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Having been a regular theme in the Star Wars movies thus far, the loss of limbs intensifies towards the end of The Revenge of the Sith and General Grievous's quad arms make him perfect fodder to intensify the theme and to prepare us for the fate that the Jedi are shortly to meet. Obi-Wan chops off limb after limb with his lightsaber whilst Grievous keeps on fighting until all his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers are gone. Hence Grievous dies by blaster fire in an important transition moment in which the symbol of the Jedi is de-populated before our eyes, prefiguring the demise of the Jedi themselves when Order 66 is executed shortly afterwards.

In previous films the loss of a lightsaber has been a comedy moment ('Try not to lose it Anakin'), now it symbolically nods towards the extinction of the Jedi religion. In this reading, Grievous becomes a black parody of the Jedi and their signature weapon as their demise is literally inscribed upon his body which is disarmed, dismembered and then blown up.

As an aside, we have previously seen Mace Windu decapitate Jango Fett in the Geonosis arena in Episode II. There is a look that flashes across Windu’s face immediately after which I read as him acknowledging that his use of such extreme force is a transgression from the Jedi way. Windu has gone too far in his haste to finish off Fett. This takes him on a parallel journey to Anakin with Anakin's decapitation of Dooku forming a counterpoint to this. So when the two confront each other over the prostrate figure of Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith we can see that unfortunately they are not that different from one another. Windu too is walking a fine line from trangressing Jedi core values and perhaps were the Sith to have had an interest in Windu he too could have been tipped over the edge.

The transition becomes complete when the Jedi are all dispatched with blaster fire with the exception of the two escapees, Obi-Wan (more through luck) and Yoda (through his empathy with other Jedi suffering via the Force). It is a matter of fact decapitation with which he dispatches his assailants. We see anger flash across his face only briefly. The reality is though, that the further the Jedi are beleaguered the more decapitations they commit. Now Anakin, Windu and Yoda have all decapitated opponents.

Other Articles on the Amputation Motif in the Star Wars Films

1) C-3PO and the Amputation Motif in the Star Wars Films

2) The Amputation Motif in The Cantina Scene, The Geonosian Hangar Duel and Anakin's Final Duel

3) Chewbacca and the Subversion of the Amputation Motif in the Star Wars Films

Other Star Wars Amputations

Jango Fett: The decapitation of Jango Fett by Mace Windu

Mace Windu: Mace Windu loses his forearm in the duel in Palpatine's chambers.

Battle Droids : The battle droids are almost continually being chopped up by light sabres. These droids don’t seem quite sentient. They are very basic, not very intelligent and don’t seem to fulfil the criteria for sentient life forms. They can be chopped up by the Jedi with impunity.

Count Dooku: Dooku loses both his hands and his head in the final duel with Anakin

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All Star Wars action figures, vehicles, collectibles and Star Wars toys shown on this website are the 3.75 inch scale and from my own private Star Wars collection unless otherwise stated. Where possible original vintage accessories have been used but in some instances I have placed Kenner Star Wars figures with either reproduction weapons and accessories or for Hasbro figures close approximations have been used. This is mostly the case for modern Star Wars lightsabers where the correct item can be very difficult to identify on some ocassions. Vintage Star Wars action figures are shown with their original weapon or accessory when I have them. When a vintage Kenner action figure is shown with an accessory which is not original I have tried to point this out where possible.

All of the Star Wars action figures shown were purchased second hand, usually incomplete, and in bulk. They have been reunited with their original weapons and accessories where we could get hold of them.

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