Star Wars has introduced many famous characters. The galaxy far, far away has many stories to tell. But none of the stories and none of the characters have had as much a visual impact on the series the way General Grievous has. Probably the most under-utilized character in Star Wars history, Grievous was one of the key highlights of the Prequel trilogy. The Disney Investor’s Day event came with a flurry of announcements for new Star Wars shows. Sadly, any signs of General Grievous making it to the Lucasfilm slate were missing.
The Star wars universe, by overlooking the massive opportunity that is General grievous, have committed a grave error.
General Grievous is by far the most memorable Star Wars character. Even non-Star Wars fans would recognize him. His lack of Force sensitivity along with his cyborg body and four arms made for a good villainous combo. with Kathleen Kennedy opening up the Pandora’s Box equivalent of Star wars shows for the upcoming Lucasfilm slate, many lesser-known characters are about to get the spotlight.
The fact that Grievous did not enjoy his time under the sun during the Disney Investor’s Day is an act akin to treason. There are umpteen number of reasons why having General Grievous helm a titular show under the Lucasfilm banner would have made sense. Here’s why we believe having the Droid General would make for a great show.
But first, a little bit of introduction.
General Grievous – The Kaleesh Warlord & Dooku’s Greatest Disciple
General Grievous was originally known as the Famed Kaleesh Warlord Qymaen jai Sheelal. he learnt the ways of combat and rose to the rank of a General during his planet Kalee’s war with Huk, home to the Yam’rii. The Kaleesh were almost about to wipe out the Yam’rii of their planet when the Jedi and the Galactic republic intervened. They helped push the Kaleesh armies back. Qymaen would receive extensive battle injuries after his shuttle crashed. He replaced most of his body with superior organic parts. Now as General Grievous, he harbored a deep resentment against the Jedi, whose intervention was responsible for the total annihilation of the Kaleesh. He vowed to hunt down all Jedi and became the commanding officer of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
His battle tactics and skills in combat became so renowned that Count Dooku took him under his wing as his disciple. General Grievous learnt the basics of Sith combat techniques. And so a legend was born. General Grievous – the Deadly Jedi Hunter of the Confederacy
Why Grievous Has a Good Character & Back Story To Explore?
According to legends within Star Wars lore, General Grievous did not replace his body with cybernetic parts in one go. At first, he started small. Rudimentary organs were replaced with mechanical ones. His body went through phases of transformation, each time coming out more robotic than natural. Grievous’ logic was that the Droid mentality is infallible. For a robot, there are no grey areas. Everything was painted in black and white. This perception, according to General Grievous, was the secret to ultimate strength.
His love for droid psychology makes for a good muse for a script. How General Grievous turned from an infamous warlord into a ruthless Cybernetic Jedi Hunter is what a General Grievous show could explore. Also, there’s the fact that Grievous’ shuttle crash, the accident that led to his transition into a cyborg, was orchestrated by Count Dooku himself. How would that not be an epic plot twist!!
Telling A Story From A Villain’s Perspective
This was something we would have never learnt had YouTube not come up with Cobra Kai. Things are not always this concrete. What may seem bad to you might look good to many. It’s a matter of perception. Johnny Lawrence was perceived as the bad guy since about four decades. Cobra Kai helped show his side of the story and suddenly he was no longer the antagonist. Like Johnny Lawrence in Cobra Kai, General Grievous is a victim of circumstances.
He was a Warlord who wanted to help his people. The Yam’rii, for all he knew, were the enemy. Wiping them out meant the survival of his race. There’s nothing wrong with that. When the Jedi intervened, they didn’t just save the Kaleesh’s enemy. They also sealed the fate of the Kaleesh since the defeat cost them everything. Imagine yourself in his shoes. Grievous lost everything because of the Jedi. He was too weak to stop them. So he decided to augment himself to the maximum to keep up with the Force sensitive warriors. Suddenly, he no longer looks like the bad guy. Isn’t it?
General Grievous is a Dark Reflection of Anakin Skywalker
Think about it – He is a Lightsaber armed Jedi hunter with breathing problems and most of his body parts have been replaced with machines. He leads an army against the Jedi and fights them regularly. Whether you believe it or not, Grievous is an echo of Darth Vader. With little to no chance of Vader coming on for a solo series after his appearance in the Obi-Wan show, there needs to be a good enough replacement. General Grievous could fill in for that role. How a young boy born into a Kaleesh Family became one of his people’s greatest warlords, only to have his world destroyed by the actions of the Jedi and later become a Cyborg by the machinations of the one person he trusted with all his might – tell us how it does not make for a good solo series.
General Grievous deserved a show. He was ignored. AGAIN!!
