Alto Stratus

Alto Stratus is the main antagonist of the Star Wars Clone Wars comic series Battle of Jabiim, and despite that story being his only appearence, his actions would greatly impact the rest of the EU, making Battle of Jabiim one of the most famous Star Wars comic stories.

Early Life
Stratus was born on Jabiim, a planet of constant rain and severe poverty. Despite, being part of the Galactic Republic, Jabiim was a mostly ingnored world that suffered many tragedies and disasters, from pirate raids, Trandoshan slavers, and even a plague. Startus's mother and father were casualties of these disasters. Despite all those disasters, the Republic never lifted a finger to help Jabiim, which caused Stratus to resent the Republic and Jedi.

Clone Wars and treachery
When the Clone Wars began between The Galactic Republic and The Confederacy of Independent Systems, Stratus saw his chance for vengeance against the Republic and made a deal with Confederate Head of State and Sith Lord Count Dooku. If the CIS aided Stratus and his Nationalist Rebellion in overthowing the Rebublic backed Jabiimi Loyalist Government, Stratus would give Jabiim to the Seperatists. With the CIS's help, Stratus orchestrated a coup and killed many of Jabiim's leaders, but some, including his political rival Orliss Gillmunn survived and declared war on the Stratus and his Nationalist Rebellion and called the Grand Army of the Republic for aid in putting down the Nationalist Rebellion and the CIS, while Stratus called the Seperatist Droid Army for aid as well in the inevitable battle.

Battle of Jabiim, Victory, and Death
The Republic disbatched Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker along with a group of Padawan's to aid the Jabiimi Loyalists while the Confederacy disbatched Asajj Ventress to aid the Jabiimi Nationalists. At first the Republic was doing well as they overan dozens of Jabiimi Seperatist positions, but little did they know that this was part of Ventress's and Startus's strategy to stretch Republic forces thin across Jabiim. Ventress and Stratus also kept their droids in reserve along with Stratus's personal founded military unit, the Nimbus Commandos for an attack on the Republic's vulnerable main base and attacked it. The Seperatists killed most of the clones and jedi stationed at the base and captured Obi-Wan. Ventress took Obi-Wan back to castle on Rattaak, leaving Stratus to finish the battle.

Stratus and his droid and rebel armies made important gains across Jabiim and killed more jedi and clones in the process. Stratus and his army eventually confronted Anakin and the Padwans with the Republic supply convey and pursued them back a Republic base on Jabiim. Chencelor Palpatine, fearing Anakin's death, wanting to turn him to the Dark Side, and deeming Jabiim a lost cause for the Republic, contacted Anakin and ordered him and the rest of the Reoublic forces to retreat.

Anakin left the Padwan's with the remaining clones fromthe convoy, ordering them to buy him as much time as possible to escape. Meanwhile, Stratus received droid reinforcements from Dooku and proceeded to launch the final attack on the Republic base and the padawan's. The battle lasted for 5 days and many clones and droids were slain, but ultimatly Stratus and the CIS were victorious as they slew all the Padawan, but Stratus was injured and lost his leg near the end and was confronted by Aubrie Wyn, the last Padawan who was a mere 13 years old. Wyn accused Stratus of murdering her friends and bringing war and destruction to his own homeworld. Stratus told Wyn no to lecture him about war, and declared all his actions and victems casualties of a war the jedi had began. As Wyn raised her lightsaber to finish Stratus off, Stratus revealed a concealed pistol and shot Wynn dead, though it was not enought to save his life, as Wyn fell on top of Stratus, plunging her lightsaber into him. Just before he died, Stratus declared himself "Just a casualty" and accepted his fate.

Legacy
Despite Stratus's death, the CIS and Jabiimi Nationalist Rebels were victorious and took complete control of Jabiim. The nightmares of The Battle of Jabiim greatly traumatized Anakin, pushed him closer to the Dark Side of the Force and haunted him for the rest of his life. When Anakin returned to the main base, he learned there were not enough ships to evacuate both the Clones and remaining Jabiimi Loyalists. Ultimatly, Anakin chose to evacuate the Clones, leaving the Loyalists to almost certain death in the hands of a homeworld now ruled by the CIS. The Loyalists acoused Anakin of treachery and said his actions proved Stratus was right, the Republic truely had no care for Jabiim or it's people.

After the Clone Wars, The Jabiimi Nationalists allied themselves with The Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance eventually decided to try and recruit the Loyalists to their cause. However, the loyalists never forgave Anakin's betrayl and tried to kill his son Luke. When the Empire learned the Rebellion was trying to recruit the Jabiimi Loyalists to their cause they decided to enslave the Jabiimi. Vader himself personally lead the attack, and haunted by menories of the battle in the clone wars, ordered Jabiim be bombed, but Luke and the Rebels escaped.

Trivia
The name Alto Stratus is a gag name based on the Latin Phrase Altostratus which means very high clouds, symbolizing the fact that Jabiim is a planet of constant rain.

Stratus is perhaps the only Star Wars villain who truely won. Despite his death, he did sucessfully drive the Republic and Jedi of world and claimed Jabiim for the CIS.

Despite being a minor one-shot villain, Stratus's actions would haunt Anakin and be referenced throughout the rest of the Clone Wars comics and novels, linking Stratus as one of the factors tht drove Anakin to the Dark Side and turning him into Darth Vader