Separatist Crisis (Star Wars)

The Clone Wars (22 - 19 BBY) is a fictional conflict described in the Star Wars series and featured in the two latter episodes of the prequel trilogy, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. It was first mentioned in a brief conversation between Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Episode IV. The war was fought between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

The origins of the war goes back as far as the Battle of Naboo, but the real tension began with the Separatist Crisis, which started about two years before Attack of the Clones (24 BBY) and mainly comprised of the Galactic Republic debating what to do about the Separatists. Throughout the two years, many star systems seceded from the Republic, increasing tension until the war began. The political atmosphere was comparable to that of the Cold War.

It is interesting to note that this conflict is called both the "Clone War" and the "Clone Wars". Most likely this is due to the fact that it is indeed one large war across the galaxy while, at the same time, it is a series of smaller wars taking place on various planets and not always between the Separatists and the Republic. Of course, only one side uses clones in the war, but this likely due to the rule that the winning side writes history ans since the Republic won, it became the Clone Wars.

Multimedia Campaign

The Clone Wars span the three years between Episodes II and III, and thus are, for the most part, "off-screen". The Expanded Universe is recounting events with an ambitious multimedia campaign.

The video game Clone Wars was released in 2002 for Playstation 2, GameCube, and Xbox live in 2002. It begins at where Attack of the Clones leaves off. It takes place on many worlds, among them Geonosis, Raxus Prime, Rhen Var, Kashyyyk, and Thule.

The Cartoon Microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars started airing in November, 2003 on Cartoon Network. It was a series of 20 3-to-5-minute-long episodes showing some of the battles of the War, mainly the Battle of Muunilist, but also the Battle of Dantooine, a raid on the Jedi caves of Ilum, and fighting on Mon Calamari.

The comic series "Star Wars: Republic" has also shed light on this era of history, focusing in particular on the exploits of the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura.

There are also several novels in the process of being published that will also discuss the Clone Wars. These include The Cestus Deception, Shatterpoint, The Medstar Duology and Jedi Trial.

Major Events

• 32.0 BBY - Darth Sidious arranges a clone army to be commissioned on Kamino
• 24.0 BBY - Count Dooku leads a schism in the Galactic Republic, forming the Confederacy of Independent Systems
• 24.0 BBY - The Military Creation Act is proposed. Senator Amidala leds opposition to it.
• 22.0 BBY - Battle of Geonosis (Attack of the Clones)
• 21.9 BBY - BBY - Dark Reaper Project (Battle of Raxus Prime, Battle of Rhen Var, Battle of Thule) (The Clone Wars)
• 21.8 BBY - Battle of Kamino (Republic #50: The Defence of Kamino)
• 21.8 BBY - BBY - Battle of Muunilist (Clone Wars micro-series)
• 21.7 BBY - Battle of Mon Calamari (Clone Wars micro-series)
• 21.7 BBY - Battle of Dantooine (Clone Wars micro-series)
• 21.7 BBY - Attack on Ilum (Clone Wars micro-series)
• 21.7 BBY - Battle of Hypori (Clone Wars micro-series)
• 21.5 BBY - Haruun Kal Crisis (Shatterpoint)
• 21.2 BBY - Rise of the Cortosis Battle Droids (The New Droid Army)
• 21.0 BBY - The Spaarti Incident (Hero of Cartao)
• 21.0 BBY - The Bio-Droid Threat (The Cestus Deception)
• 20.8 BBY - Battle of Jabiim (Republic #54-59: Battle of Jabiim)
• 19.5 BBY - The Praesitlyn Conflict (Jedi Trial)
• 19.0 BBY - Battle of Coruscant (Revenge of the Sith)
• 19.0 BBY - Battle of Kashyyyk (Revenge of the Sith)