"The Mandalore Plot" is the twelfth episode in Season Two of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series. It aired on January 29, 2010 and is the first of a three-part storyline.
While investigating rumors of conspiracy surrounding Duchess Satine of Mandalore, Obi-Wan uncovers the truth about a mysterious Mandalorian plot.
Satine informs Obi-Wan of the current state of Mandalore.
Obi-Wan arrives at Sundari on Mandalore, and is escorted via speeder to meet Duchess Satine. He is met by Prime Minister Almec, who claims Mandalore's violence died out with the warriors on Concordia, Mandalore's moon. Satine arrives and engages with Obi-Wan in a brief, flirtatious conversation (mixed with mild aversion) before Obi-Wan shows her a hologram of a figure in Mandalorian armor attacking a Republic cruiser. Satine assures him that she is not behind the attack, and she and Obi-Wan set out for a tour of the city.
They travel to a garden, where Satine tells Obi-Wan of a rogue group of Mandalorians called Death Watch, which is opposed to Satine's peaceful ways. She claims she has worked to root out the group of criminals and has tracked them to Concordia.
Pre Vizsla plotting with Dooku how to take over Mandalore.
Meanwhile, on Concordia, a man in Mandalorian armor is conversing with a hologram of Count Dooku, who has promised to support Death Watch. They plan to rally more citizens to their cause so they can overthrow the Duchess.
Back on Mandalore, Satine and Obi-Wan are touring the gardens when there is an explosion. Satine and Obi-Wan rush in to rescue the injured, and see a hologram showing the crest of Death Watch. Obi-Wan spots a man fleeing the scene, and pursues him through the gardens. After a brief struggle, the man jumps off a balcony, preferring to commit suicide rather than being kidnapped and interrogated by the Jedi. However, Satine and Obi-Wan manage to reach the dying man on the lower floor just before the Mandalorian whispers his last words to the Duchess in the dialect of Concordia.
Mandalorian Supercommando firing at Obi-Wan and Satine.
Obi-Wan and Satine travel to the moon and are greeted by Governor Pre Vizsla. The Jedi decides to secretly investigate the situation on Concordia and gives Satine an earpiece so they can communicate. He travels by a speeder bike to one of the moon's supposedly nonoperational mines where, after a small scuffle, he is captured by two armed Mandalorians. He then contacts Satine, who is drinking with Vizsla, pretending Obi-Wan is meditating in his chamber and is going to join them in a few minutes. She excuses herself, and sets off on a speeder bike towards the mine, where she shuts down the mining machine which would have crushed Kenobi. They escape through a turbolift, but are cut off by a group of Death Watch members in armor. The group's leader orders an evacuation of the mines, then reveals his face to be Governor Vizsla, who has been plotting against Satine and the Jedi. He gives Kenobi's lightsaber back to him, then brandishes his own Darksaber. They duel, and Vizsla is defeated. He orders his warriors to kill Kenobi, who escapes with Satine down the turbolift shaft. They journey back to Sundari, where Obi-Wan tells Satine he believes the Separatists are aiding Death Watch. But despite the evidence, Satine vows to stay out of the war. Anakin arrives to report for duty, and he and Obi-Wan join Satine aboard her starship.
The elongated shape of the Mandalorian helmets in the episode were inspired by Boba Fett's character design in The Star Wars Holiday Special.
The hexagon design seen in the chest piece of Mandalorian armor is visible in elements of Mandalorian architecture.
The planet of Mandalore appears significantly different from all of its past appearances, as a result of its new backstory involving a conflict with the Republic. A reconciliation of the two portrayals was established with retcons issued by The Essential Atlas reference book, and the later Star Wars: The Clone Wars: New Battlefronts: The Visual Guide guide book, which state that the expansive white-sand desert seen in the episode is only one aspect of the overall landscape of Mandalore's surface.
The character design for Duchess Satine Kryze and her royal guard were based on abandoned character design concepts for The Phantom Menace. The design for Satine was based on a Queen Amidala illustration by Iain McCaig, and the design for her royal guard came from the same artist's experiments with Sith.
The Jedi Temple Archives feature on The Complete Season Two Blu-ray includes the deleted scene "Satine Saves Obi-Wan."
- Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection