'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: "ORDER 66"

The murder of the Jedi across the galaxy begins as Ki-Adi Mundi falls to his troops on Mygeeto.

With Anakin Skywalker gone and Darth Vader now crowned in his place by the manipulative Darth Sidious, of which the young former hero will soon be unleashed in all his terrifying power against the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the evil Dark Lord master is now ready to send the Order 66 signal across the galaxy that will see the Clone Troopers, after years of pre-planning, finally turn against their Jedi Commanders and murder them across a thousand worlds and beyond. 

The Dark Times of the Sith and the Galactic Empire have begun...

One of the key sequences that Star Wars fans had been anticipating that would be effectively revealed in Episode III, hauntingly bolstered by superb music from John Williams, and featuring pre-viz ideas/contributions from Steven Spielberg, encouraged to provide ideas for the then final film of the saga by his friend George, for both Order 66 and the finale duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar.

Darth Sidious activates Order 66 to the Clone Troopers across the galaxy.

"To be very honest, that scene (Order 66) was about twice as long as it is now. There were a lot more Jedi killed in a lot more ways, but it kind of went on and on. So we finally cut it down to what we thought was the minimum we could get away with and still get a sense that there are thousands of Jedi around the galaxy."

George Lucas - Empire magazine - July 2005

The bold Aayla Secura is cornered and brutally executed on the alien world of Felucia.

Darth Vader leads his elite troops into the Jedi Temple and continue the surprise massacre.

Shaak Ti's (Orli Shoshan) original death scene would instead be re-filmed and editorially moved to the Order 66 sequence, where she would be slain from behind by Anakin/Darth Vader instead of Grievous. sadly, this scene too would end up being deleted.

Vader soon slaughters a group of innocent younglings hiding in the Temple.

As the Jedi drop like flies across the galaxy, Yoda is disturbed in the Force whilst on Kashyyyk.

Fire and explosions rock the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Padme and Threepio are shocked and disturbed by what they see in the distance.

On patrol, Stass Allie (Nina Fallon) is murdered by her speeder bike colleagues on Saleucami.

Plo Koon is taken out by his wingmen above one of the bridge cities of Cato Neimoidia.

Yoda is soon in the Clone blaster crosshairs but escapes the carnage, with help from the Wookiees.

'HAPPY HALLOWEEN!' (2023)

Han Solo and his ever-loyal first mate Chewbacca have gotten themselves in and out of a lot hairy and dangerous scrapes over the years, but none so macabre and horrific than their encounter with the zombie-fied Empire cohorts infected with Blackwing virus, from the acclaimed Death Troopers horror story written by Joe Shreiber.

Great art linked to the tale used to promote the then popular Star Wars Galaxies interactive video game series, which also got to incorporate a lone Jedi into the gory action via the shapely form of Aayla Secura.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO wishes its worldwide readers a very memorable 'HAPPY HALLOWEEN!'

'ATTACK' AT 20: THE JEDI INTERVENTION!

The Jedi arrive in the arena to face the army of lethal Battle Droids, in this lovely art.

It's not just Mace Windu who has arrived in the nick of time to aid our captured trio of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme within the Geonosian death arena. So too are a force of between 100-200 fellow Jedi (including lots of soon fan favourites), bravely going into conflict against overwhelming numbers of newly created Separatist Battle Droids...

The Jedi assemble. Conceptual art by Ryan Church.

The Jedi arrive and decloak in unused footage from 2000.

More deleted Jedi footage likely linked to their arrival in the arena.

This impressive (if at times unevenly structured) action sequence was culled together from all kinds of blue screen shot footage at Fox Studios, Australia and ILM during 2000-2002. Known and background Jedi used in a deleted sequence linked to the failed deactivation of the battle droids would instead literally be transplanted into various arena battle sequence moments as the conflict between Jedi and droids evolved under George Lucas's supervision. Some human Jedi actors would be completely replaced with CGI alien creations instead, or have CGI additions/alterations made to their visages.

Another of Ryan Church's action-packed concept art pieces for the epic arena battle.

Shaak Ti (model Orli Shoshan) and Luminara Unduli (Mary Oyaya) activate their blades.

Barriss Offee (Nalini Krishan) and Agen Kolar (Tux Akindoyeni).

Pablo-Jill (named after ILM veterans Pablo Hidalgo and Jill Brooks) with Kit Fisto (Ben Cooke)

Plo Koon (Matt Sloan) and Ki-Adi Munday (Silas Carson). The characters were added to this shot from ultimately unused footage of a droid control ship raid.

Bultar Swan (Mimi Daraphet) and colleague.

The Super Battle Droids take on the Jedi.

A unique member of the Battle Droid fraction joins the fray!

"Die, Jedi dogs!" A confused Threepio is caught in battle!

Ever smiling fan favourite Kit Fisto (stunt man Ben Cooke) brings aid to Threepio's difficult position on the battlefront.

Posed publicity image of Jedi Aayla Secura (Amy Allen), the character already a fan favourite Dark Horse comic creation liked by Lucas, who would be added to the film in various Jedi-related places during post production by ILM.

One of the more alien-looking Jedi who will later challenge Count Dooku, but be sadly killed by the blaster skills of Jango Fett.

The majority of the unarmed insects fly away in their panicked droves.

The battle is fierce as the enemy grows stronger and surrounding...

Meanwhile, in the midst of chaos, Threepio is reunited with his bodily self thanks to Artoo.

The scene as captured in studio, likely in reshoots at Ealing Studios, London - 2002.

Doug Chiang's design for the next evolution of Battle Droid - the Super Battle Droid!

BEHIND THE SCENES: A GREEN SCREEN DEMISE!

At ILM, actress Amy Allen prepares to film Aayla Secura's Order 66 death scene against green screen, with Star Wars creator George Lucas on hand to help fill in the visual clues to the Felucia background that will be added on behind her by the time of EPISODE III's 2005 release.

CLASSIC ART: A FORCE-FUL SHOWCASE!

Our legendary heroes of the Old Republic's Jedi Order converge on the mighty landmarks belonging to the Rising Sun, as STAR WARS celebrated a thirtieth anniversary year for the Japanese territory, and a one-off 2008 special Celebration convention of which Mark Hamill was a guest of honour. Art by Randy Martinez.

The saga also celebrates its Fortieth Anniversary in Japan this week, so a big shout-out and celebratory nod to the fans of that country, especially those who originally saw the breakout film back in 1978.

CLASSIC IMAGE: GALACTIC SLAUGHTER!

The Separatist enemy is approaching their position in one of the vast jungle scapes of Felucia, but the true 'enemy' is actually behind Jedi Knight Aayla Secura, as her once loyal Clone Troopers, whom she'd fought alongside for years in a supposed battle for peace, suddenly turn and murder her in a hail of blaster fire. A shocking but not unexpected moment from Revenge of the Sith.

The ominous, almost religious toned and apocalyptic Battle of the Heroes theme for the finale lightsaber battle between Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi, set on the fiery climes of Mustafar, is regarded by fans as the finest track of the John Williams composed and conducted 2005 released soundtrack for EPISODE III. But Anakin's Betrayal, featuring the stabbed-in-the-back slaying of the Jedi heroes across the galaxy as part of the Emperor's Order 66, must also surely be of consideration as one of the great tracks of the entire Prequel Trilogy, loaded with sadness and grim inevitability as the Clone Trooper slayers begin their work, heightened once more by the established class of the London Symphony Orchestra.

Relive this entire skillfully operatic score of tragedy but eventual hope for the future in remastered format, as Revenge of the Sith, alongside the other Prequels and the entire Classic Trilogy, get welcome re-releases from Walt Disney Records, available in stores/online at nice prices, and each containing a collectible mini-poster.

Get it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Revenge-John-Williams/dp/B07BFB2SR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529165508&sr=8-1&keywords=revenge+of+the+sith+cd

CLASSIC ART: UNDERWORLD DWELLERS!

Nothing can be more representative so far in showcasing the shades of grey realms prevalent within the original six-film STAR WARS saga (and its animated spin-offs) created by George Lucas than the diverse range of formidable and iconic bounty hunters that have pursed their prey, and their payments, across the galaxy-personified at the top of the rotting tree by the iconic and seemingly invincible Boba Fett, as seen in this great limited edition ACME ARCHIVES/Sideshow Collectibles art print from a few years back.

The recent addition of talented Game of Thrones creative geniuses and showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to the STAR WARS universe for another set of all-new films, beyond those being developed by Rian Johnson, is a further bold and shrewd instinctual move from Kathleen Kennedy. Their love of dark side, shades of grey, morally bankrupt heroes and villains, as seen in their super translation of the George R. R. Martin books for HBO, makes them perfect custodians of what is rumoured to be an updated and even bigger version of what was once George Lucas's original TV plan for an 'Underworld'/opposite side of the fence view of the saga. Indeed, it had long been unconfirmed industry gossip that Benioff and Weiss (separately or together) were two of the original US line-up of writers (that also officially included modern GALACTICA scribe Ronald D. Moore) to have worked on that aborted series' completed, hugely ambitious scripts, to have been produced by Lucas with Rick McCallum. If that is indeed the case, the duo's journey (or return journey) to the Lucasfilm fold is more noteworthy than ever...

Five reasons why the duo are perfect for the new STAR WARS era: 
http://ew.com/tv/2018/02/06/game-of-thrones-star-wars/

Official statement:
http://www.starwars.com/news/game-of-thrones-creators-david-benioff-and-d-b-weiss-to-write-and-produce-a-new-series-of-star-wars-films

And no sooner were they officially aboard then the duo were sadly departed:
‘Star Wars’: Inside David Benioff, D.B. Weiss’ Exits – Variety

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

Jedi Knight Aayla Secura looks on in shock as her Clone Troopers turn their weapons against her in the final stages of The Clone Wars on the strange jungle world of Felucia. Though we all knew it was coming by the third film, ORDER 66 was nonetheless a shocking sequence and certainly one of the stand out scenes of REVENGE OF THE SITH, partially conceived with input from Steven Spielberg, accompanied by a superb and moving theme by John Williams.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

"THE CLONE WARS" COMING SOON: QUINLAN VOS

Created by writer John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema, Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, the EPISODE I inspired Expanded Universe CLONE WARS comic favourite (later mentioned by name in EPISODE III by Obi-Wan Kenobi, though his on screen death during ORDER 66 was animaticed but never filmed (it fortunately exists in vosual form in the DARK HORSE 2005 comic adaptation)), is a Jedi who walks a dangerous path between the light and dark sides of the Force in his missions, and was once partnered to Aayla Secrura (who mentions him, but not by name, in THE CLONE WARS first season episode JEDI CRASH), and he'll soon be making his much anticipated first animated appearance in the hit show (presumably this third season- as they're using him on series promotional material currently (as seen in the above image). Intriguingly, Vos was to have appeared in the first season episode BOMBAD JEDI, alongside Jar Jar Binks, but he was dropped as the production team didn't have the budget to create additional new characters in the shows opening year). I think we can also assume that wherever Vos is in this new tale, Secura will be involved, too (who knows, perhaps she even gets a solo episode linked to his!).

More news on Vos and his episode (could it be linked to his Dathomir/ Witch Sisters upcoming plotline?) as and when we get it...

UPDATE - 1/11/10. Vos will be seen in Episode Nine of SEASON THREE - THE HUNT FOR ZIRO - alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi.