The Clone Wars rage across the galaxy, and the Republic struggles to hold on. In the Abregado system, Jedi Master Plo Koon and Clone Commander Wolffe are aboard the Triumphant, where they locate the Separatist warship Malevolence. The Malevolence is a massive vessel armed with a powerful ion cannon that can disable entire fleets.
The Malevolence’s ion cannon quickly disables the Republic ship, and Plo and Wolffe order their men to evacuate. They escape in an escape pod, pursued by Separatist fighters in the debris field.
Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka Tano are assigned to a mission in the Bith system. Plo contacts Anakin, telling him about the Malevolence, but they lose communication. Ahsoka requests permission from the Jedi Council to find Plo and the clones, but their request is denied. The Jedi Council believes that the Malevolence is too powerful to be stopped, and they order Anakin and Ahsoka to continue with their original mission. Anakin scolds Ahsoka for her outburst, but he secretly decides to look for survivors.
In the debris field, Plo and his clone troopers spot another escape pod, but it has been broken open by a pod hunter, resulting in the death of the clones inside. They watch as another pod is attacked and destroyed by the pod hunters. The pod hunters then spot Plo and his group and attack them. Plo and his team fight back and defeat the pod hunters, but their victory alerts General Grievous that Republic survivors are still in the debris field.
Thankfully, Anakin and Ahsoka arrive just in time to rescue Plo and his men. As they prepare to leave, the Malevolence arrives in their area. Anakin and Ahsoka quickly shut down their ship’s systems, hoping to hide among the debris and avoid detection. However, they forget to turn off the medical droid, which alerts Grievous to their location. Forced to flee, they hyperspace jump and successfully escape.
Once they are safe, Commander Wolffe thanks Anakin for his help. Anakin contacts the Jedi Council to inform them of the secret weapon and its power. He takes responsibility for their actions with Ahsoka, and Grievous informs Count Dooku that the survivors have escaped. Despite this setback, the Jedi and the Republic are now aware of the Separatists’ secret weapon.
The quote “Belief is not a matter of choice but of conviction” is a reminder that belief is not something that can be forced. It comes from within. Plo does not waver in his belief that they will be found, even when the clones do not believe they will be found. Ahsoka trusts her instincts and never loses faith that they can find Plo.
The events of “Rising Malevolence” are a reminder that our beliefs can be tested. When we face challenges, it is easy to question our beliefs, but if we are truly convinced of our beliefs, we will not let those challenges shake our faith. We will continue to believe in what we believe in, even when it is difficult.
