The Jedi assault team, a squad of 212 Jedi warriors, found its leadership in Jedi Master Mace Windu, who also held the esteemed position of Master of the Order within the Jedi High Council. Their mission took them to Geonosis, where they aimed to liberate Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala from their confinement at the hands of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. This intervention ignited the First Battle of Geonosis, marking the initial armed conflict in the broader Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist forces.
Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi's capture by the Separatist Council's droid forces prompted the Galactic Senate to grant emergency powers to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, enabling him to form a Grand Army for the Galactic Republic's defense. Simultaneously, while Grand Master Yoda journeyed to Kamino to assemble this army, Master Mace Windu gathered a specialized team of 212 Jedi.
Upon the assault team's entry into the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis, a smaller contingent of Padawans and their Jedi Masters, under the direction of Master Klefan Opus, infiltrated the arena's outer perimeters. They worked discreetly to neutralize Geonosian sentries and disable sonic cannons. During the first skirmish within one of the arena's towers, Padawan Fvorn tragically perished in a Geonosian ambush. However, Padawan Iskat Akaris distinguished herself by rescuing her friend Zeeth, eliminating a dozen adversaries. Instead of joining the main conflict between the assault team and the Separatist Army, this group remained concealed within the stands. As they retreated to their shuttle, Master Sember Vey was fatally shot.
While many Jedi arrived on the planet's surface via shuttles, Jedi Master Adi Gallia chose to pilot her Delta-7B Aethersprite interceptor and remained in orbit around Geonosis. Her assignment was to command the Republic's newly arriving naval forces.
When Kenobi, his Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Senator Padmé Amidala and their reek faced encirclement by droidekas, Windu and his Jedi team made their presence known to Dooku, his Separatist allies, and the Geonosian spectators. With Windu holding Dooku, Jango Fett, and the Separatist Council at lightsaber point, the remaining Jedi revealed themselves and entered the arena. As the Geonosians scattered, battle droids appeared and engaged the Jedi in fought. Windu was forced to fight in the arena by several B2-series super battle droids and Fett's flamethrower.
One of the Geonosian warriors present in the arena was struck down by Sarrissa Jeng. Despite being severely outnumbered by the battle droid legion, the Jedi fought with courage, destroying hundreds of droids. However, as the battle continued, the sheer number of enemies began to overwhelm them, and many fell victim to blaster fire. Master Coleman Trebor's attempt to assassinate Dooku failed when he was fatally shot by Fett. Fett then joined the fray, battling Windu, but ultimately met his end when the Jedi Master decapitated him. Master Kit Fisto found himself facing C-3PO, whose head had been attached to a B1-series battle droid's body. Fisto used the Force to disable 3PO's temporary body, allowing R2-D2 to restore 3PO's head to its rightful place.
The few Jedi who remained alive were gradually pushed into a central circle within the arena. Dooku, seeing an opportunity, halted the droid assault and offered the Jedi a chance to surrender and live. However, Windu resolutely refused, declaring that the Jedi would prefer death to captivity.
Just as Dooku commanded the droids to eliminate the remaining Jedi, a regiment of the newly formed Grand Army, led by Yoda and arriving aboard gunships, intervened. Despite the significant losses, Kenobi, Skywalker, and Amidala were rescued from execution.
As widespread combat erupted across the planet's surface, Gallia was joined by fellow Council member Saesee Tiin in the orbital battle. The Confederate forces were forced to retreat, and as the Separatists tried to escape Geonosis using Trade Federation core ships, Gallia led the Republic fleet in an effort to intercept as many Separatist ships as possible as they entered the upper atmosphere. Gallia and Tiin engaged in aerial combat to achieve this goal, but the chaotic ground battle enabled most of the core ships to escape, and the lack of a solid orbital blockade prevented her from stopping a complete Separatist retreat.
Despite the Republic's victory in holding Geonosis for a year, the Jedi were unable to prevent Dooku's escape. A funeral, led by Windu, was conducted at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant within days of the battle. Six bodies were used symbolically during the service. Only twenty-nine Jedi survived the arena battle. The survivors of the assault team became Generals in the Grand Army of the Republic until Order 66 decimated the Jedi Order.
The Jedi assault team made its debut in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the second film in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
The 2016 reference book Star Wars: Complete Locations stated that the assault team consisted of 200 Jedi. However, the 2018 reference book Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition claimed the assault team comprised 212 Jedi. The 2023 novel Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade revealed that hundreds of Jedi were present in the arena, but only 29 survived. The novel also mentioned that Iskat Akaris overheard rumors in the Jedi Temple about the deaths of "nearly two hundred Jedi at Geonosis," and later reflected that "over two hundred Jedi were dead."