While the Star Wars films have long moved away from the days of the Prequel Trilogy, the comics continue to offer fresh insights on this early era. The new Age of Republic – General Grievous comic, for instance, has proven particularly revealing with its long-awaited unmasking of the villainous title character.
As some of you may recall, the Revenge of the Sith and Clone Wars antagonist was originally a Kaleesh warlord who was rebuilt as a cyborg after being severely injured in a ship crash. However, in the latest Age of Republic issue, the character encounters a Force power that takes off his metal mask and restores his original body, if only as a projection. In the franchise canon, Kaleesh are a species of red-skinned humanoid reptilians that have two yellow eyes with slit pupils. And looking at the below image, it seems there was once a day when Grievous fit that description.
Another thing you may notice about the general’s fleshy face is that it’s looking rather worried. Apparently, beneath that mechanical exterior is a vulnerable figure who still has the capacity to fear. You can decide for yourself if you prefer this softer appearance or the meaner, fully armored look that we’ve come to associate with the character.
General Grievous 1 is the ninth and final one-shot in the Age of Republic anthology series that started last December with Qui-Gon Jinn 1. Next up, the Age of Rebellion miniseries starts off with the release of Princess Leia 1 on April 10th, which happens to be the day before this year’s Star Wars Celebration opens in Chicago. All in all, it should be a pretty huge week for the Star Wars franchise, but in the meantime, stay tuned as new material from the annual event emerges.