Onderon Civil War

Although the Republic had offered protection to Onderon for a considerable period before the Civil War, many inhabitants felt that their association with the Republic had only brought them hardship. This led to questions regarding the allocation of the planet's resources to assist in the restoration of Telos and the rationale behind sacrificing their soldiers to safeguard the Republic. Their experiences during the crusade at the hands of the Mandalorians further intensified these sentiments. Some argued that secession was the sole means of averting future problems, while others maintained that the benefits of Republic membership justified the effort required to sustain it.

Consequently, Onderon's society became divided into two distinct political factions. The pro-Republic faction coalesced around the young Queen Talia, who was the reigning monarch at the time. Conversely, the separatist faction rallied behind her cousin, General Vaklu, the commander of the Onderon military. Vaklu openly expressed his ambitions for the throne and actively sought to expand his support within the Council of Lords, Onderon's governing body. However, the general populace remained unaware of Vaklu's clandestine alliances.

Nonetheless, the overall political climate remained relatively calm. Despite the Queen and the General frequently clashing over various issues within the Council of Lords, there was hope that the conflict would remain confined to verbal disputes, never escalating into armed warfare.

Everything shifted dramatically when the Ebon Hawk, piloted by Meetra Surik, emerged from hyperspace near Onderon. Vaklu and his trusted aide, Colonel Tobin, had anticipated the vessel's arrival. They concluded that by eliminating Surik, they could secure the loyalty of the Sith, who were secretly backing Vaklu, and that the time was ripe to instigate a conflict between Onderon and the Republic.

To empower his subordinates in their efforts to expand his influence, General Vaklu enacted a decree granting them extensive discretionary powers regarding military searches, seizures, detention, and torture of individuals suspected of being Republic "dissidents" among the population. Essentially, he could accuse anyone of being a "traitor." This act was specifically intended for his staunch loyalists to apprehend "spies" (such as journalists) before they could flee the city or go into hiding, as they possessed the knowledge and research to publicly humiliate and discredit him. He believed this would garner him widespread support. However, this plan backfired spectacularly, as demonstrated by the case of Captain Gelesi, a moderate Vaklu supporter who initially sided with Vaklu due to his distrust of the Republic. Gelesi was appalled by Vaklu's brutal treatment of innocent individuals whose only "crime" was publicly disagreeing with him. This shock turned to horror when Vaklu revealed his true objective: regicide followed by a brutal dictatorship, and his alliance with the Sith. Gelesi joined the Royalists in the Civil War and was recognized for his service in the siege of Iziz and the subsequent operations to eliminate pockets of radical resistance that persisted, particularly near the city center.

As the divide between Queen Talia and Vaklu deepened, a similar rift emerged among the ruling members of the Iziz Council, concerning which leader to support. Many council members who sought to support the queen faced ostracism, their views becoming increasingly unpopular with both the public and the media. A conspiracy unfolded when it became apparent that the general intended to eliminate the queen entirely. One of the loyal council members attempted to assassinate General Vaklu to protect Talia's life. The attempt failed, the conspiracy was exposed, and the council member was shot during the arrest.

By the time the Ebon Hawk arrived, several Republic ships had gathered in Onderon's orbit, awaiting permission to dock at Iziz. Tobin ordered his forces to attack the Ebon Hawk. While Meetra Surik's ship survived the attack, forcing Surik to conceal her presence on Dxun, the nearby moon, the incident triggered a space battle (the Blockade of Onderon during the Onderon Civil War) with other Republic vessels.

Meanwhile, Vaklu declared martial law and disseminated misinformation throughout Iziz. Official news reports portrayed Tobin as a war hero and claimed that the Ebon Hawk had initiated the attack, asserting that it was a capital-class ship that had destroyed 15 Onderon fighters and two Onderonian capital ships before being shot down. In reality, the Ebon Hawk was a light freighter that managed to disable only six fighters before seeking refuge on Dxun. Although Jedi Master Kavar, Talia's advisor whom Surik had initially sought, did not believe these falsehoods, he recognized that the general populace would accept them simply because they wanted to.

When Surik, with the help of the Mandalorians on Dxun, finally reached Iziz and contacted Master Kavar, the Onderon military fell into disarray. Most soldiers were confused when a squad led by Tobin attacked Surik, as they heard blaster fire in the merchant sector and witnessed the defense turrets suddenly malfunctioning and targeting Surik, who managed to escape back to the relative safety of Dxun.

During Surik's absence, the majority of the military remained loyal to Queen Talia; however, they were outmatched by the Sith armada fighting alongside Vaklu. Street battles transformed much of Iziz into ruins, with only the Royal Palace's defenses remaining as Talia's last hope. Simultaneously, Sith and Onderonian fighters clashed for control of the skies above Iziz. Both sides strafed the city, causing extensive collateral damage. In the intense Second Battle of Onderon, Surik, having returned to Iziz with the assistance of the remaining Royalists and Mandalore the Preserver's Mandalorians, broke through Vaklu's forces, stormed the Palace, and rescued the Queen, effectively ending the civil war.

Despite the significant suffering endured by Onderon during the conflict, the outcome was generally favorable for the Republic. With the situation stabilized and only one leader remaining, one loyal to the Republic, its position in the sector was strengthened. This, along with the stabilization efforts on Dantooine and Telos IV, also carried out by Meetra Surik, ensured the Republic's survival, which had been highly uncertain due to the damage caused by the Jedi Civil War. It also brought to light the presence of the Mandalorians on Dxun, but since they aided the Royalist/Republic forces in defeating the Vakluist separatists, the two parties apparently learned to tolerate each other.

However, by linking Onderon's fate to the Republic, Talia set in motion the eventual dissolution of her people's culture. Over centuries, they lost their unique identity and ceased to be the people of Onderon.

If the player chooses the dark side path in the game, they can align with Vaklu against Talia. After preemptively eliminating the Sith presence on Dxun, Meetra Surik fights her way to the palace. Ultimately, Master Kavar and Queen Talia are killed, and Vaklu ascends to the throne. According to Traya's visions at the Trayus Core, Vaklu's reign will be brief, but Onderon will permanently secede from the Republic, thereby preserving their traditions and customs.

During the battle in the Palace, Surik can use the Force power Battle Meditation to rally the player's chosen side. This option is only available if the player has at least one level of Battle Meditation.