History Film / AttackOfTheClones

* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: The canonical information presented via ''Star Wars: Complete Locations'' states that there were millions of clone divisions[[note]]an army division is usually somewhere from 10,000 to 20,000 troops[[/note]] in training at the outbreak of the war, contradicting the de-canonized novelization which stated that a "unit" was an individual clone.

* TimePassageBeard: Obi-Wan Kenobi now has a beard that he has grown since the last movie. This was filmed three years after Film/ThePhantomMenace, but ten years passed in-story. Thus in addition to showing the passage of time, the beard helps baby-faced Ewan [=McGregor=], now several years younger than his character is supposed to be thanks to the TimeSkip, look a little closer to his character's age. Also, it moves him visually closer to [[Creator/AlecGuinness the older version of his character]] in ''Film/ANewHope'', who also has a beard.

Ten years after the liberation of Naboo, the Galactic Republic is once again in crisis as a large number of outlying systems, backed by many of the galaxy's [[MegaCorp megacorporations]] and led by former Jedi Master Count Dooku (Creator/ChristopherLee), announce their intent to secede from the Republic. With tensions pushing both sides to the brink of war, Senator Padmé Amidala (Creator/NataliePortman), one of the biggest proponents of a peaceful resolution to the conflict, becomes the target of an attempted assassination.

The film received two novelizations in English: an adult-oriented version by Creator/RASalvatore, and a childrens' version by Creator/PatriciaCWrede.

** First, he has his grand scheme of controlling both sides of a civil war. He controls the Republic as Chancellor and his Sith apprentice controls the Separatists. Whichever side wins the war, Sidious is still in control, and the process of the war itself undermines democracy and trust in the government on both sides, encouraging the transition to empire. However, it gets retroactively subverted after the next film reveals that while a Separatist victory ''was'' an option, Palpatine's preference was for a Republic victory (to complete the corruption of the Jedi's beloved civilization and to legimatize his autocracy).

** First, he has his grand scheme of controlling both sides of a civil war. He controls the Republic as Chancellor and his Sith apprentice controls the Separatists. Whichever side wins the war, Sidious is still in control, and the process of the war itself undermines democracy and trust in the government on both sides, encouraging the transition to empire.

* FalseFriend: Palpatine to the Jedi and Anakin in particular (albeit retroactively after the revelations of the next film).

* FalseFriend: Building off the ending of the previous film, Palpatine's interest in Anakin's career has led to him becoming, for all intents, a kindly old Uncle doting on his favorite nephew. Anakin confides in Palpatine and the Chancellor offers the kind of advice and encouragement the young Padawan can't and won't get from Obi-Wan. As the next film will reveal Palpatine's really Darth Sidious, of course, this is revealed retroactively to be all an act. Palpatine's playing the LongGame with Anakin, slowly and carefully corrupting the Jedi's Chosen One and driving subtle wedges between him and the Council and Obi-Wan. These seeds will come to fruition in the next film.

* ToxicFriendInfluence: Palpatine to Anakin. It's made clear part of the friction between Anakin and Obi-Wan is due to Palpatine's private advice and encouragement -- encouragement which, while well meant is only stoking Anakin's out of control ego. Of course, the next film will reveal it's ''not'' well meant at all. As Palpatine is really Darth Sidious, it's all intentional as part of his LongGame to corrupt the Jedi's Chosen One and turn him against the Order.

* FalseFriend: Building off the ending of the previous film and his interest in Anakin, Palpatine has become, for all intents, a kindly old Uncle doting on his favorite nephew. Anakin confides in him and the Chancellor offers him the kind of advice and encouragement the Padawan Learner can't and won't get from Obi-Wan. As the next film will reveal Palpatine is really Darth Sidious, of course, this is all an act. Palpatine's playing the LongGame with Anakin, slowly and carefully corrupting the Jedi's Chosen One and driving subtle wedges between him and the Council and Obi-Wan. These seeds will come to fruition in the next film.

* KarmaHoudini: During Anakin and Padme's meeting with Queen Apailana, an embittered Sio Bibble remarks that Nute Gunray has been tried 4 times by the Republic Supreme Court in the decade since the Blockade of Naboo. Not only has Gunray managed to avoid being held accountable for the invasion each time, but he's still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation in spite of all this. [[spoiler: Considering the next film will reveal his Sith patron is the current Supreme Chancellor, the retroactive implication is Sidious protected Gunray both because he needs him and the Trade Federation for the Seperatists and because he can't risk Gunray revealing too much to his enemies.]]

* HypocriticalHumor: Obi-Wan says "I hate it when he does that!" in response to Anakin jumping out of his speeder to catch Zam's. Never mind that just a few minutes earlier, Obi-Wan himself dove straight through a glass window--of a building that's ''hundreds'' of stories high--to catch Zam's droid.

* ArbitrarilyLargeBankAccount: One Jedi Master could order up an entire clone army and fleet of warships apparently without having to go through any kind of budget request to either the Jedi Council or the Senate.

* NoSell: When Dooku uses Force Lightning against Obi-Wan, he easily stops it with a lightsaber. Yoda can [[AttackReflector send it back to Dooku]] barehanded.

At the direction of the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Creator/EwanMcGregor) leads an investigation into the assassination, untangling a web of conspiracy pointing to the involvement of the Jedi's ancient enemy, the Sith Order. Meanwhile, his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Creator/HaydenChristensen), is tasked with protecting Padmé, and the two soon find themselves [[BodyguardCrush struggling with their emotions for one another]], forcing Anakin to confront some personal demons--and the lure of {{the Dark Side}}...

At the direction of the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Creator/EwanMcGregor) leads an investigation into the assassination, untangling a web of conspiracy pointing to the involvement of the Jedi's ancient enemy, the Sith Order. Meanwhile, his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, (Creator/HaydenChristensen) is tasked with protecting Padmé, and the two soon find themselves [[BodyguardCrush struggling with their emotions for one another]], forcing Anakin to confront some personal demons - and the lure of {{the Dark Side}}...

* AssholeVictim: The Tusken raiders who murder Shmi, though Anakin [[WouldHurtAChild killing their children]] was rather unwarranted, as Anakin would later [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone lament]] to Padmé.

* TimePassageBeard: Obi-Wan Kenobi now has a beard that he has grown since the last movie. This was filmed three years after Film/ThePhantomMenace, but ten years passed in-story. Thus in addition to showing the passage of time, the beard helps baby-faced Ewan McGregor, now several years younger than his character is supposed to be thanks to the TimeSkip, look a little closer to his character's age. Also, it moves him visually closer to [[Creator/AlecGuinness the older version of his character]] in Film/ANewHope, who also has a beard.
* TitleDrop: The German dub has Yoda deliver one at the end, in place of "Clone War". It’s badly done since it's in a negative context, implying that Yoda considers the clones the worst part of the mess, even though they're on the same side.