Welcome to a look inside The Holocron. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available.

(*Archived here with Permission utilising The Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Cloak of Darkness

Episode Air No.:9
Original Air Date: December 5, 2008
Production No.: 10

Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Dave Filoni

Key Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Luminara Unduli, Viceroy Nute Gunray, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, Clone Commander Gree, Senate Guard Captain Argyus

Cast:

Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Olivia d’Abo as Luminara Unduli
Tom Kenny as Nute Gunray
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress
James Marsters as Captain Argyus
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
Corey Burton as Count Dooku/Senate Guard
Ian Abercrombie as Darth Sidious
Tom Kane as Yoda/Narrator

Episode Brief: Ahsoka and Jedi Master Luminara escort captured Viceroy Nute Gunray to trial, unaware that Count Dooku has dispatched his deadly apprentice assassin Asajj Ventress to free the prisoner and eliminate the Jedi.

Notable: All female warrior fight between Ventress, Luminara and Ahsoka; written by comics | animation superstar Paul Dini; directed by series supervising director Dave Filoni.

Full Synopsis

“Ignore your instincts at your peril.”

Newsreel: Viceroy Gunray captured!
Senator Padmé Amidala has scored a
victory against the Separatist Alliance
on the remote world of Rodia, securing
the arrest of the diabolical Confederate
leader, Nute Gunray. The Jedi Council
has dispatched Master Luminara
Unduli and Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan
Ahsoka to escort the Viceroy to Coruscant
under heavy guard. Once there, he will
face trial for his many war crimes….

ACT I

A Republic frigate carrying Luminara Unduli and Ahsoka Tano lifts off from Rodia, soaring toward the Venator-class Star Destroyer Tranquility. Senate Commando leader Captain Argyus clears the frigate for landing within the cruiser’s ventral hold. Aboard the Tranquility, the Jedi march a shackled Nute Gunray down its cold corridors, escorted by Clone Commander Gree. Gunray wails about this “miscarriage of justice,” and demands his litigator, but there’s no sympathy to be found as the viceroy is handed over to Argyus and his commandos. Ahsoka is confused as to why Gunray rates such elevated levels of security, but Luminara advises her not to underestimate the viceroy.

Elsewhere in space, within a Separatist fleet, Count Dooku bends on one knee to receive the holographic presence of Darth Sidious. Dooku’s dark master worries about Gunray’s capture, for the spineless Neimoidian is not likely to last long under Jedi interrogation, and could spill all sorts of valuable secrets. Dooku assures Sidious that he has already dispatched his most trusted assassin, Asajj Ventress, to infiltrate the Tranquility and either free Gunray, or permanently silence him. Sidious is skeptical about Ventress’s abilities, but allows Dooku to proceed. After Sidious’ form vanishes, Dooku turns to Ventress and stresses the importance of her mission.

The Tranquility breaks orbit from Rodia as Gunray is secured in his ray-shielded cell. Luminara is coolly questioning him. The Jedi Master senses Gunray’s fear that he may lose the power and wealth given to him by the war. Desperately, Gunray claims innocence. This infuriates Ahsoka, who erupts in a show of anger; she ignites her lightsaber, and holds it to Gunray’s neck. He scurries into a corner, terrified. Luminara scolds Ahsoka for brandishing terror as a weapon. Ahsoka sheepishly explains she wasn’t serious, but thinks that the coward Gunray will only talk if scared enough. Gunray composes himself, ready to negotiate.

Just then, a tremor shakes the ship. Gree gets a status report from the bridge: the Tranquility is under attack. Vulture droids buzz the bridge, and a trio of thorn-shaped boarding ships darts toward the cruiser. Gree orders Green Company to prepare to repel invaders. The spiraling boarding ships spear into Tranquility‘s ventral spine, their blade-like nosecones sticking through the hangar bay ceilings beyond. These nosecones blossom open, disgorging super battle droids into the hold.

A firefight erupts as Green Company arrives to blast away at the infiltrators. They are overwhelmed by the super battle droids, who push their way deeper into the ship toward the detention levels. Luminara and Gree depart to assist the hangar troops, but Master Unduli orders Ahsoka to remain with the prisoner and Captain Argyus.

After the fighting in the hangar bay has subsided, Asajj Ventress emerges from one of the boarding vessels. A wounded clone survivor takes a shot at her, but she easily deflects it and beheads him before he can get out his call of warning. Asajj picks up the fallen clone’s gauntlet comlink and then cuts her way into the Tranquility‘s ventilation systems.

ACT II

The inexorable super battle droids march through the interior corridors of the Tranquility, as clones hunker down to repel them, sealing dilating blast doors to slow their progress. Master Luminara and Gree arrive at a cross corridor, and ambush the droids. She and Gree cut through them, eliminating the infiltrators, but Luminara does not feel their troubles are over.

Elsewhere, Ventress emerges in the engine room of the massive vessel. A simpleminded Treadwell, 327-T, is inspecting the ship’s inner works, shining its luminous photoreceptors into various nooks and crannies, but it fails to spot the stealthy assassin. A clone captain and a fellow trooper enter the reactor room to check for any signs of infiltrators, but their cursory glance reveals nothing. The clones ask the Treadwell to keep an eye on the place before moving on in their patrol. Asajj slinks around, careful to stay in 327-T’s blind spot. She affixes explosives on several key spots around the reactors, and then makes her way back to the grate unnoticed.

In the detention center, Ahsoka teases Gunray since its evident the attempt to rescue the viceroy has failed. Suddenly, she spots Ventress’ twin lightsaber blades carve an entrance into the detention center’s control room. Ventress drops into the room from a hole in the ceiling and quickly subdues the two commandos on duty. Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber blade, and squares off against Ventress. She orders the commandos to open fire. The remaining three commandos on duty — Captain Argyus included — try to blast Ventress, but she deflects their bolts back at them, dropping two of them, and leaving Argyus standing. She tosses Argyus aside with the Force, and continues pressing on Ahsoka.

Asajj slips past Ahsoka and runs to Gunray’s cell. She deactivates the shields, pulling Gunray out and kicking Ahsoka in! Gunray relishes this reversal as he reactivates the shield, locking Ahsoka inside.

Just then, Luminara and Gree arrive in the cellblock, and the Jedi Master charges down the corridor, her lightsaber ignited. Using the Force, she opens Ahsoka’s cell, and the Padawan emerges, lighting her blade and flanking Ventress who now has to deal with two combatants. Ventress seemingly surrenders, lowering her weapons, raising her arms… but she grins as her timed explosives in the engine room detonate.

The whole ship is rocked by the blast. Ventress takes advantage of the distraction and bowls over Luminara. She runs to the open turbolift tube and dives in, spearing her lightsabers into shaft wall to slow her descent, leaving a pair of molten metal trails in her wake. Ahsoka tries to impulsively follow her down the open shaft, but Luminara stops her just in time to avoid being smashed by a descending turbolift car.

Argyus examines the status boards, and reports the grim news. Security doors, turbolifts, communications and propulsion systems are all haywire. But all is not lost. The commandos are still in possession of Gunray. Luminara orders the guards to be extra vigilant while she sets off to stop Ventress. Ahsoka implores Luminara to let her help, but Master Unduli orders her to stay in the detention block.

Unduli arrives in the smoldering engine room, where she is promptly pounced upon by Ventress. Asajj cuts through a nearby vent, blasting a jet a steam into Unduli’s face, momentarily blinding her.

Ahsoka is not happy to be left behind, especially since she has firsthand experience dealing with Ventress. She voices her frustrations to the guards. Argyus seems to sympathize with her, and states that sometimes being a good soldier is doing what you believe is right. Gree, however, voices the opposite view: that following orders matters above all else. Gunray, unhelpfully, offers that he would never do anything that would risk his own neck. At Argyus’ nudging that Gunray is in safe hands, Ahsoka leaves her station to help Master Luminara.

The duel between Jedi Master and dark assassin intensifies, moving from the relatively safe upper platforms into the thick of the reactor chamber fires. Ventress cuts through some heavy machinery, sending it crashing down at Luminara. Luminara uses the Force to keep the debris from crushing her, but is nonetheless pinned by a heavy pipe. Ventress closes in for the kill.

ACT III

Ahsoka rushes in, Force-pushing Asajj in the middle of the assassin’s leap. Ventress goes hurling into the debris as the Padawan runs to Luminara’s side. Ahsoka cuts Luminara free, and braces for her rebuke, but there’s no time. Ventress emerges from the wreckage and attacks anew. She leaps into the upper levels, but the Jedi give pursuit. Hidden in the shadows, she activates a signal on her wrist gauntlet.

At that exact moment in the detention center, Captain Argyus receives a signal on his gauntlet. He suddenly spins around and coldly blasts his fellow commandos. He turns to blast Gree, but the clone trooper takes cover. Argyus opens Gunray’s cell, and holds the viceroy hostage in front of him, knowing that Gree will not kill the valuable Separatist prisoner. Argyus is a traitor: he’s being paid a fortune by Count Dooku to deliver Gunray.

In the engine room, the Jedi find someone stirring in the debris, but it’s only 327-T. As they work their way deeper into the ruined chamber, Luminara concedes that she did underestimate Ventress, and that she does need and appreciate Ahsoka’s help. Just then Gree communicates to Luminara, informing her of Argyus’ betrayal. The Jedi start to rush back to the detention level. Ventress resumes her attack.

The standoff between Argyus and Gree continues, with a whining Gunray in between. Argyus feels confident behind his Neimoidian shield, but Gree targets his blaster and shoots the weapon from Argyus’ hand. The commando captain shoves Gunray at Gree, distracting him, and then kicks the clone’s blaster from his hands. It’s down to fisticuffs. The two soldiers circle each other. As a clone fervently loyal to the Republic, Gree cannot understand Argyus’s betrayal. Likewise, Argyus cannot understand Gree’s commitment to “empty servitude.” Argyus lunges for Gree’s fallen blaster, but Gree steps on the weapon and delivers a stunning blow to the side of the commando’s head. But all the while, the two warriors have taken their eye off Gunray. The viceroy slams Argyus’ discarded blaster rifle butt onto Gree’s unhelmeted head, knocking him unconscious.

With Viceroy Gunray free, Argyus signals Ventress in the engine room. Her mission accomplished, Ventress activates several leftover explosives to cover her escape, leaving Ahsoka perilously dangling over a battered catwalk to be saved by Luminara.

Argyus and Gunray escape to the Republic frigate in the Tranquility‘s hold. With the Star Destroyer in such turmoil, its outer shields are down, allowing the smaller vessel to ease out of its docking bay. Ventress, meanwhile, cuts her way to an escape pod bay and launches from the crippled ship. Luminara and Ahsoka are a few steps behind and witness the pod launch towards the frigate.

Captain Argyus gloats about his success as Asajj comes aboard. He cockily mentions that he’ll ensure Ventress’ contributions to their rescue efforts will be noted in his report to Count Dooku. Ventress suddenly drives her lightsaber into Argyus’ back, killing him.

Aboard the Tranquility, communication systems have been restored. In the bridge’s war room, Ahsoka and Luminara confer holographically with Yoda and Anakin Skywalker. Yoda is troubled by the treachery of Captain Argyus; the Jedi are coming to realize that they are surrounded by enemies. On a more positive note, Luminara reminds her fellow Jedi that Gunray fled in a Republic ship, which can be tracked. Master Kit Fisto’s fleet was near the viceroy’s last known position. Fisto is tracking the signal, determined to recapture the Separatist leader.

Trivia & Details

• This episode marks the first series appearance of Senate Commandos, a new type of soldier derived from the blue-robed Senate Guards seen in Episodes I-III. The model of the soldier uses the same basic body of a clone trooper, with a custom blue paint job, different head, and a large scarab-like shoulder pad with the Senate seal for the captain.
• The Treadwell droid’s name is another conspicuous appearance of the digits “327.” In Episode IV, the Millennium Falcon is docked in hangar bay 327 aboard the Death Star, while in Episode V, it lands on platform 327 in Cloud City. In Episode I, the Naboo starship is identified as a Nubian J-type 327. (See the Episode Guide for “Rookies” for another 327 occurrence as well as the leading theory of its origin).
• The catwalks and clusters of cylinders that dominate the engine room are an architectural nod to the gravity control room found aboard the Super Dimensional Fortress (SDF-1) from the Macross anime, (or Robotech series, if you’re so inclined).
• This episode marks the third use of a particular ship model in a new role — the podhunters from “Rising Malevolence,” and the dropships from “Rookies” are now seen as boarding craft. Internally, this ship design is nicknamed the “juicer,” named after the basic kichen appliance that inspired its design.

Memorable Quotes

“I am a man of great wealth, and I can be very generous to my allies.” — Nute Gunray

“That is a very tempting offer, Viceroy. In the meantime, I have a gift for you.” — Clone Commander Gree shackling Gunray.

“I know nothing!” — Nute Gunray, under interrogation

“Tell us what we what we want to know right now, or I will gut you like a Rokarian dirt-fish!” — Ahsoka Tano, interrogating Gunray.

– “If it isn’t the hairless harpy.”
– “If it isn’t Skywalker’s filthy, obnoxious little pet. Stand down, little girl, and I’ll give you a cookie.”
– “How nice of you. Tell you what. I’ll give you a merciful death.” — Ahsoka Tano versus Asajj Ventress.

“Open this door and I’ll buy you a planet!” — Nute Gunray

“Don’t shoot! I’m an innocent pawn!” — Nute Gunray (He really shines this episode).

Just as a FYI, to avoid old posts becoming one with the Force, this post has been republished so it can be a blue glowy thing, it was Originally posted 2023-04-17 08:00:19.

Welcome to a look inside The Holocron. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available.

(*Archived here with Permission utilising The Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Citadel Rescue

Episode No.: 64 (Season 3, Episode 20)
Production No.: 317 (Season 3, Episode 17)
Original Air Date: March 11, 2011

“Without honor, victory is hollow.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Steward Lee

Cast:
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | Osi Sobeck | Plo Koon
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano | K2-B4
Blair Bess as Even Piell
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | Saesee Tiin | Admiral Coburn
Stephen Stanton as Tarkin
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yoda
Matthew Wood as battle droids
Corey Burton as Count Dooku
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Angelique Perrin as Adi Gallia

Synopsis: After their ship and only way off the planet is destroyed, Anakin and Obi-Wan must lead the escaped prisoners across Lola Sayu’s perilous landscape as Plo Koon commands a task force of four cruisers and their fighters through the Separatist defenses in a daring rescue. Even Piell is ravaged by anooba tracking beasts, but before he dies, he passes on his Nexus Routes coordinates to Ahsoka. When the survivors return to Coruscant, Ahsoka knows half the intel, and refuses to disclose it to anyone but the Jedi Council, while Tarkin refuses to hand over his half to anyone other than the Chancellor.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, R2-D2, Clone Captain Rex, Clone Commander Cody, Fives, OOM-10, K2-B4, Plo Koon, Mace Windu, Saesee Tiin, Adi Gallia, Kit Fisto, Count Dooku

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu, Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

• The Citadel combat scenario seen during the clone training sessions in “Clone Cadets” are named after the Citadel installation in this trilogy.
• When escaping the crab droids, Commander Cody pulls a move that one of his clone troopers in Episode III will later do on Utapau — running atop a crab droid and gunning it down.
• The Expanded Universe of Star Wars novels originally had Even Piell survive the Clone Wars only to be killed while as a fugitive in the early days of the Empire. Piell’s death in the Citadel Mission is the character’s true fate.
• In the script for this episode, Osi Sobeck was to have been killed by Tarkin. Tarkin would have shot an unarmed Sobeck in cold blood, causing the Jedi to further question his honor.
• When Saesee Tiin refers to “the Old Republic,” he is talking about the government that predates the modern founding of the Galactic Republic 1,000 years ago. That is a time of great strife and conflict, when the Sith battled against the Jedi.
• Saesee Tiin’s starfighter has the same pattern on it as Ahsoka Tano, but in a different color. Likewise, Adi Gallia’s fighter has the same pattern as Plo Koon’s starfighter, seen in earlier episodes.
• During the space battle, a clone trooper aboard an exploding Republic vessel lets out a distinct, high-pitched scream. This scream, called the “Wilhelm,” is an old sound effect that dates back to the 1930s, and appears in all six of the live action Star Wars feature films.
• The Plo’s Bros gunship that rescues the strike team from Lola Sayu is designated a “space gunship”, with a sealed cabin and search spotlights mounted in the gunnery sockets.
• The anoobas are actually a concept designed for Episode I by concept artist Terryl Whitlatch, who explored the sharp-toothed hound as a possible creature on Tatooine.
• The cage the anoobas are kept in was visually inspired by the velociraptor cages in Jurassic Park.

Just as a FYI, to avoid old posts becoming one with the Force, this post has been republished so it can be a blue glowy thing, it was Originally posted 2023-07-16 12:00:54.

Welcome to a look inside The Holocron. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available.

(*Archived here with Permission utilising The Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Wookiee Hunt

Episode No.: 66 (Season 3, Episode 22)
Production No.: 318 (Season 3, Episode 18)
Original Air Date: April 1, 2011

“A great student is what the teacher hopes to be.”

Written by Bonnie Mark
Directed by Dave Filoni

Cast:
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Sunil Malhotra as Jinx
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker | Clutch
Cam Clarke as O-Mer
Jeff Anderson as Smug
Zach Hanks as Garnac
Dee Bradley Baker as Sochek | Goron
James Arnold Taylor as Lagon | Plo Koon
Richard Green as Lo-Taren | Krix
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yoda
Anna Graves as Sugi
Chewbacca as Himself
Special thanks to Peter Mayhew for being the heart and soul of Chewbacca

Synopsis: As Ahsoka and her youngling allies struggle to evade the Trandoshan hunters, their efforts receive an unexpected boost when a new captive — Chewbacca the Wookiee — arrives. Chewie scrounges parts from a wrecked Trandoshan slave ship, assembling a communicator to send out a distress signal. Help arrives in the towering, shaggy form of Wookiee warriors led by General Tarfful. Freed from captivity, Ahsoka returns to the Jedi Temple and is reunited with Anakin Skywalker.

New Characters: Chewbacca, Tarfful

Returning Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Jinx, O-Mer, Garnac, Lo-Taren, Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon, Sugi, Seripas, Yoda

Worlds Visited: Wasskah, Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

• Rather than a beach, the original script described new prey being dropped off within a canyon.
• The Trandoshan slave ship pilot carries a shotgun, a rare example of a projectile weapon in Star Wars seen in the Republic Commando video game.
• When Chewbacca says his home world is very close, he’s not kidding. According to the Expanded Universe, Kashyyyk and Trandosha are in the same star system.
• The critter that attempts to pounce on the birds (convorees) outside of the youngling camp is a momong, a Trandoshan monkey.
• The side of the Halo has a painting of a rather demented looking Tooka doll holding a knife with aurebesh text that reads: “Nice Playing With Ya”
• Many of the background Trandoshan characters have interesting sources for their (usually) unspoken names: Gilas is named after the Godzilla Monster, Angilas. Ratter is named after a rattlesnake. Some are named after famous fictional reptiles: Goron is named after the Gorn from Star Trek, Lagon after The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Smug after Smaug, the dragon from The Hobbit. Ramy is named after Mary Franklin, known to Star Wars fans as the editor of Bantha Tracks and a huge fan of Trandoshans.
• Among the trophies in the Trandoshan hunting lodge are wampa and Wookiee pelts; stuffed and mounted heads of an Ithorian, a Gungan, a Gran, a Skrilling, a reek, a rancor, a dragonsnake; an ancient Mandalorian Neo-Crusader helmet; teeth that may or may not belong to a Zillo beast, a fully mounted gundark and narglatch; and a suspiciously familiar-looking crystal skull.

And that’s all folks for this incarnation of The Clone Wars Episode Guides.  After this, the format changed.  I will be doing a couple of Video Galleries covering the Episode Guides up to and including the final season, so expect them very soon.

Just as a FYI, to avoid old posts becoming one with the Force, this post has been republished so it can be a blue glowy thing, it was Originally posted 2023-07-18 12:00:47.

Welcome to a look inside The Holocron. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available.

(*Archived here with Permission utilising The Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Overlords

Episode No.: 59 (Season 3, Episode 15)
Production No.: 309 (Season 3, Episode 9)
Original Air Date: January 28, 2011

“Balance is found in the one who faces his guilt.”

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Steward Lee

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Lloyd Sherr as Father
Adrienne Wilkinson as Daughter
Sam Witwer as Son
Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
Pernilla August as Shmi
Dee Bradley Baker as Rex
Tom Kane as the narrator

Synopsis: A mysterious force draws Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to a distant planet, and its inhabitants — a family of exceptionally powerful Force-wielders — in an attempt to determine whether Anakin is truly the Chosen One. The patriarch of this family, known only as the Father, has spent ages maintaining the balance between his Daughter, who is strong with the light side of the Force, and his Son, who aligns with the dark. The Father reveals his days are numbered, and he seeks Anakin to take his place as the fulcrum of this balance. A series of tests proves that Anakin is capable of controlling both offspring, as the Father does, but Skywalker refuses to take the Father’s place.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Ahsoka Tano; Clone Captain Rex

New Characters: Father; Son; Daughter; Shmi Skywalker; Qui-Gon Jinn; Admiral Tenant

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

• This trilogy of episodes dives into concepts of the Force and ancient Jedi prophecy like never before, and represent an unusually deep exploration direct from George Lucas of some of the saga’s biggest concepts. While there will undoubtedly be questions about how much that is experienced in the Mortis realm can be defined as “real,” the answers will surely depend on your own point of view.
• The Mortis monolith seen at the start of the episode is over five kilometers tall, wide and deep.
• As the keeper of the balance, the Father quite literally sits at the center of a scale-like statue, with gong-like discs emblazoned with icons representing the daughter (to his right) and the son (to his left). Flanking this are statues of their beast forms: the griffin and the gargoyle.
• In addition to notable guest appearances by Liam Neeson and Pernilla August, this episode also stars veterans of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed in key roles. Sam Witwer, who played Starkiller, plays the Son, while Adrienne Wilkinson, who played Maris Brood, plays the Daughter.
• The Father describes his family as anchorites. Lest anyone think this is a proper term for a species or culture, it isn’t. This uncommon word, never before spoken in Star Wars, an anchorite is someone who has withdrawn from society to become somewhat of a religious hermit. The only term that so far describes the Mortis beings are “Force-wielders”.
• Although the Force-wielders are intentionally depicted as vague and mysterious, their animation models nonetheless have the following definitions: The Father is 2.48 meters tall, the Daughter is 2.13 meters tall, and the Son is 2.2 meters. The Daughter’s griffin form stands 2.58 meters tall, while the Son’s gargoyle form is 4.79 meters tall. They both have wingspans over 11 meters.
• Slight refrains of John Williams’ Episode I score can be heard during Qui-Gon’s appearance, as well as the Force theme when Obi-Wan speaks of Anakin
• The Republic fleet officer seen during the newsreel is not named in the episode. He is Admiral Tenant.

Just as a FYI, to avoid old posts becoming one with the Force, this post has been republished so it can be a blue glowy thing, it was Originally posted 2023-07-11 12:00:31.

Welcome to a look inside The Holocron. A collection of articles from the archives of *starwars.com no longer directly available.

(*Archived here with Permission utilising The Internet Archive Wayback Machine)

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Mystery of a Thousand Moons

Episode Air No.: 18
Original Air Date: February 13, 2008
Production No.: Season 2, Episode 2

Written by Brian Larsen
Supervising writer Drew Z. Greenberg

Directed by Jesse Yeh

Key Characters: Padmé Amidala; Anakin Skywalker; Ahsoka Tano; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Dr. Nuvo Vindi; Jaybo Hood

Key Locales: Naboo; Iego

Cast
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala | Angel
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Matthew Wood as battle droids
James Mathis III as Captain Typho
Michael York as Dr. Nuvo Vindi
David Kaufman as Jaybo Hood
BJ Hughes as Jar Jar Binks
Phil LaMarr as Amit Noloff
Tom Kane as the Narrator

Episode Brief: The fatal Blue Shadow Virus menace is still at large, infecting Ahsoka, Padmé, and many clone troopers — and giving Anakin and Obi-Wan just 48 hours to find the antidote on a mysterious planet from which no visitor has returned.

Full Synopsis

“A single chance is a galaxy of hope.”

Newsreel:
Hard-pressed Jedi and their valiant
clone troopers have thwarted an
insidious Separatist plot to plant bombs loaded with the deadly Blue Shadow Virus in key Republic systems.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have captured the vile scientist behind the nefarious scheme: Doctor Nuvo Vindi. Now the Jedi plan to transport Vindi to the Republic capital for trial….

ACT I

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi load a cuffed Dr. Vindi into his waiting shuttle for transport to Theed. Far below, in the subterranean laboratory, a clone trooper notes that the last bomb defused has its virus vial missing. The assistant droid must have taken it. Padmé orders a red alert. Dr. Vindi hears this ruckus and gloats that the Jedi’s efforts have been for naught.

The little assistant droid inserts the vial into one of the inert bombs in the preparation room, and primes the explosive. Two clones spot the droid and try too late to stop it. The explosive detonates, spreading a cloud of Blue Shadow Virus into the lab. Emergency bulkheads begin slamming shut. Captain Rex and his clones race to make it to a safe room, but it seems too late. The hermetic blast doors are slamming shut. Ahsoka uses the Force to hold the doors open long enough for the clones and her to jump through.

Elsewhere, Padmé and Jar Jar are secure in another safe room and within their hazard suits. Anakin receives an update from within the compound. The laboratory is sealed, but any remaining droids are sure to attempt to break out and thus release the virus into the Naboo ecosphere. Padmé is determined to stop them.

Anakin questions Vindi at lightsaber-point about a cure to the virus. The crazed scientist snickers, for there is no such thing. Short on time, the shuttle blasts off to Theed, where there are those much better equipped to search for an antidote.

In Ahsoka’s safe room, at the end of complex B, the clones discover that some of the virus made it past the sealing doors. They have all been exposed to the contaminant. Rex is still determined to stop any droids from leaving the compound, even if it’s the last thing he does.

Vindi’s shuttle lands at Theed, and he is marched into custody. Typho, meanwhile, has been researching the first outbreak of Blue Shadow Virus and has found a possible antidote in the historical archive: a little known extract made from reeksa root, a vine found only on Iego, world of a thousand moons. Iego, unfortunately, is deep in Separatist-controlled space. Anakin is not deterred. He and Obi-Wan will venture into the heart of enemy territory. Skywalker is determined to save Padmé and Ahsoka. The Jedi team blast off in the Twilight and launch into hyperspace.

Padmé and Jar Jar work their way to the end of complex B and arrive at Ahsoka’s safe room, avoiding droid patrols along the way. Ahsoka greets Padmé, and the young Padawan is still set on carrying out her mission of destroying the droids, even though she is now terminally infected. They split up — Padmé, Jar Jar and two clones will take the north corridor, while Ahsoka and Rex will take the south.

ACT II

Scouting the blue-cloud filled corridors, Padmé, Jar Jar and the clones come across a team of battle droids attempting to cut through the sealed doors. Padmé and the clones open fire, picking away at the droids. Ahsoka and Rex come running in from the other end. A lone battle droid makes it all the way to the upper hatch, but it is stopped before it can make it to the surface.

The Twilight arrives at Iego. In addition to the swarm of moons and asteroids around the planet, there is a dense debris field filled with fragments of wrecked starships. Yet there is no starship traffic at all. The Twilight weaves its way through these obstacles before making planetfall and landing at the spaceport city of Cliffhold amid the basaltic spires of Iego’s spaceport.

A strange collection of reprogrammed battle droids greet the Twilight. Anakin impulsively charges into the horde and cuts down 18 droids before he realizes they are no threat. Many of the droids are cobbled together from spare parts, and some of them are oddly defaced with childish scribbles and crude paint jobs. One of the droids introduces Anakin and Obi-Wan to “the venerable” Jaybo Hood, a 10-year old kid responsible for reworking these droids. Anakin is impressed with his handiwork, if not his stature.

Jaybo’s been tinkering with these droids for nine months now. He’s living the life of a ruler, fawned over by the repurposed automata. When the Separatists left Iego, they left behind a whole warehouse of inactive droids that Jaybo commandeered. Kenobi and Skywalker try to steer the conversation to the matter at hand: the urgent need to recover the reeksa root. But any claims of urgency don’t seem to affect Jaybo. He tries to tell the Jedi that they’re not going anywhere — nobody gets off the cursed world Iego, haunted by the destructive spirit of Drol. Fifty of the best star pilots have attempted to outrun the curse, and all died.

Back on Naboo, Ahsoka cuts down a pair of droidekas, but as Padmé tackles Jar Jar to save him from incoming fire, she tears a hole in her hazard suit. She is now exposed to the Blue Shadow Virus.

On Iego, Anakin and Obi-Wan climb down the sheer cliff face to the lower canyon floors. Jaybo offers them some survival tips — do not touch the reeksa vines. And watch out for flying xandus. A huge bat-like xandu almost immediately flutters past Anakin, knocking him off the cliff face. He grabs the xandu’s talon, and gets an idea. Anakin shouts for Obi-Wan to do the same, so Kenobi leaps and grabs the xandu’s other leg. The combined weight of the Jedi weigh the leathery winged creature down. It drops down to the canyon floor in a controlled fall — a much faster descent than climbing.

In the sealed lab complex, Ahsoka cuts down more droids, but her skin has become mottled and her strength is starting to leave her. She is succumbing to the virus.

Kenobi and Skywalker tumble to the canyon floor. Skywalker pulls a spade from his backpack and begins digging for a root. The reeksa vines start writhing, revealing themselves to be enormous, ravenous carnivorous plants with sharpened spikes for teeth and deadly thorns along their length. The plants begin snapping at the Jedi, but Anakin secures the root quickly enough for them to retreat back to the cliff-face. The Jedi slash back at the plants, narrowly escaping back to Jaybo’s ledge.

ACT III

With root in hand, the Jedi accompany Jaybo Hood to what passes as the meeting hall at Cliffhold. The urban sprawl looks a bit decrepit, and Jaybo explains that the planet has been neglected since the spice convoys dried up and transit to and from the world has ceased. A seemingly crazed Quarren official, Amit Noloff, decries Drol, the spirit of the thousand moons — the world’s protector and destroyer — for the fate that has befallen the inhabitants of Iego. Skywalker, though, remains skeptical. The Quarren produces a holographic recording of a Rodian star pilot, Taquito, whose ship was destroyed as he tried to leave.

Skywalker is not deterred. The Jedi board the Twilight and fly the spice freighter up into the debris field. Suddenly, laser beams begin lancing forth from some of the rocks, forming a web of deadly energy. From the surface of Iego, it looks as if a lattice of fire spreads across the sky. Drol may not be a ghost, but whatever it is, it is a real and deadly threat guarding the skies of Iego. The energy web is too dense, so the Twilight returns to the spaceport. Kenobi surmises that the Separatists must have installed the laser field to keep anyone from leaving Iego.

Padmé and Ahsoka make contact with Anakin. They are quite visibly weakened. They have destroyed all the battle droids inside the compound. Naboo is safe, though it looks as if neither has much time to live. Anakin won’t give up. He’s determined to run the laser gauntlet again, but Obi-Wan thinks that plan is too impetuous and dangerous. He has another idea, though he has difficulty calming Anakin down.

Kenobi calls forth the Iego council. He explains that Drol is no ghost, but rather a Separatist security system. Noloff refuses to believe this. Kenobi asks if anyone inhabited Iego’s moons prior to Drol’s destructive rise. A strikingly beautiful, willowy, phosphorescent humanoid enters the chamber — an Angel. She explains that they were driven from their homes by the Separatists, who stole their moon of Millius Prime.

Anakin realizes the primary node of the laser web must be near Millius Prime. Obi-Wan recruits Jaybo to donate a number of remote-controlled vulture droids in a bid to escape the laser web. R2-D2 will control the vulture droids as a distraction for the laser field, while the Twilight targets the hub on Millius Prime.

On Naboo, Padmé does what she can to alleviate the suffering of the infected clones. Ahsoka collapses, overcome by the virus.

The Jedi carry out their plan. The Twilight leads the way with a squadron of four vulture droids in tow. The laser field activates. R2-D2 pilots the vultures to intercept the lasers, while the Twilight opens fire on the primary node. A chain reaction erupts as the laser web unbalances, and emitters overload, sparking a series of explosions throughout the debris field. The laser web collapses. The people of Iego are free. With no time to waste, the Twilight leaps into hyperspace, en route to Naboo.

A short time later, Anakin and Obi-Wan arrive by gunship into the eastern swamps, where medical droids are tending to the infected. The virus has been neutralized, and those afflicted will make a full recovery. Skywalker confers with Padmé, who never lost faith in Anakin. Anakin also sees to Ahsoka, praising her for her devotion and success.

Meanwhile, Kenobi congratulates Jar Jar for his bravery in the face of such danger, and says he will recommend one of his troops gives Representative Binks some marksmanship training. Rex, though ailing, makes it clear that it won’t be him.

Trivia & Details

• Anakin calls Dr. Vindi a “sleemo,” which is Huttese for “slimeball.”
• The series debuts some fully realized Ithorian and Quarren models in this episode. Previously, the Clone Wars movie used cobbled together figures to represent these background aliens. In Jabba’s palace, the Ithorians were made of a crudely modeled head stuck on Palpatine’s body, and the Quarren was a simple head stuck on Obi-Wan’s body.
• The Angel went through a number of revisions, with some much more human than the end result.
• Originally, the xandu was to have been devoured by the reeksa vines.
• The city of Cliffhold is based on old Doug Chiang designs from The Phantom Menace. It is filled with aurebesh graffiti, including incidents of Jaybo Hood’s name scrawled on the walls or simple illustrations depicting droids and clones. One building is marked with a large aurebesh marquee that reads “KRISTAL SKULL.”

Memorable Quotes

“Oh well, just another boring day saving the universe.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

“Patience, Anakin. There’s more than one way to skin a womp rat.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

“We may be dead men, but we could still stop those droids.” — Clone Captain Rex

“Welcome to Iego. Roger roger.” — Jaybo Hood’s battle droids

“I have a bad feeling about this.” – Obi-Wan on Iego

• “If you ask me, sounds like a load of –“
• “Superstition?”
• “That’s one word for it.” — Anakin and Obi-Wan discussing Drol.
• “A great leap forward often requires taking two steps back.”
• “And sometimes all it requires is the will to jump.” — Obi-Wan and Anakin

Just as a FYI, to avoid old posts becoming one with the Force, this post has been republished so it can be a blue glowy thing, it was Originally posted 2023-05-26 18:10:07.