Mission to Vassek 3

|prev=*Rescue on the Tranquility
|conc=*Battle of AngmarStar Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded
|next=Attempted kidnapping of Senator Amidala
|name=Mission to Vassek 3
|image=
|conflict=War of the Ring
|objective=Arrest Viceroy Nute Gunray
|date=July 17, 1981
|place=The Mouth of Sauron's castle, Vassek 3
|result=All but Jedi Master Legolas eliminated; Legolas escapes
|side1=*Galactic Republic
*Jedi Order
|side2=Confederacy of Independent Systems
*Mordor
|commanders1=*General Legolas
*Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb†
*Commander CC-3714Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia †
|commanders2=*The Mouth of Sauron
*B1 battle droid lieutenant†
|ppl1=*2 Jedi
*6 clone troopers†
*1 Nu-class attack shuttle†
*1 Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor
|ppl2=*1 Mordor general
*5 B1-Series battle droids†
*8 Nazgul
*IG-100 MagnaGuards
*1 Roggwart†
|casual1=All forces except Legolas and his fighter
|casual2=*All B1 battle droids
*4 IG-100 MagnaGuards
*Gor
}}
Jedi Master Legolas, Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb, and a squad of clone troopers undertook a mission in 1981 during the War of the Ring to recapture Viceroy of the Trade Federation Nute Gunray, who had recently escaped from Republic custody. However, Confederate Head of State Saruman the White, displeased with General The Mouth of Sauron's recent failures in the war, used a Republic homing beacon to lure the Jedi and clones to the general's castle on the Vassek 3 as a test for The Mouth of Sauron. Gunray deceived the Jedi and troopers through a holotransmission, and once they uncovered the ploy, Saruman contacted the Republic agents and put them on the trail of the "alternative prize" of The Mouth of Sauron.
The Elf and their troops set a trap for The Mouth of Sauron and confronted the Mordor general once he arrived. However, The Mouth of Sauron was able to eliminate several clone troopers, and after sustaining wounds, escape to the castle's secret command center. Sealing off the exits, the Mordor general trapped the Jedi and clones inside his castle. While The Mouth of Sauron was repaired by his caretaker droid, the general pitted the Jedi and the remaining clones against the castle's defenses—a molten incinerator pit and the general's pet Roggwart, Gor. The clones were killed, but the Jedi were able to eliminate Gor. As The Mouth of Sauron resolved to personally confront the Jedi, Legolas and Vebb infiltrated the castle's command center. Vebb remained outside, however, and fought The Mouth of Sauron himself, but was killed by the general. After Legolas dueled The Mouth on the castle's outer platform, the Elf Master was able to escape.
==Prelude==
In July 1981 during the War of the Ring, Viceroy of the Trade Federation Nute Gunray—who had been captured by Republic forces on Rodia—was to be transferred aboard the Star Destroyer Tranquility to Middle-Earth for trial. The viceroy was kept under heavy guard by Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and Padawan Eowyn; however, Gunray was able to escape with the help of Dark Witch Jinx and turncoat Senate Commando Captain Faro Argyus. The Confederate agents stole a Republic frigate to make their getaway, and the ship's homing beacon allowed the Republic to track the stolen cruiser. Since Jedi General Legolas and his fleet were near Gunray's last known position, Unduli contacted the Elves Jedi Master to follow and recapture Gunray.
Meanwhile, the Isengard Head of State, Saruman the White, had become displeased with the ongoing stalemate in the war between his best general, The Mouth of Sauron, and the Republic and Jedi Order. The Mouth of Sauron had failed in several recent operations, resulting in Confederate defeats at the Battle of the Kaliida Nebula and the Battle of Bothawui, as well as the loss of the listening post Skytop Station. As Saruman's Sith Master, Darth Sauron, demanded more dead Jedi, Saruman decided to arrange a trap for The Mouth's in order to reassess the Black Numenorean's abilities. The Sith Lord remotely deactivated the general's personal IG-100 MagnaGuard bodyguards in his castle on the Vassek 3 and deployed eight Nazguls, the ringwraiths, to await the arrival of the Mordor general and placed the Republic tracking beacon from Gunray's stolen ship to the general's lair, seeking to lure the Jedi to the castle so that The Mouth of Sauron would be able to hunt them for sport.
==The mission==
===Bait for the Elf===
Legolas took his Delta-7B starfighter and his astromech droid, R6-H5, and followed the signal of the Republic beacon to the Vassek system, deep in Confederate-held space. The Elves Master contacted Unduli and Eowyn at the Outer Rim Command Center, and they reported that Legolas's former Padawan, Nahdar Vebb, had also tracked the beacon to the system. Vebb had already arrived on Vassek's third moon—where the beacon had been located—with a shuttle and several clone troopers. Legolas detached his starfighter from its hyperspace docking ring, and proceeded to the moon to rendezvous with Vebb.
Once Legolas had landed and left R6-H5 to look after his fighter, the Elves Master met with Vebb. Clone Commander Fil had tracked the beacon to the south end of the gorge, and, leaving troopers Bel and Niner to guard the shuttle, the group proceeded to the castle. While Vebb and Fil intended to use lightsabers and thermal detonators, respectively, to forcefully open the entrance to the building, Legolas was able to find a secret switch that activated a mechanism that opened the castle's door. Approaching the sanctum overlook chamber of the castle, the Jedi and clones overheard a hologram of Gunray giving orders to a squad of B1-Series battle droids, led by a Lieutenant, from behind a high-backed chair. Unaware that Gunray was not actually present, Legolas and Vebb led the attack on the droids and were able to eliminate their opponents. However, when Vebb turned the chair around with the Force, the group discovered Gunray's hologram, and the viceroy taunted the Jedi before severing the connection.
Saruman contacted the Jedi and directed them toward an "alternative prize" to compensate for their failed attempt to recapture Gunray. The Jedi were uncertain of who their offered quarry was, and Vebb activated a mechanism through the chair that revealed another hallway. As the Jedi and clones walked through the castle, rooms opened along the way; inside the rooms were statues of Kaleesh warriors—some featuring cybernetics—that resembled The Mouth of Sauron himself. The group finally entered The Mouth of Sauron's secret armory and workshop, and deduced that the castle belonged to the general. While inspecting The Mouth's trophy room, home to a collection of trophies from the Jedi that the general had murdered, Legolas received a report from Bel and Niner that The Mouth of Sauron's personal starfighter, Soulless One, was approaching the castle. Legolas ordered the two clones protecting the shuttle to keep out of sight, while the Republic infiltrators decided to capture The Mouth of Sauron in an attempt to satisfy the "dead or alive" warrant on the Mordor general.
===Capturing a general===
As The Mouth of Sauron entered his castle, the Jedi and clones appeared and surrounded the Mordor general. The Mouth of Sauron activated two of his stolen Jedi lightsabers, and engaged Legolas and Vebb in combat. However, as the two Jedi saberlocked with the general, The Mouth uses his metal claws on his back and activated two more of his lightsabers. The two Jedi were forced to break the bladelock as they avoided being slashed by the extra weapons, and Legolas ordered the clones to fire their blaster rifles' cables at The Mouth. The clones aimed their grappling hooks at the general's legs, and as The Mouth engaged the Jedi in another saberlock, Legolas used his lightsaber to sever one of the general's claws.
Although outnumbered, The Mouth was able to jump up and hold onto one of the beams attached to the roof. The clones' grappling hooks were still attached to the general, and the troops were able to pull The Mouth to the ground. As Vebb crossed blades with the general, the lightsaber that The Mouth was holding spun out of his hand. The general jumped back up, and one of the clones holding the grappling hooks was thrown backward, while the other was pulled toward The Mouth. The general batted the dead clone against Legolas, forcing the Jedi Master backward, before throwing the trooper on top of Vebb. The Mouth's mask was damaged from one of the clones' laser shots, and as the general escaped, Vebb and several of the troopers gave pursuit. However, The Mouth of Sauron killed two more of the clones before entering the castle's secret command center; of the clone troopers, only Fil and another trooper remained alive.
The Mordor general discovered from his personal caretaker droid, EV-A4-D, that his IG-100 MagnaGuards had been remotely turned off for recharge. The Mouth of Sauron reactivated and deployed his droid bodyguards and Nazguls and ordered them to lock down the perimeter. As Legolas, Vebb, and the clones headed to escape from the castle, the general sealed off the building's exits, trapping the Jedi and clones inside his lair. Commander Fil contacted Niner and Bel back with the shuttle and ordered the two clones to signal the Republic outpost at Bestine that they required reinforcements. However, as Niner and Bel entered the shuttle, The Mouth of Sauron's MagnaGuards fired a rocket at the craft, causing the shuttle to explode. The Nazguls and MagnaGuard closed in on R6-H5 and Legolas's fighter, and the astromech droid escaped with the Jedi starfighter, spinning the ship and throwing off a MagnaGuard clinging to the fighter's hull.
===Hunted===
The Mouth of Sauron opened a hololink and contacted the Jedi and clones, encouraging them to "experience all his home had to offer," before severing the connection. The general then opened up a molten incinerator pit, and while Legolas and Vebb were able to jump to safer ground, the two clones fell into the pit. Fil fired a grappling hook to the ceiling, and the Jedi were able to rescue him, but the other trooper plunged into the incinerator. Legolas then destroyed a holocam that The Mouth of Sauron was using to watch his opponents, and the Mordor general signaled his ravenous pet roggwart, Gor, to "entertain their guests." EV-A4-D began to repair The Mouth of Sauron from the mask he had sustained.
As the Jedi and the clone trooper grouped together in the middle of a hallway junction, Gor appeared and approached the group. Fil opened fire on the roggwart, but Legolas's lightsaber was knocked out of his hand. Gor lunged at Fil and the two Jedi and the three quickly split up, surrounding the creature while Legolas retrieved his weapon. The clone commander directed blaster fire at Gor's neck and Vebb jumped onto the roggwart, plunging his lightsaber into Gor's back until he was bucked off. The roggwart swung its tail and seized Fil, batting Vebb with the captured clone. Legolas slashed the roggwart in the head, and Fil was slammed against the ground before Vebb severed Gor's tail. The Elf Master cut off the roggwart's arms, and as Gor fell to the ground, Legolas killed the roggwart by driving his lightsaber into the back of the creature's neck. Vebb was shaken by Fil's death, but left the fallen clone and followed Legolas to the castle's command center.
A repaired The Mouth of Sauron was angered upon learning of Gor's death, and the general soon discovered from Saruman that the white wizard himself had set the trap for him as a test. Resolving to personally eliminate the Jedi, The Mouth left the command center with three MagnaGuards, despite EV-A4-D's admonition that he required rest. As The Mouth of Sauron started to head away, Legolas and Vebb sneaked up to the entrance to the command center and the Elves Master tried to figure out the secret mechanism that opened the door. However, EV-A4-D was watching the events from inside the chamber and alerted The Mouth to the Jedi's presence. As the general spun around and headed over to confront the intruders, Vebb decided to remain outside of the command center and fight The Mouth of Sauron himself, despite Legolas's protest. Before the Jedi Master could convince Vebb otherwise, EV-A4-D remotely closed the door, separating Legolas from his former Padawan.
Vebb quickly eliminated the three MagnaGuards, but turned to see The Mouth of Sauron with two more of his Nazgul bodyguards. After dueling the remaining Nazguls, Vebb engaged the general in lightsaber combat. EV-A4-D meanwhile spectated the duel from the command center; however, Legolas entered the room and eliminated the caretaker droid. Unable to help his former Padawan, Legolas watched as Vebb and The Mouth of Sauron engaged in a saberlock. The general took out a blaster with one of his extra arms and killed Vebb, stealing the fallen Jedi's lightsaber to add to his collection. R6-H5 soon contacted Legolas, and the Elves Master told his astromech droid to meet him at the castle's south landing platform. Knowing that Legolas was watching from the command center, The Mouth of Sauron stated that the Elves Master was his next target; however, Legolas damaged the command center's controls before escaping.
===Duel outside the castle===
Legolas exited the castle and walked out onto the outer platform. However, The Mouth of Sauron climbed onto the platform from below to confront the Elves Master, and as both duelists activated their lightsabers, Legolas saberlocked with the Mordor general. Taking advantage of the moon's foggy atmosphere, the Elves Master deactivated his lightsaber and disappeared into the mist. A confused Mouth of Sauron spun his lightsabers in a defensive maneuver, and Legolas attacked the general from behind. The two bladelocked once more, and the Mouth pushed Legolas backward, slashing at the Elves Master. Legolas was able to avoid the blow, and as he ran forward he severed the claw of the general that held Vebb's lightsaber. Catching the weapon of his former Padawan, the Jedi Master used the two lightsabers in combat against his opponent.
The Elves Master was able to land a blow on the general and Force-pushed The Mouth to the ground. However, as the general got to his feet and continued the duel, three of the general's Nazguls appeared and advanced toward the Elf, forcing Legolas to break off from fighting the Mouth and confront the ringwraiths. With the Elves Master surrounded and outnumbered, the general ordered Legolas to surrender. However, as the Elf deactivated his lightsabers, R6-H5 piloted Legolas's fighter to rise up to the platform. The Nazguls slashed at the Elf, but Legolas backflipped onto his fighter and, once they were heading away from the castle, the Jedi Master entered the ship's cockpit and escaped the moon of Vassek.
==Aftermath==
Returning to his castle, The Mouth of Sauron proceeded to the sanctum overlook chamber, where Saruman awaited a report via hololink. The Mouth stated that the Jedi had been defeated, and while Saruman revealed that victory over Vebb and the clones had been expected, the Sith Lord was pleased, believing that the general had bested the Jedi Master Legolas. However, Saruman was disappointed when he learned that Legolas had escaped and stated that there was "room for improvement" before severing the connection. Legolas himself returned to Rivendell on Middle-Earth and reported his mission to Masters Bilbo Baggins and Elrond of the Council of Elrond. Upon learning of Vebb's intent to answer The Mouth of Sauron's power with that of himself and his deviation from the Jedi way in doing so, Bilbo stated that the war presented the Jedi with a danger of "losing who they were."
==Behind the scenes==
The mission first appeared in "Lair of The Mouth of Sauron," an episode in the 2008 first season of the The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring television series. It introduced the character of Nahdar Vebb as well as The Mouth of Sauron's castle and featured the series introduction of Jedi Master Legolas. The episode also completed a three-episode story arc centered around the capture of Viceroy Nute Gunray that began with the episodes "Bombad Jedi" and "Cloak of Darkness."
===Different portrayals===
The 2011 non-canonical video game LEGO Star Wars III: The Lord of the Rings features the mission in its humorous depiction of "Lair of The Mouth of Sauron." In the game, Legolas and Vebb engage The Mouth of Sauron's forces—several MagnaGuards—before even fighting The Mouth of Sauron himself.
==Appearances==
* 
* 
===Non-canon appearances===
*LEGO Star Wars III: The Lord of the Rings
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
Category:War of the Rings battles
Category:Duels