Geonosis

In the final years of the Republic, the Outer Rim world of Geonosis emerged as a key manufacturing planet, with its hives earning a reputation for skillful design and efficient manufacturing. The Geonosians created the army of battle droids that the Trade Federation used to invade Naboo a decade before the Clone Wars.

Obi-Wan Kenobi followed the bounty hunter Jango Fett from Kamino to Geonosis, surviving a battle with Fett in the planet’s rings. Landing on the rocky, arid planet, Obi-Wan slipped inside one of its hive-factories, where he spied on Count Dooku, Geonosian leader Poggle the Lesser and other Separatist conspirators preparing for war with the Republic.

Kenobi was captured and sentenced to death – as were Anakin Skywalker and Naboo Senator Padmé Amidala, who’d mounted an ill-fated rescue attempt from nearby Tatooine. The three were bound to pillars in an execution arena, with Geonosians cheering as savage beasts were released in the arena.

A team of Jedi and clones rescued the captives, and a skirmish in the arena quickly spread to Geonosis’s rocky plains. During the fighting, Dooku retrieved plans for a secret Geonosian project – a battle station built around a planet-killing superlaser.

Republic and Separatist forces clashed on the Geonosian plans in a massive battle. The day ended as a Republic victory, but the Clone Wars had begun – and would soon engulf the galaxy.

During the Clone Wars, Padmé discovered that Poggle was building new droid foundries for the Separatists, an effort underwritten by loans from the InterGalactic Banking Clan.

The Republic did what it had to do, invading Geonosis once again before the foundries could be returned to full capacity. In the grueling battle, the Republic landed ground vehicles and troops under heavy fire and struggled to secure a beachhead.

Poggle’s latest weapons factory was a critical target, the source of powerful “super tanks” that could withstand hits from Republic artillery. The Padawans Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee destroyed the factory from within, striking a key blow in the battle for Geonosis.

After Poggle fled, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli tracked him to catacombs beneath the Progate Temple. There, she was captured by Karina the Great – the secret Geonosian queen. The Jedi rescued Luminara, captured Poggle and buried Karina and her Geonosian zombies in rubble.

Poggle was taken into Republic captivity, but would soon resume his support of the Separatist cause. The Geonosian leader perished on Mustafar at the end of the Clone Wars, struck down by Anakin Skywalker on orders from Darth Sidious.

Geonosis was the site chosen for construction of the Death Star by the newly established Empire. Travel to the planet was limited to supply convoys and high-ranking Imperials privy to the secret project to build the galaxy’s ultimate weapon.

The Empire sterilized Geonosis, killing almost all life on its surface. But one queen survived the cataclysm in a subterranean lair concealing a droid factory. After the Battle of Yavin, Darth Vader – tipped off by the rogue archaeologist Doctor Aphra – invaded the queen’s lair, stealing the advanced battle droids she had created.