In an effort to make a deal to build a Republic base on the planet of Toydaria, Yoda plans to meet with its leader, King Katuunko on the isolated planet of Rugosa. But the Jedi Master and his clone troopers are ambushed on the way to the meeting by Asajj Ventress and her droids, crash landing far from the meeting place. Trying to win favor with Katuunko on behalf of Count Dooku, Ventress suggests a contest to show the relative worth of the Separatists droids versus the Republic. If her superior numbers can succeed in capturing Yoda, Toydaria will side with the Separatists. Yoda agrees to the challenge and sets out for the meeting with only three clone troopers to aid him.
written by Steven Melching
directed by Dave Bullock
music by Kevin Kiner / original Star Wars themes by John WilliamsCast: Tom Kane (Yoda / Narrator), Dee Bradley Baker (Lt. Thire / Jek / Rys), Brian George (King Katuunko), Corey Burton (Count Dooku), Nika Futterman (Asajj Ventress), Matthew Wood (OOM-224, Battle Droids)
LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey
Notes: This is the first episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It is also the episode that was used for press and fan previews. It is production number 8.
Each episode starts off with a “Jedi Fortune Cookie” in the same font and style as “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” that opens each Star Wars movie. The fortune cookie for this episode is “Great leaders inspire greatness in others.”
Clone trooper Lt. Thire is seen in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, where he is instructed to search the Jedi temple for Yoda following the Jedi’s battle with Darth Sidious.
The Toydarians are the species of Watto, Anakin Skywalker’s last owner on Tatooine.
Yoda’s explanation that the Force can be found even in the clones echoes sentiments stated by Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and by Yoda himself in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. But the notion that beings who are not “Force sensitive” can use the Force, as Yoda implies when he says “use it you can, to quiet your mind”, has not been depicted before.
Director Dave Bullock has previously worked on such shows as Justice League, Teen Titans, Kim Possible and Batman Beyond. He previously directed episodes of The Spectacular Spider-Man and the straight-to-video film Justice League: The New Frontier.
With the start of the series proper, Corey Burton returns to the role of Count Dooku, a part he performed in the previous Clone Wars series, as well as in several Star Wars video games.
Brian George’s previous Star Wars experience consists of supplying “additional voices” for the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. His other work includes many appearances in film (Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery) and television (Doctor Doctor, Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) and a great deal of voice work, including shows such as The Real Ghostbusters, Batman: The Animated Series, Kim Possible and Avatar: The Last Airbender.