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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.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Counterattack

Episode No.: 63 (Season 3, Episode 19)
Production No.: 315 (Season 3, Episode 15)
Original Air Date: March 4, 2011

“Anything that can go wrong will.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

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

Synopsis: With freed prisoners in their possession and the brutal warden attempting desperately to thwart them, Obi-Wan and Anakin search for a way out of the Citadel and back to Coruscant. The prison, however, has more traps, perils and pitfalls in store for them than they had imagined and they must work past their differences if they are to escape. Their bid to board their shuttle fails when heavy weapons fire destroys the escape craft. Trooper Echo dies in the blast. The escapees then flee to the caves and call for rescue from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

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

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu

Secrets Revealed

• Seen several times throughout the Citadel are mouse droids, the same little boxy droids seen as messengers aboard the Death Star and Star Destroyers in the original trilogy, and on Mustafar in Episode III.
• Anakin’s hopping on a STAP is an echo from way back in 2008, The Clone Wars animated story.
• The entire sequence where Obi-Wan and Even Piell try to sneak around the landing platform when they emerge from the ventilation duct was originally shot on top of the citadel tower. It was later moved with minimal pickups to the landing area behind the tower, on the ground.
• Obi-Wan’s line to Osi Sobeck, “I must say, you’re not at all what I pictured. Someone with such a soft voice,” is particularly ironic given that actor James Arnold Taylor voices both characters.
• The monitoring devices along the walls of the Citadel seen in these three episodes are designed after similar devices seen aboard the Death Star in Episode IV.
• The non-existent Separatist outpost that OOM-10 mentions as part of his bluff is Point Tarron.
• To differentiate Lola Sayu’s hellish conditions from the lava planet Mustafar, its molten rivers are colored a bright yellow, to suggest sulfur. Given what sulfurous deposits smell like, it’s understandable Tarkin and Anakin hold their noses.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Citadel

Episode No.: 62 (Season 3, Episode 18)
Production No.: 314 (Season 3, Episode 14)
Original Air Date: February 18, 2011

“Adaptation is the key to survival.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | Plo Koon | Osi Sobeck
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano | K2-B4
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | torture droid
Blair Bess as Even Piell
Matthew Wood as battle droids | commando droids
Stephen Stanton as Tarkin
Anthony Daniels as Threepio
Tom Kane as Narrator

Synopsis: With help from R2-D2 and a squad of captured battle droids, an elite team of Jedi and clone troopers led by Obi-Wan and Anakin attempt to free a captive Jedi general, Even Piell, from an impenetrable prison. Despite orders to the contrary, Ahsoka Tano tags along, though she proves indispensable when the infiltration mission begins to evolve. Piell and his fleet officer, Captain Tarkin, as liberated from their cells, but now the fugitives must escape the Citadel itself.

New Characters:Even Piell, Osi Sobeck, K2-B4, OOM-10, Captain Tarkin

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, R2-D2, Clone Captain Rex, Clone Commander Cody, Echo, Fives, Plo Koon, C-3PO

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu

Secrets Revealed

• Osi Sobeck is a Phindian, an alien species that originated in the Expanded Universe, specifically the Jedi Apprentice series published by Scholastic, Inc. The species was first pictured in The Essential Guide to Aliens Species, published by Del Rey Books in 2001. Osi’s design hews closely to the art by R.K. Post.
• For James Arnold Taylor’s characterization of Osi Sobeck, he performed the dialogue with pauses and inflection inspired by Christopher Walken’s distinctive speech patterns.
• Ashley Eckstein, who ordinarily voices Ahsoka Tano, joins James Arnold Taylor, Matt Lanter, Tom Kane, Corey Burton, Cara Pifko, Phil LaMarr, and Gary Scheppke as the voice of a tactical droid. The droid, K2-B4, has been colored to match the Lola Sayu environment: purple and yellow.
• K2-B4’s colors also work well as the droid’s name is a nod to crewmembers who are fans of the Los Angeles Lakers. When K2-B4’s animation model was created, the Lakers won the championship. Kobe Bryant’s number 24 translates to K2-B4.
• The texture of the exterior Citadel walls is meant to be visually reminiscent of the Death Star surface when seen from afar.
• During Season One, discussions about getting past droid scans led to Superising Director Dave Filoni and writer Henry Gilory developing the carbon-freezing tactic, though it never made it into an episode. Gilroy later used it in an Expanded Universe Clone Wars comic book story, The Shipyards of Doom. Its use in ‘The Citadel’ brings it to the screen.
• Some of the smallest asteroids seen orbiting Lola Sayu are re-textured rocks seen floating over Mortis or Iego.
• According to the screens in the Citadel orbital security stations, the Separatist shuttle that R2-D2 commands is an escort shuttle, class type B.
• Even Piell is a Jedi Master first seen in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Piell’s short height and long ears caused many fans to speculate some sort of relation to Yoda (some called him “the pink Yoda”), but Piell is a distinct species: a Lannik. Though Even Piell is male, in the live action movie, he was portrayed by a woman: Michaela Cotrell.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Title

Episode No.: 61 (Season 3, Episode 17)
Production No.: 313 (Season 3, Episode 13)
Original Air Date: February 11, 2011

“He who seeks to control fate shall never find peace.”

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Steward Lee

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Lloyd Sherr as Father
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Sam Witwer as Son
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yoda
Ian Abercrombie as Darth Sidious
Catherine Taber as Padmé

Synopsis: The Jedi remain stranded on Mortis, and the Son, aligned with the dark side of the Force, renews his efforts to convert Anakin as the Jedi prepare for a decisive confrontation. Anakin is stunned by images of his dark future. The Son promises him the power to avert this destiny.

The Father recognizes that the Son has broken the rules of time. He wipes Anakin’s memory of these future visions, and steals the Mortis Dagger to end the conflict. The Father impales himself, thus preventing the Son from stealing his power. The Son, stunned by this, is run through by Anakin. With all three Force-wielders destroyed, the imbalance in the Force disappears on Mortis. The three Jedi are transplanted back to the galaxy proper, apparently at the moment that they disappeared.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Ahsoka Tano; Son; Father; Qui-Gon Jinn; Clone Captain Rex

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

• It is completely intentional that the Father is the only one of the three Force-wielders that vanishes upon his death as Obi-Wan and Yoda do.
• The lava used in the Well of the Dark Side uses some of the same elements from Revenge of the Sith Mustafar scenes, according to effects supervisor Joel Aron
• The very portable Jedi jumpseeders are based off a speeder bike concept drawings from Return of the Jedi.
• Some of the concept design for the Well of the Dark Side was taken from early Ralph McQuarrie designs for subterranean levels of the Imperial Palace where Luke was going to face the Emperor deep within Coruscant in Return of the Jedi.
• Ahsoka is wearing a re-purposed par of Hondo Ohnaka’s pirate goggles with the strap removed.
• Hidden among the constellations etched into in the Father’s monastery is a wolf.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Altar of Mortis

Episode No.: 60 (Season 3, Episode 16)
Production No.: 311 (Season 3, Episode 11)
Original Air Date: February 4, 2011

“He who surrenders hope, surrenders life.”

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Samuel Witwer as Son
Adrienne Wilkinson as Daughter
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Lloyd Sherr as Father
Tom Kane as narrator

Synopsis: Before the Jedi can leave Mortis, the Son takes Ahsoka captive in an attempt to entice Anakin into joining him to use their combined strength to overpower his Father and Sister. To this end, the Son casts Ahsoka under the spell of the dark side.

Meanwhile, the Father attempts to stave off a disastrous showdown between his children and maintain the Force’s increasingly precarious balance on the planet. Fearing that the Son may be unstoppable, the Daughter does the forbidden by taking Obi-Wan Kenobi to the Altar of Mortis, wherein is kept the Dagger of Mortis, a weapon capable of killing a Force-wielder. The Son steals the weapon, and attempts to use it against his Father to steal his power and end his rule, but the Daughter sacrifices herself, placing herself in front of the blade.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Son, Daughter, Father

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

• The Son’s “prison creature form” has no proper name. Sam Witwer provided the voice for it as well.
• The look of the Altar was very much derived from the Wagner opera Siegfried. In it, Siegfried crosses through a ring of fire to find the valkyrie warrior Brünnhilde, who shall “work the deed that redeems the world.” This description could apply to the Mortis dagger, as well as to Anakin.
• The Son’s cathedral is an homage to the tower of Orthanc from The Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers, which was also a single dark tower set within a circle. “If you know The Lord of the Rings films you may notice that the tower itself resembles Saruman’s staff,” says Supervising Director Dave Filoni. Saruman was portrayed by Christopher Lee who also played Count Dooku in Episodes II, III and The Clone Wars movie.
• Though the Father is not depicted in a beast form, he does have wings.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Witches of the Mist

Episode No.: 58 (Season 3, Episode 14)
Production No.: 312 (Season 3, Episode 12)
Original Air Date: January 21, 2011

“The path to evil may bring great power, but not loyalty.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Cast:
Corey Burton as Count Dooku
Clancy Brown as Savage Opress
Nika Futterman as Ventress
Barbara Goodson as Mother Talzin
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | Plo Koon
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Stephen Stanton as Brother Viscus | Toydarian Guard #2
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | Toydarian Guard #1
Angelique Perrin as Adi Gallia | Talia
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Brian George as King Katuunko
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yoda
Matthew Wood as battle droids

Synopsis: Anakin and Obi-Wan, sent to track down the mysterious figure behind the deaths of several Jedi, soon find themselves on the trail of the monstrous apprentice that Ventress has created: Savage Opress, who has been trained in the ways of the Sith by Dooku.

Dooku sends Opress to Toydaria to capture King Katuunko. The monstrous apprentice clashes with the Jedi, and in the course of the battle he kills the king. Opress returns to Dooku’s flagship having failed his Master. It is then that Ventress strikes, with Opress at her side, against Dooku. A three-way battle for dark side supremacy ends with Dooku triumphant, Ventress fleeing, and a disillusioned Savage abandoning his loyalties to the Sith. He returns to Mother Talzin, who gives him a new task. To seek the Outer Rim for his long-lost brother….

However, Dooku and Ventress also discover that this new apprentice has a will of his own.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Savage Opress; Asajj Ventress; Count Dooku; King Katuunko; Adi Gallia; Plo Koon; Yoda; Mace Windu; Brother Viscus

New Characters: Boss; Scorch; Fixer; Sev; Saesee Tiin

Worlds Visited: Coruscant; Serenno; Dathomir; Toydaria

Secrets Revealed

• • The clones escorting Halsey’s body to the Jedi Temple are the four Republic commandos created for the 2005 LucasArts video game.
  • Expanded Universe lore had previously suggested that the Jedi never knew Darth Maul’s name, but the captured Neimoidians would have known it during the Naboo invasion. Maul’s EU connections to Iridonia are also mentioned, though the episode reveals Maul was raised on Dathomir.
  • When Dooku looms over Savage after besting him in a lightsaber duel, he holds two lightsabers at his throat in a very deadly scissor formation. Ironically, this is how Dooku meets his end in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.

• Dooku evidently holds a grudge: King Katuunko rejected Dooku’s offer to join the Separatists in the very first episode of The Clone Wars, “Ambush.”
• The ship that the Jedi take to leave Toydaria is the Thief’s Eye, the same vessel briefly glimpsed in “Ambush” and used by King Katuunko.
• Dooku’s escape hatch concealed in his quarters was previously seen in Season One, “Dooku Captured.” Though Savage does not pursue because he is interrupted by Jedi intruders, it’s questionable whether his enormous build would even fit into the escape tunnel.
• Savage’s long lost brother living in the Outer Rim? Interesting.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Monster

Episode No.: 57 (Season 3, Episode 13)
Production No.: 310 (Season 3, Episode 10)
Original Air Date: January 14, 2011

“Evil is not born, it is taught.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

Cast:
Nika Futterman as Ventress | Nightsister
Corey Burton as Count Dooku | Halsey | Nightbrother #1
Barbara Goodson as Mother Talzin | Nightsister
Clancy Brown as Savage Opress | Nightbrother #3
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | Feral | Knox
Stephen Stanton as Brother Viscus | Nightbrother #2
Tom Kane as Narrator

Synopsis: When Count Dooku calls upon the Nightsisters seeking a replacement for Ventress, she and her kin seize the opportunity to exact revenge. Ventress visits the far side of Dathomir and the males of the planet seeking the most brutal and powerful warrior among them. Talzin has Asajj secretly select a warrior from the distant Nightbrother village: Savage Opress. With the power of dark magic, Talzin transforms Savage into a hulking warrior ultimately loyal to Asajj. She then delivers Opress to Dooku, where he will serve as his secret Sith apprentice in a plot to overthrow Darth Sidious.

Returning Characters: Asajj Ventress; Count Dooku; Mother Talzin; Halsey;

New Characters: Savage Opress; Feral; Brother Viscus; Knox; Clone Commander Trauma;

Worlds Visited: Dathomir, Serenno, Devaron

Secrets Revealed

• As he did in “Nightsisters,” Dooku makes mention of an old allegiance with Mother Talzin, though the full nature of this association has yet to be revealed. “Long ago,” presumably when he was a Jedi, Dooku helped Talzin out of some manner of predicament. Given Talzin’s penchant for long-term planning, she may have been concocting this scheme since that day.
• Talzin offers Dooku a rejuvenating beverage of blackroot. Fans of Willow will remember that blackroot puts hair on your chest, but you should never ever feed it to an infant. If that means nothing to you, then see the movie.
• The Zabrak species, represented in Star Wars by such memorable characters as Darth Maul, Eeth Koth and Sugi the bounty hunter, are a culture that has spread across the galaxy. Though many hail from Iridonia, their wide colonization efforts mean that many only associate themselves with the colony world of their birth. In the case of Maul’s people, these Zabrak call Dathomir home.
• When Maul first appeared, his striking striped patterning was quickly assumed to be an example of Sith heritage by many artists and writers. They are not exclusive or even derived from Sith, but are instead the markings of a warrior.
• The look of a shirtless Darth Maul was first developed by concept artist Iain McCaig when the need arose to illustrate Maul for a Dark Horse Comics comic book. That design has since appeared in action figures. It defined the look of the shirtless Nightbrothers in this episode.
• Aside from Feral, Viscus and Savage, none of the other Nightbrothers are named in the script.
• The Nightsister incantation that empowers Savage is as follows:
  

  Geiss kan erde mak | harden ob stein
  geiss kan lewf mak | krig ob blitz
  geiss kan pire mak | blud loge raga
  geiss kan vass byn | skol zum Asajj
  erde-blitz-raga-byn | ede-blitz raga byn
  erde-blitz-raga-byn, zum Asajj!

• Savage’s body armor is based on Roman armor, with thin metal plates that slide over each other for a greater range of movement.
• According to concept art, Savage’s spear can fire its tip .
• Jedi Halsey previously appeared in the background of the Season Two episode, “Grievous Intrigue.” Concept art at the time identified him as Jayfo Ong, and he later became known as Tukker Val Loo and Lev’loa before his final name, Halsey, was settled upon. The name is spoken aloud in the next episode, “Witches of the Mist.”
• Halsey and Knox re-use existing character geometry, but with newly textured finishes. Halsey is made up of Kit Fisto’s body, while Knox’s body is that of Bolla Ropal.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Nightsisters

Episode No.: 56 (Season 3, Episode 12)
Original Air Date: January 7, 2011
Production No.: 308 (Season 3, Episode 8)

“The swiftest path to destruction is through vengeance.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Cast:
Nika Futterman as Ventress
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi/Pirate #1
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | Ratch
Barbara Goodson as Mother Talzin
Corey Burton as Count Dooku | Ky Narec
Cara Pifko as TJ-912 | Naa’leth
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yularen
Ian Abercrombie as Darth Sidious | Pirate #2
Catherine Taber as Karis
Matthew Wood as battle droids

Synopsis: Troubled by Asajj Ventress’ growing prowess with the dark side of the Force, Darth Sidious commands Count Dooku to eliminate her. But Ventress survives Dooku’s assassination attempt, and the jilted former apprentice vows to take revenge, enlisting the aid of her kinswomen — the mystical Nightsisters — in her sinister scheme.

Mother Talzin, leader of the Nightsisters, veils Asajj and her fellow assassins in a cloak of invisibility, and they infiltrate Dooku’s palace on Serenno. Though they fail to kill the Count, their use of captured Jedi lightsabers leads Dooku to mistakenly believe that the Jedi have tried to kill him. Interested in protection, he requests a new apprentice from Mother Talzin.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2-D2, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, Darth Sidious, Admiral Yularen

New Characters: Mother Talzin, Naa’leth, Ky Narec, TJ-912, Ratch, Karis, Talia, Hal’Sted

Worlds Visited: Dathomir, Serenno, Rattatak

Secrets Revealed

• Asajj Ventress began life as concept art by Dermot Power for a potential female Sith Lord during the development of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002). When the character was abandoned in favor of Count Dooku, the female Sith warrior was repurposed as a “Separatist commander” for the Clone Wars spin-off material developed by Lucas Licensing in toys, comics and novels in 2003-2005.
• Asajj’s costume at the start of the episode is a direct recreation of the costume she wore in her initial concept art and early EU appearances.

• Author W. Haden Blackman developed Asajj’s Expanded Universe backstory for the Star Wars: Republic comic. An early draft of her character was named Juno Eclipse, a name that would be discarded and resurrected as an Imperial pilot in The Force Unleashed. Ventress’s backstory tied her to the planet Rattatak and revealed her to be the student of Jedi Knight Ky Narec.
• For The Clone Wars series, writer Katie Lucas preserved much of this EU backstory for this authoritative depiction of Asajj and her history. In the flashbacks seen in the episode, young Asajj is handed over by her Dathomirian mother to a Siniteen criminal named is Hal’Sted. The flashbacks then move to Rattatak, where she is discovered by Ky Narec after Hal’Sted dies from an assault by Weequay raiders.
• Another Expanded Universe concept is the planet Dathomir and its Nightsisters. Though the idea of witches in Star Wars has been around since the ’80s (the Ewoks live action movie and cartoon both featured witches), these in particular debuted in the 1994 novel, The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton. The planet and the Nightsisters have made numerous appearances in publishing since then, but it was their inclusion in the The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance videogame that prompted their appearance in the series.
• Mother Talzin’s look is derived from a Sith Witch concept first developed by concept artist Iain McCaig for Episode I. Before Darth Maul was defined as Episode I’s principal Sith Lord, McCaig explored several nightmarish witch concepts.
• When in their spectral forms, the Nightsisters do not cast shadows

• In addition to Talzin, Naa’leth and Karis, a there is another named Nightsister in this episode, Talia.
• This episode sees the return of the Geonosian fanblade starfighter as Asajj’s vehicle. It was originally designed for the pilot Clone Wars micro-series. Its distinctive shape was inspired by a Japanese fan.
• This episode marks the debut of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s new Season Three character model.
• At the start of the episode, the Republic cruiser Resolute is destroyed, though Admiral Yularen did escape.
• The tactical droid TJ-912 acknowledges an order by quoting a classic Battlestar Galactica line often uttered by Cylons: “By your command.”
• The scavenger vessel is called the Raider. It is a re-use of the Vulture’s Claw model from Season One, but with a distinct paint job and some other modifications. Though his name is not spoken in the episode, the Twi’lek scavenger who finds Asajj is named Ratch.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Pursuit of Peace

Episode No.: 55 (Season 3, Episode 11)
Original Air Date: December 3, 2010
Production No.: 307 (Season 3, Episode 7)

“Truth can strike down the specter of fear”

Written by Daniel Arkin
Directed by Duwayne Dunham

Cast:
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala
Dee Bradley Baker as Onaconda Farr, Robonino, Mot-Not Rab
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa, Orn Free Taa and Alderaan guard
Corey Burton as County Dooku, Chata Hyoki, driver
Ashley Moynihan as Teckla Minnau
Stephen Stanton as Mas Amedda, Mak Plain, Edcel Bar Gane
Jason Spisak as Christo, Zinn Paulness, Coruscant guard
Tom Kane as narrator, police droid and Twi’lek punk
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
Kath Soucie as Mon Mothma
Gideon Emery as Mee Deechi
Jameelah McMillan as Halle Burtoni

Synopsis: Padmé, Bail Organa and Onaconda Farr attempt to rally Senators in opposition to a bill that would appropriate funds for millions of new clone troops and have disastrous financial consequences for the Republic. Their opposition to the measure, however, soon makes them targets for intimidation and attacks by hired guns. After escaping two hired thugs — Chata Hyoki and Robonino — in a harrowing speeder bike chase, Padmé, is able to sway the Senate with a stirring account of how the war has affected an everyday civilian, her handmaiden Teckla Minnau.

Returning Characters: Padmé Amidala; Senator Bail Organa; Senator Onaconda Farr; Chancellor Palpatine; Mas Amedda; Senator Halle Burtoni; Count Dooku; Robonino; Senator Mot-Not Rab; Senator Orn Free Taa; Lolo Purs; Mon Mothma; Mee Deechee;

New Characters: Chata Hyoki; Mak Plain; Senator Edcel Bar Gane; Hogan Tinmar; Senator Christo; Teckla Minnau

Key Locales: Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

• Padmé’s driver’s name, not spoken in the episode, is Hogan Tinmar. Mak Plain is the Banking Clan representative that Padmé and Onaconda visit.
• This episode is immediately followed by Season Two’s Senate Murders, where Onaconda and Mee Deechee meet their end.
• Chata Hyoki is a Selkath alien, a species that first appeared in the 2003 video game, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Established as an aquatic species, Hyoki’s chest armor includes misting vents to keep his skin moist.
• Teckla Minnau’s character name was pieced together over time from multiple sources. Nathan Hamill, the son of Mark Hamill (who played Luke Skywalker), was a Naboo extra in Episode I. He unofficially named his character Rehtul Minnau, but that name did not appear in any continuity. Later, the script to Episode II referred to the server at the Naboo lake retreat as Teckla, but gave her no surname. StarWars.com then began offering Fan Club members the opportunity to create new Expanded Universe lore through the databank in a feature called “What’s the Story?”. In 2008, a Star Wars user with the screen-name ShadowCultist fleshed out Teckla’s back-story and gave her the last name Minnau, which is now her last name as spoken in The Clone Wars.

• The backseat of the Coruscant police speeders have security bars for the detainment of those arrested.
• This episode confirms what many have suspected: most of Padmé’s elaborate coifs are wigs already prepared into their headdresses.

• Mina Bonteri’s off-screen death (attributed to a Republic attack) now makes Lux an orphan. His next interaction with the Jedi or the Republic should prove interesting.
• The Coruscant police speeders list their jurisdiction (“Coruscant police sector 417”) as well as an emergency contact number, “9-1-1.”

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Heroes on Both Sides

Episode No.: 54 (Season 3, Episode 10)
Original Air Date: November 19, 2010
Production No.: 306 (Season 3, Episode 6)

“Fear is a great motivator.”

Written by Daniel Arkin
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

Cast:
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala | Voe Atell
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Kath Soucie as Mina Bonteri, Mon Mothma, and maiden #1
Phil LaMarr as Gume Saam, Bail Organa, Orn Free Taa
Corey Burton as Nix Card, Count Dooku and engineer
Gideon Emery as Lott Dod and Kerch Kushi
Stephen Stanton as Mas Amedda and Senator
Dee Bradley Baker as clones, Mot Not Rab, and Onaconda Farr
Jason Spisak as Lux
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
Jameelah McMillan as Halle Burtoni and maiden #2
Matthew Wood as General Grievous and battle droids
Tom Kane as narrator

Synopsis: When the Senate begins debating a bill that would eliminate government oversight of the Banking Clan’s activities in order to fund the war, Padmé and Ahsoka travel in secret to the capital of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Amidala attempts to forge a peace agreement with the Separatists, while Ahsoka sees, for the first time, the people of the Confederacy. Padmé’s friend, Mina Bonteri, spearheads the peace initiative, and convinces the Separatist Congress to sue for peace.

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Senators Lott Dod and Gume Saam conspire with Banking Clan representative Nix Card and Count Dooku to make the banking deregulation a reality. At Dooku’s command, General Grievous engineers an attack at the central power distribution grid on Coruscant, carried out by Separatist demolition droids. The chaos and panic spreads to the Senate, which vehemently rejects the Separatist peace initiative, and votes instead to deregulate the Banking Clan.

Returning Characters: Padmé Amidala, Ahsoka Tano, Bail Organa, Senator Lott Dod, Chancellor Palpatine, Mas Amedda, Anakin Skywalker, Count Dooku, General Grievous, Clone Commander Fox, Senator Halle Burtoni, Senator Mon Mothma, Senator Orn Free Taa, Captain Typho, Senator Zinn Paulness, Senator Stronk, battle droids, Eekar Oki

New Characters: Senator Mina Bonteri, Lux Bonteri, Bonteri’s maidens, Senator Gume Saam, Senator Mot Not Rab, Nix Card, demolition droids, engineering team, Senator Voe Atell, Senator Kerch Kusi, Senator By Bluss, Senator Punn Rimbaud, Senator Bec Lawise, Senator Amita Fonti

Key Locales: Coruscant, Raxus

Secrets Revealed

• During production, this episode was titled “Banking Conspiracy.” The new title, taken from a line in the opening crawl for Episode III, came much later.
• As previously reported, this episode unveils new models for several of the main characters, including upgrades to Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, and a new wardrobe for Chancellor Palpatine. Ahsoka is now older; there is an unspecified passage of time between this episode and her last appearance. With the start of this arc, which continues in “Pursuit of Peace” and concludes in Season Two’s “Senate Murders,” the Clone Wars storyline advances to its furthest point in the timeline, and subsequent episodes should continue going forward without as much jumping back and forth.
• Since Season Two’s “Senate Murders” is actually, to date, the last episode in the chronology, it’s a good thing that scenes with Anakin Skywalker were cut from that episode, since he would have been sporting an outdated character model. These scenes can be seen in the Blu-Ray release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season Two.
• Whatever relation Raxus holds to Raxus Prime, the junk planet seen in several LucasArts video games, has yet to be defined, though it is clearly not intended to be the same planet, given the pastoral beauty of the Separatist capital.

• Senator Gume Saam, an Ishi Tib alien, is supposed to be the same alien seen beside Bail Organa at the parade ground balcony seen at the end of Episode II. The way Count Dooku addresses him strongly suggests he is getting kickbacks from the Techno Union.
• Lott Dod says Coruscant has not been directly attacked in over 1,000 years, which coincides with a chronology that had the last war between Sith and Jedi around that time as well.

• The transforming demolition droids have stenciled on their domes “CSD,” for “Coruscant Sanitation Department.”
• The starship that Padmé and Ahsoka take to Raxus is a Gozanti freighter, a vessel briefly seen in the background over Mos Espa in both Episodes I and II. The ship that delivers the demolition droids to the Coruscant docks is a Taylander shuttle, also seen in Episode II.
• The battle droids that deal with newcomers to Raxus are remarkably polite.
• Mina Bonteri mentions her husband died on Aargonar, a planet previously seen in the first run of Dark Horse comics’ version of The Clone Wars.
• Among the Separatist Senators seen in congress are Voe Atell, the green-skinned female with the double row of horns; Kerch Kusi, who disputes Atell’s stance on the Corporate Alliance; Punn Rimbaud, a deep-voiced female amphibian alien; By Bluss, who votes aye for opening peace negotiations; Amita Fonti, a Gossam alien; and Bec Lawise, a wide-bodied Brainee alien who serves as Separatist Congress Leader.
• Nix Card is extremely tall — eight feet! — as all Muuns are. When he sits down, he is the same height as Gume Saam and Lott Dod.
• The power generators are said to be on level 5000, presumably 5,000 levels down from the surface of Coruscant.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Assassin

Episode No.: 51 (Season 3, Episode 7)
Original Air Date: October 22, 2010
Production No.: 221 (Season 2, Episode 21)

“The future has many paths — choose wisely.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen

Cast:
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Mathis III as Captain Typho and medical droid
Tom Kane as the narrator | Yoda
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa and Senate Guard #2
Corey Burton as ZIro the Hutt and Senate Guard #1
Jaime King as Aurra Sing
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Koon
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Flo DiRe as Jocasta Nu

Synopsis: Tasked to protect Senator Padmé Amidala during a political mission to Alderaan, Padawan Ahsoka Tano is plagued by recurring visions of recently-deceased bounty hunter, Aurra Sing. Unable to clear her mind, Ahsoka worries that the stress of conflict is finally getting to her until her visions indeed prove prophetic. Padmé narrowly avoids death when Aurra Sing attempts to assassinate her. Together, Padmé and Ahsoka trap the hunter, and Ahsoka discovers the true villain behind the plot to kill Padmé: the incarcerated gangster, Ziro the Hutt.

Recurring Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala, Aurra Sing, Captain Typho, Bail Organa, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, Jocasta Nu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Clone Captain Rex, C-3PO, Mon Mothma, Ziro the Hutt

New Characters: Alderaanian citizens

Key Locales: Coruscant, Alderaan

Secrets Revealed

• • This episode, more than others, reveals the convoluted chronology of stories from the first two seasons. The Season Two finale, “Lethal Trackdown,” actually takes place before the Season One finale, “Hostage Crisis.”In a chronological flow of events, the series begins with the action on Christophsis (“Cat and Mouse,” “The Hidden Enemy”), which introduces Ahsoka to the Clone Wars (“The New Padawan,” which was incorporated into feature film). Then, the kidnapping of Rotta the Hutt introduces Ziro the Hutt, and the movie ends with Ziro’s incarceration. Many Season One and Season Two episodes then follow, with Season Two’s trilogy of Boba Fett episodes introducing Aurra Sing into the storyline. The crashing of the Slave I leads the Jedi to mistakenly believe that Aurra is dead, until she surfaces in this episode, which brings back Ziro — chronologically — for the first time since his imprisonment. The story continues in the next Season Three episode, “Evil Plans”, and Aurra will somehow be freed from captivity in time for Cad Bane’s attack on the Senate in Season One’s “Hostage Crisis.” The drama surrounding Ziro and his freedom then picks up in “Hunt for Ziro,” the ninth episode of this season.

• • The dark strip of makeup across Aurra Sing’s eyes is an homage to a similar look worn by Daryl Hannah in Blade Runner.
  • Anakin is assigned to Balith, site of a large-scale civil war, where he will take command of the Third Legion. Privy to the script of this developing episode, the cartographers of The Essential Atlas were able to place Balith in the Inner Rim in the online appendix of worlds long before this episode aired.

Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion

Update: The massive appendix of all known star systems in the Star Wars galaxy, available in a convenient, printable downloadable PDF document, has been updated.

August 18th, 2009 saw the publication of one of the most eagerly awaited Star Wars reference books, Star Wars: The Essential Atlas. Written by Daniel Wallace and Jason Fry, with illustrations by Ian Fullwood, Modi, Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas, this 244-page book published by Del Rey was years in the making, and is the most exhaustive and detailed attempt ever to map the Star Wars galaxy.

Given how deeply the Star Wars galaxy extends, and how rapidly it expands, the authors have turned to StarWars.com to offer insight and updates on their work. Bookmark this page, as it will become a repository of links for future updates and essential add-ons to this must-have book.

Updates:

The Sectors of the Mid Rim A new supplemental map complete with defined sectors is now available.
The Essential Atlas Extra: The Knight Errant Gazetteer provides a thorough introduction to the layout and circumstances in the Grumani sector, setting to the Knight Errant comics and novel.

The Online Appendix of known systems has been updated to a downloadable PDF format, with the following new systems:

Adana, Adras, Alphoresis, Annamar, Aquilaris Minor, Aridinia, Ashterri’s Cloud, Asuin, Atoa, Bizikia, Blaudu Sextus, Bontormia, Bravis, Caulus Tertius, Cavamina, Chelloa, Cilare, Cirtappa, Cosia, Crelythiumn, D’Nile, Dibrook, Fiviune, Garr’lst, Gazzari, Gorobei, Greeve, Grehollo, Gultanna, Hakara, Heterkus, Hidden Tegoor, Iphar, Javarica, Kamasto, Kant, Katalla, Khramboa, Latza, Letaki, Lola Sayu, Maarka, Maldovea, Malpassia, Manakron, Manoe, Marfa, Miko, Mooga, Murakam, Nakrikal Singularity, New Brampis, Nyemari, Odacer-Faustin, Onderia, Opitha Tren, Otavon, Phatrong, Plunder Moon, Qi Lozar, Quesh, Regulan, Samhar, Savek, Sebbadon, Secundus Ando, Sha’rellia, Shotem, Sixela, Slotern, Stewjon, Tanta Aurek, Tanta Besh, Tartaria, Tedonia, Tergamenion, Terrelia, Thory Prime, Thulia, Udrin Cara, Valsedian, Vartos, Vellas Pavo, Ventruun, Verig, Vo Tunbren, Winnagew, Xandonia.

The following systems have had their information updated: Aargonar, Abaarian, Abbaji, Aida, Aikhibba, Alagon, Alakatha, Alassa Major, Alderath, Alderbathe, Aldin, Almak, Alsakan, Alui, Amorphiia, Anga, Angeria, Anic, Ankus, Annaj, Ansarra, Ansek, Anzat, Aplooine, Ardru, Ariarch-17, Aridka, Arthon, Ast Kikorie, Auril, Azure, Balis-Baurgh, Balowa, Baltizaar, Bandomeer, Bannistar Station, Barcaria, Bars Barka, Bastooine, Baylin Cluster, Beauchen, Bedlam Pulsar, Belshar Othacuu, Belvaria, Benja-Rihn, Berason, Beris, Biravia, Blathar, Blood Nest, Bomodon, Boranall, Boranda, Bortele Cluster, Bresnia, Bryx, Bseto, Burska, Byllura, Byrsym, Cadannia, Caramm, Carbos, Carnth, Casfield, Cataalda, Cerea, Ceti 597, Ch’manss, Chalcedon, Cheelit, Chokan, Chroma Zed, Chryya, Cificap, Cimarosa, Codia, Cols, Contruum, Copperline, Corbett Cluster, Corbos, Cornesia, Corthenia, Corweillia, Crintlia, Cron Drift, Cygnus, D’faria, Daalang, Dagro, Daimar, Dakaret, Dalonia, Dalron, Daminia, Danalbeth, Darie, Darkon, Darlon, Deersheba, Delphania, Demnadi, Deneba, Denebrilla, Dennaskar, Denon, Denubba, Devros, Deylerax, Diado, Din Nebula, Din Pulsar, Diorda, Dithanune, Dlor, Doaskin, Dohlban, Dohnia, Dohu, Doldrums, Dononter Minor, Dor Nameth, Dorajan, Dractu, Draik, Dressel, Duron, Echnos, Eedoq, Eeyyon, Eiattu, Eidoloni, Elbara, Elriss, Enarc, Endor, Endor Gate, Endovan, Enferm, Eres, Eriscot, Euceron, Evas, Fait d’Fait, Farquar, Farseen, Farstine, Farwell Station, Fendry, Ferijia (was Ferjia), Feris, Firrerre, Fodurant, Forntay, Fradian, Freda, Frithia, Fusai, Galboron, Gallion, Gammalin, Gansett, Ganzik, Garcornia, Garos, Gascon, Gavryn, Gazzari Minor (was Gazzari), Geal, Gendius, Gerinia, Geris, Gerres Gule, Geska Prime, Gestron, Ggy-ynt, Ghishi, Gilatter, Glee Anselm, Gosfambling, Graador, Grakouine, Grimwald, Gultanna, Gwar, Habassa, Hallitron, Halm, Haluria, Hapuntep, Har Binade, Harpori, Haruun Kal, Haseria, Hathrox, Haurgab, Herdessa, Hewl, Hirsi, Hitaka, Holess, Homana, Horos, Houche, Hoylin, Hurd’s Moon, Hypotria, Iast, Ichtor, Ilimardon, Ingo, Iridia, Iska, Iskalon, Iskin, Italbos, Ixtlar, Jabor, Jaloria, Jante, Japai, Jendiria, Jeyell, Jiann, Jidlor, Jmin, Jolia, Joralla, Jutrand, Kabray, Kaelinn, Kalaan, Kaliida Nebula, Kaliida Shoals, Kalkovak, Katanos, Katarr, Kaump, Keitum, Kem Stor Ai, Kholes, Khorm, Killaniri, Killisu, Kishpaugh, Kiva, Klaymor, Koba, Kolos, Kordu, Korvaii, Kostra, Kreeling, Kril’Dor, Kriselist, Krnay, Kromus, Krykas, Ksiczzic, Kuna’s Eye, Kuna’s Fist, Kuna’s Horn, Kuna’s Tail, Kuna’s Tooth, Kwannot, Kyrska, Lahsbane, Lannik, Lanos, Lanthe, Leresen, Likasha, Linuri, Lisal, Lofquar, Loken, Lomabu, Londor, Lopor Station, Loposi, Lorahns, Lorista, Lorta, Low’n, Luuq, Mackar, Maerdocia, Maltorian, Manda, Maro Della, Marzoon, Masgen, Masposhani, Masterra, Mauk, Maya Kovel, Medepiest, Medth, Meedis Minor, Mektrun Cluster, Mendacia, Mengjini, Meruud, Mes Cavoli, Meshakia, Metalorn, Mhatma, Mis-Tenek, Miztoc, Moer, Mon Torri, Monastery, Monsua Nebula, Morado, Mordis, Moro, Msst, Muntuur, Murk, Myomar, Naalol, Nanth’ri, Narrant, Nath Goordi, Nativum, Nauton, Necr’ygor, Nelvana Gas Cluster, Nerrif, New Holstice, Nexus Ortai, Nibiru, Nicandra, Nilash, Nilg, Nilgaria, Ninzam, Nirellia, Nixor, No-ad, Nooli, Nopsin, Notak, Nuala, Null, Nuralee, Nuvar, Nyarikan Nebula, Nymalia, Nyriaan, Obica, Octavia, Ogden Minor, Old Mankoo, Ookbat, Ooo-sek, Opari, Opatajji, Opiteihr, Oranessan, Ord Dorlass, Ord Dycoll, Ord Namurt, Ord Segra, Ord Tiddell, Ord Varee, Ord Wylan, Oriolanis, Orkellia, Orleon, Orocco, Osskorn, Ovise, Paradise Station, PDC3141-02, Peluchia, Pendal, Peregrine’s Nest, Peridon’s Folly, Petabys Station, Phaegon, Phibia, Phr’sha, Porchello, Pothor, Primtara, Pugal, Pyjridj, Qeimet (was Qeimat), Qina, Quadrant Seven, Quaensan Prime, Quamar, Quilan, Randor, Ragna, Raquish, Rathalay, Regulgo, Remmon Nebula, Resilon, Retep, Rettna, Riflor, Roche, Rodis, Rokaria, Romin, Rustibar, Ryndellia, Ryyk Nebula, Sabrash, Santheria, Sanyassa, Sarka, Sayblohn, Sedesia, Seltos, Semag, Serenity, Sev Tok, Shador, Shalm, Sif’kric, Silvestri (was Sivestri), Sinded, Sinton, Skorrupon, Skuumaa, Somov Rit, Sorotarr, Space Station Trenchant, Starlyte Station, Surcaris, T’olan, Tabiid, Talay, Talcene, Talesia, Tantajo, Tao-Grant, Tarchalia, Taronda, Tartaglia, Tascollan Nebula (was Tascollen), Tashtor Seneca, Tay’ah’loo, Tendo, Thairwsthis, Thaldo, Thape, Tharados, Theal, Thennqor, Therenor, Thodia, Thokosia, Thonner, Threfal, Thrynka, Tibrin, Tirac Munda, Tomark, Torrad, Toskhowwl, Tourani, Tramanos, Trasse, Traval-Pecor, Triffis, Trindello, Turak, Tyan, Tyria, Tyus Cluster, Uba, Ubertica, Ultaar, Umgul, Upell, UR-1060, UR-2650, UR-3741, UR-8827, UR-9353, Uridia, Ursellin, Urun, Va’art, Vaced, Varvva, Vasha, Vectinia, Velmor, Velossia, Venaari, Vendusii, Vensor, Ventran, Veron Minor, Verossia, Vessitoar, Vex, Vidicx, Viidaav, Vishay, Vogel, Vondarc, Voniss, Vorkaa, Vretha, Vulta, VV-99-7JE-2N71, Wen’he’dinae, Werta, Whinndor, Wyveral, Xal, Xanas, Xoemefel, Xorao, Yagara, Yankirk, Yartiga, Yde, Yeshocq, Yout, Zchtek, Zelos, Zeolosia, Ziost, Zorbia, Zuliria, Zygia

• The visions that Ahsoka has feature the same distorted effect as Anakin’s visions in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith .
• At one point in early story development, Ahsoka visited Boba Fett in jail to ask for details about Aurra Sing.
• Among the criminals on Ahsoka’s computer screen in the library are Bannamu (“last seen on Rodia. Wanted for armed robbery”) and Maysano (“last seen on Rodia. Wanted for murder”) and Aurra Sing.
• The dejarik holographic chess game makes a return appearance in The Clone Wars. It is also seen in the episode “The Deserter.”
• The helmets used by the Alderaanian guards have a similar tear-drop shaped domes later seen on Rebel Alliance fleet troopers aboard Princess Leia’s blockade runner in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Corruption

Episode No.: 49 (Season 3, Episode 5)
Original Air Date: October 8, 2010
Production No.: 304 (Season 3, Episode 4)

“The challenge of hope is to overcome corruption.”

Written by Cameron Litvack
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Cast:
Anna Graves as Satine Kryze and the Minister of Finance
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala and Minister
Corey Burton as Minister of the Interior, Dr. Zaz and Siddiq
Dee Bradley Baker as Moogan captain, Guard #1, and Superintendent
Julian Holloway as Prime Minister Almec and Guard #2
Gregory Baldwin as Moogan crew member, Mandalorian, and customs officer
Tom Kane as the narrator, police captain, and orderly

Synopsis: Padmé, on a diplomatic mission to Mandalore, guarantees the pacifist planet the Republic’s full protection, but she and Duchess Satine soon find something sinister lurking beneath the planet’s serene facade. Moogan smugglers have been sneaking in supplies, including bottled tea destined for the Mandalorian schools. To increase their profits, they have been diluting the tea with a hazardous chemical.

Returning Characters: Senator Padmé Amidala, Duchess Satine Kryze, Prime Minister Almec

New Characters: Moogan captain and smugglers; Doctor Zak Zaz; Siddiq; Mandalorian police captain; Mandalorian ministers

Secrets Revealed

• The tall alien smugglers with the pharoah-like headdresses are called Moogans. None of the individual characters are named in this episode.
• The two unnamed politicians bickering in Satine’s throne room are the Minister of Finance (the woman), and the Minister of the Interior (the man).
• True the cubist design prevalent throughout Mandalore, even their food is cube-shaped — though Satine and Amidala’s dinner plates also include the previously used fried nuna leg model.
• The doctor’s full name, in the script, is Zak Zaz.
• The bottles of tea say “Ardees Beverage” on it, a nod to a drink established in Episode II. Originally, Obi-Wan was to order a cup of ardees in Dex’s Diner, but that dialogue was changed to “Jawa Juice” before the movie’s release.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Sphere of Influence

Episode No.: 48 (Season 3, Episode 4)
Original Air Date: October 1, 2010
Production No.: 225 (Season 2, Episode 25)

“A child stolen is a lost hope.”

Written by Katie Lucas, Steven Melching
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

Cast:
Jennifer Hale as Senator Riyo Chuchi and Trella Bare’Ah
Corey Burton as Chairman Papanoida, Count Dooku and Sib Canay
Seth Green as Ion Papanoida
Tom Kenny as Lt. Tan Divo, Greedo, and Trade Federation envoy
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano and Twi’lek dancer #1
Nika Futterman as Chi Eekway Papanoida and TC-70
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker and Neimoidian guard
Gideon Emery as Lott Dod and Gotal
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala
Kevin M. Richardson as Jabba the Hutt
Meredith Salenger as Che Amanwe Papanoida and Twi’lek dancer #2
Tom Kane as the narrator
Matthew Wood as battle droids
David Acord as Rotta and Brainee

Synopsis: Chi Eekway and Che Amanwa, Chairman Papanoida’s daughters, are kidnapped and held for ransom. Ahsoka Tano teams up with the Senator from Pantora, Riyo Chuchi, to aid the new chairman in recovering his family before the Trade Federation can unduly influence the future of his planet.

The Chairman and his son, Ion, track down the kidnapper — Greedo — on Tatooine, and rescue Che Amanwe. Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Chuchi find Chi Eekway held captive aboard a blockading Trade Federation battleship over Pantora, and expose Trade Federation officer Sib Canay as a Separatist conspirator.

Returning Characters: Senator Riyo Chuchi, Senator Lott Dod, Senator Padmé Amidala, Jabba the Hutt, Anakin Skywalker, Clone Captain Rex, Lt. Tan Divo, Rotta the Hutt, TC-70

New Characters: Chairman Papanoida, Chi Eekway Papanoida, Che Amanwe Papanoida, Ion Papanoida, Sib Canay, Greedo, Trella Bare’Ah.

Secrets Revealed

• Chairman Papanoida is based on George Lucas’ cameo appearance in the opera house scene in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Papanoida’s family members are based on Lucas’ children. Given the amount of dialogue delivered by Papanoida, voice actor Corey Burton plays the role, who gives a nod to the character’s roots by basing his voice on another famous director, Orson Welles.
• Chi Eekway Papanoida is based on Katie Lucas, the writer of this episode, who also appeared in Episode III as the Senator of Pantora. Hasbro previously released a Chi Eekway action figure, and incorrectly speculated that the blue-skinned Senator might have had Twi’lek head-tails under her heavy robes. Katie also appeared as a purple Twi’lek nightclub patron in Episode II, and Anakin’s friend Amee in Episode I.
• Che Amanwe Papanoida is based on Amanda Lucas. She had previously appeared in the live action movies as Senator Terr Taneel (in Episode III), a nightclub patron named in Episode II, the voice of Neimoidian pilot Tey How in Episode I, and a spectator in Jabba the Hutt’s box at the Podrace arena.
• Ion Papanoida is based on Jett Lucas. Jett’s name was the inspiration for Dexter Jettster in Episode II. Jett has previously appeared in the live action movies as Zett Jukassa in Episodes II and III.
• Though not technically visited in the course of the episode, images of Pantora appear during the newsreel narration.

• Lott Dod makes reference to the “Treaty of 1647,” a legal covenant that assures the Trade Federation’s neutrality. No hint is given, however, of what calendar this may refer to.
• If you thought you spotted Senator Onaconda Farr roaming the Senate hallways, you’re correct. This episode takes place before the Rodian Senator’s death in “Senate Murders.”
• Embo and Sugi from the season two episode “Bounty Hunters” have cameo appearances inside Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

• In the 1990s, the book Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina told a different tale of Greedo’s past that presented him as a misguided youth orphaned by Rodian clan wars and corrupted by bounty hunters. George Lucas’ take on the character established Greedo on Tatooine as of Episode I (he’s around Anakin’s age, and seen scuffling with Skywalker in a deleted scene included in the Episode I DVD) and the Rodian has pretty much always been a luckless thug.
• Ion calls Greedo “sleemo,” which is Huttese for “slimeball.”
• The Twi’lek dancer who aids Baron Papanoida in finding Greedo is unnamed in the episode, though she is identified as Trella Bare’Ah in the script and credits.
• Rodians have green blood.
• Also seen, but without speaking roles, are Orn Free Taa, Chancellor Palpatine, Mas Amedda and Captain Typho.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Supply Lines

Episode No.: 47 (Season 3, Episode 3)
Original Air Date: September 24, 2010
Production No.: 224 (Season 2, Episode 24)

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Written by Steven Melching, Eoghan Mahony
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Conell

Cast:
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa, Orn Free Taa, and TX-20
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers, Toydarian minister #2
Brian George as King Katuunko, male Twi’lek
Robin Atkin Downes as Master Di, Cham Syndulla, and Toydarian minister #1
Gideon Emery as Lott Dod and Toydarian guard
Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks and Toydarian defense minister
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Admiral Dao
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu and Toydarian justice minister
Corey Burton as Count Dooku and Gobi Glie
Tom Kane as Yoda | narrator
Matthew Wood as battle droids

Synopsis: Ryloth is under siege. Trapped on the surface, Jedi Master Di rallies the local forces with the help of Cham Syndulla. Desperate to save them, the Jedi Council dispatches Senator Bail Organa and Representative Jar Jar Binks to the planet Toydaria, where they are to convince the neutral regent, King Katuunko, to send aid to Ryloth. Bail and Jar Jar must convince Toydaria that their cause is just — before it’s too late. Trade Federation envoy Lott Dod attempts to prevent the Toydarians from giving up their neutrality. Katuunko follows his conscience and secretly aids the Republic, which Jar Jar is able to keep secret from the snooping Trade Federation agents with his inimitable distractions.

Returning Characters: Bail Organa, Jar Jar Binks, King Katuunko, TX-20, Lott Dod, Cham Syndulla, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Gobi Glie, Count Dooku, Senator Orn Free Taa, battle droids

New Characters: Clone Captain Keeli, Jedi Master Di, Admiral Dao, Toydarian ministers

Key Locales: Ryloth, Toydaria

Secrets Revealed

• This episode is a prequel to “Ambush,” the Season One premiere, as well as the Ryloth Trilogy that ended the first season. It establishes how King Katuunko was convinced enough to meet with Jedi Master Yoda, and the Republic effort that assisted Cham Syndulla. In sequence, “Supply Lines” would be followed by “Ambush,” “Storm Over Ryloth,” “Innocents of Ryloth” and “Liberty on Ryloth.”
• The name of Jedi Master Di was deliberately chosen to foreshadow his grim fate. His full name, Ima-Gun Di is a pun on “I’m gonna die.” Slightly less direct is Admiral Dao, whose name is an anagram of D.O.A., or dead-on-arrival.
• Jedi Master Di is a Nikto, a species first introduced in Star Wars: Episode V Return of the Jedi as underlings of Jabba the Hutt. Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones revealed that not all Nikto end up in the underworld, as several Nikto are seen among the Jedi Knights in the Geonosian arena.
• At this point in the Clone Wars, Lott Dodd continues to claim neutrality in the war, despite Nute Gunray’s defection to the Separatist Alliance. Dodd claims that the Trade Federation — an immense corporate body that profits from the war — is no longer under Gunray’s influence.
• Lott Dod makes mention of the Separatist Senate. This civilian political arm of the Confederacy, not yet seen in the series, will play an important rule in future episodes.
• The fluttering nature of the Toydarians is repeated throughout their environment, with hovering tables and buildings being common.
• Admiral Dao’s design closely resembles the side-burn wearing British extras hired to play Imperial officers in the 1970s for Star Wars. His animation model consists of Admiral Yularen’s body, and a recycled head from a Mandalorian citizen customized with a unique hair-do.

• Bail Organa’s starship (the Tantive IV as it is named in the Expanded Universe) is built to more precisely resemble the model used at the start of A New Hope as Princess Leia’s ship. As such, it is not the same vessel that appears in Episode III, which was depicted by a computer-generated model with numerous architectural differences from the Episode IV version. Although many books that accompanied the release of Episode III claimed that the ship seen in Revenge of the Sith was the Tantive IV, that vessel that Bail pilots from Coruscant to Alderaan has since been identified as the Sundered Heart. The illustration below, from DK’s Star Wars Blueprints: Rebel Edition, shows the difference between the two designs. The Episode III ship is on the top, the Episode IV and Clone Wars ship is on the bottom.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: ARC Troopers

Episode No.: 46 (Season 3, Episode 2)
Original Air Date: September 17, 2010
Production No.: 302 (Season 3, Episode 2)

“Fighting a war tests a soldier’s skills, defending his home tests a soldier’s heart.”

Written by Cameron Litvack
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

Cast:
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers | aqua droid
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | computer
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker | TV-94B
Matthew Wood as General Grievous | battle droids
Tasia Valenza as Shaak Ti
Bob Bergen as Lama Su
Tom Kane as Narrator | Admiral Yularen
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress
Daniel Logan as clone cadets

Synopsis: The Republic learns of an impending Separatist attack on Kamino, and Anakin and Obi-Wan hurry to the planet. After the Republic repulses the Separatists’ diversionary assault, the real attack begins. Asajj Ventress, General Grievous and an army of droids rise out of the oceans, bent on destroying Kamino’s clone production facilities. Rex, Cody, Fives and Echo lead the clones in a desperate defense of their home planet.

Returning Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Commander Cody, Clone Captain Rex, Trooper Fives, Trooper Echo, 99, Asajj Ventress, General Grievous, Shaak Ti, Lama Su, Admiral Yularen, Pilot Broadside, clone cadets,R2-D2

New Characters: Separatist aqua droids, tactical droid TV-94

Key Locales: Kamino (Tipoca City)

Secrets Revealed

• This episode is a sequel to “Rookies,” a popular Season One episode that depicts Domino Squad stationed at Rishi Base. At one point, the action was to have flowed directly from the events of “Rookies,” but it was instead moved later down the timeline to give troopers Echo and Fives more experience prior to their promotion to ARC troopers.
• Asajj Ventress’s squid-like Trident ship makes a return appearance. It first debuted in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated feature, where it was shown capturing Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge in order to kidnap Rotta the Hutt. It was again briefly glimpsed in the Season One episode, “The Hidden Enemy.”
• Fives and Echo have decals on their armor commemorating Hevy’s sacrifice on the Rishi Moon. It is an illustration of a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon with the words “FOR HEVY” written in Aurebesh.
• Clone pilot Broadside was last seen in the Season One episode “Shadow of Malevolence“.
• This episode depicts the first time General Grievous has met Asajj Ventress face-to-face.

• The design of the aiwhas — or flying whales — dates back to the production of The Empire Strikes Back. Concept illustrator Ralph McQuarrie first drew flying whale-like creatures to inhabit the clouds of Bespin. Abandoned for Episode V, they were sketched as possible creatures in Return of the Jedi and then as a concept mount for the Gungans of Naboo in Episode I. They were finally shown on screen as creatures found in Kamino’s oceans in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones in 2002.
• Though not directly seen on screen, General Grievous arrives on the surface amid the debris dropped from the orbiting Separatist cruisers.
• The series once again ensures that Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous do not cross paths. As explained in dialog in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, they do not meet until after the death of Count Dooku.
• The design of the aqua droids allows for their feet to collapse and function as propellers

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Clone Cadets

Episode No.: 45 (Season 3, Episode 1)
Original Air Date: September 17, 2010
Production No.: 301 (Season 3, Episode 1)

“Brothers in arms are brothers for life.”

Written by Cameron Litvack
Directed by Dave Filoni

Cast:
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
Larry Brandenburg as Bric
Nolan North as El-Les
Tasia Valenza as Shaak Ti
Bob Bergen as Lama Su
Tom Kane as Narrator

Synopsis: Five headstrong clones struggle to complete their training on Kamino. These cadets — Hevy, Cutup, Droidbait, Fives and Echo — seem to be a “bad batch” and are unable to work as a team. As Shaak Ti and drill instructors Bric and El-Les debate the cadets’ fate, the clones learn to work together and accept their destiny as soldiers.

Returning Characters: Fives, Echo, Hevy, Droidbait, Cutup

New Characters: 99, Shaak Ti, Bric, El-Les, Lama Su, training droids (battle droid, super battle droids, commando droid), Commander Colt, ARC Troopers

Key Locales: Kamino

Secrets Revealed

• This episode is a prequel to “Rookies,” a popular Season One episode that depicts Domino Squad stationed at Rishi Base. It explains the origins of the nicknames used by Hevy, Droidbait, Echo, Cutup and Fives.
• The design of the clone training armor was inspired by old battered leather football gear. For those keeping track, the Domino Squad team numbering is as follows: 1. Hevy (CT-782); 2. Droidbait (CT-00-2010); 3. Echo (CT-21-0408); 4. Cutup (CT-4040) 5. Fives (CT-27-5555).
• The citadel challenge ordered by Commander Colt — version THX variable 1138 — is a not-so-subtle entry in the long history of THX 1138 references in Star Wars. See this article for more.
• The designs for the clone barracks dates back to concepts developed for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, which were explored by the concept design team back in 2000, but never finished.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Lethal Trackdown

Episode No.: 44 (Season 2, Episode 22)
Original Air Date: April 30th, 2010
Production No.: 220 (Season 2, Episode 20)

Written by Dave Filoni, Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Dave Filoni

Episode Brief: After combing the Coruscant underworld for a young fugitive, Plo Koon and Ahsoka pursue him to Florrum for a climactic confrontation.

Key Characters: Plo Koon, Ahsoka Tano, Aurra Sing, Boba Fett, Bossk, Hondo Ohnaka, Castas, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, Admiral Kilian

Key Locales: Coruscant, Florrum

Cast:
James Arnold Taylor as Plo Koon, Fong Do and Thug #3
Jaime King as Aurra Sing and droid
Daniel Logan as Boba Fett
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Jim Cummings as Hondo Ohnaka
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers, Bossk and Thug #2
Core Burton as Pirate and Bartender
Robin Atkin Downes as Castas
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker and Thug #1
Julian Holloway as Admiral Kilian
Tom Kane as Narrator and Thug #4

Notable: First series visit into the Coruscant underworld; season finale

Full Synopsis:

“Revenge is a confession of pain.”

Newsreel:
Lethal trackdown! The young Boba Fett
has taken the law into his own hands and
made two attempts on the life of Mace
Windu, the Jedi Master who killed his
father. Boba’s mentor, bounty hunter
Aurra Sing, has taken three Republic
officers hostage in an effort to force
Windu to face Boba on their terms, a
tactic that does not sit well with the
young vigilante….

A restless Boba Fett leaves the cockpit of the Slave I and checks on the bound and gagged Republic hostages. He loosens the gag on Admiral Kilian and offers the older officer a drink of water. Kilian tries to appeal to Fett’s sense of decency, which agitates the boy. Aurra Sing barges in and begins beating the prisoners.

Meanwhile, in the Jedi Temple medical bay, Anakin and Mace share a recovery room. Skywalker suggests that Mace be proactive in tracking down Boba Fett, but Windu has no inclination to make a priority out of a personal vendetta. Plo Koon and Ahsoka Tano enter with news that they have received a transmission from the bounty hunters.

Master Plo plays the hologram of Boba and Aurra, armed, standing over the trio of Republic hostages. Boba calls out Mace specifically, ordering him to face him. Aurra orders Boba to kill one of the hostages, but the boy hesitates. Aurra has no delay. She shoots Commander Ponds, killing him.

Mace shows a renewed determination, but Plo Koon rightly says that Windu is too injured to travel. The masked Jedi Master will take up this assignment, with Ahsoka Tano by his side.

Aboard the Slave I, Aurra scolds Boba for not carrying through on her orders. The bounty hunters eject Ponds’ lifeless body into the void of space before setting course for Florrum. Castas has had enough of this caper, and wants out. Disgusted by the spineless Klatooinian, Sing agrees to drop Castas off at their next destination.

On Coruscant, Master Plo identified one of the hunters in the hologram as Aurra Sing, a former associate of Jango Fett, and is following leads to any of Jango’s compatriots. This leads Ahsoka and Plo beneath the planet’s cosmopolitan surface. They ride an airspeeder into an enormous ventilation shaft that leads into the heart of the Coruscant underworld.

ACT II

Master Plo and Ahsoka pass through the entry terminal 24, a dock on the inner wall of the enormous ventilation shaft, and head deeper into areas known to once be frequented by Jango Fett. Meanwhile, the Slave I touches down on Florrum, and Aurra Sing gets reacquainted with Hondo Ohnaka, someone she has dated in the past. Hondo is pleased to see her, and greets Boba, telling the boy that he knew his father as an honorable man.

Hondo leads Boba, Aurra and Castas to a bar, where Castas parts company to make a long-distance call on a public holo-transceiver. The Klatooinian calls Fong Do, a Nautolan, and reports that his working arrangement with Aurra Sing has gone sour. Aurra overhears this conversation and shoots Castas dead before her former partner is able to sell her out. Fett witness this with great misgivings.

On Coruscant, Plo and Ahsoka inspect the fifth Coruscant tavern in the row. Plo Koon cautions Ahsoka to be cautious and try to remain subtle, and to keep her ears open for any clues. Master Plo speaks with the multi-armed bartender, Tiggs Leo, while Ahsoka eavesdrops into the various booths. She overhears a Nautolan talking to a Weequay about a murdered comrade on Florrum. The Nautolan mentions Aurra Sing’s name before spotting Ahsoka lurking.

The thugs try to pin the Padawan but she escapes their grasp. Fong Do pulls out a pair of knives while other thugs nearby brandish blaster pistols. The room is suddenly silenced as Plo Koon ignites his lightsaber blade and orders the thugs to stand down. As a distraction, Ahsoka reaches into her tunic and pulls out a handful of credits, throwing them into the crowd. Though Plo chides Ahsoka for her un-subtle ways, she nonetheless has provided a solid lead to Florrum.

ACT III

On Florrum, Aurra brings Hondo up to speed on her predicament with Boba’s vendetta and the Republic hostages. Hondo offers no help, but also says he does not plan to hinder Aurra either — he will remain neutral in her affairs. Bossk radios Aurra Sing to report the approach of a Jedi shuttle. She orders Bossk to take the Slave I to the outskirts of the settlement. Boba is eager to face Mace Windu, whom he assumes is aboard the shuttle.

Plo Koon and Ahsoka land on Florrum. They are greeted by Hondo, who states plainly that Aurra Sing awaits them in the tavern. Hondo makes it clear he is not in on the deal. Plo Koon enters, and finds Aurra seated alone at the table. Sing is disappointed that it is not Mace Windu. Boba emerges from the shadows and holds a gun to Plo Koon’s head. Plo hardly seems worried.

Aurra contacts Bossk at the Slave I, telling him to execute the hostages of she gives the word. Ahsoka springs from the shadows with her lightsaber ignited and shears off Aurra’s cranial antenna. She holds Aurra at lightsaber-point. It’s a stand off.

Boba fires at Ahsoka, forcing her to deflect the blast. That frees Aurra to fire off a pair of rocket darts from her boot, but Plo Koon slams the table up, blocking the projectiles. Aurra stands and draws both her blasters, unleashing a barrage on Ahsoka. Plo knocks aside Boba, and Force-pushes the table between Ahsoka and Aurra. Master Plo cuts apart Aurra Sing’s weapons, and orders her to surrender. Boba Fett throws a bomb into the fray, letting Sing escape.

Sing runs away, and Boba tries to follow, but Plo Koon Force-pulls him back. To Fett’s shock, Aurra keeps running, leaving him behind. The bounty hunter jumps on a speeder bike, and Ahsoka does likewise, giving chase into the desert badlands.

Plo tries to get Boba Fett to reveal the location of the hostages, but Fett refuses. Hondo Ohnaka advises Fett to do so, as it is what Jango would have wanted.

Aurra and Ahsoka twist and turn through the canyons of Florrum. Plo Koon transmits the coordinates of the hostages to Ahsoka. She breaks her chase, and speeds to the Slave I, where she fires her bike’s laser cannons at Bossk, causing the lizard to drop his guard on the prisoners. Ahsoka frees the hostages, who promptly hold Bossk at gunpoint.

Aurra Sing comes crashing into the scene and dashes aboard the Slave I, powering up the ship for launch. Ahsoka jumps onto it as it lifts off. She slices off on the ship’s stabilizers with her lightsaber. Aurra loses control of the Slave I and it crashes into the canyons.

Some time later, Boba Fett and Bossk are marched into a Republic prison on Coruscant. Fett is unrepentant. The shackled boy sees Mace Windu, and says he will never forgive the Jedi.

Trivia & Details

• Anakin’s stance at the window in the Jedi Temple medical bay — standing straight with arms clasped behind his back — is one he is seen adopting in Episode II and mirrors a pose commonly held by Darth Vader.
• The customs droid (voiced by Jaime King) at the entry turnstile on Coruscant’s lower levels has a readout screen that displays, in Aurebesh, the text: “GALACTIC REPUBLIC CUSTOMS of CORUSCANT”
• The small hover taxi that Plo Koon and Ahsoka Tano take on Coruscant is a re-use of a similar vehicle found on Mandalore in “The Mandalore Plot.”
• Hondo Ohnaka’s compound on Florrum is filled with military surplus, including Republic attack gunship wings and artillery guns.
• The bug-eyed RA-7 droid in the Weequay bar squawks an alien gibberish very similar to what the “Death Star Droid” in the sandcrawler says to R2-D2 in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
• The nightclub on Coruscant is filled with posters of various female pin-up models, including a rather voluptuous and sultry Hutt.

Memorable Quotes

“I know a good soldier when I see one.” — Admiral Kilian to Boba Fett

“I’m still in. I’ve got a lot riding on this kill, and I need the cash.” — Bossk

“Why head to the one place we know he’s not.” — Plo Koon, on not going to Vanqor to find Fett

“Couldn’t handle her, could you? Well, don’t be ashamed. You’re not the first man to bail out from under her command.” — Hondo Ohnaka to Castas about Aurra Sing

“Not mine, I take it?” — Hondo Ohnaka to Aurra Sing about Boba Fett

“Hey, hey, somebody scrape that guy off the floor. He sprung a leak.” — Hondo Ohnaka, about the recently killed Castas

• “I am prepared to kill you, the hostages, whatever it takes to get what Boba wants.”
• “Sounds more like what you want.” — Aurra Sing and Plo Koon

SEASON 3 COMING VERY SOON!

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: R2 Come Home

Episode No.: 43 (Season 2, Episode 21)
Original Air Date: April 30th, 2010
Production No.: 218 (Season 2, Episode 18)

Written by Eoghan Mahony
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Episode Brief: When a band of bounty hunters leads Anakin and Mace into a deadly trap on Vanqor, it’s up to R2-D2 to battle his way back to Coruscant and warn the Jedi.
Key Characters: R2-D2, Boba Fett, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Aurra Sing, Castas, Bossk
Key Locales: Vanqor

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Jaime King as Aurra Sing
Daniel Logan as Boba Fett
Robin Atkin Downes as Castas
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers and Bossk
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
James Arnold Taylor as Plo Koon
Tom Kane as Narrator

Notable: Reappearance of Jango Fett’s helmet; first Basic dialogue from Bossk

Full Synopsis:

“Adversity is friendship’s truest test.”

Newsreel:
Revenge! Boba Fett, son of the notorious
bounty hunter Jango Fett, infiltrated a
Jedi cruiser in an attempt to assassinate
General Mace Windu, the man who killed
his father.

After a near miss at Windu’s quarters,
Boba was forced to destroy the cruiser
and escape with the help of notorious
bounty hunter Aurra Sing. Now, having
lost contact with Admiral Kilian when
his doomed starship crashed, the Jedi
search for survivors with aid of a
Republic rescue ship….

ACT I

A Republic medical frigate gathers the scattered escape pods suspended in orbit over Vanqor as Mace and Anakin disengage their hyperdrive rings and plunge their starfighters into the planet’s atmosphere. The Endurance has carved an enormous furrow into Vanqor’s crystalline landscape, leaving debris scattered for kilometers. The cruiser is a smoldering wreck, but the bridge appears mostly intact atop the ship’s canted conning tower.

Mace and Anakin land their starfighters away from the shaky wreckage, and proceed on foot. Their astromech droids accompany them, R2-D2 with Anakin and R8-B7 with Mace. Artoo is jittery, worried about what the ruins may conceal. Mace has some misgivings about the eccentricities exhibited by Skywalker’s droid, but he presses ahead. R8 finds an opening amid the rubble that will lead them to the bridge.

Inside the shattered hull, Artoo finds the bodies of two dead clones. Mace inspects them, finding blaster marks that reveal these troopers did not die in the crash — they were assassinated. It appears Mace’s would-be killer is still at large. Windu and Skywalker continue into the ship, leaving their droids to scan for survivors. They find more clone bodies, also shot, but no sign of Admiral Kilian or Commander Ponds. Declaring them lost, Mace orders the orbiting medical frigate to return to Coruscant with the wounded.

Outside, the astromech droids are suddenly attacked by vicious gundarks. Two of the creatures tear R8 apart, and swat Artoo about.

Anakin is surprised to find an incongruous relic amid the wreckage of the bridge: a blue and silver Mandalorian helmet. As Skywalker approaches, Mace begins to piece together the clues. He recognizes the helmet: it is that of Jango Fett, the man he killed on Geonosis. He realizes that Boba Fett was one of the clone cadets aboard the Endurance. He Force-pulls Anakin away from the booby-trapped helmet, just as it explodes, shattering the bridge.

The debris of the bridge comes crashing down outside, crushing one of the gundarks, and frightening the other away, sparing R2-D2 a gruesome fate.

Some distance away, this explosion is watched intently through a pair of electrobinoculars. Boba Fett sees his trap sprung. With him stand a trio of bounty hunters: the wicked Aurra Sing, the laconic Bossk and the ever-annoyed Castas.

ACT II

Boba wants to ensure that Mace is dead, and wants to see the body. Castas loathes everything about this assignment. He hates that Aurra Sing is putting so much stock into the boy’s vendetta, but the job promises a hefty sum from the Separatists if the hunters are able to prove the death of two Jedi generals. Aurra, Castas and Boba hop atop speeder bikes and flit to the wreckage to confirm the deaths, while Bossk is left to watch over their hostages: Admiral Kilian, Commander Ponds, and a clone navigation officer from the Endurance.

R2-D2, freed from pursuing gundarks, rockets up to the shattered bridge. He finds Anakin pinned under heavy debris. Artoo tries to clear some of the wreckage, but that causes the whole bridge to tremble. The ship is barely holding together. Anakin weakly tells Artoo to return to the fighters and contact the Jedi Temple for help.

Artoo spots the bounty hunter speeder bikes approaching. Castas, Aurra and Boba begin carefully climbing their way into the ruins of the Endurance. Artoo mischievously rains down debris and activates blast doors to stymie their progress. When the droid drops a discarded thermal detonator down upon the hunters, Castas has had it. The shipwreck is far too dangerous for his tastes, Castas turns tail, and Aurra begrudgingly agrees with his retreat. With reluctance, Boba also leaves the Endurance.

Mace awakens to find himself pinned alongside Anakin in the bridge. He tries to use the Force to clear the rubble, but it’s too unstable. Anakin assures him that Artoo is getting help, but the Jedi Master does not share Skywalker’s confidence in the little droid.

Artoo leaves the wrecked cruiser and returns to the parked Jedi starfighters. A gundark has returned to pounce on the droid. The creature lands on Anakin’s Jedi starfighter. To escape the beast, Artoo tethers the animal to the fighter and sends the ship blasting off, where it crashes into the shipwreck.

The explosion alerts the bounty hunters, who realize that someone is alive and active in the downed cruiser. Aurra orders Bossk to jam all transmissions, and the hunters hurriedly board Slave I.

Artoo jumps into the remaining starfighter — Mace Windu’s — and attempts to raise a signal to Coruscant, but he cannot get past the jamming. He blasts off, and Slave I immediately catches sight of the fighter. Boba recognizes its markings as Windu’s fighter, and he gives pursuit.

ACT III

Artoo bobs and weaves Mace’s fighter out of the Slave I‘s laser fire, and reaches the orbiting hyperspace rings. The droid docks the fighter into one of the rings and escapes into hyperspace, leaving the Slave I behind. Boba is devastated, but Aurra is confident she still holds a leverage over Mace Windu with her hostages.

Artoo pilots the starfighter to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and barges into a Jedi briefing room, interrupting Plo Koon’s strategy session. Ahsoka is surprised to see Anakin’s droid so animated. Artoo hurriedly plugs into a holoprojector, and plays an image of the injured Anakin asking for help. Plo Koon orders his ship prepared immediately.

Back on Vanqor, Mace reflects upon the scorched remains of Jango Fett’s helmet. A series of explosions rock the shipwreck, and it appears that time has run out for Mace and Anakin. Suddenly, the drone of a Republic gunship fills the room, as Plo Koon’s troops hover outside the damaged bridge.

Aboard the gunship, Ahsoka and Plo Koon use the Force to steady the Endurance‘s rickety bridge while Clone Commander Wolffe and trooper Comet rappel aboard, plucking Anakin and Mace from the ruins. They leap aboard the gunship just as the bridge finally collapses.

Anakin and Mace are placed on hovering gurneys and floated aboard a medivac gunship. They are diagnosed with serious burns, but no permanent injuries. Mace thanks R2-D2 for his devotion to duty.

Trivia & Details

• This episode shows a rare example of a point-of-view shot of a droid character. When R2-D2 is tangling with the gundarks, one shot is directly from his P.O.V. with his manipulators extended. Later, when he spots the bounty hunter speeder bikes approaching, we see that Artoo’s vision mimics the view of a macrobinocular.
• During the Jedi Temple briefing, Plo Koon makes mention of the Hydian Way, which is a hyperspace trade route first established in the Expanded Universe.
• Amid the wreckage of the Endurance are pieces of Republic gunships and AT-TE walkers. Anakin and Mace Windu lie prone in one of the crew pits of the Star Destroyer bridge.
• This episode marks the return of Plo Koon’s clone troopers — the wolfpack — as well as the gunship decorated with nose-art that says “Plo’s Bros”
• The speeder bikes that the bounty hunters use have Aurebesh lettering on the saddle that reads “LET’S GO ALREADY.”

Memorable Quotes

• “Your astromech is programmed to feel?”
• “Artoo is kind of a … special case. He’s got a lot of personality, that’s all.”
• “You encourage it too much. — Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker

“Yeah, careful. I’d hate to only split the money three ways.” — Castas

“The next one who says anything gets a blaster bolt through the brain.” — Aurra Sing

“That’s definitely more praise than I ever get.” — Anakin Skywalker, responding to Mace complimenting Artoo

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Zillo Beast

Episode No.: 40 (Season 2, Episode 18)
Original Air Date: April 9th, 2010
Production No.: 222 (Season 2, Episode 22)

Written by Craig Titley
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Giancarlo Volpi

Key Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, R2-D2, Doge Urus, Doctor Sionver Boll, Chancellor Palpatine
Key Locales: Malastare

Cast:
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Greg Baldwin as Doge Urus and Dugs
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
Cara Pifko as Doctor Sionver Boll
Tom Kane as the narrator
Matthew Wood as the battle droids and tactical droid

Newsreel
Desperate times call for desperate measures! In one of the longest and fiercest battles of the war, Separatist forces are on the verge of claiming the planet of Malastare. If the Republic loses this planet it will cost them vital fuel resources necessary for maintaining their armies. In a final effort to turn the tide of this battle, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has authorized the use of the Republic’s newest weapon: the ELECTRO-PROTON BOMB.

Now, at the Imperial palace of Doge Urus, the leader of the Dugs, the Jedi count down the minutes until the detonation of their doomsday device….

ACT I

An enormous army of battle droids marches across the bleak landscape of Malastare towards the Imperial palace. Republic forces adopt defensive positions. Within the palace, Dug leader Doge Nakha Urus stands defiant, flanked by Jedi generals Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine monitors the military action remotely via hologram, while Republic scientist Doctor Sionver Boll makes final preparations for the release of the electro-proton bomb. She is confident in her research that states only droids will be affected by the weapon.

Clone troopers and Dug cavaliers riding insectomorphs hold the droids off while Republic Y-wing bombers scramble. ARC-170 fighters flank the lead bomber that carries the payload. The electro-proton bomb free-falls into the thick of the droid ranks, releasing an enormous blast. A wave of electromagnetic energy sweeps past the droids and clone forces, disrupting all technology in its wake: the droids are crippled, the clone helmets get momentarily frazzled — even Anakin’s mechanical arm briefly fritzes.

The victory is short-lived as another crisis manifests itself. The blast opens up an enormous sinkhole that swallows up the malfunctioning Republic vehicles. A huge crater now dominates the landscape.

ACT II

In the aftermath of the bomb, Mace Windu re-establishes communications with Chancellor Palpatine and reports on his progress. The Chancellor is most concerned that the Dugs sign a treaty ensuring Republic access to Malastare’s fuel. Doge Urus says the treaty is currently being reviewed by the Malastarian council.

A battlefield update reports that one of the clone rescue teams aiding in extraction from the sinkhole has gone missing. Anakin, Mace and Doge Urus race to the site aboard a gunship. While Anakin attends to the Dug leaders, Mace ventures into the foggy pit alongside Commander Ponds and Troopers Hawkeye and Trapper. They find injured troopers who report the presence of something alive in the pit. Mace radios to Anakin, requesting assistance.

The ground suddenly heaves beneath Mace’s feet as a gargantuan creature emerges. It is a huge reptilian creature awakened from a lengthy slumber. Its titanic form pulls itself to its full height and it shrieks in rage and confusion. Mace and his troops scramble aboard a gunship as Anakin soars into the pit aboard his Jedi starfighter.

Skywalker is stunned by the spectacle before him. The beast swats the starfighter, sending it spinning out of control. It crashes into the pit but Anakin and R2-D2 emerge intact. Anakin ignites his lightsaber and is shocked to discover the beast’s scales are resistant to its blade. Anakin climbs the beast to avoid its grasp and leaps atop R2-D2, who uses his rockets to fly away from the monster.

Doge Urus declares the monster is the Zillo Beast, one of a species thought extinct. Ages ago, when the Dugs first began harvesting the fuel in Malastare’s core, they battled beasts of this kind. The beast is an enemy of the Dug, and they will stop at nothing to kill it. The Dugs spend the remainder of the day dropping payloads of explosives into the pit in a vain attempt to destroy the invulnerable Zillo Beast. The thunder of explosions is punctuated by the outraged shrieks of the monster.

Mace Windu objects to the actions of his allies. He views the Zillo Beast as a one-of-a-kind life-form that should not be destroyed. His protestations threaten the likelihood the Dug council will sign the treaty of alliance with the Republic. The Dugs insist the Jedi must kill the Zillo Beast to ensure their cooperation and access to their fuels.

Mace Windu and Doctor Boll once again communicate with Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine is amazed at the creature’s size and resiliency, but is dismayed by Master Windu’s reluctance to assist the Dugs. The ever-analytical Doctor Boll suggests that the Zillo Beast may be an invaluable resource — its natural armor could be translated into military applications.

Anakin offers a compromise: if the Jedi are able to somehow incapacitate the Zillo Beast, making the Dugs think that it was killed, then they could secure the treaty while sparing the monster’s life. Anakin believes a concentrated stun pulse could penetrate between the creature’s scales and knock it out. Dr. Boll agrees with Anakin’s plan, and Palpatine approves.

Republic tanks begin lining the rim of the crater. Doge Urus has ordered torrents of Malastarian fuel poured onto the Zillo Beast. The creature finds the substance toxic and painful. But rather than destroy it, the stream of fuel only prompts the Zillo Beast to scale the sinkhole walls and emerge onto the surface. The monster wreaks havoc, tossing aside tanks as if they were toys.

The tanks under Anakin and Mace’s command open fire, lancing the creature with stun beams. The Zillo Beast plods forward, but eventually succumbs to the rays and collapses into a deep sleep.

The Dugs celebrate the victory and sign the treaty with the Republic. The Jedi and clone forces load the Zillo Beast onto a transport for flight to an uninhabited Outer Rim world. Chancellor Palpatine, however, announces a change of plans. Palpatine’s scientific advisers recommend studying the creature under the most controlled conditions. With that recommendation, Palpatine orders the beast taken to Coruscant.

Trivia & Details

• This episode is, in ways large and small, an homage to the classic Godzilla movies. The creature and its name is the most obvious nod to the Japanese monster movie star. Smaller details include the names the painted designs on the helmets of the clone bomber pilots, Goji and Rod, that suggest the likenesses of Godzilla and Rodan.
• When the Zillo beast first surfaces, it tramples a clone trooper who emits a peculiar scream. That scream is tradition of sorts in Star Wars — a sound effect affectionately called “the Wilhelm.” It’s a decades-old audio recording of a very distinctive scream that has become a “pet sound effect” to many sound editors. It appears in dozens of movies, including all the Star Wars features.
• The electro-proton bomb (called the ion bomb during production) is covered with Aurebesh lettering: official red print say such things as “CAUTION ION DETONATOR” and “CODE SWITCH DESIGNATOR” while a hand-scrawled notation on the fin says “THIS IS FOR YOU DOOKU.”

Memorable Quotes

• “We have accounted for every probable outcome.”
• “It’s the improbable that concerns me, Doctor.” — Dr. Boll and Mace Windu

“One problem always seems to replace another.” — Mace Windu

“I have a bad feeling about this.” — Mace Windu

• “We dropped that bomb to save your planet, at your request!”
• “To save our fuel for you to buy!” — Anakin Skywalker and Doge Urus

“That may be the only way we shall get this treaty signed, and rest Master Windu’s conscience.” — Chancellor Palpatine

• “I said order them to stop, now!”
• “Or what? We’re innocent life-forms too, are we not?” — Mace Windu and Doge Urus

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Senate Murders

Episode Air No.: 37 (Season 2, Episode 15)
Original Air Date: March 19th, 2010.
Production No.: 210 (Season 2, Episode 10)

Written by Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

Key Characters: Senator Padmé Amidala, Senator Bail Organa, Senator Onaconda Farr, Senator Halle Burtoni, Lieutenant Tan Divo, Senator Mon Mothma, Senator Lolo Purs, Senator Mee Deechi
Key Locales: Coruscant

Cast:
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa and Senate Guard
Tom Kenny as Lt. Tan Divo and Silood
Jennifer Hale as Lolo Purs
Jameelah McMillan as Halle Burtoni
Kath Soucie as Mon Mothma
Dee Bradley Baker as Onocanda Farr and Police Droid
Gideon Emery as Mee Deechi
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
Tom Kane as the Narrator

Episode Brief: When Senator Onaconda Farr dies under suspicious circumstances, Padmé sets out to find the person responsible for the death of her favorite “uncle.”

Full Synopsis:

“Searching for the truth is easy. Accepting the truth is hard.”

War on many fronts! While battles are fought by clones in the field, a different war is waged in the Galactic Senate. As heavy losses add up, a group of Senators led by Halle Burtoni of Kamino, propose an escalation of troop production.

Senator Padmé Amidala, recognizing that more troops will only prolong the fighting, works tirelessly with her allies to introduce a bill to cut military spending and stop the creation of more clone troopers….

ACT I

On Coruscant, Senator Onaconda Farr is leading a movement to end the war. Padmé Amidala braces herself for a monumental speech in support of his cause, a cause also championed by like-minded politicians: Lolo Purs, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa. Before the Senate assembly, Padmé warns that an escalation in military production will not end the war, but only prolong it, threatening destruction and financial devastation for the Republic. Her address is met with enthusiastic support, but the cold and methodical Senator Mee Deechi is not applauding. He meets with Padmé outside the Senate chamber, and warns her not to make such unpatriotic speeches.

Later, in her offices, Padmé and her colleagues share a toast for their success, but their private get-together is interrupted by the intrusive Senator Halle Burtoni. The aged Kaminoan bartered her clone production efforts into a seat in the Senate, and she would like nothing more than to see Padmé’s peace-promoting efforts fail. Burtoni goes so far as to brand the Senators as Separatists for their anti-war stance. Onaconda asks Burtoni to leave.

Soon, the Rodian Senator becomes woozy. He clutches at his heart and collapses dead. A few days later, a funeral is held at a landing platform as Senator Farr’s body is taken aboard a departing starship back to Rodia. Lolo and Padmé are saddened by the loss of their close friend. Chancellor Palpatine requests an audience with Senator Farr’s allies in his office, where they are met by Inspector Lieutenant Tan Divo, who announces that Onaconda was murdered.

ACT II

Lt. Divo reveals an unknown chemical was found in Senator Farr’s bloodstream. Divo’s condescending tones indicate he cares little for politicians, and he’d rather not have any of them interfere in the investigation. Padmé can’t help but speculate who might have wanted Onaconda dead. The clone-troop bill was indeed controversial and could have fostered many enemies.

Padmé suggests to Bail, Lolo and Mon that the bill be postponed while they undertake their own investigation. She reasons that the Senate will be too distracted by rumors surrounding a murdered Senator to focus on the bill.

Amidala begins by questioning Senators Deechi and Burtoni, the most pronounced of Farr’s political opponents. They scoff at any accusations of guilt, pointing out that Onaconda’s campaigns provided grist for so much of their pro-military efforts. Deechi admits that he had Farr followed on occasion, and that the Rodian had a clandestine meeting at the docks under the derrick major.

That night, Bail and Padmé skulk about the derricks, looking for clues. A cloaked assailant gets the drop on them, by releasing a cargo container on top of them. The two Senators barely escape being crushed. The assailant fires at the Senators before running away into the darkness.

The police arrive, and Lt. Divo is annoyed that Amidala cannot keep her nose out of his investigation. Amidala nonetheless continues, and speculates that Deechi may have purposely sent her and Bail to a trap at the docks. She races to Deechi’s office only to find the Umbaran dead, stabbed through the heart with a dagger.

ACT III

Lt. Divo requests that Senator Amidala and her allies stay in the confines of her office for the time being under police protection, a move Amidala decides is prudent. Lolo, however, is impatient and finds Divo incompetent. She storms away while Divo continues his questioning. Realizing that Senator Burtoni was the only other person present when Deechi suggested the rendezvous at the docks, Divo leaves to question the Kaminoan, but she is not in her offices.

A frantic Lolo Purs comes racing back to Padmé’s office, claiming she was attacked by Senator Burtoni. The police droids catch Burtoni in the East Wing corridor, and bring her to the Chancellor’s office for questioning. Burtoni is mystified by the interrogation, insisting on her innocence. Divo receives the forensic evidence report, concluding that the poison in Ono’s bloodstream was engineered by Kaminoans to affect Rodians.

As Divo moves to arrest Burtoni, something nags at Padmé. If the poison was in all their drinks and engineered to kill Rodians, then surely Lolo Purs would have also been afflicted. She then realizes that Lolo never drank — that she knew the drinks were poisoned for she was in truth the killer.

Cornered, Lolo produces a blaster and takes Padmé as a hostage. Lolo reveals that Ono’s murder was in revenge for involving their homeworld in the Clone Wars and briefly siding with the Separatists. When the opportunity opens, Padmé smacks the weapon from Lolo’s hand and knocks her out cold with a solid punch to the jaw.

Later, the Senate votes on the clone-troop bill, The motion to scale back war production is defeated, ensuring that more clone troopers will continue to be created for the security of the Republic.

Trivia and Details

• Lt. Divo’s face was specifically designed to be asymmetrical, unlike most faces in the series.
• Mon Mothma, a character seen in Episodes III and VI of the live action movie series, was produced as an animation model for this episode, though the air order of The Clone Wars had her appear in “Duchess of Mandalore” (episode 214) first.
• When the Senate Guards first appeared in Season One, they had their capes removed to avoid the costly cloth simulation required to animate them. Caped and plumed guards were developed first for this episode.
• Though too small to read, the bottle that the Senators drink from has a label that reads “Domaine de la Maison sur le Lac: Produce of Naboo”

Memorable Quotes

“I’ll need to find out who wanted to hurt Senator Farr. Actually, kill him would be more accurate, what with him being dead.” — Lt. Tan Divo

“You shouldn’t make speeches like that. It’s unpatriotic.” — Mee Deechi

“Politicians always have something to hide, and it always comes back to haunt them, am I right? Oh, look who I’m asking. Room full of politicians.” — Lt. Tan Divo

“Imagine that. Amidala’s actually making sense for once in her life.” — Halle Burtoni

“Thank you, Senator… Amidala, is it? But I already have my theory and I’ll follow my hunch, if you don’t mind. After all, I am the inspector, you’re the Senator. So, I’ll handle the inspecting and you can stick to the … Senating. Good day.” — Lt. Tan Divo

• “I had some information about a lead here at the docks.”
• “Which you naturally brought to me straight away so I could investigate. Only, no, wait, you did the exact opposite of that.” — Padmé Amidala and Lt. Tan Divo

“Enjoy your moment in the spotlight, Senators. This war will not end soon.” — Halle Burtoni

“How can we justify fortifying our security here in the Senate if we don’t also provide reinforcements on the front lines? You see, the victory of the clone army, for now, is the only thing that can lead us to peace.” — Chancellor Palpatine

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Duchess of Mandalore

Episode Air No.: 36 (Season 2, Episode 14)
Original Air Date: February 12th, 2010.
Production No.: 216 (Season 2, Episode 16)

Written by Drew Z. Greenberg
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen

Key Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Duchess Satine Kryze, Count Dooku, Chancellor Palpatine, Pre Vizsla

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker and Almec’s scout
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers, Death Watch assassin and Davu Golec
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine and Darth Sidious
Corey Burton as Count Dooku, Aramis and Deputy Minister Jerec
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Jon Favreau as Pre Vizsla
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala
Anna Graves as Satine Kryze
Stephen Stanton as Mas Amedda and Death Watch troop
Tom Kane as Narrator, Police Droids and Police Probe

Episode Brief: On Coruscant, word reaches Duchess Satine that Death Watch is mobilizing, sparking a pre-emptive Republic invasion. On the run from Republic authorities, Satine and Obi-Wan set off to discover the group’s true motives.

Full Synopsis:

“In war, truth is the first casualty.”

Newsreel
A diplomatic mission! As dissent threatens to tear apart the peaceful Mandalore system, Duchess Satine struggles to protect her people against the escalating violence. Betrayed by two of her trusted allies, Satine now travels to Coruscant.  There, she hopes to convince the Senate that a destructive splinter group, DEATH WATCH, does not represent the entire Mandalorian government.

ACT I

Aboard a Separatist frigate, Count Dooku confers via hologram with Pre Vizsla, who is preparing his troops on the Concordian moon. Vizsla is impatient, but Dooku’s plot is unfolding to plan. The next step: the dispatching of a Death Watch assassin to Coruscant to target the Duchess of Mandalore.

A scout from Mandalore peers into the abandoned mining base that Vizsla has transformed into the Death Watch camp. He sneaks off onto his starship and jets away to Mandalore, where he confers with Prime Minister Almec. Almec worries that Death Watch could gain populist support if the Republic were to intervene in Mandalorian affairs. The splinter group would turn from a terrorist organization to an army of liberators. The situation is very tenuous.

In the Coruscant Senate, Death Watch is a primary topic of concern. The Supreme Chancellor deems it a significant military threat, requiring an immediate Republic response. Duchess Satine dismisses the fears about Death Watch, and insists on keeping this an affair of purely internal Mandalorian interests. But Palpatine surprises her with holographic evidence which he presents before the Senate.

It is a recording of Deputy Minister Jerec, admitting that the true scope of the Death Watch threat is greater than the Mandalorian government has revealed to their people. Jerec makes clear that Mandalore will require the help of the Jedi and the Republic to meet this challenge.

Duchess Satine cannot believe Jerec’s words. He is an honorable man, and these are stark untruths. But any challenge she can mount is stalemated by the sad news that Jerec died earlier that day in a bombing on Kalevala.

Palpatine believes the Republic has all the evidence it needs to proceed on a mission of liberation to Mandalore. Satine sees it as occupation, a trampling of Mandalorian right to self-determination, and the making of Mandalore into a military target. The Senate will vote on military action in its next session.

Satine is incensed. She storms away from the Senate building. On the landing platform outside, Obi-Wan rushes to her out of concern for his friend, but she is too angry to listen to his advice. Satine boards her speeder, and zooms away with her retinue. A Mandalorian assassin remotely triggers an exposive aboard, and the speeder begins to plummet. Satine’s guards leap with her to safety before the speeder and its pilot, Aramis, collide with a skytower and erupt in flames.

ACT II

Satine’s day continues to worsen. Meeting with Palpatine after the assassination attempt, she is offended to learn that no charges will be laid as no evidence remains that the crash was anything other than an accident. Mas Amedda sees this as further proof that the Republic is needed to rein in Death Watch.

Satine storms out of Palpatine’s office and encounters Obi-Wan. He is concerned that Satine is now obviously a target. Not caring about her own safety, Satine sees the attempt on her life as proof that she is right: someone is deliberately pushing Mandalore towards war.

Senator Padmé Amidala arrives with yet another bombshell: the Senate has voted for an occupation of Mandalore. Satine is stunned — the vote was pushed ahead in light of her assassination attempt, and she missed it while she was meeting with Palpatine. The Republic will invade Mandalore the next day.

That night, in the shadowy alleys of Coruscant, Duchess Satine meets with Davu Golec, a Mandalorian contact within the Republic Ministry of Intelligence. He has discovered that the recording of Deputy Minister Jerec was a forgery, and has the original data on a disc that he hands to the Duchess.

A shot rings out from the darkness as the Mandalorian sniper blasts Golec through the heart. Before the assassin can get a second shot off at Satine, police droids crowd the scene. Satine, looking guilty and no longer trusting any Republic authority, runs into the alleys, shaking pursuit.

ACT III

The Mandalorian assassin reports to Pre Vizsla: the informant has been killed but Duchess Satine still lives. Vizsla urges the killer to find and stop Satine before she can unravel Death Watch’s plans.

Count Dooku reports his status to Darth Sidious. He believes the Mandalorians will be so resentful of the Republic invasion that Death Watch will emerge as heroes. Sidious grins at this turn of events.

Satine finally asks Obi-Wan for help, requesting that he join her in a clandestine meeting at a Coruscant park. Satine hides herself in a heavy cloak. She hands Obi-Wan the recording and asks Kenobi to take it to Senator Amidala. She intends to turn herself in to offer Obi-Wan a distraction and to raise him above suspicion as an associate should she remain at large.

The Death Watch assassin strikes. He tosses a thermal detonator into the alleyway where Satine and Obi-Wan confer, but Kenobi spots it and uses the Force to push the Duchess to safety. Kenobi rushes the assassin, and the two brawl for several intense moments before the armored killer soars away on his rocket pack.

At the Senate building, Satine surrenders and is immediately shackled by Senate guards while Kenobi sneaks his way inside.

In the Senate chambers, the session is interrupted by Senator Amidala. She projects the undoctored hologram of Deputy Minister Jerec, calling for Mandalorians to unite against Death Watch, and to do so independent of any Republic intervention. With this revelation, the push to occupy Mandalore collapses.

On Concordia, Pre Vizsla is livid about having to postpone his attack. He intends to do so even without the specter of Republic invasion. Count Dooku advises patience. Sure, Vizsla could conquer Mandalore, but without the backing of the people, who would not be able to hold it. The Sith Lords have other means, however, to make their plans a success.

Back in the Senate, Palpatine offers his apologies and gratitude to Duchess Satine for uncovering the truth. Republic Satine personally thanks Obi-Wan for his loyalty and friendship in these increasingly uncertain times.

Trivia & Details

• Deputy Minister Jerec’s description of the tumultuous time on Mandalore as “a period of civil war” echoes the original title crawl from A New Hope.
• Among the politicians that can be spotted in the Galactic Senate is Mon Mothma.
• A particular story thread cut from the episode would have placed Anakin Skywalker in command of the Republic invasion of Mandalore. Periodically, the story was to cut to Anakin making preparations.
• According to the script, the Ithorian’s translated dialogue to the clone troopers is, ironically, as follows:
  

  Clone 1: If you see this woman, report her to local authorities.Alien: Yeah, yeah. I just saw her!

  Clone 2: I don’t think he understands us. Let’s try someone else.

  Alien: No wait! She’s over there!

• The Coruscant park is based on several pieces of Ralph McQuarrie concept art. The plaza also includes a large boulder at its center — a nod to a detail seen in McQuarrie’s work suggesting the sole exposed mountain peak on Coruscant’s covered surface. Some of the original design development of this monument looked to the actual boulder found on the road to Lucasfilm Animation’s northern california headquarters. It is this boulder that gives the Big Rock campus of Skywalker Ranch its name.

Memorable Quotes:

• “If the Republic gets involved in our affairs, it will only lead to further violence. Thus I shall reassert our position of neutrality.”
• “Talk of an idealist!”
• “No, those are the words of a pacifist, and a people who have chosen non-violent action.” — Duchess Satine and Mas Amedda

“Perhaps if more citizens got hysterical, they’d be more inclined to speak up when the Republic tramples on its rights!” — Duchess Satine

“Ironic words from a man who spends his days running hither and yon, wielding his lightsaber with deadly force as if on a crusade! Why would I listen to someone who so frequently relies on violence?” — Satine to Obi-Wan

“Don’t you see? You need your friends with you, not held at arm’s length. In your quest to be self-reliant, have you decided to just cut your friends out of your life?” — Obi-Wan

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Voyage of Temptation

Episode Air No.: 35 (Season 2, Episode 13)
Original Air Date: February 5th, 2010.
Production No.: 121 (Season 1, Episode 21)

Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell
Series Writer: Henry Gilroy
Staff Writer: Scott Murphy

Key Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Duchess Satine Kryze, Senator Tal Merrik, Clone Commander Cody, Clone Captain Rex, R2-D2

Cast:
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Anna Graves as Satine Kryze
Greg Proops as Tal Merrik
Phil LaMarr as Orn Free Taa
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers and Orn Free Taa
Jon Favreau as Pre Vizsla
Tom Kane as Narrator
Corey Burton as the service droid
David Acord as the ship’s captain and rabbit droid
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine

Episode Brief: As the Jedi and their clones defend Duchess Satine from assassination attempts, Anakin discovers that Obi-Wan and the Duchess have a history together.

Full Synopsis:

“Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.”

Newsreel
A royal welcome! Sent to investigate allegations that Mandalore was joining Count Dooku’s Separatists, Obi-Wan Kenobi was reunited with an old friend, the Duchess Satine of Kalevala.  While Satine claimed Mandalore’s intentions were to remain neutral
during the war, an attack on the capital city led Obi-Wan to the discovery of a terrorist organization known as Death Watch.

Now the Duchess travels to the Senate, so she can plead her case against her involvement in the war, as the Jedi prepare a defense against her opponents…

ACT I

The luxurious vessel Coronet soars gracefully from Mandalore into deep space. Inside its darkened cargo holds, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker brief their clone contingent led by Clone Commander Cody and Captain Rex. All aboard are to remain vigilant for any sign of the Death Watch. Even R2-D2 commits his scanners to the cause.

Kenobi and Skywalker are called to attend the Duchess, and Skywalker senses a touch of anxiety within his old mentor, something Obi-Wan is reluctant to talk about. In the Duchess’ opulent throne room, where she is attended to by other Senators and servants, she immediately begins verbally sparring with Kenobi. She did not ask for Jedi protection, and finds the notion of fighting for peace distasteful. Their debate becomes heated, increasing the discomfort in the room among the Senators, but they put aside their argument in time for dinner. The Coronet leaps into hyperspace.

Back in the darkened cargo hold, two clones — Mixer and Redeye — sweep the pallets for any signs of a security breach. They are both silently attacked by a horrible, spider-like assassin droid, and their squadmates remain oblivious to the danger.

ACT II

As they make their way to the dining chambers, Anakin asks Obi-Wan about his history with the Duchess. He reveals that when he was younger, on an extended mission with Qui-Gon Jinn, he spent a year on Mandalore protecting the Duchess from insurgents who threatened her world. When Satine returned to rebuild her world after a devastating civil war, Obi-Wan was assigned elsewhere, and had to leave despite his feelings for her.

Kenobi’s wistful reflection is cut short when Captain Rex reports in. R2-D2 is frightened by something in the cargo hold, and Redye and Mixer have gone missing. Anakin volunteers to head to the lower decks to help investigate while Kenobi bears the brunt of diplomatic duty. Artoo and Anakin discover an empty container. Whatever was inside was released, or escaped. Skywalker orders his troops to fan out.

Stirring in the shadows appears to be Redeye, walking as if in a trance. As Anakin gets closer, he sees that a huge, spider-like assassin probe is animating Redeye’s corpse like a puppet. Discovered, the droid hurls Redyeye’s body like a missile. Anakin dodges, and ignites his lightsaber, ready to take on the pick-footed terror. The clone officers arrive with their troops, and riddle the droid with blaster bolts.

A second assassin probe takes advantage of the distraction and scurries towards the turbolift shaft. Skywalker calls Obi-Wan via comlink, warning him of the loose droid. The probe charges into the dining room, slicing through guards. Kenobi cuts it down before it can get at the Senators.

Each assassin probe has tiny pits along its cranial dome, filled with smaller spider-like probe killers. Dozens of the crawling droids emerge to continue their mission in both the cargo hold and the dining room. Anakin, Artoo and the clones crush, blast, slice or zap as many as they can. Kenobi and Satine also defend themselves, with the Duchess producing a small hand-held droid deactivator from her robes.

With the droids destroyed, Anakin focuses on learning how the killer was smuggled aboard. According to the cargo manifest, someone used a Senate stamp to approve shipment of the crates containing the droids. That means one of the four Senators aboard — Orn Free Taa, Kin Robb, Onaconda Farr or Tal Merrik — was behind the shipment.

Kenobi hatches a plan, using a single mini-assassin probe, to expose the traitor. Kenobi carries the droid under a glass serving tray to each Senator in turn, theorizing that it is programmed to kill anyone except the one who programmed it. The droid remains passive when exposed to Senator Tal Merrik. Merrik knocks the droid from Obi-Wan’s grasp, pulls a blaster, and holds it to Satine’s head. Using Satine as a shield and hostage, Merrik leaves the dining hall.

ACT III

Kenobi radios Skywalker with the update on Merrik’s treachery, but Skywalker is preoccupied hunting down the third and final assassin probe. The large droid and its tiny spawn attack Rex and Cody. Anakin cuts off its legs and Rex jumps on the droid’s head, peppering it with blaster bolts.

Merrik forces his way onto the Coronet‘s bridge and coldly murders the crew. The ship drops from hyperspace, and Merrik contacts Pre Vizsla via hologram. He reports his success to the Death Watch leader, but requests reinforcements to cover his escape. Darting in from space are a trio of droid boarding ships that plunge into the Coronet‘s hull, disgorging squads of super battle droids. Anakin leads the clones and Satine’s guards in defending the corridors against these invaders.

Kenobi races to the bridge and finds Merrik and Satine. The evil Senator has wired the ship’s engines to explode and carries the detonator with him. Satine begs Kenobi not to risk any more lives on her behalf. Merrik backs his way off the bridge and into the corridors, Kenobi following closely, looking for an opening in Merrik’s guard. Satine, fearing that all is lost, proclaims her love for Obi-Wan, a sentiment that Kenobi echoes.

Merrik is distracted by what he deems a disgusting display of sentiment. Satine stamps her heel into his foot, wriggling out of his hold and grabbing Merrik’s blaster. Satine, staunch pacifist, now has Merrik at gunpoint. Merrik doesn’t believe she’ll fire, for to do so would undermine the very pacifist ideal that is embroiling Mandalore in controversy. And yet, if Kenobi steps in to kill Merrik, the Jedi will be proven as a cold blooded killer in the eyes of the woman he loves. Merrik relishes the stalemate, until he is fatally stabbed through the back by Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber. Free of any ideological struggle, Anakin states pragmatically that he killed a bomber set to destroy the ship.

The clones report their defeat of the droids. The Coronet continues undisturbed to Coruscant, where Satine is greeted by Chancellor Palpatine.

Trivia & Details

• Anakin identifying Obi-Wan’s anxiety over meeting with the duchess while traveling aboard a turbolift is a mirror of a similar scene in Attack of the Clones, with the Jedi roles reversed.
• This was the first episode of the Mandalorian arc produced, well before the adjacent episodes. The figure of Pre Vizsla does not use his final character design in holographic form. If his serape was removed, he would be revealed to be wearing clone armor!
• Nuna has been served as an entree once before in “The Deserter.”

Memorable Quotes:

“War is intolerable. We have been deceived into thinking that we must be a part of it. I say the moment we committed to fighting, we already lost.” — Duchess Satine Kryze.

“Senators, I presume you are acquainted with the collection of half-truths and hyperbole known as Obi-Wan Kenobi?” — Duchess Satine

• “Just like that swarm of venom-mites on Draboon, remember?”
• “How can I forget? I still have the scar.” — Obi-Wan and Satine

“This morsel may prove too much even for the legendary appetite of Orn Free Taa.” — Obi-Wan

• “This may not be the time to ask, but were you and Satine ever…”
• “I don’t see how that has any bearing on the situation at hand!” — Anakin and Obi-Wan
• “I’ll take care of this, Obi-Wan. You, go find your girlfriend.”
• “Right… Uh, no! Anakin, she’s not my — ” — Anakin and Obi-Wan

“Come on, then. Who will strike first and be branded a cold-blooded killer?” — Tal Merrik to Obi-Wan and Satine, before being killed by Anakin Skywalker.