Why is General Grievous Sick? Why Does He Cough?
by Swetha P
Updated May 05, 2023
Who is General Grievous?
General Grievous is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, which was created by George Lucas. He was first introduced in the 2003 animated series, Star Wars: Clone Wars, where he was voiced by John DiMaggio in the second season and Richard McGonagle in the third season.
Grievous later appeared in the 2005 live-action film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, where he was portrayed using computer-generated imagery and voiced by Matthew Wood. Wood continued to voice Grievous in the 2008 computer-animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Grievous is a cyborg who serves as a military commander for the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.
Why is General Grievous Sick?
General Grievous, the cyborg military commander, made his first appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television series in 2003. However, it wasn't until Chapter 25 (or Season 3 Episode 5) that he had a climactic showdown with Mace Windu.
During the intense battle, Windu utilized the Force to crush Grievous's chest plates, which resulted in severe damage to his lungs and left him with a distinctive cough that carried over into his appearance in Revenge of the Sith. Grievous's cough is now a well-known characteristic of his character and is often imitated by fans of the franchise.
Why Does General Grievous Cough?
In the third season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which takes place three years after Grievous's first appearance, the cyborg commander launches an attack on Coruscant with the goal of kidnapping Chancellor Palpatine. The Jedi defenders of the Chancellor include Shaak Ti, Roron Corobb, and Foul Moudama.
Despite their efforts, Grievous manages to kill Corobb and Moudama, defeat Ti once again, and successfully capture Palpatine. As Grievous boards his escape shuttle with the captive Chancellor, Mace Windu arrives and confronts him. In a dramatic showdown, Windu uses the Force to crush Grievous's chestplate, causing severe damage to his internal organs and ultimately leading to the distinctive cough that becomes synonymous with the character.
As Grievous is boarding his escape shuttle, Jedi Master Mace Windu arrives and employs the Force to crush Grievous' chest plate, resulting in significant harm to his internal organs and causing his iconic cough.
Is General Grievous a Droid or Human?
Is General Grievous Human? Originally, General Grievous was Qymaen jai Sheelal, an organic reptilian humanoid from the planet Kalee. His species, the Kaleesh, were engaged in a prolonged war with their rivals, the Huk. Sheelal was revered by his people for his victories in the Huk War and was considered a demigod.
However, after being severely injured in battle, Sheelal was reconstructed as a cyborg and became the leader of the Separatists' droid army during the Clone Wars. Introduced in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Grievous later became a prominent character in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Despite being known for his cowardice and mustache-twirling villainy, Grievous was a formidable warrior who had a reputation for slaughtering Jedi and collecting their lightsabers as trophies. He met his end at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau, marking the end of the Clone Wars, but leaving behind many unanswered questions about his past and motivations.
Did General Grievous Have the Force?
Grievous' cyborg body was created with the intention of matching the physical prowess of the Jedi. Standing at an imposing 7 ft 1 in (216 cm), he possesses a commanding presence that can intimidate his adversaries and provide him with a psychological edge in combat.
Despite not being Force-sensitive, Grievous is a highly skilled lightsaber combatant, having received training in all forms of lightsaber combat from Count Dooku. His mechanical arms are capable of splitting in two, allowing him to wield four lightsabers simultaneously, which he uses to overwhelm his opponents.
General Grievous Backstory
Grievous' origin story reveals that he was once Qymaen jai Sheelal, an organic reptilian humanoid from the planet Kalee. During the Huk War, Sheelal emerged as a demigod among his people due to his victories in battle. He eventually fell in love with a fellow warrior named Ronderu lij Kummar.
However, Kummar's death on a mission caused Sheelal to realize he would forever mourn her loss. He then adopted the name Grievous and became a warlord, launching swift attacks against the Huk. In response, the Huk sought the aid of the Jedi Knights of the Galactic Republic to defend against Grievous.
What Did General Grievous Look Like Before?
The true nature of General Grievous' original species has remained a mystery in the Star Wars universe. However, in The Clone Wars series, there is a glimpse of the creature that Grievous was before he became a cyborg. Grievous is shown to be vulnerable to the power of the Force and his past is revealed, portraying him as a creature with a heart.
In a surprising turn of events, the Force restores his original body, which reveals his true appearance and removes his mask to show his reptilian eyes. Grievous is momentarily stripped of his intimidating demeanor and transformed into a helpless creature, highlighting the power of the Force and its ability to see through artificiality. The scene offers a rare glimpse into the backstory of one of Star Wars' most iconic villains.
What Species is General Grievous?
As the leader of the Separatist's droid army, General Grievous had a fearsome reputation among the Jedi. However, despite his cyborg appearance, Grievous was originally an organic member of the Kaleesh species from the planet Kalee in Wild Space.
Grievous was jealous of the Jedi's ability to wield the Force, and sought to enhance himself in ways that would give him an edge in battle. Thus, he agreed to undergo cybernetic enhancements to his body, which would ultimately lead to him becoming a menacing four-armed creature with a reputation for cowardice.
General Grievous Origin
In the comic book "The Eyes of Revolution" from Star Wars: Visionaries, General Grievous's true identity is revealed. He was originally known as Qymaen jai Sheelal, an organic reptilian humanoid from the planet Kalee. Sheelal was highly respected by his people for his victories in the Huk War, a conflict between the Kaleesh and the rival Huk species.
However, after his lover Ronderu lij Kummar died during a mission, Sheelal was consumed with grief and rebranded himself as Grievous. This event marked the beginning of his transformation from a revered warrior to a feared cyborg leader.
How Many Lightsabers Does General Grievous Have?
General Grievous had a deep-seated animosity towards the Jedi due to their alliance with the oppressive Huk species, who had enslaved his people. Grievous would often hunt down Jedi and kill them, taking their lightsabers as war trophies. In the battle against Kenobi on Utapau, Grievous wielded four lightsabers that he had obtained from his defeated or captured foes.
These included the lightsabers of Shaak Ti, Eeth Koth, Pablo-Jill, and Roron Corobb. While Shaak Ti's fate was depicted in a deleted scene, it is known that the others were either captured or killed by Grievous. After his defeat, the Empire recovered Grievous's lightsaber collection from his starfighter.
General Grievous Unmasked
In the Clone Wars episode "Lair of Grievous," fans had the closest glimpse of General Grievous' unmasked face and the possibility of seeing other members of his race. Although the episode showed heroic statues in his living space, it did not provide any confirmation about their representation of Grievous or his family.
However, the question about Grievous' race has been addressed in the Star Wars: Age of the Republic - General Grievous comic, marking the first time it has been explored in-depth. Fans can finally gain insights into the physical appearance, culture, and history of the Kaleesh race, to which General Grievous originally belonged.
Who Killed General Grievous?
After the death of Count Dooku, Darth Sidious saw no further use for General Grievous as his plan to execute Order 66 and eliminate the Jedi was already in motion. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was tasked with tracking down Grievous on Utapau, leading to a fierce battle that eventually led to Grievous's demise. Despite Grievous's formidable combat skills, Kenobi's strategic thinking allowed him to gain the upper hand and damage Grievous's chest plate.
Grievous, realizing that his vulnerability was exposed, threw Kenobi off the platform. However, Kenobi's resourcefulness enabled him to cling onto the ledge and shoot Grievous's exposed heart using the cyborg's own blaster. The blast not only killed Grievous but also incinerated the remaining organic parts of his body. Thus, the era of the Separatists and their dreaded leader, General Grievous, came to a violent end.
Why is General Grievous Sick - FAQs
General Grievous was a cyborg leader of the Separatist droid army who was originally an organic reptilian humanoid from the planet Kalee.
General Grievous had an intense hatred for the Jedi as they sided with the Huk species who enslaved his people, the Kaleesh during the Huk War.
Grievous had lightsabers of various Jedi masters he defeated, including Shaak Ti, Eeth Koth, Pablo-Jill, and Roron Corobb.
General Grievous was defeated by Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, who opened his chest plate and shot his exposed heart, causing the rest of his organic body to incinerate.
The first instance of seeing the face of Grievous unmasked or any other member of his race was in Star Wars: Age of the Republic - General Grievous.