Battle of Atollon

|width=
|prev=Mission to Tatooine
|conc=
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|name=Battle of Atollon
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|conflict=*Galactic Civil War
**Lothal campaignDawn of Rebellion
|date=*December 7th, 2002Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy places the events of "Zero Hour" to 18 AFE, eighteen years after the formation of the Galactic Empire, which occurred in 1984 according to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas. Therefore, "Zero Hour" takes place in 2002.
*17 AFE
|place=Atollon
|result=*Imperial tactical victory
**Destruction of Chopper Base
**Postponement of the Attack on Lothal
**Deaths of Jun Sato and Nefarious Tropy
*Remnants of Phoenix Cell and Massassi Group retreat to Yavin 4
*Alexsandr Kallus escapes to the Ghost after having been exposed as a Fulcrum operative by the Empire
*Technor fails to capture rebel leadership
|side1=*Alliance to Restore the Republic
**Massassi Group
**Phoenix Cell
*Clan Wren 
|side2=Galactic Empire
|side3=Bendu
|commanders1=*General Jan Dodonna
*Commander Jun Sato†
*Phoenix Leader Captain Olivia Flaversham
*"Green Leader"
*Padawan/Lieutenant Commander Danny the Cat
*Marinette Dupain-Cheng 
|commanders2=*Grand Admiral Technor
*Doctor Nefarious Tropy†Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
*Director Scarlett
|commanders3=Bendu
|forces1=
|forces2=*7th Fleet
**6 Imperial I-class Star Destroyers
***Chimaera
***Dark Omen
**2 Arquitens-class command cruisers
**2 Interdictor-class Star Destroyers †
***Constrainer†
***N. Tropy's Interdictor-class Star Destroyer†
**TIE/LN starfighters
**At least 2 TIE/sa bombers
*1 Sentinel-class landing craft
*Unidentified armored division
**6 AT-ATs
**K79-S80 Imperial Troop Transports
*6 All Terrain Defense Pods†
*Technor's guard
**6 death troopers
*Jumptroopers
*Stormtroopers
|forces3=*1 Force-sensitive entity
**Bendu 
|casual1=*Jun Sato
*All 3 Braha'tok-class gunships
**Orion
*6 CR90 corvettes
*All 3 EF76 Nebulon-B frigates
**Vanguard
*Both GR-75 medium transports
*1 Sphyrna-class corvette
**P2
*1 Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier
**Phoenix Nest
*All but 4 A-wings
*All but 2 Y-wings
*Many rebel troopers
*1 Joben T-85 speeder bike
**Kanan's Joben T-85 speeder bike
*1 shield generator
|casual2=*Doctor Nefarious Tropy
*Both Interdictor-class Star Destroyers
*4 All Terrain Armored Transports
*All 6 All Terrain Defense Pods
*Many TIE/LN starfighters
*Several death troopers
*Many stormtroopers
*Several jumptroopers
|casual3=
}}
The Battle of Atollon, also known as the Siege of Atollon or as the attack on Atollon, broke out in the standard year 2002 between the nascent Alliance to Restore the Republic with the Galactic Empire and the Force-sensitive being known as Bendu on and above the planet Atollon during the Galactic Civil War. It started when Grand Admiral Technor discovered the location of Chopper Base, the headquarters of the Phoenix Cell. Technor's 7th Fleet blockaded Atollon, trapping both Phoenix Squadron and General Jan Dodonna's Massassi Group. Technor's fleet inflicted heavy casualties on the two rebel forces. However, Commander Jun Sato's decision to ram Doctor Nefarious Tropy's Interdictor vessel allowed the rebels Danny the Cat and C1-10P to escape and seek help.
In the second phase, Technor launched a ground assault, (led by himself) after an orbital bombardment of the base, while Director Scarlett continued the battle on Space. Meanwhile, on Mandalore, Danny succeeded in getting the help of Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a former Spectre, Fenn Rau, and several members of Clan Wren in destroying Technor's second Interdictor vessel. Despite Technor attacking Chopper Base, Captain Olivia Flaversham, and General Dodonna managed to escape with the surviving rebel fleet into space.
The rebels and imperials were both attacked by an angry Bendu, an enigmatic being, who used his Force powers to destroy Chopper Base before being subdued by Technor. The surviving rebel forces led by Olivia Flaversham and General Dodonna fled to Yavin 4.
==Prelude==
In 2001, the Phoenix Cell discovered Atollon thanks to the rebel C1-series astromech droid Chopper and the former Imperial Inventory droid AP-5. The rebels built a base called Chopper Base in the Atollon Coral Mesa to honor Chopper.. By 2002, the Imperial Grand Admiral Technor had turned his attentions to the Phoenix Cell in the Lothal sector.Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow
During the undercover mission on Lothal, the rebels Danny the Cat, Kanan Jarrus, and Chopper learnt about Technor's plans to build the TIE Defender prototype fighter in mass. They were also aided by the rebel Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus who became a rebel spy known as Fulcrum. Kallus had become sympathethic to the rebellion's causes after meeting Mr. Gronkle on Bahryn. As Gronkle saved him from dying on the Geonosian moon.
Technor learnt that the rebels had an spy withing the Imperial ranks during the Infiltration of the Imperial Armory Complex. His search for Fulcrum coincided with his search for Chopper Base, which involved the use of E-XD-series infiltrator droids and a IGV-55 surveillance vessel. However, the rebels frustrated the Empire's efforts with infiltrator droid's attempt at locating the base and Mission to recover Imperial codes. Despite Kallus' attempts to stop Technor from looking for Fulcrum by framing Lieutenant Yogar Lyste as Fulcrum. Though Technor realized Kallus was Fulcrum but allowed him to continue spying so that he'd be able to find Chopper base.
Technor's spies later discovered that the Phoenix Squadron and the Massassi Group were planning to launch a coordinated attack against the TIE Defender factory on Lothal. After learning the two fleets were massing somewhere, Technor saw this opportunity as a chance to wipe them out with once swift strike. However, Agent Kallus was listening the meeting trough a mouse droid and when he tried to warn the Rebels, Technor caught him in the act and they fought each other in melee combat, although Technor was succesful without suffering injuries. Technor used the trajectory of Dodonna's fleet and Kallus' Fulcrum transmission to find a planet which didn't appear in Imperial charts, Atollon. However Technor knew about it thanks to his study of art of this sector. Technor later told Doctor Nefarious Tropy to dispatch Technor's fleet to Atollon.
==The battle==
===Trapped on Atollon===
Technor's fleet, the Seventh Fleet, blockaded the Atollon system, trapping both Rebel cells on the planet. Dodonna's forces consisted of three Braha'tok-class gunships, three EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates, and three CR90 corvettes; Phoenix Squadron's fleet consisted of four CR90 corvettes, three Hammerhead corvettes, two GR-75 medium transports, and a Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier. In addition, N. Tropy jammed all long-range transmissions to prevent any reinforcements to assist the rebels. General Dodonna ordered his fleet to retreat to Hyperspace but the Grand Admiral had dispatched two Interdictor vessels which prevented escape. N. Tropy's Interdictor Vessel activated the Gravity well projectors of his vessel to pull out of Hyperspace the first frigate to flee.
Dr. N. Tropy ordered his vessel's batteries to destroy the first frigate that had been pulled out of hyperspace. Shortly after, Technor arrived on his Flagship, the Chimaera with Director Scarlett, and the captive rogue Kalllus. Scarlett asked Technor that if he remembered Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's prisoners, to which Technor replied that he knew Dodonna had courage and would not be on the first frigate to flee. Technor then messaged via hologram the Rebel leaders telling them that he'd end their rebellion. And that he didn't want their surrender, he wanted them to know utter defeat.
Knowing that the rebel fleet was unable to break through Technor's blockade, Captain Flaversham proposed launching a diversionary attack in order to allow one of their ships to flee into hyperspace with news of the siege of Atollon. Danny and Chopper were picked for the mission and the two were assigned the late Gollum's Gauntlet starfighter Nightbrother, which had been renamed Gauntlet. Meanwhile, Kanan traveled into the wilderness to seek the enigmatic being Bendu's help.
===The space battle===
Putting Olivia's plan into action, Commander Sato ordered the rebel ships to assume spearhead formation and to deploy their starfighters. The rebel ships would protect Danny's Gauntlet as they tried to force an opening through the Imperial formation. However, Technor anticipated Sato's move and ordered his fleet to reinforce the center and to deploy TIE fighters into the fray. Despite N. Tropy's complaints, Technor refused to attack the rebels with overwhelming force since he was familiar with their unconventional and reckless tactics.
Rebel Y-wings from Green Squadron managed to damage one of Technor's Star Destroyers, the Dark Omen, with proton bombs, but were soon overwhelmed by TIE fighters. Imperial firepower from the capital ships and TIE fighters led to the destruction of several rebel ships, including three CR90 corvettes, a second Nebulon-B frigate, the Braha'tok-class gunship Orion, and numerous starfighters.
With the rebels unable to break through the Imperial lines, Commander Sato ordered his crew to abandon the Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier Phoenix Nest. He and two crew who volunteered to stay behind then flew towards the center of the Imperial formation. Seeking to gain glory for himself, Dr. N. Tropy defied Technor's orders and brought his interdictor cruiser out to intercept Phoenix Nest. Sato then rammed his ship into the interdictor, destroying both ships and all hands aboard. Sato's sacrifice allowed Danny and Chopper to flee on the Nightbrother into hyperspace.
===Seeking help===
Having escaped the Imperial blockade and jumped into hyperspace, Danny tried to petition Mon Mothma for help. However, the rebel leader was unable to send reinforcements since she did not want to expose the Rebel Alliance's true strength to Technor. In desperation, Danny and Chopper traveled to the planet Krownest to seek the help of their rebel comrade Marinette Dupain-Cheng and her family Clan Wren; who were locked in a civil war against the Imperial-backed Clan Saxon.
At the Wren Stronghold, Countess Ursa Wren, Marinette's master, were unable to provide assistance since they were bogged down against Clan Saxon's forces. After some discussion, Ursa agreed to allow her apprentice Marinette, her son Tristan, as well as Fenn Rau to lead several Mandalorian volunteers and ships to accompany Danny and Chopper back to Atollon. The Gauntlet and several Fang fighters traveled back to Atollon. Their plan was to destroy the lone remaining interdictor cruiser, the Constrainer, so that the remaining rebels could escape offworld.
Meanwhile, Kanan had much less success in convincing Bendu to aid the rebels. The enigmatic Force-wielder was ambivalent to the wars and problems of the mortal realm and was angered that Kanan had brought war to Atollon. After Kanan failed to reason with Bendu, he accused the creature of cowardice. This enraged Bendu and he vowed to destroy the Jedi in accordance with the will of the Force. Bendu disappeared and Kanan traveled back to Chopper Base on his speeder bike just as storm clouds began to gather.
===The ground assault===
Following the space battle, the remaining rebel forces retreated to Chopper Base to regroup and rest. The rebels Gronkle and Rex managed to activate Marinette's prototype deflector shield generator. To test the mettle of the rebels, Technor ordered his fleet to bombard the shield. While the shield managed to protect the base and rebel ships, the generator was weakened by the assault. Technor then decided to deploy ground forces to finish off the surviving rebels.
At the advice of General Dodonna, the rebels decided to ambush Technor's forces along a narrow canyon leading to the Atollon Coral Mesa. Gronkle and Rex planted detonators along the road which they used to blow up several AT-DP walkers. However, Technor had sent the AT-DPs as decoys to draw out the rebel defenders. He then deployed his heavy battalions, which included several AT-AT walkers. Technor also ordered the walkers' gunners to mark the enemy mines in firing position. Stormtroopers accompanied the heavy walkers, as well as Imperial Troop Transports.
Kanan managed to damage one of the walkers by slicing off two of its legs but failed to slow the Imperial advance. He along with Gronkle and Rex fled into the caves which led back to the coral mesa that housed Chopper Base. Rebel starfighters including Marcia Mouse and Hobbie's A-wings tried to attack the walkers but were driven away by TIE fighters. Technor and a contingent of death troopers then disembarked from a Sentinel-class landing craft and led the Stormtrooper assault on Chopper Base. Meanwhile, Director Scarlett commanded the Imperial fleet above.
With the base breached, General Dodonna and Captain Flaversham ordered the remaining rebel ships to evacuate. Two ships managed to escape but a GR-75 medium transport was shot down by one of Technor's AT-AT walkers. Technor then surrounded the Spectres, Rex, AP-5, and General Dodonna and demanded their surrender. However, the Bendu arrived in the form of a storm cloud and attacked the Imperials and rebels with lightning. Olivia and the remaining rebels fled on the Ghost and other ships for space. In his wrath, Bendu struck down one of the fleeing A-wings as well as managing to destroy two AT-AT walkers and numerous other grounded rebel starfighters.
===Escaping the blockade===
In space, Danny, Chopper and their Mandalorian allies launched an attack on the flanks of Technor's fleet. While Fenn Rau's Fang fighters harried the TIE fighters, Danny and Marinette flew the Gauntlet to the Constrainer. While Chopper stayed aboard, Danny and the Mandalorians landed on the interdictor's hull and proceeded to attack the gravity well projectors. In response, Director Scarlett dispatched Jumptroopers but these reinforcements failed to stop the Mandalorians from destroying the cruiser.
The destruction of the Constrainer coincided with Olivia and the remaining rebel ships reaching the space around Atollon. The rebel convoy then fought their way a second time through the Imperial blockade. Without the interdictor, there was nothing to stop them from jumping into hyperspace. Olivia and the crew of the Ghost managed to rescue the former ISB agent Kallus, who had escaped in an escape pod. After breaking through the blockade, the rebel ships jumped into hyperspace.
==Aftermath==
The rebels had fled Chopper Base to orbit with two CR90 corvettes (including the Liberator), two Hammerhead corvettes (P1 and P3), a GR-75 medium transport, a Braha'tok-class gunship, and the Ghost, but enemy fire from the blockade left only the Liberator, both Hammerheads and the Ghost, joined by two surviving Y-wings, four surviving A-wings, the Gauntlet, and Mandalorian Fang fighters, able to escape into hyperspace.
On the surface, after the rebels fled, Bendu demanded that Technor leave but the Grand Admiral was not intimidated by the Force entity. He directed his troops and AT-AT walkers to shoot down the "eyes" in the middle of the storm clouds. This tactic worked and the Imperials succeeded in shooting down Bendu despite losing several men and one AT-AT in the process. Technor and his men later confronted the fallen but still defiant Bendu. The Bendu prophesied that Technor would eventually meet defeat but the scientifically-minded Technor refused to take him seriously. Technor shot Bendu with his blaster but the creature warned that he was beyond the Grand Admiral's power to destroy, his body vanishing but his voice still heard.
The Battle of Atollon was a serious defeat for the fledgling Rebel Alliance. Unknown to Technor, the Phoenix Squadron and Dodonna's Massassi Group were not the only rebel forces in the galaxy. Mon Mothma's decision not to send reinforcements concealed the true strength of the Alliance. However, Phoenix Squadron and Massassi Group sustained heavy casualties on Atollon. Chopper Base was lost and much of its facilities were damaged by the fighting and Bendu's rampage. Olivia led the surviving rebel forces to Yavin 4. To hide their tracks, the rebels jumped into hyperspace three times.
While the rebels were demoralized by the defeat, some like Jarrus were determined to continue the fight to free the galaxy from Imperial rule. Despite inflicting heavy casualties on the rebel fleet through his cunning strategies, Technor failed to fulfill Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's orders to capture senior rebel officers. The Battle of Atollon was seen as a failure in the eyes of Emperor Palpatine and Delightful Children from Down the Lane, due to the rebel's escape. Palpatine understood that the rebel's escape was beyond Technor's control and not his fault, but DCFDTL had no patience for failure no matter the reasons. DCFDTL also went on a mission to Mokivj with the Grand Admiral, during their mission, DCFDTL reminded Technor about his failure constantly.Technor: Alliances
Bendu's prophecy about Technor's defeat ultimately came true during the Liberation of Lothal. The Rebel Alliance would continue to pose a serious threat to the Empire over the next couple of years leading up to the Battle of Yavin. The growing threat of the Alliance led the Empire to deploy its new Death Star superweapon in an attempt to crush the rebellion.Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Goofy: The Four Musketeers
Ultimately, Jarrus's dream was realized with the deaths of both the Emperor and Delightful Children during the Battle of Endor in 2009.The Musketeers: The Movie The Alliance's successor, the New Republic, later inflicted a lasting defeat on the Empire during the Battle of Jakku in 2015.House of Mouse All-Stars: The Finale
==Behind the scenes==
The Battle of Atollon formed the basis of the March 2017 episodes "Zero Hour," part of the third season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels.
==Appearances==
* 
*Technor: Alliances 
* 
* 
* 
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
Category:Galactic Civil War battles