Yoda Throws Down on Cartoon Network

Jedi Master Yoda and three clone troopers must face off against Count Dooku’s dreaded assassin Asajj Ventress and her massive droid army to prove the Jedi are strong enough to protect a strategic planet and forge a treaty for the Republic.  It all happens in “Ambush,” the first episode of the brand-new, CG-animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

“I wanted to bring back some of the impish fun of Yoda from Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back) and instill it into the Clone Wars era as he is leading these three clones in a desperate situation,” says writer Steve Melching. “Yoda became a very serious character in Episodes I, II and III, and I thought this was a great opportunity to show his clever, fun side as well as his inspirational and warrior side.”

While Melching crafted the words, David Bullock and supervising director Dave Filoni focused on elevating Yoda’s action – and ensuring that his diminutive scale alongside the other characters didn’t interfere with his intense battle scenes. Bullock offered kudos to fellow director Rob Coleman, who offered tips on keeping Yoda consistent with his legacy. Coleman served as an animation director on Star Wars Episodes I, II and III, and was responsible for Yoda’s famous lightsaber duel with Count Dooku.

“When I was storyboarding Yoda’s big fight scene in ‘Ambush,’ Rob (Coleman) told me that George (Lucas) liked to flip a switch so that Yoda would go from very reserved to ‘springy,’” Bullock says. “Overall, the episode is a good mix of the impish Yoda of The Empire Strikes Back, some serious, reflective moments, and Rob’s ‘ninja Yoda’ for the action bits.  And Yoda kicks some serious butt in this episode.”

Star Wars: the Clone Wars premieres Friday, October 3 at 9:00 on Cartoon Network.

Photo: Cartoon Network