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Ondos was the capital planet of the Chommell sector and a member world of the Galactic Republic. Originally inhabited by the indigenous and sentient Gungan species, the planet was colonized by Humans following the Jedi Civil War, a galactic conflict between the Second Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. The two sentient species fought a war that sent the Gungans into the Aquarian Ocean, allowing the Humans to take control of the surface. Gungans and Humans fought each other once more thousands of years later during the Gungan-Ondosan War.

Despite the multiple domestic wars, the planet was only part of an outside conflict on three known occasions. The first, in 3,522 BBY, was when the planet was attacked during the Great Sovereign Crusades, a war fought primarily between the Republic and the Third Sith Empire. The second was the Trade Federation shipping cartel’s Invasion of Ondos, which led directly into the third conflict, the Clone Wars.

As a member world of the Republic, it was watched over by a member of the Republic's Galactic Senate but primarily ruled by a sole monarch. After the Gungan-Ondosan War, the House of Arcadia assumed the throne and kept their royal title at least until the Invasion of Ondos. The Gungans ruled over the Gungan Empire in the Aquarian Ocean, having little contact with the Human government due to disagreements stemming back from the initial colonization of the planet.

Description[]

From space, the planet Ondos was a mixture of blues, greens, and whites, as the surface was both terrestrial and aquatic.[3] Galactic scientists considered Ondos a special natural wonder due to the planet lacking a molten core. As this was unlike most, if not all, known planets, it proved to be an enigma even to those who were considered the most talented of scientists. The surface itself was covered with plains, forests, oceans and numerous waterfall systems, which, to the citizens of the planet, spoke of an unspoiled purity that they did not want corrupted.[2]

One of the central bodies of water on the planet was the Aquarian Ocean, located hundreds of kilometers from any city. The coasts of the Aquarian Ocean were lined with forests, which the Trade Federation shipping cartel used to disguise their invasion forces during the Invasion of Ondos in 22 BBY. The planet also contained numerous communication arrays that allowed the cities to communicate with one another, causing the Federation to destroy them during its invasion in order to prevent the cities from working together to prevent a planetary occupation. One of these cities was New Centrif, which was destroyed during the first battle of the Invasion of Ondos.[2]

History[]

Pre-colonization[]

Sometime during the thousands of years prior to the Invasion of Ondos, the indigenous Gungan species evolved on Ondos. During the pre-colonial period, when the Gungans were the only sentient species on the planet, a minion of a Dark Jedi called Xendor was said to have brought the Kaiburr crystal, an ancient Force-artifact that supposedly had the power to heal, to Ondos. Gungan religion, however, disagreed and stated that the gods of the Gungan people brought the artifact to the planet.[4]

Colonization[]

Around the end of the Jedi Civil War, a conflict between the Second Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic, a monarch in the Republic named Elsinore den Tasia sent an explorer across the galaxy. This explorer discovered Ondos, and in the years that followed Humans began to settle on the planet. Cultural differences between the Humans and the Gungans caused tension, and although open conflict was rare they did engage in the First Ondos Civil War.[4]

By the war’s end, the Gungans were sent to the bottom of the Aquarian Ocean while the Humans took governance over the surface of the planet. The act, which caused more tension between the two races, did serve to unify the Gungan cities into a stronger alliance. Prejudices developed that cut the two species from each other entirely, even after trade agreements that lasted only for a few years.[4]

In 3,522 BBY, during the Great Sovereign Crusades predominantly fought between the monastic and galactic peacekeeping Jedi Order and the Third Sith Empire, Ondos was invaded by the Mandalorian Clans. The Mandalorians specifically targeted the capital city of Ogana. The battle was the last outside conflict on the planet until the Invasion of Ondos around three thousand five hundred years later.[5] Five hundred years later, another internal conflict began on the planet, taking the form of the Gungan Civil War. The numerous Gungan cities fought one another during the conflict, but by the war's end they were able to unify. After the unification, a Gungan leader named Gallo constructed the city of Otoh Gunga atop the remains of the destroyed city of Spearhead in the Aquarian Ocean. The Gungan Empire, a central Gungan government, came to be located in Otoh Gunga and it ruled over the Gungans for the years that followed.[4]

Around 1,022 BBY, the Second Ondos Civil War broke out between the numerous Human settlements. The conflict ended during the reign of King Jafan of Ogana, which allowed the settlements to unify and declare Ogana to be the planet's capital. The Humans of Ondos existed in peace with one another from that time forward.[5]

Reign of the Arcadias[]

The final conflict before the Invasion of Ondos was the Gungan-Ondosan War between the Human government and the Gungan Empire, a few centuries prior to the Federation's occupation. One known group of participants in the conflict was the House of Arcadia, a family of warriors that went on to become the ruling royal family of Ondos.[2]

Around 24 BBY, high grade plasma veins were discovered below the streets of Ogana. Veruna Arcadia, the King of Ondos at that time, and Galactic Senator Malus Palpatine decided to build the Plasma Mining and Refining Center in the heart of the city. The move was met with mixed reactions, and because the planet was not fond of trade the people allowed Arcadia to let the Trade Federation, a corporate trading entity, to purchase the plasma at a fixed cost.[2]

After some time, it was discovered that the Federation was exploiting the planet's lack of experience in the markets, thereby cheating Ondos out of profits, by selling the plasma to buyers at a marked up price. The people demanded to be released from the contract with the Federation. Arcadia agreed to the move, although he feared a military retaliation from the Federation. In order to prepare for the potential military operation, Arcadia expanded the Ondos Security Forces and the Ondos Space Fighter Corps, and founded new starfighter squadrons. Despite the actions being taken out of defensive precaution, they were widely regarded as unpopular across the planet. The people perceived them to be an attempt to suppress dissent and expand the size of the planetary security in an effort to create a police state. In retaliation against the measures, Arcadia was assassinated in 24 BBY.[2]

Immediately following Arcadia’s death, his daughter Sabé Arcadia ascended to the throne and began to override some of her father’s actions. She reduced the size of the planetary security force, although she did keep one of the starfighter squadrons for defensive purposes. She received death threats for this unpopular act, which prompted her to create a legion of handmaidens and body doubles trained in defense. The threats, however, subsided and Ondos returned to what the people considered to be a peaceful state.[2]

In 23 BBY, the Republic’s Galactic Senate began discussing the bill that eventually became the Republic Anti-Slavery Law. The proposal stated that the use of slaves by Republic corporations would be illegal outside of Republic territory, which it had not been before that. The Federation, which used a number of slaves in the Outer Rim Territories to generate profits, was one of the central opponents of the bill.[3] Queen Arcadia, at the behest of Senator Palpatine, was an advocate for the bill’s passing and became instrumental in seeing its passage.[2] Once it was signed into law, the Federation was outraged as a large number of their workers were let go and the Federation profits declined.[3]

Invasion[]

After the law’s enactment, the Federation decided to blockade and subsequently invade Ondos. Although there was a revenge factor in the decision, the Federation’s primary reason for choosing Ondos was due to the company's belief that the planet was helpless, as Ondos lacked a security force and was in the far reaches of Republic territory. The Federation eventually blockaded Ondos in 22 BBY, cutting off the entire planet from the rest of the Republic and the trade routes the planet needed to receive supplies. The Federation's goal was to force the Republic to overturn the law.[3]

After one month of failed negotiation by Queen Arcadia and her Advisory Council, the Federation cut off all communication on the planet and began landing its droid army.[3] The Federation invaded the city of New Centrif before moving onto Harte Secur, Spinnaker and Ogana, the planet’s capital.[4] Arcadia was captured during the Battle of Ogana and was told by Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray that she would have to sign a treaty to legitimize the Federation's occupation of the planet. Because she refused, Arcadia was ordered to be sent to a Federation internment camp, but Arcadia and her advisers were rescued by Jedi ambassadors Jard Dooku and Obi-Wan Kenobi before they all escaped the planet in the hopes of reaching Coruscant, the capital of the Republic.[5] Because of damage to the queen’s vessel received during a short skirmish with the Federatiob blockade as the ship was attempting to flee, the ship set a course for Tatooine for repairs.[6] During this time, numerous citizens in Ogana began to actively rebel against the Federation occupation, beginning the Rebellion in Ogana.[7]

The Invasion of Ondos eventually became the first battle of the Clone Wars, a war between the Galactic Republic and the Mandalorian Clans.[8] Years later, Queen Arcadia's son, Alexander Arcadia, became the King of Ondos.[9]

Inhabitants[]

The Humans of Ondos were the dominant species of the planet, having control over the surface and the only one of the planet’s two sentient species to have representation in the Galactic Senate. The Humans considered themselves to be peaceful and regarded their culture as being pacifistic, although many elements of the government began pushing Queen Arcadia to begin a war of defense during the Trade Federation’s blockade.[2] Many citizens of Ogana also decided to put their pacifist ideals aside once the Federation occupied their city. These citizens started the Rebellion in Ogana, forcefully opposing the Federation's occupation.[7] Arcadia did not allow the planet to enter into any sort of armed conflict until the actual invasion began, as she believed that the planet was too peaceful for war. When Veruna Arcadia attempted to expand upon the planet’s security forces, for example, many citizens saw this as an attempt to suppress dissent on the planet, which led to the king’s assassination.[2]

Humans on Ondos were also renowned for their supposedly enlightened and artistic lifestyles, as well as the aristocratic class system of the planet’s monarchy, nobles, and common class. Although other planets had similar systems, Ondos’s Human society lacked a lower economic and social class. What the Humans deemed to be intellectual maturity, as opposed to biological age, dictated whether or not one was capable of leadership. This policy came about when certain monarchs were forced to take the throne in their teenaged years.[2]

Along with the Humans, the indigenous Gungans were also citizens of the planet, although they did not actually participate in or have much contact with the Human-led planetary government.[4] Considered by the Humans to be warrior-like,[2] the Gungans ruled themselves with the Gungan Empire in the underwater city of Otoh Gunga. During the Invasion of Ondos, the Gungan Empire was led by a High Council of Gungan officials, such as High Councilor Rugor Nass. The Gungans believed in a number of deities,[4] and one such belief involved the gods demanding life debts be given if individuals saved other’s lives.[2]

The two species had problems with one another stemming back to the First Ondos Civil War and the Gungan-Ondosan War. Two years before the Invasion of Ondos, the Gungans accused the Humans of stealing the Kaiburr crystal, but the Humans did not acknowledge that they took it. This furthered the Gungan belief that Humans could not be trusted.[4]

Flora and fauna[]

Ondos was home to an array of plant and animal life. Thick forests filled with plants and trees had grown on the shores of the Aquarian Ocean,[2] stretching across the area for kilometers on end.[4] Tusk cats, regarded as fast-moving animals, lived on the western plains of the planet.[2] Somewhat similar to the tusk cats in speed were the kaadu, which were said by the Gungans to charge with a fast intensity.[4] Beneath the Aquarian Ocean lived numerous types of aquatic species,[4] one of them being the opee sea killer. These creatures had what were described as abnormally large jaws with even larger tongues within them. The opee sea killers were hunted by the larger sando aqua monster.[5]

Government[]

Before the Human colonization of the planet, Ondos consisted of a number of Gungan tribes with no central government. These tribes eventually came together to form the Gungan Empire, although that was not until after the Gungan Civil War of 3,022 BBY. The Human government had a similar genesis; following the Human colonization of Ondos at the end of the Jedi Civil War, the Humans constructed settlements on the planet that had not yet unified into one central government. At the end of the reign of King Jafan of Ogana, and the end of the Second Ondos Civil War of 1,022 BBY, the settlements formed one government. The House of Arcadia became the ruling family for centuries after the Gungan-Ondosan War, lasting at least until the Invasion of Ondos.[4]

As of 22 BBY, Ondos was governed primarily by one monarch, which at that time was Queen Sabé Arcadia of the House of Arcadia. Advising the monarch was the Ondos Advisory Council, a committee of advisers to the king or queen serving at the time.[4] Local governments were watched over by mayors who ran the day-to-day affairs of cities and settlements.[2] Some areas of the planet were also tended to by governors who met with local politicians and helped run the day-to-day affairs of larger geographic areas or, in some cases, entire cities.[4]

Locations[]

Ogana[]

Blue Glass Arrow Main article: Ogana

Ogana was the capital city of Ondos, established sometime before the reign of King Jafan of Ogana and the Second Ondos Civil War. Described as having a unified and harmonious architectural style, the city was the planet’s center of government and the seat of the royal House of Arcadia. During the Invasion of Ondos, Ogana’s local government was led by Governor Sio Bibble. Also located in Ogana was the Ogana Royal Palace, the royal palace of the planet and the official residence of the House of Arcadia. The palace served as a meeting place for the Ondos Advisory Council, as well as any other dignitaries and politicians that requested an audience with the ruling monarch.[2] During the Trade Federation's occupation of the planet in 22 BBY, numerous citizens of Ogana began to actively rebel against the Trade Federation, beginning the Rebellion in Ogana.[7]

New Centrif[]

Blue Glass Arrow Main article: New Centrif

New Centrif was a city on Ondos that housed one of the planet’s many interplanetary transmitter, which allowed for communication between cities and off of the planet. The city, governed by Mayor Arruinada before her death in 22 BBY, was the site of the Battle of New Centrif, the first armed conflict of the Invasion of Ondos.[2]

Otoh Gunga[]

Blue Glass Arrow Main article: Otoh Gunga

Otoh Gunga was the underwater capital city of the Gungan Empire on Ondos. After the First Ondos Civil War, the Gungan tribes decided to remain unified under one banner, which they called the Gungan Empire. The first leader of the Gungan Empire, Gallo, built Otoh Gunga over the ruins of Spearhead, the city that was housed in the area before the war. The city, as well as the Gungan Empire, was governed by the Gungan High Council for many years.[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Ondos is a planet in the Alternative Star Wars Saga fan fiction series. Created by Brandon Rhea, author of the Alternative Saga novel Star Wars: Episode I - The Chosen One, the planet is heavily based on the planet Naboo from the canon Star Wars prequel trilogy. Rhea has stated that he changed the name from Naboo to Utapau to pay homage to Star Wars creator George Lucas's original drafts of the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, where Naboo was first named Utapau.[10] Utapau was later changed to Ondos, a planetary name mentioned in the second draft of the original Star Wars screenplay. Rhea mentioned a desire to avoid undue confusion as a motivation for the name change.[11]

Rhea has mentioned that Ondos is to be the site of the beginning of the Clone Wars, a war between the Galactic Republic and the Mandalorian Clans based on the canon conflict of the same name. Utapau's apparent significance in the Alternative Saga is set to carry at least into Star Wars: Trials of War - Shadows of Utapau, the first novel of the Trials of War series about the Clone Wars.[12]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

See also[]

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