A thrilling new Star Wars theory reveals one dangerous superweapon in Star Wars: The Clone Wars was inspired by a far older High Republic technology. The Separatists ultimately proved to be little more than a puppet state created as an adversary for the Republic, but the Separatists did convince a massive number of planets to their cause. The Republic was undeniably corrupt and morally questionable, but the Separatists were far worse, with Count Dooku alone orchestrating many war crimes.
The Separatists unleashed many superweapons during the Clone Wars, including biological weapons - notably a new strain of the Blue Shadow Virus. This lethal virus killed millions long before the Clone Wars, and was revived by the Separatist scientist Nuvo Vindi, who turned it into an airborne plague weaponized against Naboo and the rest of the Republic. Fortunately, the Republic found an antidote containing reeksa root.
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The Separatist Weapon On Iego Explained
Unfortunately, reeksa root was only found on one planet - Iego - which was controlled by the Separatists. As seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1, episode 18, the Separatists set up an advanced orbital security system to prevent anyone on Iego leaving the system - implying they knew how important reeksa root was. Vessels could easily enter the system and land on Iego, but outgoing ships would activate the LaserWeb Defense Station, which would destroy the ships. The primary laser projector and power source for this security system was on Millius Prime, one of Iego’s moons.
Millius Prime is the home of Iego’s “angels” (Diathim), with the species making their onscreen debut in The Clone Wars.
The populace of Iego did not know that these mysterious and deadly lasers were a Separatist security system, however. Iego’s people thought the planet was ruled by a supernatural entity known as “The Ghost of Drol,” which killed anyone who attempted to leave. The illusion was shattered when Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi traveled to Iego to obtain their reeksa root and make a cure for the Blue Shadow Virus. After discovering the truth behind “Drol,” Anakin and Obi-Wan destroyed the laser grid’s source on Millius Prime, allowing everyone on Iego to freely leave the system.
Where Did The Separatists Get The Idea For The Ghost Of Drol?
The “Ghost of Drol” is remarkably similar to the Barrier of Jewel of the Old Republic,” supposedly harboring the last Old Republic mint in the galaxy. During the High Republic era, the Barrier – an artificial nebula-like security system – was constructed to cut At Attin off from the rest of the galaxy. Authorized ships could land on At Attin but any unauthorized vessel would be destroyed by lightning-like energy. At Attin’s citizens were unaware of the Barrier’s purpose.
The residents of At Attin remained ignorant of major galactic events, such as the Clone Wars, the fall of the Republic, and the Jedi Purge. Although At Attin was largely lost to the rest of the galaxy, its droid Supervisor was still in with the Republic, so it is possible that the Separatists were inspired by At Attin’s Barrier when creating Iego’s laser web. Palpatine could have known about At Attin and relayed this knowledge to Count Dooku.
The Ghost & The Barrier Feel Like Jedi & Sith Approaches To The Same Thing
Neither the Jedi nor the Sith seem to have directly involved with the creation of At Attin's Barrier or the Ghost of Drol. Still, the two seem symbolic of their respective Force-using factions. At Attin's Barrier is all about protection, while the Ghost of Drol was about persecution; both are fundamentally flawed and highly unethical, representing the flaws in the Republic, the Jedi, the Serpataists, and the Sith. It's a striking parallel between Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Skeleton Crew.
Star Wars Movies |
Release Date |
|---|---|
The Mandalorian and Grogu |
May 22, 2026 |
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Release Date
- 2008 - 2020-00-00
- Network
- Cartoon Network, Netflix, Disney+
- Showrunner
- Dave Filoni
Cast
Tom KaneNarrator / Yoda / Medical Droid / Yularen / Kraken (voice)
Anakin Skywalker (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated series that explores the intense conflict between the Republic and the Separatists. Featuring a mix of loyalty shifts and alliances, it delves into complex mysteries of the Force and showcases pivotal moments for characters like Anakin Skywalker and Master Yoda.
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