Did you know that:
- Kit Fisto speaks in an unaccented and suave tone?
- Count Dooku is not as geriatric with a lightsaber as Christopher Lee?
- Ithorian Jedi are pretty damn cool?
- Mace Windu is one bad mutha?
Neither did I, until I saw the beginning of the third season of the Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon. A stylish animated series created by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator and director of Samurai Jack, the Clone Wars cartoons have been the only Star Wars material worth consuming during the lull between Attack of the Clones and the upcoming Revenge of the Sith.1
Within just the first episode of the Clone Wars cartoon's final season, we are subjected to more momentous pre-Episode III developments than have so far transpired in similar comic and novel offerings set in the period before the collapse of the Republic and the rise of the Empire.
This final season's combat scenes are surprisingly intense and original. In fact, Chapter 23 features a stunning a battle for Coruscant that manages to channel more badass jedi mojo through Mace Windu than any other Star Wars creation to date. And don't even get me started on the latter scenes involving General Grievous…
Tartakovsky's animated rendition of Star Wars is sheer genius—if you don't believe me then just have a look at the Cave Painting scene in Chapter 24. Yet, perhaps Tartakovsky most important feat of all has been his ability to impress George Lucas enough to allow the Star Wars creator to reveal several important pre-Episode III plot points via Clone Wars. I'm not going to spill any spoilers, but Clone Wars seems to be required viewing for any fan who wants to know exactly what's happening before Episode III kicks off.
1 Though it is not a feat as impressive as some of this cartoon series' other accomplishments, Clone Wars also happens to be notable as the first Star Wars cartoon to not stink worse than a steaming heap of bantha crap.
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