Nute Gunray (Dark Times)

"I may be a simple businessman, but I'm also the leader of the Separatist Alliance and I intend on putting my ambitions behind me to aid our cause."

- Nute Gunray to Padme Amidala Nute Gunray was a male Neimodian who was around during the final years of the Galactic Republic. Born into elitist status as a child oN Neimodia, Gunray was surrounded by riches and luxury and quickly developed selfish ambitions with a future in the Trade Federation. He was a business executive and later the Viceroy of the Trade Federation who became infamous for exploiting the natural resources of many worlds and often holding them as economic hostages over unpaid debt and loans. This made him an enemy of Republic Senator Padme Amidala from Naboo who constantly challenged the Neimodian at any turn to deflect his continued economic exploitation of the Outer Rim Territories and using loop holes in laws to avoid punishment for his actions. His most infamous actions prior to the Clone Wars was his role in the Ordonian financial crisis in 38 BBY and his invasion and occupation of Naboo in 32 BBY.

The Trade Federation's occupation of Naboo was known for its brutality and Gunray used it for his own personal gain and had many Nabooians imprisoned and enslaved to extract natural resources from the planet which resulted in the outbreak of a civil uprising and rebellion against the occupation. The Battle of Naboo would eventually end with the destruction of the droid control ship and the deactivation of droid occupation force, though Gunray and many of his associates managed to escape and avoided custody. Following the outbreak of the Separatist Crisis in 32 BBY, Gunray was convinced along with many other corporate leaders and officials to break away from the Republic and form a new government viewing the Galactic Senate as corrupt, ineffective and uselss. Gunray would be swayed by Count Dooku, a former Jedi turned Sith Lord, to break away and lead the Confederacy of Independent Systems as one of the members of the Separatist Council. The Neimodian agreed to this and took over as one of the Confederacy's leaders in 22 BBY following the signing of the Treaty of Geonosis.

Following the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY, Nute Gunray broke away from the Republic and lead the Confederacy and its war effort against the Republic as Chairman of the Separatist Council and lead the Separatist government throughout the war. As Chairman, Gunray built leagions of battle droids and had them sent to countless worlds where they conquered world after world and by mid-22 BBY, vastly outnumbered the Clone Army of the Republic forcing them to form a Civilian Volunteer Corps. While Gunray did lead the Separatist war effort properly, he was forced to deal with rivalries and infighting amongst members of the Separatist Council, particullary Wat Tambor and Passel Argente, who used Confederate resources to one up each other by attempting to conquere worlds or defeat Republic forces in battle. This angered the Chairman and he often had to intervene and monitor the activities of his fellow council members to prevent their rivalries from harming the war efforts, a fear that was often proven true due to multiple failed battles against Republic forces.

From 22-21 BBY, Gunray lead the Separatists to many victories and kept the war effort going, but by late 21 BBY, the Republic managed to get the upper hand and began forcing the Separatists to fall back and go on the defensive in the Outer Rim Territories leading to a series of Republic military offensives that same year known as the Outer Rim Sieges. During this turbulent time, Gunray had went to Darth Sidious and followed his orders believing him to be the more effecient leader of the Confederacy than Grievous, who often fought against the Republic on his own terms and would often disobey the direct orders he was recieving from Gunray. By 19 BBY, the Neimodian Chairman was on the run and settled down in various safe houses and hideouts as Neimodian purse worlds were under siege and the Separatists were constantly denied to settle for peace by Dooku, Grievous, and Sidious despite the council's demands for it and attempts by the Republic itself. By the war's end, Gunray was found on Mustafar and killed along with the rest of the Separatist Council by Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader, to pave a way for the rise of the Galactic Empire.