In 301 HE, the Battle of the Oasis was fought in the Wasteland between the Wastelanders under Jak and Ashelin Praxis against the Marauders under Cutter during the Marauder Wars.
Why did it happen?
When Spargus City was founded in the Third Century HE, the city’s inhabitants encountered the Marauders, who were based at the Marauder Stronghold in the southern part of the Wasteland. Because of constant wars and raids with the Marauders and the harsh environment of the Wasteland, Spargus Citizens valued strength and survival above all else. Therefore, it was necessary to prove their strength and survival skills in the Spargus Arena by fighting Marauder warriors captured in battle. In 301 HE, the conflict with the Marauders reached a turning point when Jak and Sig refused to kill each other in the Spargus Arena. The Marauders immediately sensed weakness among the Wastelanders (as Spargus Citizens were called). When Jak received a message from Ashelin asking him to meet her at the Oasis, the Marauders decided to ambush them.
Who was involved?
The Wastelander forces at the Oasis numbered six individuals: Jak, Ashelin, and four Spargus Citizens. The Spargus Citizens were sent to escort Jak to the Oasis in case of attack by Marauder forces. Ashelin chose this specific location to meet Jak because “this spot was a place of reflection for the great warrior Mar” (Naughty Dog, 2004). The Marauder forces at the Oasis numbered 60 warriors and buggies. The Marauders were possibly led by Cutter, who was born in 274 HE. Although little is known about him, “some say Cutter once lived with the Marauders in the icy north. Others say he was born in an insane asylum in Kras City and somehow escaped” (Stratton, 2005, p.7). Whatever the truth, the Marauder’s plan at the Oasis was to ambush Jak and Ashelin and steal whatever they could from their respective buggy and Hellcat Cruiser.
What happened?
As Ashelin attempted to persuade Jak to return to Haven City, a large force of Marauder vehicles surrounded them. After the Marauder buggies unloaded their crew of warriors, a large sandstorm covered the area around the Oasis, limiting Jak and Ashelin’s vision and creating strong winds that pushed against all belligerents. Working together, Jak and Ashelin sought to stay close to the Oasis and cut down the Marauder warriors in droves with their respective Morph Gun and Eco Pistol. However, when it appeared that all the Marauders had been killed, three Marauder buggies arrived late in the battle. They prolifically fired upon the four Spargus Citizens, killing one before Jak forced the Marauders to retreat. Marauder casualties in the battle numbered 57 killed.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of the Oasis was a Wastelander victory. In the aftermath of the battle, Ashelin gave Jak his jet board and urged him to return to Haven City, reminding him of his duties as a hero. Although Jak initially refused, he later changed his mind and, with the help of Kleiver, travelled back to Haven City via the underground railroad and helped the Freedom League turn the tide against the KG Robots and Metal Heads. In his absence, the Marauders intensified their attacks upon Spargus City. Upon returning to the Wasteland after the Battle of the Port, Jak helped defend Spargus City from a siege by Marauder catapults and buggies before eliminating the Marauder Stronghold and recovering the items necessary to activate the Astro Viewer in Haven Forest.
Bibliography
Haynes, Aaron. “Jak 3 - Wasteland Orb Hunt Map.” Game FAQs. Last revised September 19, 2011. https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/919901-jak-3/map/7658-wasteland-orb-hunt-map
Jak and Daxter Wiki. “Defend Ashelin at Oasis.” Last revised August 9, 2021. https://jakanddaxter.fandom.com/wiki/Defend_Ashelin_at_oasis
Naughty Dog. Jak 3. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2. 2004.
Schrader, Nathali. Jak 3: The Official Guide. London, Piggyback, 2004.
Stratton, Stephen. Jak X: Combat Racing Official Game Guide. Roseville, Prima Games, 2005.
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