Vaklu

Information regarding Vaklu's life before his military service on Onderon is limited. It is generally assumed that he was born on Onderon and entered the military at a young age. Vaklu rapidly advanced through the ranks due to his bravery and strategic brilliance, eventually achieving the rank of General.

When the Mandalorian Wars began, the Onderonian military, with its outdated tactics and equipment, was unable to prevent the Mandalorian legions, who possessed advanced weaponry and extensive combat experience, from conquering Onderon. During the Mandalorian occupation, Vaklu united the people and led the underground resistance, significantly contributing to the expulsion of the Mandalorians from Onderon. However, the Mandalorians later asserted that Vaklu's victory was solely due to the assistance of the Jedi and the Republic, claiming that their forces never yielded to any Onderonian soldier.

Following the victory against the Mandalorians, Vaklu was celebrated as a war hero and appointed commander-in-chief of the planet's entire military, largely due to his leadership during the resistance. However, Vaklu did not have the opportunity to demonstrate his skills during the Jedi Civil War, as Darth Revan appeared to intentionally avoid Onderon. Interestingly, Onderon's diverse ecology was crucial for seeding life on war-torn worlds, and if Revan had invaded Onderon, the Onderonians might not have played their vital role in the post-war period.

After the war, Onderon became a vital world by exporting its ecology to the Telosian Restoration Project, a template for restoring all other war-ravaged planets. Vaklu observed Onderon's significant contributions to the Republic during both the Mandalorian Wars and the post-Jedi Civil War, and the limited benefits Onderon received in return. This led to his dissatisfaction with the weakened Republic, and he publicly expressed his desire for Onderon to secede from the Republic. In addition to his military prowess, Vaklu was also a charismatic politician. Combined with his heroism during the Mandalorian Wars, this allowed Vaklu's ideas to gain traction across Onderon and among off-world Onderonian diplomats and businessmen. Hundreds of thousands rallied in support of Vaklu. However, his cousin, Queen Talia, remained a staunch supporter of the Republic and spoke against secession. This loyalty to the queen caused many of Vaklu's followers to waver.

Driven by his love for Onderon (and his personal ambitions), Vaklu sought to seize the throne from Talia, believing it would enable him to better serve the people and guide Onderon towards its deserved destiny. Determined to achieve Onderon's secession, Vaklu engaged in constant battles with Talia for the support of the Council of Lords, military officers, and the Onderonian people. As political tensions escalated, riots became increasingly frequent. Several attempts were made on Talia's life. While Vaklu may not have been directly involved in these attempts, it is likely that his more radical supporters were responsible, believing they were acting on his behalf.

The Queen increased security around the palace and neighboring areas, deploying loyal officers on the Sky Ramp and the Merchant Quarter. Vaklu disseminated propaganda to sow distrust in the Republic. He also used his authority as commander-in-chief to enact several edicts aimed at severing ties with the Republic. He deployed the Onderonian navy to blockade the planet, requiring Republic trading ships to undergo searches under the guise of "searching for Republic treachery." However, this only increased the Republic's irritation with Onderon and diminished the economic advantages of Onderon's membership in the Republic. Vaklu also spread rumors of Republic spies and used the military to apprehend supposed "spies," who were often journalists critical of Vaklu or offworlders with close ties to the Republic. Talia, lacking significant military influence, was powerless to stop Vaklu. With the threat of assassination looming outside the palace, Talia was unable to address her people publicly. Simultaneously, Vaklu initiated a push within the Council of Lords to transfer diplomatic powers from the Queen to the Council, a thinly veiled attempt to secede from the Republic. However, Talia still held considerable influence within the Council of Lords, making it unlikely that Vaklu's movement would secure a supermajority vote.

During this period, an Iziz councilman loyal to the Queen believed that Vaklu was plotting to assassinate Talia. During a council meeting, the man attacked Vaklu in an attempt to kill him. Vaklu survived the poorly executed attack, and his soldiers killed the man during his arrest.

Vaklu—having severed the Queen's diplomatic and economic connections with the Republic, taken control of the media to spread his propaganda and falsehoods, and amassed a substantial following within the Council of Lords, thereby diminishing her political power on Onderon—was prepared to concentrate on preparations for a coup. A remnant of the Sith Empire led by Darth Nihilus approached Vaklu. Nihilus offered to provide his soldiers and firepower to overthrow the Queen in exchange for Vaklu allowing Nihilus to explore the tomb of Freedon Nadd on Dxun, Onderon's largest moon. Vaklu agreed, although he harbored suspicions about his new allies and secretly plotted their downfall.

With all other elements of his plan in place, Vaklu began the final phase of his carefully crafted scheme. Vaklu only had a portion of the military at his disposal for the overthrow of the Queen, as many in the military, despite supporting Vaklu's ideals, remained loyal to the Queen. Even with a segment of the military and Sith allies, Vaklu still needed to divert support away from the palace to make it vulnerable to assault, thereby increasing his chances of victory. Vaklu employed his more radical supporters, such as Anda and Ponlar, to instigate riots and draw military strength and officers away from the Sky Ramp, the most direct route to the palace. However, Vaklu encountered an unexpected obstacle. His Sith allies warned him of a powerful exiled Jedi, Meetra Surik, whose presence on Onderon posed a significant threat to his plans. Vaklu had only heard rumors of her. The Sith's reasons for her being there were unknown, even to them.

The Sith advised Vaklu to destroy Surik's ship, the Ebon Hawk, upon its arrival at Onderon. Vaklu tasked his right-hand man and most loyal supporter, Colonel Tobin, with eliminating the Hawk. However, Colonel Tobin failed, and the Ebon Hawk managed to evade both destruction and capture. Tobin returned to Vaklu with the bad news, and dispatched a group of scouts to search for the Hawk's crew on Dxun. Despite his disappointment with Tobin, Vaklu turned Tobin's failure to his advantage. The attack on the Hawk had triggered a massive battle within the blockade. Onderonians feared that war was imminent. Vaklu exploited this fear, claiming that a capital-class Republic vessel had attacked Onderonian starships in an attempt to breach the blockade, even though the Hawk was merely a small freighter. His control of the media ensured that no accurate reports of the battle were broadcast.

Capitalizing on the notion of a Republic conspiracy, Vaklu intensified his plans, seizing "spies" in greater numbers and prohibiting anyone from leaving Onderon without a visa. Shortly after, he suspended the issuance of visas, trapping many who sought to escape Onderon before a civil war erupted. As the situation escalated, Vaklu was informed by Tobin that Surik was actually in Iziz, despite Tobin's men's efforts to locate her. Vaklu suspected Surik was searching for a Jedi named Kavar, rumored to be an adviser to the Queen, possibly seeking revenge. Vaklu once again decided to exploit the situation to his advantage. Vaklu ordered Tobin to observe the Jedi and wait to ambush Kavar, and to detain the Exile during the ambush so that Tobin could propose an alliance in order to deal with the Sith, once the Queen was overthrown. Surik did not appear to be seeking revenge, however, and made it clear that she supported the Queen, even assisting loyalist troops in suppressing a separatist riot. Surik did meet with Kavar, and Tobin was dispatched to confront Surik and the Jedi Master.

However, Tobin had been lured away by Kavar during the ambush, rendering him unavailable to assist his men in killing Surik, thus allowing her to escape. Separatist-sympathizing soldiers and citizens were sent to prevent Surik from escaping, but all failed to do so.

With Surik gone and Kavar back in the palace, Vaklu wasted no time in preventing Talia from undoing his plans. He immediately initiated the final stage of his plan and attacked the palace. While Vaklu attacked the main entrance of the palace, Sith-led forces attacked the Sky Ramp, cutting the Queen off from reinforcements. They also worked to disable the palace's exterior turret defenses to gain air superiority. However, Surik soon returned in dramatic fashion, combat dropping into Iziz via an old Mandalorian Basilisk war droid, instilling fear of a Mandalorian invasion among Vaklu's troops. Surik was not a full-scale Mandalorian invasion, but she was enough to disrupt the Sith assault on the Sky Ramp and led a contingent of Loyalist troops to clear the Sky Ramp and reach the palace.

By that time, Vaklu had already confronted the Queen, and they engaged in a heated duel with vibroswords, while Tobin attempted to rejoin Vaklu by breaking through a nearly impervious force-field with a drexl larva. Tobin managed to seal Surik out of the outer chamber long enough for the drexyl to breach the barrier. However, the Sith beast masters lost control of the drexyl, and Tobin was seemingly killed. Having defeated most of Vaklu's troops in the outer parts of the palace, Surik rallied the remaining Loyalist troops and attacked Vaklu's forces within the throne room. Meanwhile, Vaklu was unable to overcome Talia's youthful vigor and was locked in a stalemate. Exhausted and desperate, Vaklu ordered his men to gun Talia down. Surik intervened just in time to aid Talia, and Vaklu was captured. Defeated and at Talia's mercy, Vaklu declared that Talia's reign would be difficult, as her allegiance to the Republic would destroy Onderon. He then taunted her, claiming that his supporters would free him within a week. To Vaklu's dismay, Talia intended to execute him on the spot. However, Surik pointed out that executing Vaklu would make him a martyr to his supporters. By saying that, she saved General's life, and he was arrested.

Despite Vaklu's beliefs, the Republic recovered, and Talia brought peace and prosperity to Onderon.

Vaklu was an exceptionally astute individual, possessing remarkable skills in both political and military affairs. His tactical and strategic abilities enabled him to rise to the highest ranks as an army officer. Vaklu held his subordinates to high standards and displayed little tolerance for incompetence or failure. However, his favorite officer and right-hand man, Colonel Tobin, was often forgiven for his failures. Vaklu's ambition and controversial beliefs created enemies, whom he readily eliminated. Journalists who criticized Vaklu tended to disappear, and any military officer who questioned him was relieved of command.

A consummate politician, Vaklu excelled at manipulating the truth for his personal gain, as evidenced by the attack on the Ebon Hawk, which he transformed from a potential embarrassment into a political victory. By using Republic spies as scapegoats, Vaklu fostered fear and paranoia within Iziz, providing him with a pretext to increase his power at the Queen's expense. Brilliant, charismatic, and a decorated war veteran, Vaklu garnered admiration and support from many Onderonians, ranging from ordinary citizens in the streets of Iziz to members of the House of Lords. He was also popular within the Onderonian military, although not universally so—some servicemen disliked Vaklu for his blatant insubordination towards Queen Talia and his efforts to undermine her authority.

Regardless of his politics, Vaklu was deeply loyal to Onderon. His nationalism led him to overlook the benefits of Onderon's membership in the Republic. He only saw his homeworld's wealth being used to rebuild the Republic, failing to recognize how Onderon would suffer without Republic trade and protection.

Vaklu was an imposing figure. He was quite tall and had a large mane of slick black hair. He always wore his military uniform, emphasizing his status and power. This uniform consisted of a blue tunic, complemented by blue pants, and tall black boots. As a member of the royal family, Vaklu resembled his beast rider ancestors, exhibiting a gruff appearance, black hair, and gray eyes.

Meetra Surik, to Vaklu's delight, demonstrated considerable support for him during her visit to Onderon, assisting Anda in eliminating loyalist officers in the Merchant Quarter and aiding Ponlar in a riot, resulting in the deaths of several loyalist soldiers. Vaklu managed to conceal Surik's involvement, and she was not apprehended. Surik met with Kavar in a local cantina, and Vaklu dispatched Colonel Tobin to capture Kavar. Kavar escaped the ambush, but Surik agreed to destroy the Sith's forces on Dxun and then assist in seizing the palace. To maintain appearances, Tobin ordered his troops to attack Surik to prevent the Sith from becoming suspicious.

With Surik as an ally, Vaklu proceeded with the final stage of his plan. He alerted troops loyal to him and initiated a civil war. Vaklu attacked the main entrance of the palace, drawing away many of Talia's forces. With the Merchant Quarter weakened, thanks to Anda and Surik, Vaklu's forces swiftly secured the Sky Ramp. Soon, Surik arrived in a Mandalorian Basilisk war droid. Setting aside his suspicions about the extent of Surik's resources, Vaklu, accompanied by Tobin, met with Surik. Surik informed Vaklu that she had dispatched a group of her companions to deal with the Sith on Dxun. She also agreed to finish securing the Sky Ramp in exchange for payment and Onderon's entire Force-sensitive population. Initially hesitant about this last clause, Vaklu agreed when Surik pointed out that the alternative was handing over the planet's Force-sensitives to the Jedi. With that, Vaklu returned to his main offensive, leaving Surik to handle her assigned task.

When Vaklu breached the palace, he was separated from Tobin and left to confront the Queen alone. Meanwhile, Tobin was tasked with breaking through a massive force field to allow reinforcements to reach Vaklu. However, the Sith soon discovered Vaklu's betrayal on Dxun and turned on Tobin, locking him out of the throne room's antechamber. The Sith then attempted to reach Vaklu by using a drexl larva to breach the barrier. However, Surik managed to defeat the Sith and Loyalist forces within the palace's outer halls and broke into the antechamber. The Sith lost control of the drexyl just as it finished destroying the force field, and Tobin's men rushed to the throne room. Tobin, however, was seemingly killed by the drexyl larva.

Vaklu, meanwhile, had caught up with Talia and engaged in a heated duel. Despite being a skilled duelist, Vaklu was unable to match Talia's youthful vigor and was drawn into a stalemate. Exhausted and desperate, Vaklu ordered his men to attack Talia. By this time, Surik had killed the drexyl and rallied Vaklu's forces, leading to the defeat of the Queen's forces. Finally, Surik dealt with Kavar, quickly defeating him in a duel. Surik then came to Vaklu's aid. Realizing he had won, Vaklu asked Surik if she would like to kill Talia herself. Surik preferred to watch, and Vaklu's men opened fire, ending Talia's reign.

Indebted to Surik, Vaklu assured her that if the Republic attempted to apprehend her for her actions during the civil war, Onderon would forever be a safe haven. With that, Surik departed to settle unresolved matters. Vaklu later discovered that Tobin was missing from the field of casualties but was unable to determine his fate.

Later, Telos IV was attacked by Darth Nihilus and his fleet. In an effort to strike a decisive blow against his former allies, gain favor with the Republic (most likely to ease the transition between Talia's reign and his own), and assist Surik, who was also on Telos, Vaklu dispatched a large contingent of his troops to help turn the tide of battle, while he worked to end the civil war. His troops were indeed successful in turning the tide, securing victory.

According to a prediction made by Darth Traya, Vaklu's reign would be short-lived, but Onderon would permanently leave the Republic.

If you take the path of the light, you will fight for the Queen and, at the end, the Queen (or you) will order Vaklu's execution. You can request that the Queen arrest him instead or let the General be executed.. Originally, the option of siding with Vaklu was also available to light-side players, with Surik telling Kavar that she believes Onderon would be better off standing on its own. The player would still have had to fight Kavar in this situation, however.

In gameplay mechanics, Vaklu was not considered dark-sided, despite his usurpation and alliance with the Sith. The use of Force sight shows that his alignment is neutral (Talia and Kavar are the only ones who register as light-sided).

Meetra Surik, depending on whether she has learned it or not could use battle meditation to rally her side of the troops. This doesn't affect gameplay although it helps the battle considerably.