Battle of Umbara

The Separatists started to tighten their grip over vital and isolated supply routes throughout the Expansion Region. Following the death of Umbara's senator, Mee Deechi by Lolo Purs, the Umbarans withdrew from the Republic and committed their militia to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Republic then sent Jedi Master Pong Krell, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, and Jedi Council members Obi-Wan Kenobi and Saesee Tiin to retake Umbara with their troops.

Krell was a recognized war hero, but was known for his exceptionally high rates of troop casualties compared to other Jedi. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Krell had had a vision of the Jedi Order's fall and the rise of a new order, leading him to fall to the dark side and begin sabotaging campaigns he fought in with the aim of attracting the attention of Separatist leader Count Dooku, who he hoped would reward him by making him his new Sith apprentice.

Though the Umbaran militia was strong and possessed technology more powerful than much of the Republic's own weapons, the Separatists deployed a sizeable fleet to the system to assist the militia in defending their home and supplying arms. As a result, the Separatist fleet established a large blockade around the planet and supplied the Umbarans with necessary arms.

The Republic forces launched a strike on the Separatist blockade in an effort to claim Umbara. Spearheaded by Z-95 Headhunters led by Jedi Commanders Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee, the Republic forces broke through the Separatist blockade, allowing the Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ships to enter the planet. As they made their landing, Kenobi spoke to Skywalker, Cody, Rex, and their troops to discuss their strategy. General Kenobi and the 212th Attack Battalion with support from battalions led by Masters Krell and Tiin were to attack in the south and capture the Umbaran Capital City. Anakin Skywalker and the 501st Legion were to strike in the north and flank any Umbaran reinforcements as well as providing support for Kenobi. As the Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ship entered the atmosphere, the ground forces were deployed in gunships protected by the Headhunters.

General Kenobi arrived with the 212th in the south and began their attack on the local militia, along with Pong Krell and Saesee Tiin. However the Umbaran Militia's powerful technology and the dangerous wildlife conditions prevented a swift capture of the Capital forcing Kenobi's forces into prolonged skirmishes around the Capital outskirts. Therefore Kenobi was forced to rely on the 501st for their support until his forces could find an opening in the Capital's defences.

Meanwhile the gunships carrying the 501st Legion deployed numerous AT-RTs alongside the troops. As the clones suffered heavy losses early into the battle, the AT-RTs were able to charge the Umbaran Militia's hover tanks that were decimating their infantry and destroy them, clearing the way for their ground forces. Skywalker's troops then landed and moved towards a ridge, fighting the Umbarans and forcing them to retreat. However, one of the troopers was eaten by a vixus, and another trooper, Hardcase, had to be saved from the creature by ARC trooper Fives.

At the ridge, the clones then entrenched themselves, digging in and waiting for the enemy to approach. However, the Umbarans ambushed them with millicreep droids, who killed many clones due to the shadowy terrain providing them natural cover. The Umbarans then circled around the clones' encampment. As his men quickly evacuated the ridge, Skywalker called in clone trooper pilot Davijaan "Odd Ball" to bombard the area with BTL-B Y-wing bombers to wipe out the Umbarans.

As Skywalker forces regrouped for the attack on the capital, Master Krell arrived with orders from the Jedi Council ordering him to return to Coruscant at the Supreme Chancellor's request. Skywalker reluctantly followed the orders and command of the 501st went to Krell. Krell then ordered the 501st to march onward towards the capital. En route, the clones came under attack by a pair of banshees. They then resumed the march after Krell killed the last one. When the 501st reached the outskirts of the capital, Krell decided to launch a full forward assault on the capital along the main road, despite Rex's objections. However, they walked into a minefield, which killed Oz and Ringo. Fives was then able to find a way through the field. The 501st then came under attack by the Umbarans, holding their ground despite being exposed. Rex then ordered a retreat to rejoin Krell and his troops. Together, they were able repel the Umbarans. Krell was disappointed at Rex for not holding the road, but was convinced that Rex and Fives did what was best for their men. Rex and the 501st then fought the Umbarans counterattack. Meanwhile, Generals Kenobi and Tiin learnt of an Umabaran Airbase that was resupplying the Capital's defences.

Krell, Rex, and the 501st continued to hold their ground against the Umbarans from both their air and ground forces. Krell was then contacted by Kenobi, who ordered him and the 501st to capture the airbase. The airbase was supplying the capital with supplies that prevented the 212th from taking the capital. The 501st then regrouped and moved towards the airbase.

As the 501st reached the outskirts of the airbase, Rex suggested that they scout the area first. Krell, knowing the urgency of Kenobi's situation, ordered the 501st to go through a gorge single file. The 501st troopers started to criticize Krell's tactics knowing they would suffer heavy casualties. Despite, Rex was able to convince the 501st to go ahead with the attack. As the 501st entered the gorge, Rex divided it into three groups with Fives and Hardcase. As they made their way through, they came under attack by Impeding Assault Tanks. However, they were able to destroy the tanks with their rocket launchers and thermal detonators. They resumed moving towards the airbase, until they came under fire by the Umbarans' mobile heavy cannons. Rex and the 501st attempted to use the rocket launchers against the MHCs to no avail.

Rex then sent Fives and Hardcase to infiltrate the airbase and commandeer a pair of Zenuas 33 Umbaran starfighters to use against the MHCs. Krell, however, ordered Rex to launch a full-scale attack. Rex and his men the continue to hold their ground against the MHCs. Fives and Hardcase were able to pass the sensor fence by using a tree. After Fives blew up the tree to distract the Umbarans, he and Hardcase were able to board a pair of starfighters and used them to destroy the MHCs. Krell and Sergeant Appo and brought in the rest of the 501st and took the airbase. The 501st then rounded up the remaining Umbarans as prisoners and held the base before moving on to taking the capital with Kenobi.

After securing the airbase for the Republic, the Umbarans stepped up their attacks in their attempts to retake the airbase and began firing long-range missiles. Additionally, the capital shifted to receive supplies from a Separatist supply ship protected by a Separatist fleet that outnumbered the Republic's fleet. During that phase of the naval battle, clone pilot Stub engaged Umbaran fighters.

Krell and 501st made sure security measures were reconfigured and that all the troopers stayed on alert for anything. During this time, Fives was examining the Umbaran starfighters. Krell was then contacted by Kenobi, who congratulated him on taking the airbase, despite Krell wanting to wait until the battle was won. Kenobi told Krell that the 212th was being pushed away from the capital by long-range missiles and informed them of the supply ship. Krell stated that they would have take the capital, regardless of the missiles and would meet up with Kenobi and 212th at the rendezvous point. Kenobi's transmission was then lost. Despite this, Krell ordered the 501st to be prepared in twelve hours to advance to the capital; Rex then asked Krell if he should try to get a message to Kenobi in order to coordinate the attack. Krell, however, knew Kenobi had his hands full and asserted that they need to throw everything they had at the capital. Despite Rex claiming they would walk into a blast zone, Krell disagreed with him and ordered him to prepare the 501st.

After Rex briefed his troops, Fives told him that he had broken Umbaran access codes and that they could use the captured starfighters to infiltrate the supply ship and destroy it. Rex presented the idea to Krell, who shot it down immediately. Fives disobeyed Krell, along with Jesse and Hardcase and preceded with the mission. The three embarked on their mission with the starfighters. After their launch, Krell was told by a Flight Officer about the launch of three fighters, and revealing this to Rex. Rex then lied to the General, and stated he launched the fighters for reconnaissance on the Umbaran capital city. Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase arrived at battlefield. Since the Separatists were too busy fighting the Republic, they were assumed as friendlies and used this opportunity to reach the supply ship.

Fives explained to Jesse and Hardcase that Skywalker had told him a story about how he blew up a control ship on Naboo, and that they were going to use the same method to destroy the supply ship. However, the plan quickly went into shambles when a B1 battle droid noticed the clones in the starfighters. The T-series tactical droid in command of the ship believed it was impossible that clones were on the ship, but after other battle droids verified the intruders, the droids immediately set up a ray shield which prevented the clones from critically damaging the ship. Hardcase sacrificed himself by heading in alone with a part of his starfighter, which destroyed the supply ship.This left an opening in the Capital's defences. Kenobi and the forces in the south begun a spearheaded assault on the Capital to capture it.

Jesse and Fives were then sentenced to being court-martialed. Krell changed his mind from court-martialing the soldiers to sentencing them to execution. Fives and Jesse were led by Appo and other troopers to their execution. Dogma was in charge of leading the execution, the line of which consisted of Kix, Tup, and several other troopers. Fives appealed to his brothers, which resulted in the soldiers dropping their weapons. Krell, outraged, ordered Rex and Dogma to his tower.

Before Rex and Krell could argue over the matter, the tower received a transmission from a clone scout, informing them that the Umbarans were preparing another offensive, possibly with the aid of clone armor and weapons captured from a platoon. Krell decided on a preemptive strike. The troops moved out, but soon ran into a firefight and began targeting what they believed to be the enemy in disguise. Rex, curious if the enemies were actually Umbaran, took off the helmet of one of the killed "clones" and was horrified to find out that they were firing on each other. Rex immediately ran to the middle of the battlefield and yelled at both sides to take off their helmets, and both the 501st and 212th Attack Battalion were horrified to learn that they had slaughtered each other.

After verifying the casualties, Rex demanded to see the 212th's platoon leader, who Kix found out was Waxer. Waxer had sustained fatal wounds in the firefight, but managed to tell Rex that Krell had told them that they were going to fight enemies who had taken clone armor and equipment.

Enraged by the deception, Rex led the 501st and 212th to the airbase, where they confronted Krell. Initially Dogma wanted to join in the coup to avenge his fallen brothers, but due to his "loyalist" devotion for Krell, he was taken out. Rex confronted Krell with the evidence that he ordered both groups to attack each other; Krell admitted that he did not expect a clone like him to piece together the puzzle. Krell revealed to the clones that he had a vision of the future, and that he would become Dooku's newest apprentice by allowing the Separatists to defeat the Republic. The 501st and 212th attempted to subdue Krell, but were overpowered by the traitorous Jedi.

As Krell leaped out the window of the tower, more clones attempted to stop him, but were unsuccessful and he managed to escape into the forests. Rex, knowing that Krell had information on everything the Republic had, ordered the clones to chase after him. He was soon stopped by Dogma, who tried to protect the General. However, after being convinced to lower his weapon, he was tackled and sent to lockup. The clones managed to track Krell in the shadowy forests, but were still overpowered.

During the battle, Tup was sent flying by one of Krell's attacks, which ended up landing him near a vixus that briefly awoke. Tup took notice of this and told Rex and the others to lure Krell towards him. The clones retreated to Tup's position while he fired several shots at Krell, getting the Besalisk's attention. Krell, who was too busy slaughtering the clones, failed to notice the vixus and was caught in its grasp. While he managed to defend himself from both the vixus and clones, who eventually killed the vixus. As he attempted to regain his senses, Tup stunned him, ending the skirmish.

As Krell was taken captive by the clones, Appo reported that Kenobi's 212th Attack Battalion had spearheaded and captured the Umbaran capital city, sending the reaming Umbarans towards their position. The troopers realized that if they lost control of the airbase and Krell was freed, he would be able to turn over the Republic's security codes and other intel. Knowing that this couldn't happen, Rex, Jesse, Fives, Kix, and Tup went to confront him and execute the former Jedi. Dogma was also released to stand with his brothers during this. Rex aimed his blaster pistol at Krell, but he chuckled and taunted the captain, stating that he would never be able to take the shot. Krell was then unexpectedly shot mid-sentence, and as the troopers turned around in shock they saw that Dogma had taken Fives's blaster pistol and had been the one to fire. Dogma took a gasp of breath and only stated that he had to kill him for the betrayal.

Dogma was taken into custody for killing a Jedi, though Rex gave him a reassuring nod to let him know he had done what was right. Fives informed Rex that the last holdouts of Umbarans had been taken out. Rex did not feel like celebrating it however, and he spoke with Fives about what the point of the war was, and what would happen to the clones when it ended.

Krell's betrayal was remembered by the Jedi; a short time after the rogue Jedi had endangered Republic operations on Umbara, Skywalker used Krell's betrayal as an example of how there were be Jedi that would disappoint the Order. Mace Windu later recalled Krell's betrayal when the Jedi Council was discussing the fallen Jedi Quinlan Vos.

The Battle of Umbara first appeared in a four-part arc of Star Wars: The Clone Wars fourth season, consisting of the episodes "Darkness on Umbara," "The General," "Plan of Dissent," and "Carnage of Krell."