Grievous

"Listen to me, Jedi. I do not care about your politics. I do not care about your Republic. I only live to see you die!"

- Grievous, in a message to the Jedi Council

Grievous was the Kaleesh cyborg Supreme Commander of the Droid Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems for most of the Clone Wars. Adept in lightsaber combat, Grievous slew a number of Jedi during the Clone Wars until being killed shortly before the war's end by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau.

Early life
"Proceed with my repair.''" "Sometimes I wonder why you submitted to the changes." "Improvements. I submit to no one. I chose them. Now get on with it." "''There may be some discomfort."

- Grievous and A-4D

A Kaleesh from the planet Kalee, Grievous fought in many battles with a curved sword. Over time, he chose to replace portions of his body with cybernetics, and by the time of the Clone Wars, very little of his original body remained.

The Malevolence
After he had been chosen and trained by Count Dooku to lead the Separatist forces in the Clone Wars, Grievous took the Malevolence as his flagship. Under the general's command, the Malevolence began executing attacks on Republic fleets that left no survivors. While stationed in the Abregado system with Count Dooku aboard, a Republic task force led by Jedi Master Plo Koon arrived in the system to engage the warship. The ion cannons of the Malevolence disabled the Republic fleet's deflector shields, and this led to the destruction of the fleet. A few individuals managed to survive via escape pods, but Dooku dispatched a pod hunter to destroy the pods. Plo Koon, Commander Wolffe, and two clones were rescued by Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano on the Twilight. As a result of the escape of some survivors, Dooku's trust in Grievous was shaken, and the Sith Lord left to discuss plans with his master, Darth Sidious.

Grievous, as instructed by Count Dooku via hologram, took the Malevolence to destroy a Republic medical facility that was treating over 60,000 wounded clones. In order to reach the target, the Malevolence had to navigate around the Kaliida Nebula. Anakin Skywalker led a small strike force of fighters which disabled the ion cannons of the Malevolence. After this, a Republic fleet led by Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived and attacked Grievous' crippled ship.

Grievous was forced to retreat, but Count Dooku came up with a new plan, taking Senator Padmé Amidala hostage. After Senator Amidala's ship was captured, the Republic fleet stopped firing, and a team was sent to board the Malevolence led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Grievous fought Obi-Wan Kenobi briefly, but the two Jedi managed to escape with Padmé and C-3PO. Grievous pursued the Twilight in his starfighter, but Anakin had sabotaged the navigation system of the Malevolence such that when the ship engaged its hyperdrive, it crashed directly into a nearby moon.

Proving His Competence
"You might have been a proud warrior once, but now you are just a pawn in Dooku's game!''" "I wield great power, Jedi fool!''" "That power will only consume you."

- Kit Fisto and Grievous during their duel

Later in the war, Grievous returned to his fortress on the third moon of Vassek to find his MagnaGuard bodyguards deactivated. He learned later that Count Dooku had remotely deactivated his guards, allowing Jedi to infiltrate his fortress in order to test him. The Jedi with the help of clone troopers managed to damage Grievous and they defeated Grievous' pet roggwart Gor. Grievous was repaired by his droid Ev-A-4D. Grievous then killed Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb and dueled with Jedi Master Kit Fisto before Fisto escaped. Later, Grievous told Dooku that he had defeated the Jedi, but that Fisto had escaped. Dooku informed Grievous that there was still room for improvement.

Battle at Saleucami
"Your plans have come to ruination, Jedi!''" "I hear a lot of talking, General, but in the final accounting, what does all the talk get you? A futile quest for power, a mutilated body? Your place is Dooku's errand boy!''" "I'm no errand boy. And I'm not in this war for Dooku's politics. I am the leader of the most powerful droid army the galaxy has ever seen!''" "An army with no loyalty, no spirit, just programming. What have you to show for all your power? What have you to gain?''" "The future. A future where there are no Jedi!"

- Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi

General Grievous captured Jedi Master Eeth Koth, and sent a threatening message to the Jedi Council in which he promised to destroy all Jedi. Unbeknownst to Grievous, Eeth Koth gave a secret message to the Council through the use of hand signals, telling the Council that Grievous and Koth were in the Saleucami system. The Council sent Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Adi Gallia to rescue Master Koth. Kenobi managed to distract Grievous while Anakin and Adi Gallia snuck aboard Grievous' ship to rescue Master Koth. Grievous assumed he was being tricked and set a trap for Skywalker, but Anakin and Adi Gallia were successful. Grievous fled the space battle by attempting to land on the planet of Saleucami in a Trade Federation landing ship. The craft malfunctioned, forcing Grievous and the droids within to escape in pods.

Obi-Wan Kenobi followed Grievous to Saleucami with clone troopers in an attempt to capture the cyborg general, but Grievous managed to contact the Separatists by finding a working communications system in an undamaged pod. When Kenobi and the clones caught up with Grievous, they were only able to fight a short time before a ship arrived and took Grievous away from the planet.

Skirmish on Naboo
Grievous was momentarily captured by the Gungans of Naboo during the Clone Wars after Grievous killed General Roos Tarpals. Grievous did not remain in custody however, as he was returned to Count Dooku in exchange for Anakin Skywalker whom the Sith Lord had captured.

Battle of Dathomir
"Wipe the witches out. All of them."

- Count Dooku ordering Grievous to attack the Nighstisters

Grievous was then ordered by Count Dooku to wipe out Asajj Ventress, Mother Talzin, and her fellow Nightsisters on Dathomir. Grievous took a Separatist Fleet to Dathomir and landed his forces. The Separatist forces successfully defeated the Nightsisters, with Grievous himself killing Old Daka while Mother Talzin escaped through the use of her magic. The Separatists were unable to capture or kill Asajj Ventress, who also escaped.

Destroying Maul's forces
"We are not fighting clones this time. These are Mandalorian warriors...The odds are stacked against us!"

- Grievous estimating their chances of winning the battle

Sometime after the Battle of Dathomir Grievous was ordered by his master Count Dooku to hunt down Darth Sidious' former apprentice&mdash;the Zabrak Nightbrother Darth Maul. Sidious had tracked Maul to the Death Watch controlled moon of Zanbar after he had escaped from Sidious&mdash; although that was ultimately the Sith Lord's plan. Dooku then ordered him to direct his entire droid fleet at Maul's recently formed crime syndicate&mdash;the Shadow Collective and ordered him to destroy his army and wound his pride, but to not kill him. This was in order for him to draw out Mother Talzin, Maul's mother and one of the oldest and most powerful beings in the galaxy. Grievous thought it foolish to keep Maul alive. But Dooku reminded Grievous that it is not wise to question the plans of Darth Sidious, and that he as Dooku's apprentice will carry out his orders to the fullest degree. Grievous moved his fleet to Zanbar and launched several landing craft to destroy the Mandalorian warriors, starting off the Battle of Zanbar, and the beginning of the end for Maul's Shadow Collective. Grievous knew from personel experience that the chances of his droid army gaining a victory in this battle was unlikely. These were no mere clones.

Grievous spotted Maul on the battlefield and sent out three IG-100 Magnaguards to "soften him up". Then Grievous emerged fron his ship and engaged at least one Mandalorian in battle easily killing him with his lightsabers. Maul disposed of the magnaguards and turned his attention to the cyborg general and engaged Grievous in lightsaber combat. Maul nor Grievous was able to gain the upper hand in the duel but Grievous&mdash;per his orders told Maul to look and see that the battle was lost, Grievous' droids had won, but Maul had held several Gauntlet fighters in reserve and ordered them to drop firebombs onto the battlefield. This left both factions' resources almost depleted. Maul&mdash;realizing Zanbar was lost fled into a Gauntlet fighter and retreated form Grievous. Grievous then contacted Count Dooku via hologram and informed him he had fulfilled his masters wishes, Maul was on the run. Dooku congratulated Grievous. Maul now believed the Sith were out to destroy him and his Syndicate, Maul would not learn of their true intentions until it was to late. Grievous knew their goal was the witch Talzin, but did not understand what value Maul held to the Witch. Dooku told him all would be revealed as their plans unfolded.

Captured by Darth Maul
"Once our droids take control of the city Maul's forces will be insects under our heels!"

- Grievous during the battle

After leaving Zanbar, Dooku rendezvoused with Grievous, gathering another fleet after Separatist spies reported that Mandalorian wasrships were amassing on the planet of Ord Mantell, confirming Maul was in league with the Black Sun who controlled th planet. Grievous once again questioned the Dark Lord's obsession with destroying Mother Talzin, Dooku insured Grievous that Talzin is an older and fouler creature than Grievous understood, she would have to be destroyed before she disrupted Darth Sidious' plans. Grevious' Tactical droid Tey-Zuka reported to the cyborg general that a lone transport shuttle had left Dathomir moments ago, with Ord Mantell being a possible destination. Dooku believed Talzin was aboard and ordered the fleet to move to Ord Mantell. Soon they arrived, Grievous ordered the fleet to begin bombarding the city from orbit. With the city now in ruins landing craft began their assault. Grievous believed Maul's forces would soon be on the run and insects under their heels. Grievous became suspicious when he realized he had not seen the Mandalorian warships, Tey-Zuka calculated they had been destroyed before they could lift off. But Grievous knew better&mdash;they were planning a sneak attack. The Gauntlet fighters appeared from behind Ord Mantell's moon, attacking the Seperatist fleet. Grievous had been lured into a trap. Tey-Zuka reported a fighter had attached itself to the hull of Grievous' Providence-class cruiser/carrier&mdash;before the droid could finish Maul interrupted; he commanded Grievous to shut down the battle droids that were killing his troops in the battle below&mdash;or die. Maul charged Grievous tackling him into a transparisteel viewport. Dooku had been captured as well and brought aboard the ship, where Maul contacted Sidious via hologram and threatened to kill both of his pawns unless he met Mother Talzin's demands. Sidious refused, instead stating he had no further use for them. Maul did not kill them but ordered Grievous to the brig. Grevious told Dooku that it would be unfortunate if the next time they met he would have to add Dooku's lightsaber to his collection.

Soon Grievous' cell door was opened&mdash;after Dooku, still on the bridge of the ship, used the Force to unlock his cell. Grievous escaped and killed the Mandalorians that were guarding him. While searching for an escape off the ship he killed several more warriors with his six durasteel limbs crushing their helmets and breaking bones. He soon found an escape pod; thinking of how convenient it was he ejected from the carrier and escaped from Maul.

Confronting Talzin
"It is just as you predicted my Lord...we've traced Count Dooku's signals to Dathomir's surface. What is your command?"

- Grievous to Darth Sidious, just before the battle

Shortly afterward, Grievous regrouped with Darth Sidious, they made their way to Dathomir where Dooku's signals were eminating from; just as Sidious predicted. Sidious ordered Grievous to cloak the ship from view and make their way to Dathomir's surface. They landed and the pair approached a chamber said to hold a stone column that was the heart of Mother Talzin's power. The chamber was located very near the Nightbrother village where Maul was born.

Grievous blew an opening into the wall of the chamber, entered and stated he was about to kill Maul. Sidious followed, stating only the Dark Lord's plan shall rule the galaxy. Dooku appeared, though he was now possessed by Talzin, who was at the time was still unable to take physical form. The four engaged­­­ in lightsaber combat; Grievous attacked Maul while Sidious freed his apprentice from Talzin with the use of Force lightning. Talzin returned in the flesh while Sidious told her she was going to die here. Maul took advantage of this distraction and used the Force to shove Grievous through the opening the explosion had created. Sidious attacked Talzin with a Force lightning barrage while Talzin defended Maul and herself with a Force bubble. Grievous reentered the chamber calmly striding towards the now beaten Talzin, Grievous lit his lightsabers and plunged them through the witch's chest. Maul now retreating looked on in horror as Talzin's body turned to stone. Darth Sidious took a moment to congratulate Dooku and Grievous, Maul's future had been erased while theirs was more certain than it had ever been.

Crystal conspiracy
On Utapau, Grievous arranged a deal to acquire a massive kyber crystal. The Jedi Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi got wind of this when they came to the planet to investigate the mysterious death of the Jedi Master Tu-Anh. They tracked down the crystal and stole it from those were trafficking in it, only for Grievous to then claim it. They, however, continued their mission and eventually reclaimed the crystal, which they then manipulated into being destroyed.

Battle of Coruscant
Grievous captured Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and took him aboard his flagship the Invisible Hand. Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi boarded the Invisible Hand to rescue the Chancellor. They defeated Count Dooku and were escaping with the Chancellor when General Grievous captured them. The Jedi broke free of their bonds, and after cornering Grievous, he shattered the front window of the cruiser with an electrostaff. Kenobi, Skywalker, and the Chancellor managed to stay in the ship, but Grievous was sucked into space. Protected from exposure to vacuum, the general survived and used a grappling hook installed in his arm to latch onto the hull of the ship.

Grievous fled in one of his flagship's escape pods, and later headed for the secured planet of Utapau in the Outer Rim Territories, where the Separatist Council was hiding. With Count Dooku's death, Grievous succeeded him as Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Under the direct order of Dooku's Master, Darth Sidious, Grievous relocated the Council to the planet Mustafar.

Death
"Back away! I will deal with this Jedi slime myself!"

- General Grievous

After the Republic received word that Grievous was hiding on Utapau, General Kenobi was sent to defeat him. Though Nute Gunray and the other Council members doubted Grievous' ability to lead, they followed his orders, leaving just moments before Kenobi's arrival.

He immediately split his arms in four and attacked the Jedi Master. Grievous lost two of his hands to Kenobi before Clone Commander Cody and the 212th Attack Battalion arrived, ambushing the droid army. Fighting broke out all over Pau City between droid and clone forces.

Grievous fled on his wheelbike. Pursued by Obi-Wan on a varactyl named Boga, after a prolonged chase and running duel, the two crashed onto Grievous' private landing platform where his personal, customized starfighter was docked. As they fought hand-to-hand, Grievous made use of his mechanical body and superior strength, although Kenobi managed to rip open Grievous' previously damaged chest plates, revealing the synthskin gut-sack containing his remaining organs. Angered, Grievous tossed Kenobi off the platform, but the Jedi managed to catch hold of the edge. Grievous attempted to charge at Kenobi with an electrostaff, but Kenobi used the Force to summon Grievous' blaster and shot Grievous. The oils preserving Grievous' remaining biological components ignited, incinerating the famed cyborg from the inside and destroying him.



Behind the scenes
"With General Grievous, I wanted somebody who was reminiscent of what Anakin is going to become, which is a half man, half robot. In this case, Grievous is sort of 20% alien and 80% robot."

- George Lucas on the creation of Grievous

Grievous was developed for the 2005 movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith as a powerful new villain on the side of the Confederacy. He was introduced in "Chapter 20" of the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, which aired over a year before the film's release, but his appearances in that series have been relegated to the Legends continuity and are not considered canonical. In Revenge of the Sith and the second  The Clone Wars animated series, he was voiced by Matthew Wood.