Unfortunately, the Vaadwuar warred far more than they traded. They were hated by many species, and almost nine hundred years ago an alliance of various species - including the Turei - attacked and virtually destroyed the Vaadwuar. Their homeworld was heavily bombed by plasma charges and rendered highly radioactive, and for many centuries it was thought that they had become extinct.

In fact, the Vaadwuar preserved some of their population in stasis on their homeworld. They had planned to re-emerge in five years, at which time they expected the alliance which had defeated them to have collapsed. Unfortunately, damage to the control system of their stasis tubes kept them in suspended animation until Voyager freed them.

The Vaadwuar continued their aggressive policies once revived, planning to seize Voyager and use it to help them rebuild their forces again. This resulted in a brief but fierce battle in the atmosphere of their homeworld in which Voyager destroyed several Vaadwuar attack ships and assisted the Turei in destroying many more. However, some Vaadwuar ships did escape into the underspace corridors and remain at large.