Battle of Geonosis (Star Wars Episode II – Attack of the Clones) (7/9)

Attack of the Clones is considered to be the worst film in the Star Wars franchise by many people, but the Battle of Geonosis featured at the climax of the film was undeniably a knockout. The battle serves as the first conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists in the Clone Wars.

Audiences had first heard of the Clone Wars in 1977 in Star Wars Episode IV when it was discussed by Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. They would have to wait until 2002 to see the war on screen for themselves with Attack of the Clones.

The battle begins when Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, and Obi-Wan Kenobi are captured on the desert planet Geonosis and sentenced to be executed in a Roman-style ampitheather, only to be rescued at the last minute by the arrival of Mace Windu and a force of two hundred Jedi Knights. A major battle breaks out between the Jedi and the arrival of thousands of battle droids; the Jedi sustain massive casualties due to the sheer number of battle droids and their number is reduced to just twenty. Just as Count Dooku orders the droids to finish them off, they are saved by the arrival of Jedi Master Yoda and a force of Clone troopers in gun ships.

The battle then transitions to the desert outside of the amphitheater where the Clone Troopers and Battle Droids clash head on. The Clones are victorious and sustain heavy losses on the battle droids, who are forced to retreat. Later, it is revealed that the Separatists never intended to win the battle and it was merely a part of the plot of Darth Sidious and Count Dooku to instigate the Clone Wars. 

This battle is a pure spectacle and a visual feast for the eyes. It was the first land battle we had seen on a massive scale in Star Wars since the Battle of Hoth in Episode V.