- "They rebel to become the navy we've prayed for. They have come to save us. But first, we must save them."
- ―Gial Ackbar, to Rebel Alliance forces
The Mutiny on Mon Cala was a rebellion in which the Mon Calamari rose up against the Galactic Empire's occupation of their planet. In 1 ABY, the Alliance to Restore the Republic sent Leia Organa and the Heroes of Yavin to Mon Cala to recruit the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet to their cause. They succeeded, but the fleet was forced to fight against an Imperial Blockade to escape Mon Cala.
Prelude[]
Failed Negotiations[]
Following an Imperial invasion, during the early reign of the Galactic Empire, the water planet of Mon Cala fell under Imperial occupation[10] Sometime after the Battle of Yavin, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Gial Ackbar, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 traveled to an atoll on Mon Cala to meet with Regent Dors Urtya, Grand Admiral of the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet. They discussed recruiting the fleet to the Rebel cause and starting an uprising against the Imperial occupation, but were interrupted by a squad of stormtroopers in a LAAT/le patrol gunship that destroyed Urtya's ship. Han Solo killed many of them with a thermal detonator, but the surviving troops pursued the rebels into a nearby jungle. The Rebels, fortunately, managed to escape by boat.
Fearing the consequences the people of his world might face, Urtya declined to provide the Rebellion with the fleet's aid in their war against the Empire. Disappointed, the rebels returned to the Mako-Ta Space Docks to report to Mon Mothma and Jan Dodonna.[3] Refusing to give up on the Mon Calamari fleet, Leia Organa proposed to Alliance High Command that they free the imprisoned King Lee-Char from the Imperial base on Strokill Prime. After some debate, the plan was approved. Rebel forces then traveled to the Dex Acquisitions Depot prison on Meor Ain to free Tunga Arpagion, a Clawdite shapeshifter, to aid their effort.[9]
Kidnapping of Moff Hubi[]
Returning to Mon Cala, Rebel forces infiltrated the Moncaladrome opera house by disguising Luke Skywalker as a stormtrooper, while C-3PO and R2-D2 pretended to be caterers and Han an attendant. R2-D2 gave Moff Tan Hubi an accelerator, his favorite beverage, and waited for him to use the refresher. When he did so, Han Solo and Chewbacca kidnapped the Moff and replaced him with Tunga Arpagion, who imitated the Moff's appearance.
Infiltration of Strokill Prime[]
Leia Organa and a small team took the real Hubi to the base on Strokill Prime, where she used codes provided by Queen Trios of Shu-Torun alongside Hubi's biosignature to bypass the base's defenses.[5] After evading a giant fish, the Rebel team successfully infiltrated the prison. They located King Lee-Char but found him barely alive, attached to a life support system.[11] Moff Hubi then managed to get in contact with Imperial Forces and reveal that he had been kidnapped and replaced with an impersonator.
In the Moncaladrome, stormtroopers opened fire on the false Moff, but the Rebel forces managed to escape. In the prison on Strokill Prime, King Lee-Char recorded a speech to be played for his people, but was cut off when Stormtroopers entered the room and opened fire, killing Lee-Char. Moff Hubi was caught in the crossfire and died as well. The Rebel team fought their way out and returned to Mon Cala, meeting up with C-3PO, R2D2, and Tunga.[7]
The Mon Calamari Uprising[]
The Rebels attempted to broadcast Lee-Char's recording to the Mon Calamari fleet, but found themselves surrounded by Regent Urtya's Guards. The Mon Calamari Regent took the recording of Lee-Char's final moments, only to decide to broadcast it Mon Calamari fleet himself. Inspired by Lee-Char's words, the Mon Calamari rose up against the Imperial forces. They attempted to escape the system, joined by the Millenium Falcon, but five Imperial II-class Star Destroyers suddenly entered the system.[7]
The Star Destroyers deployed several TIE bombers to destroy the fleet, which lacked any weaponry and could only watch as the deadly fighters approached. Fortunately, Rebel Admiral Gial Ackbar arrived with squadrons of X-wings and Y-wings as backup, defending the fleet from the bombers. Despite Ackbar's reinforcements, the Rebel fleet remained outmatched and trapped, until Pysk Lila, captain of the Aurora Flare, came up with a plan. Her ship was loaded with a shipment of extremely explosive coaxium.
Lila piloted the Flare towards the Imperial blockade, which the Imperial forces believed was merely a desperate last resort. The Star Destroyers fired on the Flare, realizing too late that it carried a volatile payload that would punch a hole in the blockade. Imperial Admiral Tyrus Meori ordered his ships to stop firing and take evasive action, but the order was not relayed in time to prevent the Aurora Flare from exploding catastrophically. The blast threw the Imperial forces into chaos and allowed the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet to escape.
After the Rebels escaped, the Imperial Star Destroyers commenced an orbital bombardment on Regent Urtya's headquarters, killing him.[6]
Aftermath[]
Although Urtya lost his life, Lee-Char's message of rebellion had successfully been transmitted, and the Rebel Alliance had secured a fleet.[6] The Imperial occupation of Mon Cala would eventually be broken when the Quarren and Mon Calamari joined together, wiping out the Empire's garrison on their homeworld together.[12]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars (2015) 44 (First appearance)
- Star Wars (2015) 45
- Star Wars (2015) 46
- Star Wars (2015) 47
- Star Wars (2015) 48
- Star Wars (2015) 49 (First identified as mutiny on Mon Cala)
- Star Wars (2015) 50 (Mentioned only; in the opening crawl)
- Star Wars (2015) 53 (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars (2015) 62 (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars: Build Your Own X-Wing 20 (Starfighter Aces: Zev Senesca – Fighting for the Cause) (Indirect mention only)- The Star Wars Book
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- Star Wars: Character Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition (Indirect mention only)
- "Pilots of the Rebel Alliance" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Timelines
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire (First identified as Mutiny at Mon Cala)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy (Indirect mention only)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Star Wars (2015) 43
- ↑ Star Wars (2015) 50
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 Star Wars (2015) 44
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Star Wars (2015) 46
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 Star Wars (2015) 49
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Star Wars (2015) 48
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Star Wars (2015) 45
- ↑ Darth Vader (2017) 17
- ↑ Star Wars (2015) 47
- ↑
Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 24 (Starship Fact File: Mon Calamari Star Cruiser)