Treaty of Malastare

Related events	Battle of Malastare
Treaty of Malastare
Conflict	Clone Wars
Proposed by	Galactic Republic
Date established	22 BBY
Terms	Access to Malastarian fuel in exchange for Republic protection from the Confederacy of Independent Systems
Parties
Galactic Republic
Malastare
Key individuals
Chancellor Palpatine (via hologram) Jedi Master Mace Windu Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker
Malastarian council Doge Nakha Urus

The Treaty of Malastare was a bilateral treaty ratified by the Malastarian council and the Galactic Republic following the Battle of Malastare in 21 BBY during the Clone Wars. The treaty guaranteed the Republic continued access to Malastare's substantial reserves of fuel in return for the elimination of the gargantuan Zillo Beast and Republic protection from the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

History

Background

In 21 BBY, the Confederacy of Independent Systems invaded Malastare with a massive droid army. As a key Republic Loyalist world, Malastare's substantial reserves of fuel made it a target for the resource-hungry Separatists. While outnumbered, the Dug artillery fought doggedly with assistance from Republic clone troopers and Jedi reinforcements. When it appeared the Republic would lose, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine authorized the deployment of the prototype superweapon the electro-proton bomb which immobilized the droid forces rapidly, wiping out resistance.

The treaty is signed.

However, the blast opened a crater where Jedi Master Mace Windu and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker discovered a slumbering Zillo Beast, a gargantuan ancient species which had preyed on the sapient Dug natives in ancient times. The Dug leader Doge Nakha Urus ordered his troops to kill the beast by dropping fuel and bombs dropped into the crater. Their actions provoked the beast, which emerged from its crater and rampaged the emaciated Republic and Dug forces.

Fearing an apocalyptic doom, the Dugs refused to ratify the treaty unless the Republic destroyed the Zillo Beast. Believing that this would lead to the death of an innocent life form, Windu refused but was overruled by Palpatine who publicly agreed to destroy the monster. However, he and Skywalker secretly connived to immobilize the beast and then arrange for it to be transported to an undisclosed Outer Rim Territories world for scientific research. Using a squadron of RX-200 Falchion-class assault tanks, the Jedi dazed the beast with well-placed energy beams which rendered it unconscious and made it appear to be dead.

Aftermath

With both the Separatists and the Zillo Beast eliminated, the Malastarian council convened and granted permission for the Republic to use Malastare's fuel reserves to power its expanded star fleet which was engaged against Separatist forces across the span of the galaxy. In reality, the Zillo Beast was not dead but had been shipped to the galactic capital Coruscant to be studied under a contained environment following a change of plans. Still, the treaty afforded Malastare's place as a key Republic member-world throughout the Clone Wars and the subsequent Imperial Period.

Behind the scenes

The Treaty of Malastare was first introduced in "The Zillo Beast," an episode in the second season of the The Clone Wars television series. It confirmed Malastare's role as a key Republic member world during the Clone Wars. However, the cartoon episode's portrayal of a governing Dug Council capable of providing defense and conducting foreign relations appeared to contradict several other sources which placed the immigrant Gran and the Gran Protectorate as the de facto government of Malastare. These sources also stated that the dominant Gran disenfranchised and stripped the indigenous Dugs of political power. Eventually, Leland Chee retconned this contradiction by stating that the planet's fuel resources were administered by the Dugs' council.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Zillo Beast" (First appearance)