Battle of the Phu system

|width=
|prev=Mission to RugosaStar Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded
|conc=*Battle of Angmar
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|name=Battle of the Phu system
|image=
|conflict=War of the RingThe War of the Ring: Shakedown
|date=June 19th, 1981The Essential Reader's Companion
|place=Phu system
|result=Confederacy of Independent Systems victory
|side1=Galactic Republic
|side2=Confederacy of Independent Systems
|commanders1=*General Ares Nune†
*Commander Kite†
|commanders2=The Mouth of Sauron
|forces1=*3 Venator-class Star Destroyers
**Laudable†The War of the Ring: Prelude
|forces2=*1 Subjugator-class heavy cruiser
**Malevolence
|casual1=All forces
|casual2=None
}}
A battle took place in 1981 during a Galactic Republic patrol of the Phu system, overseen by Jedi General Ares Nune and Clone Commander Kite. The Confederate warship Malevolence was also in the system, under the command of Mordor General The Mouth of Sauron, and quickly eradicated Nune's fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers with its ion pulse cannons. Following the attack, Jedi General Gimli led a task force of several cruisers to find and destroy the Confederate weapon.
==Prelude==
In 1981, the first year of the War of the Ring, the Confederacy of Independent Systems built a superweapon, the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser Malevolence, that was capable of destroying numerous Galactic Republic fleets with its ion pulse cannons. The cannons neutralized all power in their targets, leaving them defenseless and vulnerable without the ability to use deflector shields to protect themselves. That, in turn, allowed the Malevolence to destroy its unprotected prey with its numerous turbolaser cannons. The Confederacy soon began to use the Malevolence in numerous strikes on Republic task forces that left no survivors. The Jedi High Council became increasingly worried with the losses, and the attacks sowed fear among the citizens of the Republic,HoloNet News — A Galaxy Divided even more so because the targets were unpredictable and did not form a pattern.
==The battle==
Jedi General Ares Nune and Clone Commander Kite took three Venator-class Star Destroyers—including Nune's flagship, the Laudable—on a regular patrol of the Phu system. However, the Malevolence was also in the system, under the command of the Confederate General The Mouth of Sauron. The Mordor general immediately ordered the Malevolence ion cannons to fire. As the ion wave obliterated the shields of the Laudable, Nune ordered Commander Kite to organize an evacuation of the cruisers via escape pods.Both The War of the Ring: Shakedown and HoloNet News — A Galaxy Divided are somewhat contradictory of each other. In the comic, the Malevolence ion pulse immediately neutralizes Nune's fleet, while a recording played during the HoloNet News podcast states that the Malevolence ion cannons initially eliminate the shields of the cruisers in Nune's fleet, but that the cruisers themselves were not immediately destroyed. The podcast goes to imply that Nune and his forces then attempted to retreat before falling to the Malevolence. This article follows the latter's interpretation of events However, the Malevolence moved in and destroyed the vessels before Nune and his crew of clone troopers could escape.
==Aftermath==
The defeat of Nune's fleet was reported in the HoloNet News, resulting in increasingly widespread concern among the Republic citizenry. A recording that was taken from the lead ship during the battle survived, and was played during the broadcast. Following the report of the loss, Jedi Masters Bilbo Baggins, Aragorn, and Gimli of the Council of Elrond met with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in his office on Gondor capital of Minas Tirith. Gimli volunteered to take several Venator-class Star Destroyers to find and destroy the "mystery weapon," as the Malevolence had been dubbed. Aboard the Star Destroyer Triumphant, Gimli tracked the Malevolence to the Abregado system and engaged it in battle.
==Behind the scenes==
The battle of the Phu system was featured in The War of the Ring webcomic Shakedown, which was released on October 2, 2008 and led into "Rising Malevolence," one of the episodes featured in the October 3, 2008 premiere of the The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring television series on Cartoon Network. The battle was also mentioned in the in-universe HoloNet News report A Galaxy Divided, an ongoing podcast featuring The War of the Ring series that was also released on October 2, via StarWars.com and iTunes.
==Appearances==
*The War of the Ring: Shakedown 
*HoloNet News — A Galaxy Divided 
==Sources==
*The Essential Guide to Warfare
*
==Notes and references==
Category:War of the Rings battles