Escape from Kadavo

"Great hope can come from small sacrifices."

- Moral

"Escape from Kadavo" is the thirteenth episode of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series' fourth season. It aired on January 6, 2012.

Official description
"Anakin tries to convince the Zygerrian Queen that she too is a slave and pawn in an evil Separatist plot. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan toils in the slave camps of Kadavo, a grim situation that grows increasingly bleak."

Synopsis
Forced to slave away in the mines alongside Rex and the Togrutan colonists of Kiros, and taunted by the facility’s cruel warden Agruss and the guards, Obi-Wan Kenobi has a hard time scrounging up any spark of hope for himself or the unfortunate prisoners, since every time he does so, one of the Togrutans is punished in his place in order to heighten his despair.

But in the meantime, Zygerria receives a visit from none other than Count Dooku, who was sent by his master upon a summons by Atai Molec to dissuade Queen Scintel from her plan to enslave and break the Jedi’s spirit, or kill her if she does not relent. When Anakin Skywalker, who she still tries to turn over to her side, expresses his reluctance to serve her and points out her submissive role to Dooku, she decides that he should not attend their meeting and gets him to surrender his lightsaber before she goes to meet the Count. Once the queen is gone, and with the aid of R2-D2, Anakin gives his guards the slip and proceeds to find and liberate his Padawan Ahsoka Tano. Once it is done, he sends her out to secure their ship while he goes after the queen to question her about Obi-Wan’s and Rex’s whereabouts.

Queen Scintel explains her ambitious plan to the Count, who is not, however, quite as impressed as she had hoped and demands instead that the Jedi be executed. When she refuses to give up Anakin, the Count and Atai turn against her and she ends up Force choked by the Count before Anakin can reach the throne room. Finding himself outnumbered and outgunned without his lightsaber, Anakin picks up the dying queen and flees from the palace and onto their ship. With her last breath, Scintel returns the lightsaber to Anakin and reveals the location of Obi-Wan’s prison before she dies in his arms, admitting: “You were right, Skywalker. I am a slave, just as you are.”

In the Kadavo prison facility, Obi-Wan and Rex are brought into the warden’s command center, where Count Dooku converses with the Jedi through a holo comlink, announcing their impending execution. Just then, Anakin, Ahsoka and R2 land inside the prison, but the security systems destroy their ship and hold them up long enough for Dooku to attempt to make Anakin cease his assault, or the Togruta slaves will be put to death. Unfortunately for the villains, Anakin has thought of summoning reinforcements in the form of a Republic cruiser and the Wolfpack under the command of Plo Koon. The prison guards scramble to repel the attack, but in the confusion Obi-Wan and Rex manage to shake off their electronic shackles and attack the warden’s guards. Agruss activates the deathtrap set for the slaves in order to plunge them to their doom and then smashes the controls, rendering immediate rescue impossible.

Ahsoka and Anakin penetrate the facility and split up; Anakin brings down the prison’s defense turrets, and Ahsoka devises a plan to have the Republic rescue shuttle fly underneath the deathtrap and retrieve the prisoners by having them slide down cable lines. In retaliation for his cruelty, Agruss is killed by Rex, who spears him with a guard’s shock staff, and once the slaves are clear, the Wolfpack opens full fire on the prison, destroying it and killing any remaining Zygerrian slavers still inside. Once safely aboard the Republic cruiser, Roshti expressed his thanks to Ahsoka for rescuing them, but also that with their feeling of safety shattered by this experience, and in full trust towards the Republic, that the people of Kiros will give up their neutrality and join the Republic’s side.

Cast

 * Corey Burton as Count Dooku, Governor Roshti, and Zygerrian Guard #1
 * Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker and Tuktee
 * James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, and Zygerrian Gunner
 * Rajia Baroudi as Queen Miraj Scintel
 * Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
 * Dee Bradley Baker as the clone troopers and Zygerrian Technician
 * Victor Brandt as Keeper Agruss
 * Ian Abercrombie as Darth Sidious
 * Ricardo Mamood Vega as Atai Molec
 * Tom Kane as the narrator

Behind the scenes
During Obi-Wan's time toiling in the slave mines, several screams and cries from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom can be heard.

The episode's Director's Cut was included in The Complete Season Four DVD.

The Jedi Temple Archives feature on The Complete Season Four Blu-ray includes the deleted scene "The Queen and Dooku".