- "I assure you, keeping me in power is the only thing keeping the Senate's darker impulses at bay."
- —Yen-Zur
Yen-Zur was possibly the last Chancellor of the Old Republic and the only one to have served the position longer than the traditional two terms. His term in office is most notable for moving the Galactic Senate to Coruscant, a decision that would last for over a millennia. While initially hailed as a man of action and an unconventional reformer in his time, the public image of Chancellor Yen-Zur soured greatly after his failure to sign a peace treaty with the Sith, a trickery that resulted in the destruction of the Jedi Temple on the Republic's new capital world.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Born on Iridonia, homeworld of the Zabrak species, Yen-Zur lived a humble life in contrast as the youngest child of a family of farmers. Unlike the rest of his siblings, Yen-Zur's heart burned with the fires of ambition. He had dreams of making his mark on the galaxy and eventually built a reputation in the local politics on Iridonia.
The aspiring politician eventually rose to become the Senator of Iridonia to represent his people in the grand political game of the Republic Senate. Establishing renown among his peers as that of a fiery and charismatic idealist, he was met with little friends at the start of his long career — save for one, Oryon Tersev'dra, the Senator of Bothawui.
The pair would become lifelong friends and while Oryon was the more pragmatic of the two, as the years went by, Senator Yen-Zur's idealism slowly turned cold as his faith in the Republic started to wither and wane.
While the inauguration brought back some of the resolve of his youth, Chancellor Yen-Zur proved to be a ruthless leader who governed the Republic with an iron fist that reached ever longer with each passing day.
Legacy of the Force[]
- "An invaluable asset can become a dangerous liability, Agent Bland. I would not hesitate to dispose of the latter. I aim to save the Republic. While time still remains."
- —Yen-Zur
By the time of Jun's arrival on Coruscant, Chancellor Yen-Zur was now an aloof man in the twilight of his years, relegated to the shadows of his office for most of his days. After learning of Jun's actions on Dantooine, he had arranged a meeting for the young agent to determine his worth to Yen-Zur's larger agenda.
While initially hesitant to join his side, Jun Bland was coerced to help the Chancellor take care of a domestic threat, a threat that had the potential to oust him from office before his plan was complete. He would soon find out if the young Mirialan proved to be an invaluable asset, or a liability that could not be ignored.
Behind the Scenes[]
Chancellor Yen-Zur is the secondary antagonist in Legacy of the Force and a foil to Jun Bland's youthful idealism. He was conceived by Alamact as a response to Jun's decision to pursue politics, sparking a thematic shift in the overarching story to a political one. While not seen as often, the Chancellor's presence is strongly felt throughout.
Trivia[]
- Loosely inspired by the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The most obvious allusion to this is that like FDR, Chancellor Yen-Zur has served in office for more than the traditional number of terms — as well as serving the majority of those years in wartime.
- His colors are black and blue. This is a color palette he shares with Jun Bland, interestingly enough.
- His relationship with Jun Bland echoes that of the one between Palpatine and Anakin in the prequels.
- Alongside with Snote, he is the most morally ambiguous character in the story despite outwardly presenting himself as a callous, selfish and extremely corrupt man.