THE CLONE WARS: SECRETS REVEALED

Our synopsis/review guide to Season Three of THE CLONE WARS has been completed. Head over to the link below and enjoy some of our best opinion and notes on the current series.

THE CLONE WARS YEAR 3 EPISODE GUIDE

"CLONE WARS" PREVIEW: "WITCHES OF THE MIST"

The very nice people at SKY MOVIES have sent us their latest press release for the new episode this week showing exclusively in the UK on SKY MOVIES PREMIERE and HD.

Here's the info:

The Must-See Conclusion to an Epic Three-Part Clone Wars Arc

Sent to track down the mysterious figure behind the deaths of several Jedi, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi find themselves on the trail of Count Dooku’s newest apprentice – the monstrous Savage Opress. However, Dooku and Asajj Ventress discover that their creation has a will of his own, and that he has grown more powerful than either of them had anticipated – perhaps even more powerful than the combined forces of the Jedi and the Sith. The end begins in “Witches of the Mist,” the final chapter of a thrilling, three-part Clone Wars arc – airing at 5.30pm Saturday 29th January on Sky Movies Premiere/HD.

Driven by the Machiavellian machinations of Count Dooku, the series’ various villains come face to face at last in a climactic clash of red sabers. Dooku, Opress and Ventress – all are manifestations of evil, yet each is so distinct. It’s not until these three titans are brought together in the heat of conflict, however, that their nuances and differences become truly clear.

“With Dooku, the series' direction is pushing his character more towards that of a masterful diplomat, concealing a sinister agenda beneath a veil of polite sophistication,” says Corey Burton, voice of Dooku – and countless other Clone Wars characters, both good and evil. “He's a subversive political overlord – a major marketing force and seducer for the dark side ‘brand.’ It's all about his personal enrichment, power and position within the hierarchy; there's nothing intentionally cruel or vengeful in his manner, or behind his dastardly actions – as a Sith Lord, it's just how things are done to most efficiently preside over the fate of the galaxy. Mustache-twirling displays are beneath his sense of dignity.”

While Dooku is as consumed by his quest for power as he is by his own sense of sophistication, Ventress is wholly unconcerned by the niceties of evil. Driven by a desire for revenge, her motivation is raw and real – a product and a reflection of her own difficult past.

“She’s been wronged by so many, and I believe her experiences will lead her in an even more powerful direction,” says Nika Futterman, voice of Ventress. “We are finally beginning to understand what makes Asajj tick; I think this is her quest for revenge and not power like the Sith. That’s what separates her. She does things that may seem like her quest for power, but, I think she aligned herself with the dark side as a means to an end. She doesn’t ever forget who has done right by her and, of course, who has done her wrong. All this time, I had hoped that I would be able to delve into what made her so fabulous and complex. It turns out my hopes are coming true!”

Serving as a foil for the final confrontation between the former master and his jilted apprentice is the massively powerful Opress. Ostensibly a blunt instrument of evil, the monstrous creation is nonetheless imbued with a perverse humanity of his own – brought to the surface by sharp writing and a soulful performance by screen legend Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption).

“I'd been a fan of The Clone Wars since the first season; and then caught up with the second season with my son,” says Brown. “He was excited because it was Star Wars and I was excited about the role not just because it was in the Star Wars universe but because the writing is so sophisticated. There was never any question from me about Savage's motives and what was going on because I was familiar with the characters, and you can go another layer deeper.”

SEASONS GREETINGS!

Yoda at Xmas. Lovely art by Tsuneo Sanda.

A very Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year to all our readers and to STAR WARS fans across the globe. 2011 looks set to be an exciting year, what with Seasons 3 and 4 of THE CLONE WARS, the awesome terror to come of Savage Opress, some intriguing new merchandise projects, especially tantalising new behind the scenes books and, of course, those shiny Blu-rays of all six films!!

Bring it on!

With thanks to our friend Andy Dukes for forwarding this little STAR WARS related Xmas ditty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMmaO6MzK4E&feature=player_embedded

THE CLONE WARS: INTRODUCING SAVAGE OPRESS!

2011 will no doubt be the year of Savage Opress!

Note: This feature contains possible SPOILERS

Savage Opress. He's not just your "average horny little devil." He wants to spill blood. Blood, in particular, that belongs to the Jedi Knights.

Trouble with a capital T!

When Ray Park's indomitable and terrifying destructive force, Darth Maul, met his final end - sliced in half by Ewan McGregor's Force intuitive Obi-Wan Kenobi in one of THE PHANTOM MENACE's greatest scenes (which we can't wait to see in 3D. Take that, Mister Simon Pegg!) - audiences around the world were thrilled yet disappointed to see that he had been killed off so quickly and would not return for more high octane action. So, Opress, one of Maul's equally highly trained brothers, is George Lucas, his daughter Kaite, and Dave Filoni's attempts, which will be very successful, to try to atone for the fall of the earlier Zabrakian, and we're sure all kinds of hell will be following within his large shadow when he, a chaos causing gift to Count Dooku by the Night Sisters of Dathomir, eventually takes on the Republic forces for numerous acts of Sith propelled slaughter. There are also rumours floating about on cyberpace - and please take them with a pinch of salt - that Ahsoka may eventually (and we're talking at the end of the animated series entire run) fall victim to this new warrior, of which her death will propel Anakin further to his destiny with the Dark Side as he surely gets his revenge! Of these rumours, I can only quote Qui-Gon Jinn: "Be wary!"  


Things are about to get a lot worse for the Jedi. All images: copyright LUCASFILM ANIMATION




http://tv.yahoo.com/star-wars-the-clone-wars/show/38472/videos/22903025#111010
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/001147.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBK7uaX5dOA

Time will tell on all things, but, in the meantime, the fireworks of battle will fly! Especially against Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi!

DUEL OF THE FATES. Part Two!

Coming from 7th January 2011 to CARTOON NETWORK in the US and SKY MOVIES PREMIERE and HD in the UK.

CELEBRATION V: "THE CLONE WARS" SEASON THREE NEWS...

With THE CLONE WARS then still under wraps, aside from some early art and a wow factor trailer, for the most part of the previous Celebration IV, the gloves were now off and the secrecy shackles removed from Dave Filoni for this years Celebration V, as he presented two spectacular digital screening panels to packed and eager audiences for the upcoming third season of THE CLONE WARS. Here's some of the great information I was able to glean from the event, on what looks set to be an absolutely fantastic new season of epic battles, grand heroics and truly evil deeds.


Please note, there are lots of spoilers below.

The opening episodes see a stunning attack on the clone facilities at Kamino by the Separatists, led by Asajj Ventress, in underwater attack ships (similar to the one that captured Rotta the Hutt's Tatooine Sail Barge from the Clone Wars movie) that literally latch themselves onto the Kaminoan cities and smash their way into the superstructures, unleashing destruction on a grand scale (including an incredible scene where the Clone vats are destroyed) and a new series of Super Battle Droids.


Several new Jedi faces will be added to the ranks, though one will be killed by a mysterious assassin or creature during the series run. Shaak Ti is also a new face to the series- the decision was taken to introduce her later in the run so that kids would not get her confused with the similar looking Ahsoka.


Its been hinted at by Filoni that the previously thought to be destroyed Slave One vessel of Boba Fett is in the hands of pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and is getting a refurbishment that will make the ship look a little closer in appearance to the way it will be in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.


There will be a link/character from the Classic Trilogy appearing in Season Three (our money is on a teenage Han Solo, whose planned appearance was cut from EPISODE III).


The series may go beyond its planned five year run (Lucas and co. are currently working on Year Five as you read this), and looks set to run for as long as its popular with fans and audiences.


In a question I asked Filoni at one of the talks he confirmed that, with the advances in series CGI realisation (including rain and sea waves for Kamino, fire and costume material for the characters), we will one day see Wookiees and Kashyyyk in the series.

The action sequences have been amped up with better lighting and angles and a greater sense of realism now that the CGI has been improved and refined even further. Expect to see a lot more believability of movement and more shadows and reflections.


Count Dooku, in very stylish pyjamas no less!, will have a stunning lightsaber duel with a group of mostly invisible assassins-an idea that was conceived by Lucas (though it's initial concept did put a smile on Filoni's face at the thought of invisible people!) and looked superb in the footage shown at the event. Overall, there will be more of Dooku in this season and we'll also find out what the title crawl to EPISODE III meant when it said "There are heroes on both sides. Evil is everywhere."

Based on designs originally conceived by Ian McCaig for EPISODE ONE, the scarily drawn Sith Witches become reality, now known as the Witches of Dathomir, the home race of Asajj Ventress, revealed in Season Three. In the episode/s, Ventress is seemingly on the run from Dooku/Sidious and seeks refuge with her "family" on Dathomir, on a planet where the male and female races have evolved separately from one another. Its been hinted at that this season will be the last for Ventress's character-which is a bit of a shame.


From the new mega trailer (first shown exclusively at the CV event, and edited by one of Filoni's best friends, who now also works for LUCASFILM), the Duchess of Satine and the Mandalorians will return, as do the Toydarians, Aurra Sing, Clone Commander Wolf, Jabba and Ziro the Hutt (the latter, possibly along with Boba Fett (?), busted from prison on Coruscant and heralding the start of a Hutt clan war later in the season), Jar Jar Binks (once more voiced by Ahmed Best), plus General Grievous and Cad Bane (who gives Obi-Wan Kenobi an "electrifying" time in one lightsaber duel).


The big highlight for many though was the reveal of Darth Maul's brother, Savage Opres, who will become a regular enemy for the Jedi to fight this season- a gift from the Witches of Dathomir to Count Dooku.


The Clone Commandos also make a brief cameo in one episode, in a sequence shown at the convention that brought the house down with applause after years of waiting for a visual appearance somewhere in live action or animated Prequel-dom.

Katie Lucas has written quite a few episodes for this season, including the Ventress/Dathomir episodes and one coming up which will star the entire Lucas family as the blue skinned Papanoidia family, with George's Baron heavily involved in an action sequence in a cantina, though son Jett was unhappy that his animated character's gun wasn't as big as his dad's!

The Year Three mega trailer for THE CLONE WARS can be seen on the official STAR WARS site's main CELEBRATION V home page, and is coming to the US CARTOON NETWORK from September 17th 2010, and on SKY in the UK by at least the end of October this year.