- "Allow me to present the return of the infamous Blue Shadow Virus."
"The Blue Shadow Virus?! I thought that deadly disease was extinct." - ―Dr. Nuvo Vindi and Padmé Amidala
The Blue Shadow Virus was a devastating virus responsible of the Candorian plague that devastated the galaxy generations before the Clone Wars. The virus was later used in a biological weapons plot by the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Empire.
Characteristics[]
- "The Blue Shadow Virus in its natural form thrives only in water."
- ―Dr. Nuvo Vindi
The Blue Shadow Virus was notorious for being able to affect every known species in the galaxy, was said to be completely fatal, and was supposedly incurable. It was a waterborne virus.
History[]
- "Your eyes do not deceive you. I have perfected an airborne strain of the Blue Shadow Virus."
- ―Dr. Nuvo Vindi
The virus ran rampant across the galaxy several generations before the Clone Wars. To the relief of the general public, it was eventually eradicated when the Galactic Republic enacted strict quarantines that contained the Blue Shadow Virus on affected worlds, preventing it from spreading until it eventually died out.
Despite this, at least one mutated form of the virus still existed which became known as the Candorian plague; In 46 BBY,[2] this plague eradicated the population of Candoria and its colonies.[3]
During the Clone Wars, a mentally unstable scientist, Dr. Nuvo Vindi, recreated the Blue Shadow Virus with the help of the mad genetic terrorist Zeta Magnus.[4] When Jar Jar Binks and Padmé Amidala were captured, he claimed the virus was not eradicated, but murdered. He also claimed he had recreated life: the life of the virus. Though the virus originally spread through water and killed certain species instantly, Vindi was able to create an airborne version. The airborne strain's incubation period was longer than the waterborne varieties. Respiratory symptoms preceded death.
Jar Jar and Padmé tried to convince Vindi of the danger of releasing the virus, but he refused to listen and attempted to release the virus anyway. However, a detachment of the 501st Legion was dispatched, and the laboratory was successfully secured. However, Vindi's servant droid LEP-86C8 was soon able to detonate one remaining bomb, infecting Padmé, Ahsoka Tano, Rex and many clone troopers. Before the virus could kill everyone trapped in the laboratory, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were able to find the cure: the Reeksa root. After obtaining enough of the root from Iego, all the infected were cured.
The airborne version of the virus was used as a bioweapon by the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War, especially during the Dentaal Uprising.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
The Blue Shadow Virus was created in 2009 and first appeared in the 17th episode of the The Clone Wars TV series.[1] The same year, the reference book The Essential Atlas retconed the Blue Shadow Virus as the virus that caused the Candorian plague,[3] a disease created in the 1995 magazine Star Wars Adventure Journal 5,[2] and widely extended in the next two decades.[5][6][7][8] This retcon was conserved after the 2014 canon reboot as the RPG sourcebook Unlimited Power clearly associated the Blue Shadow Virus and the Candorian Scourge.[9]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Blue Shadow Virus" (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Mystery of a Thousand Moons"
- "Galaxywide NewsNets" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 5 (Retcon) (First mentioned after retcon)
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
- The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Blue Shadow Virus on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Mystery of a Thousand Moons on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Visual Guide Ultimate Battles
- The Essential Atlas
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season One
- Galaxy of Intrigue
- "100 and Counting" — Star Wars Insider 139
- The Phlegmpire Strikes Back: Deadly Star Wars Diseases on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Blue Shadow Virus"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Galaxywide NewsNets" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 5
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Essential Atlas, p. 152
- ↑ SkyeWalkers: A Clone Wars Story
- ↑ The New Essential Chronology, p. 26
- ↑ The New Essential Guide to Characters, p. 115
- ↑ Essential Atlas Extra: The Knight Errant Gazetteer on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
- ↑ The History of Mandalorian Armor on StarWars.com (article) (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Unlimited Power