Ramsis Dendup

Ramsis Dendup
Biographical information
Homeworld	Onderon
Descriptive information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Pronouns	He/him
Height	1.68 meters
Hair color	Brown, later grey
Eye color	Blue
Skin color	Fair
Chronological & political information
Affiliation(s)	Onderon rebels

"Our true king has been silenced."

―Saw Gerrera

Ramsis Dendup, formally stylized as His Royal Majesty King Ramsis Dendup, was a Human male who served as the true king of the planet Onderon during the Clone Wars.

Biography

Early life

King Dendup in his younger years.

Ramsis Dendup was born of human parents on Onderon, a planet located in the Inner Rim region of the galaxy. He was a member of the royal family who ruled Onderon millennia after the reign of Regalun Petryph. At some point in his youth, Dendup ascended to the position of king, taking the official title name of "His Royal Majesty King Ramsis Dendup".

During the last years of the Galactic Republic Dendup was a man of advanced age who enjoyed the comforts of the crown. While living in the opulent royal residence, matters of state still weighed heavily upon him. Among the paintings hanging in his throne room there were portraits from his younger days.

The Clone Wars

Deposition

"I have been isolated and alone without visitors, confined to my prison. Again, the will of the people is theirs, not mine."

―Ramsis Dendup, to King Rash

Sanjay Rash, the man who deposed Dendup.

In 22 BBY, a political crisis that had been plaguing the galaxy for a decade degenerated into an open conflict known as the Clone Wars. While normally allied with the Republic, King Dendup looked on with disapproval and dread, believing in not entering the war. He regarded both sides as inherently corrupt and thought the best course of action for Onderon would be to remain unaligned, thinking incorrectly that neutrality would had spared the planet from the violent conflict.

For this, Dendup was branded an indecisive coward and ousted from the throne by those who saw opportunity for change in power. At the beginning of the war, he was overthrown by the young Sanjay Rash in a local coup secretly backed by the Separatists, allying Onderon with them through the Treaty of Iziz. Rash was not really the true king, but a puppet to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, who branded the previous ruler as a powerless old crone. Saw Gerrera, a loyal follower of Dendup, would not tolerate Rash's Separatist-backed regime, which prompted him to join the Onderon rebels. They fought in the name of the deposed king, though Dendup knew nothing of their actions. He quietly lamented that his name was being used in the name of violence but accepted that the rebellion was indeed the will of the people. Rash's administration imprisoned Dendup in the Unifar Temple's garden, isolating him from any visitor.

First attempted liberation

In 20 BBY, after a series of attacks on the battle droids in the jungles and Iziz, Rash ordered the commando droids to escort his predecessor to the throne. When Dendup arrived, he scolded the former king, accusing him for the Onderon rebels' increased activity. Rash insisted Dendup needed to call off the attacks. Dendup retorted that Rash was dealing with the will of the people. It was the king's responsibility to "embrace, bend, or break it," and Dendup was incapable of achieving this, as he was no longer the Omnderon's king. More frustrated, Rash reiterated Dendup had to call off the attacks, otherwise, Dendup would pay with his life. Dendup responded Rash must be the person who stopped the attacks, by ending the Separatist droid occupation.

Saw and King Dendup are detected and arrested in the Unifar Temple courtyard.

After the rebels made a few more attacks on the Separatist droids, Rash ordered Dendup to be escorted back to the throne. Again, Dendup denied involvement with the rebels and informed Rash it was the people's will that justified their actions. Fed up with Dendup's responses, Rash ordered the former king's public execution in Yolahn Square the next day. Rash hoped Dendup's death would end the rebel attacks and break their morale, while he publicly denounced the former king for their crimes. After hearing the news of Dendup's planned execution, Saw Gerrera, who was one of the insurgent group's leaders, snuck across the city, against his sister Steela's orders, in hopes of rescuing Dendup. Gerrera used a grappling hook to stealthily enter Unifar Temple's gardens, destroying an unsuspecting B1-series battle droid in the process, before he bowed to the former king. Gerrera explained to Dendup that he and his comraded were only attacking the droids, in hopes of removing Rash from power and restoring Dendup as Onderon's true king. In response, Dendup explained how his decision to choose neither side of the war resulted in the occupation by the Separatist army. Once Gerrera informed Dendup the rebels were backed by the Jedi, he fired is grappling hook, expecting that would enable them both to escape. However, the Temple's one way shield was activated, which trapped both men in the Temple's gardens.

Failed execution

Dendup in the electroguillotine.

The next day, Rash led the Super tactical droid General Kalani, as well as four IG-100 MagnaGuards, as they escorted King Dendup and Saw in chains to the steps of the Unifar Temple, which overlooked Yolahn Square, where Rash intended to perform the executions. Hundreds of Iziz citizens gathered, so they could witness the proceedings and listened to Rash's speech. Rash declared Dendup and Gerrera traitors, who deserved death by beheading. Rash ordered his MagnaGuards to prepare their electrostaffs to behead Dendup, who had been placed into an electroguillotine. Simultaneously, the rebel Dono, would had reported to Steela Gerrera and Lux Bonteri that Saw had been arrested, put into motion a raid to free Dendup and Saw from Separatist possession. If they failed, the Onderon rebellion may had died with Dendup. Bonteri tossed smoke bombs at the Separatist troops, causing chaos, while Steela shot the MagnaGuards with her sniper rifle, and the other Onderon rebels extracted Saw and Dendup. However, their retreat was cut short, when B2-series super battle droids reinforcements surrounded Dendup and Steela's extraction team and forced her forces to surrender their weapons—much to the disgust of the Onderonian citizens, who saw the rebels as allies, and viewed Rash's Separatists as intruding invaders to their world. Once Rash regained control of the situation, he prepared to execute Dendup and Saw once more, as well as the newly incarcerated Bonteri and Steela.

The rebels celebrating Dendup's liberation.

Kalani pushed Dendup back into the electroguillotine, while the MagnaGuards prepared their electrostaffs for the killing blow. Moments later, General Tandin, along with the Royal Onderon Militia ran out of Unifar Temple, while Tandin ordered Rash to halt the executions. Tandin's troops freed Dendup, and the rebels escorted the former king to their base. In response, Rash instructed his droids to pursue and kill Dendup and the rebels. However, the angry citizens of Iziz, prevented the droids from leaving. They barricaded the area, while they protested that Dendup was the true king of Onderon and demanded the Separatists departed Onderon.

Later that day, Dendup entered the rebel safe house. The king questioned Tandin why he defected from the Separatists at that moment. Tandin informed Dendup it was time for a different approach. Tandin and the royal guards then pledged their allegiance to the rebels and Dendup. After Dendup said to Bonteri that his mother would be proud of him, the king stood back up. Dendup informed the rebels and the Onderonian Militia they needed to win the will of the people, before they could achieve victory for the entire planet. He also reminded his supporters that as a result, Dooku would desire his death to a far greater degree than previously.

War in the Highlands

Dendup addressing the people of Onderon

Soon after Dendup's rescue, the former king moved to a new base in the Onderon highlands, alongside the rebels and the Royal Army. Later, Ahsoka Tano deposited a holographic disk in the middle of Malgan Market, which allowed Dendup to address his people, while Tano and Bonteri flew back to the nest on a ruping. In his speech Dendup informed the Onderonian people Rash and the Separatists were spreading lies about him being the mastermind of the "terrorist movement," so he could tighten the Separatists' control on the planet. Dendup told the people his recent rescue from execution was when he first met the rebels, and he came to view the rebels as the "true sons of Onderon," with the intention of liberating their planet from the Separatists. Dendup's speech inspired the people in Malgan Market to protest the droid occupation, attacking the three B1-series battle droids who witnessed his speech.

While Steela and Saw argued over how the rebels should continue their attacks, Saw requested fighting in Iziz, taking the fight directly to King Rash. Steela quickly retorted they should hold their current position, since fighting door to door would cause everyone to be in danger. Dendup and Tano both agreed with Steela, with Dendup pronouncing Steela as the new commanding general of all their forces, including the Royal Army.

Later, Hondo Ohnaka delivered several rocket launchers to the rebels, on the behalf of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. As the droid forced began to surround the nest, Dendup was guarded by two Royal Militiamen. However, a HMP droid gunship soon attacked Dendup and the soldiers, forcing the trio to rush into the mountain. Seela destroyed the droid gunship, and Dendup decided he should head back outside the nest. The king ran to the edge of the cliff, wwhile Steela fired her sniper rifle, destroying both BX-series droid commandos and in the process, one of the royal guardsmen. Moments later, Saw fired a RPS-6 rocket launcher at the remaining droid gunship. The droid spun out of control, crashing directly into the nest. When Steela discovered what was transpiring, she directed Dendup to go to the ground. The droid's collision caused the cliff's edge to fragment. While the chucks of rock crumbled, Steela pushed Dendup to safety, before she attempted to jump up to the reformed ledge herself. Tano tried to save her, but Steela fell to her death after Tano was shot in the shoulder by the droid's still functioning cannon, while she was Force lifted Steela to safety.

Aftermath

"Remember this day, the day Onderon became free again."

―Ramsis Dendup, to the people of Iziz

Dendup addressing the people of Onderon during Steela Gerrera's funeral.

After the rebels' victory in the highlands, Count Dooku lost interest in Onderon. He ordered Kalani to recall all Separatist forces and bring them to the planet Agamar, as he had no interest in a prolonged war. Before Kalani left Unifar Temple's throne room, he executed Rash on Dooku's orders. Later, Dendup and the rebels returned to Iziz, where Dendup was reinstated as Onderon's king. In Yolahn Square, Dendup and the rebels held a funeral for Steela. During the funeral procession, Bonteri told Tano that Dendup appointed him as Onderon's new Senator. Bonteri told Tano he planned to follow in his mother's footsteps and bring Onderon back to the Republic. The ceremony ended with Dendup telling his people to remember the day, as Onderon was free again.

Legacy

Dendup's title of king of Onderon would be eventually held by Modon Kira during the Galactic Civil War, who ruled alongside her consort Lady Kira by 11 ABY.

Personality and traits

A benevolent monarch, Ramsis Dendup was a patriotic Onderonian who fought to liberate his people during the Separatist invasion of Onderon.

During his younger years Dendup had brown hair and a short beard. By the time of the Clone Wars he was bald and his beard was grey. Like other Onderonians such as Tandin, the King had a personal lyra-shaped emblem tattooed on the back of his hands.

Behind the scenes

Character illustration of Ramsis Dendup by Chris Glenn.

Ramsis Dendup first appeared in "Front Runners," the third episode of the fifth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He was voiced by Barry Dennen.

Despite being presented as the official king of Onderon, it was not established whatever Dendup was a member of the Iziz ruling family, shown to be ruling the planet before and after Dendup's times, or was a member of a separated dynasty. As the Royal Onderon Militia depicted in Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught had a similar armour design to those one appeared in "The Soft War", it could be the former case.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A War on Two Fronts" (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Front Runners" (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Soft War"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Tipping Points"

Sources

• "A War on Two Fronts" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
• "Front Runners" – The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
• "The Soft War" – The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
• "Tipping Points" – The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic 6.46 (First identified as His Royal Majesty King Ramsis Dendup)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Episode Guide
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine 18
• General Tandin in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• King Ramsis Dendup in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• King Sanjay Rash in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• Okalin in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• Onderon in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• Onderon rebels in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) (First pictured)
• Saw Gerrera in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) (First identified as Ramsis Dendup)
• The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 44

Notes and references

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