Not hard to draw a line back to Attack of the Clones from there. He is also shown to be considerate of his men, and flat-out refuses to concede that he’ll lose any of them on the mission. He is strategic – or cunning – and ambitious, as noted by one of the clones. As the first episode to focus on Anakin it does a lot of work in picking up where we left him in Attack of the Clones. Yet as well as the visuals, the audio flourishes and the well-drawn plot, it’s the character moments that make this episode work. I would put a lot of money on the escape pod noise from the start of the episode coming directly from the start of A New Hope… And that’s before considering the audio, which puts us right into the galaxy. It’s also gorgeous to look at, with beautifully composed shots and rich colours. From the Y-Wing squad in action, both journeying through the hyperspace shortcut and then in action against the Malevolence itself, through to the excellent worldbuilding elements of the medical facility, the star cluster and the gigantic space aliens that live there, it’s all-out Star Wars. There’s a lot to love about this episode. This is what gives Anakin and Shadow Squadron their shot at getting there before the Malevolence. In this case, the Republic medical facility is hidden amongst a group of star clusters, making hyperspace travel difficult. It both shows his character and lampshades the droids’ kid-friendly humour.įor the first time in the series, we get “realistic” war tactics and mission briefings, giving us a clear view of the challenge ahead. His temper and bullying nature is put to good use in an early scene with the Battle Droids. He’s consistent with how we see him in Revenge of the Sith a dastardly villain that comes close but doesn’t stray too far into the realm of being a pure cartoon.

Speaking of the good General, this episode brings his character a bit more to the forefront. The stakes are high and the stage is set for a showdown… Grievous has an objective of his own, however – the destruction of a Republic medical facility. Shadow of Malevolence opens with Anakin briefing Shadow Squadron on his “aggressive” mission to destroy the warship – and General Grievous along with it. *** Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves.įollowing the last episode, the Republic is now aware of the Malevolence’s capabilities. A deadly weapon, unleashed! The Separatist battleship ”Malevolence” advances unopposed through Republic space, tearing apart any ship that stands in its path.Īfter a daring rescue and narrow escape, Anakin Skywalker prepares a counterattack on the enemy ship and its diabolical droid

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