The conflict known as the Battle of Takodana, which can also be referenced as the Battle on Takodana, the Clash on Takodana, the attack on Takodana, the invasion of Takodana, or the raid on Takodana, was a significant engagement. It unfolded shortly after the Hosnian Cataclysm during the initial stages of the war between the First Order and the Resistance. This battle occurred on the Mid Rim planet of Takodana.
Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order gave the order to Kylo Ren, General Armitage Hux, and Captain Phasma. Their mission was to either seize or eliminate the map that would lead to the missing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. This map was stored within the droid BB-8, who had acquired it after Resistance pilot Poe Dameron retrieved it from Lor San Tekka. BB-8 found himself in the company of stormtrooper defector Finn, along with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and a scavenger named Rey. These individuals were attempting to return the droid, and consequently the map, to the Resistance, which was under the leadership of General Leia Organa. To facilitate the droid's delivery to General Organa, the group made a stop at the castle belonging to Maz Kanata on Takodana. While at the castle, both a Resistance spy and a First Order informant detected BB-8's presence and alerted their respective factions. This led to both forces converging on Takodana with the aim of securing BB-8 and the map.
During the confrontation, Maz Kanata's castle became the target of an assault led by Kylo Ren and First Order stormtroopers. This attack was initiated after they determined that the droid BB-8 was present within the castle. Arriving in TIE/fo space superiority fighters and Atmospheric Assault Landers, the First Order quickly established a siege around the castle, ultimately demolishing it and killing many who resided within. BB-8 accompanied Rey as she fled into the woods surrounding the castle. The First Order was initially unable to locate the droid until a stormtrooper officer informed Ren that the droid had been seen with a girl. Ren then dispatched stormtroopers into the woods before entering himself, in pursuit of Rey, eventually locating her. Alarmed, Rey attempted to fire at him, but Ren reacted swiftly. He used his lightsaber to deflect her shots and then used the Force to disarm her. Ren then cornered and captured her.
As the remaining defenders of the castle fought back amidst the ruins, they were overwhelmed by stormtroopers who surrounded them, while fighters provided aerial support. In the midst of the fighting at the castle, FN-2199, clad in riot control gear, confronted Finn. He denounced the former trooper as a traitor and challenged him to a duel. The two engaged in combat amidst the castle's debris, with the stormtrooper gaining the upper hand. However, FN-2199 was prevented from killing Finn when Han Solo shot him. Despite eliminating numerous stormtroopers, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Finn were compelled to surrender as the focus shifted to them after the last of the castle's defenders had been subdued.
However, the stormtroopers faced a more pressing matter when eleven Resistance T-70 X-wing starfighters, led by Commander Poe Dameron, arrived to engage the First Order. A fierce aerial battle ensued, resulting in the destruction of numerous First Order TIEs and the deaths of many stormtroopers due to X-wing strafing runs. In a display of skill that impressed even himself, Dameron destroyed nine TIE fighters and multiple ground targets in a single pass.
Back in the woods, Kylo Ren was informed of the Resistance attack by another stormtrooper officer, who requested reinforcements. However, Ren ordered the First Order divison to withdraw, stating that they had obtained what they sought. As the battle raged above the castle, the remaining First Order troops boarded their ships and retreated, taking the captured and unconscious Rey with them. The battle proved to be a setback for the First Order, as Ren failed to extract the desired information from Rey, and the BB-8 droid ended up in the possession of the Resistance.
Following the conclusion of the battle, the residents of Kanata's castle had sustained losses. However, the stormtroopers and TIEs had suffered significant casualties as a result of the Resistance starfighters. The battle also served as a major propaganda victory for the Resistance: the battle marked its initial confrontation with the First Order in plain sight of civilians, which helped demonstrate that the Resistance was a force dedicated to protecting the innocent from the First Order. With Kanata's castle destroyed after a millennium of operation, chef Strono Tuggs pursued his career elsewhere and eventually journeyed to the planet Batuu.