'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM!

Multi-saber murderer!

No longer the coward, the evil General Grievous decides to stand and fight, putting his unique and lethal lightsaber skills to bear against his ongoing enemy Obi-Wan Kenobi, whilst the environs of the sinkhole city of Utapau now resound to the fire of warfare with the newly arrived Clone Troopers. Another great moment for the cyborg villain in his final scenes during Episode III.

Obi-Wan proves a match for the Droid General.

"Since Dooku gets killed off early, I needed to have a villain besides the Emperor, who is the ultimate villain, the real key villain. I needed another person. A MacGuffin for the Jedi to go chasing around the universe. I also wanted to foreshadow what was going to happen to Anakin. So here we have an alien who's been put into a droid suit, he's a half-alien, half-droid. I wanted him to be quite a lot different from Darth Vader. Dooku was foreshadowing the idea that the Emperor would take a disgruntled Jedi and turn him into a Sith Lord. So with each film we kind of foretell a little of what is going to happen with Anakin. In this case, Grievous is that mechanism."

George Lucas - Empire magazine - June 2005

An Ode to Grievous | StarWars.com

A close-in shot of the malevolent alien/droid warlord.

A(N UNCIVILIZED) DIRECT HIT!

Though on the precipice of death, the ever resourceful Obi-Wan Kenobi finally manages to kill the notoriously evil cyborg General Grievous with some well placed blaster bolts, in the memorable Utapau duel from EPISODE III.

Gary Oldman Says He Was Once Cast As General Grievous In 'Star Wars'

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: MODEL WORLDS!

The intriguing underworld realms of the Utapau species is vividly brought to life in EPISODE III with this stunning model of the lower levels sinkhole city. Another example of the craft, care and striking realisation put into the film's often remarkable sequences by its dedicated ILM model and effects teams back during 2003-2005.

EPISODE III: SPOT THE KENOBI!

Amidst a hive of activity on the Australian FOX Studios floor below, Ewan McGregor continues having fun on the EPISODE III set, via his cave wall upper view. A great behind the scenes image linked to a brief deleted scene moment on Utapau post Order 66, from 2003.

CLASSIC IMAGE: READY FOR THE NEXT JEDI ENCOUNTER!

In one of the upper levels of Tipocca City on Utapau, General Grievous, surrounded by Battle Droids, relishes his next impending lightsaber duel against famed Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE OTHER PRUNE FACE!

The stately but also slightly sinister Bat-like figure of Utapauan leader Tion Medon, as personified by one of Australia's finest cult film actors - Bruce Spence, poses for a special wardrobe/publicity photo for EPISODE III during the Summer 2003 at FOX Studios, Australia.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MAKING PLANS!

The presence of General Grievous on Utapau has been confirmed, and now Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the aid of his current droid, make plans for the upcoming attack on the enemy stronghold located at the upper levels within Tipocca City. Another memorable image from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DROID PURSUIT!

In his wheel bike, General Grievous proves more slippery to catch than ever, as Obi-Wan, astride the noble Boga, pursues the droid general through the depths of curving Utapau's road system. Another memorable action moment from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC McQUARRIE: BEYOND THE SUNS...

Out on one of the the mountainscapes of Utapau (later Tatooine) a female version of Luke Starkiller uses her binoculars to look at an early version of Mos Eisley, whilst her droids wait nearby with the canopy Landspeeder. Classic Spring 1975 art conceived for The Star Wars by Ralph McQuarrie, presented in an acclaimed and very special 'evolution' limited edition poster, one of several examples previously sold at one of the Star Wars Celebration events of a few years back.

It's been on the internet a while now, but AFICIONADO loves the brilliant live-action creation of the many early Ralph McQuarrie paintings that would be prove so evocative and help sell the idea of George Lucas's film to 20th Century Fox's mostly puzzled and money frustrated executives back in the day.

The Star Wars - Concept Trailer: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AWgzNfzRCk&feature=youtu.be

CLASSIC IMAGES: FUTURE PLANS INITIATED...

Retreating hastily back to the Outer Rim world of Utapau, General Grievous discovers the next phase of Darth Sidious's cruel plans for the galaxy, and the future for a certain Jedi, in a scene from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC ART: THE FIGHTING CYBORG!

One of EPISODE III's finest moments, as Generals Kenobi and Grievous clash lightsabers on Utapau, rendered in great art for young novel readers by Tommy Lee Edwards, in a film tie-in title published just prior to III's 2005 release.

CLASSIC IMAGE: NO WILD BANTHA CHASE THIS TIME!

In a defiant lightsaber attack/defence gesture, the former "negotiator" Obi-Wan Kenobi makes his last stand against the evil Cyborg General Grievous, as the villain's lair is finally revealed on the sinkhole world of Utapau, during the middle sequences of EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE TRUTH BEHIND UTAPAU'S "TENTH LEVEL"

Newly arrived on Utapau (his second visit there, if you timeline include THE CLONE WARS The Lost Missions animatic adventure), Obi-Wan Kenobi is discreetly informed by new Prime Minister Tion Medon (Bruce Spence) of General Grievous and his droid battalions unwelcome presence on the planet, in this memorable scene from EPISODE III.

A similar close-in shot of Medon subtly bearing his teeth would appear in an early trailer for the film but didn't make the final cut.

CLASSIC ART: WHEEL TERROR!

As the massive ground battle between Republic and Separatists kicks off within the sinkhole capital city on Utapau, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on his trusty lizard steed Boga, stands his ground against the cowardly General Grievous, now firmly entrenched in his formidable looking wheel-like escape vehicle, in this great conceptual art for EPISODE III from Ryan Church.

THE 'SITH' AT TEN: SINKHOLE CITIZENS

Two of the mysterious bat-like looking digniataries of the Utapaun system, colleagues to Tion Medon, pose for the publicity cameras, in this behind the scenes image for EPISODE III.

THE 'SITH' AT 10: CLOSE-QUARTER CLONES

Making the most of their surprise attack against Grievous's forces on Utapau, Commander Cody and his bold Clone Troopers press on with their advantage, in this visually memorable sequence from EPISODE III.

'THE CLONE WARS LEGACY' ARRIVES ON STARWARS.COM

Before the debut of the all-new REBELS next week, and in a welcome gesture to the devoted worldwide fanbase previously established for the milestone animated series that was George Lucas's THE CLONE WARS, stopped far too short of its planed eight-year run, LUCASFILM have released onto their official STARWARS.COM site the storyreel animatics for a never before seen four-part adventure from Season Six/Seven - Crystal Crisis on Utapau, set after the departure of Ahsoka Tano and before the events of EPISODE III (featuring a petulant but heroic Anakin Skywalker once more paired with Obi-Wan Kenobi), alongside an introduction from Producer/Animation Director Dave Filoni, plus a look at THE CLONE WARS present and future in book and comic book form, and previously unseen concept art.

The Clone Wars Legacy | StarWars.com

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Legacy - YouTube

Hopefully it won't be too long now before UK and European viewers also, finally, get news on a LOST MISSIONS Blu-ray/DVD release date from DISNEY. And as to what we could see next from the series? Well, what about that Cad Bane/Boba Fett arc? And, if Season Seven and Eight were voice recorded with the cast (Season Six was apparently written as far back as 2011/2012), why not adapt them into audio dramas?

CLASSIC ART: UPWARDLY MOBILE!

Within the sink hole world of Utapau, Jedi Knight General Obi-Wan Kenobi, atop his faithful lizard charge Boga, leads his Clone Troopers into fearless battle against the planet's final Separatist remnants, in this stunning conceptual art for EPISODE III from Erik Tiemens.

CLASSIC IMAGE: KINGDOM OF THE CYBORG!

Flanked by a Magna Droid, the cruel veneer of cyborg-created General Grievous surveys his new surroundings, within the sinkhole city of Utapau, for this early scene from REVENGE OF THE SITH.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A BATTLE TO WIN!

Commander Cody returns Obi-Wan's previously misplaced lightsaber to the Jedi, astride his faithful Boga creature, as they begin their final push against the Separatist forces entrenched within the sinkhole city of Utapau. But, within a few short minutes, the true fall of the Republic begins instead, as ORDER 66 is initiated...