George Lucas’ Clone Wars Accidentally Made Attack Of The Clones’ Most Ridiculous Plot So Much Worse

One character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars made the most absurd plot line in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones much worse. The prequel trilogy era is one of the most important in the Star Wars timeline because there was significant change during this period—change that defined the future of the Jedi, the Republic, and the galaxy for generations. One of the most significant events during this era was the assassination attempt on Padmé Amidala in Attack of the Clones, which began a domino effect that sealed Padmé and Anakin Skywalker’s fates, along with many others.

This assassination attempt has become a long-running joke about Star Wars movies and TV shows, however, because the plot to kill Padmé was an overly complicated one, to say the least. Essentially, Palpatine/Darth Sidious told Count Dooku to kill Padmé, and Dooku hired Jango Fett, who hired Zam Wesell, who used a droid to send bugs into Padmé’s room to kill her. As silly as this convoluted plot may have already seemed, though, one aspect of The Clone Wars made it that much worse.

The Clone Wars Introduced Count Dooku’s Real Assassin… Ventress

Dooku Already Had A Much Better Option For This Plot

The Clone Wars introduced a host of brand-new characters who have since become fan favorites, among them Anakin’s former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and clone trooper Captain Rex, two of Star Wars’ best characters. Asajj Ventress, a Nightsister of Dathomir and Count Dooku’s Sith assassin, was not exactly new in The Clone Wars. She had already appeared in the Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) animated series, but that show was not canon; this was Ventress’ first canon appearance. Regardless, The Clone Wars clearly established a much better assassin for Dooku’s plot: Asajj Ventress.

Ventress was hired as Count Dooku’s assassin at some point between Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, which means that, when Dooku created this plan to have Padmé killed, he already had Ventress working as his assassin. This makes it even more bewildering that Dooku had such an odd approach to killing Padmé. If he had Ventress as his official assassin, why would he hire Jango Fett to kill her?

Is There Any Way To Explain This Plot Hole?

There May Be Valid Reasons Count Dooku Didn’t Use Ventress In This Case

Although it does initially seem to just be an odd oversight—perhaps one created because The Clone Wars was released after Attack of the Clones, there are some possible in-universe explanations for Dooku not having Ventress carry out this assassination attempt. For one, Dooku may not have wanted to risk revealing a Sith assassin. Although Ventress was not a Sith herself, she was a dark side Force-user working for a Sith. This could have exposed Dooku, ruining Palpatine’s larger plot.

Dooku also already had a working relationship with Jango Fett, a bounty hunter, because he served as the template for the clones. Perhaps this fed into Dooku’s decision to hire Fett over Ventress to kill Padmé. Even so, the revelation in Star Wars: The Clone Wars that Count Dooku had a specific Sith assassin working for him at this time makes it even odder that he chose this complex plot to kill Padmé in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated film set between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It follows Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano as they navigate new challenges and conflicts during the tumultuous Clone Wars. Directed by Dave Filoni, the film introduces various characters and sets the stage for the subsequent television series of the same name.

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  Years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Skywalker Saga continues with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. When Senator Padme Amidala’s life is threatened, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with her protection. While Obi-Wan uncovers a clone army made in secret, Anakin falls in love with Padme, marking the beginning of his inevitable fall to the dark side of the Force.