Old Friends Not Forgotten
Outer Rim under siege! Separatist forces have launched a major offensive. Led by the evil droid General Grievous, Republic forces are pushed to the brink. In response to this overwhelming attack, the Jedi Council has dispatched its Generals, sending them far from the Core Worlds to bolster the beleaguered clones. On the distant planet of Yerbana, we find Commander Cody of the 212th in desperate need of reinforcements….

Master and apprentice

The Separatist forces, led by General Grievous, have been attacking the Outer Rim, causing massive losses to the Republic forces. To counter this, the Jedi Council sends their Jedi Generals, Aayla Secura and Plo Koon, to the planets Felucia and Cato Neimoidia, respectively, to help turn the tide of the battle.

Simultaneously, over the skies of Yerbana, the Separatist droid tri-fighters and artillery are attacking the Clone Z-95 Headhunters and the LAAT gunships that are providing support to Commander Cody and his troops, who are in dire need of help. The Separatist droid fighters manage to shoot down a gunship, causing it to crash into a river after colliding with a bridge while also killing the lead Z-95 Headhunter. Commander Cody orders his men to take cover as they charge towards a phalanx of Separatist droids, including dwarf spider droids, Octuptarra tri-droids, and NR-N99 Persuader-class droid enforcers. Unfortunately, enemy fire kills many clone troopers during this charge.

A missile is seen closing in on Cody. However, Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi uses his lightsaber to deflect the blast just in time. He then instructs Cody to get down and deflect a laser blast back at the Separatist droids, causing a massive explosion. The clone troopers then retreat. Once Kenobi and Cody have regrouped, the Commander informs the Jedi General that his forces cannot locate the tactical droid because it is out of sight. Obi-Wan then asks where Anakin Skywalker is. 

Anakin Skywalker suddenly appears behind them and asks what they are doing down there. Kenobi tells him that they are taking cover and to get down. However, Anakin is not intimidated by the thousand droids they face. Obi-Wan then asks him what he is up to and where Captain Rex is. Skywalker replies that they have finished their battle and decided to come and help the 212th. The Jedi Master thinks Anakin is overdoing it, and Skywalker responds that he could come and hide with him and let the city’s people suffer longer, or they could help them now with his plan.

Obi-Wan agrees to follow Padawan’s lead and asks for Anakin’s plan. Anakin instructs him to stay put and boldly walks towards the Separatist droids in the command post. The battle droid commander orders his troops to stop firing and focus on the Jedi. However, Anakin convinces them he is surrendering and urges them to hold their fire. The battle droid commander is relieved and decides to inform the tactical droid.

Anakin flatters the Separatist droids by acknowledging their courage and admitting that the Republic forces were no match for them. Meanwhile, R2-D2 is observing them through his periscope from the side of the bridge. Captain Rex asks how long they’ll be stuck there on the bridge’s underside. R2 responds in Binary, and Rex informs the other clone troopers under the bridge to hang in there a bit longer despite their dislike for the situation.

Skywalker offers his surrender to the tactical droid. However, the tactical droid realizes it is a trap and tells them to open fire. Anakin gives R2 the signal, and he relays Skywalker’s orders to Rex and his clone troopers. Anakin uses the Force to drag the tactical droid towards him before beheading him with his lightsaber. The clone troopers activate their jetpacks and emerge from their hiding places beneath the bridge.

The clone jetpack troopers launch a surprise attack on the Separatist forces using explosives and laser fire, successfully destroying them. Additionally, they plant explosives on the Octuptarra tri-droids. With the Separatist forces in chaos, General Kenobi permits Commander Cody and his troops to join the battle. General Kenobi praises General Skywalker, who expresses his gratitude to Obi-Wan for his assistance in winning the battle despite his previous state of helplessness. Kenobi humbly responds that he is always happy to help.

An old friend

Admiral Wullf Yularen contacts Anakin Skywalker through a comlink and informs him that they have received a message from someone using his subspace frequency named “Fulcrum.” Skywalker assumes it is Saw Gerrera, while Kenobi suggests that the situation in Onderon may have worsened. However, Yularen clarifies that it is not Gerrera and advises them to return the transmission to the ship for further discussion.

Anakin and Obi-Wan board a LAAT gunship to return to Admiral Yularen’s Venator-class Star Destroyer. Once they reach the bridge, Skywalker asks Yularen about the reason for their return and is surprised to see Ahsoka Tano on a holoprojector. She greets her Master and General Kenobi while a Mandalorian warrior stands by her side. Tano informs the Jedi that she and Lady Bo-Katan Kryze have located the rogue Sith Lord, Maul, and proposes to capture him if they act quickly. In the hangar, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and R2-D2 walk together. Skywalker comments on how Ahsoka wouldn’t have been able to help them if she had not left the Jedi Order, to which Kenobi replies that it’s one way to view it, but Anakin insists that it’s the only way. Anakin is eager to capture Maul, but Kenobi is more cautious. Soon after, a Mandalorian shuttle landed in the hangar, and Ahsoka Tano, Lady Bo-Katan, and several Mandalorians disembarked.

Seeking Republic help

Anakin wants to chat with Ahsoka, but she gets down to business and tells him that things are moving quickly, which saddens him. Bo-Katan warns that every minute they waste here allows Maul to slip away. Kenobi says that he understands and tells them to follow him. Skywalker is unnerved by the situation.

In the war room, Tano explains that Bo-Katan had been tracking Maul for several months. She adds that she had obtained some transmission codes from the Pykes on Oba Diah, which helped to pinpoint some of his previous locations. When Skywalker asks what she was doing on Oba Diah, Tano replies that it’s a long story that was irrelevant then. Bo-Katan explains that they know Maul is in the Mandalorian city of Sundari.

When Bo-Katan informs Kenobi that he arrived two days ago, Kenobi asks her why she is seeking the Republic’s help. Bo-Katan explains that her forces need more numbers for a siege, and she fears Maul will escape without a complete city lockdown. She suggests a joint operation to capture Maul and liberate Mandalore. However, Kenobi warns that such an operation would violate treaties that are a hundred years old, leading the Republic to another war.

Bo-Katan rhetorically asks what is one more, to which Skywalker adds that they are still working on their first one. Kenobi says he will inform the Jedi Council of this development, but Bo-Katan warns there is no time because Maul’s influence on Mandalore destroys her people. She reminds him that Maul murdered their ruler, Satine Kryze, Obi-Wan’s dear friend. Bo-Katan is angry and points out that Satine meant something to Obi-Wan. Kenobi acknowledges that Satine did and still does mean a lot to him, but he won’t let his feelings cloud his judgment. He leaves the matter for the Jedi Council to decide and exits the war room. Bo-Katan turns to Ahsoka and expresses her disappointment, saying that she had warned her that it would be a waste of time.

Gathering forces

After Bo-Katan and her guards leave, Tano speaks privately with Skywalker. She tells him that he and Kenobi haven’t changed. When Anakin asks if that’s bad, she remains silent but smirks at him. Anakin then surprises his former Padawan by leading her through the ship. As they pass by, the 212th clone troopers salute her, which surprises Ahsoka since she no longer considers herself a Jedi.

Anakin explains that the clones respect her because they know what she went through for them in battle. He emphasizes that loyalty means everything to the clones. He then takes her to a hangar, where Captain Rex and his company greet her. Each has painted their helmet with Ahsoka’s facial markings as a sign of honor and respect. At Rex’s command, the clone troopers stand at attention as Ahsoka and Anakin inspect them. 

Skywalker explains that as soon as Rex and his men learned that Ahsoka was coming, they got to work. Rex explains that he and his men painted their helmets to honor her and that although the paint job is a little crude, he thinks it gets the point across. He tells Ahsoka he and his men are glad to have their Commander back. Ahsoka is grateful but tells Rex that he doesn’t have to address her as Commander anymore, which he chooses to ignore. Anakin then presents Ahsoka with a box, but they hear the klaxons ringing before she can open it.

Kenobi enters the hangar to inform Anakin and Rex that they must prepare their forces as they will jump into hyperspace immediately. Rex starts preparing his men. Anakin asks if the attack on Mandalore was approved, and Obi-Wan explains that General Grievous has attacked the galactic capital of Coruscant. When Anakin inquires about Supreme Chancellor Palpatine’s safety, Kenobi replies that Shaak Ti has been sent to protect him. Still, Jedi Master Mace Windu has lost contact with her. However, he reassures Anakin that their fleet can reach there within an hour.

Tano is upset and believes the Jedi are abandoning Bo-Katan and her people. Kenobi explains that they are entering a crucial moment in the Clone Wars, and the heart of the Republic is under attack. Ahsoka disagrees, stating that Obi-Wan is playing politics, which is why people have lost faith in the Jedi. She clarifies that she had lost faith until she was reminded of what the Order means to people who genuinely need it. Kenobi points out that the people on Coruscant genuinely need them, but Tano argues that only the Chancellor requires their assistance.

Obi-Wan advises Ahsoka to be fair, but she insists that she is not. As a compromise, Anakin decides to divide the 501st Legion and create a new division under Ahsoka’s command. However, Kenobi reminds Anakin that Ahsoka is no longer a Grand Army of the Republic member. Anakin proposes promoting Rex to Commander and appointing Ahsoka as his adviser, leading the new division. Ahsoka agrees to this plan but asks for Kenobi’s approval. Obi-Wan consents and wishes Ahsoka, “May the Force be with you.” Before leaving, Kenobi informs Ahsoka that he had killed Maul once and advises her to capture him, as he tends not to stay dead.

Tano expresses her gratitude to Anakin for his support, to which he replies that it’s what friends are for. As she is about to confront Maul, Anakin presents her with a box that contains her lightsabers. Anakin tells Ahsoka that he cares for them and that her lightsabers are as good as new. When Ahsoka notices that the blades are now blue, Anakin admits that they’re even better than new, to which she smiles wryly. He instructs her to capture Maul while he takes care of General Grievous, hoping that if they’re lucky, the Clone Wars will end soon. Tano reminds him that Master Kenobi said there is no such thing as luck. Before Anakin departs, Tano wishes him good luck, and he smiles back. Tano then addresses Commander Rex and his men, who are boarding a LAAT gunship.

Making planetfall

Several LAAT carriers are seen ferrying AT-TE walkers as they descend into Mandalore’s atmosphere, accompanied by squadrons of Republic starfighters. A small fleet of Star Destroyers can be seen waiting in orbit. Aboard a LAAT gunship, Tano and Rex ride alongside the clone troopers. The pilot informs them that Prime Minister Almec is on the comm, and Rex instructs the pilot to put him through.

Almec demands to know the meaning of this invasion and claims that the Republic’s presence violates their treaty with Mandalore. Bo-Katan, who is also present, counters that Almec’s time is over and that they know he is Maul’s puppet. She adds that they are coming for Maul. Almec denounces Bo-Katan as a traitor, warning her that siding with the Republic will make her an enemy in the eyes of the people. Bo-Katan responds that she is okay with that. Tano remarks that Bo-Katan is nothing like her sister.

At the Sundari royal palace, Prime Minister Almec orders Gar Saxon to prepare their forces for an attack. He then tells Rook Kast to inform the syndicate of the invasion. After Rook leaves, Saxon asks Almec if he is ready for the fight, as it has been a while since they were involved in a battle like this.

Republic gunships and starfighters descend on Sundari. Aboard the lead gunship, Bo-Katan asks Ursa to confirm Maul’s location. Ursa responds that she can only confirm that Maul has not left the city and that all other attempts to track him down have been blocked. Saxon is already scrambling his forces.

As the group flies, the pilot alerts them that they are being attacked. One of their LAAT carriers is hit, and a gunship is shot down. Mandalorian warriors with jetpacks approach them, but Bo-Katan’s loyalists and clone jet troopers ride out of their gunships and engage them in battle.

Rex apologizes to Ahsoka for forgetting her jetpack, but she insists that she doesn’t need one. She challenges Rex to a race to the surface, and using her Force powers, she jumps out of the gunship and attacks two of Almec’s warriors with her lightsabers. She then jumps onto a second gunship and drives away the hijacking Mandalorians.

When she jumps onto another hit gunship, Tano rescues the pilot, allowing him to escape. She jumps off the damaged gunship and lands on a platform facing off against several of Almec’s Mandalorian warriors. Bo-Katan and her warriors come to her aid, defeating Almec’s forces. When Rex catches up to her, Tano tells him she has won the race, and he jokes that some things never change. A gunship lands, and Ahsoka and Rex run into the city.

Capturing the docks

Clone jet troopers battle with Almec’s Mandalorians on the streets of Sundari. Gar Saxon informs Prime Minister Almec that the Republic forces have already taken the docks and are closing in on his position. In response, Almec orders him to retreat to the undercity. Saxon and Rook led their warriors to the Undercity, which allowed Bo-Katan and her forces to capture the upper city. Despite not encountering Maul yet, Bo-Katan warns Ahsoka and Rex that they can’t withstand a long siege. Bo-Katan intends to go to the throne room to confront Almec and assigns Tano to find Maul. She and her warriors then fly away on their jetpacks.

Ahsoka instructs Rex to support Ursa at the docks to ensure that Maul doesn’t escape. If he isn’t on Mandalore, Rex says everything plays into Maul’s hands. Captain Vaughn then informs Rex that they have come across something. Tano travels to meet Vaughn’s forces at an access point to the Undercity. He tells Tano that they had pursued Gar Saxon, who had fled into Sundari’s sewers. Tano asks if they lead outside the city, which Vaughn needs to learn. She then leads the clone troopers inside.

In the throne room, Rook informs Almec that the Jedi was sighted entering the lower city. Almec says that it is just as their lord predicted. Just then, Bo-Katan and her warriors force themselves into the throne room and engage Almec’s guards in a gun battle. Bo-Katan fights with Almec in hand-to-hand combat and subdues him.

Maul’s trap

Bo-Katan demands to know the whereabouts of Maul, but Almec replies that she lacks the political acumen of her sister. Almec discloses that Maul had instructed her to bring the Jedi to him but complains that she brought the “wrong” one. Bo-Katan cautions Ahsoka about the trap she is walking into, but the transmission is interrupted by static.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka and the clone troopers traverse the sewers in silence. However, Rook Kast and her warriors are lying in wait for them. Rook launches an explosive at them, which knocks down Ahsoka when she deflects it into a wall. Vaughn and his men give chase, but unknown attackers slay the clones. Ahsoka races to Vaughn’s side as he lies dying and holds his hand. He apologizes to his Commander before passing away from his injuries.

Ahsoka finds herself surrounded by Saxon’s warriors and Maul. She draws her lightsabers as Maul expresses disappointment at not encountering Kenobi and questions why Tano is here.