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- "Onderon is ours. We will remind everyone, and keep reminding them, until we get it back."
- ―Steela Gerrera of the Onderon rebels
The Onderonian Civil War, also referred to as the Onderon Civil War, the Fight for Onderon, War in the Inner Rim, the Battle of Onderon, the war on Onderon, or the Liberation of Onderon, took place between the Separatist-backed Royal Court of Onderon and the Onderon rebels, who were backed by the Galactic Republic during the war's later stages, for control of the Inner Rim planet Onderon during the Clone Wars. The war began in 22 BBY and did not conclude until 20 BBY.
Prelude[]
- "Onderon is in your king's rule, and at the outbreak of the Clone War, he chose to align it with the Separatists."
"Our true king has been silenced. The one you recognize is a traitor and a Separatist minion. We need your help to survive this." - ―Obi-Wan Kenobi and Saw Gerrera
At the onset of Clone Wars, Onderon's King Ramsis Dendup refused to side with either the Galactic Republic or the Confederacy of Independent Systems,[5] despite Senator Mina Bonteri's admiration for the Confederacy's Head of State, Count Dooku.[13] With the Inner Rim Territories being a strategic region for its further moves,[14] the Confederacy covertly supported a coup[15] and moved onto the planet with its Droid Army, occupying Onderon's capital of Iziz[1] and the planet overall.[16] Dendup was replaced Sanjay Rash as Onderon's king.[1]
The civil war[]
Onderon's Rebellion[]
- Lux Bonteri: "The only way to reclaim Onderon will be through armed struggle. We lack sufficient hardware and supplies."
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Onderon is in your king's rule, and at the outbreak of the Clone War, he chose to align it with the Separatists."
- Saw Gerrera: "Our true king has been silenced. The one you recognize is a traitor and a Separatist minion. We need your help to survive this."
- ―The Onderon rebels petition the Jedi High Council for assistance[1]
When the people of Onderon became unhappy with both Rash's regime and the Droid Army's occupation, a group of rebels[6] took refuge in Onderon's jungle, where they established a camp, and dedicated themselves to fighting the Droid Army.[1] Their war against the Separatist occupation began in 22 BBY.[3]
Eventually, former Senator Lux Bonteri joined the rebels after having left the services of Death Watch.[17] In 20 BBY,[18] understanding that they did not have the supplies or hardware to fight the Droid Army head on, the rebels decided to contact the Jedi Council for aid. Despite most of the Council believing it was primarily an internal affair of Onderon, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker was able to convince the Council to allow them to train the Rebels. Jedi Master Mace Windu agreed that the Jedi should at least train the rebels to defend themselves.[1]
Jedi training[]
The Onderon Rebels receiving training from the Jedi and Clone Captain Rex.
The Jedi Council then sent in an advisory team, consisting of Skywalker, his apprentice Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Clone Captain Rex. With the Jedi and Captain Rex, the Gerreras, Bonteri, and their fellow rebels trained to fight the battle droids at their camp. The Jedi and Captain Rex taught the rebels how to fight droidekas, battle droids, and AATs. Rex led most of the efforts to drill the soldiers, with the Jedi trying to remain as uninvolved as they could afford since the Jedi Council did not want them to fight Onderon's war for them. Nonetheless, the Jedi remained as helpful and supportive as they could.[1]
Defense of the Rebel camp[]
Main article: Three recon droids then found the rebel encampment. A battle-droid detachment then came and attacked the rebels. Saw and Bonteri were then able to take out the AAT while his sister and the other rebels took out the battle droids. Despite their victory, Kenobi told the Gerreras, Bonteri, and their fellow rebels that would have to leave their camp. Despite this, the Rebels decided to take the fight to Iziz.[1]
Strikes in Iziz begin[]
Posing as merchants, the rebels able to make their past the battle droid guards and establish a safe house that acted as their base.[1] The rebels then started to target various droid patrols around Iziz. They made sure to use only EMP grenades to ensure that only battle droids were the only casualties. They also had snipers hit the droids from the rooftops. The Jedi were impressed by their early results. At a meeting, the rebels discussed how to win the support of the people. Generals Kenobi, Skywalker, and Captain Rex then left to report the rebels' status to the council, leaving only Commander Tano to continue as an adviser to them.[4]
Attack on the power generator[]
Despite their success, the people of Iziz did not change their opinion about the rebels. Bonteri and Tano believed that the civilian did not believe that the rebels could win against the Droid Army. Thus, the rebels decided to attack the main power generator to deprive the droids of power. To carry this plan out, the Rebels planned to steal a Separatist tank.[4]
The Gerreras, Bonteri, and Tano attacked a droid patrol, leaving only one to call in a tank before destroying it. They were confronted by a pair of droidekas, which the Gerreras were able to destroy with EMP grenades. A tank arrived with super battle droids. After Steela took took out the super battle droids, Saw and Bonteri were able to take out the tank's crew. Steela was able restart the tank and took a sniper position as Saw and Bonteri took the tank to the power generator. As Steela took out the droids guarding the generator's entrance, Saw and Bonteri destroyed the remaining ones with the tank. As Saw and Bonteri powered up the tank's heavy, they came under attack commando droids, but they were able to take them out. The tank was able to destroy the generator, thus depriving the battle droids of power. During the black out, the other rebels attacked droid patrols through out the city.[4]
Due the success of the rebels attack on the generator, the civilians had hope that the rebels could win, and the rebels celebrated their victory. Steela, in recognition of her leadership, was nominated and elected as leader of the rebels.[4]
Separatist reinforcements[]
- "This is Kalani. I assure you he will succeed where you have failed."
- ―Count Dooku to King Sanjay Rash
Kalani oversaw the attempted execution of King Dendup.
King Rash saw the rebels were becoming more bold in their attacks[4] and suspected that his predecessor was coordinating the rebels' attacks.[5] In response to these attacks, Rash asked Dooku for reinforcements. Dooku complied and sent the super tactical droid, General Kalani to take command of the Droid Army on Onderon.[4] To draw the rebels out, Rash and Kalani decided to execute Dendup. When the rebels heard of Dendup's execution, Steela believed they should wait until the Dendup was brought out for his execution. Saw, on the other decided to take matter into own hands and rescue Dendup before his execution. Saw was able to take out the guards and free Dendup. Unfortunately, a shield went up, Saw and Dendup were captured. Saw was taken away to interrogated. Kalani tortured Gerrera while Onderon Royal Guard[5] General Akenathen Tandin[8] watched and questioned these tactics. Despite Kalani's efforts, Saw did not break.[5]
The next day, during Dendup's execution, Steela, Bonteri, and the other rebels attacked and attempted to rescue Saw and Dendup. Unfortunately, they were captured by Kalani's battle-droids and forced to surrender. Despite that, General Tandin and his Royal Guards sided with the rebels and stopped the execution. As Tandin took Rash as a temporary hostage, the Royal Guards, Dendup and the rebels made their escape. Tano was able to help Tandin escape from Rash's and Kalini's forces by force-pushing several of the battle droids. The battle droids attempted to pursue, but they were stopped by a mob of angry civilians.[5]
The Rebels' final stand[]
HMP droid gunships are deployed from Iziz
The rebels were able to escape from the city and establish a new base in the highlands east of Iziz. The Rebels continued to broadcast message, with Dendup supporting the Rebel's actions in liberating Onderon. Rash and Kalani, desperate to regain power and capture the Rebels, sent in the droid army to finish off the rebels. In addition, Kalani dispatched several new HMP droid gunships to assist in eliminating the rebels.[2]
Gerrera, Bonteri, Tano, and their forces were trying to come up with a plan to defeat the droids. Saw wanted to lay siege to Iziz, but Steela did not want to put the city's civilians at risk. Thus, Steela decided to lure the battle droids to the highlands. When the droids arrived, the Rebels fought the droids and inflicted heavy casualties on the droids. The new droid gunships, with their heavy weapons and ray shields, were able to withstand the rebels attacks and force them to fall back to the nest.[2]
Tano informed Master Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi of the rebels predicament, though Kenobi refused to help on behalf that the rebels must find a way to win on their own, before telling her to either fight or return to Coruscant should the battle fail. Angered about this, Skywalker went to Florrum, where he convinced Hondo Ohnaka to deliver several rocket launchers to the rebels. With rocket launchers, the Rebels were able to take out the gunships. Unfortunately, one of the gunships crashed into a cliff where Steela and Dendup were standing. Bonteri tried to rescue Steela but almost fell himself. Bonteri was saved by Tano and she attempted to save Steela by using the force. The gunship was still operational and shot Tano in the shoulder. Bonteri was able to destroy the turret on the gunship, but not before Tano was hit and thus unable to save Steela. Tano, Bonteri, and Saw watched as she fell to her death. Despite Steela's death, the rebels were able to defeat the remaining battle droids.[2]
Aftermath[]
- "Salvage the remaining arms and withdraw the army. Bring them to Agamar."
- ―Count Dooku to General Kalani
Following the Rebels' victory in the highlands, Count Dooku ordered Kalani to withdraw the remaining separatist forces to Agamar, much to the chagrin of Rash. Rash tried to convince to dispatch more reinforcements, but Dooku refused his request. Kalani shot Rash[2] despite his protests and retreated to Agamar's supply ship.[19] Following the Confederacy's withdrawal from Onderon, a funeral was held in honor of Steela with thousands of Onderonians grieving for her. Following the service, Dendup, reinstated as king, appointed Bonteri as the new senator, which would allow him to lead Onderon back into the Republic.[2]
Following Palpatine's Proclamation of the Republic's reorganization into the Galactic Empire,[20] Gerrera, his fighters, and several civilians were forced into hiding because of their refusal to serve Empire. Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin sent in Clone Force 99 to eliminate them, but they refused to carry out their orders.[21] Admiral Rampart later sent in Commander Crosshair's Elite Squad to eliminate Gerrera's rebels. Fortunately, Gerrera managed to escape before the Elite Squad arrived, capturing and executing several of his rebels.[22]
Legacy[]
- "So, Rex, how do you know Saw Gerrera?"
"Oh, we go way back. I trained him and his sister, Steela, during the Clone War. They were part of a plan to help localized militias fight for themselves against the Separatists. She didn't make it. But he carried on and even started his own rebel cell after the Empire took over." - ―Kanan Jarrus asking Rex about Saw Gerrera
Following the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, Saw and the Onderon rebels reorganized themselves into the Partisans.[24] Gerrera's Partisans were among the first rebel cells to resist against the Empire. Gerrera carried a holoprojector that contained an image of Steela.[23] He still felt her loss and spoke her name[25] when Jedha City was destroyed by the Death Star, shortly before he died in the ensuing carnage.[26]
Behind the scenes[]
The Onderonian Civil War first appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 5 episode "A War on Two Fronts"[1] and was first identified in the reference book Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide.[24] It was also identified as the "Fight for Onderon" in "Front Runners"[4] and "War in the Inner Rim" in "Tipping Points".[2]
Star Wars: Galactic Atlas, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!, and Star Wars: Timelines date the end of the civil war to the year 20 BBY.[18][8][27] Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide and the Star Wars Insider 203 article "Rebel Rousers: Our Top Ten Rebels" incorrectly date the war's end to 19 BBY,[24] the latter indirectly through its dating of Steela Gerrera's death.[28]
Appearances[]
- Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A War on Two Fronts" (First appearance)- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Front Runners" (First identified as Fight for Onderon)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Soft War"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Tipping Points" (First identified as War in the Inner Rim)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Gathering" (In flashback(s))
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A Test of Strength" (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Aftermath" (Indirect mention only)- Ahsoka (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- Rebel Rising (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
Star Wars Rebels — "Ghosts of Geonosis" (Mentioned only)
"Crossing the Line" — Star Wars Rebels Animation 4 (Indirect mention only)- Star Wars: Rogue One: Secret Mission (Indirect mention only)
- Battlefront II: Inferno Squad (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
