Obi-Wan ponders his escape from the Citadel in “Counterattack,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS premiering at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, March 4 on Cartoon Network. TM & © 2011 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Having freed the prisoners, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker search for a way out of the impenetrable Citadel prison. The brutal warden has more traps, perils and pitfalls in store for them, however, and the heroes must overcome their own differences in order to escape. After surviving their own daring break-in, it’s time for a “Counterattack” – the second chapter of a thrilling three-part storyline, airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, March 4 on Cartoon Network.

While Taylor is best known for providing the voice of The Clone Wars’ Obi-Wan Kenobi, he does far more for the series than just the staid and dulcet tones of that temperate Jedi Master. In the Citadel trilogy alone, he voices three very distinct characters – on both sides of the action-packed prison escape. In addition to Obi-Wan’s voice of reason, Taylor breathes life into Jedi Master Plo Koon and even the sadistic Citadel warden, Osi Sobeck.

“Most of the time, we work as a cast and we say our lines in sequence. Some actors need to kind of stay in the mode of the character, but [on The Clone Wars], we’re all very comfortable with just switching back and forth,” he says. “So when we did these sessions, it was a lot of fun. There was a point where I was doing all three [characters] in a scene, jumping from voice to voice. I love doing that stuff. I’m a ham. The fun thing about Osi – we’ll see, but I’m sure people have realized who I am actually doing. It’s not an impersonation, but it’s inspired by someone in particular – and as we went through the episode, it grew and changed. We’re not making fun; we’re paying homage to his acting beats and his style, but we’re not trying to fool anybody. Hopefully people will enjoy that and have fun with that, because that’s what we were doing.”

With so much fun going on behind the scenes, Taylor is understandably enthusiastic about being part of an ongoing project he enjoys so much. And while the sessions themselves are always so entertaining, he’s also quick to express his appreciation for the finished product, taken on its own merits.

“I watch the show because I’m a fan,” he says. “I love visually how it looks. I watch it from a study perspective, and I watch it because of the vital Star Wars elements that are in these episodes. I like these fun, swashbuckling, action episodes. That’s what was so fun about these; the [recording] sessions are like that, too. OK, we’re moving, you’re shouting, you’re fighting. The action ones, I can sink my teeth into immediately. I mean, come on, it doesn’t get any more Star Wars than that.”

The New York Times is reporting that the Walking Carpet himself will be joining Star Wars: The Clone Wars for the two-part season 3 finale! The episodes, titled “Padawan Lost” and “Wookie Hunt” will feature Ahsoka Tano teaming up with the renowned wookie, Chewbacca. This could be the  Classic Trilogy tie-in that Dave Filoni alluded to back at the Star Wars Celebration panel, The Clone Wars: Secrets Revealed, in which he replied to a youngling’s query about whether Han and Chewie would ever make an appearance in The Clone Wars.

The episodes are currently slated to air on April 1st, possibly back to back. A curious date to air such a momentous appearance, considering it is April Fools. I guess Clone Wars fans will just have to wait and see what other surprises might be in store for us in the coming weeks, as Star Wars: The Clone Wars rounds out it’s third season.

For more on Chewie, and Peter Mayhew’s involvement, as well as a reveal clip, head over to the New York Times website to check it out.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is encased in carbonite to infiltrate a Separatist prison in “The Citadel,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS premiering at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 18 on Cartoon Network. TM & © 2011 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, an elite rescue team attempts to free a captive Jedi general from an impenetrable Separatist prison. Deep within enemy territory, The Citadel is surrounded by droids and run by a sadistic warden determined to prevent anyone from breaking out – or in. Our heroes stage an action-packed forced entry to “The Citadel,” the first chapter in an explosive three-part storyline – airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 18 on Cartoon Network.

“This arc is basically classic Star Wars; we focused on the things that I really remember loving about the Saga from when I was a kid,” says Dave Filoni, supervising director of The Clone Wars. “In the Mortis trilogy, George wanted us to explore some ground that’s never really been covered in Star Wars before. And now with the Citadel arc, we’re going back to some of those essential, classic conventions that have always made Star Wars so fun.”

Action-packed and filled with nods to the live-action saga, the Citadel trilogy finds its heroes behind enemy lines – using an unusual infiltration tactic that fans of the original trilogy will recognize as a twist on a classic Star Wars scene. With the heroes encasing themselves in carbonite to slip past The Citadel’s impenetrable security, the episode explores quintessentially familiar ground in decidedly unfamiliar ways.

“There are a lot of references packed into these episodes,” says Filoni. “Even the basic break-in idea parallels the Death Star rescue from Episode IV. It was really fun to do our version of that, but it’s definitely not the only thing that will feel familiar – though we’ve put our own spin on everything. This whole arc allowed us some fun opportunities to pay homage to the Star Wars that we all fell in love with when we, the older fans, were kids. Pretty much everyone on the crew is a fan, so it’s been fun to revisit some of those classic elements in The Clone Wars.”

Another familiar element come in the form of a classic Star Wars villain – introduced here on the side of the Republic! First appearing in Episode IV as the Imperial officer bold enough to “[hold] Vader’s leash,” Grand Moff Tarkin (now just a captain) will have his fateful first meeting with Anakin Skywalker in this week’s Clone Wars adventure.

“Tarkin was tricky,” says Filoni. “We had to capture his essence, while also aging him down appropriately. Peter Cushing is such a distinguished actor, and Tarkin is such an iconic role. He fills the room with his presence and, aside from the Emperor, he’s the only character who ever orders Vader around. So getting him right was very important to us, because his introduction to Anakin is an important one. And they’ve got a fun relationship that’s been very interesting to explore.”

StarWars.com has just released this image of Classic STar Wars character, Grand Moff Tarkin, as he’ll be seen in the upcoming episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, “Citadel”, airing on February 18th on Cartoon Network. CHeck out what they had to say below.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars continues to reveal secrets in its action-packed third season. While everyone is rightly focused on “Ghosts of Mortis” airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 11 on Cartoon Network, here’s a sneak peek at what lies beyond.

The episode “The Citadel,” which airs on airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 18 on Cartoon Network, features the return of a classic Star Wars character from Episode IV. Long before he held the rank of Grand Moff in charge of Death Star operations, he was a Republic officer in the Clone Wars.

The Son seduces Anakin with visions of his future in “Ghosts of Mortis,” an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS premiering at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 11 on Cartoon Network.

The Jedi remain stranded on Mortis, with Anakin Skywalker caught in an epic struggle between the light side and the dark side of the Force. As the Jedi prepare for a decisive confrontation, Anakin must face some shocking visions of his own future in “Ghosts of Mortis” – the climactic chapter in an epic, three-part Clone Wars storyline, airing at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 11 on Cartoon Network.

With the fate of the galaxy on the line and Anakin himself tempted by absolute power over the Force, The Clone Wars continues to put a stake in the ground – firmly establishing the series as essential viewing for a full understanding of the still-unfolding Star Wars canon. The Mortis trilogy is utterly central to the maelstrom of what’s yet to come, bringing Anakin’s terrible destiny to the fore. In “Ghosts of Mortis,” we see his inevitable seduction to the dark side – in smoke-shrouded visions of the future, but also in the burning fires of the here and now. Plagued by a nightmarish glimpse of what he will become, Anakin will take up arms against his best friend amidst the fires of Mortis…

“The prophecy is finally playing out, front and center,” says Matt Lanter (90210, The Roommate), who voices Anakin in the series. “We are realizing that so many important events are being played out that will come to affect what happens in Revenge of the Sith. We see Anakin slowly becoming more independent, wanting more freedom and power. His relationships change. He has become even more of a leader, but may be questioning the Jedi leadership a little more. And it seems as if Anakin doesn’t trust [Obi-Wan] as much, and thinks he is actually holding him back.”

A transformative storyline in the trajectory of the series and the Saga as a whole, the Mortis trilogy explores wholly new ground – revealing the true nature of the Force as it’s never been seen before. At the very core of the story is Anakin – whose personal journey will ultimately define the galaxy.

“This is the Clones Wars at its best so far,” says Lanter. “These stories are such an important piece of not just the series, but Star Wars in general – and these are without a doubt the most trying and emotional episodes that we have seen Anakin deal with. He has to deal with visions of the past, saving his Padawan and risking the future all at the same time. It adds so much to the Saga and makes the events of the films that much more devastating.”