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Context Recap / StarWarsTheCloneWarsS2E19TheZilloBeastStrikesBack

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1->''The most dangerous beast is the beast within.''
2
3Following on from the previous episode, the Zillo Beast is brought to Coruscant for military study. When the creature breaks free of captivity, the Jedi must decide between saving millions of lives or killing a creature that is the last of its kind.
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5----
6!!Tropes:
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8* AlasPoorVillain: The Jedi are saddened by the Zillo Beast's death, since if it hadn't been brought to Coruscant, it wouldn't have needed to be killed in the first place.
9* AnachronicOrder: This two-parter takes place before the Geonosis arc (2:04-08).
10* BullyingTheDragon: As in the previous episode, the Zillo Beast is docile enough up until an attempt is made on its life, at which point it breaks free of its confines and embarks on a literal RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
11* CallForward:
12** Rex's comment about how "a lot of [Anakin's] plans involve falling" nods to the point in the later-set "[[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS2E5LandingAtPointRain Landing at Point Rain]]" where Anakin and Ahsoka drop Rex off a high wall before it explodes.
13** While trying to slice the ship they're on in half, Anakin tells everyone onboard that [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith "this is where the fun begins."]]
14* ChekhovsGun: Malastare fuel. In the previous episode, it was stated to be toxic to Zillo Beasts. In this episode, missiles containing the stuff are used to kill the creature.
15* CliffhangerWall: This episode ends with the reveal that Palpatine wants the beast cloned, a storyline that doesn't get continued until [[Recap/StarWarsTheBadBatchS2E11Metamorphosis Metamorphosis]] many years later.
16* DisneyVillainDeath: As a result of being fatally poisoned, the Zillo Beast falls to its death from the roof of the Senate office building.
17* EvenEvilHasStandards:
18** Dr. Sionver Boll. Despite being a part of Palpatine's staff, she treats the Zillo Beast with respect, stops procedures that are clearly causing it pain, and is sickened by Palpatine's orders to euthanize the creature. She's even ''more'' sickened by his orders to clone the creature after its death.
19** Even [[TheDragon Mas Amedda]] is initially taken aback by Palpatine's suggestion to kill the Zillo Beast, though [[IgnoredEpiphany he quickly comes around to the idea]].
20* EvilDetectingDog: WordOfGod has it the Zillo Beast so adamantly pursues Palpatine because it senses what he [[BigBad truly is]].[[invoked]]
21* ForgotAboutHisPowers: As in the previous episode, none of the Jedi try to tame or slow the beast with the Force.
22* ForegoneConclusion: Obviously the Zillo Beast's hide won't be made into invincible armor, given that practically every piece of media set in the timeline ''after'' this episode features combatants on all sides getting blown away by the truckloads.
23* IndyPloy:
24-->'''Obi-Wan:''' It looks like another one of Anakin's improvised plans.\
25'''Mace:''' How can it be a plan if it's improvised?\
26'''Obi-Wan:''' Just catch them when they fall.\
27'''Rex:''' A lot of the General's plans involve falling.
28* ItCanThink: The Zillo Beast is clearly much more intelligent than people give it credit for. Dr. Boll even openly states that the creature is potentially sentient. When Palpatine derisively dismisses the creature as an animal, it growls angrily at the remark as a result of having clearly understood it. When it gets loose, it makes killing Palpatine a priority. [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation Speculation]] continues as to whether it just wants revenge on the man who gave the order to kill it or if it is intelligent enough to see Palpatine for what he really is.[[invoked]]
29* ItsAllMyFault: Anakin invokes this at the episode's end, noting that the Zillo Beast lost its life because of ''their'' mistakes.
30* KarmaHoudini: While this trope is nothing new for [[BigBad Palpatine]], the fact remains that it was on his orders that the Zillo Beast, the single most dangerous creature in the galaxy, be brought to Coruscant, the most densely populated planet in the Republic, making him responsible for all those civilians who died in its rampage.
31* LampshadeHanging: Obi-Wan wonders why Palpatine issued the incredibly stupid order to bring the beast to Coruscant, to which Windu replies he asked the same and never got an answer.
32* MassOhCrap: Palpatine’s, Anakin's, Padmé's, C-3PO's, and R2-D2's reaction when they see the Zillo Beast staring at them through the window.
33* MightyRoar: The Zillo Beast had one of these.
34* MotherlyScientist: Dr. Boll really cares about the Zillo Beast. When ordered to kill it, she tries to do so as painlessly as possible.
35* MythologyGag: The title is a play on ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''.
36* TheNeedsOfTheMany: How Palpatine justifies euthanizing the Zillo Beast. He rationalizes that killing the creature will be worth the sacrifice if its hide can provide the military advantage needed to secure victory for the Republic.
37* NoEndorHolocaust: Averted, we see civilians falling to their deaths from destroyed bridges and running further into damaged buildings to escape the beast.
38* NonMaliciousMonster: The Zillo Beast is not evil. It is just frightened as a result of being in unfamiliar surroundings and mistreated by its captors. It's not surprising that it lashes out the way it does and it's hard not to feel sorry for it when it finally dies.
39* ObstructiveBureaucrat: For Palpatine and his acolytes, Padmé is definitely this in her attempts to prevent them euthanising the Zillo Beast behind closed doors.
40* OhCrap:
41** C-3PO's reaction when he realizes the Beast is coming right at him.
42--->'''C-3PO:''' OH NO!
43** Dr. Boll reacts this way when she sees that the escaped Zillo Beast is heading straight for the center of Coruscant.
44** We also get this from ''Palpatine'' — an ''extremely'' rare occasion — when the Zillo Beast glares into his office window. It's probably then that Palpatine realizes the Beast is onto him.
45* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Doctor Sionver Boll. In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS2E18TheZilloBeast the previous episode]], she is introduced as a weapons developer involved with the creation of the [[{{EMP}} electro-proton bomb]]. She seamlessly transitions from that role into researching the Zillo Beast's biological properties, seemingly for no other reason than that she was the one scientist who happened to already be present.
46* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: It seems not even the Dark Lord of the Sith is powerful enough to deal with a rampaging {{Kaiju}}, and he knows it.
47* OutOfFocus: Aayla Secura, Bail Organa, & Mon Mothma make their first appearances in quite a while during this epsiode. Aayla is the only one to actually have lines.
48* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: The Zillo Beast goes on a quite literal one directed at the man who ordered its execution: Palpatine.
49* RunningGag: The traditional ''"I've got a bad feeling about this"'' line shows up, this time said by Palpatine, [[NotSoAboveItAll of all people]].
50* SadBattleMusic: The soundtrack as Republic gunships blast the Zillo Beast with poison gas bombs and the poor creature, confused and in pain, succumbs to the toxin is a real tear jerker.
51* SequelHook: Palpatine gives Dr. Boll orders to clone the Zillo Beast.
52* ShoutOut:
53** The Zillo Beast's eye appearing in the window of Palpatine's office is reminiscent of ''Film/JurassicPark''.
54** The scene where the Zillo Beast snatches Palpatine's shuttle from the sky while clambering on the Senate roof is a pretty obvious ''Film/KingKong1933'' reference, made even more obvious when Yoda and Aayla arrive in another shuttle that starts circling it.
55** Getting the Zillo Beast to open its mouth and roar with flares so the special weapon to kill it can go down its throat brings to mind ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla''.
56** The Zillo Beast's death brings to mind similar scenes in ''Film/KingKong1933'' and ''Film/Godzilla1998''.
57* SympathyForTheDevil: The Jedi are clearly distraught as they reluctantly watch the Zillo Beast die.
58* WeNeedADistraction: Yoda and Aayla Secura provide one via jumping onto the Zillo Beast's back and keeping its attention on them as opposed to Palpatine.
59* WhamLine: "You want me to ''clone'' the Beast?"
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