What If: The Separatists Won the Clone Wars?

Hello there! Recently I had a fun, thought-provoking question: what if the CIS successfully won the Clone Wars?

In the PT, we learn the Clone Wars were rigged from the start by Palpatine and Dooku in order to weaken the galaxy. However, what if Dooku was secretly plotting to betray Palpatine beforehand, and therefore, actually bring a victory to the CIS and fracture the Republic? What would the Skywalker Saga look like?

I’ll be splitting this series into four parts: an alternate ROTS, an alternate ANH, an alternate ESB, and an alternate ROTJ. TPM and AOTC will remain as standard. If this proves fun I might make an alternate ST.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
The movie opens the same as OTL: Anakin and Obi-Wan infiltrate the Invisible Hand to rescue Palpatine. They then confront Dooku and Obi-Wan is knocked unconscious. Anakin and Dooku then duel, but this time, it is Dooku who bests Anakin. Palpatine then laughs, much to Anakin’s confusion, and he gloats that he is Dooku’s master, and this battle was a test to see if Anakin was stronger than Lord Tyrannus. As it turns out, Palpatine overestimated Anakin.

Obi-Wan wakes up just in time to see Palpatine kill Anakin. The two Sith escape. The Republic is bombarding on the Invisible Hand and it is only a matter of time before the ship explodes, so Obi-Wan takes Anakin’s lifeless body and leaves on an escape pod.

Anakin is given a proper Jedi funeral. Obi-Wan is severely shaken by the death of his “brother”, but also yearns to set things right with Palpatine. The Republic still believes Palpatine is their righteous leader captured by the evil mastermind Dooku. Obi-Wan reveals to the Council the truth, but with no evidence, they dismiss the outrageous story as a byproduct of his grief. Yoda requests Obi-Wan stay in his chambers “for a short while”.

But Obi-Wan soon realizes “a short while” is really “until the war is over”, and he cannot sit while millions die in vain. He goes rogue.

On the run from the Republic, Obi-Wan makes his way to a criminal world (Nal Hutta?) and runs into a teenage Boba Fett and his gang of bounty hunters. Obi-Wan pretends to join the bounty hunters, trying to get close to CIS leadership.

After a few side adventures, Obi-Wan succeeds in infiltrating the Separtist Base on Serrano but is ultimately captured. Dooku escorts him to Palpatine. Dooku privately claims to Obi-Wan that he is not what he seems - he only joined the Sith to infiltrate the corruption within the Republic, as he said all those years ago on Geonosis. Dooku also claims to be saddened by the unnecessary death of Anakin.

In Palpatine’s throne room, the Master of the Sith orders Dooku to execute Obi-Wan and silence these rumors. While Palpatine chants about turning the lightsaber to strike your true enemy Dooku ignites Obi-Wan’s blade and cuts Palpatine in half.

Dooku and Obi-Wan team up against Palpatine’s Guards. After winning, Obi-Wan suggests now that Dooku has finished his mission he return to the Jedi. But Dooku has other plans. He thinks the Republic is too corrupt even with Palpatine’s riddance. If they elected and failed to notice Palpatine, how much more injustice could continue? Obi-Wan, beaten from grief, agrees and takes Dooku’s hand.

In actuality, Dooku has been corrupted by the dark side and is only fulfilling the rule of two. Palpatine’s death was never for the greater good, but for his own rise to master. And Obi-Wan is now his Sith Apprentice.

With Palpatine dead, the Republic war effort collapses overnight. Dooku negotiates a peace deal - the Republic officially acknowledges the Confederacy of Independent Systems as a sovereign government, beginning a long cold war that will ignite to flames during an alternate OT…

Part of it sounds WAY too similar to The Last Jedi.

FreezingTNT2 said:

Part of it sounds WAY too similar to The Last Jedi.

Yeah, I stole most of the finale from the throne room 😃

It was a cool scene. And with the butterfly effect, it is unlikely TLJ will happen. I am trying to somewhat align with the original films, so to pull off the reverse of Palpatine winning, I have the Snoke Throne Room.

STAR WARS: EPISODE IV - THE PLANET KILLER
The galaxy is in a state of the cold war. Tensions are high between the Republic and Confederacy, with the former claiming the Confederates pawns of the Dark Side, and the latter claiming the Republic inherently corrupt. As a result, both powers have entered a massive arms race.

Rumor has it the Confederacy is developing a weapon that will turn the Republic’s fleet useless - “The Death Star”, an abandoned Geonosison project from the Clone Wars. Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano is sent to investigate…

Intro
Ahsoka meets Saw Gerrera on Jedha, a Confederate world. Gerrera is leading a morally-questionable undercover resistance that is nevertheless backed by the Republic thanks to common interests. Gerrera gives Ahsoka the Death Star plans. Suddenly, the Confederacy arrives, led by the fearsome General Grievous.

A battle ensues. Ahsoka gives the plans to her droid, R2D2, but not before the camp is overrun. The Confederacy arrests Ahsoka on premises of trespass. R2 gets away just in time.

On the command ship, Ahsoka is interrogated by Grievous and much to her surprise… Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi thought he died shortly after Anakin. Despite turning evil Obi-Wan is still charming, as he and Grievous have a round of good cop / bad cop to get Ahsoka to reveal where she put the Death Star plans. But after getting the necessary information, Obi-Wan drops all formalities and lets Grievous kill his former ally. The two later speak with a hologram of Count Dooku, and we learn that they are rivals for the Count’s right hand.

In deep space, R2D2 commands an escape pod. It is captured by pirates.

Act One
On Coruscant we are introduced to our two main characters: Jedi Trainees Luke Starkiller and Leia Amidala, as well the annoying droid C-3PO, who is responsible for teaching and watching them. Luke and Leia are both orphans, saved by the Jedi, and have been close friends since childhood. Both are eager for adventure, but despite their older age the Council has yet to make either a padawan.

They eagerly attend their yearly graduation, expecting this year to be the year they are chosen by a Knight to be Padawan but are skunked once again. Luke is angry but believes the Jedi must have some reasoning, while Leia thinks the Jedi are purposefully holding them back. Leia convinces Luke to leave the Jedi Temple, just for a day.

They wander through a Coruscant Trading Yard, filled with shady dealers. Leia finds an offline R2D2 and recognizes its markings as Jedi. When she touches it, she has a startling vision that plays the events of the prequel trilogy.

Luke and Leia purchase the droid with all their credits just as C-3PO arrives, having followed them all this way. They are annoyed when suddenly, some offline Battle Droids turn on and shoot at the Jedi. Luke, Leia, and the droids manage to escape and head to the Coruscant underworld.

In a safe location, they find Ahsoka’s message and realize what this means. Luke wants to hand the information over to Jedi, but Leia sees this as an opportunity. How much longer until they are chosen to be Jedi? She argues they are ready now. When Luke further probes her, Leia reveals she also thinks she saw her real father in a force vision.

Knowing the coordinates of the Death Star construction site, Luke and Leia head to a discrete club in search of a pilot. It is here we meet smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca. Leia tells him they are Jedi on a top-secret mission. Han initially thinks they are frauds, but when Luke uses the force, he thinks otherwise and agrees to help the Jedi for 17,000 credits.

Act Two
Chancellor Willuff Tarkin and Jedi Grandmaster Mace Windu discuss the rising power of the Confederacy. Windu is worried, so Tarkin suggests they execute Order 99. Windu seems shaken by the very words but nevertheless agrees.

The Millenium Falcon takes off for the neutral world Kessel. On Kessel, Obi-Wan and Grievous negotiate the process of building overhead. With the Kyber Crystals from Jedha installed, all the Confederacy now needs is coaxium. We are introduced to the Kessel Natives, who control the planet, and learn that they are leaning towards union with the CIS.

The Millenium Falcon is interrupted in the midst of hyperspace, and long story short, we have the Kessel Run. Leia doesn’t seem to mind, after all, Han said he’s done it before. Then Han reveals he lied to get their attention. Despite the insurmountable odds, Han is able to survive, and ironically makes the trip in 12 parsecs.

Checking the plans, Luke and Leia realize the unthinkable: it is counting down to the destruction of Kessel. The Confederacy must be hiding the fact that their weapon is already operational.

But also by this point, Han realizes Luke and Leia aren’t real Jedi and gets rightfully angry. He wanted credits, not a suicide mission! Despite Luke and Leia’s pleas to “do the right thing”, Han abandons them on Kessel. Without Han, Luke and Leia infiltrate the mining facility and shut down the shields. Leia confronts Obi-Wan, who tells them they are fighting for the wrong side, but the two are able to outrun him. They steal starfighters and head towards the undefended trench run when suddenly, a massive Confederate fleet arrives! All seem lost when…

Act Three
A giant Republic fleet retaliates, commanded by Windu. And just like that, the Galactic Cold War sparks hot and the fleets clash. Luke and Leia attempt to hit the trench run just right, but keep failing, with the countdown getting closer and closer. Obi-Wan boards his own ship and shoots at them.

Luke’s ship is damaged and he must retreat, so it is soon all up to Leia. When all seems lost, the Millenium Falcon appears and blows up Obi-Wan’s ship. Leia fires the proton torpedoes at the last second, imploding the weapon and saving the day.

Everyone celebrates. But then Luke realizes something is off. The countdown hasn’t shut down…

Windu informs the Chancellor the Confederacy has been neutralized and it is time to execute Order 99. A fully-functioning Republic Death Star emerges out of hyperspace, and within seconds, destroys Kessel for allying with the CIS. The peaceful Kessel Natives try to run, but all are killed.

The Death Star plans were never by the Confederacy, they were by the Republic. The CIS was only answering with their own Death Star to prevent the Republic from doing what just happened to Kessel via mutually assured destruction. Now, by no means is the CIS the good guys here. Rather, both forces are equally destructive on their desire to one-up the other. Such is the nature of a cold war.

In a final scene, the phony Chancellor Tarkin proclaims the tragedy of Kessel is the fault of the CIS and promises vengeance for the Republic in a Second Clone War. War has returned to the galaxy.

When will you do the rest of the saga?

FreezingTNT2 said:

When will you do the rest of the saga?

A few more days for the next episode. I’m busy with work this week, and they take longer than I initially expected. However, I do have some rough ideas for where things will go and am excited to share!

STAR WARS: EPISODE V- REIGN OF TERROR
War has spread across the galaxy. The equally corrupt Republic and Confederacy hope to seize control over the galaxy while countless innocents suffer. The Jedi are no longer seen as heroes, but rather “the dogs of Coruscant”.

Intro
Mace Windu arrives on the Republic’s Death Star, where he informs the head of operations, Director Krennic, that Coruscant is displeased by his results. They have a Death Star where the Confederacy does not - how is it Grevious has succeeded in his hit and run attacks? He ends the discussion by informing a humbled Krennic that Chancellor Tarkin himself will be visiting the battle station.

Act One
On Tatooine, Luke, Leia, and Han subdue a wandering Rancor. We learn that in the time since Episode IV, the group has walked away from the war to become bounty hunters. Jabba the Hutt thanks the group for their service defending his palace, and provides them with their payment - a hostage, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

In the time between Episode IV and V, Obi-Wan has fallen out of favor with Dooku (remember, he and Grevious had an intense rivalry, and after losing their Death Star things turned sour). Leia wants Obi-Wan as her prisoner so that she may interrogate him regarding her true parentage. At this point, Luke still believes he is an orphan.

As they return to the Falcon, the group becomes caught up in a great sandstorm. Luke is lost and captured by Tuskan Raiders, after escaping on his own, he has a vision of an unknown Jedi with a facial scar, telling him to visit Dagobah. Han rescues Luke just in time.

On the Falcon, Obi-Wan is interrogated. He admits he has no idea who Leia’s parents are but knows where they would be - on the Republic’s Death Star. Luke questions this, believing Obi-Wan is using them to get back favor with Dooku and the Confederacy, but Leia wants to follow him. Luke and Leia argue. Luke reveals his own vision about the Jedi, which Leia dismisses because the Jedi betrayed them earlier. Luke will not follow them into what he perceives as a Sith trap and walks out.

Act Two
With this, our fractured heroes embark on two quests - Leia, Han, Chewie, C-3PO, and Obi-Wan to the Death Star, while Luke and R2 head to Dagobah.

General Grevious recognizes the Falcon, and realizes his rival Obi-Wan is alive. Wanting to eliminate him once and for all, he commands his fleet to chase them down, leading to a chase through an asteroid belt. During this chase, Han and Leia slowly fall in love.

Meanwhile, Luke reaches Dagobah and is greeted by two strange characters: one an athletic man with red tattoos, and the other an elderly little green alien. The latter introduces himself as Yoda, and the former as only Maul. The two refuse to answer any of Luke’s questions.

But when Luke does something of inherent goodness the two hermits reveal their true intentions. Yoda is a retired Jedi Grandmaster, and knows of Luke’s true parentage… Anakin Skywalker, a hero of the Clone Wars who passed in its closing days. Jedi are not supposed to marry, so when Yoda and Windu realized what had happened, they had to prevent the scandal from reaching the public. If a great Jedi hero had children, all other Jedi might do the same. So they took Padme’s children away from her, lying that they had died in childbirth, and never telling them the truth. Windu rationalized this as a bad thing in the name of many good things, but Yoda could never overcome his guilt and retired to a life of hermitage shortly after.

Later, an evil crimelord, Darth Maul, discovered Yoda’s resting space and came to kill him. Instead of fighting, Yoda stuck to a pacifist ideology and was able to convince Maul not to continue down the dark path. Maul is now only interested in atoning for his sins. The two agree to train Luke, not in the ways of the Jedi, but in the Bendu, the old way which Yoda and Maul have recently adopted.

Meanwhile, Leia flirts with the dark side. The Falcon escapes Grevious and manages to infiltrate the Republic’s Death Star during Chancellor Tarkin’s arrival ceremony. Shortly after the Republic High Command spot Grevious (from his chase with the Falcon) not far away, and therefore conclude some Confederate base must be on the nearby system - Hoth.

Act Three
Grievous returns to Hoth to fortify their position. The Republic prepares for battle, with Tarkin proclaiming this to be a second Kessel.

Obi-Wan and Leia infiltrate the Death Star and manage to find a Holocron Vault. Here, Leia and Obi-Wan learn that Anakin Skywalker is her father. On Dagobah, Luke senses this disturbance, and realizes Yoda did not tell him the entire story - Leia is his sister! Despite Yoda’s pleading, Luke leaves for Hoth.

The Republic catches Han and Chewie. Leia wants to go and rescue them, but Obi-Wan refuses, pointing out how dangerous it would be. Just then they arrive on Hoth. Grevious has built an experimental, planetary defense shield to stop the Death Star, so the Republic must first land walkers onto this Echo Base to allow the Death Star to fire.

Obi-Wan takes Leia to control room, where he reveals his real reason for agreeing to help her - he indeed wanted to stop it and earn back favor with Dooku. He wants to transfer control of the Death Star to the Confederacy. Leia initially attacks him, but after Obi-Wan reasons, it will save an innocent planet she backs down and helps him.

Han and Chewie are about to be executed when Luke arrives. He saves the gang and they all go to confront Obi-Wan and Leia. Luke wants Leia to destroy the Death Star while Obi-Wan wants her to transfer control. Leia sides with Obi-Wan, completing her turn to the dark side and pushes Luke to his presumed death. He is saved at the last second by Han, and they all escape as Obi-Wan and Leia seize the control room, arrest and kill Chancellor Tarkin for war crimes, and stop the destruction of Hoth.

Windu and the rest of the Republic retreat while the Confederacy celebrates Obi-Wan as a hero once again. Luke returns to Dagobah with Han, Chewie, and the Droids, promising to complete his training in proper and save his sister from the dark side.

STAR WARS: EPISODE VI- RISE OF THE BENDU
Having seized control of the Republic’s only Death Star, the Confederacy of Independent System appears unchallenged in might. They now race towards the core, destroying all in their path. The Jedi Order is losing numbers, and after learning of Windu’s treachery with the destruction of Kessel, most of the galaxy has turned against the so-called “peacekeepers”. The only symbol of peace in the galaxy now is the mysterious “Bendu”, a Jedi-like figure who takes no side in the war and is only interested in helping those who cannot defend themselves.

Intro
Obi-Wan and Leia arrive on Sereno and meet a near-dead elderly Count Dooku. Obi-Wan offers him a drink and introduces who he believes could become a new apprentice. Dooku laughs, citing the time he betrayed Palpatine and tells Obi-Wan he will never be tricked. He orders Obi-Wan to kill Leia now and takes a sip from his wine. The poison kills him instantly.

Act One
Luke Skywalker is a Jedi turned Bounty Hunter turned Bendu. While both powers are distracted by the war, Canto Bight has emerged as a leading slave trader. Luke goes to the planet and frees the children, although it proves a fatal misstep, for the Confederate fleet, is soon to arrive.

Captured, Luke is taken to General Grevious. Grevious explains the CIS has been taken over by Obi-Wan and Leia… something he will not stand for. For his own petty reasons, Grevious has decided to betray the CIS and wants to work with Luke to destroy the Death Star once and for all. Luke is suspicious, having heard this speech from many people at this point, but nevertheless cautiously agrees.

We also follow two separate subplots - on Serrano, Leia embraces the dark side further under Obi-Wan’s teachings. We discover they are planning to use the Death Star against Coruscant. On Coruscant, Windu and new Republic Chancellor Mon Mothma must deal with the increasing anti-Republic sentiment in the galaxy.

Act Two
In order to defeat Obi-Wan, Luke and Grevious must build an army. To do this they travel to the rundown factories on Geonosis, where restart the foundry. Meanwhile, Chewbacca suggests rallying the Wookies, who have been neutral at this point in the war. Han and Chewie travel to Kasshyyk and are able to convince the Wookies to join the fight. Everyone regroups and heads to Courscant, where they plan to warn the Republic.

Luke has a moment when he returns to the Jedi Temple. The Jedi still consider him a traitor and arrest him. All part of the plan. At his trial, he speaks about the pointlessness to the war and that the true enemy is not the Republic or Confederacy, but the dark side and the Death Star. Mon Mothma agrees to this sentiment and accepts the help of Grevious and the Wookies.

Act Three
The massive opposition lightspeeds to Serenno, where a great battle emerges. Luke, Grevious, and Windu fight their way through the Serenno palace. Grevious and Windu are both killed. Luke, at last, reaches the throne room, where now Emperor Obi-Wan taunts him and uses Leia to fight. After a long, emotional battle, Luke is able to convince Leia to stop. She rethinks her choice and is redeemed, as the children of Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan, having turned to the dark side largely due to Anakin’s death, is emotionally beaten and drives his saber into his heart - a partial redemption, if you will.

Luke and Leia walk out of the burning Sith Temple and are met by their many friends and allies. Together, the remnants of the Republic and Confederacy merge into a new Galactic Alliance, ending the years of division that have plagued the galaxy since Palpatine’s meddling. The Jedi are also reorganized into the Bendu, with Yoda and Anakin’s force ghosts watching Luke and Leia happily. Peace has been restored to the galaxy.

Well, that should be it. I don’t think I am going to create an alternate 7, 8, or 9, because the way 6 raps up is more or less the equivalent to how the OT ends irl.