Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode 2.12 The Mandalore Plot

"If you ignore the past, you jeopardize your future."

Newsreel:

Diplomacy or deception? The Council of Neutral Systems speaks for over 1,500 worlds who want to stay out of the war. But rumors have reached the Republic Senate suggesting that the Council's new leader -- Duchess Satine of Mandalore --is secretly building her own army to fight for the Separatist cause! Now, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has been sent to Mandalore to discover the truth behind these claims. . .

ACT I

Obi-Wan Kenobi steers his Jedi starfighter across the seared and barren surface of Mandalore to the domed city of Sundari, passing through a cube-like entryway to land amid the advanced surroundings of the high-tech capital. A short automated transport trip later, Kenobi arrives at the gleaming palace of the Duchess, where he is kindly met by Mandalorian Prime Minister Almec. Almec immediately tries to dispel the rumors surrounding Mandalore -- he firmly states its violent past has been swept away, replaced by a devotion to pacifism instilled by Duchess Satine. The warriors of the past were exiled to the moon of Concordia, and died out years ago.

Though Almec reaffirms Mandalore's loyalty to the Republic, Obi-Wan cannot ignore the holographic evidence he carries. When Satine arrives, Kenobi produces the proof: a recording of an armored Mandalorian saboteur, who took his own life rather than be captured by the Republic. Satine cannot believe what she sees and remains wary of Obi-Wan's investigation, which Kenobi insists is on behalf of the Jedi Council, and not the Republic government. Satine's discomfort stems from the traditional Mandalorian isolationism, as well as an undisclosed past connection with Kenobi.

Kenobi and Satine continue their discussion as they stroll through a peace park. Satine admits that not all on Mandalore are adapting well to her bold new visions of peace. A splinter group of renegades called Death Watch has cropped up, based on the Concordian moon, seeking to return Mandalore to its warrior ways.

Satine believes Death Watch merely to be a group of hooligans, but at a secret camp on Concordia, a far different picture arises. Inside a military camp, a helmeted Mandalorian warrior holographically communicates with Count Dooku. The warrior commander is perturbed by the arrival of the Jedi: the Separatists have promised to support the Death Watch in their overthrow of Satine's government. Dooku advises patience. The more the Republic intervenes in Mandalorian politics, the easier it will be for Death Watch to emerge as a liberator of the people.

At the park on Mandalore, the peaceful day is suddenly shattered by an explosion that rocks the memorial shrine. Satine and Obi-Wan are shaken, as are many civilian victims. Guards try to secure the area, and Kenobi spots the holographic mark of the Death Watch floating above the bomb-site. Kenobi tries to collect all the witnesses, but one Mandalorian makes a break for it, revealing his guilt.

Obi-Wan chases the bomber to a dead end platform. The desperate terrorist fires at Kenobi with a hand blaster, but Obi-Wan deflects the blasts, knocking the weapon from the criminal's hand. The terrorist then leaps over the balcony, plunging to his shocking death. With his dying breath, he reaffirms his loyalty to Death Watch.

Obi-Wan is determined to go to Concordia to seek out Death Watch. It is a separate province, independent of Mandalore's government, however, and Kenobi will have to be escorted by the Duchess, since he alone is not likely to be welcome having just been involved in the death of a Concordian.

ACT II

A private shuttle departs from Mandalore and lands on the moon of Concordia, a forested world healing from the deep scars of strip-mining. Landing within a governmental complex, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Duchess Satine disembark and are greeted by the Governor Pre Vizsla and his guards. Vizsla is one of the officials that Satine describes as attempting to root out Death Watch. Kenobi and Satine bring with them the body of the bomber, which Vizsla and his troops take into possession.

As Vizsla leaves to attend to the body, Kenobi sneaks away. He asks Satine to cover for her while he undertakes an investigation. Obi-Wan passes on a surreptitious earpiece to Satine so they can keep in contact, and "borrows" a speeder bike from the hangar, zipping away into the countryside. At dinner with the governor, Satine covers for Kenobi's absence by claiming he is meditating.

Kenobi's reconnaissance leads him to a seemingly abandoned mine shaft, but inside it is full of recently tended machinery. Further snooping uncovers a conveyor belt lined with Mandalorian rocket packs and helmets. An armored Mandalorian warrior attacks Obi-Wan. The spry fist-fighter knocks Kenobi's lightsaber from his grasp. A second Mandalorian joins him and kicks Obi-Wan unconscious.

At Vizsla's residence, the two Mandalorian officials partake in refreshments and share administrative concerns. Satine is troubled that someone within the Republic is spreading rumors about Death Watch infiltrating the Mandalorian government. Vizsla speculates that Death Watch is being aided by a powerful Separatist influence that is specifically targeting Satine.

Meanwhile, at the mines, Obi-Wan awakens to find himself suspended upside-down within a containment field, sliding down a conveyor belt toward a rock crusher. He uses his comlink to contact Satine. Satine receives his distress call within her hidden earpiece, and excuses herself from the governor's company.

ACT III

Satine arrives at the mine aboard a speeder bike, and races to the control mechanism driving the conveyor belt. Just as she deactivates the device, the Mandalorian warriors return. Obi-Wan, freed from his restraints, springs towards the warriors and knocks them unconscious. The two trespassers race to the service elevator and ascend to the moon's surface.

In the gouged hillside, Kenobi and Satine continue to run afoul of Mandalorian warriors. Kenobi is unarmed -- the Mandalorians have confiscated his weapon. Before long, the Death Watch leader arrives, an armored Mandalorian with a distinctive trident painted on his helmet. The ruthless leader shoots a fallen Mandalorian in disgust over his failure.

The leader removes his helmet, revealing Pre Vizsla underneath. He is carrying Kenobi's lightsaber, and tosses it to the Jedi before reaching for his own weapon: an ancient lightsaber stolen from the Jedi Temple during the fall of the Old Republic.

Kenobi and Vizsla cross blades. Though Vizsla acquits himself well for a warrior without the Force, he is still outmaneuvered by Kenobi. Vizsla escapes by sending the last of his warriors to finish off Kenobi with their rocket packs. Obi-Wan and Satine leap into the mine shaft to avoid the explosive rockets.

At daybreak, Kenobi and Satine arrive at the Mandalore spaceport, where her starship, the Coronet is ready for departure. Anakin Skywalker, Clone Captain Rex and Clone Commander Cody are also there, ready to escort the Duchess on her journey to Coruscant. Kenobi is convinced the Separatists are backing Death Watch, but Satine disagrees. Regardless, she does not want the Republic meddling in Mandalorian affairs, and will voyage to Coruscant to make her position known in person.