In the year 0 ABY, Darth Vader, the iron fist of the Galactic Empire, initiated the initial assault against the Son-tuul Pride. This attack occurred on the jungle planet of Son-tuul. The Empire's troops followed a Twi'lek smuggler to the Pride's hideout, subsequently invading the base with a wave of stormtroopers. Despite the efforts of the Pride's chieftain, a Rodian, who unleashed a massive horned creature upon the invading Imperials, he and the remaining members of the group were killed. Following the battle, the stormtroopers forced open a secured room and found a vast collection of credits accumulated over numerous years. Vader commanded the immediate seizure of these funds.
Subsequently, Vader had a meeting with Sutha, the Hutt rival of the Rodian, who was in the service of Jabba the Hutt. During this meeting, Vader and Sutha reached an agreement to establish a reciprocal alliance between the Empire and the Hutt Cartel. The Empire would eliminate competing factions like the Son-tuul Pride, thereby generating new market opportunities, and in exchange, the Hutts would provide resources to the Empire.