Battle of Geonosis

The Battle of Geonosis is the name of two fictional land battles featured in the continuity of the Star Wars universe. The First Battle of Geonosis was the first major campaign in a series of prolonged military engagements colloquially referred to as the Clone Wars. It was first represented in the climactic third act of the 2002 film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and pitted the forces of the Jedi Order and the clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic against the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems led by the Sith lord Count Dooku. The battle has also been represented in the novelization and comic book adaptations of Attack of the Clones and expanded upon in several novels as well as the Star Wars: The Clone Wars video game. The Second Battle of Geonosis, which took place a year following the first battle, was chronicled in the second season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television series beginning with the episode of "Landing at Point Rain" and continuing in "Weapons Factory" and "Legacy of Terror".

Origins
The First Battle of Geonosis took place in the year 22 BBY and succeeded a "Cold War" incident known as the Separatist Crisis. It was followed by an eleven month conflict known as the Battle of Atraken on the planet Atraken. The events leading up to the battle were intrinsically tied to the Military Creation Act and the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic - an event that gave the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine, great power throughout the duration of the Clone Wars.

A Jedi Knight named Obi-Wan Kenobi had learned about a secret genetics laboratory on the planet Kamino where an army of clone soldiers were being created based on the genetic template of a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. Although the creation of the clones had been ordered by the Jedi Council on behalf of the Republic, Obi-Wan learned that Jango had also been working for a fallen Jedi named Darth Tyrannus, a man who secretly known as Count Dooku - leader of the Separatist Council and the architect behind the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Obi-Wan's investigation into the matter brought him to the planet Geonosis where he was captured by the warrior drones of Poggle the Lesser's, the Geonosian representative of the Seperatist Council.

When the Jedi Council on Coruscant learned about the creation of the clone army and that the leaders of the CIS were temporarily headquartered on Geonosis, they took active measure against them, hoping to bring the crisis to a halt and prevent an all-out war.

Orbital battle
The First Battle of Geonosis occurred in three separate stages: an orbital battle, an arena battle and a desert battle. Jedic Council member Mace Windu called in Jedi reserves from other worlds, including the other members of the council, numbering 212 to go to Geonosis. Jedi Master Yoda elected to go to Kamino to inspect the clone army that had been prepared for them.

Arriving in the planet's orbit, Mace Windu and Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, coordinated a strike against the Trade Federation droid starfighters. After engaging the enemy defenses, the Jedi starfighters were able to clear a path and establish a safe landing zone for the approaching Clone army.

Arena battle
Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, along with the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 attempted to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi by infiltrating the Geonosian battle droid factory. While Padmé avoided being killed by the immense automatic machinery, Anakin fought his way through dozens of Geonosians. C-3PO suffered through a harrowing experience as well as his head was snatched from his body by an assembly line claw and attached to the frame of a battle droid. R2-D2 managed to drag C-3PO's headless body to a safe location. Anakin and Padmé were ultimately captured and brought out to the Petranaki Arena where they were to be publicly executed along with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Count Dooku, Poggle the Lesser and Nute Gunray presided over the event and unleashed three immense creatures, an Acklay, a Reek and a Nexu. Fortunately, the heroes were able to escape their bonds and avoid being devoured by the vicious animals.

Mace Windu and his Jedi forces arrived just in time to lend Anakin and the others a hand. Count Dooku summoned an army of B1 battle droids and also unleashed the more powerful B2 super battle droids. Bounty hunter Jango Fett, a witness to the failed execution tried to get the drop on Mace Windu by firing his flame thrower at him. Mace shed his Jedi vestments and the two faced off against one another on the arena floor. Jango was nearly trampled to death by the charging Reek, but managed to kill it with several shots from his blaster. However, his jet pack was damaged during the incident and he was unable to fly away to avoid having his head lopped off by Windu's lightsaber.

The other Jedi fought valiantly against the Separatist forces, but in the end, they were grossly outnumbered. The battle droids cut down the Jedi forces until only thirty remained. After they surrounded them in the center of the arena, Dooku ordered the droids to stand down. He offered Mace Windu the opportunity to surrender, but the stoic Jedi refused to lay down his saber.

It was at that moment that Jedi Master Yoda arrived with the Grand Army of the Republic. Twelve Acclamator I-class assault ships landed on the ground offloading squadrons of clone troopers as well as various ground assault vehicles. Yoda coordinated the offensive and the Jedi worked alongside the clones to beat back the droid armies.

Desert battle
Once they had forced the droid armies out of the arena, the Jedi led the clones into the outer desert where they mounted an offensive against Techno Union starships and Trade Federation core ships. While the Jedi continued the assault against the oncoming battle droids, the clone siege vehicles succeeded in destroying several of the retreating starships.

Separatist leaders parted company and evacuated the area through their own personal means. Anakin and Obi-Wan saw an opportunity to capture Count Dooku and followed him to a hangar bay outside the population center. The two Jedi fought with Dooku, but the venerated Sith lord felled Obi-Wan and grievously injured Anakin by cutting off his right arm. Master Yoda arrived in time to save the younger Jedi and Dooku and he engaged one another in saber combat. Dooku ultimately retreated from the battle, but Yoda remained to administer care to Obi-Wan and Anakin.

Though the battle ended inconclusively, several combatants, including Obi-Wan Kenobi believed that the Battle of Geonosis was a victory for the Republic. Master Yoda however, felt otherwise, and knew that this was just the beginning of a long and costly war.