Battle of Coruscant-two questions

My first question-If Palps was staging his own kidnapping, then why did the jedi not know he was sidious? Sure, they would have had to battle Grievous, but but they probably could have taken him quickly.

Second Question- How long did the battle last? I've heard it lasted a day, or even a week.

 

I really don't get your first question. The Jedi didn't know that Palpatine staged his own kidnapping. The audience knows because we see that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same. The Jedi don't at that point. Palpatine staged his own kidnapping to set up a test of how ready Anakin Skywalker was to become a Sith Lord by engaging Dooku. He needed to bring him back from the Outer Rim, and Anakin and Obiwan would surely be sent on a mission of a kidnapped Chancellor. With Anakin back on Coruscant, he would then fall under the influence of Palpatine and Palps could finish his plans of galactic domination. if you read eu, you also find out that Palpatine had Grevious move up the plan because the Jedi were close to discovering who Sidious was and Palpatine needed to get off planet for a bit.

Your second question, personally, I'm not completely sure. From the film I would guess a few hours. But Mace recalls Anakin and Obiwan from the Outer Rim to rescue the Chancellor and I figure it would take some time to get back.

 

Palpatine and Dooku were the only ones who knew that this kidnapping was fake. The Jedi, the Republic, Grievous and the Separatist Council did not know that this was staged. None of them knew that Palpatine was Darth Sidious. Only Dooku knew, but he didn't know that he was being set up as much as Obi-wan and Anakin. As to the length of the battle, it was only a matter of hours.

 

I kind of got that Grievous was in on it, too. You didn't feel that way? Maybe you're right. I think that's the direction this thread could take to make it more of a discussion.

 

Grievous definitely wasn't in on the plan:

"Now, Chancellor," he announced, "you're coming with us."
Palpatine neither cowered nor protested. He merely said: "You will be a true loss to the forces you represent."
The remark took Grievous by surprise. Was this praise?
"Four Jedi Knights, all these soldiers and guards," Palpatine went on, gesturing broadly. "Why not wait until Shaak Ti and Stass Allie arrive." He cocked his head to one side. "I think I hear them coming. They are Masters, after all."
Grievous didn't respond immediately. Was Palpatine trying to trick him? "I might at any other time," he said finally. "But a ship awaits us that will take you from Coruscant--and from your cherished Republic, as well."
Palpatine mocked him with a sneer. "Do you actually believe that this plan will succeed?"
Grievous returned the look. "You're more defiant than I was led to believe, Chancellor. But, yes, the plan will succeed--and to your deficit. I would gladly kill you now but for my orders."
"So you take orders," Palpatine said, moving with deliberate lethargy. "Which of us, then, is the lesser?" Before Grievous could reply, he added: "My death won't end this war, General."
Grievous had wondered about that. Understandably, Lord Sidious had his plan, but did he actually believe that Palpatine's death would prompt the Jedi to lay down their lightsabers? Thrown into turmoil by the Chancellor's death, could the Senate order the Jedi to stand down? After years of warfare, would the Republic suddenly capitulate?

---------------------------

"You're about to make an unscheduled appearance on the HoloNet, Chancellor," Grievous said. "I apologize for not providing a mirror, hairbrush and cosmetics, so that you might at least camouflage your fear."
Palpatine's voice was sinister when he spoke. "You can display me, but I won't speak."
"Grievous nodded at what seemed an obvious statement. "I'll display you, but you won't speak. Is that understood?"
"You will do all the talking."
"That's correct, I will do all the talking."
"Very good."
For no apparent reason, Grievous felt uncertain. "Lord Tyranus will be here soon to take charge of you."
Palpatine smiled without showing his teeth. "Then I am assured of being greatly entertained."

Cue the Jedi Mind Trick. And Dooku, while he was in on the plan, wasn't in on the whole plan. Only Palpatine knew the full extent of the plan:

"Longer than you know, Lord Tyranus. Longer than you know. And the time has come to test him again."
"His skills, my lord?"
"The depth of his anger. His willingness to go beyond the Force, as the Jedi know it, and to call on the power of the dark side. General Grievous will activate a special beacon that will call Skywalker and Kenobi back to Coruscant, and onto the stage we will set for them."
But not to capture them.
"You will duel them," Sidious had said. "Kill Kenobi. His only purpose is to die and, in so doing, ignite young SKywalker to tap the depths of his fear and rage. Should you defeat Skywalker easily, then we will know that he is not prepared to serve us. Perhaps he never will be prepared. Should he by some fluke best you, however, I will control the outcome to spare you any unnecessary embarrassment, and we will have gained a powerful ally. But above all you must make the contest appear real, Lord Tyranus."

All three passages are from Labyrinth of Evil.

 

Grievous wasn't in on the plan. He didn't know that Dooku was supposed to die fighting Anakin and Obi-wan. And he definately did not know that Palpatine was Sidious. His job was to do what he did. Fight Jedi and Clonetroopers. That was it.

 

"My death won't end this war, General."

Ohhhh, but his death would end the war now, wouldn't it? The irony =P

 

Indeed. It's amazing how clever Palpatine was at manipulating both sides during the Clone Wars.

 

1st question: I don't think the Jedi had CONCRETE evidence that palpatine was sidious and he planned this whole thing. The Jedi however were getting concerned over how palpatine was gaining more and more power by every passing day.

2nd question: by my best estimate, the battle lasted at the most a single day.

 

At the time, the Jedi thought that Sidious was someone in Palpatine's inner court of advisors.

 

Exactly. Palpatine manipulated both sides of the war masterfully. As for Grievous, he was a mere pawn, a figurehead really. Someone who could lead the Separatist forces, but never someone in Palpatine's confidence.