Zeta Magnus, who went by aliases such as K'am'ir Zaarin, Saturna the Garu, and Eon Null, was a male Arkanian mutant renowned as a master geneticist. Functioning as an adversary to the Galactic Republic, Magnus held dominion over the so-called Dark Worlds situated within the Unknown Regions, and he was suspected of masterminding multiple acts of terrorism across the galaxy. During the [Clone Wars](/article/clone_wars/legends], Magnus aligned himself with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Proclaiming himself as Magister of Skye, Magnus unleashed a virulent pathogen upon the planet and subsequently oversaw the Battle of Skye.
Zeta Magnus, a male Arkanian mutant, came into existence as an experiment conducted by the Arkanian Dominion. He was engineered to be the prime clone for the Accelerated Transgenic Heuristic Abhorers. These Abhorers, conceived as a countermeasure to the Arkanian Renegades' Assimilators, were crafted using the genetic material of Yaka, rakghouls, Amorphiian androids, dianoga, and other nightmarish entities, all in service to the Dominion. Upon their deployment during the Arkanian Revolution, Magnus utilized his enhanced strength to decimate countless foes of the Dominion. Following the Revolution's conclusion, the Dominion sought to eliminate its Abhorers, but Magnus evaded death, escaping his captors and fleeing into the unknown. After devouring his creators, Magnus embarked on a quest to discover novel methods of satisfying his cravings for brutality and intellectual stimulation.
A veritable instrument of death, Magnus acquired fluency in the languages of each of his victims and cultivated proficiency in playing instruments such as the Mawanese vioflute, the drumheller harp, the B'omarr pipe nalargon, and the Zeltronian lute. Endowed with genius-level intellect due to noological implants within his brain, Magnus possessed exceptional intelligence. Venturing into the Unknown Regions, Magnus engaged with a schizophrenic bio-ship, a sapient blob, the Vagaari, N'Gai, and Ebruchi species, as well as the Chiss Ascendancy and the Ssi-ruuvi Imperium before establishing a domain of Dark Worlds that would eventually be embraced by the Rhandite nihilists. Upon realizing his genetic predisposition to mortality, Magnus sought eternal life, leading to his encounter with Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. Sidious pledged to assist Magnus in achieving immortality in exchange for his allegiance. Although Magnus initially intended to consume the Sith Lord, he consented to meet with him to assess his proposition. Consequently, Magnus gained notoriety as a terrorist in the eyes of the Galactic Republic. He orchestrated an infestation of stone mites within the Core Worlds, developed and disseminated the blue virus, provided General Grievous with samples of 3L41UH7 serum, and permitted Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems to utilize Wayland as a base and lab for experimentation involving dashta tissue samples and the Morgukai Shadow Army. Furthermore, Magnus operated a clandestine GeNode facility concealed deep within Dantooine, consistently evading detection by Jedi Master Mace Windu. In exchange for aiding in the revival of a "corniculate half-bot," Magnus requested a double-necked, eight-string quetarra as payment.
During the initial phases of the Clone Wars, the infamous terrorist Zeta Magnus was a wanted individual by the Republic due to these significant transgressions. As a geneticist, Magnus was suspected by the Senate Bureau of Intelligence of orchestrating a series of murders on Anaxes and the hive virus that crippled the Katana fleet.
A clone of Magnus launched an invasion of the planet Marat V in the Marat system and brought the native S'kytri people under his control. Upon learning of his involvement on Marat V, the Jedi Order, through the Jedi High Council, dispatched Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padawans Halagad Ventor and Anakin Skywalker with orders to apprehend him unharmed and bring him to justice as requested by the Supreme Chancellor. They were accompanied by Captain Brisha Shard aboard her MedStar frigate, the Golandras, however, Captain Shard's vessel was ambushed and destroyed above Marat V. Forced to evacuate the ship via three escape pods, the Jedi made a crash landing on the planet alongside four clone commandos: Captain Nilo, Xoni, Quo, and [Kupe], collectively known as Tark Squad. While Magnus allied himself with the Outland Clan far from the populated areas where his pathogen had taken hold, the Jedi met with Patriarch Klarymére of the S'kytri and prepared to pursue him. Having established a stronghold atop the sacred Canaitith Mountain, Magnus' Outlanders launched assaults on the S'kytri and continued to propagate the pathogen he had introduced into their environment.
During a meeting between the Jedi and the Supreme Council of the Highland Clans, the Magnus clone broadcast a HoloNet News transmission accusing the Jedi of meddling with his sovereignty over Marat V and demanded their recall, threatening to unleash a plague upon the Republic if they failed to comply. Unbeknownst to Magnus, the Jedi were planning an attack on his citadel, intending to navigate the treacherous labyrinth of the Entyrmion's subterranean tunnels. As they journeyed, the Jedi began to contemplate Magnus' identity and true nature. Ventor questioned whether he possessed Force sensitivity and whether the title, Saturna the Garu, was connected to the ancient Sith Lord Garu. Furthermore, given Master Windu's interest in apprehending the geneticist, the possibility of a link to the Dantooine Garoo seemed plausible, especially in light of Windu's recent exploits on that world. Ventor also noted that Magnus was an ancient Sith title signifying Lord of Lords. These inquiries led the Jedi to speculate that Magnus could be the enigmatic Second Sith. Their musings were interrupted when the Jedi and S'kytri warriors were attacked by an Oskan blood eater, a creation of Magnus that assailed them within the sweltering crystalline caverns.
Despite this setback, the Jedi forced their way into the citadel at the summit of Canaitith just as the S'kytri engaged in battle against Magnus' Outlanders. As the Jedi searched for their target, they were betrayed by their clone commandos, who were revealed to be thralls of Magnus. The four impostor clones were unmasked as Sun Guards when the Jedi awoke in Magnus' laboratory. Standing over them, he reveled in their deception and taunted Ventor, recounting his orchestration of the event that led to his parents' demise from a hive-virus. Magnus intended to scan the Jedi's brains and implant them into clones that he could cultivate within hours. Displaying the Jedi clones already taking shape at the other end of the chamber, Magnus was interrupted by the S'kytri warrior Kharys, who severed the Jedi's restraints and set them free. Fleeing with his droid, Blue-Tark, Magnus was pursued by Ventor while Kenobi and Skywalker confronted the Sun Guard. Heading for the hangar, Magnus' ship, the Skyriver Invader, was not ready for takeoff, allowing Ventor to close in on him. Struck in the back by a liquid cable spike, Magnus was pulled to the ground by an enraged Ventor. The battle turned against Ventor, who suffered the loss of several fingers and chunks of his flesh to the monstrous being, but he gained the advantage when the Skyriver's engines ignited and irradiated Magnus. Using his lightsaber, Ventor bisected the man, resulting in his death.
However, this was not the true Magnus. He remained far away in his Dark Worlds, within the throne room of his Rennek palace. From this location, he unleashed the first plague upon the Republic, fulfilling his promise.
Darth Sidious established a specialized unit of cloned, mutated guards known as the Imperial Sentinels, who shared Magnus' colossal stature, as well as similar attire, armor, and weaponry.
Sometime after the Battle of Endor, TriNebulon News reporter Andor Javin released a report asserting that K'am'ir Zaarin was the true identity of the Imperial agent Cronal/Blackhole, then known as the rogue warlord Shadowspawn. Javin claimed that the Arkanian commanded an army of clone warriors and collaborated with a clone of the deceased Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin.
Zeta Magnus, a cowardly Arkanian, had a penchant for donning the attire of the ancient Magi Sentinels of Onderon.
Author Abel G. Peña has stated that he originally intended for the genetic terrorist to be Atha Prime, but the reference was removed prior to the final publication.
The depiction of K'am'ir Zaarin working alongside a "resurrected" Grand Moff Tarkin and leading an army of Clone Warriors mirrors the description of the character Atha Prime. Prime was described as a "genetics master" and an "architect of the Clone Wars" and was intended to be the primary antagonist, alongside Tarkin, of the unreleased The Epic Continues storyline developed by Kenner Products. Kenner created the character as a major antagonist to promote their SW toy line following Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Abel G. Pena, the co-author of The Imperial Warlords: Despoilers of an Empire, has repeatedly attempted to canonize Atha Prime and incorporate references to the cancelled storyline, making this connection intentional.