Season 3 Episode 2

“Fighting a war tests a soldier’s skills, defending his home tests a soldier’s heart.”

The Republic learns of an impending Separatist attack on Kamino, and Anakin and Obi-Wan hurry to the planet. After the Republic repulses the Separatists’ diversionary assault, the real attack begins. Asajj Ventress, General Grievous and an army of droids rise out of the oceans, bent on destroying Kamino’s clone production facilities. Rex, Cody, Fives and Echo lead the clones in a desperate defense of their home planet.

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Concept art and trivia

This episode is a sequel to “Rookies,” a popular Season One episode that depicts Domino Squad stationed at Rishi Base. At one point, the action was to have flowed directly from the events of “Rookies,” but it was instead moved later down the timeline to give troopers Echo and Fives more experience prior to their promotion to ARC troopers.

Asajj Ventress’s squid-like Trident ship makes a return appearance. It first debuted in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated feature, where it was shown capturing Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge in order to kidnap Rotta the Hutt. It was again briefly glimpsed in the Season One episode, “The Hidden Enemy.”

Fives and Echo have decals on their armor commemorating Hevy’s sacrifice on the Rishi Moon. It is an illustration of a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon with the words “FOR HEVY” written in Aurebesh.

Clone pilot Broadside was last seen in the Season One episode “Shadow of Malevolence”.

This episode depicts the first time General Grievous has met Asajj Ventress face-to-face.

The design of the aiwhas — or flying whales — dates back to the production of The Empire Strikes Back. Concept illustrator Ralph McQuarrie first drew flying whale-like creatures to inhabit the clouds of Bespin. Abandoned for Episode V, they were sketched as possible creatures in Return of the Jedi and then as a concept mount for the Gungans of Naboo in Episode I. They were finally shown on screen as creatures found in Kamino’s oceans in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones in 2002.

Though not directly seen on screen, General Grievous arrives on the surface amid the debris dropped from the orbiting Separatist cruisers.

The series once again ensures that Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous do not cross paths. As explained in dialog in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, they do not meet until after the death of Count Dooku.

The design of the aqua droids allows for their feet to collapse and function as propellers.