Was General Grievous Really A Coward Or A Tactical Genius?

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By Culture SlatePublished 2 years ago • 3 min read

There are many things that General Grievous is known for in the Star Wars universe. From his distinguishable cough to being a part of arguably the most iconic greeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans have come to know and love the saber swinging cyborg. However, another thing associated with the Separatist general is his constant fleeing from the battlefield. Even in his first live action appearance in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith we see General Grievous fleeing within the first twenty minutes of the film. On the flip side, there is a higher possibility that his constant fleeing is not out of cowardice, but smart tactical moves.

It is easy to look at the many escapes Grievous has had in The Clone Wars series and label him a coward. Fans have to consider that we are seeing the point of view of the Jedi. If we see all of the Separatist’s successes, we too would start to lose hope in our Jedi heroes. Even from the Jedi point of view we are given many scenarios of why Grievous was so feared by the Republic. In The Clone Wars Season 1 Episode 10 “Lair of Grievous” we see Master Kit Fisto and his former Padawan Nahdar infiltrate General Grievous’ hideout. Inside, they discover the “trophies” Grievous had collected from defeating past Jedi. Grievous will later go on to kill Nahdar along with all the clones who accompany them before ultimately going face to face with Kit Fisto himself. He will even corner the Jedi Master with the aid of a few droids appearing to secure his victory. Even though Master Fisto is never deterred by his encounter with Grievous he still chooses to make an escape. No one will label Kit Fisto a coward for running in this scenario. Instead, it is seen as a tactical move. In truth, all the times Grievous has run away from a fight is when running is the only logical choice. He is not giving up, just choosing to fight another day.

Even before the Clone Wars, Grievous had military and combat experience on his home planet Kalee. There he was both a fearsome warrior and warlord. He gained knowledge of battle tactics and warfare before being noticed by Count Dooku and becoming the general that would lead the Separatist armies. Despite his clear lack of control when it comes to destroying his own battle droids it is shown that he is capable of seeing the bigger picture of the war. In The Clone Wars Season 3 Episode 2 “ARC Troopers” we see a conversation between Grievous and Asajj Ventress during their attack on Kamino. While Ventress questions why they don’t just destroy the clone DNA, Grievous is able to point out that the DNA could unlock new possibilities for the Separatists, proving he is more than just a saber swinging lunatic with a vendetta out for the Jedi. He is able to make smart strategic moves with the future of the Separatist in mind.

Another reason why the General is painted to be a coward that is always fleeing is because of the Jedi he is often pitted against. When faced with less experienced Jedi, General Grievous tends to cut them down rather easily. However, when faced with actual Jedi Masters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi he is given much more of a challenge.

While many of his escapes may dampen his reputation, no one can argue that his constant presence in the war put a toll on the Jedi. The constant search for the general left the Jedi forces stretched thin and often made it impossible or unlikely that aid could reach their fellow Republic ships. While the number of times General Grievous flees a battlefield is great, he always manages to strike a serious blow to Republic forces. All this makes fans wonder if General Grievous is really a coward or a tactical genius?

Written By Victoria Prestley

Source(s): CBR, Wookieepedia

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