The second part of the 10 Great Battles article is finally here! Let’s take a look on which battles made it to the upper top of the list from the nail-biting Day of the Black Sun Invasion in the Last Air Bender where the combined forces of the Water and Earth nations attempted to invade the Fire nation capital, to the intense and all-light sabers and blasters battle during the invasion of the Confederacy’s droid foundry planet in the Second Battle of Geonosis.
#5: Day of Black Sun Invasion (Last Air Bender Book 3: Fire)
The Day of the Black Sun Invasion, which occurred on the first day of the eight month, was a conflict between the combined forces of the Water tribes and the Earth kingdom against the forces of the Fire nation which aimed to end the Hundred Year War. The main objective was to take control of the fire nation capital and for the Avatar, Air Bender Aang, to defeat the Fire nation’s king, Fire Lord Ozai during the eclipse, known as “the darkest day in Fire Nation history”, predicted in the paper found in Wan Shi Tong’s Library. The date upon which this phenomenon first occurred was the nineteenth day of the seventh month, as indicated in the paper. During this time, the Fire nation’s forces would lose their ability to fire bend for eight minutes.
The invasion was designed to be in two stages: a naval push and a land invasion. The combined forces of the Water tribes and the Earth kingdom needed to get pass the primary defense of the fire nation capital, the Great Gates of Azulon, on the beach fronting the entrance to the capital. The land invasion’s aim was to neutralize the battlements and secure the tower before they could move up the hill towards the upper city and to the walled palace.
First phase of the invasion: the naval stage
The ships of the invading forces approached the Great Gates of Azulon and stumbled upon a fire wall defense. Naval forces, Fire Nation’s first defense, were dispatched to engage them and invaded the ships but the invading force released the submarines and got passed the primary defense of the Fire nation. With the submarines’ limited air supply they needed to resurface first before they land in the beaches.
The submarines encountered the second line of defense as they were hit by harpoon gun-type weapons which tried to capture them but with the clever use of torpedoes, they managed to break into the defense and land on the beaches moments before the start of the eclipse. The invading forces encountered very strong opposition upon landing but managed to placed their assault team on land to begin the second phase.
Second phase of the invasion: the land stage
There was heavy fighting as the invading forces advanced towards the battlements in their plan to secure the fire nation’s main tower. The caterpillar tanks of the invading forces battle with the Fire nation’s tundra tanks in the capital’s outer plaza. In the end, after they managed to neutralize the battlements and move forward towards the wall surrounding the palace as the eight-minute eclipse was about to start. The caterpillar tanks managed to break down the walls in the lower part of the city and entered the outer part of the capital as the fire nation’s forces fell back. However they were still prevented from reaching up the upper part of the city and invading force formed a protective wall as they regroup. During that time they found out from Avatar Aang that the palace and the upper city was deserted. Apparently, the Fire nation was well aware of the incoming eclipse and imminent attack as some of the Fire nation’s soldiers chanced upon the plan on the Earth nation’s capital Ba Sing Se. They moved their king into safety even before the invading forces arrive.
A small group led by the avatar left the battle to search for the bunker where the fire lord was hiding. As the eclipse began, the invading forces moved up the hill towards the upper city and the palace in their quest to secure it before the eclipse ends. The forces managed to enter the city and secure the palace. But as the eclipse ended, the fire nation’s air force were dispatched to regain control of the city. The invading forces where pushed back to the beaches. The air force destroyed their submarines and hundreds of soldiers from the Earth and Water nations were imprisoned.
The avatar and his group, failing to find the Fire lord, managed to escape the capital. On the other side, the Earth nation’s city of Omashu was liberated, led by its leader King Bumi, thus beginning the eventual liberation of occupied regions in the Earth Kingdom.
#4: Battle of Tokyo (Fushigi Yuugi)
The Battle of Tokyo was a conflict waged between the celestial warriors of the southern kingdom of Konan and the neighbouring kingdom of Kutou in the modern-day city of Tokyo. The conflict started as a confrontation between Kutou General Nakago and the remaining celestial warriors of Konan, the magician Chichiri and the bandit Tasuki who were later joined by the other warriors, brought back by prayers of their Priestess Miaka. The battle greatly devastated the war, with the Japanese authorities evacuating the citizens from the major focal point of the battle at the center of the city. The warriors from the Konan kingdom won the battle after Nakago’s powers were sealed. The city was brought back to its normal state upon granting of the third wish of Priestess Miaka by their phoenix god Suzaku.
The Summoning Ceremonies
The conflict started between the ancient Chinese kingdoms of Konan in the south and Kutou (Northeast ast of Konan) on their race to search for and complete the seven celestial warriors necessary for summoning their respective gods: the phoenix Suzaku for Konan and the blue dragon Seiryuu for Kutou. The summoning ceremony of the Konan kingdom was disrupted when Kutou sent a fake celestial warrior, thereby postponing the ceremony. Kutou , despite having some of the seven celestial warriors killed, managed to summon their god Seiryuu thru two Shinzahos (Holy Throne), artefact that were required to summon a beast god, paving the way for the kingdom to invade Konan’ capital city of Eiyou.
Eiyou Invasion
The first wish of the Priestess of Seiryuu was to seal off the powers of the remaining celestial warriors of Suzaku before invading their kingdom. The warriors, having lost their powers, were easily defeated alongside the army of Konan. But in spite of the heavy push of the army of Kutou, they never did managed to march on to the palace as the army of Konan steadily defended it. Eventually, the Kutou’s army fell back, but colonizing some parts of the outer land belonging to Konan.
The Battle of Tokyo
The battle spilled over to the modern-day city of Tokyo as General Nakago, his powers enhanced by the summoning of their god Seiryuu, managed to cross the ancient world to the modern world. He forced the Priestess Seiryuu to grant to him the last wish, that was to make him immortal. Convinced that the wish was granted, that he was indeed a god himself, Nakago carried on his plans on conquering the modern world.
He was confronted by the surviving celestial warriors of Suzaku, the magician Chichiri and the bandit Tasuki. As the battle progressed, they words for the summoning of the god Suzaku was heard, chanted by the Priestess of Suzaku, this was despite the fact that they could not summon their god anymore following the death of the other celestial warriors. Unknown to them, the priestess of Seiryuu’s last wish was not to make Nakago immortal but for the priestess of Suzaku to summon their own god.The appearance of the phoenix god Suzaku signalled the return of its other celestial warriors who joined the battle against Nagako. The priestess of Suzaku sealed the powers of the general of Kutou as her second wish, thus effectively ending the fight.
#3: Second Battle of Geonosis (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
The Second Battle of Geonosis is a full-scale planetary invasion of the planet Geonosis under the Confederacy of Independent Systems staged by the Jedi Council and the Grand Army of the Republic. The conflict occurred during the Clone Wars on the planet of Geonosis, it took place months after the first battle which is considered the first major engagement of the Grand Army of the Republic (which resulted to the loss of most of the 212 Jedi, “the Geonosis strike team,” in the Petranaki arena).
Following the surveillance of Scipio/Banking Clan Senator Rush Clovis and the discovery of the funding for the separatists, the Republic learned that a new droid foundry was constructed for the war effort of the separatists, months after the senate decided against occupying the planet after the first battle. The decision proved to be fatal on the part of the Republic which moved to invade the planet and destroy the factory and the war machine of the separatists once and for all.
The massive invasion were headed by Jedi Generals Ki-Adi-Mundi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, and Anakin Skywalker with the Outer Rim Command as their base for attack. The plan is to use a three-prong assault to attack the shield generator protecting the factory, a vital move because with the shield up, the assault team could not proceed deep into the catacombs where the Geonosians loyal to the separatists hide.
Before the assault, Chancellor Palapatine voiced concern about sending 3 high ranking generals in one battle, but the head of the Jedi council saw the battle too important in ending the war thus the need for a massive invasion.
General Mundi led the northern advance, General Kenobi, the central push while the southern advance was led by General Skywalker. The rendezvous area was decided to be Point Rain. The invasion was met by heavy fire and defenses from the Geonosians. Only Kenobi’s group made it to Point Rain where they held the area from a relentless Geonosians push to reclaim it under the commnad of Archduke Poggle the Lesser . The two other forces soon joined Kenobi’s men and the invading forces destroyed the Ray Shield Fortress protecting the factory.
The combined forces proceeded to overtake the factory from the Geonosians. Their sweep of the catacombs took a long time to accomplish. The invading forces failed to capture the planet’s leader Poggle the Lesser. The victory of the Republic resulted to the weakening of the war-time effort of the Confederacy, decreasing its droid army and shortening the duration of the war.
#2: Sozin’s Comet Battle (Last Air Bender Book 3: Fire)
The Sozin’s Comet Battle was the last conflict of the Hundred Years War that ended the rule of the Fire nation over the cities of the Earth Kingdom and the Southern Water tribe. The conflict started during the second known appearance of the Sozin’s Comet, also known as the Great Comet. The battle mainly occurred in the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se and its outskirts, primarily in the Wulong Forest, between the Order of the White Lotus alongside the Avatar against the naval and air forces of the Fire nation. The conflict also took place in the Fire nation capital as Prince Zuko claimed the throne on the day of the coronation of his sister, Princess Azula.
Following the defeat of the combined forces of the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes during the Day of the Black Sun Invasion, the Fire nation’s king, Fire Lord Ozai declared himself as “The Phoenix King”, the supreme ruler of the three nations, proclaiming his daughter Azula as the new leader to replace him at the throne. At a war council meeting, Ozai’s generals agreed to burn down the Earth kingdom capital and its remaining pockets of rebellion which was still in progress months after the Coup of the Dai Li and the Fall of Ba Sing Se. On his coronation as leader of the three nations, he proclaimed: “Just as the world will be born in fire, I will be reborn as the supreme ruler.”
As was predicted in the papers found in the Wan Shi Tong’s library, the Sozin’s Comet would appear at the end of the summer following the Day of the Black Sun, as was also confirmed by former Avatar Roku. The comet, a celestial body that appears at the upper surface of the earth would enhance the chi of any fire benders, giving them the power of “a hundred suns.” The first known appearance of the comet resulted to the complete annihilation of the fourth group of benders known as the Air Nomads one hundred years prior led by then Fire Lord Sozin. The comet was later renamed in honour of his victory.
The Liberation of Ba Sing Se
The Order of the White Lotus, a secret organization composed of masters from the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, gathered for the plan of retaking the captured city of Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom capital,which was under the control of the Fire Nation. The secret organization that time was headed by the banished Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation. They assembled outside the walls of Ba Sing Se at the day of the arrival of the Sozin’s Comet. On the morning of the battle, Iroh famously proclaimed: “Sozin’s Comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us.” The Order was also led by its other generals, Paaku, Piandao, Bumi and Jeong Jeong. Their aim was to recapture and liberate the city before the air fleet of the Fire Nation arrived.
They managed to destroy part of the wall protecting the city but was then met by the city’s defense, several tundra tanks and Fire Nation soldiers. They quickly eliminated the resistance as they marched towards the inner ring of the city on to the palace.
Despite the appearance of the Sozin’s Comet, the Order successfully took control of the city, burning down the Fire Nation’s flag flying at the palace soon before the disappearance of the comet and the arrival of the air fleet.
The Wulong Forest Confrontation: Avatar Aang vs Supreme Ruler Ozai
The Avatar and some of his allies escaped capture during the failed Day of the Black Sun Invasion and regroup in the Ember Island, located in the outer islands of the northern Fire Nation, to plan for their next move days before the arrival of the Sozin’s Comet.
On the day itself, a small group composing of Avatar Aang’s closest allies infiltrated an air ship of the Fire Nation as the fleet ascend at the assembly point at the Wulong Forest, just outside the walls of Ba Sing Se. They hijacked a ship and crashed it against the others, effectively destroying the entire air fleet, the aim of which was to burn Ba Sing Se to the ground.
On the ground, Avatar Aang faced the newly proclaimed Supreme Ruler Ozai. Upon seeing the avatar, Ozai was known to have uttered: “After generations of Fire Lord failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence.” In his avatar state, Aaang successfully defeated Ozai using the four elements, this was despite the latter’s enhanced fire bending power due to the Sozin’s comet.
Before taking Ozai prisoner, the avatar declared: “Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world, and now you shall pay the ultimate price.”
The Coronation of Fire Lord Azula
Prince Zuko went to the Fire Nation capital on the day of the coronation of his sister Princess Azula to claim the throne from her. A battle between the two proceeded and Zuko won the match and the right to the throne, throwing the princess to a prison.
The day after the arrival of the Sozin’s comet, Prince Zuko was crowned as the new Fire Lord, following the refusal of his uncle Iroh, the brother of Fire Lord Ozai, to take the throne. His first announcement was to declare the Hundred Years War over, liberating the cities occupied by the Fire Nation. The announcement of the liberation was attended by the forces of the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes.
#1: Battle of the Department of Mysteries (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
The first major conflict in the Second Wizarding War, the Battle of the Department of Mysteries occurred on the night of June 18, 1996, at the headquarters of the Ministry for Magic in Britain and was fought between the Death Eaters and the Dumbledore’s Army, later reinforced by the Order of the Phoenix.
The dark lord Voldemort had risen again following the events during the final task of the Triwizard Tournament and the Ministry of Magic’s refusal to believe the event led to the recall of the old Order of the Phoenix, a secret society formed to fight the dark lord and his group of pure blood wizards called the Death Eaters.
“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies….”
The conflict stemmed from the desire of Lord Voldemort to hear the recordings of the prophecy made shortly before the end of the First Wizarding War about his downfall. The recordings was in the Prophecy Hall in the Department of Mysteries were the battle took place as members of the Dumbledore’s Army, led by then-Hogwarts student Harry Potter tried to safeguard the prophecy from the hands of the Death Eaters led by Lucius Malfoy. The Dumbledore’s Army was later reinforced by the arrival of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. The main place of the battle was in the Death Chamber and ended in the capture of all of the Death Eaters except one upon the arrival of then-Hogwarts master and Wizengamot head Albus Dumbledore.
The Mass Breakout in Azkaban
Following the rise of Lord Voldemort during the Triwizard Tournament’s Third Task, the guardians of the wizard prison Azkaban, the dementors, rebelled against the Ministry of Magic and joined the dark lord, freeing-up the Death Eaters captured during the First Wizarding War. Voldemort’s first order was to steal the prophecy concerning his defeat on that first war, the prophecy of which was stored on the halls of the Department of Mysteries inside the headquarters of the Ministry for Magic in London.
The Hall of Prophecy
Lord Voldemort’s Death Eaters managed to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic on the night of June 18, 1996, clearing the headquarters of all of its guards, the Aurors. Members of the Dumbledore’s Army, led by Harry Potter, traveled to the Ministry and engaged in a duel against the Death Eaters to protect the prophecy of Professor Sibyll Trelawney concerning the fall of the dark lord. Half of the Dumbledore’s Army were holed up in the Time Chamber using the Collopotus Charm to held off the Death Eaters. The latter broke into their shield and pursued them out of the chamber. The duel ended with the near capture of all of the responding members of the Dumbledore’s Army at the Death Chamber before the timely arrival of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. The orb containing the prophecy was destroyed during the battle.
The Death Eaters sent to infiltrate the Ministry were all apprehended (except for one) by the arrival of Wizengamot head Albus Dumbledore
“Five different voices behind him bellowed “REDUCTO!” Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit. The towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor —
“RUN!” Harry yelled
“Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thought of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realized he was there. There were yells; one of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore’s spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line —”
The Battle at the Atrium
A duel then preceded at the atrium of the Minister of Magic between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Dumbledore transfigured the statues of the Fountain of Magical Brethren and alert the Aurors. According to the records, Dumbledore was said to have uttered: “It was foolish to come here tonight Tom, the Aurors are coming.” (Tom Riddle being Voldemort’s birth name). Dumbledore managed to hold off the attacks of Voldemort in time for the arrival of the Ministry’s forces. The duel ended with Voldemort fleeing and the Ministry finally recognizing the return of the dark lord after a year of denial. Cornelius Fudge, the prime minister of that time, was removed from office and was replaced by Auror Office head Rufus Scrimgeour who led the Ministry during the majority of the Second Wizarding War.
“Voldemort raised his wand and sent another jet of green light at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak; next second he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand toward the remnants of the fountain; the other statues sprang to life too.
“Dumbledore flicked his own wand. The force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Harry, though shielded by his stone guard, felt his hair stand on end as it passed, and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gonglike note reverberated from it, an oddly chilling sound. …
“Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed centaur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold upon Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore.”
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