"The Arena," a relatively short theatrical theme, was composed by John Williams for the prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones released in 2002. The score incorporates this theme to signify the executions taking place within the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis, and subsequently, the Grand Army of the Republic. In 2002, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) performed "The Arena," and it was featured as part of the track "Love Pledge and The Arena" on the Attack of the Clones soundtrack. This theme showcases various sections of the LSO and includes allusions to both "Across the Stars" and "The Force Theme." This musical piece can be heard in the films Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the video game expansion called Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns, the video games Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Star Wars: Republic Commando, and the massively multiplayer online roleplaying game Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided.
The composition is primarily polyphonic, initially in the key of A minor before shifting to C major. It is played at a tempo of 88 bpm and features a duple meter with a 4/4 time signature. The sheet music for this composition was included in the Attack of the Clones music book. Sony Classical released the Attack of the Clones soundtrack on CD on April 23, 2002, and as an MP3 download on May 24, 2005. On September 25, 2015, Sony Classical announced the upcoming release of the Attack of the Clones soundtrack, along with the soundtracks of the other five films, in three new collections: Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection, Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Edition, and Star Wars: The Ultimate Digital Collection, which were released on January 8, 2016.
John Williams composed the musical score for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the prequel trilogy film from 2002, as he had done for the previous four Star Wars films. He enlisted the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices to perform the music. However, only the orchestra was utilized for "The Arena," the motif representing the executions within the Petranaki Arena located on Geonosis.
Sony Classical made the Attack of the Clones soundtrack available on CD on April 23, 2002, and as an MP3 download starting on May 24, 2005. Later, on September 25, 2015, Sony Classical revealed their plans to release the Attack of the Clones soundtrack alongside the soundtracks from the other five films in a trio of new sets: Star Wars: The Ultimate Vinyl Collection, Star Wars: The Ultimate Soundtrack Edition, and Star Wars: The Ultimate Digital Collection, all of which were launched on January 8, 2016.
"The Arena" is primarily polyphonic, meaning that the orchestral sections generally perform distinct parts, differing from other instruments and groups in rhythm and pitch. The theme is in the key of A minor, has a tempo of 88 bpm, and employs a duple meter with a 4/4 time signature. Furthermore, the theme shares melodic similarities with the droid march from the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack.
The theme commences with a segment featuring percussion, string, and woodwind instruments, which frequently transitions into the key of C major before reverting to the tonic key. Brass instruments are used sparingly throughout this section. This particular section is actually homophonic.
Transitioning to a polyphonic texture, the theme incorporates a snare drum roll that introduces the main melody, played by the tuba and bass trombone. This melody is supported by a simple quarter note rhythm provided by the snare drums and low strings. The remaining low brass and french horns then enter, repeating the melody in a higher octave. The trumpets join near the end of the melody's second iteration. Subsequently, the french horns repeat the melody, with the trumpets playing a countermelody that initially consists primarily of an E. Following this, the theme shifts to a complex set of brass rhythms led by the trumpets. This is followed by a brief phrase involving woodwinds, strings, and keyboard percussion, which leads into a fast string part that repeats four times before transitioning into another altered version of the main melody.
Following the altered melody, the composition progresses into several measures featuring additional brass, again set to a quarter note rhythm by the percussion. It then accelerates into a frantic percussion segment with accented bursts from the brass. This leads to a fast-paced brass part, accented in the background by short bursts of strings. Next, the theme transitions into a heavily accented phrase mainly played by brass instruments, followed by a descending low brass phrase. The main melody is played again, alternating between the trumpets and low brass. The low brass then plays two sets of two notes that are slurred together, complemented by a trumpet part consisting of a repeating three-note phrase.
The main melody is then reprised by the trumpets. The low brass repeats the slurred sets, this time against a faster, more complex trumpet part. The low brass then performs a complicated rhythm, with trumpets and strings playing in short bursts. After this, the french horns play the main melody again, with brass, woodwinds, and strings providing bursts in the background. The trumpets and percussion play in between the phrases that make up the melody. Next, the low brass performs another rhythm similar to the earlier one, with trumpets playing in the background.
The strings then transition into a brief excerpt from "Across the Stars," the main love theme from Attack of the Clones. After several measures of low brass and trumpets, the theme shifts to a timpani and string section, where the strings repeat a fast phrase repeatedly. The brass play occasionally during this part. Following the string/timpani section, the low brass play an extremely low phrase. The next few measures feature the percussion, followed by the brass. Then, the low brass and low strings play a bass melody, while the keyboard, percussion, and woodwinds play quick bursts. This is followed by another reference to "Across the Stars" by the strings, and then the french horns.
This leads into another fast string section succeeded by a phrase split between the euphoniums and other low voices. The theme then references "The Force Theme," switching from low brass to trumpets and back again. The strings follow, playing the previous upbeat part once again. The trumpets enter for the final time, and the theme fades out with a low string part. By the end, the music has settled into the key of C major.
The theme emerges at one minute and fifty-five seconds into the track titled "Love Pledge and The Arena" on the Attack of the Clones soundtrack. The majority of this track is comprised of this theme. Although the theme is present in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, it is not included on the film's soundtrack.
Within Attack of the Clones, the theme is exclusively used during the planned executions of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padmé Amidala within the Petranaki Arena on the planet Geonosis. However, a significant portion of the theme is omitted, except for the segments accompanying Poggle the Lesser's announcement of the executions' commencement until Skywalker tames the reek. It also appears in one of the main menus of the DVD. The theme resurfaces in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith to introduce the planet Kashyyyk before the battle there, and again when Darth Vader attacks the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
The Clone Campaigns expansion for the video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, released in 2002, incorporates the theme as part of a medley of background tracks representing each of the game's factions. Specifically, the theme represents the Confederacy of Independent Systems faction. The piece is also present during bounty hunter Jango Fett's arena fight on Outland Transit Station in Chapter 1 of the 2002 video game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, as well as the arena fight at Gardulla the Hutt's palace in Chapter 4. The composition reappears in the 2003 massively multiplayer online roleplaying game Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided, and its expansion packs, due to its inclusion in the initial release.
It also features in the 2003 console game Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Its initial appearance is during the LucasArts logo sequence prior to the main menu. The game further integrates the theme into several missions, including "Mission 1: The Rescue Begins," when the player first encounters IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tanks, in "Mission 2: To the Arena" when the player and the other Jedi reach the landing pad, in "Mission 3: The Battle of Geonosis" as the player approaches a gunship on foot, in "Mission 4: The Evacuation of Rhen Var" during the cutscene depicting the player's arrival on Rhen Var, in "Mission 9: New Alliances" while on foot in the Separatist base, in "Mission 14: Assault on Thule" after the last power farm is destroyed, and during "Mission 15: Dark Side Rising" after the last hangar is destroyed. The theme is also played in the "Academy" game mode on Geonosis.
The theme is utilized at the conclusion of Chapter 12 of Star Wars: Clone Wars (2004) when Mace Windu is surrounded by B2 super battle droids after losing his lightsaber during the Battle of Dantooine. Chapter 22 also features the theme, using it during clips showcasing Separatist victories across the galaxy. The composition is utilized in Chapter 23 as the Separatist Droid Army initiates its attack on the planet Coruscant. A later appearance occurs in the 2005 Star Wars: Republic Commando video game as the player receives a briefing inside a Republic gunship during the Geonosis intro scene. It reappears during "Save the Ship," part of the second campaign, and during "The Bridge at Kachirho" and "Search and Destroy" in the third campaign.
The sheet music for the theme is included in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones: Selections from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, the sheet music book for Attack of the Clones, published by Bantha Music. The book was released for the following instruments and editions: trumpet, piano, easy piano, clarinet, tenor sax, and alto sax.
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones soundtrack
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones: Selections from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Sony Classical to Release Ultimate Editions of Original Star Wars Soundtracks on StarWars.com (backup link)