During the Clone War I thought I was fighting for peace, independence, and equality, but I was fooled by the Sith and was just one of their pawns in a rigged war. The Empire used individuals like me for anti-alien sentiment, and then they destroyed my home and enslaved my kind. But now the rebellion has begun, and it is time to destroy the tyrants once and for all.
—Yosip Zagoonga during the Galactic Civil War
Yosip Zagoonga (pronounced Yah-sip Zah-goon-guh) was a Frenzanian male military commander who served in the droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars and the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War.
Born on the planet Frenzan IV, Yosip Zagoonga spent decades rising though the ranks of Frenzanian Kingdom's military, eventually becoming a general in the Royal Expeditionary Legion. Zagoonga came to oppose the Galactic Republic, so he joined the Separatists at the beginning of the Clone Wars. He was given the rank of Marshal General and received command over the entire 39th Region Army.
During the first half of the Clone Wars, Yosip Zagoonga achieved several major victories against the Republic in the southern regions of the galaxy such as the Battle of Jakol. On numerous occasions he fought the Grand Army of the Republic's 96th Legion led by Jedi General Jon Ternath and his Padawan Jedaana Lokka. Following his decisive defeat at the Battle of Foless, General Zagoonga was on the defensive as the 96th Legion spearheaded Operation Armbreaker against him.
After losing significant swathes of territory, Zagoonga attempted to attack the Core Worlds in 19 BBY with the Battle of Hosnian Prime. He was again unsuccessful, and after losing a few more battles including the Siege of Quadan VI, he made a final stand at the Battle of Lagobah. During the battle, Order 66 was executed and Zagoonga saved the life of Jedi Padawan Jedaana Lokka.
Along with Lokka, Zagoonga established the Lagobah rebel cell and carried out numerous attacks against the Galactic Empire. After the Battle of Yoivasca, which resulted in the cell losing Jedaana and other members, Zagoonga decided to reduce his anti-Imperial activities and raised Jedaana's adopted daughter Allaya. During the attack on Lagobah in 1 BBY, Zagoonga was captured and sent to die on Ravar. However, he managed to escape, rescue Allaya, and join the 43rd Infantry of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
During the Galactic Civil War, Zagoonga initially served as a lieutenant in the 43rd Infantry. His prior military experience proved to be valuable to the company, and he helped them achieve numerous victories against the Empire. Following the Battle of Estafor, Zagoonga was promoted to captain, making him the commanding officer of the 43rd Infantry. He continued to fight for the New Republic until the end of the war.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Yosip Zagoonga was born in 92 BBY on the Outer Rim planet of Frenzan IV, which was ruled by the Frenzanian Kingdom. His parents were both poor factory workers, although they wanted their son to have a better life than they did. From an early age, Zagoonga admired Queen Mavzuula Sazookla and aspired to join the Frenzanian Military in order to serve her.
Frenzanian Military career[]
In 72 BBY, when Yosip Zagoonga was 20 years old, the minimum age for Frenzanian Military service, he joined the Frenzanian Army as an enlisted soldier. After a few years he was recognized for his bravery and combat skills, so he was sent to the Frenzanian Royal Expeditionary Legion, which was deployed for operations outside the Frenzan system.
Yosip Zagoonga eventually sought promotion to officer ranks. In the Frenzanian Military, individuals born with a low social status were rarely able to attain commissioned officer ranks, although Zagoonga managed to do so by earning the respect of his superiors.
Eventually, after achieving a particularly impressive victory, Zagoonga was recognized by Queen Sazookla herself. Being personally respected by the Queen was considered the greatest accomplishment in Frenzanian society. The honor meant that Yosip Zagoonga could engage in relationships with royalty despite his humble background. In 52 BBY, Zagoonga married Varazoti Sazookla, the daughter of the Queen and Senator of the Sluis sector in the Senate of the Galactic Republic. In 51 BBY, the two had a son named Yessuba Sazookla.
In 45 BBY, Zagoonga was promoted to general of the Frenzanian Royal Expeditionary Legion, making him the commander of the entire unit.
Separatist Crisis[]
During the Separatist Crisis that began in 24 BBY, many Frenzanians, including Yosip Zagoonga, began to believe that they were not being treated fairly by the Republic and that they should secede. In 23 BBY, Yosip's son Yessuba was killed by pirates during a diplomatic mission. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident were unknown to Zagoonga, although he believed that the Republic had allowed his son die, either negligently or even deliberately.
Later that year, Yosip Zagoonga was one of several Frenzanians that advised the Queen to declare independence from the Republic. The Queen accepted their proposal, and the Frenzan system declared its independence from the Republic and join the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Varazoti Sazookla also represented the Frenzanian Kingdom in the Separatist Senate.
Clone Wars begins[]
Joining the Separatist Droid Army[]
I hereby grant you, Yosip Zagoonga, with the finest starship of the Royal Starfleet in order for you to achieve sovereignty and free trade for the Frenzanian people.
—Queen Mavzuula Sazookla to Yosip Zagoonga
The Queen of Independence, Yosip Zagoonga's flagship.
In 22 BBY, right after the First Battle of Geonosis, the Frenzanian Queen declared war against the Republic. Yosip Zagoonga volunteered to serve in the Confederacy military, and he was granted the prestige rank of Marshal General in the Separatist Droid Army due to his prior experience in military leadership. Supreme Commander Grievous assigned Zagoonga to the southern regions of the galaxy. As one of about one hundred Marshal Generals, Yosip Zagoonga was in command of the 39th Region Army, a strategic military formation containing around one thousand army groups and several billion battle droids.
For his flagship Zagoonga received the Lucrehulk-class Battleship Queen of Independence, the largest and most powerful starship of the Frenzanian Starfleet. While most other Confederate Lucrehulk-class ships had blue markings, the Queen of Independence had green markings instead that signified its Frenzanian allegiance and also distinguished it from other Droid Control Ships.
Flag that was commonly used by Zagoonga's forces
Yosip Zagoonga held command over numerous Army Groups, but he did not want to be some high-ranking military commander far away from the front lines who just gave out orders to other generals. Instead, Zagoonga took direct command over Army Group FZM, which contained several field armies including Army FZM-01, stationed entirely on the Queen of Independence. In order to transport his forces across the galaxy and combat enemy warships, Yosip Zagoonga formed Task Group Xeron, which contained the Queen of Independence along with numerous Munificent-class star frigates and Recusant-class light destroyers.
Invasion of Nievar[]
In 22 BBY, eight weeks after the First Battle of Geonosis, Marshal General Zagoonga launched his first military operation of the war: an invasion of the frigid InterGalactic Banking Clan planet Nievar. The planet was taken over in a matter of hours, and this victory allowed the Separatists to use money from the Nievar banks to fund their war effort. The Nievar Banking Clan also donated warships and battle droids to the CIS, specifically to General Zagoonga's forces.
Battle of Zanjurro[]
Sometime after the Invasion of Nievar, the Expansion Region planet Zanjurro was attacked by the Grand Army of the Republic's 79th Armored Division and the 96th Legion, resulting in the Battle of Zanjurro. Zanjurro had attempted to secede previously but was located in Republic space, and the desert planet was also considered a Frenzanian colony due to its economy being dominated by Frenzanian-owned corporations. The Frenzanian Royal Expeditionary Legion was defending Zanjurro but they were under siege by 18,000 clone troopers and would not last much longer. Thus, Marshal General Zagoonga quickly moved Task Group Xeron to defeat the Republic forces there. The 96th Legion was led by Jedi General Jon Ternath, Jedi Commander Jedaana Lokka, and Clone Commander CC-3527, and they would become some of Zagoonga's greatest adversaries of the Clone Wars. The 79th Division meanwhile was led by Jedi General Lopar Umnaro. Zagoonga had acquired several new Fuzaapa Heavy Industries TMAV-28 super-heavy tanks and would be the first to test them in action. These tanks were of a massive size, and Zagoonga believed they embodied the pinnacle of Frenzanian engineering.
Yosip Zagoonga located two Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ships, one of which was the Intrepid, on the ground at a massive salt flat in northern Zanjurro. Zagoonga sent twenty C-9979 landing craft and seven Ukhamzi-class heavy transports to the surface, where they deployed a massive armored formation consisting of about 3,000 vehicles including Multi-Troop Transports, Armored Assault Tanks, Platoon Attack Craft, and TMAV-28 super-heavy tanks, along with over 80,000 infantry battle droids. Yosip Zagoonga came to the surface so he could personally command one of the Frenzanian landships. The Jedi Generals meanwhile halted their siege and moved the clone troopers and vehicles to engage the incoming Separatist forces.
The two massive armored formations which stretched across the salt flats engaged in long range combat similar to that of the First Battle of Geonosis, and the only cover consisted of wrecked vehicles. Yosip Zagoonga sent Vulture droids and Hyena bombers in an attempt to destroy the two landed Acclamator-class ships, but the Republic had enough of their own fighters to defend the assault ships. Zagoonga's droid forces managed to outflank the Republic, and despite not having particularly impressive odds managed to force the Republic to fall back. The TMAV-28 tanks had proven to be highly effective in the battle, managing to destroy many Republic vehicles while none of the TMAVs were lost. Yosip Zagoonga's Frenzanian landship charged a Juggernaut that was being commanded by General Umnaro, and using all its firepower the TMAV-28 tank destroyed the Juggernaut and killed the opposing Jedi.
Due to their heavy losses, the 79th Division and 96th Legion began retreating to their respective Acclamator-class assault ships, and despite Zagoonga's efforts they held off the Separatists. Zagoonga ordered his ships in orbit to come in and attack the Republic assault ships, and Task Group Xeron destroyed one of the assault ships, though the Intrepid and 96th Legion escaped.
After his success in helping the Frenzanian Royal Expeditionary Legion, he was given command of the 2nd Expeditionary Brigade, which would be stationed aboard the Queen of Independence and incorporated into Army 816.
Battle of Jakol[]
Prelude[]
Shortly after the Battle of Zanjurro, Task Group Xeron was in orbit above Zanjurro. They detected an approaching HWK-290 light freighter, and its pilot apparently wished to speak with General Zagoonga. The Subvertor, one of the task group's frigates, prepared to fire on the vessel but Zagoonga ordered it to stand down. He allowed the HWK-290 to dock with the Queen of Independence's core ship and then met Niaxalla Zynd, a Nevarite girl. She claimed to be from the Inner Rim planet Jakol and provided valuable intel regarding the planet, including how defended it was, suitable places to land for an invasion, and potential planetary allies. Zagooonga asked Zynd why she was doing this, and the girl said she wanted to do the right thing by "liberating" Jakol from the Republic and Jedi, who she claimed had taken those she loved away from her. Yosip Zagoonga appreciated Nia Zynd's determination, and despite her lack of actual military experience, Zagoonga gave her the rank of captain and command of the Subvertor, the same ship that almost killed her earlier. OOM-961, the previous captain of the Subvertor, would supervise her until she learned enough. Task Group Xeron then departed for Jakol.
The battle[]
Honorable people of Jakol, I am General Yosip Zagoonga of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. I am aware that the Republic has neglected you for a thousand years and stood by as the great industries of your world collapsed and you were forced to turn to destroying rather than creating grand vessels. But your oppression ends today, for your planet is now part of the Separatist Alliance. Help us win this just war of independence against the Republic, and your planet will be built back far better than before!
—Yosip Zagoonga's brief speech to Jakolites after the battle.
Jakol cityscape
Yosip Zagoonga's forces arrived at their target, beginning the Battle of Jakol. While his ships fought Battle Group Iota-4, Marshal General Zagoonga sent many C-9979 landing craft to the surface, where they deployed battle droids and vehicles to fight thousands of clone troopers supported by Jakolite loyalists. The 96th Legion was present at Jakol to fight Zagoonga once again to fight Zagoonga's forces. The ensuing battle lasted several days, but General Zagoonga was able to outsmart the Republic leaders and conquer large swaths of the planet while simultaneously preventing Republic reinforcements from arriving. The Republic eventually withdrew from Jakol, resulting in a Separatist victory.
General Zagoonga then gave a speech to the residents of Jakol, claiming that the CIS would treat the people of Jakol better and that their planet would become prosperous. He did legitimately believe that the Jakolites would benefit under Confederate rule, thinking the Republic had completely neglected them. However, Zagoonga's promises were never fulfilled by the new CIS-aligned planetary government.
Battle of Foless[]
In late 21 BBY, several months after the Battle of Jakol, Marshal General Zagoonga launched an assault on the urban Colonies planet of Foless, beginning the Battle of Foless. Foless was of strategic value due to it being at the crossroads of two important hyperspace routes, and securing the planet would establish a Separatist foothold closer to the Core Worlds. At the beginning of the battle, Task Group Xeron and Army Group FZM were the strongest they had ever been. The 96th Legion and 87th Sentinel Corps fought with the local Foless Security Force to defend the planet. The Battle of Foless ended up being a prolonged engagement, and due to most combat being in close-quarters urban environments there were high casualties.
Death of Varazoti Sazookla[]
They killed my wife. She was just a senator on a diplomatic mission, and those Republic scumbags assassinated her. I will make them pay with their lives.
—Yosip Zagoonga after his wife's death.
At the beginning of 20 BBY, Varazoti Sazookla, who had recently embarked on a diplomatic mission to Monix, was killed during an ambush in the Volca system carried out by the Republic in response to the bombing of Coruscant's central power distribution grid. Zagoonga soon received word of this incident. He channeled his grief into anger and hate, deciding that he would punish others in order to make up for his loss.
Continued battle[]
Yosip Zagoonga sent many Hyena bombers to devastate Folessi cities, which killed a few million civilians. However, this did not prevent the tide of the battle from changing in favor of the Republic. The Republic Navy also cut off reinforcements for the Confederate forces, so Zagoonga soon gave up and retreated. Both Task Group Xeron and Army Group FZM had lost about half of their forces.
Due to a lack of competent personnel within Yosip Zagoonga's forces, he promoted some remaining organics under his command, including Niaxalla Zynd, who was promoted to commodore and given command of Subvertor Squadron.
Involvement in the Battle for Felinia[]
Not long after the Battle of Foless, Yosip Zagoonga discovered something he found disturbing regarding the Battle for Felinia, a prolonged engagement where Confederate General Schkakerro was fighting the Republic-aligned Felinian Militia. Zagoonga had been in contact with Schkakerro before and was disgusted by him, believing him to be sadistic, violent, and misrepresentative of the true Separatist cause.
However, Zagoonga now learned that Schkakerro had ordered 500 K-1 thermonuclear missiles to use against civilian targets on Felinia. Zagoonga reflected on his own actions on Foless and regretted them due to the unnecessary suffering caused, so he did not want the same thing to happen again. Feeling a sense of moral duty, Zagoonga leaked intel regarding the shipment of nuclear bombs to Schkakerro's forces, allowing a clone commando squad to sabotage the operation, saving tens of millions of lives. Nobody ever found out that Zagoonga was the one who leaked the intel to allow this to happen. He did not consider his actions treason, because he believed Schkakerro to be treasonous for his horrific actions. In fact, Schkakerro even went on to betray the CIS not long after.
Operation Armbreaker[]
After Yosip Zagoonga's major defeat at the Battle of Foless, the Republic saw an opportunity to launch a counter-offensive against him in order to regain territory conquered by Zagoonga's forces. The Republic had also received millions of additional clone troopers, significantly increasing the size of the Clone Army. The offensive, codenamed Operation Armbreaker, would be spearheaded by battle-hardened clone units such as the 96th Legion, which had a lot of experience fighting against Zagoonga.
Defeats in the Inner Rim[]
The first stage of Operation Armbreaker was focused on several Confederate-controlled Inner Rim systems along the Corellian Trade Spine. The Republic won the Recapture of Jakol, which Zagoonga did not participate in. Zagoonga did however fight in the Battle of Mechis III in an attempt to protect the droid-manufacturing planet. He lost that battle to the 96th Legion and then lost the strategic planet of Yag'Dhul soon after. Zagoonga retreated entirely from the Inner Rim and would coordinate with a few other Marshal Generals to defend Separatist holdings in the southern Expansion Region.
Rescure of Lok Durd[]
Desperate from his recent defeats, General Zagoonga sent Commodore Zynd to rescue Lok Durd, a Separatist general and arms developer who was being held at the Republic Center for Military Operations on Coruscant. The mission was successful, and General Zagoonga hoped that Lok Durd would help Zagoonga in his battles against the Republic with experimental weapons. Zagoonga was unaware on what had happened on Maridun earlier, where General Durd attempted to test the Defoliator Deployment Tank on innocent civilians. Durd's forces modified a regular Munificent-class star frigate into the Extirpator, which was equipped with a super-heavy turbolaser.
Retreat from the Expansion Region[]
Despite Yosip Zagoonga's efforts, Separatist forces within the Expansion Region were overwhelmed within a few months, forcing a demoralizing retreat into the Mid Rim Territories.
Battle of Alakatha[]
Zagoonga later fought at the Battle of Alakatha, taking place on the resort moon Alakatha in the Mid Rim. During the battle, much of which took place under water, Zagoonga made use of AQ-series battle droids and Manta-class droid subfighters to fight the Republic's 53rd Aqua Corps of Clone SCUBA troopers, who were supported on land by the 96th Legion. Yosip Zagoonga ultimately lost the Battle of Alakatha, and he soon retreated from the Mid Rim.
Battle of Vradorn[]
The final battle of Operation Armbreaker was on Vradorn, a fortified Separatist world on the edge of the Mid Rim. Zagoonga put up significant resistance, but suffered massive losses nonetheless. He was forced to fall back to the Outer Rim, having lost almost all the gains he made with the 39th Region Army earlier in the war.
Outer Rim Sieges[]
Battle of Hosnian Prime[]
Prelude[]
Few competent leaders left in this Droid Army, General Zagoonga, but you happen to be one of them. I have sent you coordinates for hyperlanes that the Republic has neglected to defend. Use them to go to the Hosnian system in the Core Worlds. You will not be able to invade and hold it. Your goal is only to cause as much damage as possible. That will bring us closer to turning this war around and eradicating all the Jedi slime.
—Grievous' orders to Zagoonga
The Outer Rim Sieges began as Operation Armbreaker concluded. During these sieges, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was pushed to the brink primarily at their remaining planets in the Outer Rim Territories. Yosip Zagoonga remained determined to fight against the Republic, but he feared that the Confederacy was going to lose the Clone Wars.
In response to what was happening, General Grievous began a major counteroffensive with billions of battle droids and ordered all Marshal Generals to do the same. Zagoonga sent every ship and droid he had to fight Republic forces besieging Confederate planets in the Outer Rim. All available Jedi and clones were forced to be deployed on the front lines, leaving coreward areas underdefended.
Zagoonga was then ordered by Grievous to attack Hosnian Prime in the Core Worlds. The point of this attack was not to invade the planet, but rather to scare the political elite of the Republic by striking near the heart of the Republic.
The battle[]
Marshal General Zagoona soon arrived at his target, beginning the Battle of Hosnian Prime. He deployed hundreds of thousands of battle droids to the surface of Hosnian Prime, where they greatly outnumbered the Republic's clone troopers and local defense forces. Zagoonga soon arrived on the surface himself, leaving his super tactical droid Porax to command the fleet.
The fighting went on for several days, with civilians assisting the outnumbered clones in combat and neither side making significant progress. General Zagoonga requested reinforcements, but he could not receive them as the Republic cut off Separatist supply lines. Republic reinforcements eventually arrived and attacked the Separatist warships.
A strike team of Jedi General Jon Ternath, Jedaana Lokka, and several clone troopers infiltrated the Queen of Independence, where they successfully sabotaged the main reactor, destroyed Porax, and left the ship. Marshal General Zagoonga witnessed the destruction of his prized battleship from the surface. The loss of the ship resulted in less coordination between the droid forces on the ground, so the Republic Army quickly took back territory. Realizing that the battle was lost, Zagoonga retreated to the Recusant-class light destroyer Pride of Frenzan and withdrew all remaining forces in disgrace.
Siege of Quadan VI[]
The Republic has pushed us into the Outer Rim and they are fiercely besieging the free worlds that remain, but I am not done yet. We still have billions of battle droids and a much larger navy. But far more importantly, we are fighting for a just and noble cause. The Republic is a corrupt institution that exists to serve bureaucrats, not galactic citizens, while the Jedi are just foolish pawns that do the Senate's bidding. The Confederacy of Independent Systems is fighting to achieve independence, liberty, and fairness for the mistreated peoples of the Rim.
—Yosip Zagoonga in 19 BBY
Marshal General Yosip Zagoonga retreated all the way to Quadan VI, a Separatist fortress world in the Outer Rim, where he would make a final all-out stand against the Republic. With the Separatists suffering defeats across the galaxy, Zagoonga began to believe that the demise of the Confederacy was imminent, and that he would have therefore failed the Frenzanian Kingdom.
Quadan VI
However, Zagoonga was informed by Head of State Count Dooku that the Confederacy of Independent Systems was preparing for an attack on Coruscant that could end the war with a Confederate victory, and that the purpose of the Battle of Hosnian Prime was basically to test how the Separatists could infiltrate the Core. Dooku ordered Zagoonga to distract the Republic from the buildup of Confederacy navy ships.
The Galactic Republic soon launched an attack on Quadan VI, beginning the Siege of Quadan VI, which would be one of the largest battles Zagoonga participated it. The Republic landed forces on the ground, although they were not prepared for the millions of battle droids manufactured by the planet's automated self-replicating droid factories. The Confederacy's massive numbers forced the Republic to take ships and soldiers from other areas to Quadan VI, so General Zagoonga was succeeding in distracting the Republic.
After a lengthy battle, the Republic destroyed all droid factories on Quadan VI through orbital bombardment and ground attacks. With no reinforcements, the droid forces were destroyed within a few days, and Task Group Xeron was devastated with the arrival of more Republic warships. Zagoonga retreated with the Pride of Frenzan and two Munificent-class star frigates, which were all that remained of Task Group Xeron. The Battle of Coruscant began a few hours after his withdrawal, and Zagoonga hoped that with the help of his actions at Quadan VI, the Confederacy would win at Coruscant. However, that did not happen as the battle was planned by Darth Sidious, and it resulted it the death of Count Dooku and massive losses to the CIS Navy.
Battle of Lagobah[]
Yosip Zagoonga went to the remote planet Lagobah with the Pride of Frenzan and two Munificent-class star frigates. Zagoonga knew that the Separatists had blown their last chance at winning the war, but he still refused to surrender. Marshal General Zagoonga's location was discovered by Republic Intelligence, and a task force of three Venator-class Star Destroyers led by Jon Ternath and Jedaana Lokka was dispatched to the Lagobah system. Upon their arrival, the Battle of Lagobah. General Zagoonga decided to target the Republic command ship Persistence. The Separatist ships managed to disable the deflector shields of the Persistence, allowing the Pride of Frenzan to dock with it. General Zagoonga deployed a large battle droid force to eliminate the Jedi and destroy the Persistence from within.
However, the 96th Legion fought fiercely and repelled the droid attack. The two frigates of Zagoonga's fleet had also been destroyed, but the other two Venators did not fire on the Pride of Frenzan because doing so would likely destroy the Persistence in the process. The 96th Legion boarded Yosip Zagoonga's ship, planning to capture the general or kill him otherwise and finally end their fight against him. As his battle droids could not defeat the Jedi, General Zagoonga went to confront the two Jedi himself, wielding two electrostaffs and bringing a pair of IG-100 MagnaGuards with him.
Yosip Zagoonga soon found the Jedi and dueled them. The duel did not last very long however, as Darth Sidious executed Order 66 and CC-3527 and his troopers received the message. They attempted to fire on their commanders, although Master Ternath realized what was happening fast enough to protect his apprentice. He did not last long and was gunned down, but Zagoonga, knowing that the war was lost, killed a few clones and reluctantly told Jedaana Lokka to come with him. CC-3527 ordered the other two Star Destroyers to open fire on the Pride of Frenzan. Just as Zagoonga's destroyer exploded, they made it out in an escape pod and landed on Lagobah.
Early rebellion[]
Establishment of the Lagobah rebel cell[]
Zagoonga and Lokka made it to Lagobah alive and quickly got as far from the crash site as possible. Unbeknownst to them, they had been assisted by non-clone crew members of a Republic ship who falsified reports from the life form scanners. Yosip Zagoonga was able to locate an abandoned Separatist sympathizer base on the planet with some supplies, so the two traveled there. With the dissolution of the CIS and the destruction of the Jedi Order, the two former enemies made an alliance to survive as they were both wanted dead by the nascent Galactic Empire.
After several days they were joined by Republic pilots that left the Empire with three ARC-170 starfighters, so the group established the Lagobah rebel cell as an early resistance movement against the Empire. They were later additionally joined by Dendron Narr, a Sullustan who previously worked as a privateer for the CIS. He brought the C-ROC Gozanti-class light cruiser Magma Raider along with its crew of ten OOM-series battle droids.
Yosip Zagoonga was initially unaware that Frenzan IV was subjugated by the Galactic Empire. His homeworld was devastated, with the Frenzanian Kingdom being dissolved and nearly all Frenzanians being killed or enslaved. Zagoonga's personal hatred of the Empire was significantly furthered once he found out about the Subjugation of Frenzan IV.
Fighting TZ-948[]
I hate the T-series. So arrogant, always think their calculations are so impeccable.
—Yosip Zagoonga
Unbeknownst to Zagoonga, some of his forces survived the battle in a C-9979 landing craft that crashed far from their location. One of the droids onboard was his tactical droid TZ-948, who was initially deactivated but reactivated due to a sudden power surge after a few months. The droid, unaware of recent galactic events and unable to contact anyone, gathered up a sizeable force of hundreds of battle droids and a few MTTs and AATs, and sent out commando droids to survey the area. The scouts eventually discovered the Lagobah base and saw General Zagoonga with a Jedi. They reported this to TZ-948, who determined that Zagoonga was a traitor.
The tactical droid then brought all his battle droids to the Lagobah base and launched an attack. Zagoonga was initially confused about what was happening, but he soon realized that TZ-948 was behind it. The assault was repelled, with the Lagobah cell suffering no casualties and TZ-948 retreating. Zagoonga and his allies then took the battle to TZ-948, destroying most of his vehicles with their ARC-170 starfighters. Yosip Zagoonga and Jedaana Lokka then fought the remaining droids on the ground, with Zagoonga eventually making it to TZ-948.
The two briefly fought in hand-to-hand combat, but Zagoonga emerged victorious after ripping the tactical droid's head off. He then used the droid to order the remaining battle droids to stop attacking, and the droids then began to serve Zagoonga once again.
Attack on a slave ship[]
In 18 BBY, the Lagobah cell went to investigate a ship that appeared on their long-range scanners. They discovered that it was a YV-865 Aurore-class freighter and disabled it after the ship did not identify itself. Upon boarding the vessel, they discovered multiple Zygerrian slavers holding numerous slaves hostage. However, Allaya Lokka disarmed them, allowing the slaves to kill the Zygerrians. Lokka also discovered that one of the slaves, a two-year-old Rutian Twi'lek girl named Allaya, was Force-sensitive, so Jedaana adopted the girl to train her as a Jedi.
Battle of Yoivasca[]
In 15 BBY, the Lagobah rebel cell discovered that the Empire was going to attack a large Separatist holdout fleet led by Gilan Kirkaag at nearby Yoivasca, and that two "special weapons" would be used to ensure victory. The Lagobah rebels took their C-ROC Gozanti-class light cruiser and starfighters to Yoivasca, and Yosip Zagoonga met Admiral Kirkaag in the hangar of his Providence-class Dreadnought Trident. Although the two former Separatist commanders never fought together in the Clone Wars, they were aware of each other's accomplishments and respected each other. Zagoonga informed Kirkaag about the Imperial plan. Kirkaag refused to flee, as he wanted to make his last stand as he was low on supplies for his fleet. The Lagobah rebels agreed to stay, wanting to wreck Imperial forces and get footage of the event to show that the Empire was not invincible.
The Empire soon arrived with a massive fleet of an Onager-class Star Destroyer, five Imperial I-class Star Destroyers, four Venator-class Star Destroyers, three Victory-class Star Destroyers, two Gladiator-class Star Destroyers, a Detainer CC-2200, and many smaller ships. No one recognized the Onager-class vessel, but Zagoonga believed it was a superweapon. His suspicions were confirmed after the Calamity fired its weapon, completely destroying a Lucrehulk-class Battleship. Admiral Kirkaag ordered his forces to move in and engage the Imperial capital ships so that it would be harder for the Calamity to fire again without risking destroying friendly ships.
During the battle, Zagoonga flew the Lagobah cell's C-ROC Gozanti-class light cruiser with Dendron Narr. After the Calamity destroyed the other Lucrehulk-class, it was infiltrated by Jedaana Lokka, who planned to sabotage the vessel. However, she was forced to fight the Eleventh Sister, an Imperial Inquisitor. During their duel, the kyber crystals powering the main weapon were damaged. When the Calamity attempted to fire at the Trident, the ship was annihilated from the unstable kyber crystals exploding, presumably killing both of them.
Yosip Zagoonga believed that Lokka was dead and he was devastated, although he remained focused, taking advantage of the confusion to destroy the interdictor vessel, making escape into hyperspace possible. Despite their losses, the Empire still had the advantage and destroyed Kirkaag's ships one-by-one. Although Kirkaag declined Zagoonga's offer to retreat, he did send three Munificent-class star frigates to escape the battle. Zagoonga helped to protect the frigates, although only one, the Chairman's Treasure, made it, and it was heavily damaged. Zagoonga said farewell to Admiral Kirkaag before leaving the battle. Although Jedaana Lokka and one ARC-170 and its crew were lost, the Lagobah rebels had acquired photographic evidence of the Onager-class Star Destroyer and numerous Imperial ships being destroyed.
Return to Lagobah[]
Yosip Zagoonga and the surviving Lagobah rebel cell members returned back to their base on Lagobah. There, they began to determine their exact plan for how they would show the galaxy the destruction they had inflicted upon the Empire, hoping to inspire a widespread rebellion. However, an Imperial ID9 seeker droid had got onto one of the ships during the Battle of Yoivasca and traveled with them to Lagobah. The small spy droid listened to their plans, and was then able to permanently delete all the evidence they had. A B1 battle droid destroyed it before the seeker could transmit its location, although Zagoonga was greatly disappointed that their plan had been unsuccessful.
As Allaya's adopted mother was presumably dead, Yosip Zagoonga assumed the responsibility of taking care of her. While he could not train her as a Jedi and did not expect or really even want to find anyone that could, Zagoonga was confident that she could make a very skilled fighter because of the fact that she was naturally advantaged by the Force.
For the next decade, the Lagobah rebel cell remained extant but was largely inactive, not taking military action against the Empire and mostly just trying to help people in need, especially those who had been affected by the Empire.
Attack on Lagobah[]
In 1 BBY, the Galactic Empire discovered the location of the Yosip Zagoonga and his rebel cell, setting the stage for the Attack on Lagobah. Captain Brenic Valhawk led his Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Suppressor to Lagobah, as that was the force the Empire deemed necessary to destroy the rebels. Upon detecting the Star Destroyer, Zagoonga ordered that the base deflector shield be raised, protecting them from orbital bombardment. Imperial forces then landed near the base to attack, eventually making it to the sealed main door that they melted through.
Yosip Zagoonga and the rebels fought off the stormtroopers for as long as they could, but they had no hope of winning as the individuals Zagoonga had spent so much time with over the past eighteen years died. Soon only Zagoonga and Allaya Lokka remained, and Zagoonga thought about dying gloriously fighting the Imperials, but he instead decided that it would be better to have a chance of living to fight another day. As a result, Zagoonga and Allaya surrendered to the Empire, even though there was a significant possibility that they would be executed. The two of them were the only members of the Lagobah cell to be still alive once the attack had concluded.
Slave[]
Yosip Zagoonga, former Marshal General of the Separatist Droid Army. You survived the war, could have lived in hiding, but were somehow stupid enough to pick a fight with the Empire. Maybe you did do some damage, but that was just a temporary setback. There is no defeating the Empire. You can't relive your glory days of the Clone Wars. Normally, I would just execute an insurgent leader right here. But I decided that's not good enough for you. No, you are going to go to a hellish spice mine, the only place members of your disgusting species belong. And then, you will know the true meaning of suffering, as you watch the last remnants of your people die, before you yourself succumb to the inevitable.
—Brenic Valhawk to Yosip Zagoonga
Yosip Zagoonga was spared by Captain Valhawk, but not out of mercy and instead because the captain wanted Zagoonga to suffer a terrible death. Despite technically violating Imperial law, Valhawk sold Zagoonga to a criminal organization on Ravar, which he believed would lead to an abysmal demise. Allaya Lokka was meanwhile sold to Naffo Besaddi Jolp the Hutt on Saalok, and Zagoonga was aware of this.
On Ravar, Zagoonga became a slave of the Kozha Cartel, a criminal organization that mined kozha spice, a highly valuable illicit substance. There were around ten thousand slaves there, the vast majority of whom were Frenzanians that had been sent to Ravar following the Subjugation of Frenzan IV. This was the first time Zagoonga had been with fellow Frenzanians in over twenty years, although it was of course not under ideal circumstances.
The Frenzanian slaves were forced to mine kozha spice, a highly addictive and lethal drug. Zagoonga believed that his labor only served to ruin millions of lives. He determined that he could not spend his life any longer this way, so he began to plan an uprising to escape Ravar and find Allaya.
Escape[]
In 0 BBY, Yosip Zagoonga and numerous other slaves staged a revolt, managing to kill some of their captors. Zagoonga and several other Frenzanians commandeered a light freighter. They wanted to save as many others as possible, but knew they wouldn't be able to get everyone out. As such, they soon departed, using the ship to successfully escape Ravar.
The Frenzanians traveled to another nearby planet, where most of them left, planning to find a new way of life. Zagoonga was thus left alone with the light freighter, and immediately set his sights towards Saalok, where he knew Allaya had ended up at.
Mission to Saalok[]
Zagoonga arrived at Kal Saja on the swamp planet of Saalok. He found the city's rampant unscrupulous elements to be disturbing, although he was able to soon learn the location of the Jolp palace. Zagoonga posed as a mercenary to infiltrate the palace, where he made it to the reactor and deactivated it, causing a blackout within the building. He then went on a rampage while quad-wielding blaster pistols, killing many of Naffo the Hutt's guards. Eventually, Zagoonga managed to find Allaya Lokka, along with her friend Maree Berik. The three of them then managed to escape the Jolp palace.
They got on Zagoonga's light freighter and left Saalok. However, they were attacked in space by Naffo's bounty hunters. As their ship lacked sufficient defenses, they were almost certainly going to be destroyed. However, a CR90 corvette happened to be in the vicinity, noticed the situation, and obliterated the pursuing vessels.
43rd Infantry[]
43rd Infantry emblem
Joining the 43rd Infantry[]
Yosip Zagoonga, Allaya Lokka, and Maree Berik were brought aboard the corvette Aldera, which was operated by the Rebel Alliance's 43rd Infantry. The company was surprised to see the odd combination of individuals they had saved, and all three of them decided to join the 43rd, having already planned on fighting for the Alliance. The 43rd Infantry was led by Captain Deonis Eren, and B4-307 and many other battle droids were members of the 43rd.
Yosip Zagoonga served as a lieutenant in charge of a platoon of fifty or so soldiers, a significant contrast compared to the Clone Wars where he commanded millions of battle droids. Part of the reason that Zagoonga chose to do this was because of his public image, as billions of people that sided with the Republic during the Clone Wars still remembered and hated him. Zagoonga only told members of the company his last name, and he falsely claimed that he was only a distant relative of Marshal General Yosip Zagoonga.
Personality and traits[]
A Frenzanian male, Yosip Zagoonga had green skin, yellow eyes, and stood at a height of 2.12 meters, or 6 feet 11.5 inches. He was known for his four arms and his unwillingness to wear clothing. As a Frenzanian, Zagoonga was physically tough and ate around 8,000 calories a day. Most Humans found Zagoonga's appearance to be unsettling.
Yosip Zagoonga was a respected and brave military commander who prided himself on the battles he won, but always strived to do better. He avoided civilian casualties, did not summarily execute prisoners, and even treated his battle droids as beings that mattered, so whenever a retreat was necessary he pulled out as many droids as possible rather than leaving them to die. Zagoonga, while decisive, was rarely over-confident unlike many other well-known Separatist commanders. He was also very determined, continuing to aggressively fight against the Republic in the final year of the Clone Wars despite anticipating a CIS defeat.
Zagoonga's main motivation at the beginning of the Clone Wars was to ensure the independence of the Frenzanian Kingdom from the Galactic Republic. He claimed to do this for his Queen and people. Over time however, Zagoonga came to believe that he was fighting for the rights and freedom of far more people all across the galaxy. He strongly believed that the Republic was corrupt, careless, and dominated by the interests of the Core Worlds elite, and that the Jedi Order was full of entitled and bigoted individuals who only served as tools to enforce the interest of the Senate.
During the Clone Wars, Dooku and Darth Sidious considered disposing of Zagoonga, believing that a Separatist leader with strong morals and effective strategy was harmful to their ultimate goals, which involved the defeat of the CIS and the rise of anti-alien sentiment. However, they decided not to, because Zagoonga's antagonizing appearance was easily exploited by Republic propaganda, which also exaggerated or entirely fabricated reports of atrocities committed by his forces, fueling the xenophobia that would come to define the Empire.
Skills and abilities[]
Although Yosip Zagoonga was known for being a military commander, he was also a highly skilled combatant. This was because of his species' natural advantages of strength and fast reaction times, combined with his training, experience, and natural skill.
Zagoonga had an impressive level of proficiency with blasters, as he had lethal precision and speed, allowing him to take on many enemies at once. He could even quad-wield, holding a pistol in each of his four arms. Zagoonga was also skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and was supposedly able to even best a Wookiee. He was very effective with electrostaffs, as exemplified by the fact that he was able to hold off two trained Jedi during the Battle of Lagobah.
Behind the scenes[]
Yosip Zagoonga is physically based on the LEGO minifigure Frenzy from the Space Police III theme.
The main reason the author created Yosip Zagoonga was to have the Clone Wars told from the perspective of a prominent yet humane Separatist, as almost all Clone Wars-era Star Wars material is told from the Republic perspective. As a Confederate general, Yosip Zagoonga could be considered an anti-villain, because he just wanted his people to be independent from the Republic and legitimately they would be better off that way. He did not kill indiscriminately or use excessively harsh methods, and was even willing to work with those he was at odds with. However, Zagoonga was part of a faction led by "evil" individuals such as Count Dooku, General Grievous, and the Separatist Council, who were in the war for personal gain and were pawns of Darth Sidious. The actions of the Separatist leadership and sadistic Separatist military commanders ultimately led to Yosip Zagoonga looking like the "bad guy," but he genuinely thought he was doing the right thing and arguably had a completely justified cause.