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- "We are being driven toward an inevitable and final confrontation. The faction that survives, Sith or Jedi, will determine the fate of the galaxy for the next thousand years."
- ―Lord Kopecz
The Seventh Battle of Ruusan was the final major engagement of the conflict known as the New Sith Wars. There were actually seven prior battles on the world during the last days of the war, but the pivotal and last battle was the one most remembered, due to the use of the thought bomb; it was usually referred to as just the Battle of Ruusan. It was also the event that would lead to the Ruusan Reformation of the Galactic Republic.
Prelude[]
- "I ask that you join me in one last task: the creation of a weapon so powerful that when it is detonated, the victors shall become the vanquished and be swept from the pages of history."
- ―Kaan
Jedi and Sith battling on Ruusan
The New Sith Wars began 2,000 years before the Battle of Yavin and ended after a thousand years of conflict, including internal Sith conflict, and all-out assaults on the Galactic Republic. At one stage during the long war, the Sith had been in control of most of the galaxy, but the Army of Light slowly regained the Republic's lost territory with decades of hard-fought campaigns.[1]
Eventually, the Sith retreated to Ruusan, where, after two years of battle with the Jedi in six separate battles, the Sith were near defeat.[1]
The Jedi Lord Valenthyne Farfalla crushed the Sith in the pivotal seventh battle of Ruusan. Sith Lord Darth Bane, who desired to destroy the Brotherhood of Darkness and reform the Sith, aided the Jedi by ordering the Sith's Fleet to break formation and engage the Jedi, which allowed the Jedi to gain the upper hand and force the Sith to retreat. Neither side, however, were aware of Bane's true motives. Sith Lord Skere Kaan and his forces retreated to the caves, where Kaan planned to use the thought bomb that Bane had provided him, to destroy the Jedi. Kaan, however, was being deceived by Bane, as the Thought Bomb would really destroy every Force-sensitive being caught in its radius. After Farfalla and his forces reached the Caves, the Sith guarding the caves surrendered, while Sith Lord Kopecz informed him of Kaan's plan before being killed in a duel with Farfalla. Upon Hoth and his forces arrival, Farfalla informed him of Kaan's plan. Hoth and 99 other Jedi went inside the Cave to apprehend Kaan and the Brotherhood, despite knowing that they were sure to meet their deaths.[1]
Showdown[]
- "What is this?"
"Kaan's smartest decision—his suicide." - ―Zannah and Darth Bane
In an act of desperation, Kaan, leader of the Sith, unleashed the thought bomb and in an instant, every Force-sensitive in the blast radius was destroyed. Lord Farfalla had retreated with the majority of the Army of Light in accordance with Lord Hoth's final orders. The only surviving Sith was Bane, who, while leaving the battlefield, came across the young girl Zannah, whom he would take on his apprentice under his new rule.[1]
Legacy[]
- "There are no other Sith. There never will be, except for us. One Master and one apprentice; one to embody the power, the other to crave it."
- ―Bane, to Zannah
Darth Bane, survivor of the Sith
The conclusion of the final confrontation on Ruusan led to the apparent extinction of the Sith, and the restructuring of the Republic and of the Jedi Order.[2]
Afterwards, the Jedi Johun Othone built a monument at the battlefield to commemorate the fallen Jedi of the war. It became known as the Valley of the Jedi, and was a powerful Force nexus. For over a thousand years the spirits of Hoth, of Kaan, and of countless other Jedi and Sith would remain trapped in the Valley, until they would be freed by mercenary-turned-Jedi Kyle Katarn in 5 ABY.[6]
The Jedi were unaware that Bane had survived and continued the Sith, under his new rule, Rule of Two. Due to the Sith's assumed destruction, the Sith managed to operate in secret, beginning with Bane and Zannah.[2] The Sith hid within the Republic until their existence was finally revealed with the rise of Emperor Palpatine,[7] whose apprentices included Darth Maul,[8] Darth Tyranus,[9] and finally Darth Vader.[7]
The return of Anakin Skywalker, once Darth Vader, to the light, and the demise of the Emperor, who was the last true master of Darth Bane's reformed Sith Order, brought to fruition the prophecy of the Chosen One who would bring "balance to the Force".[10]
Behind the scenes[]
In the fifth part of the blog series Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut, when covering the cut section of a different take on the Battle of Ruusan, author Paul R. Urquhart stated that the battle's real life equivalents were the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War and the Battle of Waterloo during the Napoleonic Wars.
Appearances[]
- Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (and audiobook)
- Jedi vs. Sith 6
- Darth Bane: Rule of Two (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
"Bane of the Sith" — Star Wars Gamer 3 (reprinted in Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club) (Mentioned only)- Darth Plagueis (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace novelization (and unabridged audiobook) (Indirect mention only) (Retcon)
- The Wrath of Darth Maul (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Sacrifice" (Indirect mention only)
- "Echoes of the Jedi" – Dawn of Defiance campaign (Mentioned only)
- Dark Forces: Rebel Agent (First mentioned)
- Dark Forces: Rebel Agent audio drama (Mentioned only)
- Dark Forces: Jedi Knight (First appearance) (In flashback(s))
- Dark Forces: Jedi Knight audio drama (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- The Essential Chronology (First identified as Battle of Ruusan)
- "The Emperor's Pawns" — Star Wars Gamer 5
- The Dark Side Sourcebook (Indirect mention only)
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 1 MAU 1-4: Darth Maul
- The Sith Fortress on Wizards.com (original site is defunct)
- The New Essential Chronology
- Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties on Hyperspace (backup link) (original site is defunct)
- Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Rebellion Era Campaign Guide
- The Essential Atlas
- Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook
- Star Wars: Sith Wars (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut, Part 5: Zenith of the Republic on StarWars.com (article) (backup link)
- The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 6 22 BBY 75-80: Dark Side Influence
- Star Wars Magazine 1
- Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Darth Bane: Rule of Two
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Essential Atlas
- ↑ Dark Forces: Jedi Knight
- ↑ Star Wars: Jedi vs. Sith
- ↑ Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi