3671 BBY: The Battle of Bothawui

Since the initial invasion of the Sith armada, 10 years have passed in Star Wars history. What I find remarkable about this piece of lore, is that the Republic is still standing. The Sith emperor invaded the Republic with such tenacity, it seemed like the Alliance never stood a chance.

The Battle of Bothawui tells the story of the Republic’s first major victory in the war. It was nice to see the good guys win one.

The Republic’s victory came with many sacrifices, namely in the form of 4000 Republic troops, 84 Jedi Knights, and Master Belth Allusis. This was the turning point in the Great Galactic War, and a battle that put a crimp in the emperor’s plans of Galactic domination. With that being said however, I’m a little confused by the words of Master Gnost-Dural, because at the end of his report, he says: “The execution of the emperor’s strategy was flawless; survival was the best the Republic could hope for”. Well, apparently not. From the subject matter of his entire report, it seems that the Republic was not the ‘paper-tiger’ the emperor seemed it to be.

Ultimately, the most interesting aspect of this piece of lore was the character of Jedi Master Belth Allusis. He seems like epitome of what a warrior-knight would be: wise, intelligent, and created in his mother’s womb with an unbreakable will. To turn back the enemy forces when outnumbered 10 to 1 is the mark of a great leader. He reminds me a little of Qui-Gin Jiin; Belth Allusis did not wait for commands from the senate or the Jedi Order to know what he must do. Instead he acted of his own accord, something I think Qui-Gon would have done if placed in the exact same situation.

On Master Belth Allusis’ wookieepedia page, it says that he, the knights, and the troops, are remembered as “The Heroes of Bothawui”. I wonder if this is a remembrance that gives the Jedi Order a sense of pride or shame. I think those of us who shape the Star Wars universe, the writers of its lore, have values that conflict with its own creations. What I mean to say is this – those of us in late 20th, early 21st century look upon heroic acts of war with pride and admiration. We deplore war, but hail those individuals who make a difference on the battlefield with admiration. But do the Jedi view war in this manner? I think perhaps not, knowing what I know of the Jedi’s belief of the sanctity of all life, and using the Force as a defense weapon, not an offensive one. I wonder if there are statues of Master Belth Allusis somewhere on Jedi grounds, remembering his sacrifice in this battle, or if perhaps the last acts of his life are ignored, and he is remembered for his other heroic acts: his work in training younglings, the peace deals he helped brokered and as a result the lives he saved, or his time spent in the slums of Nar Shadda, helping feed and clothe the refugees. Will Master Belth Allusis ever be called the ‘Hero of the Downtrodden’? and have a statue erected to him for these acts instead? I think the Jedi might agree with this, but we, the controllers of the Jedi and shapers of their world, might craft them to exhibit our own contemporary values instead their ancient ones – my simple mindless musing on a Thursday morning.

For my next post I’ll be examining the fourth timeline in the series, The Empire Changes Strategy. Until them my friends, may the Force be with you.