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"Your bridge will allow us to freely move weapons and troops across this planet—another victory for the Separatist cause. You lose, Kenobi. And now you and your men will die here, alone on this frozen tundra."
―Grievous on Caliban[1]

Caliban was an Outer Rim moon with a frigid climate. Its snow-covered frozen tundra, mountains, and ravines were home to the Qubey species. In 22 BBY, during the Clone Wars, Caliban was the site of a battle, in which the Separatist General Grievous captured Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his clone troopers and took the Jedi's lightsaber.

To comply with the Separatists' demands, the Jedi and his forces began rebuilding a lunar ice bridge that Grievous had destroyed during his invasion of the moon. However, with the help of the Qubey, Kenobi reacquired his lightsaber from the cyborg. After the bridge's completion, Kenobi confronted Grievous in a lightsaber duel and used the Force to bury the Separatist in an avalanche. As he and his troopers left the moon on a gunship, the Jedi ordered the destruction of Caliban's lunar ice bridge so their enemies could not benefit from it.

Description[]

"…don't even mention the word cold. It's hard enough keeping my mind off of how freezing I am."
―Clone trooper Gearshift on Caliban[1]

Caliban was a frigid moon located in the Outer Rim Territories. The moon's terrain consisted of vast frozen tundra stretches, gray stone mountains covered in ice and snow, and deep ravines. A sun was visible from Caliban's surface, and its light made the clouds in the moon's sky appear orange.[1] The moon featured a Type I atmosphere[2] breathable to multiple species.[1]

History[]

A chilly engagement[]

"You are my prisoners. And if you care to live for even one more day, you'll do exactly as I command. You will get to work immediately building a lunar ice bridge, and if you complete my task, perhaps you'll one day leave this frozen wasteland."
―Grievous, to Obi-Wan Kenobi and his clone troopers[1]
Caliban1-BattleTales5

Grievous captured Obi-Wan Kenobi and his clone troopers on Caliban.

In 22 BBY,[3] Caliban was the site of a battle of the Clone Wars, fought between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. While invading the moon, the Separatist General Grievous destroyed the moon's lunar ice bridge that connected one side of the moon to the other, which left one Qubey native separated from the rest of their group. Eventually, Grievous captured the Republic's Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and several of his clone troopers in the conflict, taking the Jedi's lightsaber and having B1-series battle droids surround the group. Grievous then ordered Kenobi and the troopers to reconstruct the lunar ice bridge that Separatist forces had destroyed. When Grievous threatened to kill them if they did not comply, the Jedi countered that forcing prisoners to work violated the Galactic Accords,[1] an established galactic convention dictating rules of engagement in conflicts.[4] In response, however, Grievous only hit Kenobi and insulted him, ignoring his complaint.[1]

Caliban2-BattleTales5

Kenobi and his troopers begin constructing the lunar bridge at Grievous's demand.

Guided by a holographic diagram of the structure they needed to build, the Jedi and his troopers used the provided materials to begin reconstructing the lunar ice bridge over a deep ravine. The laboring prisoners devised a plan to sabotage the bridge and trap Grievous and his forces on one side after escaping across it. However, Kenobi discovered shortly afterward that one of the moon's Qubey had been separated from the rest and remained unable to reunite with their family. Kenobi promised the Qubey they would rebuild the bridge better than before, and the native hugged him. The Qubeys on the other side of the ravine drew a message in the snow for Kenobi to see, indicating they would help attack Grievous upon the bridge's completion.[1]

Confrontation[]

"General Kenobi, I've got visual of the Qubeys on the surface."
"Are they all gathered together on the one side as we planned?"
"Indeed they are, sir."
"Excellent. Fire when ready, Cody."
―Cody and Obi-Wan Kenobi, aboard a gunship[1]
Ice-Ewoks-Attack-B1s

The Qubey attacked Grievous and stole Kenobi's lightsaber from the cyborg.

After coordinating with the Qubey a plan to thwart the Separatists, the Jedi and his troopers continued building the lunar ice bridge. Grievous eventually became frustrated with the slow pace of their progress and confronted Kenobi about it. However, the Qubey then surrounded the Separatist general and latched onto him, distracting the cyborg long enough to steal Kenobi's lightsaber from him. Grievous broke away from the natives in disgust, leaving the site with disdain. Afterward, Kenobi thanked the group of Qubey for acquiring his weapon for him.[1]

After the bridge's completion, Grievous gloated about how it would allow the Separatists to conquer the moon easily. After the Separatist general revealed that he was planning to abandon Kenobi and his troopers to die in Caliban's frozen tundra, the Jedi signaled his Qubey allies to attack. The Separatists scrambled to oppose the combatants and assemble reinforcements as Kenobi engaged in a lightsaber duel with Grievous. In the ensuing chaos, the clone troopers stole the E-5 blaster rifles from Grievous' battle droids and made their way to a nearby gunship in order to flee the moon.[1]

Caliban3-BattleTales5

As they departed Caliban, Kenobi and his forces destroyed the moon's lunar ice bridge.

Meanwhile, Kenobi continued dueling Grievous and maneuvered the cyborg to near the base of a mountain. The Jedi then used the Force to cause an avalanche that buried Grievous and the rest of his forces. Though Clone Commander CC-2224 "Cody" suggested attempting to take the cyborg into custody for the Republic, Kenobi opted to leave the moon before Separatist reinforcements arrived. As they flew away in their gunship, the Jedi ensured their Qubey allies were safely gathered on one side of the ravine before destroying the lunar ice bridge so the Separatists could not use it.[1] Later that year,[3] Cody recounted Kenobi's actions on Caliban to his colleagues, Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex" and Clone Commander CC-3636 "Wolffe" while on a mission to the planet Hisseen.[1]

Inhabitants[]

"Looks like one of the planet's natives—a Qubey, I believe."
―Obi-Wan Kenobi[1]

Caliban was home to the Qubey, a species of small sentients that spoke an alien language.[1]

Locations[]

"I expected this bridge to be complete by now!"
"General, my men and I are working almost around the clock. It isn't easy rebuilding what you destroyed."
―Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi[1]

During the Clone Wars, a lunar ice bridge spanned a ravine on Caliban's surface and served as the only way to traverse from one side of the moon to the other. The bridge was destroyed by Grievous, briefly rebuilt by Kenobi and his forces, then destroyed again upon the Republic forces' departure from Caliban.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Caliban first appeared in a flashback scene in the fifth issue of the Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales comic-book series. The issue was written by Michael Moreci and published by IDW Publishing[1] on September 30, 2020.[5] The flashback depicting Caliban was drawn by Philip Murphy. The comic alternates between referring to Caliban as a moon and a planet. This article assumes the former is correct due to its initial introduction as an Outer Rim moon and the presence of a lunar ice bridge on its surface.[1]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

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