The rebels have stepped up their attacks, ambushing a droid convoy in the center of the city and definitely causing no collateral damage despite the sobbing children. The rebels declare they seek to overthrow King Rash and restore King Dendup to the throne. Dendup is slated for public execution.
The Gerrera siblings want to free Dendup. At the same time, Steela tries to ignore the growing feelings between herself and Lux Bonteri, and Ahsoka tries to balance her orders to not directly interfere with her desire to help the rebels.
Saw uses his being tortured and interrogated to attempt to win over General Tandin to the cause of King Dendup. The rebels launch their plan, but fail to account for the fact they are significantly outnumbered and are captured themselves. Ahsoka nearly takes open action to free her friends, but is saved from doing so when General Tandin launches a coup! King Dendup joins with the rebels, and they promise to free Onderon. Ahsoka tells Anakin and Obi-wan that she's blown her cover, and they say the real fight will soon begin, but the council may not send more help.
The Rebels plant a holo projection of Dendup that goes pirate radio in the market. Because no one can figure out how the VCR works, the entire tape plays. A riot ensues, a dinosaur gets shot in the cloaca and a B1 gets keistered by said dinosaur. Pretty solid physical humor and no Jar Jar in sight.
Back at the rebel camp Lux is excited by rioting in the streets and Saw agrees which suggests that neither have gotten as far as ‘collateral damage’ in their Resistance Movement 101 textbooks. Steela, who has read ahead a little, is very much aware of collateral damage, so they decide to forego urban combat for a plan to draw the droids out of the capital city and into the highlands. Steela kisses Lux and he and Ahsoka share a glance which suggests that maybe Kit Fisto can rub off on anyone given enough time.
Droid flyers show up with a visual reference to the firebombing during the Vietnam War and I’m back on my real world bullshit. Obi-Wan is pretty sanguine about this and gets all GOP about Rebels pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, but at least he’s willing to evacuate any survivors; which begs the question: is Obi-Wan the worst character in Star Wars?
Anakin decides to Col. Oliver North this shit, goes full Iran-Contra and decides to get Hondo to smuggle some missiles. The fact that Hondo will be running Onderonian crack-cocaine back in his empty ships isn’t really Anakin’s problem.
The droid army makes an end run for the king. Steela, Lux and Ahsoka ride in to the rescue. Saw shoots down the last gunship which crashes into the cliff Steela and the King are standing on: Steela saves the king, Lux falls off the cliff trying to save Steela, Ahsoka uses the Force to save Lux. Ahsoka tries to use the Force to save Steela but is shot by the gunship that was only mostly dead. Steela falls to her death like a Disney villain. King Rash asks Dooku for more forces, but Dooku isn’t dumb and pulls the Separatists out. Kilani makes certain that King Rash’s exit interview is suitably punitive with a blaster rifle. Onderon gets its martyr, and Lux looks deep into Ahsoka’s piercing blue eyes and vows to bring Onderon back to the Republic.
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