General Grievous (Clone Wars Tartakovsky) — Star Wars The Black Series 50th Anniversary

Overview

General Grievous (Clone Wars Tartakovsky) is a Walmart exclusive in the Black Series 50th Anniversary sub-line, released in March 2022 at $26.49. This is based on Grievous’s appearance in the 2003–2005 Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars 2D animated micro-series — and it is, without qualification, the best Black Series General Grievous figure. The Tartakovsky design is more imposing, more predatory, and more visually interesting than the Revenge of the Sith film version, and the 2022 release captures that at 7 inches tall with 23 joints and nine accessories.

It is a repaint of the 2019 Black Series General Grievous with a different, much thinner soft-goods cape. The 2019 cape was premium; this one is disappointing in comparison. That is the single meaningful criticism of an otherwise exceptional figure.

Articulation

23 joints. Ball-jointed neck, ball-jointed lower neck, four ball-jointed shoulders (two per arm pair), four ball-jointed elbows, two swivel forearms on the two back shoulders, ball-jointed upper body, ball-jointed hips, swivel joints above the knees, swivel joints below the knees, swivel joints above the ankles, ball-jointed ankles.

The arm articulation is the engineering centrepiece. Each of Grievous’s two arms can be split into four — pull them apart along the three pegs that connect each pair (one on the shoulder, one on the forearm, one on the hand) and you have four independent arms. The four ball-jointed shoulders and four ball-jointed elbows then give each of those arms full independent range. This is the mechanical basis for the four-lightsaber display, and it works properly. Getting Grievous balanced with four arms extended does take some effort — allow time to find the right ankle position — but once found, the figure holds the pose.

The 7-inch height sits correctly above standard Black Series figures. Grievous should be taller than the humans around him, and at this scale that reads correctly on a shelf.

Accessories

9 accessories. Four lightsabers with four individually removable blades, and one soft-goods cape.

All four lightsaber hilts are different from each other — they’re not reuses of the same hilt mould. The blades detach from the hilts cleanly. Grievous holds all four at once via the split-arm configuration, with the bulkier hilt design actually helping him grip them securely. A Battle Droid blaster was included with the original 2019 Grievous release and is absent here, which is a minor omission given the lightsaber-focused character.

The soft-goods cape is the figure’s weakest point. Compared to the premium cape on the 2019 release, this one feels very thin and insubstantial. It sits on the figure adequately but it doesn’t drape with the same quality. For display purposes it’s acceptable; as a material, it’s a downgrade.

The Tartakovsky Grievous vs the Film Grievous

The 2003 micro-series made a deliberate creative decision about Grievous that the Revenge of the Sith film reversed: in the animated series, he’s nearly unstoppable. The Citadel Station arc features Grievous systematically defeating Jedi Masters in rapid succession — Shaak Ti survives through strategy rather than combat, Ki-Adi-Mundi is driven back, others are cut down. He is presented as a genuine threat at the highest tier of physical capability.

Revenge of the Sith’s Grievous is smaller, wheezier, and ultimately dispatched by Obi-Wan with a blaster. The creative decision makes sense for the film — Grievous serves as a stepping stone villain rather than the final threat — but it’s a significant downgrade from the animated characterisation.

The Tartakovsky Black Series figure captures the animated version: taller, more angular, with the specific proportions that the 2D aesthetic used to suggest a physique that can’t be human in any meaningful sense. The paint application in simple tones matches the Clone Wars 2D counterpart well, stripping the character back to a cleaner, more graphic look than the film design.

For collectors who have or are considering the standard Black Series Grievous (the 2019 Phase 3 release), the Tartakovsky version is both a different configuration and, for most display purposes, the more impressive figure. They cover different source material; both are worth having if you collect Grievous.

The Tartakovsky Trio

This is the standout figure of the three Walmart exclusives covering the 2003 micro-series. ARC Trooper Captain is a decent figure with the ammo pouch accuracy compromise. Mace Windu (Tartakovsky) is a strong figure. General Grievous is exceptional — the figure where the Tartakovsky design advantage over the film version is most visible, and the figure with the most accessories and the most impressive engineering of the three. If you buy only one of the Tartakovsky trio, buy this one. If you’re building the full set, start here.

Walmart Exclusive Acquisition

Walmart exclusive at $26.49, March 2022. Walmart exclusives sell through quickly at launch. Secondary market is the path for collectors who missed the initial window. No variations recorded.

Secondary Market

Walmart exclusive 2022. Secondary prices typically $40–75 — the highest of the Tartakovsky trio, reflecting the design appeal and the figure’s genuine quality.

Verdict

General Grievous (Clone Wars Tartakovsky) is the best Black Series Grievous and the standout figure in the 50th Anniversary Walmart wave. 23 joints, four individually different lightsaber hilts with removable blades, arms that split into four, 7 inches tall. The thin soft-goods cape is a real downgrade from the 2019 release. Everything else is exceptional. Walmart exclusive, $26.49.

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Part of Star Wars The Black Series | 50th Anniversary. Related: ARC Trooper Captain (Clone Wars Tartakovsky) P4-50A-ART | Mace Windu (Clone Wars Tartakovsky) P4-50A-MCT.