Noghri revolution The Noghri revolution , which occurred in 9 ABY , was an uprising of the Noghri . The Noghri people , who had been tricked into serving the Galactic Empire , had learned that they had been duped , thanks to Leia Organa Solo . In turn , they renounced their oath of Imperial service , and later helped the New Republic in the Galactic Civil War . Their main contribution was that made by Rukh , the personal bodyguard of Grand Admiral Thrawn , who killed Thrawn over Bilbringi . History . Prelude . In 20 BBY during the Clone Wars , a Separatist ship crashed to the surface of Honoghr after a battle over the Noghri world . The ship emitted Trihexalophine1138 , a poison which nearly destroyed the planet ' s flora . Only the kholm - grass could survive . The Noghri were unable to do anything about this , and many died . The race remained unknown to most of the galaxy ' s citizens . Time of slavery . Later after the rise of the Galactic Empire , the Dark Lord Darth Vader came to the planet Honoghr and offered his help , planning to make the Noghri , who were skilled assassins , warriors for the Empire . He sent decon droids to clean the planet . The Noghri thanked him and the Empire by putting a debt on themselves , and became Vader ' s private assassins , known as Death Commandos . Later on Vader introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn to the Noghri as a reward for service to the Empire , and named him the new master of the Noghri . Exposure to the galaxy . The Noghri served the Admiral , working as skilled assassins and warriors . One of them , Rukh , even became his bodyguard , traveling with him everywhere . Thrawn trusted the Noghri somewhat , as they thought he was a god . In 9 ABY , Thrawn began his campaign to destroy the New Republic and become the new Galactic Emperor . Using the Noghri as one of his many components , he sent them to capture Luke Skywalker , Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo . However , they failed , one of the few times they did not accomplish their goal . Later , after he saw through Han Solo ' s plan to hide his wife on Kashyyyk to keep her safe , Thrawn sent Noghri to capture her . With the help of Chewbacca and other Wookiees , she defeated them — the first time . Several nights later , more came , and fought their way into her hut . A Noghri named Khabarakh had her in his grasp when he stopped , smelling her for the first time . He had recognized her as Mal ' ary ' ush , the daughter of Vader and his heir . The revolution . He agreed to meet Leia over Endor later . The two then headed for Honoghr , as he thought she could help them . However , Thrawn was visiting Honoghr on the very same day , and recognized Khabarakh as the last survivor from the Commando Team 22 , which had been sent to Kashyyyk to capture Leia . Thrawn personally set off to the dukha of the Clan Khim ' bar to interrogate Khabarakh about the events on Kashyyyk . Meanwhile Leia and Chewbacca were hidden in the dukha in order to not to be noticed by the Admiral . Thrawn sentenced Khabarakh with betrayal and sent him to Nystao to humiliate him in public . Leia , Chewie and the maitrakh planned to set Khabarakh free when the moon was the farthest from the planet , and managed to . Leia later learned from the maitrakh that the devastation had not been during the Galactic Civil War as she thought , but decades earlier . She realized that the Empire had tricked them . Later , she learned of the complete duplicity of their plan when she examined the kholm - grass and proved that the decon droids were essentially doing nothing : they were actually killing mutated kholm - grass planted by the Empire at a very slow rate . After that , the Noghri realized they had been fooled , and swore vengeance . They turned against Thrawn , but secretly . The Noghri vowed to serve Leia until their debt was repaid . Thrawn began to suspect something was up with his loyal servants , but was unaware of exactly what was troubling them . The death of Thrawn . Not long afterward , Thrawn was killed during Battle of Bilbringi by his bodyguard Rukh , setting the Noghri free , and ending the crisis that was coming close to destroying the New Republic . The Empire had suffered a grievous blow , and would never recover from the death of their last hope . Aftermath . The Noghri became part of the New Republic . They continued to serve as bodyguards for Leia and her family . Though Rukh had been killed by Grodin Tierce onboard the " Chimaera " , he became a hero for setting the Noghri free . The Noghri vowed to fight against the Empire , and tried to forget their years of service , taking it as a personal insult if someone mentioned it .