With last week’s episode setting the bar for The Clone Wars. The dialogue here seems ripped from every corner of Palpatine’s movie dialogue and I couldn’t love it more.

This is going to be an interesting series of episodes and I love the places they’re going.

The pervasive feeling from the entire last episode and from this clip of this one is that unsettling feeling of the Domain of Evil scenes from The Empire Strikes Back. Let’s see if they can knock this one out of the park, too.

From the press release:

Before the Jedi can leave Mortis, Ahsoka Tano is taken captive in an attempt to entice Anakin Skywalker to join the dark side. Meanwhile, the mysterious Father tries to prevent a disastrous showdown between his children which would upset the increasingly precarious balance of the Force. Two potential destinies become clear in “Altar of Mortis,” the second chapter of a three-part Clone Wars storyline – airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 4 on Cartoon Network.

No stranger to the Star Wars universe, Sam Witwer has previously given his likeness and his voice to Darth Vader’s secret apprentice in LucasArts’ Star Wars: The Force Unleashed videogame series. Witwer returns to “a galaxy far, far away” to portray the Force-powered Son in The Clone Wars – and while his Starkiller embarked upon a journey of redemption, Witwer is finally able to give himself fully to the dark side.

“The character of the Son has very similar motivations [to the Emperor],” says Witwer, “You have the Son, who’s the dark side of the Force, you have the Daughter, who’s the good side of the Force, and then you have the unifying Father, who’s the balance between the two. The Son believes that the balance is skewed and that he should have more influence – and if he could have more influence, the galaxy could be a better place. For that reason it is chiefly important for him to get his hands on Anakin and influence him as fast as he can. My character, the Son, absolutely targets Anakin.”

Currently starring as vampire Aidan in Syfy’s Being Human, Witwer enthusiastically embraces his place as a burgeoning icon of genre entertainment. But despite being so entrenched in the darker, adult aspects of supernatural mythologies, his heart remains far, far away.

“Clone Wars is continuing to push the limits of what’s possible in Star Wars,” he says. “It is the best kids show ever made. Ever. I take it very seriously. What I love about this Mortis story is that it is all of the Star Wars movies wrapped up into three Clone Wars episodes, and completely mythological. It’s going to be something that’s really exciting.”

Have you ever wanted to drive around like a Dalek? Well now you can! That is… your children can. In this electronic “Ride-In” Dalek. This toy stands at 128 cm tall and is powered by a 6v battery. It features 10 different Dalek sounds and phrases, along with being able to steer it in a full 360 degrees. I wish they made these in grown up sizes! It might still be worth it to get one and squeeze into it. Zappies, a distributor in the UK, will be the exclusive distributors for this awesome toy which is available here.

StarWars.Com released sometime today this new clip from the fifteenth episode of season three. I really couldn’t contain myself watching this clip.

It’s from the episode airing on Friday and is the beginning of the “Mortis” trilogy. It also features the appearance of Qui-Gon Jinn on the series. We reported about that earlier in the week.

This clip raises so many unanswered questions, but most of all, what is this being that is beyond a Jedi and Sith and can touch a lightsaber with his bare hands? And what does this purport to tell us about the path of The Chosen One?

We’ll see on Friday night when this new episode airs and hopefully we’ll have another taste from Lucasfilm in a day or two. But what can the revelations of these episodes tell us about the nature of the Force? And will it jive with the Expanded Universe? Should we even care?

It’s really cool to see clips like this one.  This is a very stark contrast between Luke’s training and the training a Sith would undergo at this stage. And there are lots of implications about Yoda’s training style versus his apprentice, Dooku’s. I’m kind of nerdgasm’ing here….

I’m really impressed with this arc so far and can’t wait to see it finished.

From their press release:

Sent to track down the mysterious figure behind the deaths of several Jedi, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi find themselves on the trail of Count Dooku’s newest apprentice – the monstrous Savage Opress. However, Dooku and Asajj Ventress discover that their creation has a will of his own, and that he has grown more powerful than either of them had anticipated – perhaps even more powerful than the combined forces of the Jedi and the Sith. The end begins in “Witches of the Mist,” the final chapter of a thrilling, three-part Clone Wars arc – airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, January 21 on Cartoon Network.

Driven by the Machiavellian machinations of Count Dooku, the series’ various villains come face to face at last in a climactic clash of red sabers. Dooku, Opress and Ventress – all are manifestations of evil, yet each is so distinct. It’s not until these three titans are brought together in the heat of conflict, however, that their nuances and differences become truly clear.

“With Dooku, the series’ direction is pushing his character more towards that of a masterful diplomat, concealing a sinister agenda beneath a veil of polite sophistication,” says Corey Burton, voice of Dooku – and countless other Clone Wars characters, both good and evil. “He’s a subversive political overlord – a major marketing force and seducer for the dark side ‘brand.’ It’s all about his personal enrichment, power and position within the hierarchy; there’s nothing intentionally cruel or vengeful in his manner, or behind his dastardly actions – as a Sith Lord, it’s just how things are done to most efficiently preside over the fate of the galaxy. Mustache-twirling displays are beneath his sense of dignity.”

While Dooku is as consumed by his quest for power as he is by his own sense of sophistication, Ventress is wholly unconcerned by the niceties of evil. Driven by a desire for revenge, her motivation is raw and real – a product and a reflection of her own difficult past.

“She’s been wronged by so many, and I believe her experiences will lead her in an even more powerful direction,” says Nika Futterman, voice of Ventress. “We are finally beginning to understand what makes Asajj tick; I think this is her quest for revenge and not power like the Sith. That’s what separates her. She does things that may seem like her quest for power, but, I think she aligned herself with the dark side as a means to an end. She doesn’t ever forget who has done right by her and, of course, who has done her wrong. All this time, I had hoped that I would be able to delve into what made her so fabulous and complex. It turns out my hopes are coming true!”

Serving as a foil for the final confrontation between the former master and his jilted apprentice is the massively powerful Opress. Ostensibly a blunt instrument of evil, the monstrous creation is nonetheless imbued with a perverse humanity of his own – brought to the surface by sharp writing and a soulful performance by screen legend Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption).

“I’d been a fan of The Clone Wars since the first season; and then caught up with the second season with my son,” says Brown. “He was excited because it was Star Wars and I was excited about the role not just because it was in the Star Wars universe but because the writing is so sophisticated. There was never any question from me about Savage’s motives and what was going on because I was familiar with the characters, and you can go another layer deeper.”

Here at Big Shiny Robot we are very excited about the upcoming Game of Thrones. Well we have news for you, along with a brand new teaser trailer which looks really good, the official date of the first episode on HBO has been announced for Sunday, April, 17th 2011. Just three months away until we’re able to see this series come to life.

“>Teaser Trailer

The scene here explains quite a lot of Darth Maul’s origin (if it’s to be believed) and should send Expanded Universe nerds into fits.  Not that I know much at all of Darth Maul’s origin as told in the EU (nothing in fact) but I know a bit about Zabrak’s and Dathomir…

The last episode was great.  This one looks better.  The third might blow my mind.

Here’s Katie Lucas’ piece from the press release:

Count Dooku visits the witches of Dathomir, seeking to replace Asajj Ventress with a new, deadlier apprentice. Little does he know that his new protégée – the formidable Savage Opress – has been selected by Ventress herself, and that the Nightsisters have used their witchcraft to transform the warrior into a monstrous killer without remorse, compassion or loyalty. The second chapter of a three-part Clone Wars arc, “Monster” airs at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, January 14 on Cartoon Network.

“I’ve really fallen for Ventress, and here the audience gets to learn a lot about her history. She’s an extremely complicated character,” says Katie Lucas, writer of the three-part Nightsisters arc. “She’s a cold-hearted harpy, but she has good reason to be – and now she’s displaying a much more independent side of herself. Ventress is nobody’s pawn anymore. She finally owns herself. I grew up on Buffy and Tank Girl, so writing for strong females is second nature to me. I listened to a lot of early Hole and The Distillers albums to inspire me while writing these stories; I really wanted to tap into that visceral female rage, and Courtney Love’s snarl certainly tears that right out of you.”

While Ventress has certainly asserted herself and assumed a more powerful role than ever before, “Monster” also introduces an all-new villain into the power struggle. A warrior from the same fearsome race that spawned Episode I’s Darth Maul, Opress is bred and trained to serve – but he is destined to become more powerful than ever his masters had imagined.

“Savage is a lot like Frankenstein’s creation,” says Lucas. “He’s a monster, but you get brief glimpses of a real heart beneath the surface. He’s a complicated character – I don’t think he would have turned to the dark side without the manipulation of the witches. They use him.”

Daughter of the acclaimed Star Wars creator, Lucas acknowledges her personal connections to that “galaxy far, far away,” while still recognizing her writer’s responsibility to speak to the quintessentially Earth-bound human experience.

“If I hadn’t been raised in the Star Wars universe, I don’t think there would be any way I could write sci-fi. It doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve had to adapt,” she says. “Part of being a screenwriter is knowing how to entertain, and the other part is staying true to your own vision. I’ve always been inspired by the truths of our world, universal and personal, here in our reality, and I try to bring as much of that as I can to The Clone Wars.”

Cheesecake art with bright red blood? You’d think summer was here with this happy imagery. One shot comics are always a great gift so throw out the chocolates and roses this year and give your lover the BOMB QUEEN VS. HACK/SLASH VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

BOMB QUEEN VS. HACK SLASH VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL (DEC100437), a 32-page full-color one-shot from Shadowline and Image Comics, will be in stores February 9, 2011, for $3.50.

Dark Horse Comics sent me this lovely preview of an upcoming Star Wars comic book that I thought you guys might enjoy.  This is the first issue of an all new series starring Darth Vader in the wake of Revenge of the Sith.  Haden Blackman and Rick Leonardi are always fun to read and see and the art and coloring on these pages is pretty fun.

Here’s the breakdown from Dark Horse:

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1

Writer: Haden Blackman

Penciller: Rick Leonardi

Inker: Dan Green

Colorist: Wes Dzioba

Cover Artist: Douglas Wheatley (25th Anniversary cover), Tsuneo Sanda

Publication Date: January 26, 2011

Price: $3.50

Still haunted by the events in Revenge of the Sith, Darth Vader must set aside his past and put his future on hold for a mission to the mysterious Ghost Nebula to locate–and if possible, rescue–a missing Imperial expeditionary force.

But what seems a perfect opportunity to lose himself in his duty is complicated by two factors: he is paired with a willful yet highly competent co-commander, and the officer they are being sent to locate is the son of Vader’s rising nemesis, Moff Tarkin.

David Hyde from DC Comics posted a preview of Detective Comics #873 over at The Source that I felt compelled to pass along.  Scott Snyder’s tenure on Detective Comics has been some of the best Batman I’ve read since Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s run in the early 2000’s.

It’s incredibly well written and gorgeously rendered and if you haven’t picked up his run starting with #871, you’re really missing out.

From the article:

Just how ambitious are the plans for DETECTIVE COMICS in 2011? Scott Snyder’s been kind enough to pull back the curtain, just a little, on the mysteries that will unfold:

“In just the first few months of the new year, we’ll be introducing you to a host of characters we’re very excited about. Some, like Sonya Zucco, daughter of Tony Zucco, the man who killed Dick’s parents, will be brand new. Others, like vicious gangster and pirate Tiger Shark are re-imaginings of colorful old foes. You’ll even see our own twisted take on the clown prince of crime! And of course, you’ll see a lot more of a character I’m very, very thrilled to write, – Commissioner Jim Gordon’s son, James Jr., who, after years away from Gotham, has recently returned with his own mysterious agenda – and who, if Barbara is to be believed, might just be one of the scariest sociopaths ever to walk the Gotham streets…”

And now onto these gorgeous pages…

We have two new clips from the first episode of The Clone Wars in 2011. These come from the first part of the three episode Savage Oppress arc that was previewed last month theatrically to hundreds of lucky fans across the country.

From the official press release:

Troubled by Asajj Ventress’ growing prowess with the dark side of the Force, Darth Sidious commands Count Dooku to eliminate her. But Ventress survives Dooku’s assassination attempt, and the jilted former apprentice vows to take revenge, enlisting the aid of her kinswomen – the mystical Nightsisters of Dathomir – in her sinister scheme. Evil clashes with evil and sparks fly – igniting the fuse for the launch of the explosive second half of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Three. Darkness falls and the end begins with “Nightsisters,” an all-new episode debuting at an ALL-NEW TIME – 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, January 7 on Cartoon Network.

The first of a three-part story arc, “Nightsisters” pulls back the curtain to reveal bitter rivalries, seething resentments, shattered alliances and more – including the revelation of a dark sorcery as mystical and powerful as the Force itself. Wielded by the witches of far-off Dathomir, this sinister magic poses a threat to both the Jedi and the Sith, and a challenge to the delicate balance of the Force.

“We’ve still only seen a small sliver of what’s possible,” says Dave Filoni, supervising director of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “Not only are we seeing stories from different points of view, but we are constantly learning about new perspectives that shift the paradigm entirely.”

One of those new perspectives comes from Ventress herself. Previously represented primarily as Dooku’s grim shadow and an agent of evil, her secret history is revealed when she is forced to re-examine her allegiances. The hunter becomes the hunted, but she is quick to demonstrate that she is no ordinary prey. She strikes back with a vengeance, returning to the offensive as she responds to the insult and injury of her former master’s betrayal.

“Things are changing in The Clone Wars – permanent changes that will affect the whole Star Wars universe,” says Filoni. “We are about to start seeing some significant shifts, starting with the power structure of the Separatists and the Sith. We’re shaking things up for them, and you’ll see that our bad guys are going to react strongly to that. They don’t take it too well. What we’re seeing is the start of a chain reaction. Things are really about to pick up – and this is just the beginning.”