- "Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves."
- ―Moral
"Shadow of Malevolence" is the third episode of Season One of Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series. It is the third episode of the series overall, and is the second of a three-part storyline. It aired on Cartoon Network on October 10, 2008.
Official description
With the help of his Padawan Ahsoka and Jedi Master Plo Koon, Anakin utilizes new long-range Y-wing bombers to lead a bold strike on General Grievous' warship the Malevolence and its destructive weapon. As General Grievous uses the Malevolence to terrorize medical bases, the Jedi rush to defend Republic space. With help from his Padawan and Master Plo Koon, Anakin leads a bold strike mission into enemy territory.
Plot summary
| Episode 3 SHADOW OF MALEVOLENCE |
|---|
Anakin Skywalker briefing Shadow Squadron on their attack against the Malevolence.
After several other attacks on Jedi fleet cruisers, all of which conducted by the Malevolence, Anakin Skywalker decides it is time to strike back. His plan is to use the new Y-Wing bombers to destroy the Separatist flagship's bridge, killing General Grievous and destroying the ship. However, both Plo Koon and Ahsoka think that his plan is too aggressive. Meanwhile, the Malevolence destroys another supply convoy, somewhere in the Outer Rim. After finishing off the final ships, Dooku contacts General Grievous and gives him a new target: the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center.
Admiral Yularen contacts the Kaminoan physician Nala Se on the Medical Center, warning her of a possible attack. However, she does not believe that they will have enough time to evacuate all of her 60,000 wounded patients.
Anakin and Ahsoka leave their Venator-class Star Destroyer with their squadron of Y-wing bombers, along with the Kel Dor Jedi Master Plo Koon serving as a fighter escort in his modified Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor. After a hyperspace jump, Anakin's Shadow Squadron of Clone trooper pilots reach the Kaliida Nebula. While traveling through it, Master Plo is horrified to learn that they are taking the Balmorra Run.
Anakin Skywalker leading Shadow Squadron.
Before they can turn around, though, they fly into a nest of Neebrays. Shadow Squadron is able to navigate through it, although Matchstick's ship sustains damage to its port engine. Just as they reach the Kaliida Medical Center, the Malevolence comes out of hyperspace. After it fires its ion cannon at Shadow Squadron, Anakin loses almost half of his Y-Wings to its disabling blast and is forced to make a new plan of attack. The Malevolence then prepares to target the medical center.
As its mega-ion cannon charges, Shadow Squadron opens fire on it, causing the ion cannon to backfire when General Grievous tries to unleash it once more on the medical station. The blast also damages the ship's hyperdrive, preventing it from escaping into hyperspace. With newly arrived Republic capital ships led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Admiral Yularen firing on him, Grievous orders the wounded flagship back to Separatist-held space. Anakin and the rest of Shadow Squadron then board the medical station, where they are congratulated by Nala Se. Anakin, however, mourns the losses of his men among Shadow Squadron, despite the great victory their lives had earned.
Behind the scenes
The moral of this episode was changed from the original on the television broadcast version to "Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves.…" The moral was then reverted back to the original on the director's cut of the episode on the Season One DVD and Blu-ray.
When told to launch the ion cannons after Matchstick's death, the battle droid delivers the classic Star Wars line, "I have a bad feeling about this."
When Matchstick tells Plo Koon that the damage to his ship is "just a scratch", he is wearing a regular Shadow Squadron helmet, and not his custom painted one. A moment later, he is wearing his regular customized helmet again.
The unidentified Shadow Squadron pilot has the regular helmet as well when he is seen being killed. Later, during the talk about the medical transport attack, several pilots are seen wearing Matchstick's helmet.
The scene of the Malevolence's attack on the Venator-class star destroyer highly resembles the Leviathan's orbital bombardment of Taris in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Twice when the ion cannon is fired, the camera shows a close up of the inner section firing the blast. Both screens are an homage to the Death Star firing sequence, where instead of battle droids there are Imperial technicians.
The last scene in the episode, where Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and R2-D2 look into space aboard the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center is very similar to the scene in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back when Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, R2-D2, and C-3PO look out into space on the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate.
The episode reached 2.8 million viewers.
Credits
| Cast | Uncredited cast | Crew | Uncredited crew | Special thanks |
Cast
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Crew
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Appearances
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
Canon characters
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Legends characters
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Organisms
Canon organisms
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Legends organisms
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Droid models
Canon droids
Legends droids
Events
Canon events
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Legends events
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Locations
Canon locations
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Legends locations
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Organizations and titles
Canon organizations and titles
Legends organizations and titles
|
Sentient species
Canon species
Legends species
Vehicles and vessels
Canon vehicles
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Legends vehicles
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Weapons and technology
Canon technology
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Legends technology
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Miscellanea
Canon miscellanea
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Legends miscellanea
Bibliography
The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Shadow of Malevolence on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)- Fighters Soar This Week in Clone Wars on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Shadow of Malevolence" Episode Guide – The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
- The Clone Wars Rewatch: A Perilous Run in the "Shadow of Malevolence" on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Shadow of Malevolence on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines dates the events of "Shadow of Malevolence" to 22 BBY.
