Republic 49 is the forty-ninth issue in the Star Wars: Republic series of comics. It was the first issue of Republic to be labeled as a Clone Wars Comic. It was published on January 22, 2003 by Dark Horse Comics.
Publisher's summary
With the Battle of Geonosis, the galaxy is officially plunged into war. As the Jedi Council struggles with their new role as leaders of the Republic's clone army, other Jedi operatives have taken on the job of intelligence gathering. On a vast space station known as "The Wheel," Jedi Knight Aayla Secura is searching for a notorious gun-runner who can help her intercept the Separatist's latest secret plans. But spying is a dirty business, and operatives are often more expendable than the information they possess. Is this what being a Jedi has come to? With this issue, Star Wars: Republic jumps into the as yet unrevealed events in the time period between Episode II and Episode III—the Clone Wars! If you're wondering what happens next after Attack of the Clones, this is where you find the answers!
Plot summary
Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, a thief named Khaleen Hentz is attacked by a group of armed enforcers in the maintenance levels of The Wheel. She has just stolen something of importance from the crime lord Zenex, who has ordered that she be brought to him alive.
Meanwhile, in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Yoda, Mace Windu and Tholme (via hologram) are discussing the implications of the Jedi taking command over the entire Clone Army. At the onset of the Clone Wars, the Jedi are forced to become generals instead of peacekeepers, much to Yoda’s dismay. Because of this, the Republic’s forces have been spread thin, making it difficult for them to carry out their increasing duties.
Tholme states that Quinlan Vos has been tracking an important lead, but he has gone missing. In the two years since the Separatist Crisis, Quinlan has been working undercover, setting up an elaborate network for spying on the Separatists. After the Battle of Geonosis, his flow of information stopped. Aayla Secura was sent to The Wheel to investigate, influenced by her connection to Quinlan as his former Padawan.
Back on The Wheel, Aayla is tasked with locating Quinlan, who Tholme believes is working undercover as a gun-for-hire named Korto Vos. Aayla meets with a Chadra-Fan named Tookarti, who leads her into a trap, where she is attacked by some enforcers. After beating them up, Aayla demands that Tookarti lead her to Vos, but she is greeted by the man himself, who knew someone was searching for him. Tookarti apologises to Quinlan for his paranoia-induced actions, revealing that he is indeed working for the Jedi.
In private, Quinlan tells Aayla that he feels a measure of guilt for the deaths of the Jedi on Geonosis, believing that he could have prevented it had he known what the Separatists were planning. Aayla tells him to practice his own teachings by accepting responsibility for his mistakes and letting go of the rest. Their conversation is interrupted by Tookarti, who informs them that Khaleen is being attacked by a Dianoga in a nearby garbage pit.
The two Jedi rescue Khaleen from the pit, damaging the Dianoga in the process. Upon being rescued, Khaleen gives Quinlan a Holodisc, which was stolen from Zenex on Quinlan’s orders. A short while later, the group activates the holodisc, which contains a message from the Separatist Nute Gunray. The message reveals that the Separatists are planning to attack the Cloning Facilities on the planet Kamino.
In order to prevent the Separatists from discovering that their plan has been compromised, Quinlan decides to copy the disc and give the original back to Zenex. Khaleen agrees to risk her life by performing the deed, and she meets with the crime lord on a walkway overlooking a large pit. Zenex takes the disc, kills his two enforcers, and attempts to mind control Khaleen to commit suicide with a blaster, but he is intercepted by the two Jedi.
A short battle breaks out and Zenex throws Khaleen into the pit. Quinlan catches her and hangs onto the edge of the walkway, while Aayla battles Zenex, who attempts to mind control her to surrender. Aayla breaks his control and impales him through the chest with her lightsaber, killing him. Quinlan lifts himself and Khaleen back onto the walkway, where he concludes that they must now give the recovered disc to Zenex’s contact.
Quinlan gives the disc to the contact and uses a Jedi mind trick to make him believe that it was Zenex who performed the deed. With their task now complete, Aayla agrees to return to Coruscant with the disc copy, while Quinlan instead decides to continue working in the shadows with his spy network. Aayla informs him that Khaleen is in love with him and warns him to tread carefully. The two part ways as Quinlan walks into the shadows with Khaleen.
Meanwhile, Tookarti is revealed to be a spy for the separatists, relaying information back to Count Dooku via hologram. Dooku reveals that it was his intention for the attack on Kamino to be discovered by the Republic, conspiring with his master Darth Sidious to allow the attack to fail, which will disgrace the Separatist upstarts who wish to displace Dooku. The battle will compromise and weaken factions that may prove an impediment to the Sith in the future. Sidious concludes with the assertion that Jedi will die.
Media
Cover gallery
Collected in
- Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume 1: The Defense of Kamino
- Star Wars Omnibus: Clone Wars Volume 1: The Republic Goes to War
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Clone Wars Vol. 1
Appearances
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
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Organisms
Events
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Locations
 Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos battle a dianoga on The Wheel.
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Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
Vehicles and vessels
Weapons and technology
Miscellanea
Notes and references
- ↑
Star Wars: Republic (2002) #49 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 6 22 BBY 75-80: Dark Side Influence dates the Hunt for the Decimator, the Dark Reaper crisis, the First Battle of Kamino, the battle of Ohma-D'un, the battle of Pengalan IV, Jedi: Mace Windu, and the events of Star Wars: Clone Wars up until the Battle of Hypori to 22 BBY, in that order.
External links
Star Wars: Republic #49 on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)- Star Wars: Republic (2002) #49 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
