#105 Season 5 Episode 17

“Sometimes even the smallest doubt can shake the greatest belief.”

Anakin and Ahsoka investigate a deadly bombing at the Jedi Temple.

Public opinion has soured on the Jedi Order as the Clone Wars continue at such a grave cost to the Republic. A shocking act of terrorism against the Jedi Temple proves how fragile the image of the Jedi as benevolent protectors has become.

Sabotage Commentary, Preview, Bonus clip and starwars.com Episode Guide. Ahsoka arc trailer.

Original Airdate: 9 February 2013

Writer: Charles Murray

Director: Brian Kalin O’Connell

Concept Art and Trivia

The four episodes of this arc are all named after Alfred Hitchcock films: Sabotage (1936), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), To Catch a Thief (1955), and The Wrong Man (1955).

Cin Drallig is a character from Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. He is seen in the hologram of Anakin’s attack on the Jedi Temple. There, he was played by stunt coordinator and sword master Nick Gillard.

“I’m afraid one can become the other,” says Anakin, referring to past political idealists who have betrayed the Jedi, including Count Dooku and General Krell from Season Four. It’s ironic, given his future.

Russo-ISC’s speech pattern, name, and habit of flipping his visor to punctuate his speech are all nods to David Caruso’s role in CSI Miami.

Seen briefly aboard the gunship in the first arc are 501st jetpack troopers with Captain Rex. These are the latest incarnation of a type of trooper seen in the feature film accompanying Anakin Skywalker in attacking an Octuptarra droid on Christophsis. Illustration by Dave Filoni and Kilian Plunkett.

The gunship that carries Rex on Cato Neimoidia is the Lucky Lekku, the one seen since the very start of the series. It has amassed quite the impressive number of kills on its nose. Illustration by Pat Presley.

In addition to an image of a crossed-out clone trooper, the Temple protestor signs say “The Jedi are corrupt,” and “Stop cloning violence.” Illustrations by Andre Kirk.

When ensnaring Letta with her own words, Anakin points out that no one said to her that Jackar was dead…and he’s right. What Ahsoka said was, “Someone made Jackar the bomb.” Unless you were tipped off that the nano-droids were in Jackar’s bloodstream, that phrase would ordinarily mean that someone created a bomb for Jackar.

This is the first episode to debut the Episode III-style Jedi starfighter. Sure enough, Anakin manages to get his fighter destroyed in its first appearance.