Battle of Utapau

The Battle of Utapau, also known as the Assault on Utapau and liberation of Utapau, was the decisive final battle that took place on the Separatist occupied world of Utapau in 19 BBY. Fought by the Separatist Droid Army against the Grand Army of the Republic and local security forces, it was one of the last major confrontations of the Clone Wars, the galaxy-wide military conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems and was considered to be symbolically the end of the war itself.

The battle occurred as a result of General Grievous' escape during the Separatist attack on Coruscant, where the Confederate Head of State Count Dooku was killed by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. As the Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies, Grievous became the prime target of the Republic Military after Dooku's demise. Alerted to Grievous' presence on Utapau by Clone Intelligence, the Republic deployed the 7th Sky Corps under Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi who personally engaged Grievous in a lightsaber duel prior to the arrival of his clone troopers. Grievous attempted another escape while his battle droids fought the Republic clone troops, but ultimately the Kaleesh cyborg was killed by Kenobi. Although the Executive Separatist Council had been evacuated to Mustafar before the battle started, the Separatist control structure effectively collapsed with Grievous' death.

As the clone troopers continued to fight the battle droids in Pau City, Clone Marshal Commander Cody received a message from Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine ordering him to execute Order 66. Programmed to comply with the order to exterminate the Jedi, the Clone Commander tried to have Kenobi executed for treason. Betrayed by his soldiers, Kenobi left Utapau in Grievous' starfighter. The clones also turned against their Utapaun allies, arresting Port Administrator Tion Medon and placing Utapau under military occupation.

The Clone Wars officially ended with Grievous' destruction during the Battle of Utapau, after which the remaining Separatist leaders were assassinated on Mustafar by the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Having all but destroyed the Jedi Order, Chancellor Palpatine—the public persona of the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious—declared the start of his reign as Emperor of the Galactic Empire. With the transformation of the Republic so soon after the battle and Grievous's death having signaled an effective to the war in any case, the battle was remembered as the Republic's last stand.

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