In refusal of answering to an identification code, Kalani was the chosen name of an ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid of masculine programming who served as a general in the Separatist Droid Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. In 20 BBY, Kalani was ordered to the planet Onderon by Separatist leader, Count Dooku, after being requested of reinforcements by the appointed king, Sanjay Rash, in order to aid in a planetary civil war against a resistance movement, which had threatened the Confederacy's control over Onderon. However, after prolonged engagements and mounted losses of his forces, the super tactical droid assessed that the planet's besiegement would require additional time and resources, which had little interest to Dooku. As a result, Kalani was instructed by the count to call for an immediate withdrawal of his remaining forces and equipment and retreat to the planet Agamar, where he was to await further deployment.
Retreating to Agamar, Kalani and his forces awaited further instructions from Dooku in orbit of the planet in a DH-Omni Support Vessel. However, as the war progressed near its closure, the super tactical droid's ship was attacked by Galactic Republic forces, which resulted in the DH-Omni's crash on the surface of the planet. When the war did reach its end, Kalani received the order, alongside the rest of the Separatist Droid Army, to deactivate his droid forces and himself as the war had ended, but the super tactical droid, who believed it to be a Republic trick, refused to follow the order. As a result, Kalani remained on the surface of Agamar for several years.
Seventeen years after the war's end, Kalani and his still-active droid forces were encountered by a group of rebels who had traveled to Agamar in search of munitions for their fight against the Galactic Empire, the successor of the Republic. As a result, Kalani captured the rebels and forced them to engage in a coordinated battle simulation as a way to end the Clone Wars in the way he intended: a victory for the Separatist Alliance. However, amid their fighting, the Empire arrived on Agamar to destroy the assumed rebel forces on the planet, resulting in Kalani, his forces and the rebels joining forces to fight back and retreat from the planet. After the battle, Kalani, his droids and the rebels went their separate ways, with the super tactical droid assuming a small chance of the rebels staging a successful resistance against the Empire, and agreed that the Clone Wars was finally over.
Manufactured by Baktoid Armor Workshop, Kalani was an ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid with masculine programming who held the rank of general in the Confederacy of Independent Systems' Droid Army during the Clone Wars against the Galactic Republic. As a result of a refusal to answer to his identification number, the droid went by the name "Kalani" during his service to the Confederacy.
In 20 BBY, after King Sanjay Rash of the planet Onderon reported to Separatist Head of State, Count Dooku about the ongoing civil war with a group of rebels, Dooku, who was requested by Rash to send reinforcements, became displeased with the king's report and granted his request for additional Separatist forces, which were to be led by General Kalani, who was dispatched to the planet shortly after. After the super tactical droid's arrival, Kalani held up command over the droid army alongside King Rash from the throne room of Unifar Temple in the planet's capital city of Iziz. While in the temple, the droid estimated that it would be a matter of time before his forces could destroy the resistance, and also stated to General Akenathen Tandin of the planetary militia, who desired control over security, that the rebels were likely receiving aid from within the ranks of the militia.
Shortly thereafter, Kalani and Tandin proceeded to identify one of the rebels, Steela Gerrera, who spoke out against Rash and the droid army, as well as Lux Bonteri, the son of the deceased Senator Mina Bonteri, which Kalani was not made aware of previously, nearly resulting in a small fight between the droid and Tandin. However, Rash prevented them from fighting and ordered his predecessor, King Ramsis Dendup, into the throne room, who was believed to be the orchestrator of the attacks, leading Kalani to order Dendup to force the rebels to surrender. Despite their beliefs, Dendup stated that he was not commanding the rebels, which resulted in an ordered public execution of the deposed king. Before his execution, however, the rebel Saw Gerrera attempted to rescue Dendup, who was subsequently captured by Kalani's droids and tortured by the super tactical droid in the temple shortly after.
While torturing Saw, Kalani demanded the location of the rest of the rebels, but was disregarded by the captured rebel, who stated that the Confederacy had no control over the Japrael system, forcing the droid to resume his torture. However, as Saw was relentlessly electrocuted, Tandin ordered the EV-series medical droid to halt and explained to Kalani that Saw remaining alive was necessary to destroying the rebels, but the super tactical droid believed that his fellow general pittied the rebel. Tandin then explained to the droid that while he could control the inhabitants of Onderon, he would be unable to hold it against their will, and that his tactic of making Saw suffer would result in continued resistance and therefore their loss in the war. Kalani was unconvinced by his reasoning.
Shortly after, Kalani attended Dendup's execution, where he stood by Rash's side alongside a small force of B1-series battle droids. However, before the Separatists could follow through with the execution, the rebels revealed themselves from among the crowd and threw smoke bombs onto the stage, confusing Kalani, who was knocked to the ground by Saw, but not before he ordered several B2-series super battle droids to surround the rebels, preventing their escape as the droid ordered them to surrender or be killed. Bringing the rebels on the stage, Kalani continued the execution procedure and forced Dendup's head into the device, but was once again stopped by Tandin and the militia, who surrounded the droid and allowed the rebels to escape with the former king alongside the rest of the militia. As Tandin remained behind, Kalani ordered his super battle droids and two droidekas to kill the general, but was rescued by Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who used the Force to knock the droid general onto the ground along with his troops.
As the Confederacy began to lose the trust of Onderon, Kalani explained to Rash that fear would force the people back into the Confederacy, and proceeded to state that Tandin and the militia would be unable to withstand the Confederacy's droid forces, and neither would the rebels. Immediately after, Kalani was informed by one of his BX-series droid commandos that their scouts had located the rebels' main base within the eastern mountains, but was inquired by Rash as to how they would be able to destroy the rebels with their droid forces maintaining the inner riots within the city. In response, the super tactical droid stated that their means were not to be underestimated, and that the courage of the citizens will fall with the rebels, which would result in the reestablishment of the Confederacy's control over the planet.
Shortly thereafter, Kalani summoned four HMP droid gunships to the balcony and ordered them to leave for the eastern mountains and destroy all rebel forces alongside the droid army, which would follow. Later, after the rebels began to gain a foothold over Kalani's forces, Rash contacted Dooku once more and demanded more reinforcements to the planet. However, at Dooku's request, Kalani expressed that as a result of their losses and the location of the rebel base, victory and thereby control over Onderon would require prolonged fighting and resources, which was of no interest to Dooku. As a result, the Count ordered Kalani to salvage the remaining Separatist weapons and to withdraw the army, which were to be brought to the planet Agamar. When Rash protested the decision, Dooku had Kalani kill him.
Retreating to Agamar, Kalani and his remaining droid forces from Onderon awaited further instructions from Dooku above the planet in a DH-Omni Support Vessel, as the war progressed to its end. However, while the super tactical droid waited, his starship and droid forces were attacked by Republic forces. As a result, the DH-Omni carrying Kalani crashed on the surface Agamar, but the super tactical droid and his forces managed to survive the battle.
Sometime later, as the war reached its end, Kalani along with the rest of the Separatist Droid Army received the order for the immediate deactivation of all battle droids with the war over as a result of the deaths of all Separatist leadership. Kalani prevented his and his droids' deactivation as he believed the order to be a Republic trick. As a result, Kalani and his droid forces of B1 battle droids and droidekas remained on the surface of Agamar for several years.
Seventeen years after the end of the war, the wreckage of Kalani's supply ship was visited by several members of the Phoenix rebel cell, which included the former Republic Clone Captain Rex, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, his Padawan, Ezra Bridger, and the Lasat Garazeb Orrelios. Upon the rebels' arrival, who had come to Agamar in search of munitions from the supply ship's armory, such as proton bombs, the group were ensnared within a ray shield that had been protecting the armory, where they were captured by the still-active battle droids of the super tactical droid general. After being trapped within the ray shield, Kalani ordered his OOM command battle droid, B1-268, to incapacitate the rebels and bring them aboard the bridge.
While on the bridge, the droid general explained to the captive rebels that near the end of the Clone Wars, the Separatist Droid Army had significantly outnumbered units of the Republic clone army, and that according to his calculations, the probability of a Separatist defeat by its end was only 23.6%. However, the Clone Captain openly stated that following the execution and successes of Order 66, the droid army was deactivated and inquired as to how Kalani and his droid forces remained operational. Responding to Rex's query, the droid general expressed that while the war had reached its public finish with the Jedi betrayal and the deactivation order, he assumed that the command was a Republic stratagem and refused to comply. Despite Kalani's answer, Rex demanded the droid to release them as the war had ended, but Kalani stated that he calculated their meeting to be his only opportunity to end the war in a way he had originally intended, with a victory for the Separatist Alliance, forcing them to participate in order to determine, once and for all, whose tactical strategy was superior.
Thereafter, Orrelios objected to participating, but Kalani stated that as the Lasat species were not in the Clone Wars, he would be the hostage his allies were rescue. As a result, the super tactical continued by explaining that the "Jedi Rescue" tactic was a recurring scenario throughout the war based on 132 battles he had reviewed. The droid then went on to inquire with Jarrus if Bridger was his apprentice, to which the Jedi Knight confirmed his query, prompting Kalani to carry on and state that the presence of Jedi and a clone trooper would make their battle authentic to the Clone Wars. However, Rex continued to object to the battle, but was forced to participate or be terminated, which led Bridger, and eventually the others, to agree to take part. Agreeing to the battle, the rebels requested that if they were victorious, Orrelios would be set free and their forces would be allowed to take their complement of proton bombs, to which Kalani accepted their terms and left to prepare.
Shortly after, Kalani executed his battle strategy, resulting in forces taking their positions around the entire ship as the rebels exited the hangar to the outside. While outside, the droid general announced that the battle had begun and their objective was to reach the bridge and capture it, resulting in several battle droids marching towards them. However, as Kalani watched the rebels press forward, Orrelios expressed that his allies were performing greatly and that the general should admit defeat, to which Kalani responded that his programming did not allow the comprehension of humor, causing him to fake laughter as the Lasat stated he was not joking.
As the rebels moved on, the droid general ordered several droidekas to attack, forcing his enemies to split up as Kalani predicted. With them divided, which the droid stated occurred 76% of the time, the super tactical droid ordered a squad of B1 battle droids to engage on Rex and Jarrus while Bridger sought a way to destroy the droidekas. After a short time, the rebels defeated Kalani's destroyers and made their way back to the back, resulting in Rex disarming the super tactical droid from his blaster.
Attempting to destroy Kalani, who ordered a battle droid to hold Orrelios at gunpoint, Bridger prevented Rex from blasting the droid general and stated that if Kalani's droids had not malfunctioned due to their age, they would have lost to the general. Agreeing with the Padawan, the droid proclaimed that the droid army would have prevailed, thus stating that he won, although Bridger stated that he had not won either. As a result, the Padawan questioned as to who really won the Clone Wars as all three factions were defeated. Both Kalani and Rex without the answer, Orrelios stated that the Galactic Empire was the victor and proclaimed that they arrived on Agamar.
As Imperial forces moved in, the Padawan inquired as to whether or not Kalani's forces were capable of fighting the Empire. In response, the droid general stated that while his resources were depleted, the droid army was not fighting the Empire, proceeding to order several battle droids to investigate their invaders' intentions. Despite their hospitality, the Imperial forces destroyed the droids and brought Bridger to state that both factions had a common enemy in the Empire. As a result, the Padawan asked once more why the Confederacy fought the Republic, to which Kalani stated that, according to his programming, was fighting the Republic's tyranny, bringing Bridger to conclude that the Empire was always Kalani's adversary.
Accepting his logic, Kalani once more proclaimed that he did not possess the forces to stage a counterattack, which resulted in both the rebels and droids joining forces. While they strategized aboard the bridge, the droid general stated, at Jarrus' query, that his ship had a complement of three Sheathipede-class transport shuttles that were unarmed. Stating that they could use them to escape, Kalani expressed that an escape from the hangar was improbable due to the position of the Imperial walkers.
Remembering the proton bombs, the rebels asked if they could the explosives to destroy the All Terrain Armored Transports, but Kalani once more explained that they did not possess any cannons in which to fire them from, or else he would have used them during their battle. As a result, Rex instructed that they could roll the proton bombs into the feet of the walkers and blow them up, although Kalani stated that his droids were inaccurate and that, as a result of Jarrus and Bridger's accuracy, his battle droids would fire their blasters at them in order for the two Jedi to redirect the bolts into the proton bombs, thus detonating them and destroying the walkers.
Inside the hangar, Kalani stated aloud that he had never attempted such a desperately planned strategy, which resulted in Rex retorting that was why the Republic always won, although the droid disagreed. Beginning their attack, the droid general remained behind while his droids and rebels held back the Imperial forces. Thereafter, four of his droids proceeded to roll the proton bombs in the walkers, prompting Kalani to order a squad of battle droids to open fire, resulting in the destruction of an Imperial walker, which provided them an opening for escape.
Boarding the three shuttles, the droids and rebels escaped the planet's atmosphere. Stating that while they survived the battle, Kalani did not deem it a victory, but was a successful strategy nonetheless. However, Rex objected and stated that it was a victory for both forces, explaining that all of them had won the Clone Wars and that Bridger ended it officially, something that a galaxy of senators could not achieve, and that both an army of Jedi, clones and battle droids could not understand the reason for fighting.
Despite the fact, however, Bridger explained that he only pointed out that neither side was meant or capable of winning, although Rex stated that both he and Kalani needed to hear it. Agreeing with them, Kalani stated he was satisfied and that based upon the outcome of their battle, the super tactical droid calculated that the rebellion had less than a 1% chance of staging a successful resistance against the Empire. As a result, Kalani bidded the rebels farewell as he and his remaining droids fled the system.
Standing 1.94 meters tall, the super tactical droid that would take on the name "Kalani" developed a personality, which enabled the droid, as happened with other units in his series, to choose not to answer to a number. Kalani was a cold and logical super tactical droid who was programmed by the Separatists to be a military commander. He was a competent battle tactician who had single-minded obsession in securing victory and producing results. Kalani also believed in using overwhelming force to defeat his opponents. Kalani was willing to torture the Onderonian rebel leader Saw Gerrera for information and was programmed to lack empathy. Kalani recognized that General Tandin was the leader of the Onderonian resistance and was willing to kill him.
After the Onderonians rose up in revolt against the Separatists, Kalani accepted Dooku's reasoning that it was not worth holding on to the planet. When King Rash protested, Kalani executed him without hesitance. As a super tactical droid, Kalani was familiar with Separatist military strategies, tactics, and protocol. When the shutdown order was issued, Kalani suspected that it was a Republic trick and countermanded the order. During the Age of the Empire, Kalani led a Separatist holdout on the planet Agamar and became obsessed with ending the conflict as a Separatist victory, despite the fact that the former Separatist Alliance had ceased to exist. He spent years studying countless battles with Jedi forces and clone troopers in order to devise a battle plan.
Despite the depleted status of his battle droid forces, Kalani believed that he could triumph over the former Clone Captain Rex and the Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger. He was also hinted to care for the droids under his command, treating them more than just hardware and was willing to aid the Rebels so they could survive. While obsessed with achieving victory, Kalani was pragmatic enough to consent to Ezra's offer that the rebels get to keep the proton bombs if they won. Though Kalani's forces outnumbered and outgunned the three rebels, he underestimated the decrepit status of his forces and the ability of his rebel opponents to develop counter-tactics. Kalani's logical mindset led him to disbelieve the fact that the rebels had won.
Kalani, however, buried his antagonism towards the rebels when the Empire arrived on Agamar. After realizing that the Empire's intentions towards his battle droids were hostile, he developed an improvised escape strategy with the help of Ezra and Rex. Ezra managed to win over Kalani by pointing out that the Empire was the successor to the Old Republic. During their escape, he stated that he had never tried such a desperate strategy before. When Rex claimed that desperate strategies were the source of the Republic's victories, Kalani defensively claimed they didn't always work. Kalani initially did not regard the retreat from Agamar as a victory until Ezra and Rex pointed out otherwise. He was grateful to Ezra for convincing him to end hostilities with Rex, who represented the Republic. Due to his programming, he refused to join the Rebellion as he believed that they would not be able to overthrow the Empire.
Kalani first appeared in "Front Runners," an episode of the fifth season of the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He was voiced by Gregg Berger, who later reprised his role in "The Last Battle," an episode of Star Wars Rebels.
In the Rebels Recon featurette for "The Last Battle," Henry Gilroy said that he thought Kalani would hire out his services as a military advisor to various groups such as the Hutt Clan because he believed that the Rebellion did not have a realistic chance of defeating the Empire. However, Gilroy went on to say that he thought that the destruction of the Death Star would change his mind, proving that the Empire wasn't invincible and that the rebellion had a real chance of winning.