Clone Wars – “The Zillo Beast”

Choose what is right, not what is easy.

This episode takes place on Malastare. It is meant as an interpretation of the Godzilla story. The Republic can’t afford to lose Malastare to the Separatists because the planet core contains a lot of fuel necessary for operating their warships. They develop an electron-proton bomb that will only harm the Separatist droids and vehicles, not clones or organic creatures.

The bomb sends out a huge wave and in the process, creates a large crater. Some Republic tanks fell into a crater, so a rescue party is send after them. When the rescue party doesn’t return, Mace and a group of clones are sent down to investigate. When they arrive down there, a clone trooper warns them that it’s not safe (the Republic seems to keep ending up in dark, dangerous holes.)

Above ground, the Malastare council members are gathering to sign a treaty so the Republic can use their resources. Meanwhile, Mace and the clones discover they are walking on the back of a large creature. Anakin flies in to distract it while they escape, but his ship is damaged when the creature strikes it. He crash-lands into the side of the crater and artoo flies him out of immediate danger. Although Anakin makes an attempt to slice through the creature with his lightsaber, his blow is ineffective because its scales are impenetrable.  Anakin runs up its back and jumps on artoo who carries him to the surface.

The Dugs, inhabitants of Malastare who are the same species as Sebulba, tell the Republic leaders that the creature is a legendary beast known as the Zillo Beast. It used to kill their ancestors, until they began harvesting fuel from the planet, but it had always been said that one survived.

A debate begins between the Dugs and the Republic over whether the Zillo Beast is a unique life form or a dangerous bloodthirsty monster. The Dugs refuse to sign the treaty unless the Republic helps them destroy the Zillo Beast because they released it. Anakin points out that the Dugs told them it was ok to drop the bomb. The Dug leader retorts that it was all for the benefit of the new Republic anyway. Although Mace is committed to the preservation of the Zillo Beast, Anakin questions whether one creature is worth losing the resources they need.

In a conference with Palpatine over hologram, Mace Windu says that he wants to bring the Zillo Beast to the outer rim, but Palpatine says that it must be destroyed because they can’t alienate the Dugs. Then, the scientist who built the bomb suggests that they study it because it impenetrable scales. Anakin suggests that they pretend to kill it so they can get the treaty signed and save the beast. Palpatine of course adores this idea.

The Jedi and clones drive their tanks to the crater to assist the dugs in “killing the beast.” The Dugs pour fuel into the crater but this only makes the beast angry and causes it to leave the crater. Mace threatens the leader of the Dugs, telling him that shooting it as it climbs up the wall will only make it angrier when it escapes. Then, Mace pulls out his lightsaber and demands that they stop, but the Dug leader retorts, “We are innocent life forms, too. Are we not?” Before Mace can wrestle with his conscience, the beast emerges from the crater.

The clones fire stun rays from the tanks, but the Zillo beast begins to pick up the tanks one by one and toss them away. The stun rays appear to be not working, but suddenly the creature wobbles and falls down.  Believing the ZIllo Beast is dead, the Dugs sign the treaty. In a sudden [stupid] move, Palpatine says that the Zillo Beast will be taken to Coruscant. Mace ominously predicts that it will lead to destruction.

I’m excited to see how much of Coruscant this beast destroys. Other than getting me excited for the followup episode, this is episode was pretty middle of the road. We saw the Jedi come into conflict with the native of inhabitants of  planet and instead of repecting their wishes because they would result in killing, they opt to lie and deceive them (which I kind of hope comes back to bite them in the ass when the Zillo Beast rampages in Coruscant). So, it’s deception vs. murder. This episode could be expanded into a much larger dialogue but it wasn’t. Overall, i give it a 3.5/5. But, hopefully the next episode will garner a 4 or even 5. :)