Battle near the Arda system

"Greetings, Jedi. It would seem once again one of your Order has lost his way. And even better, a leading member of your Jedi Council. Listen to me, Jedi. I do not care about your politics. I do not care about your Republic. I only live to see you die!"

- Grievous, in a message to the Jedi Council

Around 21 BBY during the Clone Wars, Jedi General Eeth Koth was captured by the Confederate General Grievous during a battle deep in the Outer Rim Territories, near the Arda system. Koth's Star Destroyer was assailed by a fleet of warships led by Grievous and subsequently boarded by the general and his battle droid forces. While super battle droids engaged clone troopers commanded by Captain CC-4142 on the cruiser's lower levels, Grievous made his way to the bridge alongside a contingent of droid commandos and IG-100 MagnaGuards. The droid commandos killed all of the bridge's defenders with the exception of Master Koth, who was soon defeated and taken captive by Grievous and his MagnaGuards. Koth was later displayed as a hostage in a transmission sent by Grievous to the Jedi High Council. The transmission provoked the Order's attempt to rescue Koth and capture Grievous in a conflict over Saleucami.

The capture
"Your reputation precedes you, General. The reputation of a coward, and a murderer.''" " Murderer?'' Is it murder to rid the galaxy of you Jedi filth?"

- Eeth Koth and Grievous

Around 21 BBY, during the war between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Confederate Supreme Commander, General Grievous, planned to target a member of the Jedi High Council for capture in order to convey his hatred of the Jedi Order to its leaders. Not far from the Arda system deep in the Outer Rim Territories, the cyborg led a fleet of three Munificent-class star frigates and his own Recusant-class light destroyer into battle against the Steadfast, the Venator-class Star Destroyer of Council member Eeth Koth. Grievous's and Koth's starships lined up with one another and exchanged heavy broadside fire, resulting in considerable damage for both vessels. However, Grievous's warship quickly overpowered the Star Destroyer, forcing it into submission.

On the Steadfast bridge, Eeth Koth prepared&mdash;alongside a contingent of clone troopers&mdash;for Grievous's inevitable boarding. At one of the Star Destroyer's airlocks on the lower levels of the ship, Clone Captain CC-4142 and the troopers of Horn Company assumed defensive positions shortly before B2 super battle droids used an armored docking tube to board the cruiser and poured into the Republic vessel. During the boarding, the captain was contacted by Koth and reported that there were too many battle droids for them to repel. The Jedi General ordered Lock to take his men to the ship's escape pods while he assumed the responsibility of combating Grievous himself on the bridge. The clones complied and were able to evacuate the Steadfast before it was overrun.

Koth's communication with CC-4142 was cut immediately before the Confederate general reached the bridge's blast door and began to slice into it with one of his many lightsabers. Once a large section of the door was free, Grievous kicked it into the bridge, sending the slabs of metal to slam into an unsuspecting clone. The general walked onto the bridge, flanked by a squad of four BX-series droid commandos that quickly proceeded to slay Koth's troopers. The four droids then set upon the Jedi Master. One of them landed a shot on Koth's elbow, causing him to drop his lightsaber. The droids attempted to execute Koth in his unarmed state, but they were stopped by a surviving clone who shot one of the droid commandos in the head. Koth destroyed the remaining commandos before Grievous was joined by four IG-100 MagnaGuards who killed the last clone and surrounded the Jedi.

With Koth trapped, Grievous leaped onto a communications console and regarded the Jedi Master, who derided the general for being a coward and a murderer. Grievous retorted that his only goal was to kill the Jedi and ignited two lightsabers before kicking Koth squarely in the chest. The Jedi Master was knocked toward the bridge's command walkway, followed closely by Grievous and the MagnaGuards. Grievous lunged at Koth, who parried the blows as he retreated toward the main viewports of the bridge. When ample distance was placed between the two combatants, Koth telekinetically threw the general into a viewport with the Force. Before the Jedi could press the attack, however, one of the MagnaGuards jabbed him in the back with its electrostaff, stopping his advance. Grievous recovered from his impact with the viewport and locked sabers with the weakened Koth, who was once again electrocuted by a MagnaGuard. The Jedi Master fell to his knees and was electrocuted a third time. Grievous immediately took advantage of Koth's inability to defend himself, lifting him off the ground by his neck. Defeated, Koth was taken to Grievous's destroyer as a hostage.

Aftermath
"It's time somebody finally put an end to that monster."

- Anakin Skywalker, on Grievous

Grievous later displayed the captive Koth in a transmission sent to the Jedi Temple, in which the general explained that his entire reason for living was to end the lives of Jedi. The cyborg had Koth brutally tortured in the transmission, which was viewed by members of the High Council as well as other Jedi, including several younglings. Despite his suffering, Koth was able to use coded hand signals during the transmission that indicated Grievous was bound for the Saleucami system. Jedi Council members Obi-Wan Kenobi and Adi Gallia, along with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, used this information to plan an assault on Grievous's forces in an attempt to rescue the hostage Jedi Master and capture the general. Unbeknown to the Jedi, Grievous was simply using Koth as bait in a trap meant to ensnare his two most hated foes: Generals Kenobi and Skywalker.

Behind the scenes
The capture of Eeth Koth was featured in the ninth episode of the second season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, titled "Grievous Intrigue". Koth, who was previously established to have been killed in the First Battle of Geonosis, was retconned into having survived the battle so that he could appear in the episode. The original plot for the episode had Grievous killing the Jedi Master during the battle instead of capturing him. This was later changed, as Series Director Dave Filoni wished to be able to use Koth for future episodes.

Notes and references
Schlacht bei Arda Captura de Eeth Koth Eeth Kothin vangitseminen