facing sacrifice to the enemy's gods. The Galactic Alliance prepared a fleet to defend Mon Calamari from the invaders while another Alliance fleet engaged the Yuuzhan Vong at Coruscant. In the end, the puppet Supreme Overlord Shimrra was killed, the real leader revealed as Onimi. Onimi was killed as well, and the Yuuzhan Vong were defeated. Nas Choka, Lah's successor as Warmaster, became de facto Supreme Overlord, and ordered the warriors to surrender. The Yuuzhan Vong were then placed under the living planet Zonama Sekot's jurisdiction.

Post-invasion

Zonama Sekot then revealed itself to be the seed of the long-dead original Yuuzhan Vong homeworld. One of the surrender terms the Galactic Alliance placed before the Yuuzhan Vong was that they were to help rebuild Coruscant. The Galactic Alliance moved its capital to Denon and eventually back to Coruscant after the rebuilding was complete.

After the cease-fire, the remaining Vong were recalled from across the Galaxy to Zonama. Zonama, with its Yuuzhan Vong, disappeared back into the Unknown Regions, so that the Vong could live in peace and renew their relationship with Sekot. Already they planned to attempt to abolish their caste system, and had already eliminated the posts of Warmaster and Supreme Overlord (though Choka seemed to remain the de facto leader of the species).

The Bothans, however, were unforgiving for the death of Fey'lya, and declared a state of ar'kai genocide against the Vong, sending ships into the Unknown Regions to hunt for Zonama. By 36 ABY, however, their primary efforts had been foiled by the Alliance, which had impounded the ship detailed for the expedition.

The Yuuzhan Vong invasion was possibly the most devastating crisis the galaxy had faced. The cost of the actions of the Yuuzhan Vong was very dear; the number of deaths over the known galaxy that resulted from the invasion was estimated at about 365 trillion sentients - equal to 61 thousand worlds with a population of 6 billion each.

Technology

See main article.

The Yuuzhan Vong used only living things, whether it was for ships, weapons, or everyday objects. They hated droids, machines, electronics, and anything manufactured. Some common weapons that they used are listed below.

Deities

The Yuuzhan Vong were devoutly religious and had many gods, citing their gods' desires as the reasons for their merciless conquering.

Yun-Yuuzhan

Yun-Yuuzhan, the creator, was the most powerful deity of the Yuuzhan Vong religion. He sacrificed most of his body parts to create the lesser deities and the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. Only the Supreme Overlord had direct contact with him.

Yun-Harla

Yun-Harla was the Trickster, the Cloaked Goddess and Goddess of deception and aggression. Yun Harla represented the political caste. Having learned this information, the New Republic military had their top pilot, Jaina Solo, codenamed "Trickster" and "Goddess" to terrorize the Yuuzhan Vong invaders, who would believe they were fighting the living form of one of their most powerful deities.

Yun-Yammka

Yun-Yammka was the Slayer and the god of war. He was primarily worshiped by the warrior caste.

Yun-Ne'Shel

Yun-Ne'Shel was the Modeler. She oversaw natural life cycles and was worshiped by the shaper caste.

Yun-Txiin and Yun-Q'aah (The Lover Gods)

Yun-Txiin and Yun-Q'aah were the Lover Gods and twins. Having a relationship outside one's caste was forbidden in Yuuzhan Vong society, and disobeying automatically led to sacrification to the Lover Gods.

Yun-Shuno

Yun-Shuno had a thousand eyes and watched over and spoke for the Shamed Ones, who were shunned by every other Yuuzhan Vong deity.

Culture

Yuuzhan Vong culture was unique from the rest of the galaxy. Not much is known about it, except for the fact that the entire race was religiously fanatic.

Music

The Yuuzhan Vong developed music as with most sentient species, although, as with the rest of their technology, their instruments were bioengineered from living matter. One notable and widely used instrument consisted of a pair of long-limbed crustaceans with their limbs locked in an extended position. These were connected to the body of an enormous drum-shaped creature by tendons which protrude, like translucent harp strings, creating both resonators and a sounding board. The ethereal, other worldly sounds created by these living instruments accompanied Yuuzhan Vong priests during their rituals.

Notable Yuuzhan Vong

Nom Anor, a member of the Intendant Caste whose duties included espionage. He was responsible for half of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the Galaxy and was one of the New Jedi Order's deadliest enemies.

Quoreal, the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong prior to the invasion. Killed by Shimrra.

Shimrra Jamaane, the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong during the invasion.

Onimi, Shimrra's jester and a Shamed One. Onimi was a former Master Shaper who added yammosk tissue to his brain, which made him powerful though it also made him "shamed". Seeing a chance of redemption, Onimi made Shimrra, an Intendant, his puppet and ruled the throne from behind the scenes.

Nen Yim, a Shaper. She traveled to the living world Zonama Sekot with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, where she learned that the peaceful living world Zonama Sekot is a seed of the original Yuuzhan'tar and that her species have gone terribly astray.

Tsavong Lah, Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong. Tsavong Lah was another of the New Jedi Order's deadliest enemies. He even offered to halt the invasion if the New Republic would turn over the Jedi. He was hideous, with many organic implants built into himself. Tsavong Lah was killed during the Battle of Ebaq 9, during a duel with Jaina Solo

Harrar, a Priest of Yun-Harla. He recognized the threat the Jedi represented early on, and consitently advocated their destruction. He travelled to Zonama Sekot with Nen Yim, where the planet's beauty struck him deeply. He was the first to renounce his species violent ways in favor of ending the War.

Nas Choka, Supreme Commander of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet, and Lah's successor as Warmaster. With the deaths of Shimrra and Onimi, Choka ordered the Yuuzhan Vong to surrender, thus ending the war.

Behind the scenes

The Yuuzhan Vong were created as the antagonists of the New Jedi Order series. Because of the controversy surrounding the series, the Yuuzhan Vong are often the target of fan criticism, such as being compared to Species 8472 from Star Trek Voyager.

Some parallels exist between the Yuuzhan Vong and other races in the EU: the Ssi-Ruuk, the Yevetha, and the Charon. The Yuuzhan Vong castes are very similar to the Ssi-Ruuvi castes, as well as their spirituality. The Yuuzhan Vong are similar to the Yevetha in that they nearly worship their leaders as gods. The Yuuzhan Vong's similarity to the Charon are that they are both extragalactic (though the Charon are from another dimension instead of another galaxy), they both use organic technology, and both have religious obsessions with death.

Appearances

Sources

Mission to Myrkr
The New Jedi Order Sourcebook
Ultimate Adversaries
Outbound Flight
Yuuzhan Vong in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)

Wookieepedia