Recaps

Ploo Koon, Jing Fang, and Jax Pavan investigated Rendili’s political maneuvering and headed to meet Fleet Commander Jesse Darlen, while Arden Lyn and Darth Sidious discussed their control of the planet’s defense fleet. The Jedi gained access to the fleet flagship, and Arden planned to investigate signs that Rendili’s situation was changing.

• Ploo Koon explained that the Jedi needed conclusive evidence before they could act against Bangjila-Ulan and advised investigating the Separatists’ plans.
• Jing Fang, Jax Pavan, and Ploo Koon traveled to the defense fleet flagship Mersel Kebir to question Jesse Darlen and investigate a recent mutiny.
• Arden Lyn watched the Jedi shuttle approach and told Darth Sidious that Darlen did not want to meet them, but the flagship eventually let them aboard.
• Arden Lyn told Darth Sidious that the defense fleet was under their control but that its crew had grown relaxed and were taking leave on Rendili.
• Darth Sidious ordered Arden Lyn to stop the fleet’s crews from abandoning their warships, and she suspected Bangjila-Ulan was secretly resisting their plans.

Darth Sidious urged Arden Lyn to intensify efforts to push Rendili toward the Separatists, but resistance to their plans was growing. As Arden investigated the cause, Captain Jesse Darlen and Mayor Daman Lopez both acted against the pressure campaign, leaving Arden uneasy about what was happening on Rendili.

• Darth Sidious told Arden Lyn to stir up unrest and force Rendili to join the Separatists, while Arden criticized his schemes.
• Jesse Darlen agreed to keep the Rendili Planet Defense Fleet with the Galactic Republic, and Ploo Koon asked whether Bangjila Ulan planned to hand Rendili to the Separatists.
• Arden Lyn confronted Jesse Darlen over giving the fleet leave, but he insisted that he would hand it over to the Republic despite her threats.
• Arden Lyn sensed a warning in the Force and sent agents to check their contacts and investigate why attacks on Rendili StarDrive had declined.
• Mayor Daman Lopez told a HoloNet interviewer that he was looking beyond Rendili StarDrive to the larger causes of the planet’s troubles, and a man in a bar reported that Daman had slipped out of control.

Darth Malthael’s plan to stabilize Rendili Planet through replacing influential figures drew the Galactic Republic’s attention. He discovered that the bounty hunter exposed as a Republic mole was Arden Lyn, a powerful Dark Side Force user, and warned Bangjila Urlan of the threat.

• Officials and activists across Rendili Planet abruptly stopped targeting Rendili StarDrive after Darth Malthael’s replacements shifted public blame for the planet’s decline onto the war.
• Darth Malthael learned that Republic agents had infiltrated Rendili Planet to investigate the sudden changes among influential figures.
• Darth Malthael recognized the bounty hunter and Republic mole’s name as Arden Lyn.
• Darth Malthael told Bangjila Urlan and Adele Urlan that Arden Lyn had lived for more than twenty thousand years and could rival him in strength.
• Bangjila Urlan reacted with alarm upon learning Palpatine had sent Arden Lyn to infiltrate his circle.

Darth Malthael decided to handle Arden Lyn himself and warned Bangjila Ulan to prepare to seize control of Rendili Planet and its Planet Defense Fleet. He planned to reveal their hand in about a week, when Count Dooku’s forces would arrive and Rendili would become a battlefield.

• Darth Malthael reasoned that Arden Lyn had awakened early because of his changes to the storyline and that Darth Sidious was exploiting her desire to revive Xendor.
• Darth Malthael told Bangjila Ulan he would deal with Arden Lyn and said Count Dooku would send help to protect the Urlan family’s leaders.
• Darth Malthael told Bangjila Ulan to prepare a military government framework so they could take over Rendili Planet and the Planet Defense Fleet in about a week.
• Bangjila Ulan warned that taking control would expose every force opposing them, and Darth Malthael declared that a direct battle would follow.
• Darth Malthael revealed that General Sefrans Tann’s fleet would soon depart, and Adele Ulan grew pale at the prospect of Rendili becoming a battlefield.

Republic Intelligence suspected that people on Rendili had been brainwashed, but Arden Lin redirected the Jedi Knights toward investigating Mayor Daman Lopez. Daman learned Darth Malthael had arranged the investigation to give him one chance to regain control of himself and obey.

• A Republic Intelligence officer told Ploo Koon, Jing Fang, and Jax Pavan that hundreds of people on Rendili had suddenly changed their positions, possibly because they had been brainwashed.
• Jax Pavan and Jing Fang accused Republic Intelligence of pushing Rendili toward betrayal, and Arden Lin explained that Rendili had intended to betray the Republic first.
• Arden Lin assigned the Jedi Knights to investigate Daman Lopez, who had abruptly changed his position and shown unusual behavior.
• Daman watched his clone discuss his daughter on a holo-TV interview, then panicked and demanded that the clone reveal what had happened to her.
• Darth Malthael appeared and promised Daman one chance to become himself again if he cooperated when the Jedi Knights investigated him.

Mayor Daman discovered that his daughter was safe and, terrified by a mysterious threat, delayed a Jedi Knight’s visit. Meanwhile, Armand Isard grew convinced that Daman had been compromised and ordered a full investigation, including cooperation with the Jedi.

• Mayor Daman found his daughter resting at home and, reassured she was safe, told his assistant to make the visiting Jedi Knight wait.
• Armand Isard rejected the Jedi Knights’ report that Daman was himself and ordered his staff to investigate the people around him.
• An official told Isard that the Rendili Planet Defense Fleet remained under Republic control and had been kept at combat readiness for three days.
• Isard noticed that two women and six security personnel connected to Daman had disappeared shortly before Daman changed his attitude.
• Isard ordered his staff to investigate Daman with every available resource and told them to enlist the Jedi Knights’ cooperation.

Armand Isard’s investigation suggested that Mayor Daman Lopez had been replaced, so Ploo Koon and two Jedi pursued him when an arrest operation went wrong. Daman escaped, and a HoloNet broadcast accusing the Republic of conspiring against Rendili StarDrive left the Jedi facing a public crisis.

• Armand Isard’s agents found that Daman’s DNA matched his own, but his recent meals did not match the contents of his fecal sample, while people around other suspicious officials had disappeared.
• Armand ordered agents to arrest Daman Lopez and alerted Ploo Koon, but the agents were attacked and nearly all lost contact.
• Ploo Koon, Jing Fang, and Jax Pavan charged into City Hall, where Daman fled after a Force-user delayed the Jedi.
• Jing Fang recognized a guard as Tang Xiao, and Ploo Koon revealed that Tang Xiao was secretly the Archangel of Death.
• Ploo Koon and the Jedi set out after Daman, but a HoloNet broadcast showed Daman accusing the Republic of creating unrest and bribing officials to undermine Rendili StarDrive.

Mayor Daman exposed his collusion with the Galactic Republic and implicated other Rendili officials, setting off a chain of public confessions. As the Jedi raced to respond, Republic Intelligence realized Tang Xiao’s plan had pushed Rendili Planet toward chaos, with 600 billion people caught in the stakes.

• Mayor Daman publicly confessed to working with Galactic Republic spies and named other corrupt officials, drawing a swarm of reporters.
• Jing Fang, Jax-Pavan, and Ploo-Koon pursued Daman while Master Yoda decided to travel to Rendili Planet and confront the Archangel of Death.
• Jax-Pavan warned that Daman’s confession was meant to inflame anti-Republic sentiment across Rendili Planet, and Jing Fang vowed to bring Tang Xiao to justice.
• Another high-ranking official publicly admitted to colluding with Galactic Republic commercial spies, escalating the crisis.
• Jax-Pavan and Ploo-Koon recognized that the public confessions were spiraling beyond control, while Armand-Assad ordered Republic Intelligence agents to stop them.
• Republic Intelligence realized Tang Xiao and the Urlan family had made a desperate gamble with Rendili Planet’s 600 billion people at stake.

Darth Malthael revealed himself as Tang Xiao during the Jedi attempt to arrest Mayor Daman, then escaped after Ploo Koon was wounded. Across Rendili Planet, officials began publicly exposing their own and one another’s misconduct, laying the planet’s troubles at the Galactic Republic’s feet.

• Ploo Koon and the other Jedi arrived to arrest Mayor Daman, who used their appearance to accuse the Jedi and Republic before the press.
• Tang Xiao revealed himself as the Archangel of Death and ordered Jing Fang to help Mayor Daman leave, but Jing Fang joined Jax Pavan and Ploo Koon in attacking him.
• Darth Malthael parried the trio’s attacks, and Ploo Koon pulled Jing Fang back and raised a Force barrier, suffering a severe wound in the process.
• Darth Malthael escaped in a prepared Speeder after proclaiming that the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order were responsible for the war, while Mayor Daman stayed behind and offered to be arrested.
• Senior officials across Rendili Planet began admitting and expanding on allegations of corruption, and their revelations blamed the Galactic Republic for the planet’s condition.

Bangjila Urlan used the scandals exposed by replaced officials to turn public opinion against the Galactic Republic, announce Rendili’s secession, and establish a Provisional Military Government. As Republic officials and Darth Sidious scrambled to respond, Captain Jesse Darlen put the defense fleet on combat readiness, disrupting Arden Lyn’s plan to reach him.

• Replaced senior officials revealed evidence of corruption between Rendili and the Galactic Republic, stirring public anger and helping identify people who could be trusted.
• Bangjila Urlan condemned Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, declared Rendili StarDrive and Rendili Planet would leave the Republic and remain neutral, and imposed a lockdown and strict information controls.
• Bangjila Urlan formed the Rendili Planet Defense Force and a Provisional Military Government, while troops seized city administrative centers and some officials and cities pledged support.
• Armand Assad ordered the Republic Intelligence Department to protect the defense fleet from Bangjila Urlan, but Captain Jesse Darlen refused to act without direct orders from the Chancellor; Armand then learned Master Yoda was heading to Rendili.
• Darth Sidious ordered Arden Lyn to investigate the defense fleet, and she set out to visit Jesse Darlen under the cover of repairing machinery.
• The warship broadcast announced Level One combat readiness and suspended communications and departures, leading Arden Lyn to realize Jesse Darlen was about to act.

Ploo-Koon, Jax Pavan, and Jing Fang tried to contain the crisis on Rendili, but the Urlan family's forces attacked the Planetary Shield control center while the Planet Defense Fleet remained inactive. Aboard a Dreadnought-class cruiser, Arden Lyn discovered that hostile soldiers were still operating and fought her way toward the flagship.

• Ploo-Koon told Jing Fang and Jax Pavan that the Archangel of Death's strange Dark Side power had injured him and protected Daman-Lopez from interrogation.
• Ploo-Koon sent Jing Fang to secure the Planet Defense Fleet and Jax Pavan to track the Archangel of Death, then set out for treatment as news arrived that the Urlan family's forces were attacking the Planetary Shield control center.
• More than five thousand Rendili Planet Defense Force soldiers attacked the control center as fighting spread to orbital-defense bases and spacecraft, while the Planet Defense Fleet stayed docked and ignored Republic orders.
• Arden Lyn crossed a Dreadnought-class cruiser toward the hangar to investigate Captain Jess Darlen's situation and reach the flagship.
• A group of soldiers demanded that Arden Lyn declare loyalty to the Republic or Rendili, then attacked her with electroshockers and a blaster pistol; she killed them and concluded that the Separatists were making another move.

Aden-Lin discovered a coordinated mutiny that had seized warships across the fleet and realized she might need to reach the bridge to escape. Meanwhile, Tang Xiao married Adele Ulan on Rendili, leaving her overwhelmed as he departed to deal with someone in the Planet Defense Fleet.

• Aden-Lin found that mutineers had killed, imprisoned, or forced the crew to join them and had kept the captured warship silent and motionless.
• Aden-Lin killed the guards at the sealed Hangar Platform and realized the flagship Mersel-Keber might also be locked against her, so she turned toward the bridge.
• Tang Xiao and Adele Ulan married at the Urlan family estate in a small ceremony attended mostly by family members.
• Tang Xiao kissed Adele Ulan before the guests, and she trembled and cried as she struggled to accept the marriage and its burden on her family.
• Tang Xiao told Adele Ulan to rest and left to deal with someone in the Planet Defense Fleet, while she remained dazed among the departing guests.

After marrying Adele Ulan, Tang Xiao left to secure the Rendili Planet Defense Fleet while Bangjila Ulan convened the Shipwrights' Conference to bring Rendili StarDrive into the Confederacy of Independent Systems. When the shipyard owners resisted, Bangjila trapped them in the hall and unleashed destroyer droids.

• Tang Xiao hastily held his wedding to Adele Ulan, then headed to the Planet Defense Fleet to keep it under his control.
• Bangjila Ulan worked to secure support at the Shipwrights' Conference so he could take control of Rendili's orbital defense platforms.
• Bangjila told the shipyard owners that Rendili would resist the Galactic Republic and join the Confederacy of Independent Systems through Adele Ulan's marriage to Tang Xiao.
• The shipyard owners loudly objected, and some tried to leave the conference hall.
• Bangjila revealed that the doors were blocked, then summoned destroyer droids to surround the shipyard owners.

Bangjila-Ulan massacred the Shipwrights' Conference and used the killings to seize control of Rendili Planet's orbital defenses. He left the surviving Ulan loyalists to activate the defense platforms in preparation for a possible invasion.

• Bangjila-Ulan decided to kill the shipyard owners at the Shipwrights' Conference because he knew they would not join his rebellion.
• After the massacre, more than three hundred shipyard owners and managers entered the venue, including Ulan loyalists and replacements for some of the dead.
• Bangjila-Ulan declared that Galactic Republic agents had sabotaged the conference and formed a Rendili StarDrive Temporary Emergency Committee.
• Bangjila-Ulan ordered the committee to activate all twelve orbital defense platforms and prepare to repel an invasion.
• The chapter described Rendili Planet's defensive lines and the firepower of its FireStar-class stations and Golan I platforms.

Bengila Urlan secured the loyalty of several Rendili defense platforms and began purging rivals while the Planet Defense Fleet descended into a struggle between Republic supporters and Rendili StarDrive forces. Jedi Knight Jing Fang was attacked when he tried to board the fleet, but bounty hunter Arden Lyn offered him a way to survive.

• Bengila Urlan rallied five of Rendili’s twelve defense platforms to his side and ordered purges of families opposed to the Urlan family.
• Jing Fang approached the Planet Defense Fleet flagship Mesel-Kebir, but no one answered his request to board.
• Captain Jesse Darlen told Darth Malthael that he had nearly secured the Mesel-Kebir while fighting continued aboard the fleet’s ships.
• Darth Malthael ordered Jesse Darlen to keep the fleet in place, then told him to shoot down Jing Fang’s shuttle.
• Jing Fang evaded fire from the Mesel-Kebir as another cruiser attacked the flagship, and Arden Lyn urged him to reach her ship.

Jing Fang reached the Lars and learned that crew mutinies had overtaken much of the Rendili fleet, likely through clones replacing soldiers who had taken leave. He and Arden-Lyn decided to attack the flagship Messer-Kaibel, but Jesse-Darlen ordered the fleet to destroy the Lars.

• Jing Fang found corpses aboard the Lars and learned from surviving soldiers that Arden-Lyn had killed hundreds of mutineers and seized the warship.
• Jing Fang met Arden-Lyn on the bridge, where she estimated that at least two-thirds of the fleet faced crew mutinies.
• Arden-Lyn connected the mutinies to Jesse-Darlen's order allowing soldiers to return to Rendili for leave, and Jing Fang realized they may have been replaced by clones.
• Arden-Lyn proposed destroying the flagship Messer-Kaibel to encourage resisting ships to join them, and the Lars's remaining gunners fired on it.
• Messer-Kaibel broke away from its berth, and Jesse-Darlen ordered the fleet to concentrate fire on the Lars, calling it traitorous.

Arden Lin triggered resistance across the fleet by announcing that Jedi Knights were coming, then left Jing Fang to rescue the Republic loyalists while she infiltrated the Messer-Kabel. The chapter ended as she opened a maintenance passage into the flagship.

• Arden Lin announced that Jedi Knights were coming to save the fleet, then told Jing Fang she cared only about retaking it and left in a V-19 fighter.
• Jing Fang escaped his damaged warship as the Messer-Kabel and two Dreadnought-class cruisers fired on it, while soldiers on other ships began opening their hangars and calling for help.
• Jing Fang flew toward a Victory I-class Star Destroyer, and Arden Lin mocked his choice before heading for the Messer-Kabel.
• Arden Lin evaded the flagship’s defenses, used the Force to reach its outer armor, and entered a maintenance device she had prepared earlier.
• The device unlocked a maintenance passage, and Arden Lin entered the Messer-Kabel.

Arden Lyn fought her way onto the Messer-Kable’s bridge and confronted Darth Malthael, who tried to stop her by invoking Xendor’s revival. She seized him by the throat, but he countered by spreading a life-draining Force through her wrist.

• Arden Lyn crushed a maintenance robot, restored the compartment’s pressure, and headed toward the bridge through signs of fighting.
• Arden Lyn caught and crushed a blaster bolt when Separatist soldiers attacked her.
• Jesse Darlen saw Arden Lyn advancing on the surveillance feed, and Darth Malthael ordered him to leave in an escape pod.
• Arden Lyn entered the bridge and asked where Jesse Darlen had gone, while Darth Malthael said he had sent him away.
• Darth Malthael mentioned reviving Xendor, prompting Arden Lyn to seize him by the throat.
• Darth Malthael grabbed Arden Lyn’s wrist and sent a decaying Force into her that began consuming her life force.

Darth Malthael confronted Arden Lyn and warned her that Darth Sidious had lied about resurrecting her husband, Xendor. After Arden Lyn attacked and overwhelmed his clone, she paused to consider Malthael’s warning and admitted she had no reason to put all her hopes in Sidious.

• Darth Malthael’s Death Force was blocked by Arden Lyn’s Kash-Mer talisman, and he explained what the ancient artifact was.
• Darth Malthael told Arden Lyn that Xendor had died long ago and that Darth Sidious had lied about being able to resurrect him.
• Darth Malthael revealed that he was Darth Pregas’s other apprentice and claimed he could demonstrate the Resurrection Spell, while Arden Lyn demanded proof.
• Arden Lyn attacked Darth Malthael, blocked his Lightsaber with Force energy, and battered his clone as he urged her not to trust Sidious blindly.
• Arden Lyn stopped after sending Darth Malthael crashing into a console and conceded that relying entirely on Darth Sidious made little sense.

Arden Lyn forced Darth Malthael to stay aboard the ship and contact Darth Malthael while the battle for Rendili continued. At the Planetary Shield Control Center, hired mercenaries arrived and began turning the fight against the Republic defenders.

• Arden Lyn stopped Darth Malthael from leaving and demanded that he bring Darth Malthael to answer her.
• Darth Malthael weighed the threat posed by the Jedi Knights and Arden Lyn, then agreed to wait and contact Darth Malthael.
• Darth Malthael ordered the ship’s crew to resume combat duty and arranged for Captain Jesse Darlen to leave.
• Rendili Rebel Forces failed to breach the Planetary Shield Control Center despite their numerical advantage.
• Mercenaries hired by Rendili StarDrive arrived and attacked the control center, beginning to turn the battle.

Jax Pavan helped Rendili’s defenders hold the Planetary Shield control center while battles raged across the planet. As Darth Malthael sensed a powerful Light Side presence entering the system, he realized Master Yoda had arrived.

• Mercenaries and Rendili Rebel Forces stormed the Planetary Shield control center, and Jax Pavan crashed in on a stolen Speeder to lead the Republic defenders inside.
• Jax Pavan used the Force to barricade the control room doors and rallied the surviving soldiers to hold out for reinforcements.
• B-1 battle droids captured an anti-orbital weapons base near Rendili Planet’s south pole, after which Rebel soldiers moved in to take control.
• Fighting and propaganda continued across Rendili Planet as both sides sought control of the Planetary Shield and the Planet Defense Fleet.
• Darth Malthael sensed a vast Light Side presence enter the Rendili system and recognized it as Master Yoda.

Master Yoda confronted Darth Malthael on the flagship Messer Kebel, determined to stop the Sith Lord despite his weakened condition. After Yoda saw through Malthael’s false existence, he prepared to fight him and Arden Lyn.

• Darth Malthael learned Master Yoda had arrived on Rendili Planet and ordered the ship’s hatch opened.
• Darth Malthael tried to persuade Arden Lyn to help kill Master Yoda by appealing to her desire to resurrect her husband and destroy the Jedi Order.
• Master Yoda boarded the flagship Messer Kebel, stopped the Rendili Rebel Forces soldiers’ blaster fire, and knocked them unconscious.
• Master Yoda reached the bridge and confronted Darth Malthael and Arden Lyn.
• Darth Malthael urged Master Yoda to let him resist Darth Sidious, but Yoda ignited his Lightsaber and declared that he had seen through Malthael’s false existence.
• Master Yoda identified Arden Lyn as an ancient Dark Jedi Knight and said she would face judgment alongside Darth Malthael.

Master Yoda confronted Darth Malthael on Rendili, but Arden Lyn revealed that Malthael was a decoy and killed him. As Yoda and Arden prepared to fight, Palpatine sensed the clash from Coruscant, and an unknown man awakened from a medical pod on Rendili.

• Darth Malthael introduced Arden Lyn and invoked the ancient Legions of Lettow, but Master Yoda rejected his attempt to distract him.
• Master Yoda overpowered Darth Malthael and severed his disguised Lightsaber, then demanded to know where the real Darth Malthael was.
• Arden Lyn revealed that she had no need for a decoy, pierced Darth Malthael's chest with her mechanical arm, and discarded his dying body.
• Chancellor Sheev Palpatine learned that Tang Xiao was on Rendili and that Master Yoda had gone there, then sensed Light Side and Dark Side Force eruptions and laughed.
• An unknown man emerged from a medical pod on Rendili and mocked Lord Jing for being defeated by two old men.

Darth Malthael emerged from stasis and unleashed Death Force that transformed workers and a spaceport into an undead wasteland. Still short of mastering his power, he turned toward the Planetary Shield control center while reflecting on the friendship he had lost with Cun Te.

• Darth Malthael’s Death Force spread through a factory, killing workers and turning them into undead.
• Darth Malthael recognized that he still needed to complete the ritual in the Valley of the Dark Lords to fully master the Death Force, and he named Darth Sidious and Marka Ragnos as enemies.
• Darth Malthael contacted Cun Te, who admitted that he had chosen the factory location and accepted the harm it would cause for the Fourth Civilization.
• Darth Malthael thanked Cun Te but could not say goodbye before crushing the communicator, realizing their friendship had ended.
• Darth Malthael left the undead spaceport aboard a shuttle and headed for the Planetary Shield control center while Master Yoda and Arden Lyn fought elsewhere.

Master Yoda and Arden Lyn fought aboard the crippled Dreadnought-class cruiser Messel-Kabel, wounding each other before the ship’s destruction interrupted their duel. Arden Lyn escaped toward the hangar, while Yoda used the Force to stabilize the warship and steer it away from battle.

• Master Yoda attacked Arden Lyn with his Lightsaber, and she blocked his blows with the Iron Hand Technique.
• Arden Lyn shattered Yoda’s Lightsaber, while Yoda struck her abdomen and both fighters were wounded.
• Master Yoda prepared to unleash a powerful Force attack, but explosions rocked the Messel-Kabel and sent the ship tumbling.
• Arden Lyn retrieved her backpack, put on a helmet, and fled across the collapsing hull toward the hangar.
• Master Yoda used the Force to restore the ship’s position and Gravity Generator, then operated the controls to steer it away from battle.