During the Clone Wars, the Separatists attacked Ryloth, cutting off aid to the Twi’lek homeworld with an orbital blockade.

Twi’lek freedom fighters led by Cham Syndulla and Republic troops held out bravely, but without assistance their defenses would soon break and the Separatists would have control of the planet.

While his people fought for their freedom, Ryloth’s Senator Orn Free Taa remained on Coruscant. Taa claimed he could do more to help the Twi’leks there, but Syndulla and others saw Taa as a coward who used his office to enrich himself rather than to help his people.

Relief finally did get through the Separatist blockade, but it was only enough to let Syndulla’s freedom fighters survive to fight another day – they had no chance of defeating the Separatists. The Republic pulled out, and an embittered Syndulla began a campaign of guerrilla warfare.

Under Emir Wat Tambor, the Separatists starved Ryloth’s people and stripped the planet of its valuables. Help finally came when a task force commanded by Anakin Skywalker broke the Separatist blockade. But brutal battles lay ahead.

Republic troops couldn’t land in force until they destroyed powerful proton cannons defending key Separatist positions. In the town of Nabat, Tambor’s droid lieutenants used Twi’leks as living shields to prevent the Republic from bombarding the guns.

With the aid of a brave young girl named Numa, the Republic forces found a way to reach the Separatist cannons. Given a chance at freedom, the captive Twi’leks rose up and destroyed the droid defenders. The Republic could now land the main body of its troops.

Tambor barricaded himself in the capital city of Lessu and accelerated his campaign to strip Ryloth of its valuables. He also sent droid bombers to level the Twi’lek cities and towns.

Mace Windu made contact with Syndulla, who was wary of lending his support to the Republic that had abandoned him before. Syndulla feared the Republic would simply replace the Separatists as Ryloth’s new occupiers.

Windu convinced Syndulla and Senator Taa to put aside their differences, with Taa promising that the Republic would leave once the planet had been freed. Satisfied, Syndulla joined forces with the Republic for the assault on Lessu.

The attack succeeded, and Syndulla and Windu captured Tambor. Ryloth had been freed. But as Syndulla has feared, a new occupier arose. The Empire made Ryloth a protectorate, with Taa as its Imperial Senator, and ruthlessly exploited the planet. Syndulla’s days of fighting for freedom hadn’t ended after all.