Nute Gunray

Template:SW Character Nute Gunray is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. In Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Gunray and his organization, the Trade Federation, appear to be the movie's primary villains, but it is made clear early on to the audience (although not to the movie's characters) that the real antagonist is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Nute Gunray was played by Silas Carson.

Gunray was a Neimoidian from the planet Neimoidia, an amphibian-faced humanoid with snake-like eyes. Neimoidians are cunning political manipulators, but they are also untrustworthy and cowardly.

Gunray became the Viceroy of the Trade Federation after the original Trade Federation leaders perished under mysterious circumstances, Gunray being the only survivor. Under the guidance of the enigmatic Darth Sidious, Gunray filled the remaining positions with his associates, making the Trade Federation a Neimoidian monopoly. Gunray was considerably more daring than other cowardly Neimoidians, going as far to make deals with Sith Lords, enter into a war, and be involved in many battles.

Under Sidious' command, Gunray and his associates Rune Haako and Daultay Dofine blockaded the peaceful planet Naboo from trade routes. He urged the young queen, Padmé Amidala, to sign a treaty granting the Trade Federation control over the planet. The Queen refused, and when Gunray took the planet by force with his army of battle droids, she escaped with the aid of two Jedi.

After unsuccessfully pleading for intervention by the Old Republic Senate, Amidala called for the expulsion of Chancellor Finis Valorum, who was unable to outtalk the Trade Federation's Neimodian representative Lott Dod. Naboo's own Senator Palpatine was elected the new Chancellor.

Despite this, the Senate still would not take action, and Amidala returned home, vowing to liberate her planet or die trying. Gunray was smug in his seeming invincibility, but his reign fell apart rather quickly. The young Queen and her army ambushed and captured him in the palace, and the droid army was disabled when a boy named Anakin Skywalker destroyed the central control ship, the Profiteer. Gunray was arrested for his actions, but only Darth Sidious knew the true motives behind the invasion.

In Attack of the Clones, it is revealed that after four trials in the Republic Supreme Court, Gunray still maintained control over the Trade Federation, although several of his associates were killed in the Battle of Naboo. Sidious then instructed Gunray and Gilramos Libkath to join the Confederacy of Independent Systems, who wished to secede from the Republic. Soon the Trade Federation's resources were focused on creating a droid army for the CIS to strong-arm smaller systems to join them. Still bearing a grudge against Senator Amidala for his defeat at Naboo, Gunray refused to sign Count Dooku's treaty until Amidala's head lay on his desk.

When Amidala and two Jedi were captured on the CIS's base on Geonosis, Gunray saw his chance for revenge, and delighted when the former Queen was sentenced to death. To his fury, she escaped once again, and Gunray was barely able to flee for his own life along with Gilramos Libkath in the melee between battle droids, Jedi Knights, and clone troopers. The Clone Wars had begun, and Gunray suddenly found himself preparing his droids for war. Gunray was a businessman, not a warmaster, but there was no way he could break his ties with the CIS without losing his life.

Three years later, in Revenge of the Sith, Nute Gunray was tired of the war, and found himself at odds with the droid army leader General Grievous, Gunray dared to question Grievous leadership but his concerns fell on deaf ears. The staggering deaths of both Dooku and General Grievous had left the Confederacy floundering. Sidious contacted Gunray, who was now the leader of the remaining seperatist forces, and the other CIS leaders in their new hidden base on Mustafar and ordered them to disarm and deactivate their remaining droid reserves - the war was over. Sidious' new apprentice Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader, arrived under the pretense of negotiating for peace. Gunray welcomed Vader, but It was only too late that the Confederacy leaders realized that Vader had come to tie up Sidious' loose ends by killing them all. Nute Gunray was left to watch his fellow council members get slaughtered one by one, including his comrade Rune Haako. Gunray was the last leader left alive, he pleaded with Vader for peace, saying that was all he wanted, but Vader cut him down.

Gunrays remains were later discovered. He was retrned to Cato Neimoidia, where he was considered a hero among Neimoidians, and was in an elobarate tomb in the capital.

There are many theories regarding the origin of Gunray's name. One is that it is a reference to Newt Gingrich and Ronald Reagan. Another theory suggests that Gunray's first name is a pun on the word newt and his last name is a reversal of ray gun.hu:Nute Gunray