Clone Wars

"The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has."

- Yoda

The Clone Wars, sometimes referred to as simply the "Clone War" during the conflict itself, was the galactic conflict fought between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the waning days of the Republic. The war was engineered by Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who was secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, to amass total control over the Republic and destroy the Jedi Order. The Grand Army of the Republic, made up of clone troopers secretly created by the Sith, was led by the Jedi Order, while the Separatists were led by the Sith Lord Count Dooku and later General Grievous.

The war
"Designed by the Dark Lord of the Sith, this web is. For now, play his game, we must."

- Yoda

The conflict was the result of tension between the Republic and the Separatist Alliance, which was made up of thousands of star systems that had grown weary of the Republic's government. The war officially began during the Battle of Geonosis and engulfed the galaxy in turmoil for approximately three years. The war was waged across the galaxy, on battlefields such as Christophsis, Ryloth, Umbara, and more. Beyond the battles, the conflict was marked not only by military efforts but also by political machinations; as Palpatine's central authority grew, small bands of Galactic Senators began to push back against his rule. Many worlds were swayed to both sides by political maneuvering, while some planets, such as Mandalore, went to great lengths to remain neutral.

By the war's end, public approval of the Jedi had weakened, while Palpatine remained a popular figure. The Jedi killed Count Dooku and General Grievous, leaving the Separatists in tatters. Palpatine seduced Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to the dark side, and Skywalker became the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Following their failed attempt at arresting Palpatine for being a Sith, Palpatine declared the Jedi traitors and issued Order 66, a command that triggered the clone forces to kill the Jedi across the galaxy, while Vader assaulted the Jedi Temple. When the temple attack was complete, Vader traveled to Mustafar and killed the remaining Separatist leaders, bringing an end to the Clone Wars.

Aftermath
"No longer certain that one ever does win a war, I am. For in fighting the battles, the bloodshed already lost we have. Yet, open to us, a path remains that unknown to the Sith is. Through this path, victory we may yet find. Not victory in the Clone Wars, but victory for all time."

- Yoda

The war accomplished exactly what Palpatine had set out to achieve: the Jedi Order was destroyed, and the Republic was transformed into the first Galactic Empire, with Palpatine as its Emperor. The Empire expanded its reach across the galaxy, using the memory of the Clone Wars by promising order to a galaxy tired of war. After it became clear that the Empire was oppressive, however, the Rebel Alliance was created to oppose the Empire's rule. Palpatine's victory in the Clone Wars lasted just over two decades, as the Galactic Civil War led to the fall of Palpatine and his Empire.