Did Clone Wars Get Censored?
Saturday, September 11th, 2010 at 10:21 am Category: Cartoons, Clone Wars, Editorial, Nerds, News, Star Wars, TopThere’s a moment in the season premiere of Clone Wars during the invasion of Kamino that you won’t see in this week’s premiere, and you’ll have to wait until the Blu-ray comes out this time next year to see it.
And it’s a shame, since it was perhaps my favorite moment in both episodes combined.
It’s no secret that Asajj Ventress plays a significant part in the invasion of Tipoca City, and in my initial early review I commented about how hyper-sexualized she’d become and it was a very interesting and dynamic layer added to the character. One moment stood out above all others, and after running a clone through with her lightsaber, she kisses him before she turns her saber off and lets him fall to the ground. That scene was on my press screener and I was very impressed by it. It added new layers to a character who I thought could be pretty boring.
But on Friday’s premiere, that shot will not be in the episode.
I watched the premiere last night at Lucasfilm’s Presidio complex with the creator, cast, and crew and was a little shocked to see the scene missing.
I asked about it, and Joel Aron (the CG supervisor) and Dave Filoni (supervising director) told me that they found out that Cartoon Network insisted on cutting it while at Celebration V and they were pretty sad about it. They also told me that this was the first instance Cartoon Network ever specifically censored a moment in the show.
My question to Cartoon Network is why? It’s not like you have Clone Wars on early enough for kids to watch it, and kids are watching it with their parents. I watched the screener with my 8 year old and it wasn’t too much for him, not beyond the rating of the show at all.
I’m told this moment will be included on the DVD, but everyone should know that Cartoon Network has, in a very small way, compromised one of the best moments I’ve ever seen on the show.
In any case, even with this one small moment missing, these are two of the best episodes in the entire series and I wouldn’t advise missing it for anything. It premieres September 17th on Cartoon Network.
Responses to “Did Clone Wars Get Censored?”
I can kind of understand Cartoon Network pulling that. I have no problem with the scene and it does add a layer of character to Ventress (who I’ve found to be rather bland and uninteresting.)
But, this is a show that is marketed towards kids. And thats a PG-13 moment right there. Granted, I was raised on PG-13 movies…but for a kids cartoon, so obviously mixing sex and violence (with the added subtext of the clone being ‘impaled’) is a bit much. Its a bit of a ‘Gogo Yubari’ moment.
Its something that would only really be appreciated by older fans anyway. Save it for the DVD.
All in all, Cartoon Network has given Lucasfilm a pretty free hand to develop the show and take risks, and they deserve the hat tip.
It’s okay for any female in Star Wars to wear revealing clothing, though. They won’t try to cover up the females and put them in reasonably battle wear. But if they kiss another character… Gotta censor that. That’s giving kids the wrong impression.
In my personal opinion I find it unnecessary to remove a scene as such. In the movies we see Anakin get his legs cut off and see him started on fire. We see Luke get his hand cut off and princess leia choke Jabba to death in a skimpy outfit. I could understand cutting the scene if she was French kissing or humping him as she stabbed him through. Cartoon network needs to realize there will always be parents who complain and I’m sure they will with other parts in the show.
I think that would’ve been a perfect moment for character development on Ventress! A good portion of this season will be geared towards her and changes that she goes through and who her character really is, and that would’ve been a great character defining moment. I can partially understand Cartoon Network wanting to edit this out because, if anyone recalls, there were a lot of “upset” parents when Season 1 episode “Rookies” aired and two clones used the word “hell”, enough to cause CN to edit those lines out every other time the episode aired before midnight. And it figures though, because that is like the highest rated episode among fans young and mostly old and one of the most mature. I suppose CN didn’t want to take any chances. As we’ve seen over the course of the series, it is slowly being pushed away from being called a “kid’s cartoon” and more of a show that adults can actually enjoy! It’s adding details to a saga that most “kids” don’t even know all that much about. I truly think this should’ve been left alone and I can’t blame Cartoon Network for it as much as I can crazy parents!
its just not fair i mean CN approves of stuff like regular show and MAD and they cut off a scene that she is kissing a dead guy not fair o and the kiss between aurra and hondo now that was just discusting im just kidding well i just dont think they should have cut off the scene
CN ponied up when they aired the episode of Family Guy that Fox banned, “When You Wish Upon A Weinstein” to great fanfare. And then everyone looked dumb for censoring it. And now “When You Wish Upon A Weinstein” is shown in regular rotation about every 2-3 months or so.
The point is, this will be a big deal for the next 12 months, CN will look foolish and overly sensitive, and then by the time it’s 2012 it will be completely forgotten.
i would probably pee my pants in excitement if i saw that on my tv, that scene is that awesome sounding.
Is it because I’m a latino that I don’t understand why does CN censored that? I don’t really get it, serious.
I thought it was a very poignant moment and really expanded on Asajj’s character. I watched it with my 7 and 8 year old, and they were fine with it.
I don’t understand the censorship at all.
Too bad we have to wait for the Blu-ray to see this. Bummed.
Considering she is one of my new favorites I’m actually getting excited for this show again. This scene shouldn’t be cut. I think it really develops her as the psychotic villain she should be. It doesn’t sound excessive enough to harm children that are old enough to be awake to watch it.
Then again, since most of us haven’t seen it, we aren’t exactly in a position to judge. When I see it on blu-ray I’ll decide whether CN is a bunch of pansies.
OMG….SO WHEN OBI-WAN KISSES SATINE CARTOON NETWORK WILL CENSORE THAT TOO….DAMNIT….SERIOUSLY SO ANAKIN CAN KISS PADME AND AURRA CAN KISS HONDO….BUT ASAJJ CAN’T KISS A CLONE…..THIS IS OUTRAGIOUS I REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS CENSORSHIP AT ALL CONSIDERING THAT ALL THE FANS WHO WATCH THIS SHOW TO GET SOMTHING OUT OF IT ARE 13-30 YEARS OLD, AND LITTLE CHILDREN UNDER 10 JUST WATCH IT FOR THE LIGHTSABER FIGHTS AND SPECIAL AFFECTS.
AND I THOUGHT THIS SEASON WAS GOING TO GET INTERESTING…. BUT I DO AGREE WITH baldassbot US, THE FANS, ARE IN NOT POSITION TO JUDGE CN’S DECITIONS.
No need to shout.
But I agree.. the show has seen worse.. I can’t help but feel sorry for the clone..
Since you saw it was him face in shock or was he dead when she kissed him?
Oh, he was dead as a doornail. She kissed a corpse.
so did she give the clone a little smootch or did she french him ?
It was a little of both…
Interesting indeed.Thanks for responding swank-mo-tron. BTW are you sure the scene will be on the boxset ? sorry just have to be sure.
Yes. That was confirmed by James Arnold Taylor, Dave Filoni, and my LFL contact.
Ok thanks I just had to be sure. Can’t Wait to see your review of the premiere. I think that episode might be considered a directors cut then don’t you think ?
Yes. They said it would be a directors cut.
[...] Network Orders Scene Cut From Clone Wars By lazypadawan Bryan at Big Shiny Robot viewed the first two episodes of Season Three on Friday, episodes he’d already viewed on a [...]
Thx for letting in on the CN censorship, a little silly for being too PC. Have they seen Family Guy or South Park in comparison, I wonder. That “KISS OF DEATH” scene would be so fantastic to have seen. It would give Ventress so much more depth in her character- evil, psychotic, taunting gesture of in your face. Can’t wait for the blu-ray!
Will they cut the whole scene or just cut the small scene where she kisses him?
It was just the one shot that they cut. If they cut the whole scene, the episode wouldn’t make ANY sense.
Just another thought.. Was the clone helmeted when she kissed him? I’m seeing a subtle distinction between kissing a dead guy’s helmet and laying one on the lips of a human that’s still gripping her saber with his guts.
Not sure whether either one is suitable for censor, but the distinction exists.
His helmet was knocked off with a force choke.
can we assume this scene will be in the episode shown on on starwars.com after it airs?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! was it a red and black ARC cuz if it was that was 99 got damnit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It wasn’t 99. I don’t think even Ventress would kiss 99.
Poor 99 so unloved. Just saw his picture..
Ah.. just that image! Was it the blue ARC? Cause if so now I’m sad..
Do you think the scene will be in the itunes version or not? LOL sorry for all the questions! XD
yezzzzzzzzzzzz 99 stay aliveeeeeeeeeee O YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! he is now my send fav clone character rex is the first or iz he better than rex
lol 99 is not an ARC. 99 is a malformed clone turned janitor. check star wars.com they have a character thing on him.
Just to be clear, will this scene be in the REGULAR dvd box set as well or JUST Blu-Ray? I’m skipping the Blu-Ray craze and would hate to miss out on this scene.
Both as far as I know.
Also, don’t skip out on Blu-ray.
A) It’s better. Especially with this show.
B) It IS replacing DVD.
Can not believe they would do that! It would add a LOT of depth. They didn’t edit the Padme Anakin kiss! CN shows shows much worse than that anyway! Could you post it online maybe? Like a clip on a camera? Hope it’s not in the iTunes one. Makes me frustrated. CN will hear about it from me.
im curious. is the clone she kills and kisses the blue arc? if you can tell me i’d love to know, but if you can’t because of lucas film thats cool too.
Can’t you wait to see?
Though I was asked to not spoil anything before Friday, which is why I was vague in the initial report.
XD lol i guess i can wait.. im just so excited. (not for clone death though)
I can kind of understand that, I guess. My only question is, they didn’t edit the kisses between Anakin and Padme, or Aurra Sing and Hondo, so why edit this one?
Not that I needed to see it, or anything. In my opinion, there’s quite enough romance, between Anakin and Padme and Obi-Wan and Satine.
Because those kisses weren’t with corpses.
So when you watched the scene at the press screening were they in standard definition of high defintion ?
It was at the theatre at Lucasfilm on the best screen I’ve ever seen anything on in full, beyond HD-HD….
[...] Big Shiny Robot пишет: [...]
I agree with CN for cutting it, since my little ones watch it, BUT as another mentioned…why don’t they put the females in less revealing outfits? This is the only issue I can think of that I have with Star Wars is that they sexualize the females, but not the males on the show. Cover them up already and develop their character instead of their physical attributes.
One more thing…CN does market this show to YOUNG fans. My boys were chosen in 2008 and again this year to host parties (for an advance screening in 2008 and now a kick-off party for Friday night). My boys were 5 and 7 in 2008 and thus making them 7 and 9 this year. There are 3 year old children begging to come to this party, because they watch it too. So even though they run the show at 9 PM in the PST zone…they are still marketing it to younglings!
[...] shines in this episode in a way I didn’t think she could or would. Even with her best moment deleted, she still drips with lethal sexuality and it’s scary. She got to face off in an epic [...]
Now that a clip of this has leaked, I am super-disappointed that they wouldn’t allow this. Great moment.
Guilliana, My kids are 7 and 8, and we watched the press screener with the scene intact.
And you know what happened? Nothing.
We talked about the show afterwards and, like I parent, we discussed things. I don’t care what your kids should or shouldn’t see, and neither should Cartoon Network. That’s your job.
Aww! Disapointment! I would have loved to have seen that. I’ll have to wait for the DVD then.
I always found Clone Wars unique because before in cartoon world people don’t get killed. They can jump off a mountain and somehow be “okay”. They even say their “okay”. (Anime excluded) This was like that in the 80s with A-Team and Dukes of Hazzard. Explosions and bullets flying and nobody gets hurt. Clone Wars brought reality to cartoon world for better or worse. The flood gates already open. After last, seasons lightsaber kills through the heart this is nitpicking. Yet, Adult Swim is okay. Don’t think for a second kids are not watching because they ARE.