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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Deserter

Episode Air No.: 32 (Season 2, Episode 10)
Original Air Date: January 1st, 2010.
Production No.: 206 (Season 2, Episode 6)

Written by Carl Ellsworth
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Robert Dalva

Key Characters: Clone Captain Rex, Cut Lawquane, General Grievous, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Key Locales: Saleucami

Cast:
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers
Matthew Wood as General Grievous and battle droids
Nika Futterman as Shaeeah
Cara Pifku as Suu
Kath Soucie as Jek
Tom Kane as Narrator

Episode Brief: While searching for General Grievous on a distant planet, Rex encounters a deserter.

Full Synopsis:

“It is the quest for honor that makes one honorable.”

ACT I

General Grievous and a squad of battle droids emerge from a downed escape pod with a destroyed transmitter in the Saleucami wilderness. Grievous spots Kenobi’s Jedi transport landing on the horizon. The general must hurry to find an escape pod with a working transmitter to get off-world. Only one other pod is known to have survived. Grievous rides through the underbrush atop a reek, leading his weary troops. They have also appropriated some eopies as pack animals. The battle droids badly need a recharge.

Kenobi and Captain Rex begin deploying biker scouts and AT-TE tanks to search for Grievous. Obi-Wan finds the wreckage of the crashed landing ship. He then assigns teams to split up to search for the escape pods: Rex will take a speeder bike team with Jesse, Hardcase and Kix to scour the wetlands, while Obi-Wan, Commander Cody and Crys will continue the search along the dry territory. Crys and Cody find a downed escape pod. Kenobi pulls out the shattered battle droid from within to inspect it on the go.

Rex’s biker team speeds through the wetlands. They are targeted by a commando droid sniper team. Rex takes a shot to the chest and is knocked off his bike. The rest of the squad destroys the commandos. Rex is badly wounded, though.

Crys and Cody crack into their captive battle droid’s memory banks. They determine that the doomed escape pod fired its maneuvering thrusters before it impacted, in order to avoid a midair collision with another pod. At Kenobi’s order, Cody begins calculating the landing point for the second pod.

Kix, the squad’s medic, does a cursory examination of Rex. He’ll need to remove his armor to get a clearer picture, but the squad feels too vulnerable in the open field here. Jesse spots domesticated eopies nearby, and posits that they are on a farmland. The clones decide to look for the homestead on this farm. Jesse makes a makeshift litter to carry Rex along his BARC speeder.

As the Saleucami sun sets, they clones find the farm house. They are met by Suu, a pink Twi’lek female who points a blaster rifle at them. Jesse explains they are not looking for trouble — only for a place to tend to their fallen officer. Suu agrees to let them stay in the barn. Suu’s children, a five-year old girl named Shaeeah and a four-year-old boy named Jekk, look on with curiosity.

Kix dresses Rex’s chest wound with a bacta bandage. Rex awakens to find his arm useless due to nerve damage. Kix nonetheless declares Rex very lucky: a few inches to the left, the commando’s shot would have pierced his heart. Rex wants to get moving, but Kix countermands his order using his authority as medic. Rex needs to stay put in order to heal.

Suu comes with some food for the clones. Her impulsive daughter, Shaeea, sneaks a peek at the clones, and blurts that Rex resembles her father. Suu explains that her husband is away, delivering the farm’s first harvest, and she leaves the clones be. Recognizing that he must stay put, Rex orders the squad to resume the search for Grievous without him. He puts Jesse in command.

Night falls. The light of Saleucami’s moons light the wilderness. Kenobi’s armored column finds an escape pod and there is no sign of Grievous. Kenobi figures the general must have headed west to another pod. He radios Rex to rendezvous at the western pod, but reaches Jesse instead, who gives him a quick update on Rex’s condition.

Meanwhile, Grievous and his droids continue to plod forward, and are a kilometer away from the last escape pod.

Back at the homestead, Rex tries to sleep but he’s awakened by a nosey eopie. The farmer returns home, and visits Rex with much caution, carrying a staff in case his “guest” is unruly. Rex instinctively grabs his sidearm, but the farmer disarms him. The farmer steps into the moonlight, and both Rex and the farmer are surprised by what they see: the farmer is a clone trooper.

ACT II

The clone introduces himself as Cut Lawquane. Rex realizes what he is looking at: a deserter. Rex has no patience for those who would abandon their duty, and he makes his contempt known. Cut explains himself, saying he made a choice not to kill for a living, and that his duty is now to his adopted family. Just then, Suu and the children enter the barn and invite Rex to dinner.

Over a succulent meal of roast nuna, Cut and Rex continue to debate their positions. Cut underscores that despite their identical genetic heritage, Rex and Cut are individuals. Rex insists he is making an individual choice to serve the Republic, for he feels the war is crucial to the preservation of civilization. Though Cut may disagree with him, he allows Rex to voice his opinion, for he believes everyone is entitled to their beliefs.

In the wetlands, as the Republic forces close in, Grievous finds the escape pod. He orders the battle droid aboard to send a distress signal to the remains of his orbital fleet, and dispatch a shuttle to rescue him.

After dinner, Rex and Cut continue their conversation in private over a game of dejarik holochess. Cut explains the days he left the army. Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, Cut’s troop transport was flanked by Separatist gunships that blasted them out of the air. The droids continued to fire, killing the wounded one by one. Cut knew that in order to survive, he would need to flee.

His reflection is cut short as Shaeeah and Jekk run in, asking for permission to go out and play since their chores are finished. Cut allows them, as long as they stay near the house. Rex admires the children, and Cut vows that he will do whatever he can to keep them safe.

At the transmitting escape pod, the battle droids prepare for combat. One fires a missile that hobbles Obi-Wan’s approaching AT-TE.

Jekk and Shaeeah play hide-and-seek in the fields, and the boy spots a downed escape pod. The two children peer inside. Shaeeah accidentally flips a switch that powers up the interior, and 20 commando droids suddenly spring to life.

The terrified kids run back to the farmhouse, warning the adults of what they saw. Cut checks the fields with his macrobinoculars, and spots the commando droids approaching. He tells Suu to take the children upstairs while he arms himself to protect the house. Rex volunteers to help, but Cut sees he is injured. Cut asks Rex to go upstairs and serve as a last line of defense for his family, while he takes point.

Cut shuts off the lights in the house, barricades the door, and takes up position. The droids cut through a back entrance, but Cut blasts them. Others try through the windows.

Back in the wetlands, Grievous is relieved to see a Separatist shuttle emerge from the skies. The remaining AT-TE tries to blast it, but its cannon overheats. Obi-Wan leaps into the fray and crosses lightsabers with Grievous.

Back at the farmhouse, the commandos try to infiltrate the house via the cellar. Blaster fire collapses some crossbeams atop Cut, pinning him under debris. He calls to Rex to be ready. Rex blasts several droids while Cut digs himself out, taking out droids with his bare hands. Exhausted, the two clones destroy the last of the commandos. The farm house is safe.

Grievous orders the shuttle to abort its landing attempts — the zone is too hot for an extraction. The general improvises, firing a cable at the passing shuttle. It latches on, and the shuttle flies away, leaving his troops and the Republic forces behind. Kenobi is crestfallen. Grievous has escaped once again.

The next morning, Rex loads up his gear on an eopie and prepares to leave. Suu asks if he will report his husband’s whereabouts. Though it is Rex’s duty to do so, he suggests perhaps that his injuries may prevent him from disclosing a fully accurate report. Cut thanks him for his discretion. Rex still brands Cut a deserter, but he does not call him a coward.

Trivia and Details

• Noted film editor Robert Dalva takes the helm as a director for this episode. His credits as editor include The Black Stallion, Raising Cain, Jumanji, Jurassic Park III and Hidalgo. He was also director of The Last Stallion Returns. This is his first work in animation.
• Jesse makes use of inches as a unit of measurement, somewhat unusual in a galaxy known for using mostly metric measurements.
• Saleucami is home to flocks of nunas, little swamp turkeys that have also been spotted on Naboo and Tatooine.
• Crys is distinguished by his blonde dyed hair. Jesse has a large Republic cog on his helmet and tattooed across his face. Hardcase’s helmets has broken stripes along it, and though his unhelmeted face is not seen in the episode, he has similar tattoos as well. Kix has the following phrase tattooed on his head in Aurebesh: A GOOD DROID IS A DEAD ONE.

Memorable Quotes

— “Not this again! How can your power cells be so depleted?”
— “You would not let us ride on one of those creatures with you! If you would allow us to close down for a few moments — OH MY G–” (Grievous cuts down droid)
— “Any more complaints?” — General Grievous and battle droids

— “I like to think I’m merely exercising my freedom to choose: to choose not to kill for a living.”
— “That is not your choice to make. You swore an oath to the Republic. You have a duty.”
— “I have a duty. You’re right. But to my family. Does that count, or do you still plan to turn me in?”
— “Do I have a choice?” — Cut Lawquane and Rex

“I’m part of the most pivotal moment in the history of the Republic. If we fall then our children and their children could be forced to live under an evil I can’t well imagine.” — Rex

“I know you think I’m a coward, Rex, but believe me. I’ll fight to my last breath to keep them safe.” — Cut

“They hatched from the big egg in the field!” — Shaeeah

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: Brain Invaders

Episode Air No.: 30 (Season 2, Episode 8)
Original Air Date: December 4th, 2009.
Production No.: 212 (Season 2, Episode 12)

Written by Andrew Kreisberg
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Steward Lee

Key Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Barriss Offee, Anakin Skywalker, Poggle the Lesser, Kit Fisto

Key Locale: Geonosis

Cast:
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Meredith Salenger as Barriss Offee
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and protocol droid
Olivia d’Abo as Luminara Unduli
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers
Brian George as Ki-Adi-Mundi
Phil LaMarr as Kit Fisto
Tom Kane as Narrator
Matthew Wood as Poggle the Lesser

Episode Brief: When Geonosian brain worms take control of their supply ship, Ahsoka and Barriss must battle to stop the vessel from unleashing the deadly plague upon the galaxy.

Full Synopsis:

“Attachment is not compassion”

Newsreel:
Victory on Geonosis! After a massive assault, the Republic has finally recaptured the Separatist planet and shut down its droid factories of doom. An investigation by Luminara Undulli led to the discovery of Queen Karina the Great, whose hive-mind could reanimate dead Geonosian soldiers.

During the destruction of the Queen’s temple, the Jedi apprehended her advisor Poggle the Lesser, and now prepare to deliver the villain to Coruscant for trial…

ACT I

At a landing area on Geonosis, clone troopers march a manacled Poggle the Lesser aboard a waiting Republic attack shuttle. Ki-Adi-Mundi brings news of complication to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Luminara Unduli. The battlefront on Dantooine has been taxing to Mace Windu’s defense forces, and they desperately need medical supplies delivered from a station near Ord Cestus. Anakin and Luminara feel its of paramount importance to take Poggle to Coruscant instead. They decide to split their forces and have the Padawans, Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee, ferry the medical supplies.

Outside the ruins of the Progate Temple, the clone troopers of Tango Company are off-duty and napping. Within the rubble, a slimy Geonosian brain worm slithers from a cracked, yellow egg. It crawls into the nostril of Scythe, a snoozing clone. The company C.O., Trap, brusquely wakes his resting soldiers with a blaster shot into the air. It’s time to move out. Tango Company has been assigned the medical run to Ord Cestus. Trooper Pulsar has to try extra hard to nudge Scythe awake, who seems strangely detached as he comes to.

As the company boards medical frigate TB-73, Scythe lags behind, secretly carrying a backpack full of worm eggs aboard. The frigate blasts off from Geonosis, destined for Ord Cestus, where Kit Fisto is stationed, awaiting its arrival.

Deep in hyperspace, the Padawans attempt to catch some sleep, but Ahsoka is restless. She wakes Barriss, and they dine in the mess hall, talking about the Jedi’s role as warriors in the current conflict, and how the Jedi will continue to maintain the peace after the war is over.

Meanwhile, in the clone barracks, Scythe has released a clutch of Geonosian brain worm eggs, which hatch and release their slithery bounty into the sleeping quarters. Each worm soon finds a sleeping clone host. The infection is spreading; two brain-washed clones led by Scythe casually walk into the cockpit and open fire on the pilots. They now have control of the bridge.

ACT II

Two other infected troopers — Ox and Edge — enter the mess hall and suddenly open fire on Barriss and Ahsoka. The Padawans spring into defensive mode, deflecting the incoming blasts. They incapacitate the clones. Before they can assess the situation, the Padawans suddenly react as two more clones — Trap and Havoc — barge in, investigating the sound of gunplay.

These new arrivals do not appear infected, but Ahsoka and Barriss hold them at lightsaber-point until they can get some answers. Trap is just as confused as the Jedi. He drops his blaster to the floor to prove he isn’t a traitor. Ahsoka, remembering Anakin’s tales of Sergeant Slick on Christophsis, remains wary. Trap suggests they check on the bridge. Barriss cannot make comlink contact. Leaving Havoc behind to watch the two unconscious clones, Trap, Barriss and Ahsoka dash to the bridge to investigate.

Meanwhile, aboard a Jedi cruiser tunneling through hyperspace, the Jedi tend to interrogating a rather uncooperative Poggle the Lesser. Anakin grows increasingly concerned that the medical frigate has not checked in. Ahsoka is long overdue for contact.

Scythe orders the pilots’ bodies disposed of. The possessed clones engage the autopilot, and activate the security shields throughout the ship. Ray shields suddenly cut off the Padawans’ approach to the bridge. Barriss attempts to override the controls. Suddenly, Trap tries to blast Offee. She cuts through his blaster, and he struggles to bodily overpower her. A Geonosian brain worm extends from his mouth. Barriss has no choice but to plunge her blade through Trap’s chest, killing him. Ahsoka uses her lightsaber to slice the worm in two.

Looking at the wriggling segments, Ahsoka and Barriss begin to piece together what is happening: a parasitic infection is threatening the ship The frigate must be placed under quarantine, and the medical station at Ord Cestus needs to be contacted.

Barriss and Ahsoka overhear the chittering sound of Geonosian-speak. They follow the noise to the medical frigate’s cargo bay, where they see infected clones — including Scythe, Havoc, Edge and Ox — gather and subject another trooper to the worms. An infected clone trooper spots the Padawans, herding the spies into the cargo bay. Havoc tosses two eggs at the Jedi, but they cut the orbs into halves before the worms can emerge. Outnumbered, Ahsoka and Barriss retreat into the ventilation ductwork.

Crawling through the ship’s innards, Barriss and Ahsoka decide to split up. Offee will go to the reactor room and disable the ship’s thrusters. Ahsoka heads to the aft communications station, and reaches Master Fisto with a warning. Kit Fisto orders Ahsoka to bring the frigate in-system so that the Jedi can analyze the parasites, but Ahsoka stresses how dangerous these worms are.

Barriss never reaches the reactor control room, instead getting caught in an electrified trap set up by the clones. She collapses before them. Scythe has an egg for her. She too becomes infected.

Back in the communications station, Ahsoka reaches Captain Rex and Anakin. She updates her Master on what’s happening. Skywalker orders Ahsoka to keep in touch, while he goes to interrogate Poggle for some answers. But before Ahsoka can leave the comm room, she sees Barriss waiting for her.

ACT III

Barriss attacks Ahsoka, first with a mighty Force push that sends shards of a shattered display screen knifing toward the younger Padawan. Both Jedi apprentices ignite their lightsabers, and an intense duel ensues. Ahsoka pleads with Barriss to fight the influence of the worms. She kicks her way free of Offee and scurries away from her brainwashed friend.Tano leaps into the ductwork, momentarily escaping.

Aboard the Jedi cruiser, an intense Anakin Skywalker enters Poggle the Lesser’s detention cell. Anakin excuses the clone guards, and attempts to use the Force to compel Poggle to answer his questions. Poggle, talking via an interpreter droid, boasts that mind tricks do not work on Geonosians. But Anakin is not looking to use mind tricks — he smacks Poggle aside, and begins throttling him with a Force grip.

Anakin returns to the bridge of the cruiser, reporting Ahsoka’s predicament and some measure of success in getting answers from Poggle. The other Jedi Masters are surprised that Anakin managed to get the Geonosian to speak. Skywalker doesn’t go into detail as how to how he got his information.

Skywalker contacts Ahsoka with the solution to the parasite problem: the worms are affected by extreme cold. Following her master’s advice, Ahsoka heads to the reactor room to rupture the cooling system. Cold air begins flooding the frigate. The infected clones begin falling unconscious, gripped by convulsions.

The frigate emerges from hyperspace near the Ord Cestus medical station. Kit Fisto orders a pair of tug ships to guide in the stricken craft, and warns all medical staff that no one is to board the frigate until all parasites are contained. The tiny tugs attempt to rein in the frigate with their outsized tractor beam projectors.

Shivering in the corridors, Ahsoka returns to the bridge to retake control of the craft, but Barriss finds her. Their duel slashes a cooling duct, and Ahsoka blasts a jet of frosty air right at Offee. In that brief instant, Offee appears to surface from her worm-controlled haze, and begs Ahsoka to kill her. Ahsoka refuses, and a disarmed Barriss claws her way back at her friend. A greedy worm extends from Barriss’s mouth, seeking purchase on Ahsoka.

The tugs reel in the frigate, halting its forward momentum just as it nestles into the medical station dock. Subzero conduits connect to the airlocks, and cautious clone troopers board the frozen craft, accompanied by Kit Fisto. Master Fisto sees the inert forms of Ahsoka and Barriss covered in frost.

Ahsoka awakens in the infirmary and sees Anakin looking over her. He tells her that Barriss and the clones are fine, thanks to her efforts.

Trivia & Details

• According to the script, that is indeed Nala Se — the Kaminoan from “Shadow of Malevolence” — at the Ord Cestus medical facility.
• Mace Windu’s efforts on Dantooine and Kit Fisto’s familiarity with Ord Cestus are two minor nods to the expanded universe — namely, the first Clone Wars micro-series where Mace fights a droid army on the plains of Dantooine, and The Cestus Deception novel featuring Fisto. (However, their inclusion in this episode should not be construed as confirmation of how these EU events occur in relation to “Brain Invaders.”)
• The troopers of Tango Company all have a striped tiger face logo on their armored shoulder plates. Trooper Havoc would have been further distinguished with a small yellow smiley face on his helmet (which is left unseen in this episode). Clone trooper Ox has a strange one-eyed creature decal on his left upper arm plate. He wears a blue ammo belt and has blue knee and elbow guards. Trooper Pulsar, who uses the same model head as Trooper Jester from “The Hidden Enemy,” has diagonal stripes on his helmet, forearms and shins. Trooper Scythe has the tiger-face on his helmet, and a tattoo of tiger jaws on his forehead. Trooper Edge has bleached hair, wears the tiger logo on his right breastplate, and has a red triangle on his helmet. His helmetless head is a re-use of the Sketch model from “The Hidden Enemy,” including the Aurebesh “S” tattooed to his brow.
• The pillows that Barriss and Ahsoka sleep on in their quarters have the Republic cog logo on them. So do the clone undersuits beneath their armor.
• For those dying to know what the Aurebesh text on the tugboat controls say, here is a translation.

Memorable Quotes

“You might find some of his thoughts on the future… a bit radical.” — Ahsoka Tano referring to Anakin Skywalker.

• “She would have checked in.”
• “Like you always do?”
  “- Good point.”
• “Sometimes I don’t think you realize how alike you two have become.” — Anakin and Obi-Wan discussing Ahsoka.

“I have a bad feeling about this, Master Fisto.” — Ahsoka Tano

“I don’t need mind tricks to get you to talk.” — Anakin Skywalker to Poggle the Lesser

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: Weapons Factory

Episode Air No.: 28 (Season 2, Episode 6)
Original Air Date.: November 13th, 2009.
Production No.: 208 (Season 2, Episode 8)

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

Key Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee, Clone Captain Rex, Poggle the Lesser, TX-21

Key Locales: Geonosis

Cast:
Olivia d’Abo as Luminara Unduli
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Meredith Salenger as Barriss Offee
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers
Matthew Wood as the battle droids and Poggle the Lesser
Tom Kane as the narrator and tactical droid

Episode Brief: Luminara and Anakin act as decoys to divert new enemy super tanks, while Padawans Barriss Offee and Ahsoka attempt to destroy a Separatist droid factory.

Full Synopsis:

“Believe in yourself or no one else will.”

Newsreel:
The final surge. Having learned of warlord Poggle the Lesser’s plot to rebuild a Separatist droid foundry on Geonosis, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, prepare to assault this heavily-fortified installation.

Their mission: destroy the factory at all costs. Anticipating stiff resistance, Republic commanders send Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan, Barriss Offee, to reinforce the attack. But time runs short for our intrepid heroes as the dreaded droid mill nears completion….

ACT I

The Republic advance on the massive Geonosis foundry continues. Anakin Skywalker’s forces are the vanguard — his troops, combined with those of Ki-Adi-Mundi’s stand ready within the shattered shell of a communications bunker, awaiting orders to press forward against the immense spire-topped factory. Anakin and Ahsoka brief their troops on an approach that will require their forces to cross a bridge spanning an immense canyon. It will be a difficult assault, as the bridge forms a natural bottleneck that concentrates the clones into an easily targeted cluster.

In contrast to the spirited and undisciplined approach favored by Skywalker and his apprentice is the measured and methodical demeanor of Luminara Unduli and her Padawan, Barriss Offee. This new duo arrives via gunship along with their clone forces (including eager troops Draa and Buzz) and meets with Skywalker and Tano. Unduli has warned Barriss of the unorthodox pair. Offee, ever dutiful, bows deeply as she meets Ahsoka, much to Tano’s surprise.

Luminara fears Anakin’s forceful frontal assault will be too difficult, and provides an alternative. Geonosian nests are built atop labyrinthine catacombs. The droid factory is situated near enough a canyon that the catacombs are accessible by cutting through the canyon wall. Once inside, a small team could plant explosives in the foundry reactor. In preparation for this mission of sabotage, Barriss Offee has memorized all 200 junctions of the mazelike warren.

Luminara suggests that she and Skywalker use the clone army to distract the Geonosians within the spire while the Padawans carry out the sabotage mission. To truly lure the droids out of their headquarters, the Jedi will have to march their forces out, parade-style, across the bridge. Anakin is hesitant, for he worries that Ahsoka is not prepared to undertake an unsupervised assignment such as this. The independent-minded Ahsoka does not fret, especially given how much faith Luminara exhibits in her Padawan’s abilities. Luminara equips the apprentices with synchronized chronometers to keep track of them.

Inside the foundry, Poggle the Lesser and the tactical droid TX-21 monitor the factory’s efficiency. It is operating at 50 percent capacity, but it has already churned out ten garrisons of new troops ready to deploy. Their new weapon, super tanks capable of repelling Republic artillery, approaches operational status as well.

The Republic forces march toward the bridge and are immediately swarmed by battle droids and Geonosians. As the armies tangle on the surface, Barriss and Ahsoka climb down to the dry riverbed of the canyon. Barriss cuts a passageway into the catacombs, and leads the way into the darkness.

ACT II

Ahsoka and Barriss skulk through the darkened catacombs, trying to avoid Geonosians sentries. They stumble into a den of sleeping Geonosians, creeping past the eerily snoozing drones. A dead end gives Barriss momentary doubt, but she soon recalls the correct direction.

On the surface, the infantry battle intensifies. Clone AT-TE tanks provide heavy firepower to cut through droideka squads. At TX-21’s prompting, Poggle the Lesser allows 20 of the experimental super tanks to roll into combat. Anakin orders Rex to fire on the new targets, but the clone artillery has no effect on the ray-shielded armor. Skywalker sees his chronometer chirp. According to plan, Ahsoka and Barriss would have reached the power plant by now. The super tanks return fire, wiping out the Republic artillery line.

Inside the power plant, there is a complication. Though Ahsoka and Barriss have made their way to the foundry reactor, their approach has been spotted by a Geonosian spy. The spy has informed Poggle, who orders TX-21 to dispose of the intruders.

The tactical droid deploys winged Geonosian warriors as well as a super tank into the reactor room. The Geonosians dispose of the few explosives that the Padwawans have set. Ahsoka destroys TX-21 with an explosive that puts barely a scratch on the adjacent tank.

ACT III

The super tank bombardment tears through the Republic armor. AT-TEs collapse under a withering assault. Luminara and Anakin order their troops to fall back, drawing the tanks onto the bridge.

Meanwhile, in the reactor core, Barriss and Ahsoka valiantly defend themselves against overwhelming odds. Ahsoka is tossed aside by a flying Geonosian. She hits the reactor station hard, and is knocked unconscious. Having removed all the explosives, the Geonosians scatter into access hatches. Barriss is left alone to face the super tank by herself.

On the surface, the super tank phalanx rumbles over the stone bridge as Anakin and Luminara acrobatically climb to the bridge’s underbelly. They swing hand-over-hand over the precarious height, affixing thermal detonator explosives at key points as they make their slow progress. Crossing the span, the two Jedi emerge on the opposite end, behind the tanks. Anakin triggers the remote detonator. Explosions tear through the bridge, and the span collapses, taking the tanks into the canyon.

Anakin’s triumph is soon clouded by his concern for the Padawans. According to his chronometer, the reactor bombs should go off at any moment, and yet there is no sign of the apprentices. Evacuation ships are on their way to clear the area of what promises to be a resounding explosion. The heavy gates to the foundry open and a fresh wave of battle droids emerge.

In the reactor room, Barriss leaps atop the super tank and cuts her way into the armored vehicle and slices through the droid pilots. Ahsoka awakens to see Barriss piloting the tank. They are unarmed and seemingly incapable of completing their mission. Ahsoka improvises: the tank could destroy the generator, but would not be able to escape the explosion. Barriss grimly concedes that this is their only options. Ahsoka briefly comms Anakin to let him know that she cannot leave the foundry. She then cuts off communications, and the Padawans train the tank cannons on the reactor.

Anakin and Luminara watch on with shock as the entire foundry collapses in a chain of explosions with their apprentices caught inside. An immense dust cloud envelops the blast site. Later, when it clears, Anakin and Luminara stand before the smoldering blast crater. Anakin tries to contact Ahsoka via his comlink. The agitated Skywalker is determined to find his apprentice, but Luminara is much more accepting of the fates. Skywalker orders the tank lifters to clear the debris.

Under tons of rubble, in the darkened control cabin of their trapped tank, Ahsoka and Barriss illuminate the darkness with the twin glows of their lightsabers. Ahsoka uses one of the tank’s smaller power cells to boost the signal on her wrist comlink.

Anakin’s fierce determination does not wane. The lifters peel off layers of wreckage from the crater. He suddenly gets a pulse on his comlink on Ahsoka’s channel. He redirects the clean up efforts. Rather than wait for the heavy machinery, Anakin and Luminara use the Force to lift the debris. Sunlight streams into the shattered tank hull and Ahsoka and Barriss realize they’re saved. They emerge, shaken and coughing, and are reunited with their mentors.

Trivia & Details

• Though their names are not spoken in this episode, two of Luminara Unduli’s clone troopers are Buzz and Draa. In the script, Draa is given the line, “Buckle your belts and check your cells, soldiers. We’re going in.”
• The dialogue spoken by Anakin and Ahsoka during the briefing but barely heard underneath lines spoken by the approaching Barriss and Luminara are (Ahsoka) “Did you listen to what I was saying? I was saying the same things you were saying.” (Anakin) “Yeah, but when I say it they actually listen to me.”
• TX-21 has bug-like markings on his armored skin, fitting his role as a Geonosian tactical advisor.
• The nose-art on Luminara’s gunship has a clone trooper quite literally giving Count Dooku the boot.

Memorable Quotes

• “You know, Master, my briefings might go better if you didn’t interrupt me every time I tried to–“
• “I wasn’t interrupting. I was trying to help you.”
• “Which I would appreciate… if you didn’t interrupt me to do it.” — Ahsoka and Anakin, interrupting each other.

“Stupid green bugger!” — Ahsoka to a Geonosian drone.

• “Whatever you’re doing, I hope it works because I’d sure rather have died fighting up there than starve to death down here.”
• “Don’t worry. We’ll run out of air long before we starve.”
• “That’s a comforting thought.” — Barriss and Ahsoka trapped in a tank

“It’s not that I gave up, Skywalker, but unlike you, when the time comes, I am prepared to let my student go. Can you say the same?” — Luminara Unduli

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: Senate Spy

Episode Air No.: 26 (Season 2, Episode 4)
Original Air Date.: October 16, 2009.
Production No.: 205 (Season 2, Episode 5)

Written by Melinda Hsu
Supervising Writer: Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer: Brian Larsen
Directed by Steward Lee

Key Characters: Senator Padmé Amidala; Anakin Skywalker; C-3PO; R2-D2; Senator Rush Clovis; Senator Lott Dod; Poggle the Lesser

Key Locales: Coruscant; Cato Neimoidia

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala and Betty Droid
Robin Atkin Downes as Clovis
Gideon Emery as Lott Dod
Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
Tom Kane as Yoda and the narrator
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and computer hologram
Terrence “TC” Carson as Mace Windu
Matthew Wood as Poggle the Lesser

Episode Brief: At the Jedi Council’s request, Padmé investigates a Separatist conspiracy in the Senate.

Full Synopsis:

“A true heart should never be doubted.”

Newsreel:
Treachery in the Senate! The Jedi
Council suspects that Senator Rush
Clovis is secretly taking part in a
Separatist conspiracy. But to find
out what the Senator from Scipio
is up to, the Council will need a spy
of its own. Meanwhile, Jedi Anakin
Skywalker has been away from
Coruscant on a lengthy tour of duty
leading the clone army. Now Anakin
returns for a long-awaited reunion
with his wife, Padmé Amidala….

ACT I

After a long absence, Anakin Skywalker is warmly greeted by Padmé Amidala at her skyrise apartment on Coruscant. Anakin has just hitched a ride on a cargo freighter, and brought back warm dinner. It is a special occasion tonight, when the secretly wed couple are able to spend time together.

At the Jedi Temple, the Council discusses a disturbing matter. The InterGalactic Banking Clan has shrewdly avoided direct connection to the Separatists, but the Jedi suspect the financial institution to be in league just the same. Investigating Senator Rush Clovis of the Banking delegation could provide the Jedi the proof they need to expose the treachery, but already Senator Amidala has refused their entreaty to spy on her colleague.

The Jedi are unwilling to take no as an answer. Mace Windu and Yoda ask Obi-Wan Kenobi to summon Anakin, but Kenobi has had difficulty reaching his former apprentice. Anakin has been attempting to ignore them all night, but ultimately feels that duty calls. Padmé is disappointed, and does not appreciate Anakin’s hasty lecture about putting duty first in times of war.

Back at the Jedi Temple, Mace, Obi-Wan and Yoda examine surveillance footage of Rush Clovis, a young human Senator, meeting with the Trade Federation Senatorial representative, Lott Dod. Anakin arrives at the briefing. Mace explains that they need Senator Amidala to spy on Clovis — to send a Jedi would only raise Clovis’s guard. Anakin is increasingly hesitant, particularly when he learns that Clovis and Amidala were close friends during their early careers in the Senate. Yoda implores Anakin to get Amidala to agree to this.

Anakin catches up with Padmé in the hallways of the Galactic Senate building. Despite her words, she is still upset at Anakin, and his requests on behalf of the Jedi Council are of little help for her mood. She reiterates her refusal to spy on a colleague and old friend. Anakin’s jealous reaction to her friendship with Clovis only sparks Padmé’s temper. Padmé is surprised to learn that Clovis may have any connection to the Separatist, a fact Yoda failed to mention during his entreaties to her. This changes her mind on the matter, but Anakin disagrees with the Council’s decision to use Padmé like this. He refuses to see her put in danger, and she is irked by his overprotective streak. She accepts the mission over Anakin’s protestations, quoting his original line that duty comes first in wartime.

Inside the Jedi Council chamber, Padmé lays out her strategy for spying on Clovis. First, she must re-initiate contact; it’s been some time since they last were in touch. Anakin is unsettled to learn that Padmé and Clovis had a romantic relationship. She ended it years ago, returning them to the status of professional colleagues, something that Clovis did not take well. Still, Padmé is confident he can regain his trust. Anakin will serve as bodyguard for the assignment.

ACT II

At the dining commons within the Senate building, Padmé and Clovis enjoy a late dinner. Rush is about to head to Cato Neimoidia, to collect some outstanding dues from the Trade Federation. Padmé offers to help, and she agrees to accompany Clovis in the hopes of using her diplomatic contacts to sway the Neimoidians. Clovis hopes that traveling with Padmé will be even better than it was in their past.

The next day, the Senators board a gleaming Naboo star skiff. Anakin, dressed as a Naboo pilot, assists Captain Typho, C-3PO and R2-D2 in ship preparations. Anakin barely contains his jealousy while trying to play the role of an impartial pilot. To prevent Clovis from sitting right next to Padmé, Anakin surreptitiously breaks the harness of the adjacent seat, forcing Clovis to sit apart. When Clovis moves too close to Padmé for Anakin’s liking, Skywalker twists the ship through a maneuver to shake the amorous Senator away.

Before long, the skiff arrives at the gilded bridge cities of Cato Neimoidia. The joint Naboo | Scipio delegation is greeted by Senator Lott Dod, who is surprised to see Amidala but nonetheless welcomes her to the grand hall of his palace. While servant droids escort Padmé and her retinue to their room, Clovis meets with Dod in the library.

They discuss a new investment by the Banking Clan into the Separatist war effort for the creation of a new droid factory. Dod is delighted by the prospect of war profits, but is fearful of the Senator that Clovis has brought with him. The Geonosian weapons manufacturer Poggle the Lesser emerges from the shadows. The two aliens try to negotiate a greater stake of the profits, but Clovis doesn’t budge. The Neimoidians are far too indebted to the banking clan in this venture to begin haggling. The conspirators cut their conversation short as Padmé approaches, apparently wandering the library. Clovis escorts Padmé out, leaving Dod and Poggle to fume silently. Dod notices the obvious affection Clovis has for Amidala, and sees an opportunity to force Clovis to comply with their wishes — if they could threaten the Naboo Senator.

Senator Dod intercepts Clovis and Amidala in the grand hall corridor outside the library. He presents them drinks to toast their new friendship. Dod gives Padmé a poisoned glass as the Senators retire to the dining chambers.

Meanwhile, at the skiff on the landing platform, an agitated Anakin waits impatiently for Padmé’s signal, with R2-D2 keeping him company.

ACT III

After dinner, Padmé begins to feel faint. C-3PO suggests she retire for the night, but Padmé rallies her energies and agrees to a tour of the palace with Clovis. Threepio is dismissed and returns to Padmé’s quarters, where he encounters Anakin. The droid tells him of Padmé’s whereabouts and actions, which only worries Anakin more.

As Clovis and Padmé walk through the palace library, her head pounds and she feels weak. She asks Clovis to fetch her some water. As he disappears, Padmé sneaks to the hologram projector she spotted earlier. The data contained within is password-protected. After a few false guesses, Padmé tumbles on the true password: her name. The display activates, revealing an enormous Geonosian droid factory. This is the evidence she sought. She signals R2-D2 while she ejects and palms the hologram disc.

Clovis returns with a drink for Padmé, and she carefully keeps the disck hidden behind her back. She throws her arms around Clovis to keep him from seeing her stolen prize. Anakin arrives to catch his wife in the embrace of a Senator, but keeps quiet as a he stealthily takes the disc from her hand. He returns to the star skiff and gives the data to R2-D2. Anakin orders Artoo to take the data to the Jedi Council if he does not return, and then he races off back to the palace.

Clovis is surprised by Padmé’s display of affection. She faints from the poison, and Clovis carries her to her bedroom. He orders Threepio to fetch a medical droid. In the hallway outside the bedroom, Clovis confronts Lott Dod. He knows Padmé has been poisoned. Dod correctly brands Amidala as a Republic spy. Clovis reluctantly faces the truth when he checks the hologram projector and finds the data stolen.

Clovis returns to the bedroom and calls out Padmé on her treachery. She vows loyalty to the Republic; Clovis is the one who has betrayed the Republic. She tells Clovis that the data is on its way to the Senate. Just then, Anakin arrives, spoiling for a fight. He orders Clovis to step away from the fading Padmé. Anakin wants to rush her to Coruscant, but there is no time. Clovis realizes that Dod must have the antidote. In exchange for the hologram disc, Clovis will get it from Dod. Anakin ignores the offer. He’d rather get what he needs directly from the Neimoidian.

Clovis genuinely cares for Padmé’s health. He helps Anakin take her back to her ship. They are intercepted by Lott Dod. Clovis tries to bluff his way past the Neimoidian, but Dod does not want her taken off-planet. Clovis pulls a blaster and holds Dod at gunpoint, demanding the antidote. Dod hands it over, and Anakin takes Padmé back to her ship. Clovis asks for Anakin for the disc back, but Anakin coldly refuses, leaving Clovis behind to face the Neimoidians.

As the Naboo star skiff takes off, Anakin administers the antidote to Padmé. Her mission was a success: with the holographic evidence, the Jedi can now move against the new droid foundry. Padmé nonetheless regrets making Anakin doubt her, but he admits no doubt.

Trivia & Details

• This episode uses a number of environments previously seen in the live action movies, including Padmé’s apartment verandah (Episode III), the Senate corridor (Episode II) and rotunda chambers (Episode I), the Jedi Council war room (Episode III), entrance gates (Episode III), and Cato Neimoidia (Episode (III).
• Anakin uses “clicks” as a unit of time in this episode. In previous episodes, “klicks” were used to denote distance — kilometers. It is not yet known how long a click is.
• When Anakin expresses surprise that Padme and Clovis were ever close, Obi-Wan raises a very suspicious eyebrow.
• Not a single blaster is fired in this episode, nor is a lightsaber ignited, nor does anything explode.
• An earlier concept for this story would have replaced Rush Clovis with the boy Palo, mentioned by Padmé in Episode II. This was abandoned for a couple of obvious reasons. One, Palo is said to have abandoned politics to become an artist. Secondly, their relationship was at a very young age — when Padmé was 12. It worked better for the thread of jealousy if Padmé’s past flame would have been a relationship she had as an adult.
• The Senate pods do indeed have sound-dampening privacy technology, which is what allows Anakin and Padmé to talk so freely even in the midst of the Senate chambers.
• Padmé mentions the Holonet to Rush Clovis, the first time this expanded universe concept is mentioned in a source like this. The HoloNet is a galaxy-wide communications network that works somewhat like television and the Internet. It was first mentioned in a 1989 roleplaying game sourcebook.
• The chairs at the Neimoidian dinner are all articulated self-propelled mechno-chairs.
• The all-Aurebesh screen on the holographic projector in Lott Dod’s library actually contains tutorial text for basic 3-D computer modelling.
• The take-out food Anakin carries is labeled “WARM FOOD” on the side, and “SUSHI” on the top. The crashing wave design printed on the box is taken from a recently produced R2-D2 tea towel.
• The grand hall gallery at Lott Dod’s palace include many heroic paintings of past Neimoidians, done in a classical style, including a Napoleonic Neimoidian riding a kaadu.

Memorable Quotes

• “I hitched a ride on a cargo freighter.”
• “What happened to your military transport?”
• “Ehhhh … it blew up.” — Anakin and Padmé
• “What?”
• “You called this home.”
• “What else would I call it?” — Anakin and Padmé
• “On the contrary. I hope it’ll be better than old times.” — A hopeful Rush Clovis.
• “Don’t worry, Clovis. It’s good to know you have a heart. I wishI could give you the disc, but I have a lot faith in your survival skills.” — Anakin’s parting words to Clovis.
• “Hmm, it seems no one wants my company tonight.” — C-3PO.

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

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

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Cargo of Doom

Episode Air No.: 24 (Season 2, Episode 2)
Original Air Date.: October 2, 2009.
Production No.: 113 (Season 1, Episode 13)

Written by George Krstic
Supervising Writer: Scott Murphy
Series Writer: Henry Gilroy
Directed by Rob Coleman

Key Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Ahsoka Tano; Cad Bane; Bolla Ropal; Clone Captain Rex; Admiral Yularen; Clone Trooper Denal; Nute Gunray

Key Locales: Space over Devaron

Cast:
Corey Burton as Cad Bane
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers and Bolla Ropal
Tom Kenny as Nute Gunray
Tom Kane as the narrator and Admiral Yularen
Matthew Wood as battle droids

Episode Brief: Anakin and Ahsoka intercept Cad Bane’s warship, hoping to recover the stolen Jedi Holocron, but the Jedi underestimate the bounty hunter’s cunning tactics.

Full Synopsis:

“Overconfidence is the most dangerous form of carelessness.”

Newsreel:
Stolen secrets! Villainous mercenary
Cad Bane was hired by Darth Sidious
to steal a holocron from the vaults of the
Jedi Temple. After fleeing the scene of
the crime, Bane hunted down and captured
Master Bolla Ropal, who has a crystal
which holds secrets of the Jedi Order.
As a Separatist fleet arrives to help the
bounty hunter, Anakin Skywalker races in
to cut off their escape and stop Bane from
delivering the stolen holocron.

ACT I

In orbit over Devaron, the Jedi cruiser Resolute tangles with a trio of Separatist frigates. Aboard the Republic vessel, Admiral Yularen signals to General Anakin Skywalker that they receiving an urgent message from the planet. A clone trooper desperately reports from the surface: the base on Devaron has been overrun, and General Bolla Ropal has been captured along with the Kyber memory crystal. The signal is cut short as the clone is killed by a battle droid. Time is of essence: Anakin must find which of the Separatist vessels holds Master Ropal.

Within the prison hold of one of the frigates, an inert Bolla Ropal is thrown into a restraining force field by super battle droids. A battle droid overseeing the interrogation administers mind limiters, pain pulsers and a full dose of X-C33.

Cad Bane commands the frigate to prep for hyperspace while he goes to visit the Jedi prisoner to ask for a “small favor.” As the frigate leaves the battle zone, Anakin surmises that it must be carrying Bolla aboard. He orders Admiral Yularen and ready the troops for boarding. Yularen is taken aback — they have no boarding craft! The Resolute‘s concentrated barrages destroy the frigate’s hyperdrive engines, essentially trapping it in the Devaron system.

In the Resolute hangar, Captain Rex has assembled three brigades of clone troopers (including Execute Battalion and Carnivore Battalion) and awaits orders. Everyone is curious as to Anakin’s plan, and he does not disappoint as far as unorthodox improvisation goes: he orders Yularen to prepare the AT-TE walkers for action. They’re not boarding craft, but they are pressure-sealed and have magnetic feet. Ahsoka in particular is impressed. Yularen, a by-the-books officer, is exasperated.

Meanwhile, poor Bolla Ropal is subjected to painful electrical charges as his interrogation is supervised by the callous Bane. Bane orders Ropal to open the holocron so he can get at the secrets contained within, secrets that can only be coaxed from within the ancient memory device by a Jedi Knight. Bolla refuses, so Bane intensifies his torture, killing Ropal. Bane sees this murder as only a slight delay in achieving his objective. He’ll need another Jedi to open the holocron.

ACT II

The Resolute matches speeds with the crippled frigate, and from the Republic destroyer’s belly hold emerge three AT-TE walkers, free-falling through vacuum to land on the stern hull of the Separatist ship. The walkers’ cannons blast through confused battle droids. Wearing space-suits, Anakin and Ahsoka use the Force to leap through the void, cutting their way past the enemy. R2-D2 joins the Jedi and plugs into an airlock control, opening a hatch leading into the frigate.

Back on the bridge, an outraged Nute Gunray appears via hologram, chastising Bane for losing four Separatist cruisers that Gunray reluctantly loaned to the bounty hunter at Darth Sidious’s request. Bane isn’t too worried about expenses. He knows the holocron and its enclosed data is worth a fortune to his shadowy benefactor. The conversation is cut short as the entire frigate shudders from the battle raging on its dorsal hull. Bane, however, refuses to send reinforcements. He plans to lure the Jedi aboard and get one of them to open the holocron.

Bane barks out orders on the bridge. The frigate’s memory banks are to be wiped clean, and its self-destruct sequence to be initiated. He transfers all basic controls of the ship to his wrist-com. Bane leaves the battle droid crew to defend the bridge while he disappears into a ventilation duct.

The bridge blast doors fly apart, and Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex and more clones storm in. Anakin orders Artoo to plug into the bridge computer systems. The droid immediately finds a fragment of Bane’s holographic conversation with Gunray, and the Jedi learn that Bane possesses both the holocron and the Kyber crystal. Anakin orders Rex to secure the hangar bay and destroy all the escape pods. No one is to get off the frigate. The frigate trembles as the self-destruct sequence begins.

Aboard the Resolute, Admiral Yularen witnesses an explosion in the frigate’s aft section. He advises Anakin, but Skywalker is determined to stay aboard and find Master Ropal. Ahsoka and Anakin find the Bolla’s body abandoned in a prison cell in the detention level. Anakin orders some clones to return Ropal to the Resolute.

Bane has fled to the gunnery deck, where he leads a squad of battle droids and super battle droids. He intends to divide and defeat the Jedi while the droids keep the clones busy. Another blast shakes the frigate, and the deck lights go out. The Jedi and clones march through the darkness before spotting Bane running through the corridors. They give pursuit, and Bane leads them back to the gunnery deck, where his droids stand ready. A gunfight erupts.

Bane uses his wrist gauntlet controls to deactivate the artificial gravity. The Jedi and clones begin to lift off the deck. Troopers activate the magnetic gripsoles on their boots, fastening themselves to the walls and ceilings while blasting away at the similarly magnetized droids. Both sides need to watch their aim, though, as the gunnery deck is filled with explosive ammunition canisters.

R2-D2 rockets to a control panel in an effort to reactivate the gravity generators. Anakin cuts his way towards Bane and delivers a stunning kick to the hunter’s face. As Bane spirals away in zero gravity, the holocron falls from his jacket. Anakin is centimeters away from snatching it when Artoo reactivates the gravity. Everything comes crashing down, and Bane retrieves the holocron. While Anakin is distracted saving a falling clone, Ahsoka chases after the fleeing Bane.

Bane runs through the corridors, using his wrist-com to lock the blast doors behind Ahsoka. He’s now separated the Padawan from her Master. As Anakin tries to cut through the gunnery bay doors, a clumsy battle droid blasts an ammo canister, causing a huge explosion. Skywalker is swallowed up by falling rubble.

Bane reaches a seeming dead-end at a closed airlock. He fires a blast at Ahsoka that the young Padawan easily deflects. As she closes in on the hunter, he kicks her lightsaber aside, but Ahsoka gets within his reach and bodily flips the hunter onto the ground. It appears she’s won this round, but Bane suddenly grabs her foot and uses his gauntlet to radiate a debilitating stun charge through her body. The young girl is knocked unconscious.

Anakin senses his Padawan’s danger through the Force. With renewed vigor, he telekinetically lifts the debris that is pinning him, casting it aside. Skywalker orders Rex to get to the hangar and secure a transport while he tracks down Ahsoka.

Aboard the Resolute, Admiral Yularen detects the destructive power surge that is making its way across the ship. He advises Anakin to abandon his mission and flee the doomed ship. Skywalker refuses, as he has neither the holocron nor his Padawan. He instead orders Yularen to move his ship back to a safe distance.

ACT III

Ahsoka is Bane’s prisoner, shackled in self-tightening stun-cuffs. Bane happily yanks the Padawan braid jewelry hanging from her lekku, taking it as a trophy. Ahsoka remains defiant. She knows Anakin is on his way. Bane, however, is counting on it. He increases Anakin’s sense of urgency by releasing another electric charge through Ahsoka.

Anakin cuts through a trio of droids before arriving at the airlock. Bane activates the shield doors, leaving Ahsoka on the space-ward side of the lock, while he and Anakin stand together in the vestibule. With a sizzling intensity, Anakin orders Bane to stand down, but Bane holds too many cards. The bounty hunter dangles a finger over his wrist control. With a single flick, he can eject Ahsoka into space.

Flanked by two super battle droids, Bane instead makes an offer. If Anakin can open the holocron, he’ll let Ahsoka live. Skywalker has no choice. He puts his lightsaber down, and agrees to Bane’s terms.

Rex and his clones meanwhile have found a shuttle in the hangar bay. They blast at the remaining droids while the frigate continues to convulse from destruct charges. In the abandoned gunnery bay, a fuel leak quickens a growing blaze that begins to cook the discarded ammunition canisters. Aboard the Resolute, Yularen detects that the frigate’s main reactor will implode at any moment. Rex orders troopers Denal and Koho to break off from the gunfight and find Anakin.

In the airlock bay, Anakin uses the Force to levitate the holocron. Under his control, the holocron changes shape, opening to reveal an aperture that accepts Bane’s Kyber memory crystal. The holocron glows as it activates. Anakin uses the Force to call both his lightsaber and Ahsoka’s to him. Bane steps back as the two super battle droids flank Anakin. The hunter activates his gauntlet, and opens the airlock door.

Ahsoka desperately clings to the airlock bulkhead as the air rushes out from her side of the shielded passageway. Anakin uses the Force to toss a sliced super battle droid body into the shield controls, deactivating the barrier. The entire airlock vestibule is compromised, and Anakin too is caught up in the rush of air. Bane powers up his rocket boots and soars away from the vacuum as an emergency bulkhead seals. With great strain, Anakin pulls along the bulkhead and reaches the airlock controls, sealing the outside hatch. He and his Padawan are reunited, and Anakin cuts through her shackles, freeing her.

Bane makes contact with Gunray, reporting his success at opening the holocron. Gunray suggests that he transmit the holocron data, but Bane is far too cagey for that. He has his own plans for escape. He makes his way to the hangar, and is stopped by Denal and Koho.

Anakin and Ahsoka race through the corridors towards the hangar. Skywalker is still determined to catch Bane, but Ahsoka tells him there is no time. The ship is going to detonate any second. Anakin sees that she is right, and the two run to the Separatist shuttle that Rex has captured. As the vessel begins to lift off, they spot Denal and Bane grappling in the upper deck. Denal blasts Bane, and the hunter’s lifeless body falls to the floor. The Jedi leap to the shuttle, which hovers to the upper deck to pick up a wounded Denal before roaring out of the hangar bay.

Denal reports that he did not get the holocron, but there’s no time to worry about that. In the gunnery bay, the ammunition reaches critical temperature, triggering an explosion that is mirrored in the reactor bay. The entire frigate vaporizes as the shuttle escapes and flies to the Resolute. The holocron appears to have been destroyed, but at least the Separatists did not get it.

Anakin, however, still sense Bane’s presence in the Force…

Trivia & Details

• The script originally called for black-hued retail droid guards to haul Master Ropal’s unconscious body.
• Long time fans will find something familiar in the term “Kyber memory crystal.” In early drafts of the original script to A New Hope, the Kyber crystal was a Force-focusing artifact wanted by the Jedi and the Sith. This was eventually written out of the story in subsequent drafts, and a variation of the artifact — spelled as the Kaiburr crystal — made its way into the 1978 novel Splinter of the Mind’s Eye. During the script development of Episode II, the term “Kyber” was nearly resurrected. The weapon that Jango Fett used to kill Zam Wesell was first identified as a Kamino kyber dart. This was changed to saber-dart in the finished movie. Finally, after over 30 years, the term “Kyber” with its original spelling has worked its way into a canon Star Wars story.
• Rex orders Execute Battalion to board “ATAT300,” but the proper designation for the Clone Wars-era walker is an AT-TE. The other walker identified by number is 773.
• When Anakin confronts the three doomed battle droids in the airlock corridor, the one in the background them panics and frantically tries to activate the controls.
• Trooper Denal was last seen in the season one episode, “Downfall of a Droid.”
• A small but grim detail for sharp-eyed viewers. The dead body of Bolla Ropal has its tongue sticking out.

Memorable Quotes

“You’d better live through this. I want my money!” — Nute Gunray to Cad Bane.

“We’re defending the bridge alone? Against the Jedi? I hate this job.” — Battle droid #1

“Of all the Jedi, why did I have to end up with Skywalker?” — Admiral Yularen

• “Come on! There’s three of us and only one of him!” – “(resigned) It won’t matter.” — Battle droids facing Anakin.

“If I activate this control, the outside airlock will open and she will be sucked into oblivion. Do you think you can kill me and then save her before she’s pulled out into space? It’s a horrible way to die.” — Cad Bane

• “So, the mission was your usual version of success, then?”
• “If by success you mean I won, then yes.” – Admiral Yularen and Anakin Skywalker.

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: Holocron Heist

Episode Air No.: 23 (Season 2, Episode 1; Season Premiere)
Original Air Date.: October 2, 2009.
Production No.: 123 (Season 1, Episode 23)

Written by Paul Dini
Series Writer: Henry Gilroy
Staff Writer: Scott Murphy
Directed by Justin Ridge

Key Characters: Cad Bane; Ahsoka Tano; Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Jocasta Nu; Cato Parasitti; Todo 360; Mace Windu; Yoda

Key Locales: Felucia; Coruscant

Cast:
Corey Burton as Cad Bane and Analyzer Droid
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Koon
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Seth Green as Todo 360
Tom Kane as Yoda and Narrator
Flo DiRe as Jocasta Nu
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers and Ord Enisence
Gwendoline Yeo as Cato Parasitti
Terrence “TC” Carson as Mace Windu
Ian Abercrombie as Darth Sidious

Episode Brief: Cad Bane infiltrates the Jedi Temple and attempts steal an ancient Jedi Holocron. It’s up to Ahsoka, Anakin and Obi-Wan to stop the bounty hunter from escaping with the valuable Jedi artifact.

Full Synopsis:

“A lesson learned is a lesson earned.”

Newsreel:
Jedi trapped on Felucia! Clones are
surrounded by droid forces. Their
only hope is to escape on Republic
gunships waiting to land on the
embattled surface. Jedi cruisers have
managed to blow a hole in the droid
defenses, and have sent gunships to
the rescue.

ACT I

High above the overgrown fungal world of Felucia, a trio of Republic cruisers pound a blockade of Separatist frigates. From the starboard hangar of one of the cruisers emerges a stream of attack gunships escorted by V-19 Torrent interceptors. Leading the reinforcements is Jedi Master Plo Koon, aboard the blue-decorated Jedi starfighter gifted to him by Anakin Skywalker during the Malevolence crisis. He calls to his clone wingman, Warthog, to protect the gunships as he takes out the droid fighters. The gunships run through the blockade, with only a pair of vulture droids surviving to give pursuit.

The gunships penetrate the atmosphere, vectoring toward a landing zone clear of the immense pitcher plants and other exotic flora of Felucia. On the ground, a small clone fighting force is surrounded by battle droids that tighten the circle around them. Obi-Wan and Anakin block incoming fire, standing beneath a mighty AT-TE walker.

In the air, Warthog desperately evades to no avail as the droid fighters pursue. Plo Koon swings his vessel around, blasting apart one of the vultures. The other droid gets caught in the explosion and spins out of control, smashing the ground hard and tumbling into an AT-TE. The Jedi dodge the collision, and realize that reinforcements must be on their way.

Cody and Rex lead their beleaguered ground forces to the landing rescue gunships. Anakin and Obi-Wan radio Ahsoka, who should be returning from her assigned patrol duty. She’s in the thick of battle as well, deflecting incoming laser fire while standing atop an immense clone turbo tank. She’s six kilometers east of the Jedi Knights, and her forces have engaged the enemy. Kenobi orders her to prepare for extraction, but she refuses to retreat. Kenobi restates his order, but Ahsoka instead follows Skywalker’s maxim of never giving up when the enemy is on the run.

The Republic gunships approach Ahsoka’s troops. She continues to advance, forcing Anakin to land the evacuation craft directly in her path, thus causing her to stop. Anakin jumps out of the gunship and orders Ahsoka aboard. He tells her that the droids are about to overrun her postion, but she cannot see it from her vantage point. Reluctantly, Ahsoka boards the gunship, and as it lifts off, she does indeed see that dozens of droid reinforcements stood ready to ambush her if she had continued her push forward.

Later, on Coruscant, within one of the spires of the Jedi Temple, Ahsoka is being debriefed by the stern Jedi Council. Ahsoka admits her error, citing being caught up by her apparent successes to not see the battle as a whole. Anakin takes responsibility for Ahsoka’s failure; he attributes her advanced abilities for his oversight of her youthful shortcomings. Nonetheless, Mace pulls Ahsoka from battlefield duties, and Yoda assigns her to guard duty at the Jedi Archives.

Deep inside the Jedi Archives, Ahsoka meets Jocasta Nu, the director of this vast information depository. Madame Jocasta gives young Ahsoka a tour. The Jedi Temple library contains more knowledge than anywhere else in the galaxy, and is even said to contain forbidden knowledge that only the most learned of Jedi Masters could access. The deepest secrets are contained within the holocron vaults, where holocrons — data storage systems that can only be opened through the Force — reside. Ahsoka is not allowed inside. Even Madame Jocasta has not set foot within the vault for years.

In the Coruscant underworld, within a seedy hotel, Cad Bane stands inside a dingy room, biding his time. A hologram of Darth Sidious appears. Sidious tasks Bane to acquire a Jedi holocron for him. Bane notes it won’t be easy — to do so would require him to infiltrate the Jedi Temple. So, it will be a costly assignment. He requests a rogue-class starfighter with elite weapons, a cloaking device, and triple his usual rate. Sidious agrees, and will provide Bane with the means to infiltrate the temple.

In the Jedi war room, Anakin and Obi-Wan examine the ramifications of their loss of Felucia. Yoda is distracted by a disturbance in the Force. He senses that the Jedi Temple will be host to danger… intruders are on their way.

ACT II

In his apartment, Bane hunches over Todo 360, his fidgety techno-service droid, as he implants a small security chip into a slot in the droid’s back. The two are joined by Cato Parasitti, a Clawdite changeling. She is part of Bane’s plot to steal a holocron. The two pull up intelligence provided by Darth Sidious on Bolla Ropal, a Jedi Knight in the Mid Rim. He’s part of the next leg of their assignment. First, though, the two hunters must infiltrate the Temple. The chip that Todo carries is a piece of the puzzle: he has all the technical data regarding Temple security systems. Also provided by Sidious are detailed holographic maps of their destination.

The last element is where Parasitti comes in. Bane’s hotel is now the final resting place for the late Jedi Knight, Ord Enisence. Parasitti adopts the form of Enisence, and will serve as Bane’s “inside man,” entering the archives and monitoring Bane’s progress. The two will maintain contact with compact ear-comlinks.

The library’s placement near the communication center will provide a challenge — it’s an area swarming with Jedi — as will the security systems of the vault, but Bane seems confident of his success.

Back at the Jedi Temple, Anakin and Obi-Wan are on alert and busy hypothesizing what intruders might be after. They theorize — incorrectly — that the east tower communications center is the likeliest target, as it houses Jedi transmitter codes and crucial war information. Skywalker dashes to the tower, while Kenobi heads to the central security station to monitor perimeter defenses.

Outside, Bane and Todo use rocket boots to flit to an untended overhang amid the Jedi Temple’s enormous architecture, near the south tower. Inside, Ord Enisence strolls into the Temple. Ahsoka greets him warmly, but Enisence only returns cold impatience. Ahsoka drops the matter, but Jocasta overhears the unusual outburst.

Parasitti takes a seat at a terminal within the archives, and begins guiding Todo to a weak spot in the defensive shields surrounding the Temple access points. Parasitti also disrupts the local scanners to provide Todo and Bane the cover they need to enter.

Obi-Wan and Anakin notice the glitch in the scanners, but detect no intruders from their respective vantage points. Yoda senses trouble afoot, but is also at a loss as to what the potential target may be. As they begin to speculate about communications center, Obi-Wan runs a scan on the central ventilation shaft, and detects a disruption by the south tower. Kenobi and Skywalker go to investigate while Yoda places the temple on high alert.

Bane and Todo enter the cavernous ventilation systems. Parasitti guides them to the control boards that bypass the massive fans. One set, however, remains active, and nearly sucks the intruders into its cutting blades before Cato deactivates it in the nick of time.

Jocasta confronts “Enisence” with word of the Temple being on high alert. Enisence lashes out and knocks the librarian unconscious. Parasitti then adopts her visage with her shapeshifting skills. Bane and Todo arrive at the vent shaft above the vault, which is protected by a dense laser web. Cato remotely deactivates the laser webs.

Obi-Wan and Anakin arrive at the top of the vent shaft to see where the infiltrators entered, and try to follow their path. They rappel down the enormous tunnels, following the network of shafts to the communications center.

ACT III

Anakin and Obi-Wan explore the side vents of the central vent shaft, but find no sign of the trespassers. They are too deep inside the Temple for the general sensors to detect. Yoda speculates that they may be receiving assistance from inside the Temple.

Outside the Jedi Archives, Todo and Bane deactivate the last of the laser screens. Bane next has an odd request for Todo: to cut through the wall, but not in the direction of the vault; instead, the droid is to cut his way to the communications center.

In the library, Ahsoka receives a comlink transmission from Yoda, warning of an intruder possibly posing as a Jedi. The Jedi Master tasks the Padawan to find Jocasta Nu. She spies Jocasta making a suspicious transmission. Ahsoka confronts her, but Cato ignites Jocasta’s lightsaber and attacks Ahsoka. Untrained with the Jedi weapon, it’s all Cato can do to hold off Ahsoka, buying enough time to run for it. Ahsoka uses the Force to send a chair tumbling into Cato’s path, tripping up the changeling.

As Anakin and Obi-Wan continue their search, Ahsoka communicates with her Master. She’s interrogated Cato and discovered that the intruder’s objective is the holocron vault. Kenobi dismisses this, as only a Jedi can activate a holocron. Based on this, Anakin surmises that the intruder must be trying to get to the communications center through the vault.

Meanwhile, at the vault gate, Bane requires Cato’s assistance to cut through the last security gate. His comlink transmission is met with silence, however, since Cato’s been caught. Shifting gears, Bane dispatches Todo to the communications center. The little droid nervously complies — he knows that it’s filled with Jedi. As the droid departs, Cad produces a small device — the same kind of “security chip” he implanted in Todo earlier — and sticks it to the access panel. It counts down to zero and explodes.

The blast shakes the access tunnel that Obi-Wan and Anakin currently occupy. They follow the tremors to the blast site and immediately see Todo’s cut path to the communications center. They give pursuit. Bane emerges from the shadows, having successfully misdirected the Jedi. He enters the holocron vault and grabs the appropriate cube.

Meanwhile, in the Jedi communications center, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, Kit Fisto, and Yoda turn to spot Todo suddenly emerging from an access hatch. Mace Windu detects a bomb within the droid and Force pushes it away. Anakin and Obi-Wan take cover in the vent shafts as Todo suddenly explodes.

Back in the archives, Ahsoka marches a bound Cato and checks in with a revived Jocasta Nu. Bane, meanwhile, sneaks away hidden beneath a Jedi robe. Yoda and the other Jedi Masters examine the holocron vault, and find a cube missing. This whole caper was never about war intelligence. As the Jedi attempt to puzzle their enemy’s agenda, Cato offers up some information on Bane’s next target: Bolla Ropal.

Ropal is the keeper of the Kyber crystal, a data repository of every known Force-sensitive child in the galaxy that can only be read within a Jedi Holocron. Bolla is in the Devaron system, out of range for a warning. Ahsoka and Anakin decide to go to Devaron to alert him, while Kenobi will see to Parasitti’s incarceration as well as look for Bane on Coruscant.

Trivia & Details

• After the clone navigation officer calls for the gunners to concentrate fire on the left-most Separatist frigate, it’s actually the one on the right that takes the barrage.
• The script called for Ki-Adi-Mundi to be present at the Jedi Council meeting, however his animation model was not yet prepared. The Cerean Jedi Master does appear later in Season Two, though.
• Holocrons were originally developed by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy for the comic series Dark Empire, published in 1991-1992 by Dark Horse Comics. Since that time, they’ve become a mainstay in expanded universe storytelling. They’re often used as power-ups or trophies in Jedi-based video games from LucasArts themselves.
• Among the signage seen on the rather seedy buildings of the Coruscant underworld is an establishment called “THE HOLE,” and PURPLE WER.”
• The dossier on Bolla Ropal says the following in Aurebesh:
  

  ROPAL, BOLLA
  HOMEWORLD – RODIA
  ABILITIES: IN QUESTION
  THREAT POTENTIAL: MINIMAL
  ALL OTHER INFORMATION RESTRICTED

• The Aurebesh keys on Cato/Ord’s keyboard are upside down.
• The display on Bane’s security chip bombs reads “COUNTDOWN TO DEATH”
• One of the rescue gunships is adorned with a nose painting of Plo Koon and two clone helmets, labeled PLO’S BROS.

Memorable Quotes

“Come on, grunts. We… are… leaving!” — Captain Rex to his men.

• “Where’s Ahsoka?”
• “Following your teachings.”
• “Is she winning?” — Anakin and Obi-Wan on Felucia

“Guard duty? For how long?”
“Longer now.” — Ahsoka Tano and Mace Windu

“That is preposterous. I have no memory of any crashes. Oh my goodness! I have no memories of any crashes!” — Todo 360

“Oh, uh… hey, guys. I was just… ah … testing the access hatch. Works great.” — Todo 360 to a room full of Jedi.

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

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

The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Hostage Crisis

Episode Air No.: 22
Original Air Date: March 20, 2009
Production No.: Season 2; Episode 4

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

Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Key Characters: Crime lord Ziro the Hutt, bounty hunter Cad Bane, bounty hunters Aurra Sing, Robonino & Shahan Alama, Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala

Key Locales: Coruscant

Cast:
Corey Burton as Cad Bane, Ziro the Hutt and Shanan Alama
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala and Betty Droid
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa, Orn Free Taa and Senator Philo
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers, Robonino and Onaconda Farr
Matthew Wood as 3D, Senate Guard #1 & 3 and Commando Droid
Tom Kane as the Narrator, and Senate Guard Captain
David Acord as Senate Guards and Servant Droid
Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
Jaime King as Aurra Sing

Episode Brief: To free crime lord Ziro the Hutt, bounty hunters seize control of the Senate Building and take hostages — completely unaware that Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker is still inside.

Full Synopsis:

“A secret shared is a trust formed.”

Newsreel:
Danger looms! Despite recent victories in the Outer Rim, criminal minds plot at the very heart of the Republic! The bounty hunter Cad Bane has assembled some of the deadliest criminals in the galaxy and plans a daring attack to seize members of the Senate. What can
be the aim of this despicable act?

ACT I

It is a bright day on Coruscant. An airspeeder flits through the bustling skylanes, carrying a motley bunch: the laconic bounty hunter Cad Bane, a blue-skinned Duros with a wide-brimmed hat that shades his features; the prune-faced Weequay gunman Shahan Alama; a pair of commando droids emblazoned with a peculiar red sunburst sigil; a similarly adorned assassin droid.

The airspeeder flies towards the east wing of the domed Senate building, coming to a halt at the lip of its landing platform. Senate Guards rush into the daylight, for the speeder has broken security protocols and come to a stop in a restricted area. Cad Bane hardly seems concerned. He debarks the speeder and walks calmly towards the guards. He quietly states he has business with the Senate and tells the security detail to step aside. The no-nonsense Senate Guard captain orders Bane on his knees.

Suddenly shots ring out from afar. Blaster bolts begin dropping the Senate Guards. At an adjacent tower, bounty hunter Aurra Sing sights her targets through a sniper rifle. The guards scramble for cover as the rest of the hunters also open fire. Cad Bane rushes the captain and snaps his neck. Aurra kills the last of the guard detail and Bane signals the team to move ahead with their nefarious plan.

The commando droids are to clear the platform of bodies while dressing up in concealing Senate Guard armor. They report in to central command that the ruckus was caused by war protestors, but that the situation is secure. A second airspeeder arrives, this one carrying Sing; the diminutive piscine alien, Robonino; and two more assassin droids. With the commando droids standing guard, the rest of the posse makes its way into the Senate building.

Elsewhere inside the building, Senator Padmé Amidala works at her office. Anakin Skywalker is visiting her. He is restless. Though he is supposed to be at a meditative retreat, he is instead trying to convince Padmé to take some time off so they could go away together privately. Padmé remains focused on her work, but Anakin stresses that nothing is more important than their feelings. He chides her with a display of his devotion, handing over his weapon — his Jedi lightsaber — to Padmé for safekeeping. Padmé thinks that Anakin is simply teasing her, and puts the lightsaber aside.

The bounty hunters continue their way deeper into the Senate complex. The assassin droids target and eliminate a Senate Guard defending a power control room. They similarly make short work of the droids on station there. With the path cleared, Robonino gets to work sabotaging the building power distribution network. Bane collects the rest of the hunters and presses on.

A stolen embrace and kiss between Padmé and Anakin is cut short by the approach of C-3PO and Senator Bail Organa to Padmé’s office. Anakin hurriedly hides behind Padmé’s desk while she conceals his lightsaber within her robes. Senator Organa tells Padmé that Senator Philo has called a meeting in the lobby before the Senators are to vote on the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. It’s an important issue that Organa and Amidala have fought against, and she cannot miss this meeting. She is forced to leave the office with Organa, carrying the lightsaber and leaving Anakin hidden.

Bane, Sing, Alama and two of the assassin droids creep down the empty Senate corridors towards the guard barracks. It is time for the guards to change — a moment when the two switching shifts are all assembled at the same place. Bane takes advantage of so many gathered targets by rolling a thermal detonator into the barracks. The blast wipes out the guards. A sole survivor futilely grasps for help, but receives only a deadly blaster bolt delivered by Aurra Sing.

In the Senate East Wing lobby atrium, Senator Organa holds informal court with a number of other diplomatic representatives, including the blue-skinned Gran, Senator Philo. These like-minded politicians are agreeing to oppose some upcoming legislation, but their caucus is interrupted by the arrival of the bounty hunters. The gun-toting mercs surround the Senators, holding them hostage. Philo is outraged, and tries to press past Bane, but the hunter shoots him in the back, killing him. Bane then orders the Senators to gather at the center of the atrium, where they can be relieved of any communication devices they may hold

Elsewhere, the rotund Senator Orn Free Taa rushes to meet with Chancellor Palpatine in the executive office. Taa opens up the communications network on Palpatine’s display transmitter, revealing the holographic form of Cad Bane. Bane lays out the situation: he is in control of the East Wing and has Senators as hostages. If Palpatine wants them to stay alive, he is to release Ziro the Hutt from the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center.

Palpatine is outraged by Bane’s audacity, but the bounty hunter’s words are soon backed up. Robonino has completed his work in the power control room. He shuts down all power in the Senate building, and emergency bulkhead doors slam shut on the executive office. The corridors of the Senate building are plunged into the dim red glow of emergency lighting. Anakin emerges from Padmé’s office, confused and concerned by this.

ACT II

With the Senate building in security lockdown mode, Chancellor Palpatine and Senator Orn Free Taa are trapped in the executive office. They cannot even get a distress signal to the outside. Meanwhile, Bane gathers the comlinks from the Senators, but Padmé tries to avoid being searched, for fear of Anakin’s lightsaber being discovered. She beings orating to Bane in attempt to stall, demanding that the Senators be let free. The sound of her voice draws Anakin to the atrium via a balcony. Bane spots him and opens fire.

Anakin dashes from the atrium as Bane sics his hunters after him. With this distraction, the bounty hunters have forgotten about searching Padmé. Anakin tries his comlink, but to no avail. He runs through the corridors with Shahan Alama and an assassin droid in pursuit. He is unarmed, and unable to defend himself against their incoming blaster fire.

Skywalker ducks into a vacant Senatorial office. He splices his hand comlink into a comm-terminal, and contacts Chancellor Palpatine via the local network. The Chancellor gives Anakin a hasty update on the situation, and implores Anakin to get to the power control room and restore the building to its operational status. The hurried conversation is overheard by the hunters who follow the muffled voices to the Senatorial office.

Anakin severs the communication connection and ducks out of sight as Alama and the assassin droid arrive. Their search lingers on until Anakin nudges Alama through the Force, convincing him that he had best hurry up and continue the search of two more floors. Alama and the assassin droid split up to expedite their search, the Weequay heading upstairs while the droid heads downstairs.

Anakin follows the droid and engages it in a hand-to-hand brawl with the strong robot. In the fight, the droid’s blaster rifle is damaged beyond repair. Anakin uses it to club the droid into submission. By the time Shahan joins up on assassin droid’s floor, he spots the incapacitated automaton, but notes that there are no lightsaber cuts. From that, he deduces that Anakin is unarmed. Alama returns to the atrium and reports this discovery to Bane. The bounty hunter orders Alama and Aurra Sing to continue their hunt.

Anakin heads to the power control room, and startles Robonino who rushes back to the room, locking the door. Without his lightsaber, Anakin can’t cut his way through. He has Robonino stuck on the other side.

Bane contacts Chancellor Palpatine again, this time with more specific instructions. He is to make a pardon disc, and give it to Orn Free Taa to deliver. Cad Bane will transport the Senator to the prison and free Ziro the Hutt. Once the Hutt is free, the hostages will be released. Palpatine agrees, but continues to express his outrage at this violation of the Senate.

Shahan catches up with Anakin at the power control room door, and holds him at blaster-point. Anakin uses the Force to pull Alama’s blaster into his hand. Alama drops the floor, revealing Aurra Sing standing behind him at the end of the corridor. She fires her rifle at Anakin, shooting the blaster from his hand. As Anakin tries to dodge the incoming bolts, the door to the control room opens, and Robonino leaps out, zapping Anakin with an electrical prod. Anakin collapses. Aurra Sing orders him tied up and delivered to Bane.

Another assassin droid, 3D, enters the executive office and collects Orn Free Taa who carries a pardon disc. The blue Twi’lek Senator is marched to the Senate landing platform and placed aboard a speeder that trails behind it a transport sled specifically for Ziro.

Aurra and Alama drag Anakin’s unconscious body into the atrium. Cad Bane is pleased to see so formidable an adversary defeated. He tosses Anakin in with the Senator hostages.

ACT III

3D and Orn Free Taa land at the prison. Clone troopers stand at the ready as Orn Free Taa hands over the pardon disc that authorizes Ziro the Hutt’s release. The colorful Hutt slithers out onto the landing, and boards the speeder transport. 3D pilots it back to the Senate building.

Meanwhile, Alama and Robonino begin affixing peculiar electronic devices around the perimeter of the atrium — items that Bane ominously refers to as “parting gifts.” Bane contacts Palpatine, handing over control of the Senate and the Senators back to the Chancellor… though he warns Palpatine not to try anything until the sun has set.

The bounty hunters move to leave the Senate. They activate the devices, creating a grid of lasers that keep the Senators pinned in the center of the atrium. Disrupting the lasers would trip a series of explosives that would destroy the atrium and everyone inside.

Republic gunships arrive at the executive office and clone troopers dive in through the window to secure the chancellor. Two other gunships land at the Senate platform, and troopers debark to hold the emerging hunters at gunpoint. Chancellor Palpatine contacts Bane holographically, ordering him to surrender. Bane reveals the card up his sleeve — the laser traps in the East Wing. The clones allow Bane to pass undisturbed. 3D arrives with the getaway speeder and Ziro. The hunters board the craft and leave the platform.

Anakin finally awakens to find Padmé looking over him. He quickly assesses the situation. Padmé returns his lightsaber, and he uses it to cut a hole in the floor of the atrium. The Senators escape through the hole just as Bane detonates the explosives.

Ziro congratulates Bane on a job well done. Bane cares little for accolades. He wants the payment promised to him by the gangster.

Trivia & Details

• In one version of the script, Mas Amedda was in the executive office with Chancellor Palpatine. In the final, it is Orn Free Taa, taking advantage of his pre-existing character model.
• Among the Senators held hostage are Riyo Chuchi of Pantora; Onaconda Farr of Rodia; Jakker-Sun the Ithorian; Dantum Roohd, a character based on a costume design used by Giddean Danu in Episode III; Zinn Paulness , a character based on a design of an Alderaanian aide in Episode III; and an unnamed Christophsian Senator.
• As Shahan Alama searches for Skywalker, he comes across a startled “Betty Droid,” a BD-3000 luxury droid model first seen in Episode III whose design was partly inspired by Bettie Page.
• Throughout the script, Robonino was simply referred to as “fish guy.” He is based on an unused Iain McCaig concept for an alien Jedi.
• It appears that Robonino may be a New England Patriots fan.

Memorable Quotes

“Son, I wouldn’t be so hasty if I were you.” — Cad Bane to the Senate Guard Captain.

“Wow. It’s heavier than I thought.” — Padmé Amidala, admiring Anakin’s lightsaber.

“You better not fail me, bubble brain.” — Cad Bane to Robonino.

“I’m in control. I make the rules now.” — Cad Bane to Chancellor Palpatine.

• “I feel it my duty to warn you that you will end up paying for this outrage.”
• “I can live with that.” — Chancellor Palpatine and Cad Bane
• “Well, Hutt. It doesn’t look like prison had too adverse an effect on you.”
• “Oh, you can’t imagine the unspeakable things I’ve suffered! The horror! I doubt I’ll ever really recover!” — Cad Bane and Ziro the Hutt

SEASON 2 – COMING VERY, VERY SOON AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF ‘INSIDER’ INFO!

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Liberty on Ryloth

Episode Air No.: 21
Original Air Date: March 13, 2009
Production No.: 19

Written by Henry Gilroy
Supervising Writer: Scott Murphy

Directed by Rob Coleman

Key Characters: Wat Tambor; Mace Windu; Cham Syndulla

Key Locales: Ryloth

Cast:
Terrence “TC” Carson as Mace Windu
Robin Atkin Downes as Cham Syndulla
Matthew Wood as Wat Tambor and battle droids
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Phil LaMarr as Orn Free Taa
Corey Burton as Count Dooku and Gobi Glie
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Tom Kane as Yoda, Narrator and Admiral Yularen
Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine
James Arnold Taylor as Tae Boon
Gary Scheppke as TA-175

Episode Brief: With his forces stretched thin, Mace Windu must convince Twi’lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla to help him save the capital city from the droids’ destruction.

Full Synopsis

“Compromise is a virtue to be cultivated, not a weakness to be despised.”

Newsreel:
Republic victory is at hand! Clone
troopers under the command of the
Jedi have successfully invaded the
Separatist-occupied world of Ryloth.
Anakin Skywalker battles the enemy
in the skies, while Obi-Wan Kenobi
frees villages from the grip of vile
Separatist leader, Wat Tambor. Now,
Jedi General Mace Windu leads the
attack on the enemy lines in the final
offensive to liberate the capital city
of Lessu….

ACT I

On the treacherous, winding road that snakes along the lip of a plummeting canyon, a column of Republic AT-TE walkers make their plodding way to the capital city of Lessu. Across the other side of the canyon, Separatist AAT tanks lob cannon-fire at the exposed walkers. The tanks concentrate their fire on the lead walker, collapsing its leg assembly and grinding it to a halt. A hatch opens at the rear of the fallen walker, and out emerges Mace Windu and several of his clone troopers. Mace dashes to the front of the walker, and uses the Force to shatter the canopy viewscreen. He reaches into the cockpit and rescues the unconscious driver.

The entrenched battle droids commanding the tank assault from a bunker order the AATs to concentrate fire on the last walker, essentially boxing in the entire armored column. Clone Commander Ponds runs past the falling debris and incoming blasts to arrive at the head of the column, where he reports to Mace Windu that the entire force is pinned down. At Mace’s command, Pond calls for Lightning Squadron to come to the front.

Cargo compartments within the AT-TE walkers open to release agile AT-RT walkers that weave and dart to the head of the line. As Ponds and his troops move the injured away from the front, Mace Windu uses the Force to push the wrecked lead walker off the cliff-side, opening up the mountain road again. Mace takes over the first AT-RT from a clone operator, and then leads Lightning Squadron’s charge up the road. A total of five AT-RTs, including Ponds, leap past incoming fire and race towards the droid command bunker and the AATs. They overrun the bunker and destroy the AATs with well placed blaster fire and thermal detonators.

Mace and Ponds assess their losses: 32 soldiers, including the command crews of three walkers. This was a costly battle, and Mace is going to need reinforcements if he is to take Lessu from the Separatists.

A recon droid spies on Mace and Ponds, transmitting its signal back to the Separatist command center on Lessu. Wat Tambor and tactical droid TA-175 review the intelligence. Mace’s push is breaking through the Separatist lines at an alarming rate; they will reach the main gates by morning. TA-175 advises retreat, but Tambor won’t have it. He will bunker within the city, drawing in his forces.

Aboard one of the lead AT-TEs, Mace Windu enters a holographic conference with other Jedi leaders and Republic officials. Present are Chancellor Palpatine, Senator Orn Free Taa, Master Yoda, Admiral Yularen, and Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker reports that the Republic has secured orbital space above Ryloth, and the Separatist cruisers are retreating. Mace reports that Obi-Wan Kenobi has taken the Jixuan desert, so the southern hemisphere is effectively in Republic control.

That leaves the capital city of Lessu, where Wat Tambor has holed up. It is a fortified stronghold; a siege would take too long and be too costly. Mace favors a surgical strike, but he will require the aid of Cham Syndulla, the leader of the local freedom fighters.

The politicians are hesitant. Palpatine explains that Syndulla was a radical before the war, and Orn Free Taa warns that Syndulla seeks to gain power. They were political rivals before the war. Windu dismisses the politics; his mission is to free the people of Ryloth. Palpatine looks for another solution, a way of perhaps sending reinforcements to Ryloth so that Windu would not need to ally with the resistance, but Admiral Yularen reports that no reinforcements are available.

Later, in the cratered flatlands of Cazne, Mace and Lightning Squad disembark at the site of a major battle. There are a number of simple Twi’lek graves in the area. Mace spots a fresh animal track, and recognizes it of the native blurgg that the Twi’lek freedom fighters ride into battle. Mace hears the sound of a blurgg, and orders the squad to move ahead quietly.

Inside the Lessu command center, the holographic form of Count Dooku reprimands Emir Tambor. TA-175 has informed Dooku of Tambor’s strategic shortcomings. Tambor argues that the droid exaggerates and that not all is lost, but Dooku has no faith in the emir’s skills against General Windu. He orders Tambor to not be too greedy and evacuate with whatever valuables he can. He will instead order the sundering of Ryloth, to have the Twi’lek homeworld serve as an example just what the horrible cost of a “Republic victory” can truly be.

Deeper in the Cazne battlefield, amid the shattered hulks of Separatist transports, a group of battle droids are on the lookout for a missing patrol. Mace and his clones hide in the shadows, watching the droids pass. As the droids leave view, they are suddenly attacked. Mace, Razor and Stak follow the sounds of the ambush, cresting a rise to find only the blasted remains of the battle droids.

Just then, Twi’lek resistance fighters emerge from the shadows and hold Mace and the clones at gunpoint. Cham Syndulla is in the lead. Mace states he has come for Syndulla’s help, but Cham isn’t ready to offer it just yet.

ACT II

Separatist forces prepare for attack nearby villages — a courtyard full of hyena bombers stand at the ready. TA-175 has also readied Wat Tambor’s means of evacuation, but the stubborn Skakoan will not abandon his post just yet.

Meanwhile, Cham Syndulla as his fighters lead Mace Windu, Stak and Razor to their hideout — an underground lair hidden beneath the wreckage of a Separatist landing craft. Syndulla recounts the details of the Separatist invasion. The Republic was unable to spare any aid for Ryloth, and Syndulla’s people surrendered to the Separatists, but where nonetheless rounded up for extermination by droid forces.

As this somber conversation takes place, Trooper Stak examines an animal paddock containing a feisty blurrg. Syndulla’s second-in-command, Tae Boon, asserts that the riding animal is faster than an AT-RT, though Stak has his doubts.

Whatever misgivings Syndulla may have about the Republic, they are secondary to him carrying out Twi’lek tradition — he offers what little food and hospitality he can to his guests.

The Republic armored column continues its trek to Lessu. It passes a quaint Twi’lek village carved into the hillside. Republic scouts report to Commander Ponds that there are no enemy droids in the village — it is mostly inhabited by Twi’lek women and children. Ponds orders his men to see if they can spare rations to the hungry village. Just then, a threat sensor sounds. A squadron of hyena bombers flatten the village with a sudden bomb strike. Ponds stares wordlessly at the flaming ruins of the village before contacting General Windu.

Mace and Cham continue their discussion in the rebel hideout. Mace presses Cham as to why he won’t join forces with the Republic, and Cham voices his distrust of Senator Orn Free Taa. Mace insists the Republic is here to help and will remain to help Ryloth rebuild. Cham fears he may be trading one armed occupation for another.

Their discussion is interrupted by Ponds’ report from the hillside villages. News of the droid firebombing campaign hits the Twi’lek rebels hard. Cham knows time is running out. He agrees to speak with Senator Taa.

Back at Lessu, Wat Tambor monitors his droids and Twi’lek slaves as they load his shuttle full of stolen riches from Ryloth. A battle droid reports to him that they are still awaiting two more transports loaded with plunder from the south. Rather than leave, Tambor greedily decides to wait for the last of the treasure. This goes against Dooku’s orders — he wants Tambor as far away from Lessu as possible. When Mace Windu’s forces attack the city, the Separatist plot to bomb it from afar. TA-175 is set to carry out Dooku’s exact words, though Tambor has different priorities.

Mace Windu and Cham Syndulla make holographic contact with Senator Orn Free Taa. The two Twi’lek leaders immediately start sniping at each other, but Mace tries to keep them focused and cooperative. Just then, Anakin Skywalker radios in to Mace. His fighters are doing what they can to blast the hyena bombers, but they are woefully outnumbered.

Mace prompts Orn Free Taa to promise a Republic military presence will not remain on Ryloth after its liberation, appeasing Cham’s concerns. Likewise, Mace gets Cham to promise he will not make a bid for political power. With this agreement, Mace and Cham join forces. Syndulla rallies his soldiers for the forthcoming fight.

ACT III

The city of Lessu is built to withstand attack. Surrounded on all side by immense canyons, its only point of access is a plasma bridge — a projected span of energy that can support the weight of vehicles and people. The bridge is controlled from within the city, and periodically deactivates to secure the city’s borders — as experienced by a dimwitted battle droid left stuck on the vanishing span; he plummets to his demise.

As further precaution against a Republic siege, Wat Tambor evacuates the civilians to encamp along the city’s outer wall — thus preventing long range bombardment with a screen of innocent Twi’leks. Cham Syndulla and his men watch this disturbing development from afar through electrobinoculars. With the populace outside, Mace knows that the safest option for the people is begin the assault within the city walls. The key is getting control of the bridge.

The Twi’lek freedom fighters and Mace’s mechanized clone forces have now merged. Tae Boon quips at an AT-RT rider to keep pace with his surprisingly nimble blurgg. Cham spots the last few Separatist MTTs hauling treasure up the winding road to the city. This is the chance to make it across the bridge.

Mace, Stak and Razor sneak up on the second of the two transports. Mace neutralizes its STAP-riding battle droid escort and then uses his lightsaber to cut his way aboard the vehicle. Mace signals to Commander Ponds that he will need a diversion. Ponds readies the rest of the troops, and they hold position slightly over a kilometer away from the city.

TA-175 urges Tambor to leave, but the greedy foreman awaits the arrival of the last of the treasure. The battle droids activate the plasma bridge as the two outstanding transports make their way across the chasm. Battle droids carrying handheld scanners inspect the MTTs. As soon as they detect an anomaly aboard the second transport, the hatch opens and Mace and his troops charge. Ponds and his men open fire on the inspection team.

The battle droids begin powering down the bridge. Mace uses the Force to carry Stak and Razor safely to the other side, but he’s caught in the middle. The bridge dissipates, and the transports fall into the canyon. In a superhuman feat of agility, Mace bounds off their plummeting hulls and uses the Force to leap atop a nearby STAP, using it to propel himself onto the city-side of the crevasse.

Battle droids spill out of the citadel. Mace holds them off while Stak and Razor run inside to reactivate the bridge. Cham orders the charge, and Republic and Twi’lek soldiers race across the battlefield to the city, trusting the bridge will appear in time.

Stak and Razor blast their way into the bridge control room and take out the droids on station. They turn the bridge back on just as Cham and Ponds’ charging forces arrive, allowing them to enter the city. Stak and Razor are momentarily waylaid by droid commandos, but the clones emerge victorious.

TA-175 no longer waits for Tambor and leaves aboard his shuttle without him. The droid reports Tambor’s failure to Dooku, who orders the hyena bombers to destroy Lessu immediately. Mace cuts his way into the courtyard and holds Wat Tambor captive at lightsaber-point. Rather than surrender, Wat Tambor resolves to perish in the incoming bombardment, but the sudden arrivel of Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano in their starfighters destroys the approaching hyena droids.

Cham arrives in the courtyard with his forces, and demands Wat Tambor’s unconditional surrender. With no options, the Separatist leader concedes. In short order, they celebrate their liberty, with Orn Free Taa standing beside Cham Syndulla on a free Ryloth.

Trivia & Details

• The original script for the episode describes Mace Windu using his lightsaber to cut open the fallen walker’s canopy. In the final episode, he uses the Force to shatter the glass instead, consistent with his expanded universe talent for finding and exploiting shatterpoints.
• The Lightning Squadron AT-RTs have “BEA” written on the side of them in Aurebesh letters.
• An earlier version of the story had Mace rescuing captive Twi’leks from a prison suspended over the caldera of a volcano, however the production paintings of such an apocalyptic setting ended up looking too similar to Mustafar.
• Clone Commander Ponds has an Aurebesh phrase written on the back of his helmet that reads, “some guys have all the luck.”
• This episode is rather heavy with peculiar Aurebesh phrases. One of the Republic display screens in the background reads: “TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON: Status report of advance trooper recognition therapy syndrome evaluation team current phase of experiment proceeding satisfactorily according to projected schedule.” This same screen includes the following notation: “second most important sport right after football.”
• Among the treasures being hoarded by Wat Tambor is the Ark of the Covenant, slightly modified to have Twi’lek cherubim atop the box.

Memorable Quotes

• “Look, it’s RB-551. No wonder he got blasted. He’s one of those older models programmed by a central computer.
• “Not like us; we’re independent thinkers.
• “Roger, Roger.”
• “Roger, Roger.”
• “Roger Roger.” – Battle droids.

“Another armed occupation is not a free Ryloth. How long before I am fighting you, Master Jedi?” – Cham Syndulla to Mace Windu.

• “General Windu! Perhaps we can come to a compromise.”
• “Not when I hold all the cards.” – Mace Windu and Wat Tambor

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Innocents of Ryloth

Episode Air No.: 20
Original Air Date: March 6, 2009
Production No.: 17

Written by Henry Gilroy
Supervising Writer: Scott Murphy

Directed by Justin Ridge

Key Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi; Clone Commander Cody; Waxer; Boil; Numa

Key Locales: Ryloth

Cast:
Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Corey Burton as Commander TX-20 and Nilim Bril
Matthew Wood as the battle droids and Wat Tambor
Catherine Taber as Numa
Terrence “TC” Carson as Mace Windu
Tom Kane as the narrator

Episode Brief: To sabotage a powerful Separatist weapon, Obi-Wan and a small clone force enter an occupied town, and discover that its residents are being used as a living shield.

Full Synopsis

“The costs of war can never be truly accounted for.”

Newsreel:
Invasion! Separatist leader Wat
Tambor has taken control of the
planet Ryloth and subjugates its
people through a brutal droid
occupation. In a daring surprise
attack, Jedi Anakin Skywalker
and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano
defeated the space blockade
guarding the planet. Now, Jedi
Generals Mace Windu and
Obi-Wan Kenobi lead a massive
invasion to liberate the starving
people….

ACT I

Kenobi has his orders. He is to lead his troops aboard Republic gunships and take the city of Nabat as a landing zone. The trio of Republic transports makes planetfall over Ryloth.

On the world’s surface, in the dusty rock-carved city of Nabat, battle droids have erected a command center. A tactical droid, Commander TX-20, receives a holographic communication from Emir Wat Tambor. TX-20 reports readiness of his proton anti-aircraft cannons, which will be protected from enemy reprisal strikes since it is behind a “living shield” of captive Twi’leks, in shackles in the Nabat central courtyard. Commander TX-20 calculates that the Jedi will not risk the lives of innocents.

The transports hover high above the planet’s surface and dispatch the squads of gunships into the air. Aboard the lead gunship, Kenobi and Clone Commander Cody brief their troopers. Their objective is to take Nabat intact, and to minimize damage — no ordnance or heavy weapons. Blasters and droid poppers only. One clone, Boil, quietly grouses about these limitations to his fellow squad-mate, Waxer.

The proton cannons begin their terrible volleys at the Jedi transports high overhead. One is crippled by a direct hit to its engine section. Aboard one of the other transports, Clone Commander Ponds reports their vulnerability to General Mace Windu. Windu orders Kenobi to take out the guns so that he can safely land the transports. Thus the challenge: Kenobi’s Ghost Company must disable the artillery before they can be reinforced and resupplied. The transports pull back and the gunships press forward, weathering the bursting flak that fills the sky. This is all just as TX-20 has calculated.

The gunships land in the jungles outside Nabat, and Cody’s troops disembark. TX-20, anticipating the ground assault, orders his troops to prepare. Droid gunners set up bunker position on the city’s outskirts, and begin strafing the jungle canopy when they see clone intruders. Kenobi and his troops are pinned. The Jedi General leads Waxer and Boil closer to the bunker, and uses the Force to help the troops lob their EMP grenades across a large distance. The droid poppers land inside the bunker and immobilize the droids in a flash of ion discharge. Ghost Company presses forward.

A battle droid informs Commander TX-20 that the perimeter has been overrun. The brainy droid orders his underlings to gather intelligence regarding the Jedi’s next possible move. The Separatists dispatch small recon droids — bulbous eyed spidery automata — that hover away to spy on the enemy. It’s a tactic mirrored by Kenobi — before pressing forward toward the gun emplacement, Obi-Wan needs intelligence on the droid operations. Cody leads a small team of three other clones, including Wooley, Waxer and Boil, to scout ahead.

In the eerie, barren streets of Nabat, the four-man clone squad cautiously makes its way through the abandoned city. The team splits up — Waxer and Boil head south while Cody and Wooley check the courtyard.

While Waxer and Boil creep through the empty neighborhoods, they hear a spill of gravel that puts them on alert. Meanwhile, at the courtyard, Cody and Wooley find the assembled droid forces — dozens of battle droids supported by AAT tanks. They spot the anti-aircraft battery, as well as the Twi’lek hostages that protect the emplacement.

ACT II

Kenobi has set up a temporary command post in an abandoned, shelled-out church in Nabat. Cody has returned, and is briefing Kenobi on his findings. Mace also joins the conference, via hologram. The presence of hostages at the guns complicates things, but Kenobi feels confident he can succeed in his mission. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, this gathering is secretly being monitored and transmitted by a recon droid. Commander TX-20 recognizes Kenobi, and begins researching his enemy.

Meanwhile, in the south, Waxer and Boil follow the strange sounds to an alleyway where they find a five-year-old Twi’lek girl, Numa, cowering behind some crates. While Waxer is focused on his mission, Boil can’t help but wonder about her, and what they should do with her. The skittish little girl is wary of the clones as well as a recon droid that flits by. When Boil extends a hand to her, Numa chomps down on his finger.

Waxer realizes their imposing armor is probably making Numa mistake the clones for droids. He and Boil remove their helmets. Numa calms down seeing the living faces underneath. She calls them both “Nerra.” The clones offer the hungry little girl a ration bar. As the clones move out, Waxer tries to get Numa to follow, but she stays put. Reluctantly, he leaves her behind and he and Boil continue their recon.

Back at the courtyard, TX-20 descends some stairs into an underground lair lined with animal pens. Inside are ferocious, hard-shelled creatures called gutkurrs. TX-20 tests his hypothesis by releasing a gutkurr. It immediately bites down on a hapless battle droid, but after tasting hard metal, spits it out. TX-20 is pleased. By starving these monsters, he has created a deadly threat to unleash against the Jedi and clone troopers.

Numa shadows Waxer and Boil as they continue their way through the village. Waxer still wonders about her wellbeing, while Boil tries to keep him focused on their mission. Numa shows a solid understanding of the neighborhood geography — she somehow gets ahead of the clones. She leads them to a shattered structure that was once her home. The orphan girl finds just rubble inside. Waxer finds Numa’s tooka doll and gives it to the girl. Numa begins to cry, and the clones try to comfort her.

Back at the church command post, the rest of Ghost Company has assembled in preparation for their strike against the courtyard. But Cody frets over Waxer and Boil’s absence. He orders a sergeant to use the high-powered transmitter to contact the overdue troopers.

Commander TX-20 is still spying on the Republic command post. Seeing that Kenobi is on the move, he orders his droids to release the gutkurrs. The spitting, hissing beasts charge out from their pens and rush to the surface.

Boil receives Cody’s transmission. The two trooper scouts realize they need to move out. Waxer begins brainstorming possible excuses for their tardiness or the girl’s presence.

ACT III

A terrified Numa warns of the gutkurrs. Waxer and Boil see two of the hideous beasts turn the bend and approach the wrecked house. The troopers hole up in the ruins, blasting away at the creatures. Their chitinous shells deflect the laser blasts. The troopers try to hold the beasts back with the door to Numa’s house, but one of the creatures ends up jumping through a gaping hole in the wall left there by a previous explosion. Numa offers an escape route — a cellar door that leads to underground tunnels. The clones dash away from the ravenous creatures.

Elsewhere in Nabat, Ghost Company is suddenly overrun by stampeding gutkurrs. The creatures charge through the clone ranks, unfazed by their weapons. Back in the courtyard, Commander TX-20 reports his successes to Wat Tambor, confident that the creatures will eliminate the Republic troops.

Obi-Wan Kenobi reaches out with the Force and draws the attention of the simple-minded beasts. The Jedi General than walks backwards, luring the enthralled creatures into a narrow crevasse capped by a stone bridge. Kenobi orders the clones to blast the bridge when the last gutkurr has entered the pass. The bridge collapses into a wall of stone, and Obi-Wan leaps away, leaving the animals trapped. Just then, a hatch in the street opens up and Waxer and Boil emerge, along with Numa. Kenobi speaks to her, able to converse in Twi’leki. Numa can lead the clones through the tunnels to the prisoner.

TX-20 is not fazed by the failure of his plan. The gutkurrs succeeded at least in thinning the clone numbers. He prepares the final attack.

Kenobi splits his forces, sending Cody and some of his troopers ahead to act as a diversion. They work their overland while Kenobi, Waxer and Boil take the catacombs into the animal pens. Obi-Wan surfaces in the courtyard and sees the assembled droid forces and the cannon emplacements. Waxer and Boil stealthily follow while Cody’s troops erupt in an attack. The droids return fire to Cody’s forces while Kenobi concentrates on freeing the prisoners. He cuts their bonds with his lightsabers, and the weary, frightened Twi’leks seek shelter in the now empty animal pens.

A battle droid spots Obi-Wan’s rescue efforts and informs TX-20, who is in the thick of battle commanding an AAT tank. He steers his vehicle back towards the center of the courtyard. As the Twi’leks run into the underground tunnels, Numa is reunited with Nilim Bril, her uncle.

The prisoners freed, Obi-Wan redirects his attention to destroying the five cannon emplacements. Kenobi cuts through the defending battle droids and commandeers one of the cannons. Waxer and Boil serve as his gunnery crew and begin loading the heavy gun with proton shells. Kenobi fires a well-placed shot between two of the other cannons, destroying them both with an explosive blast. The clones reload the cannon as it begins repositioning to take out the other two guns. Kenobi eliminates the last of the cannons, but TX-20 destroys his gun with blasts from his AAT. The explosion tosses Waxer and Boil to the ground. Numa sees this and runs out to help her clone friends.

Impressed by the little girl’s bravery, the other Twi’leks begin to rally. As TX-20 targets Kenobi with his tank turret, the droid is suddenly overrun by Twi’leks. The mob tears the droid apart.

With the artillery destroyed, the Republic transports land in Nabat. Mace Windu commends Kenobi on his success and begins to concentrate on his new objective: to take the capital city of Lessu. Waxer and Boil say farewell to Numa, who gives them a parting hug. She calls one last time to them, “Nerra!” Obi-Wan translates for the benefit of the clones. “Nerra” means “brother.”

Trivia & Details

• Kenobi’s lead gunship is the “Crumb Bomber.”
• As the gunships land in the jungle clearing outside Nabat, they frighten off several gutkurr creatures that are feeding on a dead can-cell. This is a re-use of the can-cell model previously seen on Teth and Rodia.
• One of the display screens in the Separatist command center resembles the targeting grid found aboard the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope.
• This is, production-wise, the first episode to feature the tactical droids. These droids were developed in order to showcase a more capable villain, but without creating a unique organic commander that would then need to be eliminated (like Loathsom, Lok Durd or Mar Tuuk). The modulated vocal pattern of the droid was partly inspired by the voice of Lucifer in the original Battlestar Galactica series.
• At one point, the display screen at the Separatist command center reads, in Aurebesh letters, “COMIC RELIEF.”

Memorable Quotes

• “We need to know what the droids have in store for us. Send your best men to scout ahead.”
• “Will do, sir. Boil, Waxer, come with me.”
• “I guess we’re the best.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Commander Cody and Waxer

“Ow! The little tail-head bit me!” – Boil

“Aw, you made a friend. Mission accomplished. Can we go now?” – Boil to Waxer about Numa

“Good. You caught her. You know, I have binders if we need them. (Waxer gives a dirty look) … What?” – Boil to Waxer about Numa

“It’s the commander! We’re way overdue, Waxer. We’re going to end up polishing R2 units!” — Boil to Waxer

• “Their chances of success against us are 742 to one.”
• “You had better be right.”
• “I am a droid. I am always right.” – Commander TX-20 to Emir Wat Tambor

“Yep. This is the about worst job in the droid army…. and it just went into overtime.” — A battle droid cleaning the gutkurr pens.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Hidden Enemy

Episode Air No.: 16
Original Air Date: February 6, 2009
Production No.: 2.01

Written by Drew Z. Greenberg
Staff Writer Brian Larsen

Directed by Steward Lee

Key Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Captain Rex, Clone Commander Cody

Key Locales: Christophsis

Cast:
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | tactical droid
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress
Tom Kane as the narrator
Matthew Wood as battle droids

Episode Brief: Anakin and Obi-Wan discover evidence of a traitor amongst their ranks while attempting to lead Republic forces to liberate the planet of Christophsis from a Separatist siege.

Newsreel: A planet under siege! Separatist forces mercilessly batter the beautiful and
elegant world of Christophsis. Unable to
defend themselves any longer, the people
of Christophsis call upon the Jedi for
assistance. Hoping to save lives and
prevent further destruction, Obi-Wan
Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker plan a
daring ambush that can turn the tide in
the fight for this crucial star system….

ACT I

On the 46th level of the south tower of a parallel-structured building, Obi-Wan Kenobi stares out a window with his macrobinoculars. He contacts Anakin Skywalker, who is the north tower. Anakin’s troops (including Captain Rex) stand at the ready. In the first tower, Clone Commander Cody arrives followed by Sergeant Slick to inspect the heavy repeating blaster emplacements the rest of the clones have readied. Trooper Gus reports that his cannon will be back in business momentarily.

Kenobi looks back at the open plaza far below. A full battalion of battle droids is unwittingly walking into an ambush: a crossfire between the two towers. Gus is surprised to see ATT tanks as part of the column. Suddenly, the droid ranks split up, bypassing the ambush. Something has gone wrong.

The turbolift doors open, and battle droids spill out of it. The ambush point has been compromised. Kenobi ignites his blade, deflecting blasts back at the droids while the rest of the unprepared clones begin to scatter. There’s no place to retreat. Droids emerge from the far side of the turbolift as well. Kenobi’s troops are surrounded.

In the north tower, Anakin can see the blasterfire through the south tower’s windows. Anakin radios a gunship for an evac of the south tower. Trooper pilot Hawk acknowledges. Anakin then slices open the window and orders the troops to fire ascension cables across the gaps between the two towers. Rex, Anakin and his troops then slide from the north to the south tower. The battle droids on the ground try to fire up at the exposed clones. One clone is hit and falls to his death, but the rest of Anakin’s group arrives on the other side, jumping through a broken window, and taking down droids.

With the odds now evened, Anakin and Obi-Wan regroup and retreat with their troops once a clear path has been cut to the turbolift. The group takes the lift of the rooftop where Hawk’s gunship arrives to airlift them to safety. The battle droids arrive and turn the landing zone into a firefight. In the thick of combat, Trooper Gus jumps on the commanding tactical droid and yanks its head off. He runs to the gunship with his sparking prize: the tactical droid’s cranial unit.

Rex examines the severed head. Perhaps by probing it, the Republic can discover how the Separatists knew of their plans. Later that night, at the Republic base, Rex and Cody place the droid’s head on an analysis console and perform a robolobotomy. They confirm that the droid knew that the Republic teams would be on the 46th level of each tower. It was no lucky guess — the Separatists had solid intelligence on top secret Republic plans.

Cody and Rex update Obi-Wan and Anakin on their findings. Anakin is puzzled how they could be exposed to such a security breach. Kenobi begins to suspect a double-agent within their ranks — a spy in their midst. Kenobi proposes taking a fact-gathering mission behind enemy lines. He orders Cody and Rex to stay behind and ferret out the security breach, and to keep the Jedi mission a secret.

As the Jedi depart, Cody notices that a nearby hand comlink has been left open this whole time. Someone has been listening in on their plans. Rex spots someone skulking about the hallways. He orders the shadowy figure to stop, but it instead bolts down the corridor. Rex and Cody give chase. They split up, hoping to surround the suspect. Instead, when they turn around the bend, they find each other. Somehow, the spy has gotten past them.

With only one doorway between them, the clone officers conclude the mystery figure must have escaped through the mess hall. They open the door to the dead-end chamber and spot a roomful of clones. Could the spy have been a fellow clone?

ACT II

Cody and Rex return to the command center. Cody attempts to contact the Jedi. Obi-Wan and Anakin are speeding through the ravaged Christophsian streets on BARC speeders, monitored by battle droids that hold their fire but jam their transmissions. Unable to reach the Jedi, Rex turns to R2-D2 to examine the transmission logs of the station.

Meanwhile, Kenobi and Skywalker have noted the mechanical eyes watching their progress. They also note that no attack has been sprung; the Separatists want the Jedi to reach their headquarters. Clearly, this must be some sort of trap, one that the Jedi intend to spring.

Artoo’s data-detective work has turned up a peculiar spike in wavelength interference on spotty, irregular intervals. This could be the work of a traitor using a particular terminal in the base to contact the enemy. The terminal is in Sergeant Slick’s barracks; only Slick’s men would have access to it. Cody and Rex need to search it immediately.

The clone officers confront Slick about their findings. He refuses to believe them; his troops are the best, he insists. The troops — Chopper, Sketch, Punch, Gus and Jester — walk in, called in by Rex and Cody. The questioning begins. Slick wants to prep the troops first, as he fears this will be a great blow for morale. Heedless of Slick’s reservations, Cody continues.

The Jedi arrive at a stately 23-story residence that has been appropriated by the Separatists as a command center. They find no guards, no barricades; the way in is rather easy. Taking a turbolift to a large, ornate foyer, they are suddenly confronted by Dooku’s assassin, Asajj Ventress.

During the clone interrogation, the nervous Jester reports what he did after the last mission — clean his weapon. An examination of his freshly scrubbed weapon confirms his story. Next, Cody and Rex move onto Punch, who reports he went directly to the mess hall with Sketch. Other clones from the other barracks would be able to corroborate this. Next is Gus, who reports he went to the infirmary. He has a freshly bandaged arm to show for it. The officers turn to Chopper, the scar-faced, trooper. He tries to claim he was in the mess hall, but Sketch reveals that Chopper came in much later than the rest.

Meanwhile, at the Separatist HQ, Asajj ignites her blades, gloating that her informant had warned her of the Jedi’s arrival. A duel begins…

ACT III

Back in the barracks, Cody and Rex continue to question Chopper. He reluctantly reveals that he was hiding at the south exit because he did not want anyone spotting him stringing together a necklace of droid fingers — an act forbidden by war protocols. Gus is displeased and the other clones have their suspicions raised. Sergeant Slick, too, is now wary. He was willing to overlook Chopper’s odd personality because he had the skills, but a clone lying and breaking protocols is extremely bad form.

Chopper strikes back by accusing Sergeant Slick of strange behavior as well. The scarred troop saw Slick detour to the command center rather than return to the barracks. Slick deflects the accusation, recognizing that Chopper feels cornered. Slick tells the trooper not to worry; they’ll start a proper investigation once the Jedi return.

That’s all Cody needs to hear — how did Slick know the Jedi had left? Slick lashes out and punches Cody, then elbows his way past Chopper and the rest. He rushes out the barracks door. Cody and Rex give chase.

Rex and Cody search the grounds. Their sensors spot a signal near the gunships; Slick must be making a break for it. What they find instead of their clone traitor is his utility belt connected to a primed thermal detonator. The charge explodes, crippling the gunship, and seemingly tripping off more explosives that tear through the parked AT-TEs and the weapons depot. The blast takes out the base’s power. The clone officers are frustrated — Slick knows all their moves.

Elsewhere, a three-way duel between Asajj, Anakin and Kenobi continues. She uses the Force to hurl debris at the Jedi. The duel has moved up to the upper balconies of the residence. Asajj strangely sits peacefully cross-legged as Kenobi and Skywalker approach. She ignites her blades and cuts the floor, collapsing a trap that sends the Jedi plummeting. She grins. for the Jedi have served their purpose. Her whole plot was to stall them. As she runs out, off the balcony, the Jedi give chase, only to witness an entire droid army arriving on Christophsis.

Asajj stands atop a massive tri-droid. The Jedi cut the droid’s legs out from under it, jumping from the collapsing machine by leaping onto passing STAPs. Asajj falls safely as the Jedi escapes, but no matter — General Whorm Loathsom’s army is here. The droid takeover of Christophsis has begun. Asajj meanwhile moves to her personal vessel, a strangely configured squid-like ship named the Trident.

At the Republic base, Gus reports spotting Slick run into the command center. Rex and Cody return there, blasters drawn. Slick sits in a ventilation shaft, watching them. Rex spots a bootprint on a console, which leads them to believe that Slick is in the air system. But they don’t voice their discovery, and instead talk loudly, discussing possible scenarios that Slick may have played out. They decide that Slick is probably heading toward the south exit. Cody visibly leaves his gun behind while Rex heads out to get the generators restarted.

Or, at least, that’s what Rex says he plans to do. What he does instead is get out of range of the ventilation shaft while Cody serves as bait. Slick emerges from the shaft, and picks up Cody’s rifle. He points it as Cody, but Cody’s been expecting him: the gun is empty. Rex returns, holding Slick at gunpoint. Cody retakes his gun and arms it. Slick goes for broke and elbows Rex out of the way, taking his gun. Cody tackles him, and a confused brawl breaks out, but Rex and Cody finally subdue Slick.

Slick reveals he did what he did for freedom. The Jedi return, and are surprised that Slick was the traitor. He verbally blasts the Jedi for basically enslaving the clones. Slick is marched away. Cody and Rex report to Kenobi that the weapons depot is in shambles, as is the heavy armor, but they did manage to save the heavy cannons. They’ll need it. There are a thousand droids marching on Christophsis now. The fight goes on.

Trivia & Details

• This episode is indeed a prequel to The Clone Wars movie. As the series progresses, it will become evident that some of the stories are more in the format of an anthology, jumping about the timeline. This is especially true of the second season of Clone Wars episodes.
• In the script, the opening sequence was to involve the clones setting up their own combat droid that they had nicknamed “The Beast.” Its design would resemble the dome-shaped mining droids from A New Hope — but modified with weaponry to look not too dissimilar to the head of a Dalek from Dr. Who. Ultimately, it was decided to keep the sides clearly defined as clones versus droids, and not clones using droids versus droids. Furthermore, the opening scene would not even display just what “The Beast” would do, so it was cut as an unnecessary story complication.
• The script describes Obi-Wan’s placement in the towers as both on 287th floor and the 46th level. This is not necessarily a contradiction.
• The side of the tactical droid’s head is stenciled with Aurebesh characters that read “TACTICAL.”
• The display screen that Cody uses to contact the Jedi says in Aurebesh, “SENDING,” “RECEIVING” and “LOCATING STATUS.”
• Due to late editorial changes, at the end of Act I, you can hear Obi-Wan refer to Cody as both “commander” and “captain.” The latter shot was originally of Kenobi referring to Rex.
• During the first footchase inside the Republic base, it may sound like Cody orders Rex to take the left corridor (who then proceeds to turn right). What Cody actually says is “You take the west corridor.”
• The music that accompanies the brawl between Rex, Cody and Slick is a variation of the speeder chase from Episode II.
• Originally, Sergeant Slick was supposed to have red hair, but when rendered, the standard dark hair model was used. This actually helps him blend in more rather than stand out as a suspect.
• Clone pilot Hawk was originally in the Clone Wars movie, called by Anakin for an extraction from the B’omarr monastery on Teth. That sequence was cut from the movie — which may have ended up saving Hawk’s life, because as it originally played out, that rescue gunship would have been shot down by a vulture droid.
• The clone barracks include pin-ups of Twi’lek girls and Naboo handmaidens.
• Sketch has an Aurebesh “S” tattooed on his brow.

Memorable Quotes

• “How did you get over here?”
• “I improvised.” — Obi-Wan and Anakin, remarking on Anakin’s sudden arrival at the opposite tower.

“I really wish you hadn’t noticed that, sir.” — Sergeant Slick, being caught as a spy.

“There’s no escape now, you piece of rankweed!” — Captain Rex

“It’s the Jedi that keep my brothers enslaved. We do your bidding. We serve at your whim. I just wanted something more.” — Sergeant Slick

• “Ventress. And here I thought this mission would be unpleasant.”
• “The pleasure is all mine, my dear Obi-Wan. I’ve missed you.” — Obi-Wan and Asajj, engaging in their strange chemistry.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Trespass

Episode Air No.: 15
Original Air Date: January 30, 2009
Production No.: 25

Written by Steven Melching
Supervising Writer: Scott Murphy
Series Writer: Henry Gilroy

Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

Key Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Obi-Wan Kenobi; Senator Riyo Chuchi; Chairman Chi Cho; Chieftain Thi-Sen; Clone Captain Rex; C-3PO

Key Locales: Orto Plutonia

Cast:
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi | Pantoran Assembly Representative
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Brian George as Chairman Cho
Jennifer Hale as Senator Chuchi
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers/Thi-Sen
Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
Tom Kane as Narrator
Matthew Wood as battle droids
Robin Atkin Downes as Pantoran Guard

Episode Brief: While investigating the disappearance of a clone security force, Anakin and Obi-Wan get caught in the middle of an escalating conflict between the furry territorial inhabitants of a desolate ice world and the greedy representatives of a nearby moon.

Full Synopsis

“Arrogance diminishes wisdom.”

Newsreel:
Republic outpost, overrun! The
Jedi have lost all contact with the
clone security force stationed on
the bleak, snow-covered planet of
Orto Plutonia. Obi-Wan Kenobi
and Anakin Skywalker, accompanied
by dignitaries from the nearby moon
of Pantora are sent to investigate the
disappearance of the clone troopers
on the desolate and forbidding
landscape….

ACT I

The frigid landscape of Orto Plutonia is marked by immense tors of ice, reaching up like fingers from the snow-covered ground. Five Republic gunships settle at the base of a tower that houses Glid Station, a Republic base. The base was established here at the request from the Chairman of Pantora, the moon that has jurisdiction over the icy world.

The gunship doors open, revealing Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in cold weather gear. They are followed by a squad of clone troopers led by Captain Rex, as well as the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Another gunship carries the Pantoran dignitaries. Chairman Chi Cho is the older, more severe of the two, a hatchet-faced blue-skinned humanoid wearing an ornate purple uniform. He is flanked by Pantoran guards. Also present is Senator Riyo Chuchi, Pantora’s Galactic Representative. She is younger, and more reserved.

The political situation is complicated. Orto Plutonia is uninhabited, and a protectorate of Pantora, the only inhabited moon in the system. Pantora is part of the Republic, with full Senate representation. At Pantora’s request, a Republic outpost was erected on Orto Plutonia to serve as a vanguard from invasion. Having the politicians on this mission isn’t entirely welcome by the Jedi, but the Jedi do serve the Senate, and as such, must heed young Senator Chuchi’s word. The more aggressive Chairman Cho knows this, and throws his weight about with zeal, using Chuchi to get what he desires from the Republic. Obi-Wan, never much one for politicians, assigns Anakin to stay with the Senator while he and the clones secure Glid Station.

Inside the main entrance, beyond the heavy shield doors, is a disturbing sight: a row of clone helmets mounted atop pikes. The paranoid Chairman Cho immediately jumps to the conclusion that Separatists are responsible — he fears that the Separatists may be building a forward base to attack Pantora. Their search of the dead, frozen outpost leads them to the control station, littered with dead, frozen clone bodies. Kenobi, however, remains skeptical. He notes that all of the computers — a prime source of Republic intelligence — remain untouched. But Cho’s fears are confirmed when Captain Rex reports that his scouts have spotted a droid base on the other side of the ice ridge.

Soon, six Freeco bikes — — Republic speeder bikes with protective windscreens — are zooming along the ice plains. Obi-Wan and Anakin lead this detachment to the droid base, which is really two large Trade Federation XT Beetle Transports with Separatist markings, bundled together by large cables. The bikes land and the Republic forces disembark, immediately spotting severed battle droids heads mounted on pikes outside the base.

Rex and Anakin place sensor beacons around the base while Obi-Wan and the remaining four clones inspect the chilled transport. Inside are more headless battle droids. Anakin finds some distressingly large footprints in the ice. Obi-Wan finds a control center, and powers up the main display bank. In a hologram, Kenobi sees the last moments of mechanical life of battle droid 685, before the droid was pounced upon a large, furry white blur. According to recorded logs, this droid was attacked while investigating the southern canyon. There appears to be intelligent life on this iceworld, and it becomes imperative for the Republic to investigate.

Back at Glid Station, Cho is ordering the clone troopers to bring the outpost’s systems back online — weapons, shields, defenses — to protect against a possible Separatist attack. Chuchi asks the Chairman why he is so certain it is the Separatists behind the attack. He offers no concrete evidence, other than citing the carnage that surrounds them. Chuchi remains more rational — the dead clones had no blast marks, and no droid remains littered the station. Cho refuses be questioned by someone so young and unseasoned.

Cho takes seriously his primary task, the protection of the Pantoran people. However, Chuchi wonders that if the Separatists are not behind the attack, then it is not part of the larger war, and perhaps there is a peaceful resolution to be found. To the hawkish Cho, such hypotheses are luxuries he does not have time to consider.

Anakin and Obi-Wan make their way to the southern canyon, stopping their bikes for some recon. They spot reflections up the canyon walls, suggesting that their progress is being monitored. They nonetheless continue, passing an ice bridge to a primitive Talz village.

They are met by spear-carrying Talz warriors riding atop cat-like narglatches. While there may be suspicion and hesitation, there is no outward hostility. Kenobi and Skywalker leave their bikes and walk peacefully toward the chieftain, Thi-Sen, taking care not to provoke the massive aliens. Thi-Sen and his scribe, Medcha Wanto, invite them into the main hut, and the chief attempts to make himself understood. The scribe draws a crude illustration of a battle droid, and Thi-Sen demonstrates visible consternation toward the symbol. Skywalker takes a slate and, with a stick of charcoal illustrates instead a Talz and a human being shaking hands — a symbol of peace and cooperation.

ACT II

Kenobi and Skywalker leave the Talz hut. Thi-Sen gives Kenobi an enormous bear hug — clearly, their intentions for peace are welcome. The Jedi mount their bikes and return to Glid Station at nightfall. They are immediately met by Chairman Cho who demands an update. Kenobi shares the news that Orto Plutonia is inhabited to the disbelieving chairman. Cho argues that Pantoran scouts have never found anyone living on the planet, and decides that the Talz are trespassers. Kenobi counters that these Talz do not possess space travel, and have likely been on this world longer than the Pantorans. The angered chairman restates Pantora’s claim to the world, but young Chuchi cites protocol — if there are inhabitants here, then the Senate must decide jurisdiction.

Cho has no patience for this. He thinks the Talz are savages that pose a threat. Kenobi stresses that the Talz simply want to be left alone — the droids harassed them, they retaliated, and the clones from Glid Station got caught in the middle. The Jedi have promised a peaceful meeting between the Talz and the Pantorans, but Cho demands an armed clone force to attend. He refuses to acknowledge that the Jedi have any authority in such matters, but Chuchi tries to calm him down.

If the Pantorans are to meet with the Talz at the pre-arranged time, they must leave now. The inclement weather prevents the use of gunships, so the delegation must take bikes. There aren’t enough bikes for the whole clone platoon, but several clones nonetheless accompany the Jedi and the Pantorans as they arrive at the “neutral” meeting ground, the vacant Separatist base. Cho arrives ready to make war, ordering Rex and his troops to take position for ambush, but Kenobi countermands that; the Talz are already here, and have been watching the Pantoran approach for some time. It seems the furry aliens trust these outlanders as much as the Pantorans trust them.

The Jedi enter the Separatist base and meet with Thi-Sen, this time bringing with them C-3PO to translate. Through Threepio, Thi-Sen welcomes the Pantorans, but reiterates the Talz’ desire to be left alone and asks them to leave the planet. Cho Chi takes his characteristically aggressive stance, despite Chuchi’s attempt to represent Pantora. He orders Threepio to translate his provocative statement: the Pantorans will not be commanded. Not surprisingly, this does not go over well with the Talz. Tsi-Sen again demands the Pantorans leave. Cho counters that with a declaration of war. The Talz and the Pantorans disgustedly storm out of the negotiations while the Jedi and Senator Chuchi watch helplessly.

Cho takes command of the clones. Rex looks to Anakin for further orders. He tells Rex to stay with the Chairman and protect him at all costs. The Jedi look to Senator Chuchi for a possible peaceful alternative. The Senator has little recourse. Cho’s move to wage war was calculated as an internal affair on Pantoran grounds — an arena where she has no jurisdiction as a Galactic Senator. Kenobi suggests that the Senator could petition the Jedi Council for an intervention. Chuchi brightens at such news; the Pantoran Speaker of the Assembly could technically make such a request happen. The Jedi return to the Glid Station

Chairman Cho leads a force of Freeco and BARC speeders into battle, rushing to face the narglatch-riding Talz. Rex reminds the chairman that they are not his soldiers and are there strictly to protect him. The Talz begin attacking, rushing at the speeders. A battle erupts. Rex is forced to jump from his bike when a narglatch jumps on it and begins clawing at its canopy. The clones are surrounded. They circle their speeder, setting up a defensive formation.

ACT III

The Talz press the attack. Rex prudently orders a retreat, but Cho refuses. The Chairman is hit in the back by a spear and collapses onto the icy ground. Rex stops the Talz from finishing him off, and he drapes Cho’s wounded form onto a BARC bike and speeds away. Thi-Sen orders his warriors to pursue.

Back at Glid Station, aboard a parked gunship, Chuchi has made contact with the Pantoran Assembly. The home world has decided that Chairman Cho’s actions are out ot order and have given Senator Chuchi the authority she needs to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Talz. With the decision made, the gunships take to the air. The inexperienced Senator Chuchi looks to Master Kenobi to negotiate on her behalf, but Kenobi declines; this is a Pantoran matter.

With the collapse of an ice bridge, the clones have no where to run. They stop at the cliff’s edge as the Talz make their charge. Rex is ready to fight to the last man. Just then, a gunship lands between the two sides. Thi-Sen orders his Talz to halt.

Senator Chuchi crouches before the dying Chairman. He still refuses to give up his fight. He orders her to avenge his death and destroy the Talz. But Senator Chuchi refuses. Alone, she marches forward. She picks up a Talz spear, and the Chairman’s miter. She asks C-3PO to accompany her and approaches Thi-Sen. The Talz chief dismounts and walks toward her.

Chuchi buries the spear in the snow. She then rests the Chairman’s miter atop it. She calls for an end to the bloodshed, choosing to live for her people rather than die for them. She asks Thi-Sen if he is willing to do the same. Thi-Sen echoes her sentiment, also burying his spear. Chuchi declares the Pantorans will leave Orto Plutonia under the stewardship of the Talz and recognize their sovereignty. Thi-Sen bows before the young Senator and he and his soldiers march away.

Obi-Wan compliments the Senator for the path she has chosen, but tasks her with one more duty: make the peace last.

Trivia & Details

• When Thi-Sen gives Kenobi the big hug, the other Talz in the background are silently laughing. 
• Chairman Cho makes reference to “The Convention of Civilized Systems,” the first such identification of this specific bill of rights in Star Wars storytelling. 
• C-3PO refers to Thi-Sen as “Son of Suns,” another artifact from old Star Wars scripts. Old drafts made reference to a prophesized hero being named “The Son of Suns,” but it never made it into any of the movies. Some Star Wars fans think the Skywalker | Chosen One prophecy might make mention of “Son of Suns,” but its casual use in Thi-Sen’s title suggests that’s not the case. Also, some fans mistakenly believe that the crowds during the Coruscant or Naboo celebrations in the movies shout out “the son of suns,” but this was debunked in 2007. 
• The Pantorans are either very light or Rex is quite strong. 
• Anakin’s dialogue when he calls Chuchi “most impressive” echoes a statement Darth Vader makes about Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. 
• The totem poles in the Talz village are carved of ice. Their huts are made of animal skin stretched over bones. 
• Given that the Freeco bikes only hold one passenger | pilot, C-3PO drives his own speeder. In the original script to the first Star Wars movie, Threepio once made reference to piloting speeders being one of his “30 secondary functions.” 
• The designs of the cold weather clones draws generously from early The Empire Strikes Back concept and costume art by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston and John Mollo.

Memorable Quotes

“And this is the planet’s tropical zone.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi

“Might we go inside, Master Anakin? Artoo would like to get out of the cold.” — C-3PO; R2-D2 then beeps indignantly.

“Let me tell you something, Senator. I have led our people since before you were born. I’ve seen a hundred planets rise and fall through force of arms. If it’s not the Separatists out there, then it is an aggressive and malevolent enemy nonetheless, and I will not let whoever it is jeopardize the security of the people of Pantora.” — Chairman Cho’s diatribe against Senator Chuchi’s inquiries.

“These creatures are little more than animals. You can’t lie to an animal.” — Chairman Chi Cho.

“To die for one’s people is a great sacrifice. To live for one’s people, an even greater sacrifice. I choose to live for my people. What do you choose?” — Senator Riyo Chuchi to Thi-Sen.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Defenders of Peace

Episode Air No.: 14
Original Air Date: January 23, 2009
Production No.: 24

Written by Bill Canterbury
Supervising Writer: Scott Murphy
Series Writer: Henry Gilroy
Directed by Steward Lee

Key Characters: Anakin Skywalker; Ahsoka Tano; Aayla Secura; Clone Captain Rex; Tee Watt Kaa; Clone Commander Bly; General Lok Durd

Key Locales: Maridun

Cast:
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
George Takei as Lok Durd
Alec Medlock as Wag Too
George Coe as Tee Watt Kaa
Jennifer Hale as Aayla Secura
Dee Bradley Baker as clone troopers
Matthew Wood as battle droids
Corey Burton as Count Dooku
Tom Kane as Narrator
David Acord as Aqualish technician

Episode Brief: While the Jedi combat a new Separatist weapon, the pacifist Lurmen must decide whether they will lay down to the oppressive Separatists or fight with Anakin, Ahsoka and Jedi General Aayla Secura.

Full Synopsis:

“When surrounded by war, one must eventually choose a side.”

Newsreel:
Republic forces in retreat! While rescuing
General Aayla Secura fromcertain defeat,
Anakin Skywalker has been seriously
injured. After a narrow escape, our heroes
crash-landed on the remote world of
Maridun. Stranded, and with no way to contact the Republic, the Jedi receive medical aid from the peaceful Lurmen colonists. But even on this tiny planet, the
war threatens to follow the Jedi….

ACT I

The sun is low in the sky over the Lurmen village. Inside one of the huts, Wag Too continues to administer aid to an ailing Anakin Skywalker while Ahsoka and Aayla watch. The healing wrap the Lurmen has placed around Anakin’s chest and head will help him recover, if the Jedi can lie still. Anakin is characteristically impatient, as it will take several days for him to fully heal.

Commander Bly and Captain Rex both relax in this moment of relative peace, until Rex spots something in the sky. With his electrobinoculars, he sees an H-shaped Trade Federation landing craft flying Confederacy colors. He radios Bly that the droid ship is heading their way. Bly returns to being all-business and reports in to the Jedi. Upon hearing news of the approaching droid military, Wag Too remarks that Maridun is in neutral space. Anakin reminds him that it makes little difference to the Separatists. Anakin tries to get up, but he’s still too injured to move.

Outside, the landing craft touches down in the grassland clearing in the outskirts of the village. The Lurmen gawk at the huge vessel. Their chieftain, Tee Watt Kaa, reproaches the Jedi for bringing yet more menace to their village. Wag Too defends the Jedi; the Separatists do not know they are here. Nonetheless, the Jedi must remain hidden. Tee Watt Kaa insists that they leave since their presence is endangering the village.

Ahsoka vows to stay and fight for the Lurmen, but Tee Watt Kaa refuses. She is exasperated at his passivity, but Anakin backs him up. If the Lurmen want to remain neutral, it is not the place of the Jedi to force them into war. Tee Watt Kaa tasks his son to see to it that the Jedi depart while he goes to meet with their new visitors. The Jedi and clones sneak out of the village.

The landing craft has settled and its entry hatch slides open. Emerging from within is a fat Neimoidian officer, General Lok Durd, flanked by a pair of super battle droids and an Aqualish technician. He announces to Tee Watt Kaa that the village is now under the protection of the Separatist Alliance. Paying the Lurmen leader no heed, Durd and his troops march ahead into the village. Durd isn’t terribly impressed. He orders his simple-minded battle droids to “ransack this dung-heap!” The battle droids squawk obedience and begin terrorizing the Lurmen, who scatter and roll away.

Wag Too can’t understand why the droids would target them, but Ahsoka states starkly that’s all these droids know. The Jedi are helpless: if they make their presence known, the droids will only escalate their rampage and wipe out the entire village. With Anakin carried by Bly and Rex, they limp their way into the tall grasses.

The battle droids report no evidence of Republic weapons or contraband to General Durd. Content, the fat general warns Tee Watt Kaa that in the future, his troops may perform period searches to maintain security. The droids leave the village. Wag Too confronts his father over his actions. Tee Watt Kee insists he has maintained the peace, but Wag Too realizes the Separatists will be back and the Jedi are in danger. Wag Too calls over Tub, the scout, and asks him to track the Jedi to ensure they get safely off-world.

Within the tall grasses, Rex puzzles over the villager’s unwillingness to fight, attributing it to a lack of pride. Ahsoka believes it to be lack of courage. Aayla offers a different point of view: sometimes it takes courage to stick to one’s beliefs.

Anakin cuts to the matter at hand. The Jedi need a ship, and he is considering stealing one from the Separatists. If they have a landing ship, they might have a shuttle. Rex is eager to carry out Anakin’s plan, but they need to find the Separatists first. Suddenly, Ahsoka spots a Separatist probe droid lurking in the grass.

Bly and Rex open fire, while Bly jams the droid’s comlink. The little spy darts away and the Jedi and clones give chase, except for Anakin who is too injured to move quickly. It is Aayla who cuts off the droid and cleaves it in two.

Their chase has taken them to the base of an enormous tree. Aayla recommends they climb up it to get a better vantage point of the lay of the land. Anakin catches up to the team. He sees what they have already spotted: a fortified Separatist outpost built around the landing craft, complete with battle droid infantry and heavy droid gunners.

ACT II

In the shadow of the landing craft, Anakin spots a Neimoidian shuttle, but getting to it won’t be easy. Separatist ATTs hover from the lander and out the gate, accompanied peculiar tank with a specialized weapon. The Jedi and the clones watch through their electrobinoculars as the Aqualish aide oversees a team of four battle droids haul a heavy artillery shell. Rex and Bly head to the ground to get a closer look.

It is indeed a new Separatist weapon being tested by Lok Durd: the artillery shell is a defoliator capsule, a weapon of Durd’s own design that can destroy organic matter but leave machinery unarmed. Durd calls for two volunteers — skeptical battle droids that nonetheless march obediently to the target ridge. They are not far from where the clones are currently hiding in the grass.

Durd holographically contacts Count Dooku prior to the weapons test. Dooku allows Durd to proceed. The long range cannon fires its artillery blast, lobbing its shell high into a parabolic arc toward the two test droids. Rex and Bly run for cover. The shell hits the ground, letting off an expansive cloud of destructive energy that washes harmlessly over the droids. Rex and Bly scramble to outrun the shockwave, retreating to the tree. They launch their ascension cables, but Bly misfires and stumbles. Aayla quickly grabs a vine from the tree and swings down, picking Bly up and getting him off the ground in time.

The energy wave decays before it reaches the tree. It has effectively wiped out every living thing within its blast area, leaving only scorched dirt in its wake. The battle droids in the test blast are unharmed. Durd is pleased, as is Dooku, but the count demands to see more proof. Namely, how will the weapon function against something higher than plant-life? Durd reveals that he chose Maridun because he knew of the Lurmen population. He will target them. Durd mobilizes the troops.

The Jedi know the colonists are the only likely target for the Separatists. Anakin begins planning: first, they’ll target and destroy the droids’ communication station. Then, they’ll secure the shuttle and return to help the Lurmen. Ahsoka doesn’t think Tee Watt Kaa will accept the Jedi’s help, but Anakin will not stand idly by while the Lurmen are exterminated.

On another massive tree, scout Tub has seen the demonstration as well and sees that the Separatists are returning to the village. He dispatches his pet carrier butterfly to pass word of this to Wag Too.

Nightfall — a full moon lights the darkened sky. The Jedi hide in the tall grass surrounding the Separatist base. Aayla and Ahsoka sneak past the spotlights. Anakin meanwhile uses the Force to distract one of the perimeter guard droids by telekinetically drawing a rock away towards the grasses. The simple-minded droid is drawn into the grasses where he is cut down by Skywalker. Ahsoka and Aayla scale the wall and infiltrate the base while Anakin and the clones continue to dispose of perimeter droids

Over the wall, Aayla and Ahsoka split up. Secura handles the droids while the Padawan opens the main door, letting Skywalker and the clones in, where they proceed to quietly destroy more droids.

Back at the Lurmen village, Wag Too passes on the message from the carrier butterfly. The Separatists are on the march. Tee Watt Kaa says there’s no reason to believe the Separatists will attack. Wag Too cannot abide his father’s passivity. But Tee Watt Kaa’s principles are unyielding. Their pacifism has helped this society of Lurmen survive for generations.

At the Separatists outpost, the Jedi make short work of the last of the droids. Anakin heads towards the shuttle, and tells Bly and Rex to take along some shield generators. The shuttle lifts offs and heads towards the Lurmen village as day starts to break. Anakin’s plan is half the team will fortify the village while the other half will evacuate the Lurmen.

The Lurmen cautiously watch the shuttle set down, but it is the Jedi that emerge, not battle droids. Aayla warns Tee Watt Kaa and the villagers that the Separatists will be here in moments. Regardless of their professed neutrality, the Lurmen will be targeted. But Tee Watt Kaa remains stalwart. He says if it is the Lurmen’s destiny to be destroyed in the Jedi’s war, so be it.

ACT III

The Jedi have created a barrier of seed pods along the perimeter of their village. Atop one of the barrier pods, Rex spots the approaching droids, just minutes away. The Jedi and clones begin activating the shield generators. Lok Durd meanwhile relishes his upcoming success, knowing it will promote him. He is surprised to find Jedi among the Lurmen. He orders the tanks to halt. Anakin knows the Separatists won’t come in closer if they can keep their distance and shell the village instead. But he hopes to withstand that attack and draw them in to close range.

Wag Too laments that he cannot help the Jedi. Many of the villagers agree that they should take a more active role in defending themselves, but they were raised under a strict code and Tee Watt Kaa’s word is law.

The Separatist fire a defoliator shell. It impacts not far from the village and begins sending its destructive shockwave forward. The Jedi erect their shields in time, and the defoliator wave just washes against it. The Lurmen village stands intact amid a now barren field.

Durd orders his battle droids to charge. The Jedi and clones emerge from underneath the shield to meet them. Ahsoka, Aayla and Anakin charge into the thick of the oncoming droids, slicing their way through their ranks. Bly and Rex hang back but pick off their targets with their blaster rifles. From the safety of the shielded village, Wag Too and Tub watch their Jedi defenders. The first squad of droids has been destroyed, but Durd sends out two more.

With so many droids, some of them slip past the Jedi. Anakin orders Ahsoka back to the village to defend the Lurmen while he goes to target the defoliator. The droid ranks press forward, driving Bly and Rex back past the shield. The droids breach the shield and begin firing at the seedpod barricades. Super battle droids blast their way through, and next target the shield generators. The shields collapse, leaving the Lurmen vulnerable. Durd orders the defoliator to launch another shell.

Wag Too assembles a group of like-minded Lurmen who gather farming implements to use as weapon. Tee Watt Kaa tries to stop him, but Wag Too has had enough of his father’s bullying rhetoric. The chieftain watches sadly as the younger Lurmen take up arms and charge into battle.

Anakin charges the tank carrying the defoliator cannon and slices through it with his lightsaber, destroying the weapon. Durd panics. He scrambles away from his tank and runs as fast as his fat legs can carry him — which isn’t all to fast. Anakin uses the Force to lift him off the ground. Anakin reports to Rex that the weapon has been disabled.

Wag Too and his fellow villagers use their ropes to tie up battle droids, which Ahsoka then beheads. The last of the droids are destroyed. Wag Too offers the Jedi thanks, and even Tee Watt Kaa begrudgingly seconds the appreciation, but he can’t help wonder at what cost this all came.

Three Jedi cruisers appear in the sky. Admiral Yularen has found the Jedi.

Trivia & Details

• That is indeed George Takei of Star Trek fame offering his voice as General Lok Durd. This is the first time any of the star players from Trek has crossed over for a role in Star Wars, though the video games have shared supporting players in the past.
• The Separatist shield generators have Aurebesh stenciled on them that reads “CAUTION.”
• When Ahsoka cuts down droids inside the Separatist base, she is shown in silhouette and her lightsaber casts a shadow. Contrary to online debate, there’s nothing wrong with this. Lightsabers do indeed cast shadows; anything that is opaque does. Try it with a fluorescent light tube.

Memorable Quotes

“We will not fight them at all. We would rather die than to kill others.” — Tee Watt Kaa

“You are now under the protection of the Separatist Alliance. I congratulate you on your good fortune.” — General Lok Durd to the Lurmen

“But now, thanks to you, we’re safe to grovel before every petty tyrant who enters our system.” — Wag Too to Tee Watt Kaa

“There’s a difference between pulling innocents into a war, and leaving them to extinction.” — Anakin Skywalker to Ahsoka, upon deciding to save the Lurmen

“Don’t underestimate their resolve. A strong belief can be more powerful than any army.” — Aayla Secura to Ahsoka

“This battle is inevitable. You can stand by your beliefs, but let us stand by ours.” — Anakin Skywalker to Tee Watt Kaa

“Help! I’ll be defoliated!” — General Lok Durd