Battle of Phu
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- "We are still analyzing the data from the attack, but we can confirm that General Ares Nune's task force did encounter enemy forces on patrol."
- ―A Republic starfleet official reports on the battle[src]
This battle took place around 22 BBY during a Galactic Republic patrol of the Phu system by Jedi General Ares Nune and Clone Commander Kite. The Confederate warship Malevolence was also in the system, under the command of General Grievous, and quickly eradicated Nune's fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers with its ion cannons. Following the attack, High Jedi General Plo Koon took a task force of several cruisers to find and destroy the Confederate weapon.
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[edit] Prelude
- "I compiled all the reports, seeing if there's any pattern so we can find whatever it is the Seppies are doing out here."
"Well done, Snips."
"Not well enough. It's just too random." - ―Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker, on tracking the Confederate weapon's strike points[src]
Around 22 BBY[4] during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Confederacy built a superweapon, the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser Malevolence, capable of destroying numerous Republic fleets with its ion cannons. The cannons neutralized all power in their targets, leaving them defenseless and vulnerable without the ability to use deflector shields to protect themselves. This allowed the Malevolence to destroy its unprotected prey with its numerous laser cannons.[2] The Confederacy soon began to use the Malevolence in numerous strikes on Republic task forces that left no survivors. The Jedi High Council became increasingly worried with the losses,[3] and the attacks drove fear into the citizens of the Republic,[6] even more so because the targets were unpredictable and did not form a pattern.[3]
[edit] Eradication
- "Commander Kite, all hands to escape pods! Abandon ship! Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"
- ―A recording retrieved from the battle[src]
Jedi General Ares Nune and Clone Commander Kite took three Venator-class Star Destroyers—including the Laudable, Nune's flagship[5]—on a regular patrol of the Phu system. However, the Malevolence was also in the system, under the command of the Confederate General Grievous. The cyborg general immediately ordered the Malevolence's ion cannons to fire;[3] as the wave from the cannons obliterated the shields of the Laudable, Nune ordered Commander Kite to organize an evacuation of the cruisers via escape pods.[7] However, the Malevolence moved in and destroyed the vessels before Nune and the clone troopers could escape.[6]
[edit] Aftermath
- "Finding it is one thing. Finding a way to stop it is another."
- ―Mace Windu on the Confederate superweapon[src]
The defeat of Nune's fleet was reported in the news, to the increasing worry of the citizens of the Republic. A recording from the battle survived, and was played during the broadcast.[6] Following the report of the loss, Masters Yoda, Mace Windu and Plo Koon of the Jedi Council met with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in his office on the galactic capital of Coruscant. Koon volunteered to take several Venator-class cruisers to find and destroy the "mystery weapon," as the Malevolence had been dubbed. Aboard the cruiser Triumphant,[3] Koon tracked the Malevolence to the Abregado system and engaged it in battle.[2]
[edit] Behind the scenes
The battle was featured in The Clone Wars web comic The Clone Wars: Shakedown, released on October 2, 2008 and leading into "Rising Malevolence," an episode featured in the October 3, 2008 premiere of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series on Cartoon Network. The battle was also mentioned in the in-universe HoloNet News report A Galaxy Divided on October 2 as part of an ongoing podcast featuring The Clone Wars series, released on StarWars.com and iTunes.[8] The comic featured the debut of the characters Ares Nune and Clone Commander Kite, but they were also killed in the same issue. The battle marked one of the many strikes of the Confederate "mystery weapon," the Malevolence.[9]
[edit] Appearances
- The Clone Wars: Shakedown (First appearance)
- HoloNet News — A Galaxy Divided (Mentioned only)
[edit] Notes and references
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Ambush" - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Rising Malevolence"
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 The Clone Wars: Shakedown
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars The Clone Wars Secret Missions 1: Breakout Squad
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Clone Wars: Prelude
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 HoloNet News — A Galaxy Divided
- ↑ Both the web comic and the HoloNet News podcast are somewhat contradictory of each other. The comic portrays Nune's fleet as being immediately destroyed by the ion cannons, while a recording played during the newscast states that the shields of the cruisers in Nune's fleet were eliminated by the cannons, but that the cruisers themselves were not immediately destroyed. The podcast goes to imply that Nune and his forces then attempted to retreat before being defeated by the Malevolence.
- ↑
All Hear This: HoloNet News Returns on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org) - ↑ The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Rising Malevolence on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org)
