15-R
Hasbro- Animated Clone Wars: General Grievous.
Approx Release date: 2005
Current Price and Availability: $47.00
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Hasbro-Star-...4AAOSwtSFc3H8y
This might be a unpopular opinion to some, but I feel that the 2003 Genndy Tartakovsky Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon series was the best “non-movie” media released to date and is in many ways superior to the longer running series that shares its name. Granted it’s like two very different things and essentially comparing apples to oranges, but I digress; I think it is highly underrated and should be given a new life, in the similar format, for other Star Wars eras. That said, it’s not like Disney to take any bold chances anymore, but how great would a Rogue One cartoon be in this style?
Now it’s been a while since I have seen the whole series, but if I remember correctly the writers gave a really cool set up as to why Grievous was dealing with breathing issues throughout EP3. Basically the last episode happened right before EP3 started in-where Grievous kidnaps Palpatine (ordered by Dooku, under Palpatine's orders… so many layers) and is almost stopped by the Jedi who are trying to protect the Chancellor. In this fight, just as Grievous jumped on his ship, Mace Windu (I think) uses the force to crush Grievous’s heart area, thereby turning him into the asthmatic we know and love from The Revenge of the Sith. I don’t know about you, but I loved this explanation as I never really understood why Grievous was portrayed like that. In truth it was probably just a dumb offhand decision by Lucas thinking it would be funny if he sounded like a villain from some 50’s movie. Unfortunately for people like me who like this series and given that the other Clone Wars series had a rather incredible run, it’s safe to say that the 2003 series is not considered cannon to the Start Wars universe.
Pros: Overall the figure is very imposing looking in sheer size as compared to the other Clone Wars characters. I love the rather clean look of Grievous what with a sleek sculpt and brite white armor and looks great with his stolen lightsaber collection.
Cons: While there are some points of articulation, he’s basically a statue. Not that a figure of this shape and size would do well articulation of any kind as it would be either a) a floppy mess or b) ruin the aesthetics of the sculpt, but it IS a toy and this is not McFarlane toys from the 90’s. In any case I love it and could be my favorite of that entire Clone Wars line.
