Battle of Jabiim

Before the Clone Wars, Alto Stratus was a commander within the Bronze Nimbus, a special forces unit of the Jabiimi Military. Disappointed by the perceived lack of courage within the Jabiim Army and the absence of assistance from the Republic and the Jedi, he assumed personal control of Bronze Nimbus, drawing elements of the Jabiim Army into his personality-driven following.

As the Clone Wars began, Alto Stratus, now leading the Jabiimi Nationalists, had reorganized the special forces into the Nimbus commandos and seized control of the governing Jabiim Congress through a coup. The Nimbus commandos assassinated key members of the Congress, primarily those loyal to the Republic. Stratus then leveraged his influence to align Jabiim with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, transforming the planet into a strategically important location. Following this act of treason, a civil war erupted between Stratus' Nationalist faction and the remaining Jabiimi Loyalists, led by Captain Orliss Gillmunn. However, Gilmunn's limited resources made his resistance weak. To maintain order, Stratus consolidated the regular military into the Nationalist Army. He also directed the Nimbus commandos to destroy armories and weaken the Jabiimi Loyalists, ensuring a more balanced engagement for the Nationalist Army.

After Supreme Chancellor Palpatine authorized the use of military force to protect Republic loyalists from Stratus' aggression, the Republic positioned its strike force on nearby Handooine for immediate deployment to Jabiim. Jabiim was chosen as a testing ground for the Republic's new All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT) walker. These heavily armed walkers were capable of overwhelming any Armored Assault Tank or spider droid. Hundreds of AT-ATs, All Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TEs), and All Terrain Experimental Transport walkers underwent careful preparation and maintenance. Furthermore, numerous Republic gunships and clone troopers were stationed on the planet. The arrival of the Acclamator-class assault ship Dominance and its troops increased the number of soldiers on Handooine to a full corps.

Spokesbeing Alto Stratus, representing Jabiim, rejected the Republic's appeals during last-minute negotiations led by the Alderaanian Diplomatic Corps in the Caucus Chambers of the Congress as Jabiim prepared for war. In an address to his followers, Alto Stratus mocked the Republic's buildup of forces in the neighboring Handooine system during discussions for a peaceful resolution. Following the breakdown of talks, Vice Chair Mas Amedda stated that the Jabiimi were unwilling to peacefully resolve the conflict during a brief Senate session. Consequently, Republic officials described war on Jabiim as "inevitable." When the Galactic Senate received Republic Intelligence reports indicating that the Confederacy had provided the Congress with supplies, weapons, and funds to eliminate vocal loyalists, they sought to extract politically persecuted Loyalists and mineral resources they owned. Many within the Republic also suspected that the CIS had effectively purchased Jabiim.

A HoloNet News Core Edition report covering the situation on Handooine and Jabiim was broadcast from Jelwick, the former planet's capital city. In this report, Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth claimed that the "silver-tongued holocam-favorite" Alto Stratus was being manipulated by the Separatists to seize more ore for their military buildup. He asserted that the Republic would not allow these mineral resources to fall into Separatist hands. Senator Bail Prestor Organa expressed his hope that the impending war could be avoided. Shortly thereafter, Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi was appointed as the theater commander for the campaign. The news report estimated that the invasion of Jabiim was likely to occur within a standard month, and the operation commenced in 22 BBY.

The Republic forces established Shelter Base as their command center and began offensive operations against Separatist defensive positions, aiming to capture Alto Stratus. Assisted by Captain Gillmunn's Loyalist forces, the Republic task force quickly overran multiple enemy positions with minimal resistance. There was no sign of Stratus or any Confederate military equipment. During this phase, the Jabiimite Separatists deployed only local soldiers and equipment, keeping their droid forces in reserve. As part of his strategy, Alto Stratus allowed the Republic to capture several positions to fragment their forces.

In the subsequent week, they launched an assault on a third defensive position, Outpost Shear, following the capture of Camp Aurek and Point Down. General Obi-Wan Kenobi, his First Lieutenant Anakin Skywalker, and ARC trooper Alpha-17 spearheaded the attack on the outpost using first-generation AT-ATs, AT-TEs, and AT-XTs. As they overwhelmed the main emplacement, Alpha-17 advised Kenobi to flank the enemy to prevent their retreat. Unprepared for the intensity of the fighting on Jabiim, Jedi Master Sirrus and his Padawan Aubrie Wyn, a skilled healer from the Jedi Temple, joined the advance at Outpost Shear in search of General Kenobi. At her Master's suggestion, Wyn healed a wounded Nationalist soldier, questioning whether the Jedi were soldiers or healers. On Kenobi's orders, Padawans Kass Tod and Mak Lotor from the Padawan Pack ambushed the retreating soldiers as they fled along the flanks of the Republic column. Within days, the outpost was captured. Alpha-17 intended to interrogate the prisoners to discover Stratus' location, while Obi-Wan Kenobi ordered a regroup at their camp.

As the Republic forces regrouped, Kenobi briefed Master Sirrus on the situation. Meanwhile, Alto Stratus delivered a powerful, anti-Republic speech to rally his troops, referencing past Republic indifference during events like the Brainrot Plague, the Trandoshan invasion, and Lythian pirate raids. A Jabiimite freedom fighter recorded Stratus' speech in a hologram lasting twelve standard minutes. While the Jedi watched the hologram, Alpha-17 voiced his concern that the main force was over a day's journey from Shelter Base, making them vulnerable to Nationalist exploitation.

Alto Stratus held his forces, including B1-Series battle droids, B2 super battle droids, IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tanks, and spider tanks, along with his elite Nimbus commandos, in reserve for an attack on the vulnerable Shelter Base. Republic Intelligence had failed to detect the Confederate military equipment, and long-range orbital scans were hindered by atmospheric disturbances, resulting in incomplete intelligence. Exploiting a night storm that disrupted sensors, Stratus launched a massive assault on Shelter Base. Hailfire-class droid tanks bombarded the compound with tank-smasher missiles, destroying a Republic AT-AT walker.

The Republic's situation worsened as several AT-TEs became bogged down in the muddy terrain. One of the Jedi Generals prevented a clone trooper from calling in gunship support due to the atmospheric conditions. Instead, she attempted to lift an AT-TE with the Force but was fatally stabbed by Stratus, who had approached unnoticed. Moments later, Skywalker, Kenobi, Alpha, Sirrus, and Wyn arrived with reinforcements in a landspeeder. Skywalker confronted Stratus, who was forced to retreat. Alpha and Kenobi moved to protect the walkers, including an AT-AT that Kenobi planned to use to cover the right flank.

Stratus and the Nimbus commandos retreated, but despite their repulsor boots that allowed them to move over the mud and their success in destroying heavy equipment, they could not overcome the garrison at Shelter Base. Before retreating, they planted limpet charges that crippled one of the walkers. While Skywalker secured his area of the base with Wyn's help, Kenobi, Sirrus, and Alpha rushed to the AT-AT to rescue the trapped clones. Suddenly, the AT-AT exploded, and Kenobi, Sirrus, and Alpha, unable to escape the blast, became casualties. Sirrus died, while Kenobi and Alpha survived but were captured by the Separatist commander Asajj Ventress, who transported them to Rattatak.

A HoloNet News Core Edition report from Shelter Base reported numerous casualties, including three Jedi (Dalnus Cam, Sana-Jis Ilowa, and Rallcema Bylissura), thirty-two members of the 43rd Battalion, and the possible loss of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Contact with HoloNet News field correspondent Angus Laride was lost, preventing verification of Kenobi's death.

Despite Republic Intelligence's efforts to intercept data, bootleg holograms of Alto Stratus' speech before the attack on Shelter Base spread throughout the Outer Rim sectors. A CIS Shadowfeed dispatch highlighted Alto Stratus' popularity, portraying him as a folk hero among Outer Rim Separatist worlds, even though many points in his speech were specific to Jabiim's situation. On Clak'dor VII, Bith musician Vennido T'all composed a song incorporating samples from Stratus' speech. On Yag'Dhul, his words were mathematically transformed into a fractal banner in the First Temple of Prime. The Aqualish integrated variations of his speech into their literature and war chants.

At some point, Stratus's cousin was shot in the abdomen with a blaster, and as she crawled through the mud, her legs were crushed by a Republic walker. She died in Stratus's arms, strengthening his resolve to destroy the Jedi.

Over the next week, Stratus's forces made significant gains in the northern hemisphere. On the twenty-eighth day, he attacked the city of Choal. The forces under General Norcuna were annihilated, and Stratus personally beheaded the Twi'lek Jedi.

Following the presumed death of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the death of Sirrus, Anakin Skywalker and Aubrie Wyn were transferred to the Padawan Pack, a group of orphaned Padawans combined in the hope that their collective abilities would equal one Jedi Knight. This group also included Tae Diath, Mak Lotor, Kass Tod, Windo "Warble" Nend, Elora Sund, Zule Xiss, and Vaabesh. After Norcuna's death, General Leska became the highest-ranking Jedi in command of the Republic forces. By the thirtieth day of battle, Captain Gillmunn estimated that eighteen Jedi and nine thousand clone troopers had been killed. That same day, Gillmunn reported that Stratus was located on the Razor Coast. He believed that capturing Stratus might lead to a Separatist surrender. General Leska ordered an immediate strike at the Razor Coast to capture Stratus, instructing the Padawan Pack to avoid the front lines and protect a supply convoy heading towards Cobalt Station, refusing to send more Padawans to their deaths.

By the thirty-second day of battle, the Republic had lost three forward positions. While guarding a convoy of AT-XTs and AT-TEs, the Padawans were attacked by Stratus's droid forces. Several members of the Pack fought the droids while Wyn and Nend remained with the convoy. Knowing the battle droids' limited thinking, the Padawans distracted them with an obvious target before launching a successful ambush. This tactic, developed by Skywalker and his Master, repelled the droids and allowed the convoy to proceed. Despite the victory, Xiss remained pessimistic, noting Mak Lotor's inexperience in war.

Later, Wyn and Skywalker were delivering equipment to Republic outposts. Wyn adapted well, but Anakin struggled. Kenobi's presumed death had negatively affected Skywalker, making him unstable and reckless, which was felt by the other Padawans, especially Tae Diath, who had strong telepathic abilities. Nend attempted to converse with Zule Xiss, but she expressed frustration with their situation. Vaabesh explained Xiss's defensiveness, noting that she had lost her most effective mentor in the same battle where she was maimed. To avoid further attacks, Kass Tod and Mak Lotor scanned the area ahead. Mak Lotor confessed his love to Kass Tod, stating that there was the Force, death, and love. The scan revealed no threats, nor did it reveal that the convoy was heading into a minefield.

By the thirty-third day of battle, on the Razor Coast, Colonel Mazzi reported to Stratus that a Republic supply column escorted by Jedi children was heading towards Cobalt Station, carrying reinforcements and supplies. Learning that a minefield lay in the Padawan Pack's path, Stratus decided to personally lead an attack on the convoy, ordering the Nimbus commandos to assemble.

By the thirty-fourth day of battle, the convoy entered the minefield, as the Separatists had anticipated. An AT-XT detonated a mine, neutralizing most of the armored support. The Jedi were unprepared for this tactic, as it was the first time the Confederacy used mines in combat, and they suffered heavy losses. Elora Sund used a Nimbus repulsor skate to destroy several mines with a blaster, covering her companions' retreat. The Republic force broke through thanks to the Jedi, who used the Force to detonate mines, distracting the Separatists and clearing a path. At the height of the battle, Mak Lotor used the Force to trigger a minor earth tremor, setting off the remaining mines and causing him to pass out. As the mines exploded, Skywalker was near Stratus. However, a mine exploded beneath them, throwing them apart. Skywalker tried to stand up with Vaabesh's help, who then led him to safety.

By the thirty-fifth day of battle, the Republic defeated the Separatist forces on the Razor Coast but suffered heavy casualties, and Stratus was missing. Stratus recovered from his injuries with Mazzi's help and gathered his forces for a final attack on Cobalt Station, the Republic's last major defensive installation.

Having suffered heavy losses, General Leska decided to protect the Padawan Pack. By the thirty-seventh day of battle, Leska was distracted by a bright sun. Before she could reach the Pack, her troops were ambushed, and she was killed. As she died, Leska ordered the Padawans to flee. The nine Padawans, the only remaining Jedi on Jabiim capable of fighting, took refuge in Cobalt Station, experiencing a rare hour without rain. Standing on the lake shore, the Jedi saw the Separatist fleet in the sky, flying towards Stratus's camp.

The Jabiimi Nationalists received reinforcements via the fleet of C-9979 landing crafts, bringing with them A-series assassin droids under the command of A71. These droids, specifically modified for Jabiim duty, possessed advanced artificial intelligence and expertise in all forms of lethal combat. Stratus expressed his satisfaction with Count Dooku's "gift," declaring to his forces that the Jedi would suffer greatly that day.

In a parallel development, Captain Gillmunn contacted Cobalt Station, relaying to the Padawans that his Jabiimi Loyalists and the remaining clone troopers were converging on the Monsoon Mesa, located south of their position. The Republic High Command, having conceded defeat, announced the commencement of the evacuation. The Padawans also learned that General Leska was missing, making them the highest-ranking officers of the Grand Army of the Republic on Jabiim. To the clones' misfortune, Republic transports were temporarily grounded by severe weather. Seizing the opportunity, Stratus had already amassed an army of ten thousand, poised to completely overwhelm the enemy. Cobalt Station stood as the sole obstacle between Stratus's army and the evacuation zone. The Padawans understood that the evacuation's success hinged on their ability to delay Stratus's advance. Despite the near-certainty of death in confronting the Separatist forces, all the Jedi, inspired by a speech from Aubrie Wyn, resolved to fight. The nine Padawans initiated preparations for their final stand, mobilizing all available equipment and surviving clones.

At the eleventh hour, Skywalker received a communication from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, ordering him to evacuate with the rest of the Republic forces. Although Skywalker hesitated to abandon his fellow Padawans, the Chancellor convinced Anakin that their fate was sealed regardless of his presence. Ultimately, Skywalker yielded to Palpatine's persuasion and departed Cobalt Station on his Zephyr-G swoop. Aubrie Wyn, having witnessed Anakin's exchange with the Chancellor, sympathized with his decision. Before his departure, she entrusted him with the holocron of her late master, Sirrus. On the thirty-ninth day of the battle, Alto Stratus's forces launched an assault on Cobalt Station, intending to obliterate it.

The four-day clash between the Nationalists and the clone troopers led by the Padawans culminated in the total destruction of the Cobalt Station garrison. Despite their valiant efforts, the Padawans were ultimately overwhelmed and killed. Tae Diath was the first to fall, succumbing to assassin droid fire, followed by Elora Sund and Windo Nend, who sacrificed themselves by detonating alongside an IG-227 Hailfire-class tank droid. Zule Xiss, unleashing her unbridled fury, met her end when an AT-AT crashed upon her. Mak Lotor and Kass Tod confronted Alto Stratus himself, inflicting wounds upon him, but were subsequently destroyed by a tank droid missile. Vaabesh perished on day 43, his protective suit breached, rendering him unable to breathe. Aubrie Wyn, the last Padawan standing, claimed his lightsaber with his dying consent. With the assassin droids and most of the Nimbus commandos eliminated, Wyn located Stratus and was on the verge of defeating him, but he fatally wounded her with a blaster shot. The dying Padawan collapsed onto the Jabiimite, impaling him with both lightsabers, thus ending both his military career and his life.

While the Padawan Pack sacrificed themselves in combat against Stratus, Anakin Skywalker hastened to the evacuation site aboard his swoop, as instructed by Palpatine. Arriving on the forty-third day of the battle, he rendezvoused with Captain Gillmunn, his Loyalists, and the surviving clones. Despite the persistent inclement weather, three Republic transports attempted to land; only one succeeded. However, the Republic lacked sufficient transport capacity to evacuate both the clones and the Loyalists from Jabiim. With the weather worsening and a decision imperative within the hour, Anakin, as the sole Jedi present, made the difficult choice. He ordered the evacuation of all clones, abandoning the Loyalists to their fate.

Gillmunn was aghast at what he perceived as the Republic's betrayal. He now saw the truth in Alto Stratus and the Nationalists' claims. In a fit of rage, the captain struck Skywalker and accused the Republic of devastating the planet through their relentless warfare. Gillmunn and his men moved to seize the Republic transports, but Anakin intervened, strangling the captain with the Force. After releasing Gillmunn, Anakin apologized for his outburst and, capitalizing on the Loyalists' confusion, hastily withdrew the remaining GAR forces from the planet, pursued by the enraged Jabiimi's vows of vengeance against the Republic.

The Republic's forces were ill-equipped to handle Jabiim's harsh environment, while the Jabiimi rebels were native to it. The task force's heavy walkers became bogged down in the muddy, rain-soaked terrain, making them easy targets for the nimble Nimbus commandos. The constant storms and heavy rain severely hampered vital orbital and air support.

Following the Republic's departure, Jabiim fell under the control of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Republic suffered heavy losses during the surface battle, including numerous Jedi (at least nine), 9,000 clone troopers, two transports, and many AT-ATs, whose performance in the field was disappointing. However, during the era of the Galactic Empire, AT-ATs became a core component of the Imperial Army. The enemy also sustained considerable losses, though less than those of the Republic. Many battle droids were destroyed, including all of the A-series assassin droids. Most of the Nimbus commandos were also lost; after Alto Stratus's death, they were led by Colonel Mazzi.

Fueled by his sense of betrayal, Captain Orliss Gillmunn gathered the surviving Loyalists and continued the resistance. In 22 BBY, Orliss and Nolan Gillmunn planned an attack on the droid command center located in Hyber Canyon. Olriss was killed by Thorne Kraym, a Jabiimi Nationalist, who stabbed him with a blade during a massacre at High Rock Canyon. Nolan survived.

The evacuated Republic forces were transported to New Holstice, a world in the Mid Rim, where the Jedi and clones injured in the battle received treatment at a local medical facility. Upon arriving on the planet, Skywalker encountered Jedi Master A'Sharad Hett and his Padawan Bhat Jul, who escorted him to a memorial dedicated to the Jedi who had died serving the Republic. Memory moths fluttered around the memorial, each representing a fallen Jedi. Anakin added several more in remembrance of the Padawan Pack. Skywalker, Jul, and Hett were soon approached by Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, who informed Skywalker that he would accompany them to the new front on Aargonar. During the battle, Mundi refused to retreat, arguing that the Republic could not sustain another defeat like Jabiim without risking further star systems seceding to the Separatists.

In the chaos following the battle, the 501st Legion was deployed to Coruscant. After the battle, Mundi assumed responsibility for Skywalker's training. Shortly thereafter, during a Senate meeting, the two presented a report on their success on Aargonar. Palpatine emphasized the young Padawan's merit. When Bail Organa inquired about the defeat at Jabiim, Senate Speaker Mas Amedda stated that the issue had been discussed in his absence and directed him to Archive File 395873X555. However, as the file contained only a brief note about the battle, Organa approached the Supreme Chancellor at a private meeting in his office shortly thereafter. He argued that, as a senator, he needed to be fully informed about the war to fulfill his duties. Palpatine cautioned that setbacks like Jabiim might lead less courageous senators to join the Separatists. Soon afterward, Senator Ask Aak likened the Jedi Council's account of the devastating battle of Parcelus Minor to another Jabiim. Senator Mon Mothma, also present, strongly refuted his insinuation that the Jedi were being manipulated by their former member, Dooku, and urged an open debate on Parcelus Minor and Jabiim in the Senate to resolve such concerns. Aak, however, seeing her attempt to bolster Organa's unsupported claims, declared that he trusted the Chancellor, not the Jedi, on the matter.

Ventress held Kenobi and Alpha-17 captive on Rattatak, attempting to break the Jedi Master by claiming that all troops on Jabiim, including his Padawan, had been annihilated by the Separatists. In the following weeks, she tried to extract strategic information about the Republic through torture. However, Kenobi managed to free himself and the clone trooper and escape from Rattatak in Ventress's ship. Shortly after, they were forced to crash-land on Riflor. As Skywalker continued to suffer nightmares from Kenobi's loss, Mundi tried to help him cope with it. Skywalker's hope that he was still alive, since his body was never recovered, was countered by the fact that he had also lost family members in the Battle of Cerea, whose bodies he had later been unable to identify, and still came to terms with his loss. During an altercation in the orbit of Varonat, Skywalker received a vision of Kenobi, which he interpreted as proof that he was still alive. He then traveled to Riflor with Mundi and rescued him and Alpha-17.

The Battle of Jabiim became known as the most brutal engagement of the Clone Wars up to that point, with few battles matching its horror. Over time, it became infamous for the number of Jedi Masters who perished there.

At the Battle of Zaadja, Skywalker expressed his doubts to his master that a young Jedi Master like Tohno should be sent on such a perilous mission, remembering that the young Padawans on Jabiim had not been up to the task. However, Kenobi explained that the war demanded such risks from the Jedi. When he was awarded the honorary title of Warrior of the Infinite on Virujansi, journalists wanted to ask him about his experiences on Jabiim and Kamino, which HoloNet News described as heroic deeds. However, Kenobi excused him due to other pressing matters. The Battle of Jabiim was frequently cited as evidence of Skywalker's bravery, despite his having abandoned his friends against his will. The clone trooper Zeer remarked during the Battle of Teth, when he and the few survivors of his unit had holed up in the wreckage of an AT-TE and were able to hold out for a long time, that they would have been already overrun on Jabiim and their heads would have been impaled on stakes. Jai Maruk recognized the assassin droids mentioned in Anakin Skywalker's account of the Battle of Jabiim on Phindar when he was attacked at the local spaceport. The memories of the battle fueled Skywalker's anger as he immersed himself in the Force. Kenobi observed that after his experiences on Jabiim, Skywalker lost his cocky grin and tried to distract himself with flying. Skywalker believed he was overcoming the fear that drove him to the dark side at the memory of Jabiim when he killed Dooku at the Battle of Coruscant.

22 years later, the disastrous events of the battle would come back to haunt the Rebel Alliance, who were fighting against the Galactic Empire, when the Jabiimi, having never forgotten Anakin Skywalker's betrayal, nearly executed Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker and his allies in a mob, although they were later forced to cooperate with Luke after they were attacked by the Empire. Anakin, unbeknownst to them, was also involved in the battle among the aggressors, in which Anakin, rechristened as Darth Vader and still feeling immense guilt over his earlier abandonment of the Jabiimi, ended up trying to ease the remorse by ordering a bombardment that wiped out a large amount of the population.

The Battle of Jabiim was first depicted in the 2003 comic book Republic 55, written by W. Haden Blackman and illustrated by Brian Ching. While Republic 55 initially placed the battle fifteen months after the Battle of Geonosis, timeline adjustments to the Clone Wars necessitated by the Star Wars: The Clone Wars multimedia project shifted the battle to 22 BBY.