Clone Wars: Season 1 - Episode 10, The Lair of General Grievous

The Clone Wars: Season 1 - Episode 1, The Lair of Grievous introduces us to Jedi Master Kit Fisto and his former Mon Calamari Padawan, Nahdah Vebb. The episode has the Moral, "Most powerful is he who controls his own power".

Vice Gunray escapes! En route to stand trial for war crimes, evil Separatist leader, Nute Gunray has broken free of his Jedi escort. With the help of Count Dooku's sinister agents, the villainous viceroy has made a daring getaway. Alerted to the prison break, Jedi Master Kit Fisto has traced the stolen ship to a remote system, hoping to recapture Gunray and return him to justice.

Kit Fisto tracks the homing beacon of the stolen Republic ship to the Vassek system. He lands his ship on the Vassek planet. His astromech R6h5 remains aboard in his station while Fisto rendezvous with his former young Padawan, Nahdar Vebb and a party of Clone Troopers.

Fisto, Nahdar and the Clones follow the beacon signal on the dusty rock planet. They come up to a sealed entrance gate in the rock. Fisto finds a secret panel to push and the entrance-way obligingly opens. The party venture inside. The stone structure is badly lit and has a very eerie feel to it. It looks deserted, but Fisto senses there is something there.

They hear the Viceroy Nute Gunray's voice! Nahdar and Fisto calmly walk into a chamber. There are several battledroids and a chair with its back facing them. Gunray is presumably in it. Rapidly and with much aggression, Nahdar takes out all the droids with his lightsabre. Fisto frowns, "Those who have power should restrain themselves from using it," he tells the young Mon Calamari.

On turning the chair, Gunray is not there! Just a Hologram of his image! "I welcome you to your doom!" he laughs. The tracking beacon of the stolen ship has been used to lure them into a trap!

The Holo image changes to that of Count Dooku, "While the viceroy is unavailable for capture, let me offer you an alternative prize". A trap has been set and the Jedi believe they are the bait... but to what? All becomes quickly apparent. While searching the building, the party pass a shrine to a form of warrior. "This is the Lair of General Grievous!" says Fisto to the others.

Meanwhile Grievous is in his personal ship heading for the planet. He is unaware that the Jedi are there. He receives a Holo-transmission from Dooku who informs him that he is under performing and he expects more dead Jedi.

The Clones on the outside of the building communicate to Fisto that General Grievous' ship is coming in. Nahdar Vebb comments, "Capturing Grievous will turn the tide of the war."

Grievous arrives at a very quiet looking base. He wonders where all his droids are and calls out to Gor, his pet. Oddly, nobody is around. Jumping from the shadows, the Jedi take him completely by surprise. A lightsabre fight breaks out, but Grievous is halted, when the clones hit both of his legs with tow cables holding him in place. As the cyborg struggles, Fisto cuts both his mechanical legs off. Damaged, Grievous somehow breaks free and tries to crawl away, moving now a lot like a spider. He kills one of the Clone Troops then flees further into the base using handholds in the ceiling to aid his escape.

Grievous makes his way to the Lair's medical centre and a EV series Doctor droid. The doctor reveals that his Bodyguard Magna Droids were deactivated for recharge, he presumed that Grievous had done it. The General reactivates the Magnas and instructs them to secure the perimeter. He also locks all the doors preventing any quick exit.

One of the Clones with the Jedi sends out a message to his comrades outside, "Contact the fleet at Bestine. We've engaged Grievous and require reinforcements". A Magna Guard fires a powerful pulse cannon destroying the ship. Reinforcements will now be never sent.

Patrolling the perimeter, Magna Guards also close in on Kit Fisto's personal fighter. Fisto orders R6 to take off. He does so, but has to pull off some acrobatic moves to shift a lone Magna who has managed to cling on.

The Jedi are confronted by a Holo image of Grievous, "Welcome to my Lair," he says, "It has been prepared for uninvited guests... like you!"

The trap door in the floor falls away and they all fall through heading towards a deadly furnace. Resourcefully, they manage to pull themselves out, but another Clone is killed. Now it is down to just the two Jedi and a single clone.

There is no time to recover. Grievous' hideous pet, Gor, makes a dramatic entrance. An big ugly looking monster. It is a Roggwart, a beast with sharp teeth and a powerful tail, it makes a rancor look like a pussy cat!

It is a big struggle, but Gor is eventually slain. The last Clone has been unfortunately killed. Nahdar severs the beast's tail and Fisto delivers the final killing blow. The young Nahdar Vebb is very angry at the Clones deaths and is determined to make Grievous pay for what he has done. He seems to be having a battle of conscience. Kit Fisto reminds him, "Revenge is not the Jedi way". This echoes back to the moral of the episode, "Most powerful is he who controls his own power".

During the fight, Grievous has been repaired by the EV droid. He them receives an incoming message from Count Dooku and learns the whole affair has been one big set up. Dooku purposely led the Jedi to his Lair and also deactivated his personal Guard. The Count just wants Grievous to prove his worthiness. Grievous cuts off the transmission in disgust, he wants the Jedi dead!

The Jedi are hiding and see Grievous exit the control room. They sneak in, but are observed by the EV Medical Droid who swiftly raises the alarm. Nahdar is still hell bent on destroying Grievous. So strong in fact that it clouds his judgement. As the Control room door rapidly closes he is separated from Kit Fisto and alone.

Three Magna Guards immediately move in to attack Nahdar. Grievous taunts from the sidelines and once the Magnas are eventually defeated, takes over the battle himself.

"You can't defeat us all," says Nahdar defiantly. "Of course I can," Grievous confidently retorts. Fisto takes out the EV droid in the control room, but looks on helpless as Grievous kills Nahdar with a blaster while blocking his thrust with duel lightsabers. His many arms gave him a massive advantage against a newly qualified Jedi Knight.

Grievous looks up to the monitor screen which Kit Fisto is watching, "I will kill you all! Do you hear me Jedi!". Fisto decides its time to leave and arranges to regroup with R6 and his ship at the South Landing Bay. Grievous is planning to stop him.

As he waits at the South Landing Bay, Grievous makes a dramatic appearance with all four lightsabres whirling round at high speed. The pair do battle and are joined by three Magna Guards. Surrounded, it looks like Fisto is defeated when R6 makes a very late, but welcome appearance. The Jedi Master gracefully backflips onto to it and the ship speeds away.

Count Dooku is dismissive of Grievous' performance and just comments there is room for improvement, much to the cyborg's annoyance.

Back on Coruscant at the Jedi Temple, on hearing of the Padawan's death, Master Yoda has the episodes final wise words, "In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are."

Clone Wars: Season 1 - Episode 9, Cloak of Darkness

The Clone Wars: Season 1, Episode 9, Cloak of Darkness introduces us to Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and contains a lot of lightsabre duels. The Moral of the episode is "Ignore your instincts at your peril."

Vice Gunray captured! Senator Padme 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.

The captured Gunray attempts to bribe the Clones to aid his escape, but they are loyal and not at all interested. The Viceroy is taken to a holding cell in the detention block of the Republic Warship on route to Coruscant. Master Luminari warns the young Ahsoka not to underestimate Gunray and his resourceful allies.

Meanwhile, the Emperor to be is concerned of Nute Gunray's capture and the sensitive information the Jedi may extract from him. Over Holo-transmission he is told by Count Dooku, that he plans to send his apprentice, Asajj Ventress to infiltrate the ship to either free Gunray or silence him.

Aboard the Republic Warship, Nute Gunray is questioned by Master Luminara. Gunray is not immediately forthcoming with his answers and completely losing control, Ahsoka flies in threatening the Neimoidian with her green lightsabre. Shocked, Luminara pulls her away. "Terror is not a weapon that the Jedi use". You can tell Ahsoka is Anakin's Padawan... she is developing the same worrying traits that he himself has.

Suddenly the ship comes under attack from Droid fighters. Droch-Class Boarding Ships land in and cut through the hull. Super Battledroids drop into the ship and immediately engage the Clones in a laser fight. Master Luminara rushes to help and instructs Ahsoka to stay behind and safely guard Gunray.

As the droids drive the Clones back into the ship, Dooku's apprentice drops into the now quiet area unchallenged. A fallen Clone trooper tries to get out a warning message, but is rapidly decapitated with double lightsabres before getting the chance!

As Luminara takes out the troublesome Super Battledroids, Ventress is making her way to the power core of the ship through the ventilation ducts. Reaching the core, she stealthily evades the attention of a look-out droid to plant Detonation charges around the area.

Ventress is fast. She cuts through a floor panel and drops into the detention block where Nute Gunray is being held and where Ahsoka and some Clones are standing guard. Ahsoka duels Ventress in the first lightsabre fight of the episode. Luminara senses the danger and makes her way to aid the Padawan. Gunray makes himself known, and during her fight with Ahsoka, Ventress releases the Viceroy from his prison. She parries one of the Padawan's thrusts, expertly twists, kicks her into the cell, and seals her inside. Nute Gunray is unable to conceal his amusement.

Master Luminara rushes into the Detention block. Using the force she releases Ahsoka from the cell. Now the fight is Ventress verses both Ahsoka and Luminara. Luminara orders the Apprentice's surrender. This seems to have the desired effect. Ventress deactivates both her weapons and raises her hands aloft. Then the Detonators go off that she'd previously placed at the core! Explosions rock the ship and in the moment of confusion, Ventress jumps over Luminara and runs away. The entire ship has been crippled.

The Jedi, Commandoes and Clones have Gunray for now. Ventress is still on the ship and is determined to complete her mission in order to be judged worthy of being Count Dooku's apprentice. Luminara goes after Ventress alone. She gives implicit instructions for Ahsoka to stay guarding the Viceroy.

Ahsoka is not sure about leaving Luminara to tackle Ventress on her own. She has already seen first hand what she can do. We are brought back to the Moral of the show here, "Ignore your instincts at your peril". Ahsoka discusses the dilemma with the surrounding Clones and Commandoes. Each seem to have their different opinion. Gunray honestly says, "All I know is, I never risk my own skin unless I have to". This finally makes Ahsoka's mind up. She leaves to help the Jedi Master. The Clones and Commandoes are adequate forces to guard Gunray.

They exchange a long lightsabre battle around the inactive ship's power-core, but Ventress is gradually getting the better of Jedi Master Luminara. She kicks the Jedi off a platform and she tumbles downwards, hitting the deck below. She is just about to deliver the killing blow when Ahsoka arrives and force pushes her a distance away.

Ventress briefly engages the pair again before force jumping high up to the platform above. She sends a electronic signal to one of the Commandoes guarding the Viceroy. He is a Spy! Ventress' sole purpose was to lure the Jedi away so Nute Gunray could be more easily rescued!

The Spy Commando, Argyus, shoots another of the guards, frees Gunray and immediately uses him has a human shield. Clearly its not overly important if Count Dooku receives him alive or dead... although alive is probably preferable. There is a very brief struggle with a remaining Clone Trooper, but Argyus and Gunray make it to the escape ship and depart unchallenged through the Docking bay. Ventress escapes the Republic Warship in an Escape Pod and joins them aboard.

The Commando never receives his big pay off from Dooku for his treachery against the Republic. Asajj Ventress spears one of her lightsabres right through him. "I always had a good feeling about you," Gunray comments.

The episode ends with Master Yoda summing up the days miserable events, "Troublesome is the treachery of the Republic Guard Argyus. All around us our enemies are."

Clone Wars: Season 1 - Episode 8, Bombad Jedi

Clone Wars, Season 1, Episode 8, Bombad Jedi is set on the planet Rodia and sees the first of Nute Gunray and Jar Jar Binks in the cartoon saga. The Moral of the episode is, "Heroes are made by the times". The Heroes in this case turn out to be Binks and C3PO!

The Clone Wars threatens the unity of the Republic! As battle rages across the galaxy, more worlds succumb to the seductive lure of the Separatists and leave the Republic. On a vital mission of peace, Senator Padme Amidala journeys to the Outer Rim world of Rodia, desperate to ensure its loyalty remains to the Republic.

Padme lands her personal ship on Rodia preparing for the talks. Jar Jar Binks and the protocol droid, C3PO are also with her. Rodia is a swamp planet, a bit like Naboo, Binks comments. As she departs, Padme instructs both C3PO and Jar Jar to remain aboard the ship. It's rather odd that she brought them along in the first place, if they were going to perform no needed task. It's a good job she did though!

Amidala meets with Rodian Senator, Onaconda Farr. They've been friends since Padme was a little girl and Farr was a strong supporter of her father in the Senate. But, Onaconda is now dismissive and even angry with the Republic. His planet has suffered many hardships and his people are lacking basic supplies. He has felt ignored by the Republic and has already done a deal with Nute Gunray, leader of the Separatists!

It's a trap! Farr has arranged to swap Padme for the badly needed supplies and the Separatist's protection. "I'm sorry my sweet," he says, "I had no choice". Padme is quickly surrounded by Battledroids who were waiting for her planned arrival.

Battledroids storm the Landing Bay where Padme's ship is stationed with C3PO and Jar Jar Binks beside it. The pair fail to get back on board in time and Binks flees leaving C3PO helpless on his back. In any battle, you should not be anywhere near the creature of Jar Jar. It's a very dangerous, unpredictable place to frequent. In running, Binks' leg gets caught on a wire causing a large circular Electro-Magnet to descend. It activates, snapping up 3PO, then ascends again. Wildly trying to help his friend, the Gungan madly pulls levers and the heavy magnet swings into the attacking Battledroids converting them to instant scrap metal.

A large crab droid enters. This is more than C3PO can take, who screams out a string of unhelpful instructions. C3PO and Jar Jar Binks could never be described as a dynamic duo! More by accident, Binks flips on top of the Crab. In trying to remove him, the droid is disorientated, then falls out the raised Landing Bay into the swamps below. Jar Jar of course survives... this character is seemingly laser-proof.

Happy at their victory, Jar Jar leans back on the levers he used earlier, turning off the Electro-Magnet. C3PO plummets to the ground, Ouch! Some more tampering and the Gungan manages to completely wreck Padme ship. "Well, that's the end of our ship," 3PO comments dryly, "Typical".

Depsite their original instruction, Jar Jar Binks and C3PO leave the ship on a rescue mission. It is unclear just how succesful these unlikely two will be. Binks dons a disguise which consists of a brown Jedi like robe. This has got to be just the worst plan ever.

Vice Gunray arrives at the planet to pick up the prize of Senator Padme Amidala. Watched by Binks and C3PO, they are quite quickly spotted with Binks being somehow mistaken for a Jedi. Bink escapes through some grating to the swamp waters below while the gold protocol droid is escorted away.

Underwater, Jar Jar encounters an odd looking monster called a Kwazel Maw. It is a large serpant type creature. It seems big, but unthreatening. The Gungan resurfaces as Onaconda Farr leads Nute Gunray and his droids away.

Senator Onaconda starts to have serious doubts whether he has done the right thing joining the Separatists. Padme is chained up against his wishes and is due for execution. Nute Gunray has not provided the supplies they badly need and it is a little doubtful whether he ever will. Gunray just wants Padme eliminated.

Before Gunray reaches the high tower Padme is being held captive in, she manages to break her bonds, trick the droids, and escape. She runs into C3PO and blasts the two Battledroids escorting him. Padme orders the Protocol droid to find a Communication Terminal and send out a distress signal to any nearby Republic ships. Jar Jar Binks is scaling the tower hellbent on continuing his heroic rescue mission unaware that the Senator has already escaped.

Nute Gunray finally arrives at the holding point to be told of Padme's escape. Bink turns up over the wall at exactly the same time on his Rescue mission. "It's the Jedi!" a droid shouts. They all start firing and Binks falls backward, Yo-Yoing on a vine wrapped round one leg. Saved again! The Gungan sure is lucky! At the base of the Tower, Padme provides covering fire whilst Jar Jar again escapes through the grating to the swamp waters. Super Battledroids throw explosives into the waters in an attempt to blast him out. The odd beast Jar Jar had encountered earlier, saves him by protecting him in his mouth as the bombs explode. He then releases him unharmed.

Against such overwhelming numbers, C3PO and Padme are eventually cornered. This looks like the end... but you strongly suspect it may not be. A row of Droidekas are poised ready to execute them. Gunray gives the order, "Ready... aim...

Binks and the Kwazel Maw save the day. The huge beast jumps out the waters and totally devastates all of Gunray's forces. To say he's surprised is somewhat of an understatement. The creature then pushes Gunray's ship off the high Landing Bay, over the edge and into the swamps below. Nute won't be leaving the planet any time soon. Jar Jar comments of the beast, "I made a very good friend!". Yes... you could say that. :op

Rodian Senator Onaconda realises he has made a terrible mistake and places Nute Gunray under arrest. The arrival of several Republic Warships responding to C3PO's previously sent distress signal seal Nute's fate. Seemingly he will now spend the rest of the war in a prison cell. Onaconda pledges his Planet's allegiance to The Republic.

The episode ends with a Holo-transmission from Chancellor Palpatine who arranges to send Rodia the much needed supplies it needs. The Capture of Gunray is a major victory for the Republic, he declares.

I don't know... I think Palpatine may be up to something... maybe. :o)