Wullf Yularen
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Wullf Yularen
Biographical information
Died
Descriptive information
Species
Skin color
Family information
Family
Parent(s)
Chronological & political information
- "I can't define a hero. All I know is that it's someone you probably don't notice, but when you find out what they did and how modestly they did it, you can never shake off the feeling that you're cut from a lesser cloth, and you find that braggarts suddenly offend you a great deal more than usual."
- ―Wullf Yularen[10]
Wullf Yularen was amaleHuman who had a long history of service in both theGalactic Republic and theGalactic Empire. Early in his military career, Yularen distinguished himself as acaptain in theKwymar Sector Forces, fighting againstslavers andpirates. During thistime, he became obsessed with intelligence security, and his desire for improving security and prevent leaks led him to leave thesector fleet and join the Republic'sSenate Bureau of Intelligence as an intelligence officer. The presence of powerful enemies and corruption within the Bureau forced Yularen to seek employment elsewhere, and he became aspecial agent in an anti-corruption unit within theOffice of the Supreme Chancellor, investigating government corruption during theSeparatist Crisis. Yularen became a strong supporter ofSupreme ChancellorPalpatine during this time, and it was this dedication that earned him Palpatine's attention.
Yularen ultimately retired to theplanet Anaxes, hishomeworld as a youth, but the Supreme Chancellor still had work for him to do. During theClone Wars, Yularen was persuaded by Palpatine to join theRepublic Navy as anadmiral—becoming one of the youngest naval officers to hold the rank—and the navalcommander ofJedi GeneralAnakin Skywalker's fleet. The reluctant admiral saw Skywalker as a recklessstarfighterpilot rather than a respectablegeneral; nevertheless, the two served in multiple engagements against theConfederacy of Independent Systems during the war, sharing victories and defeats before the war concluded in19 BBY.
Following the reorganization of the Republic into the Galactic Empire, Yularen returned to the intelligence business, serving in the newly-formedImperial Security Bureau as the head of a task force charged with rooting out sedition within the government. By0 BBY, he had become acolonel in the Bureau and was stationed aboard thefirst Death Star as the head of the ISB contingent and a member ofGrand MoffWilhuff Tarkin's staff. Yularen was tasked with briefing the GrandMoff and maintaining loyalty to the Empire, as many seniorofficers aboard theDeath Star had plans to use thebattle station for their own means. Yularen was aboard the Death Star when it wasattacked by theRebel Alliance, and heperished whenRebel pilotLuke Skywalker successfully destroyed the station.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- "He tore our ships apart. We barely escaped with our lives. In the end, a Jedi-led task force moved in to settle the matter. Trench's ship was destroyed, and we assumed he went down with it."
- ―Wullf Yularen, recounting the Battle of Malastare Narrows[11]
Admiral Yularen during the Clone Wars
Wullf Yularen was born to an influentialCoruscanti family[1] and raised onAnaxes.[2] Yularen's father,Thull, was a legendarynaval instructor who desired perfection from thecadets he trained. Wullf followed his father's footsteps and sought a naval career from a young age, studying historical conflicts like theWaymancy Storm and thePius Dea Crusades with his father.[8]
Yularen attended theImperial Naval Academy onPrefsbelt IV and opted for service in thePlanetary Security Forces over theJudicial fleet, which was seen as having less of a military tradition. Yularen took service in theKwymar Sector Forces. In command of anOuter Rim patrol,Captain Yularen began cleaning up thedangerous sector; he foughtslavers on theListehol Run and destroyed severalSikurdianpirate bases inWild Space.[8][2]
In34 BBY, Yularen served with aRepublictask force assembled to break theblockade ofMalastare, which was involved with a dispute with theCorporate Alliance over fuel allocations. Formally present as a military observer, Yularen's experience withSikurd's pirates in theKwymar sector made himde facto commander against the Sikurdianprivateers that formed part of the Corporate Alliance fleet. In the resultingBattle of Malastare Narrows, the Republic force was almost completely annihilated by thefleet of theHarchAdmiralTrench. The timely intervention of a Republic task force led byJedi KnightKep-She saved the remnants of the Republic force and vaporized Trench'sflagship. The Harch was presumed to have gone down with hisship, though he later resurfaced during theClone Wars and again faced Yularen in battle.[11][8]
Yularen's time with the Kwymarfleet left him obsessed with uncovering corruption and ensuring security, as leaks in Republic law-enforcement agencies often tipped off his targets. Ultimately, this lack of security caused him to resign from the sector fleet and instead pursue a career in intelligence.[2] The prominence of his family provided Yularen the political backing to get a job as aspecial agent with theSenate Bureau of Intelligence. Over the next decade, he investigated a myriad of cases for, against, and about theSenate, observing all the major delegates and assembling detailed dossiers on all of them. Even then, there was corruption within the SBI, and numerous low-level functionaries who were game to support anysenator's schemes by passing on misinformation for the right price.[1] Through his work, Yularen made a considerable amount of enemies in both the Senate and the Bureau,[2] and he was repeatedly blocked and sidelined.[8]
However, Yularen's dedication caught the eye ofSupreme ChancellorPalpatine, who assigned him to an anti-corruption unit under theOffice of the Supreme Chancellor, investigating both government corruption and individuals' ties to the growingSeparatist movement. Yularen soon came to admire Palpatine and the direction in which he intended to take the Republic. Very soon, he was a loyal follower and a trusted agent for Palpatine's inner circle.[1] However, the Senate saw Palpatine's special unit as a threat to its power and prerogatives, and managed to starve it of funding and resources.[8][12] Frustrated and angry, Yularen was forced into early retirement on Anaxes.[2] Nonetheless, the Supreme Chancellor was not prepared to let a man like Yularen leave his services forever.[12]
Service during the Clone Wars[]
Yularen is briefed in the field by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
At the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Palpatine coaxed Yularen out of retirement and offered him a promotion to admiral and a commission in the newRepublic Navy.[12] Deciding to distance himself from the intelligence community as much as he could,[1] Yularen accepted, becoming one of the youngest officers in the Republic to hold the rank.[12] A year into the war, he was assigned to a major task force[1] led byJedi GeneralsObi-Wan Kenobi[12] andAnakin Skywalker.[10] When appointing the former Intelligence officer to Skywalker's fleet, Palpatine informed Yularen of Skywalker's unorthodoxy, but maintained that it was the "highest compliment."[11] Yularen was often worried about Skywalker's reckless tactics[7] and often saw him as a boldstarfighterpilot rather than a respected general.[10] However, the admiral held considerable respect for Skywalker's talents and confidence.[2] At one point during the war, Yularen declined to speak withHoloNet News on the topic of the Republic's war heroes, saying that he found it difficult to define such a being.[10]
Christophsis and Teth[]
- "Stand by to break orbit—Separatist vessels incoming. Sorry, General Kenobi, but we're under fire—you're on your own."
- ―Admiral Yularen, during the Battle of Christophsis[10]
Yularen observes the Separatist blockade during the Battle of Christophsis.
In one of his earliest missions with Skywalker, Admiral Yularen was tasked withbreaking aSeparatist blockade ofChristophsis, in order to deliver supplies to a beleaguered Republic force led bySenatorBail Organa on the planet. The Republic fleet, led by theVenator-class Star DestroyerResolute, met strong opposition from theSeparatist blockade; after suffering the loss of sometransports from long-range attacks, the Republic force withdrew to the far side ofChristophsis's moon and rendezvoused with General Kenobi'sNegotiator. While Skywalker prepared to take astealth ship past the blockade to deliver supplies to Senator Organa'stroops, Yularen analyzed data from the engagement and noticed the insignia of Admiral Trench on the Separatistflagship, thedreadnaughtInvincible. Concluding that their adversary was none other than the Harch admiral, Yularen went to theNegotiator to inform Skywalker of the discovery.[11]
The admiral informed Skywalker that he had recognized Trench's maneuvers during the battle, and cautioned against renewing the assault. Yularen volunteered to accompany Skywalker on the resupply mission aboard the stealth ship, aware that his knowledge of Trench's tactics might come in handy. Thecloaked ship easily slipped past the blockade, but Trench, growing impatient when no Republic counterattack appeared, ordered a flight ofHyena bombers to attack Organa's position on the planet's surface in an attempt to draw out the Republic force. General Kenobi prepared to move the fleet into battle, but Yularen saw the trap and knew that any counterattack would result in heavy casualties. Instead, seeing no other option, Skywalker chose to attack Trench's flagship with the stealth ship. Despite Yularen's complaints, Skywalker successfully outmaneuvered Trench and managed to destroy theInvincible. With the blockade's flagship gone, the Republic strike force engaged the remaining Separatist warships while Skywalker delivered the supplies to Organa's men on the planet. Yularen, impressed with Skywalker's unorthodoxy, spoke briefly with him, and the Jedi commented that they made a good team.[11]
Despite the victory,[11] the battle to liberate Christophsis was far from over. Skywalker and Kenobi led theirclone troops against thedroid army on the planet, but the strength of the Separatist forces continually pushed them back. Yularen, faced with a renewed Separatist blockade in orbit, was forced to withdraw his ships, leaving the ground forces on their own. Even without air support, Skywalker and his newapprentice,Ahsoka Tano—newly arrived as a messenger from theJedi High Council—managed to destroy the Separatists'shield generator. Kenobi, meanwhile, forced the surrender of SeparatistGeneralWhorm Loathsom. The blockade fell apart, and the intense battle for Christophsis came to an end.[10][14]
Skywalker and Tano were then set toTeth to rescue theHuttletRotta, the son ofJabba Desilijic Tiure, from Separatist forces on the planet. Yularen, onboard his flagshipSpirit of the Republic, arrived with his fleet to cover the extraction team's escape toTatooine. Aboard theG9 Rigger freighterTwilight, appropriated from Separatists forces on Teth, Skywalker and Tano attempted to board theSpirit to drop off the rescued Rotta while Vulture droids pursued. As thefreighter bore a Separatist transponder code, theStar Destroyer originally fired on them, but Skywalker was able to convince the crew that he was who he was. Yularen noticed the Vultures and told Skywalker that while he would have thedestroyer'sdeflector shields momentarily dropped, theTwilight would have to divert to the aft hangar bay. The admiral proceeded to tell his general that theSpirit had faced suicide runs before, forcing the crew to shoot first and ask questions later. Skywalker acknowledged, noting that Yularen had just put him in his place. Before theTwilight could land, three Vulture droids shot into the aft hangar, wreaking havoc on the landing zone and forcing Skywalker to take theTwilight to Tatooine instead. In the end, Skywalker successfully returned Rotta to Jabba and convinced the Huttcrime lord to open histrade routes to Republic military forces.[10][14]
Victories and defeats[]
- "It was a tough fight, but this system is safe from tyranny."
"General Skywalker! We have another problem—Separatist reinforcements have just arrived!" - ―Skywalker and Yularen, during the battle at Nexus Ortai[15]
Admiral Yularen was assigned as the commander of Skywalker's three-shipbattle group sent toBothawui to protect theBothan homeworld from GeneralGrievous. ThecruisersResolute,Dauntless, andPioneer had just been completed at theshipyard atAllanteen Six, and Yularen transferred his flag from theSpirit of the Republic to theResolute. Before the fleet could arrive at Bothawui, the fleet engaged Grievous's forces in minor skirmishes.[16] The battle group arrived at Bothawui before Grievous could, but when he did arrive,AT-TEs placed onasteroids destroyed the general's fleet ofMunificent-class star frigates and forced him to retreat.[17]
A Republic fleet under Yularen later accompanied Generals Kenobi and Skywalker to theTogruta colony world ofKiros. The subsequentbattle ended in a Republic victory after Kenobi defeated theBesalisk commander of the droid occupation force,Xerius Ugg, in hand-to-hand combat. Yularen reported viahologram that the Togruta population appeared to have vanished completely from the planet, leading Kenobi to believe that the missing Togruta were being held as slaves in the nearbyZygerrian system.[18] The Jedi and their forces successfully found and rescued the captive slaves after dealing with theZygerrians.[19]
Yularen's forces would also participate in thebattle aboveNexus Ortai, a strategic world located at the junction of somehyperlanes. Though the initial Separatist invasion force was destroyed, the Republic suffered many casualties and were forced to withdraw when enemy reinforcements arrived. Sometime after the retreat, Yularen was present when Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano, and a squad ofclonetroopers underCaptainRex had themselves frozen incarbonite in order to infiltrate the Separatistshipyards atGwori. Yularen was present when Tano indicated that the strike force was in position, and that Plo Koon's andSaesee Tiin'sHunter Squadron would proceed to Gwori to destroy the shipyards in their BTL-B Y-wing starfighters. Yularen's fleet did not participate in the engagement, however.[15]
The hunt for Grievous[]
Admiral Yularen participated in numerous skirmishes against General Grievous during the Clone Wars.
Sometime afterward, Yularen and Skywalker were participating in the search for General Grievous's secret weapon, the warshipMalevolence.[20] Yularen led the briefing ofShadow Squadron before they launched in theirBTL-B Y-wing starfighters toattack theMalevolence. He would later warnNala Se and theKaliida Shoals Medical Center of theMalevolence's plan to destroy the medicenter, killing approximately 60,000 wounded clone troopers in the process. Ultimately, Skywalker,Plo Koon, and Shadow Squadron were able to stop theMalevolence in time, destroying its twoion cannons. The destruction of the primary weapons disabled thehyperdrive and inflicted massive damage throughout the ship.[21] From theResolute, Yularen led a total of three Star Destroyers in pursuit of the damagedMalevolence as it attempted to flee to Separatist space. WhenSenatorPadmé Amidala and herprotocol droidC-3PO were captured by the Separatist warship, Generals Skywalker and Kenobi infiltrated the battleship and recovered the senator and her droid. However, thebattle droids onboard had managed to repair the ship's hyperdrive, so Skywalker and Amidala infiltrated the bridge and set the coordinates of a nearbymoon into thenavicomputer. The two Jedi, the senator, and the droids C-3PO andR2-D2 fled onboard theTwilight as Grievous, in hisBelbullab-22 starfighterSoulless One, andVulture droids followed close behind. As theMalevolence attempted to flee, it impacted with the moon, obliterating the massive warship.[22]
As the war progressed, the Republic learned of an impending attack onKamino, the birthplace of the Republic's growing clone army. Admiral Yularen was placed in command of the planet's orbital defense fleet in time for General Grievous'sassault. The orbital battle proved to be a ruse, however; while the Republic fleet succeeded in damaging many of the Separatist vessels, the "debris" from the enemy warships actually contained the bulk of a planetary assault force to be assembled in the depths of Kamino's planet-wideocean. The battle in space raged on as Separatistaqua droids emerged from the waters in their attack on the planet's capital,Tipoca City, but a Republic counteroffensive forced Grievous and the remaining Separatists to flee.[23]
Flashpoints and rescues[]
- "You'll never be able to dock with our ship in the middle of this battle!"
"We have no choice, Admiral. General Skywalker's condition may be critical. We must get him on board theResolute."
"Are all Jedi so reckless?"
"Just the good ones." - ―Yularen and Aayla Secura, during the battle over Quell[24]
Accompanied by MasterYoda during abattle overKothlis, Yularen led his fleet into combat against a force of sixTrade FederationLucrehulk-class Droid Control Ships while Kenobi, Skywalker, and Tano led an assortment ofDelta-7Bs, V-19 Torrents, and Y-wings in engaging the enemy Vulture droids. The four Jedi spoke with theBothanFirst SecretaryDesark Fey'lya in the aftermath of the battle, who thanked the Republic for repelling the Separatist assault. Tano, however, knew Fey'lya was lying, and she voiced her conclusion that the Bothan had personally invited the Separatists to meet with him on Kothlis. Insulted, the First Secretary announced that Kothlis would remain neutral as a result of the Togruta Padawan's accusation. Skywalker scolded her, telling his Padawan that they all had known he was lying—but they had not called out Fey'lya in an attempt to pursue diplomacy.[25]
Following the battle over Kothlis, the trio of Skywalker, Kenobi, and Tano embarked on adiplomatic mission to thegas giantTaloraan. Before the Jedi departed, the admiral expressed his concerns about the mission—Taloraan had strong magnetic fields that made communicating and scanning all but impossible. Yularen, predicting a Separatist surprise attack, remained aboard theResolute, which was kept at a safe distance from the planet. Yularen's fears proved to be true, but because of the communications difficulties, he was unaware of the danger that the Jedi were in. As he prepared to move theResolute into signal range to contact Skywalker, a SeparatistMunificent-class frigate was preparing to ambush the destroyer. Kenobi managed to reach Yularen in time, informing him of the trap. The admiral quickly ordered for the shields to be raised, just as the Separatist frigate emerged from the clouds and opened fire. The barrage rocked theResolute, but the cruiser returned fire, weakening the Separatist warship's aft shields and destroying its engines. The frigate was sucked into Taloraan's core and destroyed, and the Republic won the day.[25]
Skywalker, Yularen, and theResolute were sent to assist in the evacuation of GeneralAayla Secura's forces from the disastrousBattle of Quell. Skywalker, Tano, and Rex led a strike force into Secura's crippled Star Destroyer and caught up with theTwi'lek general and CommanderBly and his men. Skywalker was injured during the escape, but they all managed to get aboard aConsular-classfrigate before the Star Destroyer was destroyed. Their ship was hit by Vulture droid fighters as they entered theResolute's dorsal hangar, and the damage caused by the enemy fire engaged the frigate's hyperdrive. Yularen ordered theResolute to take evasive actions as the frigate enteredhyperspace and, soon after, arrived in theMaridun system.[24] There they encountered and defeated the forces ofNeimoidian GeneralLok Durd, who had planned to use his newdefoliator weapon against a colony of pacifistLurmen.[26] Yularen was able to locate them there with a fleet ofVenator-class Star Destroyers just as the Jedi were planning to escort Durd, whom they had taken into Republic custody, away from Maridun.[27]
Fights at Kothlis and Lanteeb[]
- "Besides—that's Grievous standing in our way. Our highest priority is taking him out. Lanteeb's as good a place as any to get the job done."
"Master Windu, far be it for me to dictate to a Jedi of your experience, but truly—I think it would be best to hold our fire a while longer. Get him thinking. Throw him off balance, if only a little bit. We can't make threats we're not in a position to carry out." - ―Mace Windu and Admiral Yularen.[28]
Following the Battle of Quell, when the Republic'sSpecial Operations Brigade learned of the possibility that General Grievous was planning on attacking Kothlis and itsBothan Spynetfacility, Yularen was commissioned alongside Kenobi, Skywalker, and Tano to protect the strategicMid Rim world. The cruisersPioneer,Coruscant Sky, andIndomitable were assigned to their task force, and as theResolute was out of rotation for a refit, Yularen and the Jedi led their fleet fromIndomitable. Confirmation of the Special Operations Brigade's initial report soon came from Yoda, who added that they should call for reinforcements only after they had reached Kothlis and only if they were absolutely necessary. Although Kenobi noted that the cruiserCoryx Moth was on patrol nearFalleen, Yularen found Yoda's message to be rather cryptic, and felt that waiting to request reinforcements after they had reached Kothlis would be too late. He was also alarmed when Skywalker and Kenobi suggested that they abstain from asking for assistance altogether, though he relented when Kenobi noted the hard truth that not many battle groups were available. Yularen stood by and contributed to the Jedi's plan of attack while conducting pre-battle preparations.[29]
However, the Republic fleet's arrival in theKothlis system was met with several unpleasant discoveries—firstly, that Grievous and his five-cruiser fleet had beat them to Kothlis and were already invading the planet, and secondly, that the Separatists had somehow jammed all of the Republic cruisers' comm channels. Further investigation into the matter onLieutenantAvrey's part revealed that the cause of the disruption was acomputer virus that had been implemented through previoussabotage. While Avrey and officers aboardPioneer andCoruscant Sky worked to restore the fleet's communications, Skywalker and Kenobi confirmed that their starfighters and gunships had also been affected by the virus. Despite the setback, Yularen and the Jedi Generals decided to continue on with their attack—the fighters would provide cover for Kenobi, Tano, and the gunships to land on Kothlis and retake itscapital,Tal'cara, and its spynet facility. When all were in place, Yularen launched the fighters on Kenobi's order, and hadIndomitable move into position for deployment once Skywalker and the fighters had broken through Grievous's lines. Kenobi and Tano then left with several clone troopercompanies aboard the gunships for Kothlis's surface while Yularen continued to command the space battle.[29]
Despite heavy losses to their fleet and starfighter squadrons, Yularen and Skywalker were able to win the battle against the Separatists thanks to the restoration of communications and the arrival ofCoryx Moth, and forced Grievous out of the system. While Skywalker traveled down to the surface to assist in the relief efforts, Yularen made the report on the costly victory to the Senate, which contacted Bothawui and dispatched a civilian relief team, and also informed them of the Separatists' eradication of theKothlis Ruling Council, which had been wiped out during the battle. Additionally, he relayed news of the victory over Kothlis to Kenobi, who had also met with success, and dispatched medevac ships to the surface to handle the many wounded troops. When Skywalker told him that Kenobi had been injured in his report on the Kothlis ground situation, Yularen checked with Kenobi'sclone medic on his injuries and made arrangements for Kenobi to be transferred toIndomitable's medbay and then back to Coruscant. He even personally ensured that Kenobi went in for treatment by almost ordering him to do so. Soon after Kenobi was treated, he and Skywalker returned to Coruscant onPioneer, per Yularen's recommendation in an effort to restrict the damagedIndomitable's hyperspace travel.[29]
Yularen's next deployment came relatively soon, a day after the Separatists launched a devastatingbioweapon attack on the planetChandrila. Being the most seasoned commander available at the time, Yularen was given command of a battle group that was to cripple the Separatists' manufacturing facilities for thedamotite-based weapon on the Confederate-occupied planetLanteeb. The task force was also assigned to rescue Skywalker and Kenobi, who had become trapped on Lanteeb after discovering the weapon.Indomitable's repairs were fast-tracked in time for the mission, and Yularen's battle group was supplemented byCoryx Moth andPioneer. After being joined by Tano, Captain Rex, and the501st Legion'sTorrent Company, Yularen took his fleet to Lanteeb. At the flotilla's pre-approach coordinates to Lanteeb, the fleet received the addition of the cruiserDagger and Jedi GeneralMace Windu, who had been keeping watch over Kothlis following the Separatists' invasion. Upon reaching Lanteeb[28] in theMalor-77 system,[29] Yularen, Windu, and their battle group discovered that Lanteeb was being blockaded by a fleet of more than twenty-five Confederate warships, commanded by none other than General Grievous. The only piece of good news was that the Republic fleet had overcome Grievous's communications jammer virus, at least for the time being.[28]
Although Yularen suggested that they wait for Grievous to make the first move and cause him some sweat, Windu intended for the Republic to begin the battle and buy some time for potential reinforcements. Windu compromised with Yularen, allotting onehour to wait for a report from Master Yoda on the subject of reinforcements. Eventually, the Republic battle group launched a series of starfighter assaults on Grievous's flotilla, with Yularen and Windu coordinating the attacks fromIndomitable'sBattle Operations Room via holotracking. Following the third skirmish, however, Yularen became unwilling to stay at Lanteeb any longer, as he could not afford to further jeopardize his troops with more losses. Although Windu tried to convince him otherwise, it was Yoda who succeeded in changing Yularen's position, reporting that an auxiliary civilian fleet was on its way to reinforce Yularen's battle group. After confirming the Supreme Chancellor's support for the move, Yularen resolved to continue on the mission to invade Lanteeb. When the large civilian fleet arrived a few hours later, Grievous lost his nerve and retreated to hyperspace, leaving the Republic to liberate the world. While Windu, Tano, and Rex went to rescue Skywalker and Kenobi from the Lanteeban cityTorbel, Yularen and his enhanced battle group coordinated the liberation of Lanteeb from Separatist occupation, and they eventually succeeded. As the battle group began mopping up Lanteeb, Yularen and the Jedi debriefed the campaign with Palpatine. While Republic forces remained to secure Lanteeb, Windu took Skywalker and Kenobi back to Coruscant aboardDagger for medical treatment.[28]
Liberating Ryloth[]
Yularen recovers from his injuries following the initial battle over Ryloth.
FollowingTechno UnionForemanWat Tambor's conquest ofRyloth, theResolute, along with the destroyersDefender andRedeemer, participated in the first act ofliberating the world, with Yularen and Skywalker commanding. Above Ryloth, Commander Tano'sBlue Squadron engaged the Separatist blockade commanded by Neimoidian CaptainMar Tuuk from the Droid Control ShipProcurer. However, Tuuk had anticipated a Republic attack, and an additional fourMunificent-class frigates emerged from hyperspace to supplement the two already present. Faced with a larger enemy fleet and scores of Vulture droids, Yularen ordered Tano and her squadron to abort the mission and return to theResolute. Tano disobeyed the orders, resulting in heavy losses for Blue Squadron. The Vulture droids began making kamikaze attacks on the three Republic Star Destroyers, resulting in heavy damage. One Vulture droid dove into the bridge of theResolute, and though the bridge was not destroyed, Yularen was wounded in the attack. TheRedeemer was destroyed, but after Tano and the remnants of her squadron returned, the two remaining destroyers jumped into hyperspace. Yularen was taken to the sickbay, where he was cared to by a2-1B medical droid. It was in the sickbay that Tano apologized to the admiral for disobeying his orders; Yularen feigned unconsciousness.[30]
When General Skywalker came up with the bold strategy of evacuating theDefender and then ramming it into theLucrehulk-class Droid Control Ship, many were unsure on whether or not the move would succeed. On the bridge of theResolute, Tano came up with another strategy—aMarg Sabl maneuver—to protect theResolute and give the Y-wing bombers the element of surprise they needed to destroy the remaining Separatist frigates. Many clones, including Rex, continued to be skeptic of the plan. But Yularen arrived on the bridge and expressed his confidence in Tano and her plan, even though he knew the odds of success were slim. But Skywalker and R2-D2 succeeded in piloting theDefender into Tuuk's flagship, obliterating both warships. From the safety of anescape pod, Skywalker and his astromech droid watched as Ahsoka's strategy succeeded in destroying the rest of the Separatist fleet, paving the way for a trio ofAcclamator-class assault ships commanded by Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu to begin their landing on Ryloth.[30] Yularen was present, viahologram, at a meeting with General Windu, Master Yoda, Chancellor Palpatine, andSenatorOrn Free Taa. During the meeting, he informed the Chancellor that the Republic could not spare any troops or warships to be sent to Ryloth as reinforcements. As a result, General Windu decided to ally with the Twi'lek radicalCham Syndulla'sfreedom fighters. Their combined forces were able to take the capitalcity ofLessu, free the planet from the grip of the Confederacy, and takeEmir Tambor prisoner.[31]
The Valahari threat[]
As the Clone Wars progressed, word reached the Republic that the neutral world ofValahari, noted for its shipbuilding capabilities, was providing the Confederacy with wartime supplies. Generals Kenobi and Skywalker attempted to dissuade ValahariViscountHarko Vane from aiding the Separatists, but Vane refused, maintaining that the planet remained neutral and was merely doing what was right for its economy. The Republic responded with a military blockade led by Yularen, a move soon challenged by Vane. Separatist sabotage resulted in the death of the viscount when his transport exploded; Valahari forces responded by attacking the blockade and joining the Confederacy.[32]
The viscount's son,Tofen Vane, led the Valahari starfighters dubbed "Tofen's Raiders" in numerous successful attacks on Republic forces, becoming a Confederate hero and instrument of propaganda. Skywalker, Yularen, and their fleet was dispatched to theHexus system, where AdmiralAldanna's blockade—suspected to be Vane's next target—was located. Sure enough, Vane and his fighter group attacked Aldanna's fleet before Yularen's forces could arrive. Skywalker engaged Vane in combat, and though Vane shot him down, Skywalker managed to place ahoming beacon on Vane's starfighter before the Confederate hero fled. Yularen arrived with his reinforcements, forcing the Valahari fighters to retreat.[33]
The homing beacon led the Republic forces toHarko Station, Vane's base located within theVeil Nebula. While Skywalker led Republic fighters in battling Tofen's Raiders, Yularen led his fleet in bombarding Harko Station. The Valahari forces countered by summoning massiveneebrays to attack the Republic capital ships via a replicated neebray brood mother call. Many ships were damaged or destroyed by the tactic, but the neebray ceased all hostility when a Republic bomber squadron destroyed Harko Station and the source of the control signal. Vane perished in the engagement, and when news of Separatist involvement in Viscount Vane's death emerged, Valahari withdrew its support for the Confederacy and returned to its neutrality.[34]
Battle over Devaron[]
Yularen found himself frequently at odds with Skywalker, such as during the battle over Devaron.
After theDurosmercenaryCad Bane stole aholocron from theJedi Temple and capturedRodianJedi MasterBolla Ropal onDevaron, Bane moved to escape the system with the holocron and aKyber memory crystal, planning to give both to theSith Lord Darth Sidious in exchange for a substantial payment. Skywalker and Tano were dispatched tointercept Bane and recover Ropal and the artifacts; Yularen and theResolute were likewise assigned to assist the Jedi in their mission. Upon arriving in Devaron's orbit, the lone Star Destroyer engaged the five escapingMunificent-class frigates. On theResolute's bridge, Yularen informed Skywalker that they had received a message from a clone stationed on the world. The beleaguered soldier managed to report that Ropal and the Kyber crystal had both been captured and the Republic outpost had been overrun before being killed by the advancing battle droids. As the four escorting frigates were destroyed, theResolute focused on the surviving Separatist warship—Bane's frigate. A few well-placed shots hit the fleeing warship's engines, preventing it from going into hyperspace. Skywalker ordered that theResolute move in so that they could initiate boarding procedures. Yularen, noting that the destroyer possessed no boarding craft as part of its complement, was shocked by the general's suggestion.[13]
In the destroyer's hangar, Skywalker, Tano, and threebrigades of clones under Rex's command assembled for a pre-mission briefing. Faced with the task of boarding the remaining frigate without any suitable craft, Skywalker developed an unorthodox strategy of using a trio of AT-TEs to land on the exterior of the Separatist warship. Rex and Ahsoka were impressed with Skywalker's plan, as AT-TEs were pressurized and equipped with magnetic feet. But Yularen, who had gone down to the hangar to see if he could assist in any way, found the tactic to be ridiculous. Nonetheless, Skywalker's strategy proved successful, and the two Jedi and the clones boarded the warship. After forcing Bane to flee, they escaped the exploding frigate aboard aSheathipede-class shuttle; unknown to them, Bane had killed the clone trooperDenal, stole his armor, and was standing among them in the shuttle. When the frigate vaporized, the Republic forces assumed both the holocron and the memory crystal had been destroyed as well. Yularen greeted the forces upon their return to theResolute, but was not impressed to learn that the goal of the mission had failed to been achieved—as the admiral noted, Skywalker's "usual version of success."[13] The Republic forces would learn of Bane's survival when he, still clad in Denal's armor, hijacked a V-19 Torrent and proceeded to escape theResolute. Skywalker contacted Yularen and told him to lock down all of thehyperdrive docking rings, hoping to trap the commandeered starfighter—which lacked an onboard hyperdrive—and capture the bounty hunter. However, the order came and was enacted too late; as Yularen relayed the order to shut down the hyperdrive rings, Bane docked his fighter with one and escaped into hyperspace.[35]
Assault on Geonosis[]
Following the conflict on Devaron, Admiral Yularen and his task force comprised the core of a fleet assembled to lead asecond assault on the Outer Rim world ofGeonosis, thebirthplace of the Clone Wars. Intelligencegathered bySenatorPadmé Amidala onCato Neimoidia indicated that theGeonosianArchdukePoggle the Lesser was constructing a newdroid factory on Geonosis. Jedi Generals Skywalker, Kenobi, andKi-Adi-Mundi, along with their respective clone forces, began a three-pronged assault on the shielded droid foundry, using LAAT/i andLAAT/c gunships. Before Mundi departed, Yularen offered theCerean Jedi Master luck on his mission.[36]
Yularen denies Commander Jet's request for air support during the battle
However, as the invasion began, the LAAT gunships met with heavy Geonosian and droid resistance. Skywalker's and Mundi's forces were shot down before they could rendezvous with Kenobi's forces at the designated landing zone. Mundi's clone commander,Jet, contacted Yularen[36] aboard theResolute[37] via comlink to request for air support; the admiral was forced to deny the clone assistance, as the Y-wing bombers were preoccupied with Geonosian forces elsewhere and could not be diverted if the planetary invasion was to be successful. While Jet relayed this news to Mundi, Yularen began reallocating the bombers to provide air support for the beleaguered ground troops. This effort produced one available squadron, which Yularen was able to divert to assist the converging remnants of the attack force upon Skywalker's request. With the landing zone secured, Skywalker and Tano led a strike force in destroying the shield protecting the droid foundry, allowing the Republic forces to begin their attack on the foundry itself.[36] The factory was later destroyed, and the battle proved to be a victory for the Republic.[38]
Rescue above Saleucami and further combat[]
- "Admiral Yularen, keep Grievous's fleet occupied so Anakin's arrival is undetected."
"Yes, General. Commence attack; all ships, fire at will." - ―Kenobi and Yularen[39]
During the war, General Grievouscaptured Jedi MasterEeth Koth and relayed news of his success to the Jedi Council on Coruscant. While Koth was beingtortured in the broadcast, the Jedi Master was able to use a discreet hand signal to indicate his location, theSaleucami system. The Order launched arescue mission led by Generals Kenobi, Skywalker, andAdi Gallia to liberate Koth from his imprisonment. Admiral Yularen commanded the assembled task force of Star Destroyers and cruisers that would keep the Separatist fleet busy while the Jedi moved to secure Koth.[39]
When the Republic fleet arrived in the Saleucami system, Grievous commanded his warships to commence firing on the enemy. In preparation for Skywalker and Gallia's arrival aboard aJedi ambassadorial shuttle, and their infiltration ofGrievous's flagship, General Kenobi had Yularen move his fleet into the battle. The admiral issued a fire-at-will command; the Republic fleet moved in to distract the Separatist armada and provide ample cover fire for the incoming ambassadorial shuttle. While Grievous personally engaged Kenobi in combat aboard the Jedi'slight cruiser, Skywalker and Gallia succeeded in rescuing Koth from theSeparatist destroyer, and joined with Kenobi and some clone troopers in escaping aboard the ambassadorial shuttle after the light cruiser was destroyed. The cyborg general, meanwhile, fled toSaleucami's surface following his duel with Kenobi. As Skywalker remained in orbit to oversee the defeat of the remaining Confederate forces, Kenobi took a group of clone troopers down to the planet to search for Grievous.[39] Though they succeeded in finding the Separatist general, Grievous managed to flee yet again after another confrontation with Kenobi.[40]
Admiral Yularen, commanding from theResolute, led Republic forces intobattle against a Separatist armada in theSullust system later in the war. Several of theResolute's systems, including shielding and propulsion, were damaged under concentrateddroid tri-fighter attack, leaving the Star Destroyer vulnerable to enemy attack.[41] The Separatist fleet succeeded in destroying in theResolute, but Yularen managed to escape his doomed flagship rather than perish with it.[42]
Serving the Empire[]
Yularen served as a colonel in the ISB
Returning to intelligence[]
In18 BBY a union of pirates were launching raids into the recently reorganized CorpSec and the surrounding area, that forced the Empire to get involved in what was known as theListehol Campaign.Admiral Wullf Yularen took command of a group ofInvincible-class Dreadnaughts meant for the CSA and a small complement ofVenator-class Star Destroyers andTIE/LN starfighters, quickly defeating the raiders.[43]
Despite these further successes in the early years of the Empire, Yularen’s second naval career came to an end when he left the Imperial Navy for good and once again returned to the intelligence field. With the coming of theNew Order, Palpatine'sadvisorCrueya Vandron established aCOMPNOR spin-off organization called theImperial Security Bureau as an intentional rival toImperial Intelligence. The ISB served as a secret police organization to increase Palpatine's knowledge of political events.[44] Yularen's personal loyalty to Palpatine made him a poor fit for an objective organization like Imperial Intelligence; however, the ISB had no pretensions of objectivity, so Yularen, now in his mid-thirties, was reassigned there. His move lost him respect in the eyes of his former superiors or colleagues, many of whom viewed COMPNOR, especially the ISB, as a misuse of valuable resources. Yularen had good connections to theEmperor's inner circle, but he himself remained outside of it.[1]
Yularen headed up his own special task force during the early years of the Empire, which received high-level assignments, often involving an Imperial senator or other important individuals. One of these assignments was to investigate the names of the signatories of thePetition of 2000, the document that SenatorPadmé Amidala presented to Palpatine on behalf of theDelegation of 2000, a vocal group of senators opposed to Palpatine's increasing power.[1]
The Death Star and death[]
By the outbreak of theRebellion, Yularen had risen to the rank ofcolonel in the ISB, and had acquired a reputation as an effective leader with boundless personal loyalty to Palpatine.[9] He was assigned to the nearly-completedDeath Star I battle station as a member ofGrand MoffWilhuff Tarkin's command staff,[4] and due to the presence of ambitious high-ranking officers like Tarkin and AdmiralConan Antonio Motti,[45] he was there to ensure that the station's personnel remained absolutely loyal to the Emperor.[46]
Yularen was one of many ISB personnel stationed aboard the Death Star.
Yularen, as head of the ISB contingent,[1] was placed in charge of numerous agents specializing in surveillance, investigations, internal affairs, interrogation, reeducation, and enforcement. Death Star security forces were obligated to provide office space and reasonable assistance to the ISB, though they did not welcome his men with open arms. In addition, there were several undercover agents aboard to investigate suspicious activities, acting as soldiers, administrators, and lower-level officers—in fact, at least one of Tarkin's personal aides was an undercover ISB agent.[47]
In0 BBY, Yularen and other key members of the Death Star's command staff—including Tarkin, Motti, andGeneralTagge—met in aconference room to discuss the current state of the Empire. The colonel remained silent for the majority of the meeting, watching quietly as Motti and Tagge bickered over the threat that the Rebel Alliance posed to the Empire's military. Even when Tarkin arrived with the news that the Emperor had dissolved theImperial Senate, Yularen remained stoic. He continued to watch the meeting progress, listening as the others discussed the whereabouts of the stolenDeath Star plans and sitting calmly as Darth Vader—Yularen's onetime Jedi commander, the former Anakin Skywalker—choked Motti into submission for his disbelief in the powers of the Force.[4]
Some time following the meeting, the Death Star wasinfiltrated by a makeshift group of soon-to-be-Rebels, includingsmugglerpilotHan Solo, hisWookiee co-pilotChewbacca, and Vader's secret son, future JediLuke Skywalker, as part of an attempted rescue ofPrincessLeia Organa ofAlderaan, who had been captured after attempting to deliver the stolen Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. As part of their infiltration, Solo and Skywalker disguised themselves asstormtroopers and pretended to escort Chewbacca to thedetention block where the Princess was being held. While the trio waited for aturbolift that would take them to the prison level, Yularen andanother ISB officer passed by them, oblivious of their true identities. Skywalker's mission proved successful; the Princess was rescued and successfully evacuated to the Rebel base onYavin 4. However, a tracking device planted aboard Solo'sfreighter allowed the Death Star to follow them to theYavin system. The Alliance launched anattack on the battlestation, determined to destroy it. Skywalker, piloting aT-65 X-wing starfighter, proved successful in this task—his pair ofproton torpedoes reached the Death Star'sreactor core and detonated, obliterating the station.[4] Yularen was killed in the resulting explosion.[3]
Personality and traits[]
Admiral Yularen was a loyal officer in service of the Republic and, later, the Galactic Empire
Wullf Yularen was considered an excellent observer due to his insightful and perceptive nature and, as a result, few senators felt comfortable with him around. Yularen was at ease in the halls of power, and over his multiple military and intelligence careers, he had amassed a great deal of information on a large number of beings. Though his intelligence reports were factually correct, he tended to add a pro-New Order spin to them.[1] Yularen was increasingly obsessed over improving intelligence security and rooting out corruption.[2]
He was a loyal, dedicated, and disciplined naval officer. During the time of the Republic, he was one of the youngest members of the naval officer corps to have reached the rank of admiral. Unflinching, he followed all his orders even when he held his own private doubts about them.[12] He was not afraid to butt heads with his superiors, especially Anakin Skywalker, whom Yularen often saw as a reckless fighter pilot rather than a Jedi General.[10] Regardless, Yularen also held a considerable amount of respect for the man's talents and confidence. However, he was not particularly fond of Jedi in general, for they followed their own chain of command and did not always follow orders from military command on Coruscant—two things that Yularen saw as having a negative effect on operational security.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
Portrayal and development[]
Wullf Yularen first appeared as an unidentified character in1977'sStar Wars: Episode IVA New Hope.[4] The character was not given a name until the release of the "Premiere Limited" base set of theStar Wars Customizable Card Game, in which he was identified as Colonel Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau. Yularen would go virtually unreferenced in anyStar Wars materials until the release of bothThe Force Unleashed Campaign Guide and the various aspects of theStar Wars: The Clone Wars multimedia project.
In2008'sStar Wars: The Clone Wars film and the ongoingStar Wars: The Clone Wars television series, Yularen is voiced by veteranStar Wars voice actorTom Kane. Kane compared Yularen in Imperial times to Field MarshalErwin Rommel, a German commander inWorld War II. Rommel's opposite number on the battlefield, Lieutenant-GeneralBernard Montgomery, respected the German commander and said that even though Rommel wore the Nazi uniform, he wasn't a Nazi. Kane believed that Yularen, a strict military officer, was simply following orders when the Republic transitioned into the Empire.[48]
Errors[]
An action figure of Yularen was produced byHasbro in2007 as part of the Death Star Briefing set. It included a short biography claiming that none of the officers present at the briefing were aware that Yularen was an ISB agent. On the packaging of the Hasbro Death Star Briefing set, his first name is misspelled as "Wulff." On page 138 ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide and in the end credits ofThe Clone Wars TV episodes, his last name is misspelled as "Yularan."
In the commentary forThe Clone Wars movie, the movies' creators were under the assumption that Yularen had been a Grand Admiral during the time of Episode IV, given his white uniform. As such, they opted to portray Yularen as an admiral, as a means of showing him in the process of rising through the ranks. The commentary does not mention Yularen's accepted rank as a colonel in the Imperial Security Bureau. However, this issue has since been rectified, thanks to details of Yularen's post–Clone Wars career provided inThe Force Unleashed Campaign Guide.
TheDeath Star Technical Companion, first published in1991, introduces a character namedDezix as the head of the ISB contingent aboard the first Death Star. Yularen, who was first identified in 1995, seemingly replaced Dezix in this role, as the colonel has been identified as holding this position in sources such asThe Force Unleashed Campaign Guide.
