OUT NOW ON UK DVD: "THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO - VOLUME TWO

The latest of the individual volume releases of THE CLONE WARS series, Season Two: Volume Two, comprising six super episodes (the epic re-taking of Geonosis and the return of General Grievous), are available from LUCASFILM ANIMATION and WARNER BROTHERS from March 21st, and are perfect for fans of all ages who love the animation and excitement of the all-new TV STAR WARS universe, especially parents with youngsters who'll be thoroughly entertained by the daring, fast paced exploits of our Jedi and Clone Trooper heroes during the upcoming Spring and Summer holidays.

Check out our links below for more exciting information on THE CLONE WARS and these particular episodes.

"THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 2: "CARGO OF DOOM"

Jedi Trap! Ahsoka Tano: prisoner of Cad Bane in CARGO OF DOOM.

"Almost there!"

Yes, Red Leader's words are in our heads as we're about to reach Pole Position as to the Top Five episodes of Season Two of THE CLONE WARS (out on UK DVD and Blu-ray from 15th November, from WARNER BROTHERS), and it was a toughie to make the final selection, but CARGO OF DOOM, despite much worthy consideration, is ultimately Number Two.

1. Cad Bane. At his most intimidating, dangerous and cunning, this Bounty Hunter without remorse is ruthlessly and efficiently determined to fulfill his current mission for the Separatists, and he proves one slippery customer for our brave Anakin and Ahsoka in trying to corner and battle. Its a shocking moment later in the episode when he captures and electrifies Ahsoka, then threatens to blast her into space if Anakin refuses to co-operate. Voice actor veteran Corey Burton truly brings this unique character - who would have been marvellous in a live action STAR WARS film - to animated reality, whilst the Durosian Bounty Hunter's overall design, with that amazing DEADWOOD-style hat, is superb.

2. Death of a Jedi. The grim, tortured demise of Rodian Jedi, Bolla Ropal, is quite a shocking and sad moment in the series, subtly underplayed and sensitively handled for the series younger audience by the production team. Despite Bane's lack of concern, even the Battle Droids in the episode join us in our sorrow at his loss.

3. Zero G battle. Kudos for the inspired opening space conflict with the Republic Walkers on the Separatists cruisers hull, but its the superb Zero Gravity battle interior sequence that is the highlight for me, which apparently proved quite a challenge to choreograph and edit to the right length during the production process. Love the moment when Skywalker almost has Bane and the stolen Holocron before Artoo restores the hangar to normality, the ceiling walking Clone soldier with the heavy weaponry and the balletic but deadly movements of Ahsoka.

4. Amping up the tension. George Krstic's script is a winner: full of incident and building up the menace and the threat of the damaged and destructing Separatist cruiser as the episode progresses. Its an action/ adventure set within a race against time disaster movie, as Anakin and co. have to rescue Bolla, get the captured Holcron and Kiber crystal, capture or take out Cad Bane if they can and get off the exploding enemy vessel. And there's that great ending where everybody presumes Bane is dead. Think again. CARGO OF DOOM is pure STAR WARS, executed with style and visual flair by the much missed Rob Coleman. And on the humour front, how can we not make special mention of the fun little moment where Captain Rex bangs his head ala the Stormtrooper in EPISODE IV. Nice touch!

5. The Jedi Holocron/Kybur Crystal. They've been the stuff of legend in the Expanded Universe (with the Kybur Crystal having been at the very dawn of the printed STAR WARS world with 1978's Alan Dean Foster fun tale, SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE), and here we get a brief but intriguing look at how they operate, demonstrated in a mysterious and fascinating scene (with nice accompanying sound design) involving Anakin's forced opening of them. I imagine we'll see more of these devices, and what else they store, at further points in the continuing series.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Season Two, available in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray from November 15th.

"THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 4: "GRIEVOUS INTRIGUE"

Dark versus Light: the clash of lightsabers in GRIEVOUS INTRIGUE.

The DVD and Blu-ray release celebration countdown to my favourite Season Two episodes continues with GRIEVOUS INTRIGUE.

Here's my top five reasons as to why its on the list:

1. General Grievous. After a months Xmas break, the second season resumed with the kind of explosive start it needed and deserved, with the re-emergence of the vile and cowardly Cyborg bully, who has nothing on his mind but conquest and the destruction of the Jedi. And in this episode he has a veritable stable of its top members to fight against, starting off with an epic duel, alongside his nasty servant Magna Droids with Eeth Koth, who he captures and viciously tortures, followed by one of several early pre-EPISODE III face-offs against Obi-Wan, and then Adi Gallia. After his absence for over a year, Grievous's re-introduction, always carefully planed for by the series producers so that he doesn't get over-used, added more well deserved menace and action to the series. And, like the JAMES BOND villains of old, he just doesn't play to the rules of combat at all, giving him an unpredictable edge, ready to sacrifice his droids and anyone else, against his Jedi enemies that's fun to watch.

2. The lightsaber battles. The lightning fast opener between Grievous and Koth was terrific, as was the great Obi-Wan battle (I loved the sparring conversations they have: pure STAR WARS), and then that battle with Kenobi, Gallia and the Clone Troopers (I always like to see a force of our bucket head troops get stuck in for some brute force, hand to hand combat against the general. I think Nick Gillard, Stunt Co-ordinator on the Prequel films, would have been proud of some of the choreographed action on display here.

3. More Jedi. Great to see Koth (no longer dead from the Expanded Universe) and Gallia finally become realised in animation form and in action. Overall, it was one of the strengths of this season that we got to see a lot more of the other Temple Jedi, too (like the fun Tera Sinube, who gets a nice showcase in the enjoyable LIGHTSABER LOST). Too bad about the unused Sistine Chapel overhead shot, though (recently mentioned on the Blu-ray release by Dave Filoni-he's promised it will apprear one day!).

4. Anakin in action! Another chance to see our baddie to be in some fine heroics and daredevil piloting, it was a great scene where he uses his ship to board Grievous's upside down, followed by a cool duel against the Tactical Droid and its Battle Droid acolytes (as well as those rather deadly and very cool Commando Droids) in order to rescue the bridge held Koth.

5. Great staging. Taking a beat from the previous CARGO OF DOOM, the pace of the adventure story never flags in its plotting (nicely written by Ben Edlund) and execution, with some cool retro references to Classic STAR WARS thrown in (like the homage to EPISODE IV's opening boarding battle, but with Clone Troopers as the goodies!). GRIEVOUS INTRIGUE is extremely well edited and directed (the latter by series regular Giancarlo Volpe).

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Season Two - out in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray from November 15th.

"THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 5: "THE ZILLO BEAST STRIKES BACK"

Watch out Palpatine, the Zillo Beast is coming after you!

With next weeks release in the UK of the DVD and Blu-ray box sets of the complete Season Two of THE CLONE WARS, I thought it would be nice to do a mini-countdown celebration by listing, on a day to day basis, my top five personal favourite episodes of the season, and my top five personal reasons as to why I enjoyed them so much.

First off, it's number five: THE ZILLO BEAST STRIKES BACK!

1. The Zillo Beast. A marvellous design and beautifully realised creation, and its scenes of sympathy, nobility, anger (loved that look it gives Palpy!) and destructive strength are a fine homage to the GODZILLA and KING KONG films of yesteryear. Its a genuinely sad moment when the beast, trying to survive against the adversity its faced with, is finally felled.

2. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Ian Abercombie clearly relishes his voice acting skills as the evil Republic leader determined to mine the natural defensive strengths of the beast for his own personal intent (and another weapon to use against the Jedi-a story avenue perhaps to be explored in a later episode of the series?). Deliciously evil throughout, its a great finale scene where he cruelly and happily orders the cloning of the dead animal.

3. Yoda and Aayla Secura on top of the Zillo Beast! Considering he was a last minute inclusion to the episode its really cool to see old frog face leaping in, out and around the creature. And Aayla's pretty nimble, too!

4. Together Again! Its great to pretty much see all the film series core main cast re-united in one episode- a very rare opportunity indeed, and especially fun when its for a terrific episode (particularly nice to see Artoo and Threepio back as a duo, too!).

5. Coruscant battle damaged. The city planet's centre looks more devastated in this episode than it did from the huge space battle that takes place in the skyline/atmosphere above it in EPISODE III! Who doesn't love a monster on the rampage bit of carnage, especially when its a great showcase for the writers and animators to have a bit of spectacular fun with/for the audience.

THE CLONE WARS Season Two, out on DVD and Blu-ray from WARNER BROTHERS DVD on November 15th.