The Emperor himself has trusted me with command of his army. Defy me, and you defy him as well.
—Grand General Jagen
Vax Jagen was a Human male who served as grand general in the military forces of the Galactic Empire. In contrast to his fellow officers, Jagen often took the field of battle with the soldiers under his command.
Jagen was an orphan on the planet Balmorra, taking work as a hired gun for various crime syndicates, earning a reputation and, eventually, a gang of his own. In 28 BBY, after the reelection of Chancellor Palpatine, Jagen was arrested and sentenced to 5 years in prison, and another 5 years of probation. However, after the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY, Chancellor Palpatine offered to lift his probation on the condition that he enlist in the Republic Military. Jagen managed to work his way up to the rank of General, securing multiple decisive victories for the Republic in the process. During this period of time, he grew closer to Chancellor Palpatine, for whom he initially held in contempt due to his sentencing and the disbanding of his gang. Eventually, Palpatine revealed his true identity to the general as Darth Sidious.
Jagen remained a general after the rise of the Galactic Empire, and the apparent destruction of the Jedi Order, and was eventually promoted to the rank of Grand General. As a result, he took part in the design and construction of the first Death Star. He preferred to serve on the field, wearing a custom-designed set of Shadowtrooper armor, and forming a squadron of like-minded officers known as the High Command Squadron, who mirrored his custom Shadowtrooper armor. Jagen expressed a strong disdain of his fellow officers, save for Grand Admiral Thrawn whose strategic mind he greatly respected. This eventually led to Jagen staging a bombing of the ship of one of his rivals, Grand Moff Toven, whom he saw as a threat to his military campaign. Toven would be replaced by Mikael Corama, a member of the High Command Squadron. Jagen's High Command squadron was also personally responsible for rendering the Sabin clan of Mandalorians nearly extinct. In spite of several more decisive victories against various rebel groups, he was eventually killed aboard his flagship, the Overlord, when it was attacked and captured by the revitalized Mandalorian Uprising. Jagen and his High Command Squadron were taken captive, and Jagen was personally executed by Tath Sabin in retribution for the massacre of his clan.
Biography[]
Origins[]
Early Life[]
My mother died when I was a few years old. I never met my father, and he can rot in hell for all I care.
—Jagen to Chancellor Palpatine
Vax Jagen was born in 57 BBY on the planet Balmorra during the final decades of the Galactic Republic. His father abandoned his mother shortly before he was born, and his mother died of illness when he was five leaving him orphaned on the streets. He spent the next seven years running jobs for various street gangs and crime syndicates, including emissaries of the Hutt Cartel. Eventually, he formed together his own gang, which he named the Junk Rats, due to their tendency to frequent junkyards to put together makeshift weapons. Though the gang composed of less than twenty members, Jagen's planning and strategy resulted in most of their endeavors succeeding.
Arrest and Imprisonment[]
Vax Jagen, this court finds you guilty of gang leadership, and multiple charges of assault, battery, theft, and property damage. You are hereby sentenced to five years at a Juvenile detainment center on Saleucami, and five subsequent years of probation.
—Jagen's trial and sentencing
In 42 BBY, Jagen and three other members of the Junk Rats were arrested trying to steal a cargo frigate. During questioning, one of the other members named Jagen as their leader, and Jagen was put on trial for his status as a gang leader. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in a juvenile facility on Saleucami, as well as another five years of probation. This resulted in the complete disbanding of the Junk Rats, as Jagen's leadership was all that truly held them together. Jagen was released in 38 BBY and took work on various star cruisers.
First Meeting with Palpatine, and Enlistment[]
The Clone Wars are beginning, and our troops are doing the best they can, but they need military minds. Minds like yours.
—Palpatine
In 22 BBY, the first battle of the Clone Wars occured on Geonosis, and the galaxy was plunged into war. During this time, Chancellor Palpatine was seeking out potential candidates for commanding roles in his new military, with the possibility of their continued service after the war. Republic officials tracked down Jagen and, under Palpatine's orders, had him brought to meet personally with the Chancellor himself. Palpatine referenced Jagen's strategy and leadership in the Junk Rats in an effort to convince him to enlist in the Republic Military. Despite his cold greeting of the Supreme Chancellor, he eventualy accepted his praise and agreed to enlist, in return for which his criminal record was completely expunged.
Clone Wars[]
Republic Career[]
Those are some shiny lookin' droids, men. Let's send them back to Geonosis in a scrap heap!
—Commander Jagen rallying his troops
By the time the Clone Wars had become fully underway, Jagen had risen to the rank of Commander. During this time, he spent most battles on the front lines, rather than most enlisted officers who preferred to command from afar. This led to a strong boost in troop morale, an uncommon occurrence in platoons not commanded by Jedi for the aforementioned reason. His expertise in the field caught Palpatine's eye once more, and he visited the commander often. Palpatine's visits often heralded high regard for his skills in combat and leadership, and constructive criticism of his tactics and strategies. With the Supreme Chancellor's suggestions and advice, Jagen's victories helped him climb the military ladder, eventually earning him the rank of General.
End of the Clone Wars and Establishment of the Galactic Empire[]
I seek to build an empire that will last a thousand generations. I need your help to make that dream a reality.
—Darth Sidious
General Jagen's meetings with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine increased significantly as the Clone Wars progressed. As time went by, Palpatine began planting seeds of doubt in the General's mind as to who the Jedi truly supported. Initially holding the Jedi Order in high regard, Palpatine's words caused Jagen to become more suspicious of the Jedi, and he began associating with them less and less. However, in the final years of the Clone Wars, he grew close to Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, whom Palpatine had also been grooming into a position of power, along with multiple other military leaders. In the last few months of the Clone Wars, Palpatine revealed to Jagen that he was, in fact, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Sidious divulged his plan to create a new empire and rule the Galaxy after the end of the war, and enlisted the General's help with such a task. Initially hesitant, Jagen accepted the offer, keeping Sidious's identity to himself and growing more and more distant from the other Jedi. After Sidious enacted Order 66 and the newly christened Darth Vader stormed the Jedi Temple, Jagen led an outer rim campaign to hunt down and exterminate any potential survivors of the massacre.
A New Era[]
Imperial Service[]
I'm quite impressed with your achievements, Grand Admiral. You certainly are a cut above the rest.
—Grand General Jagen meets Grand Admiral Thrawn
Jagen's service during the Clone Wars, and his diligence in hunting down surviving Jedi led to continued favor in the eyes of the newly crowned Emperor Palpatine, and Darth Vader. Jagen began a lengthy campaign to secure the Empire's rule in the outer-lying systems, bringing military force to planets where democracy had previously failed. In 17 BBY, Jagen was promoted to the rank of Grand General, and admitted a seat on the Imperial High Command Council. Though he was initially honored, he received his fellow officers coldly, mistrusting them based on his perception of the enlisted officers in the Republic. His disgust grew stronger when he discovered that his colleagues were primarily interested in the power that came with their station, and had very little investment in actual leadership, preferring to pass that responsibility down to inferior officers. Over time, Jagen developed a particular hatred for Grand Moff Hask Toven, and Grand Admiral Idris Dyre. The one exception to Jagen's disgust, however, was Grand Admiral Thrawn, whose dedication and tactical genius impressed Jagen. With this, Jagen was also included in the Death Star project.
Formation of the High Command Squadron[]
You are the officers among us willing to do whatever it takes to keep the flame of the Empire alight. Your dedication is real, and here's your chance to show it.
—Jagen to his new squadron
Grand General Jagen became increasingly disdainful of the Imperial High Command, viewing them as a hindrance to the Empire's progress. To solve this perceived problem, he banded together with three other high-ranking officers - Colonel Mikael Corama, Major Blair Alcor, and Grand Marshal Bond Tielau. The three officers shared Jagen's desire for progress, and distaste for the High Command's lack of interest. Jagen commissioned a set of custom-designed shadowtrooper armor for each officer, and the four of them combined their battalions to form a singular battalion of soldiers, whom they lead on the field as the High Command Squadron. This move significantly alienated Jagen from the rest of the High Command Council, with even Grand Admiral Thrawn denouncing it as "an unwise power play." Many other members of the council also perceived it as a threat to their seats of power, and feared that Jagen might attempt a hostile takeover of the Imperial military. Assassination of Grand Moff Toven
Taj, what the hell is going on? Toven's ship just went up in flames!
—Cassus Ordo and Taj Rehl witnessing Toven's death
In 13 BBY, Grand General Jagen attended a meeting of the Imperial High Command Council. At this point in time, meetings had been moved to a conference room aboard the fledgling Death Star, the structure of which was less than 10% constructed beyond the initial skeleton. Another member of the council, Admiral Hask, had been assassinated by a rebel group on Iridonia prior to the meeting, and Jagen recommended Colonel Corama as a replacement. However, the seat was filled instead by Corinn Raymil - a Dark Side user apprenticed to Darth Vader. Raymil advised the council to retaliate against the Iridonian rebels with military force. However, his suggestions were met with opposition by the council, particularly Grand Moff Toven. Despite mistrusting Raymil, Jagen sided against Toven in favor of retaliation, accusing Toven of weakness, and allowing enemies of the Empire to run unchecked across the galaxy. Shortly after the meeting, Raymil approached Jagen, confiding that he had been assigned by Vader and Emperor Palpatine to influence the council towards their desired ends. He shared Jagen's dislike for officers such as Toven. Jagen eventually decided that Toven must be eliminated if the Empire was to last, and planted an explosive on his shuttle before his departure. Toven's shuttle landed at the city of Nova Halos on Hosnia, at which point the explosive detonated, killing Toven and his escort. Unbeknownst to Jagen, former Jedi and member of the Mandalorian Resistance Cassus Ordo was present on the landing pad at the time of the detonation. Ordo had planned to kidnap Toven and raid his ship for information, however he was forced to abort the mission due to the bombing. Shortly after, Jagen spotted Ordo in the security footage, and framed him and two mechanics present for the assassination. Colonel Corama was later installed in Toven's place.
Construction of the Second Death Star[]
With respect, My Lord, this is a fool's endeavor. If the first Death Star was destroyed this easily, then who will fear a second one?
—Grand General Jagen to Darth Vader
In 0 BBY, Jagen was recalled back to the Imperial High Command Council to aid in the construction of the second Death Star. However, he expressed vocal opposition of the project, arguing that it was a waste of time, money, and resources. Jagen argued that a single Death Star would be enough to subjugate the entire galaxy on its own. However, he agreed to work with his fellow council members on the project, and made several suggestions on the improvement of the battlestation, including several new turbolaser emplacements and multiple power levels for the superlaser. Shortly after the destruction of the first Death Star, Jagen greatly questioned the point of constructing a second one, and suggested majorly reconfiguring the project, or even abandoning it altogether.
Capture of Cassus Ordo, and Extermination of Clan Sabin[]
You thought yourselves superior to us, but now you'll serve as an example to the rest of your traitorous organization.
—Jagen to the crippled Dragonheart.
BY this time, the Mandalorian Resistance had become a serious issue for the Empire. Their planning and underworld connections allowed them to secure small, but consistent strategic victories against military forces, and the constant relocation of their fleet made it increasingly difficult to hold their location long enough to launch an invasion. The movement was comprised of several Mandalorian clans unified under the banner of Bo-Katan Kryze, in a massive effort to retake Mandalore from the Empire. Emperor Palpatine assigned Jagen to search for their base. Not long after receiving the order, Jagen's flagship Overlord came across a portion of the Mandalorians' fleet, including Clan Sabin's flaship, the Dragonstar. Jagen ordered the Overlord to fire on the Dragonstar, while simultaneously contacting the Imperial fleet to request aid. The timely arrival of several Imperial destroyers, including an Interdictor-class destroyer, were able to trap the Dragonstar, forcing it to head towards the nearby planet Holara. However, its shields were eventually disabled by the turbolasers and TIE fighters, and the ship was completely vaporized. Nearly all of Clan Sabin was aboard the Dragonstar, and only one member survived the onslaught. Tath Sabin managed to get to an escape pod before the destruction of the ship and crash-landed on the planet below. Also present during the battle was Cassus Ordo, who led a large portion of Clan Sabin in an attempted boarding of the Overlord. Jagen's soldiers captured and executed the boarding party, and Cassus was taken prisoner.
Battle of Outpost Karma[]
Rohana doesn't exist. Her Imperial Database file was entirely forged.
—Jagen learns of Rohana's betrayal.
Shortly after the destruction of the Dragonstar, Jagen received a transmission from Imperial commander Rohana, who claimed that Darth Vader ordered Cassus to be transferred to Outpost Karma, a vital outpost on the moon of Concordia. Jagen was suspicious until Rohana produced a signed order from Vader, commanding that Cassus be taken to the outpost to be interrogated by Corinn Raymil. Jagen warily agreed, and arrived at Concordia a month later, departing the next day. A month later, it was discovered that Rohana was a double agent for the Mandalorians, and had allowed multiple Mandalorian warriors to infiltrate and seize control of Outpost Karma, freeing Cassus and killing Raymil. Jagen led his full force of troops, accompanied by his High Command Squadron and Darth Vader himself. Though the Mandalorians were eventually routed, a large portion of Jagen's forces had been killed, including Grand Marshal Tielau.
Death Aboard the Overlord[]
The Empire is the one true form of government. It brought peace to a broken galaxy, and you will yearn for the days of security under its rule.
—Grand General Jagen's last words
In 2 ABY, the Mandalorians had made a full commitment to the Rebel Alliance, inspired by their destruction of the Death Star. This bolstered their forces after months of struggling for the slightest victory. Jagen's forces were subsequently reassigned to respond to the growing threat of the Alliance. During one of his patrols over Hutta, Jagen encountered the Mandalorian dreadnought Black Phoenix, which took the Overlord by surprise. Shortly after the initial assault, multiple Mandalorian and Rebel ships arrived. Jagen quickly realized that the assault was a mirror of his own assault on the Dragonstar, and tried to fight through a smaller portion of the ships in an attempt to escape and regroup. However, Cassus and a number of pilots were able to knock out its engines, and leave it drifting through space. The Overlord was then boarded by a number of Mandalorians led by Tath Sabin. Tath's boarding party fought its way to the bridge, where they killed all aboard, except for Jagen and the remainder of his High Command Squadron, Colonel Corama and Major Alcor. Tath ordered the execution of Corama and Alcor individually. Tath himself executed Jagen, beheading him with his sword before leaving the destroyer with the remainder of his boarding party. With its officers either dead or captured, the Overlord's remaining crew surrendered, and Cassus ordered the ships to bombard the destroyer.
Legacy[]
Had fate played out differently, he would have done well in the 501st.
—Darth Vader remembering Grand General Jagen
Most of what Grand General Jagen worked to achieve died with him on the Overlord. However, his actions left a lasting impact on the Imperial military, and the High Command. As a high-ranking leader, his death left a significant power vacuum, and marked an end of a generation of diligent tacticians, and dedicated leaders. Two years after his death, Jagen's reservations about the construction of the Second Death Star would be justified, as the battlestation's existence proved to have very little impact on the Empire's grip on the Galaxy. He was not mourned to any significant extent by his colleagues on the High Command Council. However, Grand Admiral Thrawn speculated that had he been present on the field at Endor, it would have turned the tide for the better.
Equipment[]
As an officer in the Republic, Jagen wore the standard black and gray formal military attire. In combat, he wore a standard-issue clone trooper breastplate, gauntlets, and shin guards, and carried a DC-15A rifle. Attached to his belt was a large holster carrying a DC-15S carbine. After the fall of the Republic and rise of the Empire, Jagen continued to serve both on and off the battlefield, trading his clone trooper gear for an E-11 rifle, and standard officer's combat armor. His uniform remained the same colors of black and grey, though it was now the standard Imperial uniform.
After his promotion to Grand General, Jagen's old uniform was replaced with a new, more distinguished uniform. His new uniform consisted of a red tunic, with black pants and a black cap. The rank bars above his left breast denoted his status as Grand General. His belt was outfitted with a holster containing his E-11, and several gold-colored boxes for storing information and minor supplies. As part of his actions in creating the High Command Squadron, he commissioned for himself and his squadron a set of custom-designed shadowtrooper armor, the all-black variation of the standard stormtrooper armor. This armor was painted over with bright red stripes, and a custom rank bar was fitted to the breastplate. The armor itself was outfitted with a communications antenna on the right side of the helmet, and a custom utility gauntlet on the right forearm. He also wore a supply backpack, a red shoulder pauldron, a black kama skirt, and a small ammunition bandolier.
Personality and Traits[]
You are men of the Empire! You do not surrender, whatever the odds!
—Jagen to a platoon of stormtroopers
Having grown up and spent most of his life with nothing, Grand General Jagen had no problem risking his life on the battlefield, reasoning that he did not have enough to lose to stay behind and command from afar. He showed great respect to the dedication of his clone soldiers during the Clone Wars, and this carried over to the stormtroopers under his command, to the point where he had his own armor commissioned for himself to ensure his safety while fighting alongside them. Jagen pushed the men under his command not to back down, admonishing soldiers who wanted to run or surrender. Additionally, Jagen did not share the Empire's view of a human-central military, arguing that any sentient being could be a potential soldier so long as their anatomy fit the stormtrooper armor.
Jagen was disgusted by his colleagues on the Imperial High Command Council, describing them as spoiled and undeserving of their titles and ranks due to the fact that they desired power, but chose to pass the responsibilities that came with such power down to lower-ranking officers. He often made belittling remarks towards his fellows, and this earned their contempt towards him in return. This disdain slowly began to develop into a superiority complex of his own, as he was unable to fathom other officers' lack of passion for their stations. This is likely what endeared him towards Corinn Raymil, who shared his sentiment against the other officers.
Unlike most commanding officers, Jagen had reservations about executing his subordinates. However, his punishments for failure and disobedience were often severe, and still carried the risk of death. He would frequently give an offending soldier the chance to redeem himself by sending him on a potentially suicidal mission. If the soldier succeeded, Jagen would forgive him. The only soldiers he outright executed were traitors and deserters.