Attack of the Clones



"There hasn't been a full scale war since the formation of the Republic."

- Governor Sio Bibble

Although Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace was a critical and fan disappointment, many were hoping it was just a slump. Those that liked the last film generally liked this one, but the others didn't feel it got any better.

The biggest point of criticism was the love story, followed by Hayden Christensen's acting. Again, those that like the prequels don't seem to mind this. The points of praise lie in the main story, with Obi-Wan's investigation into the clone army and Separatist uprising and the last 30 minutes are thrilling.

"Obi-Wan: I have to admit that without the clones, it would have not been a victory. Yoda: Victory? Victory you say? Master Obi-Wan, not victory. The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun the Clone War has."
 * Affably Evil: Count Dooku, in this installment.
 * Aggressive Negotiations: Trope Namer.
 * Agony Beam: Force Lightning.
 * Alas, Poor Yorick: Young Boba Fett holds the helmet of his father Jango Fett.
 * All Women Are Lustful: Possibly implied by Captain Typho's comment about being more worried about Senator Padme trying something foolish, than Anakin.
 * Apologetic Attacker: C-3PO while his head is stuck to an autonomous battle droid's body.
 * Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: The three Geonosis arena beasts: The Acklay, the Nexu, and the Reek. A giant preying mantis with a lightning fast stab attack, a tree-clinging fanged horror, and...a slow-charging rhino, who quickly ends up the steed of . Ultimately Averted, though, when the in the middle of the battle
 * Ascended Extra: The revelation of Jango and Boba Fett's involvement with the greater story of the galaxy is certainly because of Boba's surprising popularity in the original trilogy, who was meant to be a low-key, nondescript badass.
 * Back-to-Back Badasses: Obi-Wan and Mace Windu, briefly.
 * Badass Army: The Clone Troopers.
 * Badass Grandpa: Yoda and Count Dooku.
 * Badass Normal: Jango Fett proves to be exceptionally good at fighting (and killing) Jedi.
 * Bare Your Midriff / Clothing Damage: Amidala gets the former from the latter.
 * Bordering on Stripperiffic. One wonders exactly what sort of "diplomatic" technique she was planning to capitalize on in that white, skin-tight outfit...
 * Happens even before that on Tatooine, where she wears a pseudo-Arabian outfit.
 * Big Damn Heroes: Twice in the final act of the film; first time occurs when Mace Windu shows up with over 200 hundred Jedi to rescue Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme from Dooku. After many of them being killed off in the following battle against the droids and Geonosians, it happens again; with Yoda and the Clone Troopers showing up (this one goes over much better; they actually win).
 * Blatant Lies: "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe."
 * "It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy. I love the Republic. The power you give me I will lay down when this crisis has abated."
 * Bodyguard Crush: Convient for Anakin because he was already in love with Padme.
 * Call Forward: Anakin's lightsaber in this film is a Palette Swap of the one used by Darth Vader during the Original Trilogy.
 * Captain Obvious: "I killed them. I killed them all. They're dead. Every single one of them. And not just the men; but the women. And the children too." - Anakin Skywalker.
 * Another in a deleted scene, where Anakin and Padme are put on "trial" for espionage. Padme tells Archduke Poggle the Lesser that he's committing an act of war, and says that she hopes he's prepared to face the consequences. Poggle responds with "We build weapons, Senator. Of course we're prepared!"
 * Yoda: "But for certain, senator. In grave danger you are."
 * Casual Danger Dialogue: Obi-Wan and Anakin are pretty fond of doing this. The most notable instance is while chasing Zam Wessel.
 * The Cavalry: The above example with the Clone Troopers.
 * Chained to a Rock
 * The Champion: When Anakin professes his love for Padme he says that he will do anything she asks.
 * The Chessmaster: Dooku attempts to have Padmé assassinated and instigates a war between the Republic and the Separatists. And escapes at the end.
 * The City Narrows: The lower levels of Coruscant's giant city towers which is stuck in perma-night due to the shadows of the impossibly tall buildings.
 * Conveyor Belt O' Doom: Several that Anakin and Padme survive by the skin of their teeth in the droid factory on Geonosis.
 * Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: We all knew Yoda must have been amazing in his prime, but this movie was the first to show it.
 * And he wasn't even in his prime. Imagine what he would have been like when he was only 400 years old!
 * This is also the first film where we get to see Mace Windu in action. Since he's played by Samuel L. Jackson, we all knew he was going to be a Badass, but we never got to see this side of him in the first movie.
 * Darker and Edgier: This film is much darker in tone than The Phantom Menace due to the assassination attempts on Padme's life, the growing tensions in the Republic, the Start of Darkness for Anakin, when he slaughters the Tusken Raiders, after they kidnapped, tortured, and killed his mom, Mace Windu defeats Jango Fett by beheading him with his lightsaber, ONSCREEN, Anakin's arm is chopped off and many of Jedi are killed off in the Battle of Geonosis, which leads to the beginning of the Clone Wars. And yet it managed to get a PG rating.
 * The novelization is even darker as it goes detail Anakin's massacre of the Sand People when he impales a Sand woman with his lightsaber and uses the force to crush The Sand People with their homes. Also Jango's head falls out off the helmet and the book begins with Shmi kidnapping.
 * Deceased Fall Guy Gambit: The whole deal with Sifo-Dyas in the backstory seems like this but isn't; it's all breezed over so quickly that misunderstandings are inevitable.
 * Deus Ex Machina: Just when it looks like Dooku and his cronies are going to execute the heroes and slaughter the Jedi sent to rescue them...a massive army of superhuman clone soldiers descends from the sky to rescue them, at just the right time.
 * Disney Villain Death: Subverted with the Nexu that was attacking Padme. Padme, while on top of the execution pole with the Nexu trying to eat her, kicks it off. It seems like it died from the fall, only for it to get back up and attempt to resume its attempt at eating Padme. The Nexu is then promptly rammed by a reek that Anakin managed to tame, killing it for real.
 * Disposable Pilot: When Obi-Wan and Anakin take a clone-piloted gunship in pursuit of Dooku, said gunship is blasted into flaming scrap within ten seconds of them being dropped off.
 * Dual-Wielding: Anakin fights Dooku with two lightsabers at one point. Unfortunately, it only lasts a short while before he's forced to switch back to one.
 * Dub Name Change: Count Dooku's name was changed to Dookan in the Brazilian dub, due to an unfortunate innuendo involving the character's name.
 * Fairytale Wedding Dress
 * Fan Service: Several of Padme's outfits, but especially her bare midriff due to Clothing Damage near the end of the film.
 * Force Feeding: That scene with Anakin and the pear-like thing. Come on, you know it's funny.
 * Foreshadowing: At the very end of the film, the Imperial March plays as Palpatine looks over a mass of Clone Troopers, a very interesting use of music to do this.
 * There's also Count Dooku switching off a hologram of the Death Star plans and taking them with him to keep safe.
 * R5-D4, who blows his motivator in episode IV, rolls right by R2-D2 in the opening shot of Tatooine.
 * "Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" - Obi-Wan to Anakin. Come two episodes later...
 * Found the Killer, Lost the Murderer: Enacted by Jango Fett with great prejudice.
 * Gambit Roulette: Most of the plot. If you can decipher it.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Mace Windu beheading Jango Fett onscreen, despite the film's PG rating
 * Many females wear revealing clothing in the nightclub scene
 * Padme's bare midriff
 * Gunship Rescue: Easily one of the archetypical uses of the trope - Yoda, Jedi Knights and a squad of Clone Troopers land gunships in the arena just in time to rescue Padme and Anakin.
 * Held Gaze: This happens between Anakin and Padme twice: once as a gentle lover's gaze into each other's eyes, and then later as an indicator they are about to Big Damn Kiss.
 * Hollywood Tactics: Battle of Geonosis, shoulder to shoulder clone troopers and droids blasting away at a mere few meters. Also the Jedi in the arena, charging straight at the army of droids and not sticking together in the ensuing melee.
 * Actually subverted in the case of the Republic. They're shown to be using combined arms tactics (gunships firing on ground targets, artillery in the background) while the Separatists just seem to be charging at them.
 * Prior to the clones intervening, the Jedi had lost.
 * Instant Thunder: Averted on Kamino, and lampshaded in the DVD commentary.
 * Internet Backlash: Reportedly, some of the members of NSYNC were offered small roles as background extras as a favor to Lucas' daughters. Cue a massive wave of Fan Dumb until Lucas cut their scene out of the movie, though some reacted more positively when it was mentioned they were going to get slaughtered by battledroids...
 * It Has Only Just Begun: The last lines of the film.

"Anakin: Not again. Obi-Wan's gonna kill me."
 * "This is just the beginning!"
 * It Is Beyond Saving: The separatists use this rationalization in a deleted scene.
 * Kick the Dog: Anakin slaughtering a village of Tusken Raiders (including the children who never did anything!) just because a few of the people in the tribe killed his mom.
 * By extension, the Tusken Raiders kidnapping his mother in the first place. All she was doing was out gathering mushrooms. They kidnap her and torture her to death for no reason.
 * Leeroy Jenkins: Anakin's initial approach to fighting Dooku. It doesn't work.
 * Legacy Character: This was the movie that turned Boba Fett into one; being the clone/son of Jango Fett. It was also the first time a definitive backstory was given for the mysterious bounty hunter.
 * Master of the Mixed Message: Anakin couldn't be more obvious about his attraction to Padme if he'd tried. She turns him down, saying that they shouldn't be together... But she also takes him to a beautiful secluded lake house retreat with no one around for miles, wearing very revealing outfits.
 * Master Swordsman: Yoda takes on Dooku. It is awesome.
 * Moment of Weakness: Anakin in the Sand People village.
 * Morally-Bankrupt Banker: A Planet of Hats of them in the Banking Clan.
 * Ms. Fanservice: Padme.
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Although he admits his hatred of them shortly after, Anakin seems genuinely horrified of his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders.
 * Mythology Gag: Jango Fett bumping his head (with helmet on) on the door to Slave-1, in a manner much like that one Stormtrooper in A New Hope, and Boba's head-bump on Slave-1's door in The Empire Strikes Back. Seems head-bumping is genetic amongst the clones.
 * Nice Hat: Watto looks better with his WWI-esque metal hat.
 * A Nazi by Any Other Name/Putting on the Reich: The ending where Palpatine is observing from a balcony regarding the Clone Troopers departing from Coruscant in the beginning of the Clone Wars gives some similarities to Nazi Germany, as well as Scar's "Never go hungry again" line from The Lion King.
 * Now or Never Kiss: Anakin and Padme when they're about to be executed.
 * Off with His Head: Mace Windu finally defeats by beheading with his lightsaber.
 * Oh, No, Not Again: Anakin dives off a speeder in the middle of aerial traffic and all Obi-Wan can come up with is a mildly disgruntled "I hate it when he does that." Anakin also commented that his lightsaber had been destroyed once before.
 * One-Dimensional Thinking: seen in the Force duel between Dooku and Yoda, where Yoda never thinks to push a falling pillar off to the side instead of keeping it suspended in midair.
 * One-Wheeled Wonder: The WA-7 droid waitresses.
 * Packed Hero: Threepio in the combat droid factory.
 * The Paragon Always Rebels: Count Dooku.
 * Pet the Dog: Sure Jango's a ruthless bounty hunter who's probably killed hundreds of people for money and sold his genetic legacy as a slave army, but you can't deny he's a pretty decent father for little Boba.
 * Ramming Always Works: This is how Anakin saves Padme from the Nexu: He managed to tame a Reek via the Force, and then promptly has it ram into a Nexu just as it was getting up from surviving a huge fall.
 * Real Men Wear Pink: Mace Windu's purple lightsaber.
 * Red Herring: When Anakin is trying to fight against the Geonosians inside of the Droid factory, he at one point gets his arm trapped within a piece of molded armor, and is drawing closer and closer to a crushing machine/cutting machine, causing the audience to think he'll lose his arm as a result of the battle. Turns out, he actually loses it during the battle with Dooku.
 * Red Shirt: One of the Geonosians gets eaten by one of the monsters (a Nexu) at the start of the arena scene.
 * The Reptilians: Zam Wesell, the shape-shifting assassin, is one.
 * Retcon: Mace Windu's lightsaber was originally supposed to be blue; his Phantom Menace toys came with a blue lightsaber, and he also had a blue blade in the Jedi Power Battles video game. Samuel L Jackson requested a purple lightsaber to make him more distinct.
 * Revenge Before Reason: Nute Gunray wants revenge against Padme for stopping him when he, you know, invaded her planet and enslaved her people. Talk about a sense of entitlement.
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Anakin performs one of these on a camp of Tusken Raiders after they kill his mother.
 * Robotic Assembly Lines: A battle actually took place in one of those.
 * Rule of Sexy: There's no way getting scratched on the back would reveal the whole midriff all the way around the waist. But who cares?
 * Granted, the Nexu might have gotten a claw stuck in the fabric, causing it to rip off when it retracted its paw.
 * Sci-Fi Writers Have No Sense of Scale: Chapter 18 of the movie novelization actually did specify what Lama Su meant by a "unit". It's underwhelming to say the least.
 * Sexy Backless Outfit: The dress Padme wears to the lake house.
 * Shirtless Scene: Anakin during his nightmare.
 * Single-Target Sexuality: Anakin is still madly in love with Padme after going ten years without seeing or talking to her. Particularly Egregious, considering the last time he saw her he was a prepubescent kid with a crush.
 * Skewed Priorities: After Anakin's lightsaber is destroyed while he's trapped in the droid factory:


 * Soft Glass: Obi Wan jumps through one to go after the droid.
 * Solar Sail: Count Dooku flees in a ship that is at least partially propelled by a small solar sail.
 * So Last Season: During the Battle of Geonosis, destroying Core Ships proves to do nothing to stop the battle droids; in the novelization the first time this happened the droids would shut down briefly, then reactivate when their built-in processors kicked in.
 * Spheroid Dropship: The Lucrehulk-class Core Ships are dual purpose ships. They're the central "command" core of the Trade Federation ships, but can also detach to serve as landing craft, or fly independently. This makes total sense since they are supposed to be essentially space tractor-trailer cargo haulers that the Trade Federation quickly slapped some guns on when they needed a war fleet.
 * Start of Darkness: For Anakin.
 * Stripperiffic: Padme, to an extent.
 * Also, although it's a minor detail, most of the woman in the bar that Zam Wessel hides in fit this trope to a T. There's even one who wears nothing but pants and a bikini top. But, you know, it's a nightclub.
 * Take That: Does anyone honestly believe that the line, "Open fire on those Federation starships", is purely coincidence?
 * Tantrum Throwing: Anakin does this while ranting about how Obi-Wan's "holding him back."
 * Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Subverted in the arena battle.
 * Took a Level in Jerkass: Anakin to a very great extent. Kinda the point
 * Unlimited Wardrobe: Amidala's had this trope since the beginning of the saga. Every single scene change necessitates a new Pimped-Out Dress.
 * Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The one thing that Jar Jar actually does in the movie other than stand in the background is to make a motion in the senate to grant Palpatine emergency powers. Good work there.
 * Villains Never Lie: As per usual in Star Wars: Dooku tells Obi-Wan the truth, albeit leaving out the fairly significant detail that he himself is a Sith Lord.
 * Somewhat subverted in that Obi-Wan doesn't believe a word of it and just dismisses it as lies from a traitor.
 * Watching the Sunset: As the Clone Army ships lift off near the end of the movie. Visual shorthand for "dark times ahead".
 * Weapon, Jr.: "Training lightsabers" can be seen in use.
 * A Worldwide Punomenon: C-3PO in the arena.
 * Wuxia