Shadow of Malevolence

season 1, episode 3

## Cast

STARRING
Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker
James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano
Dee Bradley Baker as Rex\*
Catherine Taber as Padmé Amidala\*
Nika Futterman as Asajj Ventress\*
Matthew Wood as General Grievous
Tom Kane as Yoda\*
and Corey Burton as Dooku
\*does not appear in this episode
ALSO VOICING
James Arnold Taylor as Plo Koon
Dee Bradley Baker as Broadside
Tom Kane as Wullf Yularen
GUEST STARRING
Gwendoline Yeo as Nala Se

"**Shadow of *Malevolence***" is the third episode of the first season 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.

## **Plot Synopsis**

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.

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.

## **Co-Stars**

* Dee Bradley Baker as Clone Troopers (including Tag, Contrail and Matchstick)
* Matthew Wood as Battle Droids

### Non-speaking appearances

* R7-D4
* Wolffe *(in newsreel only)*
* Boost *(in newsreel only)*
* Sinker *(in newsreel only)*

## **Trivia**

* The opening quote of the episode is: *"Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves."*.
* 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."*
* 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.