Orn Free Taa represented the Outer Rim world of Ryloth in the Galactic Senate during the final years of the Republic. The corpulent Twi’lek used his power to enrich himself, and was seen by reformers as a symptom of the corruption plaguing the Republic.

When the Separatist Crisis convulsed the galaxy, Taa aligned himself with the Loyalists in the Senate, emerging as a key ally of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and a strong backer of the Military Creation Act.

During the Clone Wars, the Separatists blockaded Ryloth and invaded the Twi’lek planet. With Republic supply lines overextended and Ryloth’s Twi’lek freedom fighters besieged by battle droids, Taa appealed to Toydaria’s King Katuunko for aid.

The Twi’lek freedom fighters escaped and began a guerrilla war against the Separatists, with resistance leaders such as Cham Syndulla resenting Taa for remaining on Coruscant. Seeking Syndulla’s help during the Republic invasion of Ryloth, Mace Windu brokered a truce between the freedom fighter and the Senator: Taa pledged Republic troops would leave once the planet was freed, while Syndulla promised not to seek political power.

With Syndulla’s help, the Jedi and clones defeated the Separatist forces. Taa returned home to celebrate Ryloth’s liberation, briefly putting aside his differences with his Twi’lek rival.

Despite his Loyalist ties, the canny Taa made sure to keep his political options open. He joined Duchess Satine, the influential leader of the Council of Neutral Systems, on a journey from Mandalore to Coruscant. Taa listened politely to Satine’s pleas for nonalignment – and enjoyed the sumptuous banquet she had prepared for her guests.

Taa’s appetite was legendary, but the Twi’lek Senator wasn’t amused when Obi-Wan presented him with an odd delicacy: assassin droid under glass. The presentation was designed to help Obi-Wan find a traitor among the Senators.

Taa was in Palpatine’s office when Cad Bane and his thugs invaded the Senate Building on Coruscant and took a number of Senators hostage. To his displeasure, the Twi’lek Senator was called upon to retrieve Ziro the Hutt from Republic custody, meeting Bane’s demands.

An assassin droid brought a frightened Taa to the Republic prison carrying a pardon disc to free Ziro the Hutt. Taa was relieved when Ziro and the droid departed, leaving him safely behind.

Taa remained a Loyalist ally of Palpatine’s, and was at the Senate Building to greet the Supreme Chancellor when Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi freed him from captivity during the Battle of Coruscant.

Taa retained his position as Senator of Ryloth after the Republic became the Empire. Eight years after the end of the Clone Wars, Taa was forced to accompany the Emperor and Darth Vader on a state visit to Ryloth, where Syndulla’s Free Ryloth movement was hampering spice production.