Why Does General Grievous Cough In Star Wars? - CBR

One of the benefits of a sprawling universe like Star Wars is the colorful villains who challenge the heroes. From Darth Vader to Cad Bane, there's no shortage of exciting antagonists with unique backstories that transformed them into who, and what, they are. One fine example is General Grievous, who debuted in Revenge of the Sith. The leader of the Separatist Droid Army, this mechanical monstrosity towered over the likes of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. That said, while Grievous was undeniably threatening, he had an ailment that proved there's more to him than meets the eye.

Grievous was plagued by a persistent cough that arose when he was introduced in Revenge of the Sith, and then again as he escaped the Separatist ship. However, it wasn't until his final confrontation with Obi-Wan that the audience could see Grievous was partially organic. When Obi-Wan ripped open his chest paneling, a beating heart could be seen, confirming that Grievous' most vital components were still organic. And that's important.

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Who Is Grievous - and Where Does His Cough Come From?

The cough itself was recorded by George Lucas, who, after having a coughing fit for the day, chose to use this as a hint toward Grievous' backstory. A native of the planet Kalee, Grievous volunteered to make his body primarily mechanical following an operation. He gained enhanced strength and reflexes in his new body and trained in lightsaber combat under Count Dooku. As a result of his training, Grievous was able to murder multiple Jedi and keep their lightsaber hilts as souvenirs.

In the animated miniseries Star Wars: Clone Wars, which is no longer canon, Grievous traveled to Coruscant to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. However, before escaping, the Separatist general was caught by Mace Windu. Although he couldn't apprehend the kidnapper, Mace used the Force to crush Grievous' chest cavity. This injury resulted in the asthmatic cough that would remain with him until his death.

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How Did Grievous' Cough Change - and Why Is It Tragic?

Following the release of the documentary Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed, a canon cause for Grievous' breathing issue was explained. According to Lucas, the croup wasn't caused by Windu or an illness. Instead, it was due to cybernetic imperfections of the era during his transformation. Even though the answer is simple, the explanation explores an even deeper meaning to the larger Star Wars universe. At his core, Grievous' form is no different from Darth Vader's. The journey to Grievous' cybernetic body was fostered by Palpatine, who also oversaw Anakin's transformation. And when the time came for the operation, Grievous accepted. Ironically, Anakin's lung damage meant that his armor needed particular focus on his respiratory systems. As a result, his breathing apparatus is leagues better than Grievous'.

The connection between Grievous and Vader's cybernetics shows how Palpatine learned from his mistakes and improved the technology years before Anakin would need them. A side effect of Lucas' choice to make Grievous' cough the result of an imperfection also shows how everything is connected, which helps the Star Wars universe feel even more alive. Now, when fans hear Grievous' coughs, it will serve as a precursor to the bone-chilling breathing that accompanies Darth Vader.