Storm Over Ryloth

The "Storm Over Ryloth" is an episode from the animated television series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." It is the nineteenth episode of the first season that originally aired on Cartoon Network on February 27, 2009. Directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell, and written by George Kristic, this episode is set within the Star Wars prequel trilogy, specifically during The Clone Wars, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In this episode, the Republic forces attempt to liberate the planet Ryloth from the Separatist occupation led by the villainous Wat Tambor.

The episode opens with a space battle above Ryloth where Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, Admiral Wullf Yularen, and Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano engage in a battle with the Separatists. The intentions here are to break the blockade put in place around Ryloth, led by the Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk. This blockade prevents the Republic forces from accessing the planet's surface and providing any humanitarian relief to the Twi'leks, the planet's indigenous species, who have been subjugated by the Separatists.

As the space battle commences, Captain Mar Tuuk taunts the Republic forces, forcing Ahsoka to make a rash decision without consulting her Jedi Master Anakin. This results in Ahsoka leading a squadron of fighters in a poorly executed and ill-advised attack against the Separatist blockade. The mission fails, as most of the squad members are either killed or injured, and Ahsoka returns feeling partially responsible for the casualties.

Admiral Yularen, having sustained injuries in the attack, urges for a strategic retreat to reevaluate and reform their forces. Anakin, however, decides to come up with an unconventional plan to break the blockade around Ryloth rather than retreat. His plan involves using the damaged Republic cruiser, Defender, as a Trojan horse, rigging it to explode near the Separatist command ship upon being captured by the enemy.

While the Republic ships fake their retreat, Anakin and Ahsoka sneak the rigged Defender towards the blockade. They successfully infiltrate Captain Mar Tuuk's command ship by posing as severely damaged and surrendered Republic forces. Once aboard, the two Jedi manage to escape in smaller ships before the Defender's destruction.

The resulting explosion of the Defender destroys the command ship, and the Jedi rejoin the Republic forces in their remaining cruisers. In the midst of the chaos, the Republic manages to punch through the Separatist blockade, opening the way for their forces to land on Ryloth and launch a campaign to liberate the planet.

"Storm Over Ryloth" is a crucial episode in the first season of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" that showcases a daring move by the Republic to break the Separatist blockade and pave the way for the liberation of the oppressed Twi'leks on Ryloth. This episode not only serves as an important narrative piece but also a character-building moment for Ahsoka Tano and her relationship with Anakin Skywalker.