Occupation of Geonosis

During the period of the Separatist Crisis, the Confederacy of Independent Systems utilized vast droid foundries situated on the Outer Rim planet of Geonosis to facilitate the construction of the Separatist Droid Army. In 22 BBY, following the discovery of these factories and a meeting involving the Separatist Council, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi alerted the Galactic Republic to the impending danger. Consequently, the Jedi Order dispatched an assault team, which was subsequently bolstered by the newly formed Grand Army of the Republic. Ultimately, the Jedi and clone troopers emerged victorious in the First Battle of Geonosis.

However, the majority of the war resources originating from the planet, the Separatist Head of State Dooku, and the Separatist Council managed to evade capture by the Republic. This situation plunged the galaxy into the conflict known as the Clone Wars. One member of the Separatist Council, the Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser, remained on Geonosis. He also instructed his Geonosian warriors to conceal themselves within the catacombs of their homeworld.

Following their triumph in the Geonosis battle, the Republic commenced an occupation of the Outer Rim world. Despite this, the Republic had severely damaged the Geonosian droid factories during the initial battle, and their engineers found themselves unable to repurpose the factories to meet Republic requirements. Upon receiving this information, the Republic concluded that Geonosis held limited strategic importance, resulting in a reduction of resources allocated to sustain the occupation, although they did maintain a garrison.

However, the Republic's control over the planet remained precarious, as the Geonosian natives mounted resistance against their occupiers, demonstrating a greater degree of resistance and allegiance to Count Dooku than initially anticipated. Despite facing numerous battles and skirmishes in the Im'g'twe Hills, the Republic, also contending with the Clone Wars spreading throughout the galaxy, found it unsustainable to maintain the occupation and required their clone troopers elsewhere. Due to the withdrawal of Republic [troops](/article/troop] from Geonosis and the already strained Grand Army forces combating General Grievous's fleet, Geonosis became one of several Separatist planets that could potentially reassert their independence.

In less than a [year](/article/standard_year] following the initial battle, with the Republic having eased its occupation efforts, the Separatists managed to assemble a force and reclaim Geonosis. The Geonosians also employed brain worms to subdue the garrison.

After Poggle and his Geonosian compatriots had successfully retaken control of the planet, the Separatists, along with Poggle, swiftly and covertly reactivated the droid factories. With investment from the Banking Clan, they were able to construct the largest droid factory ever. However, Senator Padmé Amidala uncovered this information during a mission to Cato Neimoidia, prompting the Republic to plan a second invasion of the planet. The Republic's objective was to destroy the factories and prevent another Separatist resurgence.

Following the Republic's victory in the second invasion, they once again seized control of the world, initiating a second occupation of Geonosis. Nevertheless, due to the planet's significance as a key world, Geonosis remained an important member of the Confederacy despite the Republic's invasions and attacks. Geonosian leaders exerted considerable influence within the Confederacy as powerbrokers, even amidst the battles fought on their world. The planet of Geonosis, however, remained under Republic control, with a flotilla of starships safeguarding the controlled world.

The Geonosis occupation was initially mentioned in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode Landing at Point Rain. However, it was officially identified within the Databank, specifically in the fourth image of Poggle the Lesser's biography gallery, on StarWars.com.