Geonosis

"This place is rotten from the inside out."

- Anakin Skywalker

Geonosis, referred to as Geonosia by some natives, was the inhospitable desert home planet of the Geonosians. It was the Confederacy of Independent Systems' first capital and hosted its major battle droid foundries. It was the site of the Battle of Geonosis, the opening conflict of the Clone Wars, as well as the subsequent invasion by the Galactic Republic. Following the cessation of the Clone Wars, the Death Star would be constructed above the planet and placed under the command of Grand Moff Tarkin. Five years after the conflict's conclusion, the Galactic Empire would garrison the planet heavily and attempt to mine the planet's asteroids for minerals. At least five years after the Clone Wars, the Empire moved the Death Star to another construction site and the planet was sterilized by the Empire as a security measure, nearly exterminating the native Geonosian population.

Description
"They'll never get there in time. They have to come halfway across the galaxy. Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away."

- Senator Padmé Amidala

Situated in the Geonosis system of the Arkanis sector in the Outer Rim Territories, the planet of Geonosis was 43,000 light years from the Galactic Core, and less than a parsec away from the Outer Rim planet of Tatooine. It was the homeworld of the Geonosians, a species of sentient insectoids. It had a breathable atmosphere, but an arid climate. Its surface was covered in harsh, rocky deserts, marked by mesas and buttes. Both its rocks and sky were tinted in shades of red. Surface water was scarce, amounting to only 5 % of the entire total planetary surface. From space, it could be seen that Geonosis had awe-inspiring rocky rings. The planet was orbited by fifteen moons.

Ancient history
At some point in the ancient history of Geonosis, a comet crashed in one of the planet's many moons. The collision debris not only formed the famous rings of Geonosis, but also formed a field of small asteroids that would sometime rain down on the planet's surface.

Meeting of the Separatists
"I will take what Jedi we have left and go to Geonosis to help Obi-Wan."

- Jedi Master Mace Windu

In the later years of the Galactic Republic, Geonosis became a major base of operations for the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a separatist alliance that spread across the galaxy. Ten years after the election of Sheev Palpatine as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, the Archduke of Geonosis, Poggle the Lesser, hosted a summit of the heads of the Confederacy. During that meeting, the trade barons pledged their military forces to Count Dooku, a defrocked Jedi Master and head of the Confederacy. While the Separatists were ready to wage war, their plans were overheard by Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master. The Geonosians took Kenobi captive, but he managed to dispatch a distress call to his superiors on Coruscant, the Jedi High Council. The Council then dispatched two hundred Jedi to Geonosis. Meanwhile, the Geonosians sentenced Master Kenobi to death in the Petranaki arena along with his apprentice Anakin Skywalker, and the Republic senator Padmé Amidala. Eventually, the Jedi reinforcements arrived, and quickly dealt with the Geonosian warriors. However, the immense droid army of the Confederacy was laying in wait, and many Jedi fell under enemy fire. When all seemed lost, even more reinforcements arrived, in the form of the newly created Grand Army of the Republic, which made use of clone soldiers. Upon the arrival of the clone army, the Republic and the Confederacy engaged in the first battle of what would later be known as the Clone Wars.

Invasion by the Republic
"What I worry about is the way this war seems to be drawing out with no end in sight.''" "''Which it is why it is crucial that our invasion of Geonosis meets with success."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ki-Adi-Mundi

Following the Battle near Dorin, the Republic sent Jedi General Ki-Adi-Mundi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, and Anakin Skywalker to take Geonosis with a massive invasion.As they made their descent, Kenobi's and Commander Cody's force boarded their gunships and flew to secure the rendezvous point. However their gunships came under heavy fire from the Geonosians and their defenses. Mundi and Commander Jet's forces followed him but they were forced to land their AT-TEs away from the rendezvous due to the heavy fire. Skywalker's, Commander Ahsoka Tano's, and Captain Rex's gunships were shot down and all their AT-TEs were destroyed. Despite that, they continued towards to the rendezvous point and were met with heavy resistance from the Geonosians. Mundi's gunship was shot down and he was wounded.Commander Cody was able to land his AT-TEs, but the landing area came under fire from the Geonosians and their AATs. Kenobi's gunship was then hit and crash landed away from the landing zone. Only Kenobi and Trapper survived the crash. They were then rescued by Waxer and Boil. Kenobi, Cody and their troopers then held the rendezvous awaiting Skywalker's and Mundi's forces.

As Mundi's forces made their way through the Caltrop field to the rendezvous point, Jet contacted Admiral Wullf Yularen for air support. The Admiral however, could not divert any air support with risks to other units.Jet then left a squad with the AT-TEs and with Mundi and his Flame troopers continued to the rendezvous. Skywalker and his force then came to a fortress that blocked their path. Skywalker and Tano then scaled the wall. They were able to destroy the battle droids, but they were then confronted by Droidekas who they were able to defeat with Rex's help. They then planted explosives inside the wall and their way was cleared. Skywalker's forces were then able to meet up with Mundi's forces. Skywalker then contacted Yularen for air support and Yularen was able to provide a squadron of bombers.

As Kenobi's forces were being overrun, the bombers then took out the Geonosians' forces surrounding the rendezvous. Skywalker's and Mundi's forces then joined Kenobi's to plan the last part of their attack. Skywalker would attack the outer defenses of the fortress while Kenobi brought in the AT-TEs and Mundi the gunships. Skywalker, Tano and a squad were able to penetrate the shield. They then threw droid poppers at the fortress's proton cannons, disabling them. Kenobi then brought the AT-TEs in range of the shield generator and destroyed. After the shield went down, Mundi brought in the gunships and captured the remaining Geonosians. Kenobi and Mundi, along with the rest of their wounded, left to recuperate, leaving Skywalker, his apprentice, and their force to destroy the factory.

Destroying the factory
To help Skywalker, Tano and their forces in destroying the factory, Unduli, along with her apprentice Barriss Offee and Commander Gree's 41st Elite Corps came to assist in the attack. They devised a plan to destroy the primary droid factory. Unduli and Skywalker then marched their troops across the bridge, without cover to get Poggle's forces' attention. During his time their, Poggle and his tactical droid, TX-21 were running the factory at 50% capacity and had ten garrisons of droids ready to be deployed. The super tanks were not finished yet but would be ready. The droids were then deployed, marching across the bridge to fight the clones. As the two forces fought, TX-21 then sent in geonosians to attack from above. Despite this, Skywalker's and Unduli's forces were able to defeat the droids. However, Poggle, at the urging of TX-21, deployed the super tanks. As they moved in on the clones, Skywalker ordered their cannons to fire at it, to no affect. The super tanks rolled over the clones as they made their way across the bridge.

As battle raged above, Offee and Tano were able to make their way through the catacombs to the main reactor. Unfortunately, Offee inadvertently woke one of the Geonosians, who informed Poggle and TX-21 of this. After planting the bombs, Offee and Tano were then confronted by Poggle, TX-21, their Geonoisans and a super tank. Tano then destroyed TX-21, but failed to even dent the super tank. Offee and Tano then fought the Geonosian to get their bombs back, but failed. When Tano was knocked out, Offee took the droid drivers and took control of the super tank. Both of them decided to use the tank to destroy the factory

As the super tanks moved across the bridge, Unduli and Skywalker planted explosives to make the tanks fall into the ravine. They were succesful in destroying the tanks. However, they were then confronted by more battle droids. Skywalker then contacted Tano, telling her to set the bombs off. However, they then used the tank, knowing it might kill them. They fired the tank at the reactor, and the factory collapsed, burying them inside the wreckage. Despite that, Skywalker and Unduli were able find their apprentices alive.

Searching for Poggle
Following the successful invasion, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli went in search of Poggle the Lesser, who had retreated into the catacombs of an ancient temple. While she and a trooper searched the temple, a sandstorm prohibited reinforcements from reaching their positions. While communicating with Masters Kenobi and Mundi via hologram, Unduli's clone trooper was killed by the undead hordes of the mysterious Hive Queen Karina the Great. Having been knocked unconscious and captured, the Jedi Master was taken before Karina. Jedi Kenobi and Skywalker came to her rescue; they were not far off when Luminara regained consciousness and wrestled her way out of the zombies' reach. Realizing what they were up against, she contacted Kenobi to warn him not to come after her, but was cut off as the zombies overwhelmed her. The Jedi disregarded her warnings and continued their search until they came upon Karina's abode, where they found Luminara in an energy trap for her to be infested with brain worms. With Kenobi and Commander Cody delaying the zombies and the Queen, Skywalker freed Unduli and the two captured Poggle. Cody and his troops shot down the cave support, burying the Queen and taking Poggle prisoner.

Sterilization
"Well, it should be quieter since the planet was sterilized. No queens, no hives... Wonder what weapon they used. Would be nice to get a hold of that&hellip;"

- Doctor Aphra while visiting Geonosis after the sterilization

At the end of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic was replaced by the First Galactic Empire, a tyrannical regime led by the Dark Lord of the Sith known as Darth Sidious. Subsequently, the Death Star's construction was commenced above Geonosis. The Empire utilized several construction modules operated by slaves of various species to construct the battlestation. Five years into the Age of the Empire, the Imperials attempted to mine the asteroids of Geonosis for minerals, but that proved unfeasible. At least 5 years after the end of the Clone Wars, the Death Star was moved to another construction site, prompting the Empire to use bombs and other foreign weapons to sterilize the planet as a security measure, killing almost the entire Geonosian species.

Skirmish over Geonosis
In 3 BBY, the Lothal rebel cell along with retired Clone trooper Rex were sent on a mission to one of the construction modules after rebel intelligence discovered the Empire was once building something above the planet which unknown to them was the Death Star. Upon arriving above Geonosis, the rebels conducted a planetary scan and discovered there was no life on the planet, much to their confusion. Once they arrived at the construction module, they were ambushed by ISB Agent Kallus and several stormtroopers. After a brief skirmish aboard the station, the rebels escaped, however Kallus and the rebel Zeb were still locked in combat. Zeb boarded an escape pod and Kallus followed him in. The pod soon experienced an engine malfunction, causing it to crash on the icy moon of Bahryn. Striking an unlikely friendship, the Imperial agent and the rebel managed to overcome the cold and fend off two bonzami to survive. After a few hours, the rest of the rebels managed to locate them by tracking their transponder, however Kallus decide to stay behind and wait for the Empire. After saying their farewells Zeb left for the ship.

Rescue of Saw Gerrera
Travelling through hyperspace, The Ghost crew, accompanied by Captain Rex, are on their way to Geonosis. Briefed by Senator Organa, he recalls their previous visit to Geonosis when they found the entire population had been wiped. The senator decided to send a team to investigate the disappearance of the Geonosians but lost contact with them after they reported some kind of energy source on the planet surface. The man who was leading the team was known as Saw Gerrera, a soldier Rex knew back in the Clone Wars. According to Rex, he suspects that whatever they uncovered during their last visit has left Saw concerned enough to take a closer look. The Ghost crew's primary mission is to recover Saw's team and any Intel they gather.

The Rebels soon arrive at Geonosis, where they find the construction modules and debris they saw last time all gone. They pick up the energy source that they were informed about but cannot raise Saw or his team. Possible that they could be underground, the Rebels head down to the surface. They enter a severe sandstorm, and after a rough ride they touch down close to where the energy source is. Dividing into two teams, Kanan, Ezra, Chopper and Rex check out the coordinates of Saw's last transmission while Sabine and Zeb check out that power source. Following a lead, Kanan, Ezra, Chopper and Rex track down Saw's last location to a ruined temple. They call out for Saw but there is no reply. Ezra finds a passage that leads to the underground tunnels. Suspecting that Saw went underground, the Rebels decide to head down themselves. Once inside the tunnels, they find multiple side passages blocked off by rocks. Pretty soon, they find a lot of helmets and weapons left by Saw's team but no people. Rex suspects that they were attacked. Just then, Kanan senses a presence ahead of them and then it suddenly moves away. Concerned, Kanan recommends that they head back, but Ezra and Rex insist on pressing on with the search, unaware that they were being watched.

The Rebels make it to a dead end and find another helmet but still no sign of Saw or his team. Just then, they are ambushed by Battle Droids and a Droideka which open fire on them. Then suddenly out of nowhere, the Rebels are assisted by Saw Gerrera, who helps take out the droids before greeting his old friend, Rex. Meanwhile, Sabine and Zeb are in the storm looking for the source of the unknown power readings, which turns out to be a fully operational military grade shield generator. Knowing that Chopper Base could make use of a shield, Hera instructs Sabine and Zeb to salvage the generator. Back in the tunnels, Saw brings up his findings. Someone has been keeping the found shield generator and the droids operational, but for reasons he does not know. Saw suspects it was a Geonosian. Feeling even more concerned, Kanan again recommends that they head back, but Saw strongly insists that they find the Geonosian, because he believes that it knows some secrets relating to the Empire; secret enough to wipe out the entire Geonosian population. This makes it reasonable to believe that the Empire is hiding something and Saw insists that they find out what it is. The Rebels decide to go ahead with his plan, but Kanan insists on warning Hera about the droids. Saw has a suggestion, and following his lead they find their way to shaft leading to the surface.

Now able to get a clear signal, Kanan and Hera contact each other and share their findings. Understanding Kanan's warning about the chance of droids in the area, Hera orders Sabine and Zeb to return to the ship with or without the shield generator. As the storm dies down, Zeb cannot see any droids, but Sabine finds destroyers buried in the sand. They appear to be asleep but are warned not to engage them otherwise they will wake up and attack. Not wanting to leave behind the generator, Sabine and Zeb carefully push it to the Ghost, keeping an eye on the buried droids. Hera orders Kanan and his team to return to the Ghost, but again Saw insists on finding that Geonosian. Suddenly, they spot one that uses some remote to activate the droids on the surface. Sabine and Zeb become surrounded as the destroyers wake up. In order to protect themselves, they use the shield generator to generate a temporal shield to protect themselves from the droids. In order to stop the droids, Saw suggests they go after that Geonosian and get their hands on that remote. Because the bridge to the other side has been destroyed, Kanan uses The Force to toss Ezra across with Chopper in follow. He then brings down another bridge from above to allow Saw and Rex to cross over.

Ezra and Chopper are ahead of the others and give chase. The Geonosian is proven to be elusive and so far manages to evade capture. But the "bug" is eventually caught and the droids are disabled after Saw destroys the remote, just as Sabine and Zeb's shield goes out.

The Rebels now have the Geonosian in custody and Saw starts to aggressively interrogate him for answers. However, he is only frightening the lone Geonosian and, before Saw can turn abusive, his comrades tell him to go easy on him. Calling him "Klik-Klak", the only thing they get from him is a drawing of a circle inside of a circle in the dirt. Nobody seems to know what that means. Chopper then brings up that he detected an energy reading in the direction Klik-Klak was going. Either it was the answers they sought or a trap, the Rebels decide to check it out, but not before Saw placed some binders onto Klik-Klak.

Meanwhile, an Imperial ship, under the command of Captain Brunson, arrives at Geonosis after picking up a proximity alert. The Captain suspects it was just a meteor that triggered their sensors, but none the less carries out protocol to investigate. They soon detected life signs on the surface and Captain Brunson gave the order to deploy two TIE Bombers to investigate. Back on the surface, Sabine and Zeb finally get the shield generator on board just as Hera alerts them about the Imperial Forces. She tries to warn Kanan and the others but cannot make contact. So In order to send out a signal, Zeb takes a transmitter into the caves. Back underground, the Rebels arrive at Klik-Klak's residents. It is full old parts and machinery left behind after the Clone Wars. Rex and Kanan notice a transmitter and have a go at sending a signal back to the Ghost. Meanwhile, Saw starts rummaging through Klik-Klak's stuff. Klik-Klak pleads him to stop but he does not listen. He is certain that the Geonosian is hiding something and he wants to know what it is. Eventually he stops after Klik-Klak brings out a Geonosian egg he has been trying to keep safe. Rex recognizes it to be a queen egg, which is known to be very rare and probably the last one in existence. Finally, the Rebels regain communication with the Ghost. Patching through to Hera, she warns them about the Imperials and orders them to return to the ship. The Rebels make their way back to the Ghost, but not before Saw insists on taking Klik-Klak with them.

Back on the surface, the Bombers find the Ghost and attack. After Zeb gets aboard, the Rebels engage the Bombers, but due to the sand jamming their guns they have minimal firepower. However, they manage to take out both the Bombers, and following Kanan's signal they descend into a nearby chasm where they pick up Kanan, Ezra, Chopper, Rex, Saw, and Klik-klak. After boarding the Ghost, the Rebels are all gathered in the common room. They show Hera Klik-Klak and Saw's plans to bring him back for questioning, despite Klik-Klak's plea to stay on Geonosis. Hera takes Kanan aside for a private conversation. She is concerned about Saw and brings up the fact that he has a reputation for being extreme. Suddenly they hear a commotion going on, and find Saw trying to flee with Klik-Klak and threatens to destroy the egg if anyone gets in his way. The Rebels plea him to spare Klik-Klak and the egg but he is not moved. He remains hurt by the loss of his sister and his home, and he wants to stop that from happening to anyone else no matter what. But the decisions he is making makes him no better than the Empire. He is willing to extinct the Geonosians to accomplish his goals for the sake of the Rebellion. Eventually, the Rebels manage to get Saw to see the error of his ways when Chopper suddenly shows up with some bad news. The Imperials have found them and they are cutting off their only way out. When they notice incoming Rocket Troopers, the Rebels have no choice but to go straight down. As the descend, Kanan, Ezra, Zeb and Saw stand on the upper haul of the ship and engage the Rocket Troopers. Soon, Sabine joins the fight and using her own jet pack takes out the Rocket Troopers.

With the fight over, the Rebels continue to descend further down into the chasm until they finally reach the bottom and find two Imperial gas canisters. This makes them realize that the Empire's Weapon Division led by Director Orson Krennic used poisonous gases to wipe out the Geonosians, which is the proof they need to present to the senate. Saw, having had a change of heart, removes Klik-Klak's binders and lets him go free. The Rebels watch on as Klik-Klak descends deep into the underground with the egg. The Rebels begin to load the canisters but suddenly the Imperials above begin destroying the entrance to the chasm with a plan to bury them alive. With everyone back aboard, the Rebels head back up as rubble falls towards them. They soon see the cruiser blocking their escape, and using photon torpedoes they take out the cruiser blocking their path and escape, but lost the canisters in the process.

Although they lost the only evidence to prove to the senate that the Empire wiped out the Geonosians, the images they recovered could help recruit more systems to their cause. Their Intel on the matter, the rescuing of Saw and the salvage of the shield generator made the mission a profound success. Saw, however remains disappoint that they found out what the Empire was building on Geonosis but Kanan guaranteed they will find out soon enough.

Capturing the droid factory
Having fallen out of favor with Emperor Palpatine after the Battle of Yavin, Anakin Skywalker now known as Darth Vader recruited the rogue archaeologist Doctor Aphra and the assassin droids BT-1 and 0-0-0 to assist him in building an army of unquestionably loyal battle droids. Vader soon arrived on the planet Geonosis and his team infiltrated the lair of Karina the Great, who had survived the Clone Wars and her planet's sterilization and was utilizing a droid factory to produce battle droids as her "children" after she was injured and left unable to produce offspring. While BT-1 fired on the queen's B1 battle droids, Vader and Aphra severed the queen from her factory, and Aphra used her starship, the Ark Angel, to blow a large hole in the roof of the lair so that Vader's own starship could then extract both the factory and Vader's team with a large crane. The captured droid factory began producing BX-series droid commandos for Vader, which he used to assault the research base of a rival Imperial operative named Cylo.

Behind the scenes
The planet Geonosis first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, which first premiered on May 16, 2002. Between 2002 and 2014, it appeared in several Star Wars Legends literature and media including the 2005 computer and video game Star Wars: Republic Commando. Geonosis has also appeared in several Canon media including The Clone Wars TV series, the 2015 Marvel Darth Vader comic series, and the 2016 Star Wars Rebels episode "The Honorable Ones". In addition, Geonosis also appeared in the non-Canon LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales cartoon series where the Imperial General Maximillian Veers attempted to rebuild the Separatist Droid Army in order to restore the Galactic Empire.

Geonosis possibly evolved from the planet "Ttaz", a proposed location for Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. In pre-production of Attack of the Clones, Geonosis was known simply as "rock planet", its landscape being a rugged world made of red soil and stone reminiscent of the real life planet Mars and the buttes and mesas of the American southwest.