Clone Wars

The Clone Wars refers to a series of fictional events that take place within the continuity of the Star Wars franchise and serves as a key element in the overall Star Wars internal history, signifying the end of the Old Republic and the rise of the evil Galactic Empire under the leadership of the Sith lord Darth Sidious. The Clone Wars were first referenced in the original 1977 film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when the character of Luke Skywalker asked his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, "You fought in the Clone Wars?" This passing comment sparked the curiosity and imagination of legions of Star Wars fans, but it would be another twenty-five years before all the questions concerning the Clone Wars would finally be answered. Franchise creator George Lucas finally addressed the Clone Wars in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, beginning with the third act of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The final chapter in the Clone Wars saga concluded with 2005's Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. More information concerning the Clone Wars were fleshed out with three animated projects that take place in the two-year expanse of time between episodes II and III. The first was a twenty-five chapter micro-series titled Star Wars: Clone Wars. In 2008, Lucasfilm theatrically released a Star Wars: The Clone Wars feature film, which took place approximately a year following the micro-series. This in turn, was followed by the Star Wars: The Clone Wars full-length animated series in 2008. In addition to the films and animated projects, the Clone Wars has also been featured in numerous novels, comic books and video games.

History
The Clone Wars were a series of prolonged military engagements between the forces of the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The war began with the Battle of Geonosis, some twenty-two years prior to the Battle of Yavin and ended three years later with the assassination of the Confederacy's Separatist Council at the hands of the Sith lord Darth Vader.

Origins
The architect of the war was a Sith lord named Darth Sidious, whose ambitious quest for domination began some ten years prior to the Battle of Geonosis. Always lurking in the shadows and communicating via holoprojector, Darth Sidious established a moderate level of control over the Trade Federation and manipulated them into establishing a blockade around the peaceful planet Naboo. No one knew that Sidious was in fact a man named Palpatine, a native of Naboo and a member of the Galactic Senate. Sidious knew that the blockade would prompt the Senate to enter into negotiations, which would ultimately fail. In the guise of senator, he had the ear of Naboo's queen, Padmé Amidala, and used her to initiate a vote of No Confidence against the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Finis Valorum. When the Chancellor was voted out of office, Palpatine used his political pull to have himself named Chancellor in his place. With control over the bureaucracy, as well as the Jedi Council, who were sworn to serve the Republic, Palpatine now had the power to take his long-reaching plans to the next level.

It was also at this time that Palpatine learned about a nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker. Anakin was very strong with the Force, and Palpatine knew that he was destined to become one of the most powerful Jedi of all time. Upon their first meeting, Palpatine told Anakin that he would be watching his career with great interest. It was his desire to eventually corrupt Anakin, mentoring him as his apprentice to one day replace his former disciple, Darth Maul.

The next phase of Sidious' plan involved another former Jedi, a count named Dooku. Dooku was once the mentor of Anakin Skywalker's former master, Qui-Gon Jinn, but had left the Jedi Order and turned to the Dark Side of the Force. Assuming the Sith title of Darth Tyrannus, Dooku became Darth Sidious' right-hand man. Through Dooku, Sidious brokered a deal with the geneticists of Kamino to establish a clone army that would one day be used to form the backbone of a Galactic army. Dooku hired a bounty hunter named Jango Fett to serve as the genetic template for the clones. The Kaminoans used their processes to accelerate the growth rate of the clones, and they were also conditioned with a minimalized sense of free will, making them perfect and obedient soldiers. No one in the Republic or the Senate (other than Palpatine) knew about the clones and it would be another several years before they would be put into service.

The next phase of Sidious' plan involved Dooku becoming a more public figure. Dooku fabricated a secessionist movement amongst many of the systems and trade guilds within the Republic, openly decrying the Republic's failure to serve the best interests of its constituents. Dooku established a Separatist Council, which included the administrators of several different guilds including Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation, San Hill of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, Wat Tambor of the Techno Union, Shu Mai of the Commerce Guild and Passel Argente of the Corporate Alliance. The Council authored articles of secession and from this, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was born. In short order, thousands of worlds defected from the Republic and joined the CIS. It was only a matter of time before the Confederacy turned the power of the Trade Federation's droid army against the forces of the Republic and the Jedi. All was going according to Sidious' design.