IG-series

The IG-series was a series of droids manufactured by Holowan Laboratories during and after the Clone Wars. By the time of the New Republic, IG memory circuits were no longer manufactured and were hard to find. The InterGalactic Banking Clan maintained an army of IG lancer droids that it shared with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, eventually fielding them to the Separatist Droid ArmyStar Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious which field-tested them during the conflict and found them successful. These successes led Holowan to be also awarded a contract to build the IG-100 MagnaGuard as elite bodyguards for the Separatists' highest ranking officers. Shortly after the war, Holowan Laboratories was inspired by their droids' wartime success to begin development on even more advanced IG units, including the IG-RM bodyguard and enforcer droids.
One of these new models was the IG-88 assassin droid, a set of five identical assassin droidsStar Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition who slaughtered their constructors moments after their activation and escaped their laboratories to roam the galaxy. The new IG-series units were outlawed shortly after they were created. Several of them went on to work as bounty hunters, including the infamous IG-88B.
==History==
===Republic Era===
During the time of the Galactic Republic, Holowan Laboratories manufactured IG lancer droids for the InterGalactic Banking Clan's droid army using Phlut Design Systems's plans for their failed assassin droid;Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 16 these fought alongside IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tanks under the command of the Muun officer corps. With the eruption of the Clone Wars, the Clan's army was integrated to the collective Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and IG lancer droids served alongside B1-series battle droids during the conflict. The success of the lancer and Hailfire droids led the Laboratories to also be awarded a contract for the creation of an elite class of bodyguard droids for the Separatists' highest ranking officials including General Grievous.
The resulting IG-100 MagnaGuard would go on to serve alongside Grievous until the very end of the war, when they also escorted the Separatist leadership to their last trip to Mustafar. Another specialized model created by Holowan for the Separatists was the IG-86 sentinel droid, an experimental combat unit designed to be a better battle droid. They saw heavy use by the Banking Clan's Collections and Security Division but were otherwise not as widespread as the B1s who retained their status as the Separatists' standard battle droid.Obi-Wan 3 They were, however, very frequently used by third parties including bounty hunters such as Cad Bane as well as other criminals.
===Imperial Era===
Following the end of the War and the defeat of the Separatists which saw the rise of the Galactic Empire, Holowan Laboratories, inspired by their wartime successes decided to begin the development of new types of even more evolved and specialized droids. One of the earliest models they created was the IG-RM bodyguard and enforcer droid which they designed to be as intimidating and scary-looking as possible; the unit became a staple among smugglers and criminals of all kinds,Star Wars (2015) 17 to the point where they were also known as "thug droids".Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion The Holowan's next and presumably final attempt at a superior battle model was the IG-88 assassin droid, nicknamed "Phlutoids" as a tribute to the inspiration behind the Holowan's first success. These were a set of five identical, highly advanced assassin droids which slaughtered their creators as soon as they were activated and destroyed the laboratories they were contained in.Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
Two of the five droids, designated IG-88C and IG-88D would go on to roam the galaxy as bounty hunters, while another, IG-88B would go on to independently reprogram himself becoming one of the most famous bounty hunters of his time and being one of the six hunters invited by Sith Lord Darth Vader to search for his son Luke Skywalker's associate, Han Solo. The droid designated IG-88A would go on to plan to overthrow organic life.
Chalmun's Cantina in Mos Eisley had at least one dispenser above the bar that was made from the hollowed-out head of an old IG-series droid.Star Wars 100 Objects
===New Republic Era===
By the time of the New Republic, IG memory circuits were no longer manufactured and were hard to find. New developments in droidsmithing by the Anzellans on the planet Nevarro allowed for the modification of an IG unit, IG-11 after its destruction; the droid had its memory circuit removed and its Artificial intelligence deactivated. Reduced to its basic motor functions, the drone—now designated IG-12—was used as a mechsuit for the alien Grogu. Later, IG-11 was fully repaired using spare parts and assigned to serve as the marshal of Nevarro.
===Miscellaneous droids===
Apart from their larger series, Holowan Laboratories also produced a number of specialized or unique models of IG-series assassin droids; these included security droid BK-86,Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Traveler's Guide to Batuu bounty hunter IG-11, enforcer IG-70Adventures in Wild Space: The Steal and small-time bounty hunter IG-90.Darth Vader (2015) 8 IG-11 was also modified to a custom-made mech, IG-12 by Anzellan Droidsmiths and used to carry Mandalorian foundling Din Grogu around.
==Characteristics==
Droids of the IG-series were humanoid, with conical heads and grasping claws in the place of hands. They were designed as class four droids with an emphasis on combat-focused upgrades, including acid-proof servo wires,Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded a variety of sensors to detect movement, heat and soundStar Wars: Droid Factory as well as damage resistant armor. Most of these droids were designed to be very agile to better combat enemies in close-quarters range; others, like the IG-RM droids were slower but more powerful. They were extremely dangerous even when nearly destroyed; an IG-11 droid was able to attack and overwhelm a Mandalorian bounty hunter in full beskar armor while lacking its legs and arm and with its torso severely damaged.
In order to protect Holowan's corporate secrets, at least the IG assassin units were hard-coded to destroy themselves with a built-in self-destruct mechanism which couldn't be overwritten by even manumitted droids (although they still retained the freedom to override the mechanism if there was a chance of escape). Despite its nature, the mechanism wouldn't obliterate the droid, but rather destroy its most sensitive components such as the droid brain and chassis beyond repair.
==Appearances==
===Non-canon appearances===
*LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back DK Reader
*LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith picture book
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*Fortnite
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*LEGO Star Wars Battles
*The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
*A Vader Family Sithmas
*LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
*LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation
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==Sources==
===Non-canon sources===
*LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Side: Doodle Activity Book 
*LEGO Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure 
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*LEGO Star Wars: Choose Your Path
==Notes and references==
Category:Droid lines
Category:Holowan Laboratories products