Groff Zugga

Groff Zugga
Descriptive information
Gender	Male
Hair color	Brown
Eye color	Orange
Skin color	Orange and yellow
Chronological and political information
Affiliation(s)	Galactic Spice Mining Guild

"Notice that half of the swoopers are human, and there's not a single human on the Podracing pro-circuit. Coincidence?"

―Groff Zugga

The leader of the Galactic Spice Mining Guild, Groff Zugga further served as a guild boss on the spice mining world of Mon Gazza during the year 32 BBY. Under Zugga's leadership, the mines were considered second only to the operations located on the planet Kessel. From time to time, he hosted Podraces on the planet, including the Mon Gazza Speedway, Spice Mine Run, and the Zugga Challenge. Years later during 22 BBY, Zugga spoke to the HoloNet News regarding the hardships that the sport of Podracing was facing, and voiced resentment over the media's favoring of swoop racing, a sport primarily populated by humans.

Biography

"I see that our host—the guild boss himself—the infamous Groff Zugga is about to signal the start of the race."

―Beed Annodue

Groff Zugga prepares to begin a Podrace

A hulking alien scoundrel, Groff Zugga led the Galactic Spice Mining Guild during the final decades of the Galactic Republic. The guild boss lorded over the mines on the planet Mon Gazza, which were regarded as being second only to the mines on the planet Kessel. The kingpin was also known for his affinity for the sport of Podracing, which resulted in Zugga hosting Podraces that had been constructed over the mines by local gamblers. Eventually, Zugga commissioned a track of his own, the Zugga Challenge. While commissioning the initial design, Zugga sought to make the track the toughest in the circuit to reflect his own tendencies. After its construction, the course was indeed regarded as the toughest racetrack in the sport, but by the year 32 BBY the Zugga Challenge had been surpassed by tougher courses elsewhere in the galaxy. Eventually, the Sneevel Podracer Boles Roor took the title of the Zugga Challenge's crowd favorite.

By 32 BBY, Zugga hosted three of Mon Gazza's race events: the Mon Gazza Speedway, Spice Mine Run, and the Zugga Challenge. Generally, Zugga would hang near the side of the track in his hoverchair and wave to the audience whilst staring down the Podracer pilots. However, by the time the race had begun, Zugga would have retreated to his private spectator booth in order to negotiate business with various individuals of dubious natures from across the galaxy. Zugga would still keep an eye on the race, however, with the use of a remote viewscreen.

Years later during 22 BBY, Podracing—which was already considered a dubiously legal sport at best—came under media fire due to declining ticket sales and a rash of sudden scandals. In an interview with the HoloNet News, Zugga compared swoop racing with Podracing, noting that both sports shared an array of similarities with one glaring difference: the current Podracer roster lacked any notable Humans. Although not explicitly stated, Zugga inferred that the apparent passes given to swoop racing were of a xenophobic nature.

Personality and traits

"There's nothing bad you can say about Podracing that isn't also true of swoop racing, and swoopers are deity in the HoloNews."

―Groff Zugga on swoop racing

Groff Zugga belonged to an alien species that featured four breasts, skull-mounted horns, and large four-fingered hands and three-toed feet. Zugga's arms were covered in brown-colored hair which was complimented by orange and yellow skin and orange-colored eyes. The third toe on each of his feet featured an overgrown toenail.

Referred to as a notorious scoundrel, Zugga considered himself as a hardened individual. While commissioning the Zugga Challenge, the brooding kingpin wanted this trait visually defined by the course's toughness. A staunch supporter of Podracing, Zugga was outraged over allegations of corruption in the sport, citing that the sport's primary rival, swoop racing, featured many of the same setbacks. Although unwilling to make direct implications, Zugga inferred that swoop racing was given a pass merely because the sport boasted a sizable roster of human competitors, as opposed to the lack of any humans in Podracing.

Behind the scenes

Groff Zugga was created for the 1999 video game Star Wars Episode I: Racer, which was released as a tie-in product for the film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. However, Zugga only physically appears in the game's home computer port, being entirely absent from the Nintendo 64 version of the game. Zugga's backstory was further explained in two video game guides: Star Wars: Episode I Racer: Prima's Official Strategy Guide and Star Wars: Episode I Racer Official Nintendo Player's Guide, with the latter being Zugga's only tie to the Nintendo 64 port of the game.

Appearances

• Star Wars: Episode I Racer (First appearance)
• Podracing Faces Uncertain Future — HoloNet News Vol. 531 #49 (content now obsolete; backup link)

Sources

• Star Wars: Episode I Racer: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• Star Wars: Episode I Racer Official Nintendo Player's Guide

Notes and references

In other languages

• Nederlands