General Grievious ’ first appearance is a momentous turning peak in Star Wars account . After Genndy Tartakovsky’sstunning Clone Wars animated serieshad given fanschapter after chapterof the Jedi at their apex , performing feats unlike anything seen in Star Wars on CRT screen , a metal monster washere to humiliate them .
And he started by kill Shaggy from Scooby Doo .
The twentieth , final episode of Clone Wars ’ first half , the Battle of Hypori is not just one of the miniseries ’ standout moments , but unlike anything we ’d seen before . Just as much as the original , 2D Clone Wars ’ is lovingly remembered for its all - killer - no - filler approach to action , it ’s also commemorate as a love letter to the power of the Jedi . Not in their approach to delicacy or oratory attainment , not even with their mastery of the Force : Tartakovsky ’s vision for the Jedi in his show was about showing them as superhuman warriors , men and women who could turn the tide of a planetary - musical scale fight with a chimneysweep of the laser steel in their manpower . If not categorically draw up as the bomber , Clone Wars ’ Jedi would be horrify , specially if their foe were not othered in reams of faceless struggle droids , or monstrously foreign bounty hunters and peculiar Sith witches .
Gif: Lucasfilm
It ’s meet then that the first threat to really become thing against them is a mirror held up to their fount . Grievious ’ introduction is incredible , as we ’ve said before — his cool blade dead body dedicate him the approximations of the Force and the Jedi ’s athletic grace , his spin hand making lightsabers spin discs of death and wipeout to contrast the balletic swordsmanship of his foes . His single line in Chapter 20 is not a witty remark about the land of things or an order , like much of what we hear from the Jedi generals we ’ve fit over the serial prior , but a off-white - chilling terror : “ Jedi ! You are beleaguer , your armies eradicate . Make peace of mind with the Force now , for this is your final hour — but know that I , General Grievous , am not completely without mercy . I will deed over you a warrior ’s death . set ! ”
For as much as what Grievous ’ introduction enjoin about him as a baddie — especially contrasted to his eventual appearances in Revenge of the Sith and the 3DCG Clone Wars as something more draw close an ineffectual vaudeville antagonist — it says so much about the Jedi we see him face , and mostly viciously curve down , in Chapter 20 . Jedi raw and one-time , Masters and Padawans , Jedi who , at the context of that moment in time , had become cult fan favorites thanks to other Expanded Universe textile , were experience to be some of the fine on the war ’s front lines .
And then there was Shaggy . Sorry , Sha’a Gi .
Screenshot: Lucasfilm
This is not some glib joke based on his appearing ; the poor Padawan who holds the inauspicious record of being General Grievious ’ first on - projection screen kill — transgress from cover in a shrieking of fear and fury , only for Grevious to go up and flatten him under his heel so hard he is there one frame , and move the next — is , simultaneously , a gag aboutScooby - Doo ’s best protagonist . Tartakovsky himself noted the Easter egg on Clone Wars ’ DVD comment , with the aim to contrive the lineament as an homage to one of his best-loved alive serial . Although named simply “ Padawan ” in the original citation , he was yield his gag name Sha’a Gi — only rivaled in ridiculousness by the iconicIma - Gun Di , a Jedi who debuts and dies right away before the opening night titles of the Clone Wars episode “ Supply Lines”—by theofficial Star Wars site ’s databank soon after .
Sha’a Gi is one of my favourite stupid Easter nut in all of Star Wars . It is a beautiful example of everything the franchise should be , and is : Clone Wars is often held up as the idealistic Star Wars for reasons that fail to understand its straight greatness . People see it as the “ badass ” interpretation of the franchise , what Star Wars could be if it discarded that pesky subject and meaning — unlettered that the serial ’ austere storytelling still keep back plenty depth for those compensate the attention it deserves — and was just nerveless action . What if the Jedi were not merely misguided peacekeepers , but anime - urge on , gung - ho natural process Hero ? What if everything was explosion and lightsaber fights and dying and destruction all the fourth dimension ? And Grievious ’ launching is the perfect encapsulation of that train of opinion — a badass , serious scoundrel , going up against and absolutely owning some badass , coolheaded Jedi .
And yet none of them really are those empty shells of action , they ’re people , people who can clasp under the surface and falter , gravid warriors who can be humbled in the turn of a lunar time period . And one of them exist to die as a muzzle about a generations - quondam Hanna - Barbera cartoon serial . It ’s unbelievable . It ’s layer . It ’s cool . It ’s sincere . It ’s incredibly silly . It ’s Star Wars .
Happy Birthday , General Grievous . Happy death - day , Sha’a Gi . You are all Star Wars is , and should be .
need more io9 tidings ? Check out when to have a bun in the oven the latestMarvel , Star Wars , andStar Trekreleases , what ’s next for theDC Universe on film and telecasting , and everything you need to roll in the hay about the future ofDoctor Who .
Count DookuGenndy TartakovskyJediMace WinduStar WarsStar Wars comics
Daily Newsletter
Get the practiced tech , scientific discipline , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
news program from the futurity , delivered to your nowadays .
You May Also Like
