IG-100 MagnaGuard

The IG-100 MagnaGuard^[15]—also known as the MagnaGuard,^[1] the magnadroid,^[6] or the Prototype Self-Motivating Heuristically Programmed Combat Droid^[16]—was a fearsome bodyguard droid and type of battle droid created by Holowan Mechanicals.^[1] They were a favorite of General Grievous, who used them as his bodyguards during the Clone Wars, though they were also known to accompany other high-ranking Separatist personnel including Count Dooku. MagnaGuards were equipped with electrostaffs that could be used against Jedi lightsabers and were capable of continuing a fight even with the loss of one or multiple limbs or even their heads. They were worthy competitors even to the most skilled Jedi; one was even able to back Obi-Wan Kenobi into a corner. While formidable opponents in close-quarters, they were also capable of piloting Rogue-class Porax-38 starfighters and using blasters and RPS-6 rocket launchers, and were often seen wearing cloaks.^[17] MagnaGuards usually fought in pairs of two, one to occupy the Jedi's lightsaber and one to attack from the unguarded flanks or behind.^[7] The presence of MagnaGuards indicated that high-ranking commanders were present, and gave the droids automatic authority over other battle droids deployed.^[1]

Characteristics

Developed by Holowan Mechanicals,^[1] part of Holowan Laboratories, ensured that^[18] the IG-100 MagnaGuards,^[15] also known as the MagnaGuard,^[1] or the magnadroid,^[6] looked intimidating.^[18] Measuring 1.95 meters (6 ft, 5 in) tall,^[4] each model was distinguished by a color: black, alabaster,^[19] blue, and gray,^[7] with the sinister, dull red^[18] or yellow^[8] glare of the droids' photoreceptor eyes, their expressionless faces, and their sheer physical mass, all contributed to their fearsome appearance.^[18] Developers at Holowan Mechanicals modeled the droid's head after the legacy Krath droids, drawing influence from its appearance.^[19] Created to the cyborg's specifications, the MagnaGuards resembled the powerful Kaleesh warriors from General Grievous' past.^[20]

In the same way that his own facemask paid tribute to his past as a Kaleesh warrior,^[18] Grievous ordered^[21] and made certain that^[18] the MagnaGuards who served under him were outfitted with cloaks^[1] with mumuu marking^[2] and half-hoods^[18] in honor of his original faithful Izvoshra bodyguards,^[21] as well as an homage to the traditions^[1] of his planet Kalee. Additionally, this helped give the IG-100 droids an even more menacing appearance.^[18]

During development, the MagnaGuards were cleverly named^[16] the IG-series 100^[21] Prototype Self-Motivating Heuristically Programmed Combat Droid. Two important parts from that name marked them unique from typical battle droids. They were self-motivated and required no droid control programming. When assigned a task, they completed it sensibly and cleverly overcame any challenges that arose. Grievous specifically valued this heuristic programming feature in the MagnaGuards, allowing them to learn from their experiences, and personally trained the droids^[16] in everything that he had learned^[21] to assure their fighting effectiveness, and then utilized them as sparring partners to stay sharp.^[16] Even the surviving sustained dents and scars from their rigorous training regimen with Grievous.^[21] The droids were so successful that Count Dooku used them as bodyguards,^[17] and they were assigned to several sites throughout the galaxy,^[18] while Grievous was almost always accompanied by at least two at his side.^[7] The MagnaGuards quickly gained^[21] the same fearsome reputation as their master.^[1]

The electrostaff, the MagnaGuard's standard weapon,^[7] supplemented their instruction in the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat.^[21] Constructed from phrik metal, the staff was capable of withstanding lightsaber attacks,^[1] something that originally caught many Jedi fatally off guard.^[21] Despite typically carrying electrostaffs, the MagnaGuard's combat systems and human-like hands enabled them to use a variety of different weapons.^[16] The IG-100 droids were known to carry additional weaponry,^[10] particularly for range combat, with a bias for the significantly explosive. Several variations of MagnaGuard, with a range of colors and integrated equipment,^[21] include blasters,^[17] RPS-6 rocket launchers,^[10] precision laser darts,^[11] tow-cables, magnetic or extensible limbs, and even personal cloaking devices.^[21] They were also great pilots and most often flew Rogue-class Porax-38 starfighters.^[17]

A MagnaGuard could lose an arm or even both legs and still pose a threat, making it difficult to defeat them. Thanks to several backup mechanisms and a spare photoreceptor in the chest, the MagnaGuards could lose their heads and continue to fight. Jedi and clone troopers eventually learned to target their vital systems, although even this was difficult, the IG-100s were well armored, with duranium employed in both their main frame and armor plating,^[18] the same duranium plates that served General Grievous so well.^[16] It was difficult to even hit one hard enough to knock it down or stagger it, as their feet were magnetically anchored and their heels extended for greater stability. With less communication required, the IG-100 droids had only the most basic vocoder, giving them deep, harsh voices to acknowledge their master's orders.^[18] IG-100s appeared to occasionally use an audible form of droid language^[22] or could speak in Galactic Basic Standard.^[12] When in distress, such as when pinned to the ground, they also make yelping sounds.^[7]

As the Clone Wars progressed, the MagnaGuards that survived received several nicks and scars to their body armor, and Grievous made sure those were left readily apparent,^[18] as the battle-scarred contributed to their scary image,^[21] to show their enemy that they were confronting battle veterans. Any attacker attempting to reach Grievous would have to fight such trained bodyguards as these.^[18] The formidable droids were taught to battle in groups^[16] and rarely worked alone, typically with at least two or three, and created a barrier around Grievous^[7] that was difficult to get through.^[10] Grievous frequently ordered MagnaGuards to soften up an opponent,^[23] sacrificing them to allow him to easily kill later on. One or two engaged a Jedi, while the other waited for an opportunity to strike them down.^[24] Even if the IG-100s failed to kill their opponent, the enemy that eventually reached Grievous would barely be a genuine threat,^[18] as those who survived were often too weary to provide much more than amusement for the cyborg general. They served as scouts and assassins, as well as to enforce the will of others. MagnaGuard were terrifying on their own, but the threat they posed was that Grievous, or Dooku, was never far behind them.^[16]

History

Twilight of the Republic

After the Republic and the Jedi intervened in the fight between his people and the Yam'rii,^[25] Grievous was approached by San Hill, Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan,^[source?] who offered him the chance to become an enforcer, which he accepted.^[26] Grievous demanded a more intelligent personal guard^[21] after being forced to command the IGBC droids he despised.^[27] In response, Count Dooku commissioned the creation of the IG-100 MagnaGuards,^[21] who were also created with the express intention of fighting Jedi.^[14] The MagnaGuard existed^[28] by 33 BBY.^[29] During the auction of Eldra Kaitis^[28] in that year,^[29] Grakkus Jahibakti Tingi the Hutt attended the auction with several MagnaGuards serving as his personal escort.^[28]

After undergoing the operations that converted him into a cyborg, he replaced his group of bodyguards with droid warriors, who would carry out his commands even more unquestioningly than his previous band of loyalists.^[16] IG-100 guards were presented at General Grievous' resurrection as a cyborg. However, they were all slaughtered by Grievous out of his anger at being allied to the droids he so hated.^[21]

Clone Wars

Assorted conflicts

During the Clone Wars, MagnaGuards served as the spearhead in Separatist armies and appeared as the guards for Separatist leadership,^[30] including the government's Head of State, Count Dooku,^[17] and Grievous, who served as Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies. Sometime following the outbreak of the Clone Wars on Geonosis, several MagnaGuards accompanied Grievous when he hired the droid mercenary AD-W4 to oversee the Separatist operations on the planet Hissrich.^[31]

The fourth moon of Parein II was the scene of the first real test for the MagnaGuards. The Galactic Republic's forces^[21] led by Jedi General Sannen^[32] were crushed, with Grievous tiding his troops at the front.^[21] One of Grievous's MagnaGuards killed the Jedi by stabbing its electrostaff through his throat.^[32] At some point, an IG-100 joined a group of B2-series super battle droids in confronting an approaching force of clone commandos during the defense of a Separatist base.^[33]

Kidnapping plots

Several MagnaGuards accompanied Count Dooku during his negotiations with Jabba the Hutt at his Palace on Tatooine. After his Sith assassin Asajj Ventress's failure in "rescuing" Jabba's son, Rotta, Dooku sent his MagnaGuards to deal with Skywalker. A pair of MagnaGuards flew Rogue-class Porax-38 starfighters and were able to shoot down his nemesis Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker's ship before they were destroyed. Later, group of MagnaGuards then attacked Skywalker's apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, with orders to kill Jabba's son near his palace and bring her to the Hutt. Despite being only a Padawan, Tano was able to destroy them all and return Rotta to his father.^[17]

Grievous then took another group MagnaGuards with him to Skytop Station on Ruusan 2. When Grievous's spy, R3-S6, reported that Skywalker had infiltrated his station, Grievous tasked his MagnaGuards with taking Skywalker's astromech R2-D2, who was a Separatist prisoner, to his ship. However, Skywalker and R2 were able to defeat the MagnaGuards.^[34]

The lair of Grievous

Several MagnaGuards were then stationed at Grievous's fortress on Vassek's third moon. However, Count Dooku, who sought to test the general's skills against the Jedi, had remotely deactivated the guards stationed there prior to the arrival of Jedi Master Kit Fisto, his former apprentice Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb, and Clone Commander Fil and his squad. After Grievous was ambushed by the Jedi upon arrival, the general retreated to his quarters and reactivated his guards and ordered them to secure the perimeter of the castle. One of the MagnaGuards then used a rocket launcher on the clones' Nu-class attack/transport shuttle. However, R6-H5 was able to make a quick escape before the MagnaGuards attacked him. Though one of them managed to cling onto the fighter as it took off, R6 was able to rid himself of his antagonist by spinning the fighter in mid-air, sending the screaming MagnaGuard flying off it. The MagnaGuards then assisted Grievous, fighting the two Jedi until the cyborg killed the young Mon Calamari. Grievous and his MagnaGuards then surrounded Fisto as the general demanded his surrender. However, Fisto escaped.^[10]

Assisting Cad Bane

Bane then used one aboard his command ship when he attempted to force Jedi Master Bolla Ropal to open the holocron in order to reveal the Kyber memory crystal's information.^[22] Grievous was able to use several of his MagnaGuards to subdue and capture Jedi Council member Master Eeth Koth. Grievous also used them in his fight with Kenobi aboard the Republic light cruiser Surrogator at Saleucami.^[24]

Continued service

Later in the war Dooku had four with him at Rish Loo's laboratory on Naboo. Together, they were able to capture Skywalker when he snuck into the lab. One of the MagnaGuards then tortured Skywalker with its electrostaff.^[8] Several MagnaGuards were also protecting him on Serenno at Castle Serenno and the Box.^[35] Dooku also used them when he attempted to kidnap the Chancellor, but were defeated by Kenobi and Skywalker.^[36] Several of the droids accompanied Grievous as he massacred the Nightsisters on Dathomir to seek revenge on Ventress for her assassination attempts against Dooku and on the orders of his master Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious since her sisters were a threat to his new Galactic Empire.^[37] General Kalani also had several MagnaGuards with him to guard, torture and execute King Rash's prisoners during their execution.^[38]

Operations on Utapau

On Utapau, there was a pair of MagnaGuards stationed on the planet when Dooku and Grievous had prepared a deal with the Sugi arms dealers, for a massive kyber crystal for Sidious' secret weapon, but when Jedi Master Tu-Anh was investigating the conspiracy, attempted to find out their plans, they shot and killed her with a precision laser dart. Later, Skywalker and Kenobi were sent to Utapau to investigate Tu-Anh's death. During their investigation, they interrogated a Toydarian named Garri, who informed them that a MagnaGuard was there earlier, during a meeting, and that he was paid by the MagnaGuard to not reveal information. Skywalker and Kenobi eventually tracked down a pair of MagnaGuards. They were both destroyed, but not before Skywalker obtained information about the arms deal.^[11]

When Skywalker and Kenobi obtained the crystal, several MagnaGuards pursued them along with Grievous, all but one were destroyed by the Jedi.^[39] Two more accompanied Grievous on a Separatist supply ship, holding the kyber crystal that the Separatists had recently stolen from Skywalker and Kenobi. They were both destroyed when the Jedi caused the crystal to explode.^[40]

The final days of the war

Concurrent to the Clone Wars, IG-100s also served in the Separatist campaign against the Shadow Collective; during the Battle of Zanbar, Grievous deployed his MagnaGuards to duel the renegade Sith Lord Maul, who quickly cut them down with the Darksaber.^[23] Later, amid the Battle of Ord Mantell, a team of MagnaGuards accompanied Dooku into a Black Sun stronghold, but the droids were quickly cut down by Nightbrothers.^[41]

Grievous traveled to Coruscant with a dozen MagnaGuards as part of a large force to distract any Jedi during his escape to carry out the abduction of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.^[19] He then arrived at Palpatine's apartment, flanked by his electrostaff-equipped MagnaGuards.^[42] In addition to the large force of MagnaGuards who battled Jedi Master Shaak Ti^[43] before she was bested in combat by Grievous,^[44] two MagnaGuards, IG-101 and IG-102, were aboard the Providence-class Dreadnought Invisible Hand with the cyborg after Sheev Palpatine's capture during the Battle of Coruscant. When Skywalker and Kenobi reacquired their lightsabers that Grievous had taken, the general ordered the IG-100 droids to attack them. However, both of the MagnaGuards were destroyed by the Jedi quite easily. Another four were with Grievous when he returned to Utapau and one observed Kenobi landing on the planet. They were then destroyed by Kenobi before he engaged Grievous in a final duel that resulted with the cyborg general's death.^[7]

However, at the end of the Clone Wars, Darth Vader, none other than Anakin Skywalker, was dispatched by Darth Sidious to wipe out the Separatist Council on Mustafar, and Sidious ordered the remote deactivation of all MagnaGuards,^[7] as their purpose had ended. The MagnaGuards, much like the majority of the Separatist droid contingents, nearly vanished from the Galactic scene after the Clone Wars. It's unclear whether they were automatically deactivated with the other Separatist droids or if they were eliminated individually later. The majority of units were destroyed or taken out of service, while others were purchased by collectors or repurposed for new usages. However, in both circumstances, they were normally utilized quietly to avoid needlessly drawing the Galactic Empire's attention.^[21]

Age of the Empire

On the planet Koboh, MagnaGuards and other former Separatist forces were reprogrammed and used as soldiers by the Bedlam Raiders. One of these MagnaGuards became a personal project of the Gen'dai Rayvis, the leader of the Bedlam Raiders. The MagnaGuard, which would be known as the Massiff, had its programming altered to be more lethal than a common MagnaGuard. Like other MagnaGuards, the Massiff was destroyed by Jedi Knight Cal Kestis in 9 BBY.^[12]

At some point after the Battle of Yavin,^[45] a pair of refitted MagnaGuards were on Nar Shaddaa in the service of Grakkus the Hutt. The two droids battled Luke Skywalker during Grakkus' attempt to steal the young Rebel's lightsaber.^[14] Later, many of them fought TIE fighter pilots who arrived to capture Skywalker under orders of Sergeant Kreel.^[46] One yellow-lighted IG-100 served in the ranks of Zahra's raider crew.^[13]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

• LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith picture book
• Disney Infinity 3.0
• Fortnite (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
• "The Way of the Lightsaber" — LEGO Star Wars 120
• "The Destructive Droideka" — LEGO Star Wars 128

Sources

Non-canon sources

• LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book
• "The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope" Episode Guide | Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references

External links

• MagnaGuard on the Brickipedia
• Star Wars: Legion League Events Packet 2025 (PDF) on Asmodee's official website (backup link) (Picture only)