CLASSIC IMAGE: DEADLY APPRENTICESHIP!

Not my idea of perfect adoptive parents or role models, those very dangerous bounty hunters, the Trandoshan Bossk and lithe but deadly Aurra Sing pose for a "family photo" alongside their new recruit, the revenge fuelled teenage Boba Fett (once more voiced in the series by EPISODE II actor Daniel Logan) in this specially created image by LUCASFILM ANIMATION for the very enjoyable Fett story arc that made up the final three episodes of Season Two in early 2010. Those and three other earlier episodes make up that last batch of tales now available in compilation discs from the ambitious Season Two and it's mostly successful umbrella theme of RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. This WARNER BROTHERS DVD only release, out next week (22nd), will surely be welcome by completist collectors, but is also aimed primarily at the younger family/audience mark. And a welcome release it is too, with enough imagination, diverse creatures, visual excitement and colour to keep everyone thoroughly entertained during the Summer holidays.

The second part of the Fett arc, R2 COME HOME, made our top five episodes of that season. Check out our mini- review here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE: "THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 3: "R2 COME HOME", as did the excellent GODZILLA-homage THE ZILLO BEAST STRIKES BACK, also included amongst this batch of impressive tales from the STAR WARS universe. Check out that review here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE: "THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 5: "THE ZILLO BEAST STRIKES BACK"

THE CLONE WARS Season Two, Volume Four- out August 22nd in the UK.

And watch out! Those cruel and ruthless baddies will return for more conflict during the upcoming CLONE WARS Season Four, with it's umbrella title of BATTLE LINES!

CLASSIC IMAGE: MINE'S A LARGE ONE!

On the Sail Barge, amongst the riotous entertainment cooked up by Jabba the Hutt, the Trandoshan Bounty Hunter, Bossk, enjoys the revelries prior to the planned execution of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca the Wookiee at the legendary Sarlaac Pit.

This image from the then filming of REVENGE OF THE JEDI may have been taken during an on-set rehearsal-note the large reptile hand outside of the costume.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CAD'S CUNNING ESCAPE!

The daring ingenuity of the despicable Durosian bounty hunter Cad Bane shines once more when, disguised as a Clone Trooper, he escapes from under the noses of Republic forces and Jedi Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano in THE CLONE WARS Season Two episode CHILDREN OF THE FORCE.

BEHIND THE SCENES: GREEDO'S THREAT!

In January 1977, Lucas and a small Los Angeles Second Unit would film additional scenes for insertion into the evolving cut of STAR WARS, including many cutaway shots featuring Rick Baker's new menagerie of monsters. Stuart Freeborn's originally used Greedo mask would receive some practical design improvements by Baker for additional sequences also shot at the same time, where the trigger happy Rodian would be played by Maria De Aragon.

BOBA'S DESTINY...

He may have been quiet this season, but we're sure that the disgruntled, hate fueled Bounty Hunter to be, Boba Fett, as voiced by Daniel Logan (pictured in the sound recording booth below), of whom both the character and returning actor made a big impression with fans last year in an enjoyable CLONE WARS Season Two three part story arc, will eventually resurface in Season Four-we assume he'll escape during some kind of prison break on Coruscant, once more alongside Aurra Sing. It will be intriguing to see just what happens next to bring him ever closer to wearing the bucket helmet and becoming the second most lethal badde in the universe after Darth Vader...

CLASSIC IMAGE: ANTENNA ADJUSTMENT!

"Can you get SKY MOVIES HD on this?"

Make-up artists Karen Bradley and Danny Waggoner attend to the delicate work on the head of actress Michelle Bourriague, about to make her blink and you miss it (but soon iconic) cameo appearance as the Bounty Hunter Aurra Sing in ILM inserts filmed for inclusion within the epic Pod Race of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE. Her character may not have made a once planned return in EPISODE II, but the character has certainly made her mark since both in DARK HORSE comic form, and, as voiced by Jaime King, in the hit THE CLONE WARS series showing on SKY and CARTOON NETWORK.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

"THE CLONE WARS" SEASON TWO. SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NO 3: "R2 COME HOME"



Pursued by Slave One, a desperate to escape Artoo Detoo begins evasive action.

We're getting closer to the top of the league now, as AFICIONADO brings you its five favourite episodes, and the top five reasons why we chose them, from THE CLONE WARS Season Two (released in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray from 15th November from WARNER BROTHERS DVD).

At number three, it's R2 COME HOME.

1. Artoo-Detoo. I have always enjoyed the Artoo related episodes of THE CLONE WARS, but this was his finest half hour yet, full of resourcefulness, ability and humour. I loved the almost HOME ALONE-like scenes where he was trying to stop the ascending Bounty Hunters from reaching the trapped Mace and Anakin, and the scene where he brilliantly took on a Gundark and trapped it on a Jedi starfighter smashing into a boulder! With the final scene of this totally satisfying episode, where he rushes into the Jedi Temple with his rescue message, I was just as out of breath from his adventure as he was. Special mention must also be made to the other charming little Astro Droid, R8-B7, that was with Mace Windu-he was a cute little fella and it was sad when he got destroyed.

2. Bounty Hunters! Just about living up to the Season's overall title of RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, we finally got a large gathering of baddies, including the excellent, totally heartless Aurra Sing, the incompetent and greedy Castas, and a little bit more screen time for the Trandoshan reptile, Bossk (seen in the shadows in the previous episode), nicely voiced by Drew Bradley Baker. And then there was young Boba Fett in a story arc that was, despite a slightly weak finale in LETHAL TRACKDOWN, overall pretty good and Daniel Logan did a creditable job in making Fett both a little brat and someone we feel slight pity for as he travels down a similar path to evil as Anakin Skywalker. The series producers aren't going to rush the ultimate genesis of Boba Fett, though, and its going to be intriguing to see just how far they travel in his development during the rest of the animated series duration. And will we see him wear the eventual classic trilogy costume by its end?

3. Slave One vs Artoo's Jedi Starfighter. A superb chase and battle sequence, exhilarating and both evocatively animated and sound depicted, first against the backdrop of the impressive vista of the crashed and in flames Republic Cruiser and then out into deep space as Artoo make the crucial decision of which Ring Engine to lock onto and escape with. Its a tense scene- a battle of wits, of machine versus human- that's brilliantly done, and just as good as anything in the actual films.

4. Boba Fett's helmet. A super moment of realisation and destruction that's a worthy continuation from ATTACK OF THE CLONES, when it finally dawns on Mace whom the culprit is responsible for trying to kill him in the previous TV episode. The way that the helmet is highlighted, with that little twang of spaghetti-western like music by series composer Kevin Kiner, in the animated cinematography is very effective, and then there's that clever little trap that's sprung the moment Anakin picks it up for examination. Another great STAR WARS scene that makes the upcoming development of the Boba Fett-to-be more intriguing and noteworthy.

5. Harder Edge. Despite the great comedy and fast paced, exciting visual moments, this episode stands out as being of a darker edge than it has been for some time, and an element that series animation director Dave Filoni was keen to bring in for this three part tale linked to both Boba's return and to THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. R2 COME HOME is a fine continuation of the boys need for revenge started in the previous episode. Further, the treatment of Commander Killian and his captured party is pretty tough, and there's also the death of Clone Commander Ponds following on in the next episode which proved a sad moments for fans of the Republic soldiers.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS Season Two: available on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK from 15th November.

BACK TO BOBA!

EMPIRE stand in/Bossk performer Alan Harris dons an uncoloured prototype costume for Boba Fett at ELSTREE during the films 1979 pre-production.

Our anniversary celebrations for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK continue on our main site, this time with a photo feature on the king of the STAR WARS bounty hunters-Boba Fett.

Check it out here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/fett_evolution.html

CLASSIC IMAGE: ACTIVATING A BOUNTY!

Here's a rare April 1979 ELSTREE shot - and if anybody has this in its full photo entirety, and in better quality, please get in touch- that I don't remember in the film, with Darth Vader (David Prowse) in the assembled bounty hunter line stopping near Bossk (Alan Harris), whilst an intimidated Admiral Piett (Kenneth Colley) looks up. I'm assuming the pic was taken in final camera rehearsal for the interior Imperial Super Star Destroyer bridge scene, but its great nonetheless.

THE BOUNTY HUNTERS RISE AGAIN!

The UK's SKY MOVIES platform are having a daily triple/quadruple bill of repeats, showing for one week from this Monday 13th, of Season Two of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS in the run up to their exclusive showing of Season Three next month.

Re-live your favourite episodes from this enjoyable and ambitious year (my personal hits were CARGO OF DOOM, LANDING AT POINT RAIN, GRIEVOUS INTRIGUE, THE ZILLO BEAST STRIKES BACK and R2 COME HOME!).

Here's the link to the info:

http://movies.sky.com/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-two-catch-up