Battle of Malastare/Legends

"Why would the Chancellor want to bring the beast here? I know that he thinks by studying it, the knowledge could prove beneficial, but&hellip;from what you and Anakin reported on Malastare, it hardly seems worth the effort.''" "I raised the issue with the Chancellor during the Battle of Malastare&hellip;without success." "''Well then, in that case, perhaps it's time we let someone else try."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu

The Battle of Malastare, one of the longest and fiercest engagements of the Clone Wars, took place on the planet Malastare around 21 BBY when the Galactic Republic attempted to stop the Separatist Droid Army from seizing Malastare and its vital Dug fuel resources. It saw the use of a new Republic superweapon called the electro-proton bomb. Although it succeeded in depleting all the battle droid numbers, the electro-proton bomb awoke a Zillo Beast and unleashed its reign of terror on Malastare. Eventually, after battling the Zillo Beast, the monster was knocked out and taken to Coruscant for study and the treaty with the Dugs was signed.

Beginning battle
"I won't allow my people to become Separatist slaves!"

- Doge Nakha Urus

The Confederacy's invasion force, consisting of B1 and B2 battle droids supported by Armored Assault Tanks, droid starfighters and bombers advanced towards Doge Urus' palace, where the Jedi were assembling. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had previously authorized the army to utilize a new superweapon, the electro-proton bomb, which could release an electromagnetic wave capable of disabling droids and vehicles within its explosive radius. Although Doge Nakha Urus, the leader of the Dug people and Jedi Master Mace Windu initially feared that the weapon could affect Malastare's ecosystem, they eventually agreed. Several Y-wing bombers and ARC-170 starfighters took off from the doge's palace. While the ARCs began strafing the Confederate army, the bomber carrying the superweapon maneuvered over the target area and dropped its load. The ensuing explosion and electromagnetic impulse damaged and deactivated the droid army, along with several Republic vehicles and pieces of technology.

Zillo beast
"The ground is sinking!"

- Jedi Master Mace Windu

However, the detonation of the bomb caused parts of the surface to collapse, creating a sinkhole. Several walkers and LAAT gunships fell into the pit, which also damaged pipes coming from a fuel facility. The Jedi dispatched search parties to retrieve the men, but contact was soon lost with them, so Doge Urus, Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker traveled to the hole in a gunship to investigate. Windu assigned Skywalker to Urus, while he himself flew down the crater with a group of clone troopers. After finding some survivors, the Jedi Master continued his search with three clones, also calling Skywalker to the spot. The team soon realized that they were on top of a creature when the surface they were walking one began to move. The clones opened fire, but to no avail, as the blasters could not pierce the beast's skin. They fell of, with the beast killing one trooper, but Anakin arrived in his starfighter and began circling around the monster's head to distract it. Windu and his escort were airlifted by an arriving LAAT gunship, but Anakin's fighter was damaged by the creature, causing it to crash. The Jedi Knight attempted to engage the beast, only to find that its skin was lightsaber-resistant, forcing Skywalker to flee the scene on R2-D2.

Dug rail guns arrived and began to fire projectiles into the sinkhole to illuminate the area and attack the beast. The two Jedi quarreled with Urus on the matter, but the Dug leader did not allow interference into the subject, dubbing it an internal affair and threatening to reject the fuel reserve treaty if he was not allowed to kill the Zillo. Seeing that there was no hope in convincing the Doge, Mace and Anakin left.

The Jedi then contacted Chancellor Palpatine, showing him a holo-recording of the creature, which amazed him. Mace Windu insisted that the beast be carried off-planet and settle it in the Outer Rim Territories, while Dr. Sionver Boll suggested further study of the monster due to the ability of its skin to resist most weaponry. Anakin then proposed that the gaps in its armor be targeted with stun cannons, which would put the animal into an unconscious state similar to death. This would allow the Republic to transport the beast away and examine it and satisfy the Dugs as well.

Upon approaching Urus with stun tanks, the Jedi found that the Dugs began their operation; the sinkhole was being filled up with Malastarian fuel, which was said to be lethal to the creature. Mace Windu attempted to convince Urus by threatening him with his lightsaber, but the Zillo climbed out of the sinkhole, destroying the Dug rail guns set up around the perimeter. Seeing this turn of events, the stun tanks opened fire and eventually managed to daze the beast, albeit at the cost of several tanks.

Aftermath
"Welcome to the Republic, Doge Urus. I'm sure this business arrangement will be mutually beneficial."

- Chancellor Palpatine, just after the treaty had been signed.

Doge Urus was satisfied and signed the treaty, which provided the Galactic Republic war machine with fuel necessary to continue the offensive. The unconscious beast had been loaded onto transports after being airlifted by a flight of LAAT/c gunships, but Palpatine altered the plans and ordered to transport the Zillo to Coruscant so that its armor could be studied for possible use. The Chancellor tasked Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker to escort it to the ecumenopolis.

Appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
 * LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
 * LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars

Notes and references
Schlacht von Malastare Batalla de Malastare Malastaren taistelu Bitwa o Malastare