- "Pity it ended up in Separatist hands and not ours."
- ―Captain Wilhuff Tarkin, on the Citadel's capture by the Separatist Alliance
In the early stages of the Clone Wars, sometime between 22 BBY and 20 BBY, the planet Lola Sayu was captured by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Confederacy also took control over the Citadel, a prison facility constructed by the Galactic Republic five-hundred years before the war's outbreak, and populated the prison with a unit of battle droids under the command of Phindian Separatist warden, Commander Osi Sobeck.
Prelude
For centuries prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, fought between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Republic maintained a form of governance over the Outer Rim world of Lola Sayu. In the Republic's governance,[6] five-hundred years[7] before the war's inception, the democratic government constructed the Citadel, a prison facility, on the planet's surface. However, sometime after the war's beginning,[6] between 22 BBY and 20 BBY,[3] which succeeded the formation of the Confederacy, Lola Sayu was placed deep within the confederate government's territory, which resulted in efforts to claim the planet early on in the conflict.[6]
The capture
With the outbreak of the Clone Wars, which saw Lola Sayu located deep within the Confederacy of Independent Systems' territory,[6] the planet was taken under the confederate government's control. Along with their efforts to take the world, the Confederacy also aimed to claim governance over the Citadel for their uses.[4]
Aftermath
The Confederacy took control of the Citadel in their capture of Lola Sayu.
Following the capture of both the planet and the prison, the Citadel was updated by the Confederacy with modern security measures so that Republic assaults could be repelled, while also establishing a planetary blockade[6] of one Providence-class Dreadnought accompanied by two Munificent-class star frigates[8] in Lola Sayu's orbit.[6] Upon acquisition of the Citadel, the confederate government came to realize the prison's value in holding and interrogating members of the Jedi Order, as well as other Republic captives.[4] Furthermore, the government appointed the Phindian, Commander Osi Sobeck, as the prison's warden, who directed the facility with unending cruelty,[6] and was supplemented by a unit of battle droids that the Confederacy occupied the Citadel with.[4]
Sometime after its capture by the Confederacy, in 20 BBY,[9] the planet served as the site of an engagement between both the Republic and Confederacy. When the Citadel had become the site of detainment for imprisoned allies, who had discovered vital information regarding the coordinates of the Nexus Route, a hyperspace route that extended through both government's territories and could further either's war efforts, the Republic dispatched a rescue team to retrieve their allies[8] and return them to safety following a prolonged struggle on the world.[10]
Behind the scenes
The capture of Lola Sayu was first mentioned, albeit indirectly, in "Counterattack,"[5] the nineteenth episode of the third season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, which aired on March 4, 2011.[11]
Appearances
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Counterattack" (First mentioned) (Indirect mention only)
Sources
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)- Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 75 Guide to the Galaxy: Lola Sayu and the Citadel
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
Lola Sayu in the Databank (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
The Citadel in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) states that the Confederacy of Independent Systems' capture of Lola Sayu and the Citadel to an early period of the Clone Wars. As the First Battle of Geonosis marked the inception of the war according to Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the capture of Lola Sayu must have taken place sometime after the First Battle of Geonosis.
- ↑
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) states that Lola Sayu and the Citadel were captured by the Confederacy of Independent Systems at an early period in the Clone Wars. As the Citadel was under Separatist control in "The Citadel," the capture of Lola Sayu must have taken place before the Battle of Lola Sayu.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) establishes that Lola Sayu's capture took place early on in the Clone Wars, which began in 22 BBY according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. As the events of "The Citadel," in which Lola Sayu is depicted as under Confederacy of Independent Systems control, takes place between "Ghosts of Mortis" and "Water War," both of which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 20 BBY, according to
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Chronological Episode Order on StarWars.com (backup link), the capture of Lola Sayu must have taken place between 22 BBY and 20 BBY.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Counterattack"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 75 Guide to the Galaxy: Lola Sayu and the Citadel
- ↑
The Citadel in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct) states that the Citadel was constructed by the Galactic Republic five-hundred years before the Clone Wars. As the war began in 22 BBY according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas, it can be deduced that the Citadel was constructed in 522 BBY.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Citadel"
- ↑ According to Tarkin, the events of "The Citadel" occur a year after a battle on Murkhana, which itself took place nine months after the First Battle of Geonosis. As a result, "The Citadel" takes place one year and nine months into the Clone Wars. Additionally, Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places the events of "Ghosts of Mortis" and "Water War" to 20 BBY. As this episode takes place between those two episodes according to
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Chronological Episode Order on StarWars.com (backup link), "The Citadel" and its events, including the Battle of Lola Sayu must also take place in 20 BBY.
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Citadel Rescue"
- ↑
The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Counterattack on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)