Anakin Skywalker (BD14) - Hasbro - Legacy Collection (2009)

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Destroy Malevolence (The Clone Wars - S01E04) - Animated Series

Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Title: Destroy Malevolence

Season: One

Episode: 4

Chronological Episode: 9

Original Air Date: October 17, 2008

Runtime: 22 minutes

Credits: Review & Text: Mike Taber; Page layout & Design: Chuck Paskovics

A plan is only as good as those who see it through.

Grievous in retreat! Before the battleship Malevolence could destroy an Outer Rim clone medical base, a Republic strike force, under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, crippled the warship, disabling its dreaded ion cannon. Now the Jedi relentlessly pursue the Malevolence....

Hello there. SPOILERS.

“Destroy Malevolence” brought an end to the first story arc to be featured on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The Clone Wars almost exclusively used the story arc structure in the final few seasons and produced most of its best stories by allowing them to take up three or four episodes. Although there is a lot to like about the Malevolence trilogy, the growing pains are evident. Character development, pacing, dialogue, and even the visuals felt off at times in some of these early episodes. It can feel a little jarring to look back on the Malevolence trilogy after watching something like the Umbara and Mortis story arcs, but these episodes are an important step in the evolution of Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a weekly television series. Although not perfect, the Malevolence trilogy demonstrates that The Clone Wars could tell a compelling story across multiple episodes even in its infancy.

With the Malevolence damaged and General Grievous in full retreat, the Republic fleet moved in to put an end to the warship’s reign of terror. Looking to gain the upper hand, Count Dooku arranged for Grievous to use Padme as a hostage. The Republic fleet halted its attack after Padme was captured by the Separatists. The inclusion of Padme and C-3PO (who accompanied Padme on her doomed peace mission) didn’t add much to this final chapter. Threepio added some humor and the kidnapping of Padme artificially prolonged the destruction of the Malevolence, but failed to contribute anything meaningful. Perhaps I’m biased since I’ve never been a fan of Padme, particularly her portrayal on The Clone Wars. With that being said, I did enjoy the trap Padme set for Grievous and his panicked reaction to discovering the self-destruct on Padme’s ship had been activated. This is despite the fact that it led to some eye roll worthy humor involving battle droid firefighters. I may not be a fan of Padme, but I do appreciate that this scene demonstrated how quick-thinking and resourceful she can be at times. I was also glad to see that this episode allowed us to explore the inner workings of the Malevolence. The railway system that ran through the heart of the warship was a visually interesting way to convey the massive scale of the Malevolence.

Obi-Wan and Anakin launched a rescue mission to free Padme from Separatist captivity. The dialogue may have been clunky at times, but it was nice to see the brotherly relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan at the forefront this week. The reunion between Padme and Anakin atop the railway car felt forced and heavy handed, but that could describe their entire relationship. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan attempted to rescue Threepio only for the droid to hit by an incoming train. Threepio getting separated yet again didn’t make me laugh, but I did enjoy Obi-Wan’s reaction. It was more casual annoyance than genuine concern. Obi-Wan then went to confront General Grievous and prevent the Malevolence’s hyper drive from coming back online. The Malevolence trilogy has been plagued by unnecessary and forced inclusions of familiar Star Wars dialogue but I actually liked Grievous saying “Hello there” to Obi-Wan. It gives that line in Revenge of the Sith a new meaning and helps establish the rivalry between the two generals. In fact, the interaction between Grievous and Obi-Wan was a highlight of the episode for me. I’ve always enjoyed their rivalry in The Clone Wars and their brief duel aboard the railway car was a lot of fun. With Grievous occupied, Anakin and Padme reprogrammed the Malevolence’s hyper drive. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme, and the droids escaped aboard the Twilight but Grievous and a squadron of Vulture droids weren’t far behind. Anakin reprogramed the Malevolence to jump into hyperspace into a nearby moon, destroying the warship once and for all. Of course, Grievous escaped to fight another day. It may not have been perfect, but “Destroy Malevolence” was a satisfying end to the Malevolence trilogy.