Mee Deechi

As the years of the Galactic Republic drew to a close, a significant number of star systems seceded, forming the Confederacy of Independent Systems. This event ignited the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Separatist Alliance in 22 BBY. Mee Deechi, the representative in the Galactic Senate for his homeworld of Umbara, became a strong advocate for defeating the Separatists through military means. Deechi firmly believed that military spending was essential for the Republic's war effort. Consequently, he allied with like-minded senators, including Halle Burtoni of Kamino, to pressure the Republic into acquiring more weapons and troops to gain greater control over the war. At some point during the conflict, Burtoni presented Deechi and other senators with a holographic projection illustrating Phase II clone trooper armor, an advancement over the previous generation of clone trooper armor.

During the war, the Galactic Senate itself transformed into a political arena, with senators debating whether to continue the war or seek a diplomatic resolution with the Confederate government. Senator Padmé Amidala from Naboo implored the Senate to engage in peace talks with the Separatist Senate, a proposal supported by her friend and Separatist Senator Mina Bonteri. Deechi, a proponent of continuing the war, questioned Amidala about her Separatist friends, leading to accusations of treason echoing throughout the Senate. The peace proposal ultimately failed when the Senate received a message from Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatist Alliance, who announced the withdrawal of the Separatist Senate's call for peace. Dooku accused the Republic of launching an attack against the people of the Confederacy, which allegedly resulted in the death of Senator Bonteri. In reality, Dooku orchestrated the attack to sabotage the peace process.

In response to the increasing political tensions between the two governments, Burtoni introduced legislation aimed at creating an additional five million clone troopers, a bill that Deechi also endorsed. Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, a prominent opponent of increasing troop numbers, intended to address the full Senate in opposition to the legislation. However, he was injured in a politically motivated attack and was unable to speak. Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila urged the Senate to wait for Organa to speak, but Deechi retorted that Organa was nowhere to be found. In Organa's absence, Senator Amidala delivered a passionate plea to the full Senate, urging them not to allow the cost of the war to deprive the people of the Republic of essential social services. Although he disagreed with Amidala's position, Deechi applauded the young Senator's address.

The debate continued, with senators such as Organa, Amidala, Mothma, and Onaconda Farr of the planet Rodia proposing their own counter-legislation to reduce military spending and prevent an increase in troop numbers. Despite respecting Senator Farr, Deechi secretly had his adversary followed in an attempt to uncover any damaging information about the Rodian. This clandestine operation revealed that Farr had secretly held a meeting at Coruscant's docks under the derrick major with an unknown contact.

The day after Deechi had Farr trailed, Senator Amidala once more addressed the Senate, advocating for a reduction in military spending and highlighting the dangers of further escalating the war with the Separatists. Deechi, who attended the speech, engaged with Amidala after she left the Senate chamber. The Umbaran suggested that her views were perilous and unpatriotic, an accusation that Amidala countered by labeling him a warmonger. Amidala and her allies gathered to celebrate her speech, but the celebration turned tragic when Farr collapsed and died after unknowingly consuming poison. A memorial service was held on a Coruscant landing platform to honor the fallen senator, with Deechi attending to pay his respects to his political rival before Farr's body was returned to Rodia.

While Lieutenant Tan Divo of the Coruscant Security Force officially led the investigation into Farr's murder, Amidala, unimpressed by the inspector, conducted her own investigation alongside Senator Organa. Suspecting political foul play, the two anti-war senators confronted Deechi and Burtoni in the Umbaran senator's office. Both pro-war senators denied any involvement in Farr's murder, asserting that neither had a motive to kill him, despite their political differences. Burtoni found Farr to be a valuable fundraising asset, as his stance attracted contributions to her political endeavors, while Deechi expressed his respect for the late senator. Deechi admitted to having Farr secretly followed and informed Amidala and Organa about the Rodian's meeting at the docks. Amidala and Organa left to investigate the lead, but they remained suspicious of Deechi and Burtoni.

That night, Lolo Purs, an aide to Senator Farr and a representative for Rodia, confronted Deechi. Purs, the true assassin, had killed Farr out of resentment for his brief alignment with the Separatists earlier in the war. Although she had evaded suspicion, she discovered that Deechi was aware of Farr's meeting at the docks, which Purs had arranged to intimidate Farr out of the Senate. In an attempt to conceal her actions, Purs stabbed Deechi in the chest, killing the Umbaran senator. Amidala and Organa discovered his body, prompting Lieutenant Divo to increase security precautions in response to the murders of two senators. Senator Amidala soon uncovered Purs' guilt, and the Coruscant Security Force arrested the young Rodian. Shortly after Deechi's death, the troop increase bill that he had championed was enacted into law, while the proposal to reduce military spending was rejected.

As a consequence of Deechi's assassination, Umbara seceded from the Republic and allied itself with the Separatist Alliance. This secession led to the Battle of Umbara between the Separatists and the invading Grand Army of the Republic. The Republic emerged victorious, and Umbara was reintegrated into the Republic. However, Umbara launched another effort to resist following the Republic's transition into the Galactic Empire, but the planet eventually became part of that regime.

Mee Deechi, an Umbaran male, possessed white hair, a gaunt face, pale skin, and black-rimmed gray eyes that granted him ultraviolet vision, all of which contributed to his intimidating presence. As a skilled deal-maker and legislator, Deechi was fiercely loyal to the Republic and became a strong advocate for escalated military action against the Separatists, viewing anti-war speeches as unpatriotic and dangerous. After it was revealed that Padmé Amidala had secretly met with her friend, Separatist Senator Mina Bonteri, Deechi publicly questioned Amidala's association with Separatist friends in an attempt to influence the Senate debate over the peace process.

Deechi found allies in like-minded senators, such as Halle Burtoni of Kamino, with whom he collaborated to defeat anti-war legislation and increase military spending to bolster the Republic's forces. Unlike Burtoni, however, Deechi respected his political adversaries, including Onaconda Farr, despite their differences. Nevertheless, the cunning Deechi was not above spying on a respected colleague, and he had Farr followed in an attempt to uncover political dirt on his rival—a decision that ultimately led to his own murder.

During his time in office, Deechi wore gray, high-collared clothing similar to that of Sly Moore, an Umbaran who served in the Senate as a senior administrative aide to Chancellor Palpatine.

Mee Deechi was created for the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His debut occurred in the second season episode "Senate Murders," which aired on March 19, 2010. The character met his demise in the same episode, but he later reappeared in a prequel episode in the third season titled "Pursuit of Peace" on December 3, 2010. Gideon Emery provided his voice.

Deechi's appearance in "Pursuit of Peace" was brief, although he was featured in a deleted scene that would have expanded his role in attempting to pass pro-war legislation. In the scene, Deechi threatens Amidala and attempts to pressure her into voting for the military funding legislation, arguing that it would open a trade route near her home planet of Naboo. He further intimidated her by suggesting that her opposition to the bill would lead the people of Naboo to believe that she did not have their best interests at heart.

Mee Deechi's name is reminiscent of the Medici family, a powerful banking family that dominated Renaissance Italy.