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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Wookiee Hunt

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

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

Written by Bonnie Mark
Directed by Dave Filoni

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

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

New Characters: Chewbacca, Tarfful

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

Worlds Visited: Wasskah, Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

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

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

This Article was Originally posted 2023-07-18 12:00:47.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Overlords

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

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

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Steward Lee

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

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

This Article was Originally posted 2023-07-11 12:00:31.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Mystery of a Thousand Moons

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

Written by Brian Larsen
Supervising writer Drew Z. Greenberg

Directed by Jesse Yeh

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

Key Locales: Naboo; Iego

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

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

Full Synopsis

“A single chance is a galaxy of hope.”

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

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

ACT I

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT II

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT III

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trivia & Details

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

Memorable Quotes

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Article was Originally posted 2023-05-26 18:10:07.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Academy

Episode No.: 50 (Season 3, Episode 6)
Original Air Date: October 15, 2010
Production No.: 226 (Season 2, Episode 26)

“Those who enforce the law must obey the law.”

Written by Cameron Litvack
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

Cast:
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Whit Hertford as Cadet Korkie
Julian Holloway as Prime Minister Almec
Anna Graves as Satine Kryze
Omid Atbahi as Cadet Amis
Ryan Templeton as Cadet Lagos
Ashley Moynihan as Cadet Soniee
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker | Secret Service officer
Tom Kane as narrator | Secret Service officer

Synopsis: Ahsoka is assigned to teach a class at a leadership academy on Mandalore. Soon after she arrives, Duchess Satine’s zealous nephew — Korkie — and his classmates uncover a nefarious plot. Prime Minister Almec is revealed to be an active part of the black market conspiracy on Mandalore, and he attempts to permanently silence Duchess Satine and the cadets before they expose his corruption. Ahsoka and the cadets defeat Almec before he can succeed.

Returning Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Duchess Satine Kryze, Prime Minister Almec, Anakin Skywalker, Clone Captain Rex

New Characters: Cadet Korkie, Cadet Amis, Cadet Lagos, Cadet Soniee

Secrets Revealed

• Ahsoka’s theme, a musical composition created by Kevin Kiner for The Clone Wars movie, can be heard during her arrival on Mandalore.
• Prime Minister Almec makes mention of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s recent visit, which sets this episode (as well as the previous, “Corruption”) after the events of the Mandalorian three-parter from Season Two. Ahsoka’s more confident use of the Jedi Mind Trick also sets this episode after “Sphere of Influence.”
• The Mandalorian prison guards are based on the same character design as the Mandalorian police, but with darker colors. The crest upon their shoulder reads “In Defense of Mandalore” in a Mandalorian type-face developed for the Slave I display screens in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.
• Prime Minister Almec’s office is a re-use of the Mandalorian palace throne room occupied by Duchess Satine, but with slight modifications. The darker tinted windows carry on to the end of the room, and it is dressed with unique furniture and props, including glass busts of previous prime ministers.
• During her lecture, Ahsoka stands before a jagged and steep graph with the legend “this graph represents corruption-related crimes on Mandalore.”
• Once Soniee slices through the lock on the warehouse, her computer screen says “ENTRARE,” which is Italian for “enter.”
• Lagos has a “bad feeling about this,” a sentiment expressed often in Star Wars. Someone has a “bad feeling” in every Star Wars movie.
• The Peace Park seen in “The Mandalore Plot” is again seen in this episode, cleaned up but still in ruins from the terrorist Death Watch attack.
• For those wondering, “Master Jedi” is the formally proper address to a Jedi of any rank by a non-Jedi — even a Padawan.

This Article was Originally posted 2023-07-02 12:00:22.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Cloak of Darkness

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

Written by Paul Dini
Directed by Dave Filoni

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

Cast:

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

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

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

Full Synopsis

“Ignore your instincts at your peril.”

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

ACT I

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT II

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT III

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trivia & Details

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

Memorable Quotes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Article was Originally posted 2023-04-17 08:00:19.

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Citadel Rescue

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

“Without honor, victory is hollow.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Steward Lee

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu, Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Counterattack

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

“Anything that can go wrong will.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu

Secrets Revealed

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: The Citadel

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

“Adaptation is the key to survival.”

Written by Matt Michnovetz
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Lola Sayu

Secrets Revealed

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Title

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

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

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Steward Lee

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Altar of Mortis

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

“He who surrenders hope, surrenders life.”

Written by Christian Taylor
Directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Mortis

Secrets Revealed

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Witches of the Mist

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

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

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Coruscant; Serenno; Dathomir; Toydaria

Secrets Revealed

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

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Monster

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

“Evil is not born, it is taught.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Dathomir, Serenno, Devaron

Secrets Revealed

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

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

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Nightsisters

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

“The swiftest path to destruction is through vengeance.”

Written by Katie Lucas
Directed by Giancarlo Volpe

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

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

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

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

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

Worlds Visited: Dathomir, Serenno, Rattatak

Secrets Revealed

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

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

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Pursuit of Peace

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

“Truth can strike down the specter of fear”

Written by Daniel Arkin
Directed by Duwayne Dunham

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

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

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

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

Key Locales: Coruscant

Secrets Revealed

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

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

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

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The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Heroes on Both Sides

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

“Fear is a great motivator.”

Written by Daniel Arkin
Directed by Kyle Dunlevy

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

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

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

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

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

Key Locales: Coruscant, Raxus

Secrets Revealed

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

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

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