The most dangerous beast is the beast within.
Following 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.
Tropes:
- Alas, Poor Villain: 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.
- Anachronic Order: This two-parter takes place before the Geonosis arc (2:04-08).
- Bullying the Dragon: 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 Roaring Rampage of Revenge.
- Call-Forward:
- Rex's comment about how "a lot of [Anakin's] plans involve falling" nods to the point in the later-set "Landing at Point Rain" where Anakin and Ahsoka drop Rex off a high wall before it explodes.
- While trying to slice the ship they're on in half, Anakin tells everyone onboard that "this is where the fun begins."
- Chekhov's Gun: 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.
- Cliffhanger Wall: This episode ends with the reveal that Palpatine wants the beast cloned, a storyline that doesn't get continued until Metamorphosis many years later.
- Disney Villain Death: As a result of being fatally poisoned, the Zillo Beast falls to its death from the roof of the Senate office building.
- Even Evil Has Standards:
- 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.
- Even Mas Amedda is initially taken aback by Palpatine's suggestion to kill the Zillo Beast, though he quickly comes around to the idea.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Word of God has it the Zillo Beast so adamantly pursues Palpatine because it senses what he truly is.
- Forgot About His Powers: As in the previous episode, none of the Jedi try to tame or slow the beast with the Force.
- Foregone Conclusion: 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.
- Indy Ploy:Obi-Wan: It looks like another one of Anakin's improvised plans.
Mace: How can it be a plan if it's improvised?
Obi-Wan: Just catch them when they fall.
Rex: A lot of the General's plans involve falling. - It Can Think: 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. 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.
- It's All My Fault: Anakin invokes this at the episode's end, noting that the Zillo Beast lost its life because of their mistakes.
- Karma Houdini: While this trope is nothing new for 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.
- Lampshade Hanging: 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.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": 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.
- Mighty Roar: The Zillo Beast had one of these.
- Motherly Scientist: Dr. Boll really cares about the Zillo Beast. When ordered to kill it, she tries to do so as painlessly as possible.
- Mythology Gag: The title is a play on The Empire Strikes Back.
- The Needs of the Many: 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.
- No Endor Holocaust: Averted, we see civilians falling to their deaths from destroyed bridges and running further into damaged buildings to escape the beast.
- Non-Malicious Monster: 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.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: For Palpatine and his acolytes, Padmé is definitely this in her attempts to prevent them euthanising the Zillo Beast behind closed doors.
- Oh, Crap!:
- C-3PO's reaction when he realizes the Beast is coming right at him.C-3PO: OH NO!
- Dr. Boll reacts this way when she sees that the escaped Zillo Beast is heading straight for the center of Coruscant.
- 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.
- C-3PO's reaction when he realizes the Beast is coming right at him.
- Omnidisciplinary Scientist: Doctor Sionver Boll. In the previous episode, she is introduced as a weapons developer involved with the creation of the 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.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It seems not even the Dark Lord of the Sith is powerful enough to deal with a rampaging Kaiju, and he knows it.
- Out of Focus: 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.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: The Zillo Beast goes on a quite literal one directed at the man who ordered its execution: Palpatine.
- Running Gag: The traditional "I've got a bad feeling about this" line shows up, this time said by Palpatine, of all people.
- Sad Battle Music: 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.
- Sequel Hook: Palpatine gives Dr. Boll orders to clone the Zillo Beast.
- Shout-Out:
- The Zillo Beast's eye appearing in the window of Palpatine's office is reminiscent of Jurassic Park.
- The scene where the Zillo Beast snatches Palpatine's shuttle from the sky while clambering on the Senate roof is a pretty obvious King Kong (1933) reference, made even more obvious when Yoda and Aayla arrive in another shuttle that starts circling it.
- 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 The Return of Godzilla.
- The Zillo Beast's death brings to mind similar scenes in King Kong (1933) and Godzilla (1998).
- Sympathy for the Devil: The Jedi are clearly distraught as they reluctantly watch the Zillo Beast die.
- We Need a Distraction: Yoda and Aayla Secura provide one via jumping onto the Zillo Beast's back and keeping its attention on them as opposed to Palpatine.
- Wham Line: "You want me to clone the Beast?"
