Rising Malevolence

season 1, episode 2

## 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 Wolffe/Boost/Sinker
Tom Kane as Wullf Yularen
GUEST STARRING
Terrence Carson as Mace Windu
Ian Abercrombie as Sheev Palpatine

"**Rising *Malevolence***" is the second episode of the first season of *Star Wars: The Clone Wars*. It is the second episode of the series overall, and is the first of a three-part storyline. It aired on Cartoon Network on October 3, 2008, following the premiere of "Ambush."

## **Plot Synopsis**

Aboard the *Triumphant*, Jedi Master Plo Koon and Clone Commander Wolffe locate the *Malevolence* in the Abregado system and immediately move the fleet into position to engage it. Before attacking, Plo orders Commander Wolffe to contact Coruscant and relay their position; he then contacts Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, who are stationed in the nearby Bith system, telling them that he has found the *Malevolence* and requires reinforcements. Anakin tells Plo that there is little he can do, as he has been ordered by the Jedi High Council to protect the Bith system.

The *Triumphant's* communications are then jammed by General Grievous at the behest of Count Dooku. The *Malevolence's* massive ion cannon fires, knocking out power on all three Republic attack cruisers, and leaving them defenseless against Grievous' turbolasers. Plo Koon, along with clone troopers Sinker, Boost, and Commander Wolffe, manage to board an escape pod, just before their cruiser is destroyed. Aboard the *Malevolence*, Dooku orders Grievous to deploy the pod hunters, in order to find and kill any survivors and keep their secret weapon's position a secret.

Meanwhile, Anakin and Ahsoka inform Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and Yoda, and Chancellor Palpatine, about the loss of communication with Plo Koon. All four tell Anakin and Ahsoka not to go out to the Abregado system to look for survivors, despite Ahsoka's vehement objections. Mace tells Anakin that all their task forces have been assigned to defend their supply lines. After the meeting, Anakin scolds Ahsoka for her outburst of insubordination. Nevertheless, a short time later, they take off for the Abregado System in the *Twilight*. Huffily, she asks why she got scolded for wanting to do what Anakin has, in fact, decided to do. He explains that he always intended to look for survivors, but will obey the spirit of the Council's orders by leaving his fleet on station.

Back on Coruscant, Obi-Wan, who knows Anakin all too well, guesses that Anakin has gone off alone, and both he and Palpatine issue repeated demands for Anakin to resume command of his fleet.

Back in the debris field, while attempting to fix their escape pod, Plo and the clones spot another pod. However, upon closer inspection, they realize it has been broken open and the clones inside have been killed by a pod hunter. The group then witnesses one of the pod hunters attack another nearby escape pod, breaking it open and killing all inside. Then the pod hunter crew notices their escape pod and latches onto it. Plo and his men fight and destroy the pod hunter, but this alerts Grievous that Republic survivors are still in the debris field.

Soon after Plo's victory, Anakin and Ahsoka arrive and rescue him and his men. As they are preparing to depart, the *Malevolence* arrives near their location. Anakin and Ahsoka shut down the *Twilight*'s systems, hoping to blend in with the debris and avoid detection.

Unfortunately, they forget to shut down the on-board medical droid, whose faint signal alerts Grievous to their location. Forced to flee the blast from the ion cannon, the *Twilight* narrowly escapes with a desperate hyperspace jump. Grievous reluctantly informs Count Dooku that the survivors have escaped, meaning the Republic will learn of the Separatists' secret weapon. Dooku, vexed, says he will have to contact his master.

Once the *Twilight* reaches Anakin's fleet, Commander Wolffe thanks Anakin for assisting them. Anakin and Plo then contact the Jedi Council, informing them of the secret weapon and its capabilities. Anakin asks Ahsoka to come with him, claiming that they should both share the responsibility for their actions.

## **Co-Stars**

* Dee Bradley Baker as Clone Troopers
* Matthew Wood as Battle Droids
* Tim Brock as TB-2

## **Trivia**

* The opening quote of the episode is: *"Belief is not a matter of choice, but of conviction."*.
* This is the only episode in which Wolffe appears with both his eyes intact.