Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.20-22 - 'The Boba Fett Trilogy'

Boba Fett teams up with Bounty Hunters to seek revenge on Mace Windu.

What worked? Bringing Boba Fett into The Clone Wars to close out Season 2 was a great idea. His mere presence in the mix was enough to bring an air of much needed over-arching story continuity to the show, and his revenge motivation gave some of the proceedings a very welcome level of dark gravitas. Additionally, the episodes provided us with a good tapestry of character-use, bringing various protagonists and antagonists into the limelight at different times and using them all well. What didn't work? While the fluctuation of tone from episode to episode was a bit of a distraction when viewing all three in succession, the only true disappointment here was that the character depth seemingly promised by the first episode (2.20 [Death Trap]) wasn't followed through to any satisfying moment of dramatic climax in the last (2.22 [Lethal Trackdown]). Also, what was up with Bossk speaking English (basic)? Blehk! I want my Bossk subtitled, thank you very much!

The story itself was thin, but sufficient enough to connect the various action sequences and intrigue. The slow, suspenseful pacing of 2.20 (Death Trap) was particularly well executed and had the secret of Boba's identity been better kept, his reveal as one of the clone cadets would have been even more fun. Still, including him as a spy amidst the cadets was clever and paid off nicely with his having to betray his "brothers." While Boba's plan to blow up Mace was rather quickly thwarted, watching the bounty-hunter-to-be take more and more desperate (and destructive) actions to achieve his ends was impactful and appropriately disturbing. Seeing cadet training in action was equally cool, as was viewing the Jedi and the older clones from the awe-inspired cadet point of view. It was a bit surprising to see Aurra Sing let the other cadets (with whom Boba escaped) go so easily, but I suppose blowing up an escape pod full of children would be just a bit too dark for this show. Still, perhaps a failed attempt at sending them spinning off into uncharted space would have been a nice way to keep the character threatening without visualizing murders.

We as viewers of course already know Boba's motivations, but watching Mace put two-and-two together upon seeing Jango's helmet was an effective sequence and the best part of the next episode, 2.21 (R2 Come Home). The later scene where he recounts what happened in Attack of the Clones to Anakin was a telling bit of characterwork for Mace, but would have been far more effective had Mace continued to offer his view on the necessity of his actions rather than simply review known events in a somewhat regretful manner. The second best parts of the episode offered us a look at the curious relationship between Boba and Aurra Sing. Watching Aurra lead Boba down a dark path, and watching Boba take the first uneasy steps toward following her down that path, made for some compelling internal struggle from Boba, but these scenes, too, may have been better served had they offered us more a glimpse into Aurra's views and her rationale for taking on Boba as a team-member (as well as Boba's need to be accepted by here). As is often the case with this show, the surface relationship is there -- and it's a clear, interesting one -- but the depths of what makes these people tick are only ever hinted at, rather than explored to a satisfying extent. But the bulk of episode 2.21 was devoted to R2-D2 hijinx and heroics -- a not unwelcome, but oddly placed, bit of subject matter. The R2 story here (wherein the little droid proves his Anakin-encouraged/allowed personality to be a benefit) could have made for a great, fun standalone episode. But sandwiched between two far more dramatic episodes, the comic relief primarily served to undercut the impact of Boba's overall storyline, taking the focus away from his character to a hurtful degree. To reiterate, I have no issue with any of R2's story in the episode, and actually enjoyed much of it (particularly his protecting of Mace and Anakin from the Bounty Hunters by sending debris tumbling their way), but as presented, the material diluted 2.20's careful build-up of tension (perhaps intentionally for the kiddies watching) at the unfortunate muddling of the central Boba Fett story-arch's cohesion and clear narrative through-line.

2.22 (Lethal Trackdown) does a good bit of work refocusing the narrative back to Boba, but ultimately unravels after a great start. What should have been a progression to the climactic dissolution of Boba and Aurra's relationship is here reduced to one solid moment and the sudden run away by Aurra. Rather than have circumstance simply force Aurra to show her true colors and abandon Boba -- it would have been far more dramatically satisfying to watch the characters come to the conclusion that they were incompatible. I'm not saying Boba needed to be a hero at all -- but choosing to distance himself from Sing, or watching Aurra choose to ditch Fett (of her own free will and not because of a Jedi attack) would have been the climactic character pay-off this trilogy of episodes deserved. The good news here is that the other stories this episode wove together in place of a solid Boba/Aurra character pay-off were damn good, even if they were culpable for over-stuffing the narrative. Bringing Hondo back once more was a nice touch, and seeing him walk the line between good and evil was a welcome change of pace, giving his character a lot of potential in the future for roles on both sides of the conflict. Knowing he had a history with Jango, also makes him a potential player in future Boba story-archs as well. Equally compelling was Ahsoka and Plo Koon's journey into the Coruscant depths and eventual run-in with Aurra. Both Jedi's characteristics were well-mined for good character moments, and I hope we see more of them working together soon. The Coruscant depths, meanwhile, were an area I'd never thought we'd see visualized. I'd figured the seedy bars of Attack of the Clones and a few of this season's earlier episodes were the closest we'd come to seeing the underworld described so effectively in Timothy Zahn's (and many others') Expanded Universe novels. But here, the visuals were journeying down into Coruscant were some of the most effective in these episodes, and I hope further trips to these places in future episodes yield even more dangerous results than the scum-filled (and surprisingly colorful) nightclub we were presented with here.

As a final note, the action at the end of 2.22 was superb, exciting, and cleverly choreographed - helping to fill the gaping void of an emotional climax with a stirring visual one. But the great action comes amidst a rushed third act. The last moment between Boba and Mace was particularly laughable due to how rushed it was. When a character spouts out in anger that he knows he's done wrong... well those two things just don't fit well, do they? A more distrubed, bitter, SLOWER, line delivery from Boba could have been chilling here, and could have served to unsettle Mace Windu in a way not witnessed in the show's slapdash treatment of the scene. Had this moment been handled better and/or more powerfully, it could have raised the entire trilogy of episodes up a level and left viewers on a far more memorable note to close the season. Sadly, the story runs away as quickly as Aurra did minutes earlier. Yes, Boba is captured (for now) --- but I wish they'd given us some kind of more impactful character conclusion to the arch, be it Mace second-guessing his usual confidence or Boba deciding he works solo from now on. Ultimately, these were a fairly solid set of episodes with a great variety of good ideas, but some frustratingly poor choices in character development and story-arch execution keep them from becoming series classics. This show is making all the right moves and telling all the right stories -- it just needs to tell them a bit more carefully...

2.20 Death Trap: 4 stars
2.21 R2 Come Home: 3.5 stars
2.22 Lethal Trackdown: 3.5 stars

Stay tuned for a Season 2 round-up and overall score!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.17 - Bounty Hunters

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka join a group of bounty hunters in defending a group of farmers against a group of pirates.

Before delving into the episode itself, I'd like to register a quick gripe against whomever is coming up with these titles. "Bounty Hunters"-!? Really? At least with "Senate Murders," as dull as the title was, it was specifically applicable to the episode that followed it. Aside from not being the introduction of bounty hunters to The Clone Wars, nor being the definitive bounty hunters episode, "Bounty Hunters," could have just as aptly been titled "Farmers," or "Pirates" or, "Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka" and had relatively the same impact. Get a bit more creative, titler(s)!

Title-gripes aside, this was almost a near-perfect Clone Wars episode. If it weren't for a single bungled story element, I might just be hailing "Bounty Hunters" as the most well-rounded, best-executed Clone Wars episode yet. So what worked? Foremost, the Characters! All three of the featured Jedi were given moments to let their personalities shine both heroically and comediacally, and (even better) worked well together as non-dysfunctional team. This was a breath of fresh air from a group who usually can't seem to stop bickering amongst themselves despite being purported friends - and it went a long way toward rendering the on screen viewing experience as something cheer-worthy. The combination of both "cool" and "likable" is a potent one, and while the former has been an effortless hurdle for Anakin and Obi-Wan over the course of the series, the second has been more of stumbling block. The trick to avoiding it is clearly letting their camaraderie overshadow their frustrations with each other. I'm not saying the writers should ignore the mentor/pupil angst, but letting it punctuate a routinely functional and effective partner/friendship is plenty more dramatic then letting Anakin and Obi-wan devolve into one-note sourpusses, the way they remained for much of Season 1, not to mention the prequel films themselves.

The trio's functionality alone would have been a boon to the episode's character score, but we're given two other reasons to cheer: the titular bounty hunters themselves and the return of Jim Cummings' Hondo Ohnaka. The squad of hired-to-do-the-right-thing bounty hunters was a well-oiled machine of interesting character concepts and execution. Their leader, Sugi (clearly from that distant planet "Russia"), embodied well the concept that not all bounty hunters in the Star Wars universe need to be corrupt and dishonorable. She wouldn't allow her team to renege on their deal with the Farmers when offered more money by the Pirates, and she developed enough regard for our Jedi heroes to offer them a ride off Felucia. Seripas (reminiscent of the alien prince from Men In Black) had a nice little story-within-the-story about gaining confidence to be strong despite your size. While short and to-the-point, it was nice to see such economic character story-telling work successfully within the greater scope of the episode's primary conflict. And Embo, the total bad-ass with the deadly hat, was so impressive to look at and so expertly animated in combat, that his moves instantly stood out as some of the coolest this series has seen. On the other side of the conflict, bringing back a previously-established pirate enemy was a great move from the writers. Obi-Wan and Anakin having history with Hondo gave the pirate threat (as well as the episode's stand-offs and conflicts) a welcome higher degree of gravity than the usual villain-of-the-week encounters. While Hondo's previous episodes (1.11 [Dooku Captured) and 1.12 [The Gungan General]) were some of the lowest points of Season 1, his character's concept and execution were sound, and Hondo instantly seemed like he could have been very engaging given better material. This proved to be correct in "Bounty Hunters," and I'm glad that it looks like we'll be seeing him again in the future.

The only sour note on the topic of characters this week were the Felucian Farmers themselves. Their design was functional at best, their character development minimal considering how central they were to the conflict, and the one frequently-voiced Felucian character was whiney and obnoxious every time he piped up. Considering how effortlessly the Clone Wars team managed to make Seripas likable and cheer-worthy in only two story beats, you would think these Farmers could have been a bit more memorable/worthwhile even without any more material and/or space to breathe in the already jam-packed episode. Curiously, however, this is almost a non-existent complaint in an episode featuring an otherwise off-the-charts character score.

So what else worked? The action. The battle for the farming village, which rounded out the episode's third act, was by far one of the most well-executed land battles this series has seen. Apart from great moments involving the speeder bikes, and Hondo and Anakin's duel, the entire sequence was made up of one cool "bit" after another, yet flowed extremely well from one segment to the next. The trap the farmers set for some of the bike's was reminiscent of the Battle for Endor in Return of the Jedi, but what this battle really emulated from 'Jedi' was the perfect mix of having many things happening at once, but all parts being both easy to follow and equally gripping. We follow Obi-wan and Suji, Ahsoka and Seripas, Anakin duelling Hondo on his own, Embo kicking butt on his own, Hondo's Kowakian Monkey Lizard mannig a tank, and multiple groups of unnamed farmers and pirates, and it all seagues perfectly with one "hell yeah!" moment following the next. This was exquisite action planning, and even better execution. It was expertly cinematic, a ton of fun, and quite possibly the best extended fight sequence I've ever seen in an animated television show. Add in the usually goofy-looking Felucian environment looking beautiful for (in my opinion) the first time, and "Bounty Hunters" was a corker to watch.

So, about that bungled story element that keeps this from getting highest marks: The story itself was tight enough, consisting of a fairly good spin on the classic "teaching the helpless natives how to fight" narrative, but there was just a bit too much time waisted on Obi-wan going on about how he and his fellow Jedi didn't have time to stick around and help the farmers. This COULD have been an interesting dilemma, and it was presented as such, but it went nowhere and actually disappeared from the story without so much as a farewell nod. The Jedi were stuck on the planet, and if it was so important that they get off ASAP, you would think there'd be a scene of Obi-wan attempting to lead his compatriots away on foot. Or a scene of Anakin and Ahsoka convincing Obi-wan that staying to fight is their best course of action. Or some sort of point to this line of thinking other than providing an uneccessary dose of the usual stick-in-the-mud Jedi order attitude. The Jedi order's policies causing conflict is a potentially interesting plot device and source for drama and character development, and has been in the past, and hopefully will be again in the future, but here it is just thrown out to make Obi-wan seem stodgy, and to provide a false lead for internal conflict that disappears as quickly as it appears. It doesn't harm any of the other awesomness this episode routinely doled out, but it does serve to add a bit of a head-scratch moment to an otherwise smile-inducing experience. 4.5 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.16 - Cat and Mouse

Anakin uses a prototype stealth ship to rout a Separatist blockade above the planet Christophsis.

This was a tightly-packed and tense episode which gave us the best startship tactics on the show since 1.19 (Storm Over Ryloth). Nothing much occured to advance the overall narrative of the series, particularly considering this was evidently a flashback to events just prior to the Clone Wars theatrical premiere, but it was nice to give Admiral Yularen a bit more of the spotlight than usual, and cool to see him observing Anakin's special brand of bravado for the first time. It's worth noting that this isn't the first time we've flashed back to events just prior to the Clone Wars movie's Battle of Christophsis. This happened previously in 1.16 (The Hidden Enemy) just as inexplicably -- and in that episode there weren't even any character firsts (like Yularen and Anakin's interactions) to justify it being a prequel. I'm fine with the IDEA of revisiting past events and scenarios and adding to them, but if the writers are going to bother, it would be nice to have a little more apparent reason to do so.

In addition to Yularen, the character that shined the most thorugh the episode was newcomer Admiral Trench. I've never been a fan of the insert-animal-here-and-turn-it-into-a-humanoid brand of alien design, but the Trantula-inspired Admiral and his clicking noises were very entertaining to watch. It would be a shame if we were never to see him again - particularly considering that none of our characters got a chance to meet him up close and personal -- but considering that the episode began with Yularen and the Republic thinking he'd been killed in a previous altercation, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Trench found a way to survive this one. Maybe the uggly bug can cocoon himself to safety while floating in space or some such creepy thing. It'd be great if he then slammed into the windshield of some Republic cruiser ;)

The named Clone troopers of the episode didn't fare as well as Trench. Yes, they survived, but while their story had a beginning (Rookie trooper on first assignment) and an end (Rookie trooper gets a pat on the back), it didn't realy have a middle of any kind at all. The sparse moments these guys had dialogue only served to make me wonder why exactly they were bothered with. Their plot went nowhere and served no purpose. That said, it was also SO minimal that it didn't harm or hinder the otherwise intensely focused narrative of the episode.

The show continues to impress visually, and also continues to expand the kinds of stories Star Wars can tell. The classic submarine stealth movie overtones in this episode were overt to the level of sonar-style radar and pinging. It was a fun veneer on a meaty little mission and gave the episode a good deal of atmosphere. But even though this was a far better examle of the Clone Wars borrowing classic narrative trappings from other sources than last week's Agatha Christie-infused misfire, I do hope the creators of the show don't make too much of a habit of apeing other classic styles in lieu of inventing/solidifying their own. As much as I've enjoyed seeing what a Star Wars zombie plot is like, and a Star Wars submarine plot is like, and a Star Wars murder mystery plot is like, they need to make sure the show retains its own core identity admist these fun spins. Though if these fusings always work as well as "Cat and Mouse" did... perhaps my misgivings are unfounded. 4 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.15 - Senate Murders

There are murders... in the senate! (These titles sure play it safe sometimes...)

As a one-off change of pace this was a fun experiment, though I'm not sure it was a good idea to return from a month-long hiatus with such an oddball entry. I enjoyed the send-up to classic parlor room murder mysteries, but it was all a bit too simplistic to leave a worthy impression, and a bit too far removed from the important goings-on of the galaxy to earn an important niche in the series' canon. It's always refreshing to see throwbacks to earlier plots, and it was nice to bring the Season 1 story-line of the Rodian senator Farr back into the spotlight (from 1.08 [Bombad Jedi]), but I can't see much of anything in this episode causing too much impact on future series events, and this might be the installment's greatest failing.

Character-wise, it was once again enjoyable to see Padme in a story that strengthens her character and plays her as a potent individual, separate from Anakin and their love story. She was her usual bundle of action and ideals here, and held the hero focus well. The guest cast didn't fair quite as well. Inspector Divo was diverting, but seemed to have been plucked out of some other television show and dropped into the wrong series. His by-the-numbers bumbling detective wasn't particularly original and didn't add much to the classic concept his character homaged -- especially considering that the Columbo-like Jedi Master Sinube from 2.11 (Lightsaber Lost) already tackled similar ground with more success. Bail Organa was a welcome addition of a known character to the Clone Wars, but served here only as a double for Padme's actions and opinions. His points of view and disagreements were very easily and quickly aligned with Padmes, making him a bit of a nonentity in the plot. And murderess Lolo was such a nonentity in the proceedings that the traditional last minute deflection of accusation from the obvious party to the surprise culprit would have worked far better with more possible suspects and motivations. There simply wasn't the depth of cast and character available in this episode to pull off an Agatha Christie style mystery.

The most interesting notion presented in the episode arrived with its most interesting new character. The concept that Kamino has only been granted a position on the senate (in the form of the Izma-like Senator Burtoni) because of their clone army production is an interesting source for dissent to arise from, and I'd like to see further exploration of this concept. The Kaminoans might easily be seen as war profiteers as a result, and I could see some hate spreading toward them from the other Republic members. But like most of the actual politics presented in Senate Murders, this was only a smokescreen for the more personal (and underdeveloped) motives of the actual killer.

I enjoyed the episode for its cool setting, brooding atmosphere, focus on Padme, and its attempt at adding a new genre of episode to The Clone Wars. But the mystery formula was only played out to its most basic of depths, and the intriguing politics presented ultimately lacked any over-arching developments or forward momentum. The visuals of the show continue to be strong, and it's noteworthy that even with a minimal amount of action the Clone Wars can still entertain, but if the writers want to continue expanding the kinds of stories they can tell on this show, they'd be better served weave them into the show's pre-existing fabric a little more carefully. Even as a stand-alone, this could have had some great drama and repercussions for the show as a whole, but instead remains one of the lighter weights in the series' rack. Far from a failure, but nothing to sing about. 3 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.14 - The Duchess of Mandalore

Duchess Satine pleads Mandalore's case before the Republic Senate as the usual suspects conspire to silence her once and for all.

While dabbling in deeper political themes on the Clone Wars is always appreciated, I can’t help but feel they ultimately came across as a muddle in this episode. The beat by beat story is clear enough: Duchess Satine wants Mandalore to solve its own problems. The Senate finds convenient evidence that claims Satine’s government would rather the Republic intervene. Satine finds evidence to the contrary, and the Republic stands down. End of story.

So where’s the muddle you ask? Notice how I summed up the story without mentioning the pacifism debate. If the central issues are Republic intervention vs. Mandalore silencing DeathWatch on its own, why is the only thing we hear debated over and over again Satine’s pacifist ways versus the Republic’s military violence? No one bothers to mention how Republic intervention might help DeathWatch until the deceased minister Jerec’s second hologram is played at the end of the episode. Both the Senate and the audience are kept at bay from this important central issue by nothing more than smoke and mirrors. And while these might be appropriate tactics coming from Palpatine, Satine herself is the greatest culprit. The more she continues to criticize the Republic’s methods and purport her own pacifism, the less anyone spends thinking about how sending troops to Mandalore might give DeathWatch a boost in the public opinion polls. In this regard, Satine becomes her own worst enemy – but that’s not what the story is about.

Oh but isn’t it, you ask? After all, Obi-wan does accurately point out that she’s rushing into the debate in a hysterical state of mind all while pushing her friends away when she needs them most. So perhaps the story IS that Satine’s stance is flawed and that Obi-wan is a voice of reason – but – oh – wait – no - if Obi-wan’s the voice of reason then why is he arguing that she calm down and make the wrong decision by letting the Republic authorities intervene? So ultimately what we have is this: Satine’s arguing the right thing (Mandalore Helps Itself) poorly by using unrelated ideology (Pacifism) as her trump card while Obi-wan is arguing the wrong thing (Republic Intervention) poorly by using unrelated psychology (You’re Cutting Out Your Friends) as his rationale. So regardless of the merits of pacifism, and regardless of whether Satine is pridefully denying assistance, neither of our heroes is ultimately arguing anything relevant to their problem, and both are completely missing the central matter at hand: that Republic troops arriving on Mandalore will give DeathWatch something to rally against.

So while there are some nice little character beats here -- such as Satine learning she can trust Obi-wan’s assistance (even if she can’t trust his opinions), and Obi-wan learning to appreciate Satine’s rigid determination (even if it’s motivated by irrelevant ideology) – these beats are ultimately mismatched to a plot which would have run the same course even if Satine had confided in Obi-wan from the beginning or even if Obi-wan had agreed wholeheartedly with Satine’s pacifist ways. Those things have trouble vying for relevance when the day is actually saved by a holo-recording of a dead guy who points out the actual problem that everyone else has somehow avoided putting into words.

So now that I’ve stuck it to this episode hard for its hopeless jumble of messages, themes, arguments, and ideological rhetoric – let me say that if you were able to take a knife to that jumble and pare it down into something more manageable and more relevantly inter-related, you’d actually end up with a damn good episode.

Having a guest character play the starring role in an episode is a welcome change, and Duchess Satine made for a likeable lead, despite constantly arguing pacifism even at times when simple logic would suffice. Following her as the Republic and its allies failed her at every turn was affectively frustrating, and even if her survival in the Coruscant streets was a bit too luck-and-convenience-based, once Obi-wan arrived as her protector, the tension amped up considerably and there was more then one sniper-aiming shot when I worried her time may have come. That’s a testament to how strong a character they’ve built with Satine. We lose guest characters very often on this show, and it’s nice to get a solid new reoccurring heroine we can look forward to returning again.

And speaking of reoccurring characters, the ensemble of appearances this week was another of this episode’s great strengths. Palpatine was appropriately two-faced. Sidious was appropriately creepy. Dooku got to play both pious servant and wisdom-toting master. Mas Ameda was given form for the first time on The Clone Wars, and given a personality for the first time anywhere. Pre Vizsla had far too little to do, but his outburst to Dooku at the end was powerful and bodes well for his future in this series. And, finally, it was great to see Padme play a relevant role and be a character in her own right apart from Anakin.

Rounding out the positive side of things, I have to say that I love Coruscant as an environment. Building off of what we saw in 2.11 (Lightsaber Lost), we’re given more of the planet than ever in this episode and the busy streets, eerie courtyards, and regal cityscapes made for a tense, cool, and realistic sci-fi environment. Major kudos to the Clone Wars team for constantly outdoing themselves in the setting and atmosphere departments.

If only the DeathWatch themselves had been given such rigorous attention. My final complaint is not one against this episode in particular, but against this first Mandalore trilogy as a whole. By trilogy’s end, I feel like we know as little about DeathWatch (their character, their values, and their motivations) as we did at the end of its first part. It was tantalizing to see Pre Vizsla standing before so large an Army – and I hope the implications of DeathWatch’s size and reach pay off in future episodes – but for now we’re left wondering where exactly a band of honor-based warriors are meant to belong in this conflict.

I wasn’t particularly impressed by how quickly Vizsla gave up against Obi-wan in 2.12 (The Mandalore Plot) and I’m even less impressed by how quickly the DeathWatch assassin ran from his charge of killing Satine in this week’s installment. By running away from his mission as soon as the going got tough, this so-called warrior became single-handedly responsible for spoiling Dooku and Vizsla’s plan. There was more than enough going on in this episode to cover for DeathWatch’s lack of involvement, but in the future I hope these guys are able to truly rise to the occasion as formidable villains – both by the uniqueness of their motivations as well as by the merit of their actions. No more running, please.

The Rub: While I appreciate a lot of what was attempted here -- including both the very real-world Republic intervention debate and the very hard-boiled conspiracy cover-up -- it’s an absolute shame that neither of these plots were capable of being carried through to even a logical conclusion since they ultimately slammed into each other and a deus ex machine ending fell out. Lofty ideas, great ensemble character-work, a brilliant environment, and some truly tense action were marred by the incoherent crisscrossing of incongruous thematic material with disparate character points-of-view. Still, it’s nice to see a depth to the proceedings not even attempted in the first season of the show. 3.5 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - 2.13 - Voyage of Temptation

How nice to be able to kick off my full episode reviews with handily one of the top five installments yet!

Obi-wan and Anakin defend Duchess Satine from spider-bots and a snivelingly traitorous senator all while the debate between the merits of violent and pacifist methodologies rages on.

This was a fairly simple outing, plot-wise - but then the majority of Clone Wars outings seem to revolve around simple action-based defend/attack/protect/retrieve premises. What the show is getting better and better about doing is filling in the nuance of these stories with ramifications that muddy the moral/ideological value of these seemingly simple objectives. We keep getting more and more cracks in the Jedi methodology as Season 2 proceeds. These often come from Ashoka questioning things, but it's even more powerful to watch a character like Obi-wan (usually a veritable rock of Jedi integrity) taken through the ideological ringer.

While there can be no simple solution to Obi-wan and Satine's argument over Jedi peace-keeping methods, I do wish the back-and-forth hadn't been quite so one-note. There can be compromises on these matters and to hear only black and white opinions stated repeatedly kept things from getting as interesting and/or meaningful as they potentially could have been. But then to hear the debate presented at all is a breath of fresh air for this show (reminiscent of Season 1's "Defenders of Peace"), and even if words didn't lead the debate into as many gray areas as I'd have liked, the characters' actions certainly did. Evil Sniveling Senator Guy may have been a bit too delighted to find himself being threatened by a purported-pacifist, but the question of whether Satine would/could have gone through with shooting him was presented with raw honesty.

It's a bit of a shame that Anakin gave Satine the easy way out... but then his brutal heroism, followed by his splendidly candid simplification of the situation into "Oh, come on, he was going to blow up the ship," was absolutely priceless and one of the best Anakin character moments yet -- a seamless merging of his roguish hero's charm with his darker tendencies high-lit beautifully by a musical hint at John William's Imperial March. Where was this Anakin in the Prequel Trilogy!?

But the jaw-dropper of the night was Obi-wan's honest admission that he would have left the Jedi Order for Satine if she had only asked. Um... wow? I mean, we all know love is the great equalizer -- making all people capable of all things -- but these are strong words from the Jedi usually tasked at keeping Anakin in place. There's a part of the critic in me that would like to be cynical and say this was out of character for Obi-wan and that it wasn't properly led-up to in the series, but the viewer in me bought it entirely and there are times when things that maybe shouldn't work theoretically just work entirely.

It's a testament to the voice-acting and dialogue given to Satine and Obi-wan that they make a believable couple against all odds. That they're both characters who breathe (and are wholly devoted to) their own moral codes and ideologies is what simultaneously makes them a perfect match while making it impossible for them to unite. They both have an adherence to order and principle, sharing the same ultimate goals and values, but the difference in their methods keeps them apart as much as Obi-wan's Jedi vow to remain unattached. Yes, love is the one thing Obi-wan would break his code for, but Satine can never ask him to do so -- he wouldn't be the man she loved anymore if he willingly ditched his values and beliefs. Deep stuff from a show that so many have written-off as kids' entertainment.

So, what else was cool? The ritzy setting. Hyperspace outside the dining room window. Spider probe droids. Spider probe droid babies. Spider probe droid clone puppetry. Anakin and Obi-wan ACTUALLY behaving like buddies (gasp!). R2 getting some quality screen-time. Hunting the cargo bay in the dark (though why exactly it was so dark in there was a bit cheesy/dubious). An on-going story arch that gives its ideas and characters some breathing room.

As a middle-chapter of a multiple episode story-arch, "Voyage of Temptation" served to clarify/strengthen the Obi-wan/Satine pairing while simultaneously revealing just how deep Deathwatch's influence has been planted. If even Mandalore's senator prefers the culture's old warrior ways over Satine's pacifist standing, we have to wonder just who exactly IS Satine speaking for? How many of the common people on Mandalore are behind her abstinence from the war? I feel Satine's side of things has been well-explored now, and hope in future Mandalorian installments that we can get a strengthened sense of just how deep wartime honor is ingrained in the culture. This would go a long way in framing the Mandalorians as a unique set of villains in the future of the series, rather than just another bunch of typically-devious Separatists. I could see them being an X-factor in the war, switching sides on occasion depending on where true military honor lies in a given situation.

The Rub: A great combination of action and intrigue infused with deep moral issues and refreshingly solid characterizations. I like Satine as a character, but even better is what she's brought out in both Obi-wan and Anakin. I don't think I've ever liked these guys more, and in a show where they're vying for attention with other Jedi, far more complex Clone characterizations, and the compellingly naive and open-minded outlook of Ahsoka... they really needed an episode like this. If I have any niggling complaints they only lie in the simplistic repetition of the arguments presented by Obi-wan and Satine's pacifism debate, along with a need for further clarification, embellishment, and definition of Deathwatch as a unique group of villains. But there's still time for that in future Mandalorin-centered episodes. What was here was great. 4.5 stars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season 2 So Far

I'll FINALLY jump into my full episode reviews this week, but first - because I haven't completely set aside my idiosyncratic completist tendencies - here are my thoughts on the first 12 episodes of Season 2.

Episodes are rated on a scale of zero to five stars.

2.01 - Holocron Heist: Cad Bane gets all Ethan Hunt on the Jedi Order's posteriors. Exciting intrigue, great villain characterizations, and a surprisingly well-choreographed (if short) lightsaber duel between Ashoka and not-Jocasta Nu. I wish the Jedi didn't come off as quite so incapable of protecting their own home, though. I'm happy to see Cad Bane win here - but I'd have liked to see our heroes put up a bit of a better fight. 3.5 stars.

2.02 - Cargo of Doom: Anakin and Ashoka confront Cad Bane on a Separatist cruiser in an attempt to retrieve the stolen Holocron. The time skip from the end of the previous episode to the beginning of this one was a bit startling, and I didn't like seeing the usually creatively-resourceful Cad Bane reduced to being the commander of a Separatists ship and droid army, but the action beats here were stellar enough to make up for those things. The zero-gravity sequence alone earns a spot in this series' action-set-piece hall of fame. Landing the troop carriers on the Separatist ship was great as well, but too short-lived of a sequence to live up to its potential. Anakin being manipulated into unlocking the Holocron made for a tense sequence and a good character beat (Ashoka having become just as much a liability to his conscience as Padme) -- but I do wish they'd do a better job (perhaps in editing) of showing exactly why our heroes can't just "use the Force" to solve all their problems. Only after Bane moved his arm away from the trigger was Anakin willing to make a grab for Ahsoka... but this could have been better and more clearly played. When dealing with heroes who can seemingly "do anything," extra special attention must be paid to explain clearly why they choose not to in a given time/situation. That said, this installment was otherwise exquisitely paced and delivered. The subtle tip-off of Cad Bane's escape method was also a nice touch. 4 stars.

2.03 - Children of the Force: Obi-wan, Mace, Anakin, and Ahsoka take us on a universe tour as they chase down Cad Bane and foil Darth Sidious' plot to steal and corrupt Force-sensitive children. This is a tough one. There is SO much cool stuff in this episode: the story idea is great, Cad Bane's trickery is great, Darth Sidious' truly evil plot is a nice break from the usual Separatist invasion antics, the Jedi's patented triple-mindfreak was cool, Ahsoka's worried look in reaction was even cooler, the multitude of locations was visually dynamic, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. BUT -- and this is a big "but" -- slow. the heck. down. This episode's greatest achievement is also it's greatest failure: it could have and should have been feature length. So much happened so fast, that nothing is fleshed out as much as it should have been, and the audience is given no chance to appreciate and/or feel the true impact of anything. Also, that baby Gungan was one of the most hideous thing's I've ever seen. Give me Rotta the Hutt any day over that thing! 3.5 stars.

2.04 - Senate Spy: The Jedi send Padme to spy on an old flame who has begun dealing with the Separatists. Anakin's jealousy ensues. Woah - they slowed down! It's like they knew we needed a moment to breathe after jamming two hours of content into twenty minutes last episode. The Anakin/Padme dynamic on this show could still use an injection of personality, but 1) it's a huge-improvement over the sickeningly bad dialogue of the prequel films, and 2) I truly, truly appreciate them taking the time to focus on it properly. Padme and Anakin's love for her are clearly at the center of Anakin's future downfall, and while it never felt like enough of a real/believable motivation in the films, this show is giving it the second chance it deserves to win and break our hearts. It still needs work, but that they're working on it at all is VERY impressive for an action-based show and I look forward to more character-centered episodes like this one. Also I love how coldly and easily Anakin leaves Padme's Separatist-collaborator ex-lover to his fate. Nice to know Padme is already bringing out the worst in him! 3.5 stars.

2.05 - Landing at Point Rain: Anakin, Obi-wan, and Mace land... at Point Rain apparently. Okay, if the last episode was all character and no action, then here we have all action and no character. It was damned good action, mind you - some of the best general scope and cinematic flavor we've seen on this show - but absolutely nothing else. If it weren't all so consistently entertaining (and if they hadn't just shown us how character-rich they could be last episode) I'd complain about this more, but as it stands the execution of "Point Rain" is truly impressive on a level of scale we haven't yet encountered. Still, rather handing us episodes that are all either action or character-work, I'd find a seamless blend of the two to be far more praiseworthy. 3.5 stars.

2.06 - Weapons Factory: Ahsoka and fellow padawan Barriss Offee join forces to infiltrate the new Geonosian weapons factory while their masters (Anakin and Luminara) provide a military distraction. Ask and you shall receive, apparently! "Weapons Factory" offers the best mix of action and character-work yet in Season 2. We get to see the Jedi worldviews of Anakin and Luminara butt heads, and even if nobody believed Ahsoka and Barriss were actually goners, the fact that they were ready and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice was a great character moment for the two apprentices of differing styles. It's nice the technical know-how Anakin has passed on to Ahsoka has come in handy (would have been nice to see him teaching this), though it's ultimately Anakin's unwillingness to give up that keeps Ahsoka going here while Barriss is busy accepting her fate. It's too bad Luminara's "oh well" attitude comes off as mostly lame and not as a legitimate opposing view to Anakin's never-say-die gruffness. 4 stars.

2.07 - Legacy of Terror: Obi-wan and Anakin dive into a world of Geonosian catacombs, zombies, and one big ugly bug in order to rescue Luminara. Wonderfully creepy, great imagery, worthwhile use of the Geonosians (for the first time in my opinion), and some truly funny banter among the Jedi once they reach the Queen's chamber. Like the previous episode, a solid blend of action and character, but also like the previous episode, I wish Luminara was a more likable character. I'm happy to see some of the other Jedi finally GETTING character, but I'd enjoy her a bit more as something other than a stick-in-the-mud with the survival instinct of a side of roast beef. Maybe if they'd give us a chance to understand her point of view a bit more it wouldn't be so frustrating. 4 stars.

2.08 - Brain Invaders: The creepfest continues as Ahsoka and Barriss find themselves alone aboard a ship of Geonosian-worm-infected-zombified Clone troopers. Easily the best of the season, and one of the best of the series. The Ahsoka-Barriss pairing shines here with the two padawans discussing (and questioning!) Jedi methodologies and Ahsoka ultimately having to find her own answer to the question of when it's time to sacrifice a friend. Add to this rich character base, Anakin's first force-choke (backed by the Imperial-Freaking-March!) and his growing willingness to break rules to save Ahsoka, and "Brain Invaders" becomes perhaps one of the best outings for both Anakin and Ahsoka yet. Finally they can start to contend with those well-developed Clone trooper characters that seemed to hog the spotlight last season! Oh, and did I mention that the action beats, horror veneer, and disturbingly cool Alien-esque vibe all worked beautifully? 'Cause they did. The only thing I would have liked to see here was a bit more drawing of lines between points A and B character-wise. Ahsoka starts questioning some Jedi tactics with Barriss and is forced to put them to the test here... but how does this impact her? How about Barriss, did she learn anything? It's true that to draw these lines by spelling things out too obviously could border on overkill, but nuanced writing can convey such things without overstating them. On The Clone Wars, however, whenever character or thematic lines aren't clearly drawn, it's usually the fault of not enough being said at all. This might seem like a harsh criticism, but that I'm even making it means this show has just jumped to the next level. It's brought it's A-game - I now know what it's capable of - and I'm going to start holding it to higher standards! I want to give a 5-star rating, dammit! 4.5 stars.

2.09 - Grievous Intrigue: Anakin and Obi-wan rush to the rescue when General Grevious kidnaps Jedi Eeth Koth. It was a bit odd to see the entire Jedi Order rally so quickly behind a rescue mission after the whole Geonosian episode arch seemed to establish (through Luminara and Barriss) that attachments and rescue attempts of their own were not the Jedi way... but this is a good example of what I said last episode about unclear character/thematic through-lines on this show. Needs work! But other than that we got some solid if fairly standard stuff here. Exciting and fun action sequences ruled the day. It was nice to see two new Jedi characters introduced (Eeth Koth and Adi Gallia) and I look forward to seeing them given personalities, but the real character-work that shined here was Grevious himself. Clearly the same snidely ruthless character as always, but this time around he seemed well-motivated and, dare I say, WHOLE as a character. Is his attitude toward the Jedi the result of last season's defeats? I'd love to see more establishment on this, but still, the insults he and Obi-wan exchanged while dueling went a long way to firm up his character and distinguish him from the Separatist crowd. I hope Assaj Ventress is given the same treatment soon! 4 stars.

2.10 - The Deserter: While chasing the escaping General Grevious, Captain Rex meets up with a Clone trooper who has ditched The Republic and adopted a family. This episode was hurt a bit by its two plotlines never quite gelling well, but the farmhouse/clones plotline was so strong that this wasn't a major issue. "The Deserter" is the latest in the great Clone character development episode series, following in the footsteps of Season 1's "Rookies" and "The Hidden Enemy." Rex and Cut's points of view were both well-argued and the compromise of defense and honor being in their blood brought them to a mutual respect and understanding. A great character arch for a story that only took up half an episode. Add to this the Signs-esque farmhouse raid by the always-cool Commando droids, and there's some classic stuff here. Top notch, but I wish there'd been more of it. The standard Grievous battle scenes didn't do much for me on the heels of the much better Grievous material in the last episode. I love that the writers are willing to continue storylines across mutli-episode archs, but it isn't ALWAYS necessary. The farmhouse/clone plot could have handily carried the whole episode - and should have. 4 stars.

2.11 - Lightsaber Lost: Ahsoka teams up with ancient Jedi Master Tera Sinube to hunt down her stolen lightsaber. Wow - another well drawn character story with a clear through line! That's two in a row, and this one was even given the full episode to develop! This was a great stand-alone story, introduced a fun new character (Jedi Columbo), featured mystery, intrigue, our best journey yet into the sleezy Coruscant underworld, and some on foot chase sequences in the style of Casino Royale's inspired free-running footfest. The crime story here wasn't the deepest of endeavors, nor were the two femme fatales particularly inspiring or intriguing, but this was mostly alleviated by the character strength of the Ahsoka/Sinube pairing, great setting, and great chase sequences. 4 stars.

2.12 - The Mandalore Plot: Obi-wan journeys to the once warrior-driven world of Mandalore to address allegations that their pacifist leader, Duchess Satine, is secretly making deals with the separatists. While the narrative through-line of this episode wasn't the strongest, a strong blend of character, intrigue, and action beats carried the day. The banter between Satine and Obi-wan was satisfying and fun, hinting at a past relationship between the two, and over-powering anything we've seen between Anakin and Padme in this franchise. THIS is how romantic tension is done, people! The Mandolorians themselves were cool, but other than their leader, Pre Vizsla, they don't seem much more formidable than your average Clone Trooper. Hopefully they'll prove me wrong in coming episodes. Vizsla himself was cool as well, offering a hint at a different kind of ruthless, honor/glory-bound, warrior race - but the fact that he ultimately hid behind his men when the going got tough in his duel with Obi-wan was eminently disappointing. I really, REALLY want these guys to distinguish themselves from the host of cowardly Separatist villains we're used to seeing. Likewise, I hope we can get a better grasp on how Mandalore as a culture is influenced by its warrior roots (as opposed to just these Deathwatch guys). At least the darksaber was awesome. 4 stars.

Oh, Screw It!

As you can tell by the copious amount of Season 2 Clone Wars reviews below this post (read: none), I haven't really been able to get in the groove of this whole "blogging" thing. I mean, they tell me you have to post more than two times a month for a single month in order to call yourself a "blogger." Normally I'd say "pfft" to this kind of negative attitude, but something tells me they're probably right.

So I'm officially saying "oh, screw it!" to the notion that I have to catch up on reviewing past episodes in order to write about new/current ones. It's been so much of a chore to think about finding thoughts on the old when my mind is on the new that I haven't succeeded in writing anything at all. Seriously - look at me. I decided if I wanted to review a single Clone Wars episode, I had to first write an entire expose' on the whole damn franchise! What a lunatic!

So now that LOST is back and I can't even imagine trying to go back and catch up on logging my thoughts on seasons 1-5, I'm going to switch mentalities and just blog on "the new."

Expect current LOST reviews, as well as current Star Wars: The Clone Wars reviews. And if you're wondering what I've thought of The Clone Wars Season 2 so far, let's just say the steady rate of improvement the show has sustained on all fronts this season is impressive -- most impressive.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season 1

I came out of The Clone Wars movie excited for more. It wasn’t as character-rich as I may have wanted, but the action was solid and smart, the pace was fast and fun, and the animation was striking and stylistically impressive. I was hopeful that we’d get to delve deeper into the characters when the weekly series began, and I was looking forward to it.

Episodes are rated on a scale of zero to five stars.

1.01 – Ambush: Yoda teaches his clone troopers the value of mind over machines. Good character work from Yoda, and nice to see the clones portrayed as something other than random grunts. The frame with the Toydarians and Assaj Ventress felt a bit awkward and over-simplified, and the planet wasn’t my favorite setting, but an all-around solid episode, and a step up from all previous prequel era G-Level canon outings in the character department. 3.5 stars

1.02 – Rising Malevolence: Plo Koon and his troops are trapped in a free-floating escape pod as Anakin and Ashoka rush to the rescue. Some chilling imagery, and well-thought-out sequences. I couldn’t help but feel Plo Koon came off as a poor man’s Yoda. 3 stars.

1.03 – Shadow of Malevolence: Anakin and Ashoka lead the charge against the Separatist cruiser Malevolence. Again, well-executed, but a bit heavy-handed and dry in its characterizations. The impact of losing characters such as Matchstick would be more impactful if we’d spent more time with them. At least the pacing problems of the prequels are history! 3 stars.

1.04 – Destroy Malevolence: Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme cause mayhem for Grevious and the droids aboard the Malevolence. Now THAT was Star Wars! Still not the deepest of character works, at least we got to enjoy Anakin having to balance his Jedi duties with his love for Padme. And we got to see the first romantic moment between the two that I actually believed! From some great comedic beats (the battle droid complementing Obi-wan, 3PO getting hit by the tram, Grevious hanging up on Dooku…) to one of the best choreographed battles in the series (up there with the movie’s vertical cliff climb), this just FELT like Star Wars. It culminates with great editing that built to a grand final frame of our heroes congregated together and feeling like an actual team of adventuring friends for the first time in prequel era history. 4.5 stars.

1.05 – Rookies: Untested clone troopers must defend their listening station from commando droids. A lesson in carefully executed, economic character building and growth. We grow to care about this team of troopers very quickly, and the surprisingly dark action that follows is all the more gripping and effective because of it. Fun, tense, and, like ‘Ambush,’ proof that clone troopers can be great characters. The series needs more of this. It would be great if some of the individual clones we grow to know in these clone-focused episodes will return in the future. 4.5 stars.

1.06 – Downfall of a Droid: Anakin goes in search of R2-D2 who has been taken prisoner by an unscrupulous merchant. A solid entry with a few great high points. Anakin’s reckless pursuit for R2-D2 was great to see, as it forshadows his future inability to let Padme go. The revelation that he never wipes R2’s memory was also a well-played character beat. The use of the IG-86 droids was thrilling. I’ve always loved the IG-88 design from The Empire Strikes Back, and remember thinking – and I quote – “DAMN!” when we got to see the design in fast, furious fighting action in the “Shadows of the Empire” videogame in a boss fight which felt like a sequence out of a horror film (‘Iggy’ snuck up on you in an abandoned junk yard from various angles with deadly force). The Clone Wars iteration of these assassin droids doesn’t disappoint! On the other side of the droid spectrum, however, I do wish they’d inject Grevious with a bit more nuance and a bit less mustache-twirling. 3.5 stars.

1.07 – Duel of the Droids: Anakin and Ashoka lead the mission to recover R2-D2. Great fun, though my issue with Grevious still stands. He’s going to need to find his genuine menace if he’s going to last as a returning villain. Still, anything that climaxes with two astromech units battling to the death is worthy in my book. Classic Star Wars fun in the style of ‘Destroy Malevolence.’ 4 stars.

1.08 – Bombad Jedi: Jar-Jar is mistaken for a Jedi on Rodia. Despite my initial cry of “Why!?,” Jar-Jar proved a bit more tolerable than I thought he’d be. There was some genuine cleverness and self-parody here with C3PO’s wry counter-play to Jar Jar’s hijinx. Padme was also given a few good character beats as she’s finally given a chance to be a senator and diplomat in more than just name. Writer Kevin Rubio’s name is one I trust when it comes to Star Wars comedy, and even dealing with Jar Jar he doesn’t disappoint, even if he doesn’t overwhelmingly impress. 3 stars.

1.09 – Cloak of Darkness: Assaj Ventress leads a ninja-style prison break as Nute Gunray is freed from escorts Ashoka and Luminara Unduli. The legendary Paul Dini manages to inject the classic Star Wars fun with a bit more character depth than usual for the series, along with a tinge of grit. The ‘intrigue’ of this episode was heavily appreciated in place of the usual slam blang action. Characters made mistakes, grey areas were explored, and Assaj gave her best turn since series one of the Gendy Tartakovsky Clone Wars shorts. Though I have to admit this series’ Assaj feels like rather a different character. I sure would love some more info/depth/origins for her though… or for anyone, for that matter! 4 stars.

1.10 – Lair of Grevious: Kit Fisto and padawan Nadar Vebb hunt General Grevious in his lair. I’ve loved the Kit Fisto design since Attack of the Clones, and I appreciated his voice/characterization here, but his and Nadar’s overall story arch was a bit too predictable, and his reactions a bit too stoic/detached for me to really take a stake in the goings on of this episode. I found the Grevious side of things much more interesting, but came away wanting more. The notion that Dooku felt the need to test Grevious is a great one, but further exploration of this theme is require before it becomes of appreciable value. Hints at Grevious’ origins were tantalizing, but again… we need more! Legless Grevious, I must admit, was wicked cool. 3 stars.

1.11 – Dooku Captured: Dooku… is captured… by pirates. This started off rather solidly with some good chasing and some of the best buddy-buddy Anakin/Obi-wan moments we’ve seen yet. This series really – REALLY – needs more of that kind of interaction. I want to believe Obi-Wan when he tells Luke that he and Anakin were good friends! Once Dooku gets captured, however, things take a dip for the mundane… and silly. I found Dooku’s whole situation implausible. I like THE IDEA of it, but the idea requires nuance and cleverness on the part of the pirates… here Dooku just walks into it. Oh well – at least there was a Kowakian Money Lizard. There’s something we can all get behind, right? 2 stars.

1.12 – The Gungan General: When Anakin and Obi-wan end up captured alongside Dooku, Jar-Jar of all people must for some reason save the day. Other than a smattering of good comedic bickering between Anakin, Dooku, and Obi-wan this episode was rubbish. The Jedi apparently forgot they were Jedi for most the episode, and Dooku’s sudden bad ass awesomeness toward the end just sheds further light on the implausibility of the triple capture to begin with. And if a wasted opportunity for solid character interaction/development among the captured trio weren’t enough of a price to pay for such slipshod story-telling, we also get Jar Jar back without Keven Rubio’s carefully wry writing, and without even actor Ahmed Best who has been replaced by what I can only assume is some sort of talking turd. Yes, I imagine that the new voice of Jar Jar is precisely what a turd would sound like if a turd could talk. And, no, there is no better more eloquent way to describe it. 1 star.

1.13 – Jedi Crash: Missed this one. Looking forward to the DVDs. Silly unreliable DVR…

1.14 – Defenders of Peace: Anakin, Ahsoka and Aayla Secura protect a bunch of peace-loving Scottish Lemurs. A lot to enjoy in this one. The Lurmen were an interesting race; the ethical dilemma was a well-debated one; the action was strong; Aayla was a nice departure from the usual old-sounding holier than thou Jedi (Yoda, Plo, Luminara); and General Lok Durd was a fun villain. Add some clever action and a truly great battle droid moment (cheering the effects of the Separatist’s new weapon) and this stands as one of the better episodes this season. The moral decisions involving the Lurmens’ pacifist attitudes left both the characters and viewers some juicy grey area thinking that reminded me of the more high-minded concepts that usually penetrate Star Trek episodes. This is a good direction for the series, and I’d love to see more of it. 4 stars.

1.15 – Trespass: Anakin and Ob-wan mediate between warring races on an awesome-looking ice planet. There was another chance for interesting heady material here involving the nuances and potential devastation of racism, but the one-dimensionality and obviousness of most of the side characters (particularly Chairman Cho) undercut a lot of the potential for real drama. It’s truly great to see the series dealing with serious issues, but if the issues aren’t affecting and/or challenging the principles of our heroes -- but rather only playing out through single-minded side characters – then they lose their teeth. On the other side of the spectrum, the design of this episode was exceptional. The throwbacks to Hoth were appreciated, and the creature and vehicle use was great. 3 stars.

1.16 – The Hidden Enemy: In events that took place just previous to The Clone Wars movie, Anakin and Obi-wan have to root out a clone traitor in their midst. While there wasn’t much actual suspense to the mystery here, the concepts at play were great. What could cause a clone to change sides? Are the clones really treated fairly? What if one wanted to quit the army? They’re bred for military use – bred to die for a cause – now that they’re being portrayed as actual people, with character depth… can we abide by their seeming enslavement? Is this right? Is it just? Great issues for debate in the show. Unfortunately we don’t get too much actual debate in this episode, rather we get some interesting questions, a good deal of Clone action, and another fun Assaj Ventress cameo. Here’s hoping these issues come back someday. 3.5 stars.

1.17 – Blue Shadow Virus: A crazy mad scientist threatens to infect Naboo with his latest contaminant. Some fun tense moments, but a lot of missteps here. Doctor Vindi never quite worked for me. He seemed to have stumbled onto the scene from some other show… perhaps Scooby Doo. And his over-the-top stereotype mad scientist caricature only served to distract from what worthy tension there was. And speaking of undercutting tension… Jar-Jar. Beyond his cringe-inducing turd of a voice, I keep trying to think why Jar-Jar has never worked as well as he did in his first Clone Wars appearance. And I think it comes down to his use in the story. In Bombad Jedi, Jar-Jar drove a comedy-filled story and his spirit and hyjinx were at the forefront of the episode. Now, in Blue Shadow Virus (and The Gungan General before it) he’s here to distract. He really has no actual place in this story and seems to be forced in to cause havoc and undercut the otherwise controlled flow of the action. When a sudden bumbling ‘Jar-Jar Moment’ can occur at any time and cause a large amount of good or ill no matter how carefully our actually-competent characters (on both sides) set their plans, suddenly these other characters lose their power. And when the action seems unmotivated, it’s hard to get sucked in. 2 stars.

1.18 – Mystery of a Thousand Moons: While Padme, Ahsoka, and Jar-Jar have to deal with infection, Anakin and Obi-wan have to escape a trap on the planet Iego in order to bring them the cure. This really has one plot too many. The ‘mystery’ on Iego is infinitely more interesting than Padme and co. fending off the affects of infection. I liked the concept of Iego as a trapped planet. I also liked the concept of a the kid with his own reprogrammed battle droid army. I would have loved to have spent more time getting to know Jaebo and the other trapped citizens of Iego rather than go back and forth between the events on Iego and Naboo. In the end we never get quite enough of a good thing from either plot. 2.5 stars.

1.19 – Storm Over Ryloth: Ahsoka gets a chance to play tactician as she leads the troops against a blockade over Ryloth and gets a lesson in taking responsibility. Ahsoka's best episode yet. She was forced to step up and be a leader, and rose to the challenge. The depiction of her relationship with Anakin was more believable than ever, the starship tactics were cool (and borrowed from Heir to the Empire!!), and even the Nemoidian guest-villain was fun to watch as he studied Anakin's strategies. I hope we see that guy again! I also appreciated the moment where Admiral Yularen pretended not to be asleep during Ahsoka's apology. It's touches like this that really build the characters, and the series needs more of this. Frame such moments in a great action-filled, character-centered story, and you have one of the most well-rounded episodes of the season. 4 stars.

1.20 – Innocents of Ryloth: Part II of III, Obi-wan leads his troops against villains using ‘human shields.’ A strong episode, though not a home-run. Good character stuff for the Clones and Numa, the little Twi’lek girl. Also some great, innovative action. Also nice to see Obi-wan so heavily featured. I’ve felt his character has been a bit under-used this season – even when present. And while his voice artist does an uncanny impersonation of Ewan McGregor, I’d liked to see not EVERY other line of his come off sounding like a sarcastic one-liner. On a side note, not yet certain if I like the tactical droids yet. They seem a bit bland… though I have to admit watching one get torn apart by the Twi’leks was rather enjoyable. Had the character stuff probed just a bit further, this could have been a classic. 3.5 stars.

1.21 – Liberty on Ryloth: Mace finally takes center stage in the climax of the ‘Ryloth Trilogy.’ Great action; tepid character work. The agreement between Syndulla and Senator Orn Free Taa was all just a little too easy and a little too pat. No surprises here, particularly not with a title like that! Also Wat Tambor is a weak character, as dull and lifeless of his droning voice. Hearing him and his tactical droid chew scenery was monotonous to say the least. Still… that action. Mace lived up to the anticipation, and the battle on the drawbridge was one of the coolest sequences of the season. Also, I loved the battle droid’s opposite reactions to finding Mace in the treasure ship. Hilarious! This series just needs a smidgeon more character depth each week, and they’d be knocking episodes out of the park more consistently. 3.5 stars.

1.22 – Hostage Crisis: Bounty Hunters storm the senate and take a group of senators hostage for the nefarious purpose of demanding Ziro the Hutt be brought back into the show! I’ll admit it: I enjoy Ziro. He makes me laugh. A lot. So sue me. But I’ll also admit that I enjoyed Cad Bane and his bounty hunters even more – nice to have a group of villains with more character and grit than any of the Separatists. And the character bits with Anakin and Padme, while not exactly golden, were very appreciated and stronger than most anything in the Prequel Trilogy. A dark, fast-paced episode that ended all too soon. 4 stars.

Season 1 Visuals: Easily the most impressive, consistently high-quality animation I’ve seen on television. I’m a big fan of 2D animation, and sometimes think I’d prefer the show to have taken a 2D route, but I’ve never seen a 2D show stay so on-model as the Clone Wars can. The impressive detail in the backgrounds and ships, along with the always-creative and well-framed camera angles make the show a beauty to behold and justify its 3D existence handily. Now if we can just get those faces to emote a bit more… Most impressive. 4 stars.

Season 1 Action: Innovative, sometimes surprisingly dark, and always fun. If I have any complaint it’s that the editing is sometimes just a bit too fast. But any show that can keep lightsaber duels constantly fresh is doing something right. Well done. 4 stars.

Season 1 Storylines: A bit too much planet-invasion-of-the-week going on here, but when the show narrows its focus onto moral issues (“Defenders of the Peace,” “Innocents of Ryloth”) or particularly exciting capers (“Cloak of Darkness,” “Hostage Crisis”), it shines. And then there are those slam-bang fun-fests that just ooze that Star Wars feel (“Destroy Malevolence,” “Duel of the Droids”). I’d love the show to get more daring and varied in its plotlines and particularly give us more character-driven stories. A good start. 3 stars.

Season 1 Characters: So many great characters, so few chances to shine. The series weakest aspect is easily its character work – what I consider the most important facet of longevity and value for a show. The Prequel Trilogy almost infamously created a vast array of great cool characters and then did criminally little with them. The Clone Wars has improved upon this considerably… but that’s not saying much. I want to feel Anakin and Obi-wan’s friendship the way I’d imagined it since A New Hope. I want to know how Anakin’s mentorship of Ashoka influences his loose canon nature and susceptibility to the dark side. I want to Anakin and Padme to have an INTERESTING relationship. I want the other Jedi to have great character archs. I wan the downfall and stagnation of the Jedi Order to take centerstage – what went wrong here? And I want villains who are something other than requisitely “evil.” What are Dooku’s political motivations? Does he believe he’s working for the good of the Republic here, or just for the Sith? How does Assaj Ventress feel about not being a full Sith? Who the hell is Grievous anyway? The only front on which the characterwork has been surprisngly impressive has been the Clones themselves with their varied personalities, histories, and storylines ("Rookies," "The Hidden Enemy," "Innocents of Ryloth") - but now let's see some of those well-developed Clones in more than just one episode! There is SO MUCH potential for great -- nay INCREDIBLE -- characterwork on this show. And they’ve barely nicked the surface in Season 1. Needs work. 2 stars.

Season 1 Overall: Very entertaining, and very promising. There are still many weak aspects, but they are ultimately overshadowed not only by what does work, but by the vast potential of the series and by the show’s already-clear willingness to try new things and improve itself. The Clone Wars team has their work cut out for them in making Star Wars a must-watch galaxy again, but if Season 1 is any indication, they are up to the task and well on their way. 3.5 stars.

Star Wars – Franchise Retrospective

Since I hope to give weekly reviews of new Season 2 episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, I’ll be providing a capsule review of my thoughts on Season 1, but first some perspective…

The Original Trilogy
I was two months old when Return of the Jedi arrived in theaters, but I still managed to grow up on Star Wars. I remember the subtle shift in my childhood mentality when the Death Star trench sequence of A New Hope went from being “that boring extra part of the movie” to being the relieving coda that, meant even after all the excitement of rescuing the princess had finished, there was still more movie to enjoy. I remember the awe of The Empire Strikes Back (“There’s more!?”) and running to the kitchen to hide from the television when Vader cut off Luke’s hand. I remember the pure bliss of being in Jabba’s Palace and the Forest of Endor – simply being in these places made Return of the Jedi my favorite for many years. Older and a bit more opinionated, I’ve come to appreciate ‘Empire’ the most, but ‘Jedi’ will always hold a close second.

The Merchandise
Star Wars fans like to breathe the universe. For me this took the form of music and toys. My love affair with film music is a story unto itself, but suffice to say John Williams and Star Wars had a noteworthy role in the tale. And, already being a fan of acting out stories with action figures, I was instantly hooked when Kenner released its rebooted line of 1995 Star Wars figures. And that’s one collection of mine that just doesn’t seem to stop growing.

The Expanded Universe
The merits of the ‘EU’ are as hit-or-miss as any so diverse and vast an array of novels, comics, short stories, and video games could be expected to be. To many Star Wars fans who prefer their canon to be ‘G-Level’ (or George Lucas level, i.e. the films and ‘The Clone Wars’), the ‘EU’ is thought to be a tangled mess of curious but ultimately unimportant explorations of that Galaxy Far, Far Away. I’ll readily admit there’s some flimsy and bizarre stuff out there in the EU, and while I’m well-read in it, I’m certainly not an expert, but I’d also go so far as to say that the single best Star Wars stories I’ve ever experienced were select EU novels and comics. I have Timothy Zahn to almost single-handedly thank for carrying my childhood love of Star Wars on through to adulthood. Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston are also authors worthy of note. There’s some bad, BAD stuff out there… but the best of the ‘EU’ is damn, DAMN good. I’m not of the mind that everything ever written in the Star Wars galaxy need be taken carefully into consideration for new G-Level canon entries, but I am of the mind that G-Level canon ought to mine the best of the ‘EU’ for material more often than it does. There’s a reason so many movies are based on books…

The Prequel Trilogy
Like many, I awaited The Phantom Menace with childlike glee. When it arrived, I enjoyed what I got – I really did – but the knowledge of what I didn’t get, or what I COULD have gotten ultimately soured the experience. There were things done right; there were things done terribly wrong. What was once sleek and inspiring was now clunky and over-stuffed. Character took a backseat to pageantry. Things that should have been deep were shallow. Attack of the Clones followed suit, featuring much that was cool, and much that was pathetic. I wanted SO badly to feel the love between Padme and Anakin. I wanted SO badly to feel the thrill of adventure when Yoda arrived with those Clones. But genuine emotion was subbed for by wooden, characterless dialogue. And that ending battle was such a mishmash of images that there was no chain of invention to follow. What ought to have been an incredible set piece, came off as random, unorchestrated chaos. And Revenge of the Sith brought more of the same – a bit more refined perhaps, but the lack of real characterization and motivation throughout the trilogy undercut a series of what would have been powerhouse sequences (Anakin’s fall, turn, murders, and duel) had they been played out by people the audience could inhabit and understand. There’s much I love about the Prequel Trilogy, but there’s far more that frustrates me to the core.

The Clone Wars
Despite the opinion of general geekdom turning against modern Star Wars, with ludicrous cries of “Lucas raped my childhood” and blind accusations of it all being soulless money-grubbing exploitation of the original trilogy’s fans, I – like most open-minded fans -- am ALWAYS up for more Star Wars. Are those that have turned against Lucas really so narrow-minded that they don’t think ANYTHING good could come out of further Star Wars outings? Are they so self-centered that they don’t realize there’s a legion of fans out there clamoring for more? Oh well… I for one was thrilled at the announcement of The Clone Wars series, and even more thrilled when it was announced the first three episodes would be released in theatres as a single story. Unlike most critics and belligerent fans, I went into my screening fully expecting to see three episodes of a TV show projected at movie theater size for my pleasure – I appreciated the gesture to us theater-going fans. So where those aforementioned belligerents saw what they dubbed to be an insignificant entry in the Star Wars canon with sub-par animation for a feature film, what I saw was a pretty good, very fun, series pilot with a lot of potential for things to come, with easily the best television animation I’d ever seen. And with the promise of a new adventure every week, my mind went right back to that ‘Empire’-inspired childhood grin: “There’s more!?” While some fans were blustering and posturing their disdain, it seemed like a pretty good deal to me…