Nomad Droids Review

After a pair of controversial episodes in Shadow Warrior and Mercy Mission, the Clone Wars really needed to step it up for me in Nomad Droids. Once again, I wasn't jumping up and down after watching this episode, but found it to be more entertaining than the past two. As a second part to a droids duology, Nomad Droids felt very distant storywise to Mercy Mission, and was only connected with it through the common characters of R2, C-3PO, and the Wolfpack clones. Yet that's probably for the best, considering the meaningless plot of Mercy Mission.

Right away Nomad Droids felt very familiar to me. Granted it wasn't the epic "Dual of the Fates" Star Wars that I love, but the flow and situations in the episode seemed organic. It reminded me of the beginning scenes of both A New Hope and Return of the Jedi that brought the viewers into the story from the perspective of the droids. R2 and C-3PO interacted with beings similar to the scavenging Jawas, bloated Jabba the Hutt, and unforgiving imperials. This included a great reference to A New Hope when Threepio threw his hands in the air, imploring his captors, "Don't shoot!"

When the episode started I wasn't sure what was in store. When Padme mentioned a "banquet", I started to worry we might have another overly domestic episode on our hands like Evil Plans. But thankfully the droids' cruiser was timely attacked by Grievous. Even though it would have been interesting to see more character development between the bitter rivals, Grievous and Adi Gallia, it was refreshing to see the dual unfold from the droids' perspective. Some of the shots in sequences like this were similar to Darth Vader's attack on the Tantive IV, with the plot itself foreshadowing the beginning of A New Hope, as R2 coerced Threepio to escape with him. If only a droid operating a gun turret had monotonously uttered something like, "Hold your fire; the scanners indicate that no lifeforms are aboard".

The following sequence with the astromech-commandeered Y-Wing engaging a Vulture droid through the atmosphere was well done from an animation standpoint. With pilots like Anakin and R2, it's quite obvious why Threepio isn't fond of flying. The animation of the surface below was interesting. I liked how the initial shots of the Palitites used perspective to exaggerate their diminutive size. As Qui-Gon said, "There is always a bigger fish", I'm starting to think, "There is always a smaller species" after seeing the Aleenas and Palitites in succession. But Lucas clearly has a soft spot for little people, considering classic species like the Ewoks, Jawas, and Ugnaughts, to name a few.

After an obvious Gulliver's Travels reference with the droids being tied up by tiny people, R2 and Threepio began their streak of inciting political turnover when R2 shockingly fell over the fat Palitite leader reducing him to goo. And they say Riff Tamson's death was graphic? I could have done without this whole sequence, but I guess bizarre is better than predictable. I must admit that it was a little entertaining to watch the Palitites squabble over who should become the next leader, as the droids slipped away.

As the Y-Wing's power started to drain, the droids found themselves wandering onto the equally bizarre planet of Balnab. If you think midichlorians are too scientific, try "Primordial Soup". At that point, I half-assumed they were referring to the plot of the post-Mon Cala episodes with that statement. The first lifeforms that the droids encountered trapped them with a yellow electro-net and carried them off to their leader. Personally I found the voicing of the Balnabians to be painfully slow and annoying, but thankfully they were only one of many pit-stops. What transpired next was straight out of the Wizard of Oz, as a maniacally ambitious pit droid was using a hologram and electro-shock to intimidate the Balnabians into submission. Yet to continue in his vigilante ways, R2 quickly ousted the impostor and nonchalantly meandered away from the huge explosion that ensued in Heath Ledger fashion.

The moments that followed with R2 and Threepio running out of power were quite touching and resonated emotionally with me. I'm glad that the writers put a slow moment in what would otherwise be a frantic episode like this to pace the story and add depth to the characters. The camaraderie between the droids was front and center in the episode and seemed more organic than that of the rushed Mercy Mission.

But just as things started to slow down, the story picked right up again as Weequay pirates found the powerless droids and brought them to their ship, Jawa-style. Even though I was very disappointed that the infamous Hondo Ohnaka didn't show up here, I found these other pirates' ship to be a very cool design. It's definitely too bad it got blown into oblivion. The sequence with the droids fighting each other was very entertaining, it reminded me a bit of the gladiatorial match on Rattatak in the Clone Wars micro-series. Additionally, Threepio's fondness for statistics yielded an interesting tidbit in this scene, R2 has 47 fighting styles.

Things finally came full circle as Grievous, with the defeated Gallia standing behind him in binders, opens fire on the pirates. I liked the scene with the droids landing inside the Separatist hanger bay as one of the droids referenced The Phantom Menace with the line "You're under arrest!". The episode concluded with some awesome action sequences as Wolfpack and Plo-Koon came to Adi Gallia's rescue, slightly from the droid's perspective once again.

In conclusion, I enjoyed Nomad Droids. It wasn't my favorite episode, but it still contained enough action and references to keep me entertained. If we had only seen this episode between the epic battle arcs on Mon Cala and Umbara, rather than three offbeat stories, I would be that more satisfied with the beginning of Season 4. But for now, it seems the slow part is finally over and the roller coaster ride is about to begin, one that promises fantastic Clone-centric storylines and the intrigue of Darth Maul.

Mercy Mission Review

Okay... so this episode was quite different and definitely stands out among the steady line of action episodes that we have scene since the second half of Season 3 began. The pacing and humor of Mercy Mission at first reminded me of the Original Trilogy, especially Return of the Jedi. Then it showed glimpses of Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who. And finally it dissolved into a B-rate Saturday morning cartoon from the 1980s, considering the climax was droids pushing a cover over a hole, slowly.

I thought the beginning of the episode was pretty cool to watch. It was awesome to see Commander Wolffe back in the series. His cybernetic eye and painted phase II armor made him an interesting character. Additionally the return of other Wolf Pack clones like Sinker and Boost were a nice touch. I wish that the episode focused a little more on the clones, but mostly they served as straight men to the droids and Aleenas. Nevertheless, the humor was tasteful for the most part. "Suck it up, shiny!"

The opening shots of the relief ships approaching the planet Aleen and then entering the atmosphere through the clouds were well done. From the first shot of Star Wars depicting the imperial star destroyer eating up the screen, I have always loved set-up scenes like this. The line, "It's going to be another one of those planets", let the viewers know that the clones shared a slight annoyance with the native's antics. The surface of the planet was well animated and contained a fair amount of detail for an apparently desolate landscape.

Moving on to the inhabitants themselves, the Aleenas definitely reminded me the Ewoks. They were of similar stature and demeanor, and spoke a gibberish sounding, primitive language. For once it was actually cool to hear non-basic speakers in the Clone Wars, with even Rodians speaking the common tongue. The interaction between the Aleenas and the droids was very reminiscent of Return of the Jedi, as I almost wish R2 had zapped a few curious natives. The one main difference I noticed with the Aleenas, is that they seemed more comfortable around technology than the Ewoks did. Obviously their species has to have some significance to the Republic, like mining raw materials, for them to have been given technology and qualify for aid.

With witty remarks by clones and droids alike and even an utterance of the cliche "I have a bad feeling about this", I was enjoying the episode as C-3PO fell into the mysterious hole, R2 in toe. The tunnels under the surface of Aleen reminded me of the tree cave on Dagobah. The tree creatures that ambushed the droids were very reminiscent of the Ents from Lord of the Rings, and the conflict between the above-ground and subterranean dwellers of the planet reminded me of a recent Doctor Who storyline. Yet these odd pixie-like entities kept swarming around C-3PO and the sci-fi/fantasy feel started to decay into a Disney aura.

Then the story totally left the genre of Star Wars for me when the pixies accumulated into a large light source that transformed into one of the most annoying characters I have ever scene on TV, let alone in a Clone Wars episode. Orphnee seemed extremely out of place both visually and audibly. Fantasy inspired characters like the Diathim and the Daughter of Mortis didn't bother me, but this was a full on fairy or nymph. And if her look wasn't odd enough, her monotonous, high-pitched voice droned on and on in rhetoric and riddles.

After she left the screen, the droids were left to solve an obvious riddle and then were jettisoned back onto the surface to deduce that the hole needed to be closed. This ending seemed completely contrived and hearkened back to weakly written Star Wars material like the old Droids and Ewoks cartoons. The episode concluded with only one blaster shot fired at a bunch of rocks and completely no character or main story development. The only purpose that it served was to illustrate how clones don't always spend their time fighting in epic battles, and the droids are good at solving commonplace problems. Additionally the music score was pretty forgettable.

In conclusion, I think this was one of the worst Clone Wars episodes to date, rivaling Evil Plans and Corruption. Mercy Mission didn't seem like Star Wars, at least not the epic and engaging Star Wars that I'm used to seeing. Once again the humor at the beginning was fine, but it quickly got old, and was not paced by intermittent action sequenced like it should have been. Hopefully this episode was the worst of the season, because I can't imagine anything that much more boring and useless than this. This also marks two straight episodes, where the most exciting scene for me was an establishing shot of an environment. I might as well be playing an immersive video game, considering the weakness of the plots as of late. Umbara can't come soon enough.

Shadow Warrior Review

Meesa hope yousa enjoy deesa review of Shadow Warrior! ...but seriously the fourth episode of Clone Wars Season 4 was certainly the deepest exploration of Gungan culture since 1999. Those fans who favor the darker themes of Revenge of the Sith, or the drier, wittier humor of the Original Trilogy, probably won't find this episode to be very entertaining or compelling. But aside from the wackiness, there were many aspects of Shadow Warrior that were of a high level of quality. And as a consolation for the fans who can't stand anything related to Jar Jar, we did see a few Gungans get impaled.

I'm going to start off by letting everyone know that I didn't find this episode compelling, epic, suspenseful, or engaging on either an emotional or intellectual level. However it did strike me as entertaining, humorous, and interesting. Thus I'm not going fill this review with loads of criticisms that negatively compare Shadow Warrior to Landing At Point Rain or the Empire Strikes Back, because that would be unfair. Instead I'll focus more on the positive achievements of this episode, and reserve my criticism for incongruous plot elements.

Through the first 3 seasons, the Clone Wars has shown us a few Gungans outside of Mr. Binks here and there, most notably in the Blue Shadow Virus duology and the episode Children of the Force. But it wasn't until the second episode of the current season, Gungan Attack, that the full scale of the species was unleashed. Shadow Warrior both built on the character models and improved underwater animation of the previous Mon Cal trilogy, to bring us an in-depth depiction of the Gungan way of life.

Starting with land elements, Naboo's swampy forests have never looked more alive, as they bared the detail of the jungle on Count Dooku's planet in last season's episode Nightsisters. Seeing the Gungan army and its weaponry assembled on the plains was very reminiscent of The Phantom Menace. The giant head carved into the cliff was another visually interesting element.

But even more impressive, was the animation of Otah Gunga and the surrounding watery depths. We saw a glimpse of the submarine city in Gungan Attack, but the expanded shots of the spherical metropolis rivaled its depiction in the Phantom Menace. I also really enjoyed seeing the Bongo sub design in the Clone Wars, being one of my favorite vehicle designs from the prequels. The shot of the sub emerging from the swamp went a long way to establish realism in the environment.

Moving on from structures to character models, I thought the team did an excellent job animating Padme's royal warrior outfit. This model allowed for more facial expression than any previous incarnation of the senator. They also captured Captain Tarpals flawlessly. Not only were his physical attributes and voice spot on, but his unique mannerisms were reproduced well. It's interesting that they chose to kill off his character in this episode, but the way they did it put his sacrifice right up there with Hevy, Ima-Gun Di, and 99's in my book.

I'm sure for most fans, though, the return of General Grievous was the highlight of Shadow Warrior. And he was his usual intimidating self, killing Gungans left and right. But aside from his presence, Grievous' depiction in this particular episode didn't really impress me. His animation doesn't seem to have been improved since the beginning of Season 3, and we didn't really learn anything new or interesting about his character.

Another Separatist addition to this episode was Count Dooku, who rushed in to save the day for Darth Sidious by overpowering Anakin and capturing the Jedi. This whole sequence seemed extremely odd to me for three reasons. Firstly with every additional time Dooku and Anakin duel, the meaning behind their battle in Revenge of the Sith decreases, secondly, if it's so easy for Count Dooku to capture Anakin, why hasn't Dooku tried this before, and finally, why would Anakin risk putting himself in such a compromising situation? Is he really that bold at this point in the Clone Wars? This turn of events would have made more sense if it was another Jedi who was captured, like Aayla Secura.

Ultimately, after looking beyond this weird plot element and the overall goofiness of the episode, Shadow Warrior still holds up as a solid addition to the Clone Wars series. The humor and depictions of characters like Jar Jar, Padme, and Captain Tarpals were decent, the animation was fantastic, and the exploration of the Gungan culture was interesting. Neither as epic as Water War, nor as deep as Overlords, this episode exists as a sole fun episode in a long series of fast paced, action-heavy stories. I enjoyed it for what it was, but look forward to more compelling and detailed knock-your-socks-off adventures to come as Season 4 rolls along.

Prisoners Review

After the visually stunning duo of submarine episodes that premiered the 4th Clone Wars season, I awaited this episode with great anticipation. And for me it delivered with everything that the third episode of a trilogy should have. Prisoners contained a more detailed plot, better character development, great contrast between the light and dark elements of the characters and situations, and a fantastic action sequence to put a stamp on a strong trilogy.

The first thing that struck me about this episode, was how much darker it was than the previous two. There were torture scenes, imminent peril for our heroes, moments where many characters started to lose hope, and increased violence in the final dual between Prince Char and Ambassador Tamson. Riff planting exploding daggers on unfortunate victims was something that stretched the limits of the PG rating, and his demise by the same token was equally if not more terrifying because you were led to anticipate it. The touch of Tamson's teeth-filled skull floating away completed the violent sequence.

In addition to the visual maturity of Prisoners, the plot also weighed more heavily into the mix. The motivations of characters like Tamson, Lee Char, and Nossor Ri were all explored, tying the events of the previous episodes together nicely. It was made clear that Nossor Ri didn't share the blind allegiance to Count Dooku and the Seperatists that another Quarren leader in the EU, Tikkes, did. However Riff Tamson was able to use the Quarren and Mon Cals' incompatibility with each other to create a civil war and steal a planet from the Republic.

Throughout the previous two episodes, there were subtle hints dropped that Nossor Ri was beginning to disapprove of Tamson's handling of the situation, and the psychological tide finally turned when Tamson got ahead of himself and started abusing and intimidating the Quarren leader instead of filling his head with lies and impossible ideals. This caused the Republic's victory to come in a different way than it did in the Microseries episode that this story was based on. Instead of Kit Fisto and the Republic forces overpowering the Quarrens and Separatists, the Quarren realized that the war between the CIS and Republic was manipulating their planet for the worst and rebelled against the same invaders that they let in to end their dispute with the Mon Cals.

Effectively this turn of events thoroughly renders all previous depictions of the civil war on Mon Calamari non-canon. Unless you want to retcon it to death and say that the Microseries episode and other materials took place after the start of Water Wars, yet before the end of Prisoners, with Tikkes acting as a military commander under Nossor Ri.

Regardless of the inconsistencies, this plot shake-up allowed for an interesting and compelling coming-of-age story with Prince Lee Char, as he slowly gained confidence and ultimately brought the two species of his planet together just like his father had. Even though I thought that the Prince's voice was a bit too cartoony and his character development wasn't complex enough in Water War and somewhat in Gungan Attack, I was pleased with the direction they took with him in Prisoners. In fact, I even detected shades of Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings finale Return of the King.

Like the one before it, this episode also included the most devicive character in the Star Wars universe. But I thought that Jar Jar was again used effectively. You have to give him a bit of credit for the idea to plug up Padme's draining helmet with Gungan slime (Unless of course you are a Padme hater too). There were also some cool fight sequences involving Gungans toward the end of the episode, as they zapped everything in their path with electro-staffs.

This brings me to a quick point. Now we all know that Star Wars isn't exactly well known for scientific accuracy, with sounds in space and other inconsistencies with the real world, but I thought the use of electricity in this episode was odd. Firstly, shouldn't any of the various electric shocks in the duration of Prisoners have extended into the surrounding water and zap those emitting the pulse? And even if all the shocks were contained and focused, shouldn't the pulses from the eels have knocked out the prisoners life support systems?

Aside from this minor quibble, I thought anything that lit up like neon underwater was stunning to watch even if it was difficult to intellectually grasp. The eels were a fantastic addition to the array of hazards thrown at our heroes. The visuals of the dungeon facilities were well conceived and executed. And the perspectives of the camera angles were used well to evoke a sense of magnitude in many of the environments.

One of several issues I had with the first couple episodes, was the underwhelming music score. It was neither epic nor contained enough noticeable motifs. But we finally got a payoff in Prisoners with a great use of the Force Theme during the final battle. Overall, however, I still think that the score of these episodes did them a disfavor and failed to escalate or even echo the epicness of the visuals.

The pacing of Prisoners was well choreographed, with a tense dungeon scene at the beginning, great plot and character development throughout the episode, a climactic battle towards the end, and a fittingly regal conclusion that hearkened back to the ending of the Phantom Menace. As always, I thought there could have been more tidbits with other characters like Ahsoka, Kit Fisto, and Captain Ackbar, but the core of the story held up and finished satisfyingly.

In conclusion, I think the trilogy of Mon Calamari episodes were a perfect start to Season 4. In hindsight, the layout really does remind me of the Phantom Menace. Hopefully that means Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith-like episodes are to come! As I was last week, I am just as --if not even more excited about the remainder of Season 4, and I can't wait to move on to even more visually stunning and emotionally compelling stories!

Water War and Gungan Attack Review

Well it's that time again, Star Wars fans! Another season of the Clone Wars and another series of my reviews. I want to start by thanking you all so much for reading my reviews from the previous seasons and giving awesome feedback. I enjoy writing about the episodes almost as much as watching them. So without further ado, let's kick off another season!

I decided to review both of these episodes together because they are not independent of each other in any significant ways. The locales, characters, and plots are the same, and the first one was simply set-up for the second one. Even though the visuals and action in the first part, Water War, was some of the best the series has seen to date, I felt it lacked a good climax and the pacing was slightly off. Perhaps the reason it didn't completely hold my interest at first, was because I had already seen a few clips from the episode, and had a good idea of where the plot was going. There was no suspense for me and it didn't have any really intense moments.

The plot itself is nothing new, as it is based on an episode of the 2003 Clone Wars Microseries that depicted Kit Fisto leading scuba troopers against the separatists amid a civil war between the Quarren and Mon Calamari. Interestingly, when the Clone Wars CGI series was first announced several years later, I thought back to that particular episode as one I would like to see done again in the new medium. It took until the fourth season for the capabilities of the animation team to develop enough to pull this off, but I am really glad they waited, because the animation in these episodes was vastly superior to the previous seasons.

Throughout the episodes, I was only taken out of the story by shortcomings in the CGI a few times. One thing that particularly bothered me was Padme's face. The Clone Wars' wooden or plastic style relies on texture and lighting to give a sense of realism to models, but her smooth pale skin lit by the monotone glow of the watery world and only accented by a bright light inside her helmet took away from the realism. Additionally I found her eyes and facial expressions to be a bit less dynamic than that of other characters, especially Anakin and Ahsoka.

But aside from that minor issue, everything else that flashed before my eyes constituted art in motion. The Clone Wars team took on the challenge of capturing the organic and subtle gravity of a submarine environment and resoundingly accomplished this feat. The stoic buildings themselves lent little to achieve the effect of an underwater metropolis, however the fish, bursting sheets of bubbles, and swaying coral made up for this fact. The sound design also played a huge role in liquefying the atmosphere. Additionally the few scenes that depicted the action above the surface, animated water perfectly, from individual splashes that followed characters leaping into the depths to amazing explosion sequences that deftly interwove smoke, fire, and liquid.

The movement of the characters themselves underwater was very well choreographed. The motion of the robotic aqua droids gave them a rare organic feel, and the darting and plunging dance of the Jedi with their luminous blades echoed and built on the exploration of zero-gravity combat in previous seasons. These individual achievements were breathtakingly multiplied in Water War as hundreds of droids and aquatic species converged in one of the largest scale battles the series has seen.

Adding to the mechanics, all of the character designs were striking. The Quarren and Mon Calamari were both depicted well, including the simplified Captain Ackbar who translated well to the CGI medium. Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme's scuba gear gave a fresh look to the characters and constitute some of my favorite incarnations of the models. Stunning due to both amazing artistry and uniqueness, Kit Fisto and separatist ambassador Riff Tamson's designs also stood out, highlighted by Fisto's ever-moving head tales and Tamson's menacing menagerie of sharp teeth.

But one of the most surprisingly cool designs belonged to the giant cybernetic jelly-fish. When these ingenious monstrosities entered the fray at the end of the first episode, Season 4 officially began for me. They presented a seemingly impossible challenge to our heroes and provided amazing visuals as their ominous tentacles engulfed everything in their path. Furthermore, the electric shock that pulsated through their bodies as they were destroyed presented delightful contrast to the murky waters that surrounded them.

As the heroes were isolated after the city fell in the second episode, Gungan Attack, the plot and pacing went further to garner my attention. A small band of rebels fighting against seemingly insurmountable odds hearkens back to the original Star Wars trilogy and did well to increase the stakes, suspense, and intensity. The building choruses of action sequences were artistically interspersed with verses of great character scenes between the Mon Cala prince and Ahsoka and other military leaders.

The use of the Gungans in the episode was one of the best uses of the species since 1999, if not the best ever, and I was very excited to see Otoh Gunga finally depicted in the Clone Wars. The sequence with the Republic Cruiser emerging from the clouds and the Gungans jumping out of the hanger into the sea was breathtakingly climactic. It also goes a long way to illustrate the good-hearted nature of the species. On Naboo they fought to defend their home, but this time they fought to defend the survival and liberty of another fellow aquatic people.

And finally this brings me to what I thought was the best part of these episodes. When the trident droids started to spin their tentacles I knew we were in for an amazing action sequence, and the Clone Wars crew blew away all of my expectations. The battle amid the liquid cyclones was the most intense sequence in the series to date in my opinion. The combination of whirling water and flashing explosions provided the perfect backdrop to a great fight scene between the Prince, Ahsoka, Fisto, and Tamson. At that moment, all of the hard work that the crew has spent developing the animation finally came together in a fantastic way, leaving me envious of anyone who has seen these episodes screened in theaters.

Moving on from the effects, I thought the voice acting and music in the Season 4 premiere were adequate, but they didn't blow me away. There were a few good scores that included chorals and one that used Ahsoka's theme, but the rest seemed filler and secondary to everything else going on. I though Riff Tamson's voice could have been more menacing and the there was something slightly off about the portrayal of the Prince. But these things were certainly drowned amid other aspects of the episodes.

To name several more things that caught my attention in these episodes, it was great to see that patented Kit Fisto smile a few times. Any of the camera shots that tracked along with vehicles or swimming characters vastly intensified the visual experience, and I wished their were even more of them. It was humorous to see the Mon Cala and Gungan embracing at the end of the second episode as they were being surrounded, a nice touch to give the story more depth. And the scuba clones and submarine speeders were cool designs.

In conclusion I believe Water War was a solid episode that rivals any of the previous season openers, and I think Gungan Attack was one of the best episodes of the series to date, right up there with the amazing episodes of the latter half of Season 3. The sign of a good episode, is that I can't stop talking about it, and that certainly fits the description for the premiere. And what is even more exciting, is the fact that there is still one more episode to go in this arc. If it is as good as the first two, it will definitely make for the best arc yet of the Clone Wars series. This episode was a classic depiction of the Clone Wars, a battle of epic proportions coupled with political undercurrents (literally) and character development.

I can't wait for the next episode, I can't wait for the rest of the season, and I can't wait to continue reviewing these amazing episodes. The season has kicked off with a resounding bang, and this is only the beginning! Thank you so much for reading my review! Feel free to comment with your thoughts on the premiere. Until next time, may the Force be with you!

Clone Wars Season 3 Review

Prologue

After the conclusion of the widely appreciated Boba Fett arc of Season 2, fans of the Clone Wars series greatly looked forward to the next season. The creators of the show promised deeper writing, improved animation, and mind-blowing stories. The initial trailers showed a stunning battle on Kamino and the intriguing ability of Ahsoka to see the future in her dreams. After it was revealed that Darth Maul's brother, Savage Opress, would enter the series and that the Nightsisters clan would be introduced, anticipation reached a fever pitch. By most accounts, the third season started off with a bang with the marvelously animated Kamino episodes, but the ship started to leak with the following political episodes. From time to time, fan favorite villains like Cad Bane provided highlights, but for the most part, the first half of the season left fans disappointed. The creators of the series urged the fans that the plots of these episodes did have a purpose that would be illustrated in the future, but we have yet to see how they tie into the frontline stories.

But just when excitement surrounding the series was at an all time low, the second half rocketed the experience into light-speed with the amazing Nightsisters arc. The latter half continued to delight fans with an outstanding trilogy of trilogies that drew their energy from the Star Wars films themselves and reached new heights in the visual achievement of the series. Finally the season concluded with an arc that showed off the animation capabilities of the show, and introduced more characters from the films into the series. Ultimately Season 3 was a story of two halves, one that left fans scratching their heads and one that left them picking their jaws up off the floor. Inside these vastly different parts, I see 7 distinct story-lines; I will give my opinion on each of them and speculate where they are going.

Series I: The Clone Wars

Episodes: Clone Cadets, ARC Troopers, Supply Lines

Summary: Clone troopers are led by the Jedi, fight against the Separatists, and ultimately are being manipulated by the Dark Lord of the Sith. Yet they remain central to the story of the Clone Wars. They are the souls on the frontlines at the center of the war named after them. One of the earliest episodes of the series told a story from the perspective of the clones. Rookies was loved by fans and remains one of the most beloved episodes to this day. The creators brilliantly decided to bookend this hallmark episode, with stories that told the origin and further adventures of its characters, while adding a few new ones along the way. The stories about the war continued with Supply Lines, an episode that set up another fan favorite, Ambush.

Assessment: The animation in these episodes was a notch above that of the previous season. The depiction of the watery planet of Kamino was an outstanding achievement in the series. The battle that ensued was on an epic scale that rivaled Season 2's Landing At Point Rain. The battle on Ryloth also included a good deal of action. The story of Domino Squad was very compelling, as we saw a dysfunctional group of clone cadets mature into decorated soldiers. Coupled with Rookies, the Kamino episodes create a strong trilogy that takes us into the world of the Clone Army, like never before seen on screen. Aside from the infantry, we also saw some well done scenes involving Jedi and Sith in these episodes. The duals between Anakin and a fantastically animated Ventress, and Obi-Wan and Grievous were very entertaining. The last stand of Master Di and the heroic deeds of Clone 99 were memorable and compelling parts of these stories. Perhaps the action in the clone training simulation could have been intensified, and less of Jar Jar's negotiations on Toydaria could have been shown in favor of an extended battle on Ryloth. But overall these episodes were pretty solid.

Looking Forward: For a series titled "The Clone Wars", there wasn't really a proliferation of either clones or wars this past season, with the initial episodes providing some of the strongest character exposition and action sequences in these areas. I am greatly looking forward to more battles like we had in these episodes in Season 4. For Domino Squad, ARC Trooper Fives remains the only living member. I'm sure we will continue to see stories about him, as he fights beside the central character of Captain Rex. Hopefully we haven't seen the last of clone-focussed stories. The marine battle shown in the Season 4 trailers teases us with more clone action.

Series II: Political Currents

Episodes: Sphere of Influence, Corruption, The Academy, Heroes on Both Sides, Pursuit of Peace

Summary: After a strong start on the frontlines, Season 3 started to slow down a bit and delve into the complicated world of galactic politics. We started off by following the Pantoran Baron Papanoida on his quest to find his kidnapped daughters. Then we came back to Mandalore, to find corruption permeating and crippling the planet's young government, as even its Prime Minister bowed down to a lust for wealth power. Finally the series took a look at Palpatine's grand scheme, with Padme Amidala desperately trying to quell the machines and fears of war to no avail. The one bright spot in these episodes seemed to be Ahsoka's growing understanding of politics.

Assessment: To most fans, this series of episodes was the weakest in all 3 seasons of the show. Sphere of Influence was bearable, with the strong character of Papanoida carrying the episode. But to date the story remains irrelevant, and the introduction of Greedo to the series was relatively unheralded. However controversial, the immanent Deathwatch takeover of a pacifist Mandalore was anticipated by many excited fans. But when Season 3 rolled along we only saw irrelevant episodes detailing the erosion of the government. To make matters worse, Deathwatch wasn't even involved in this erosion. Instead we had nameless villains whose greatest offense was accidentally poisoning school children. We got to see some heroism on Padme's part and a bit of character exposition of Duchess Satine. But these episodes were blatantly unnecessary with the most exciting sequences surrounding Ahsoka's martial arts abilities. Of the following 2 episodes about galactic politics, I felt Heroes on Both Sides was the more relevant one, and in my opinion the best of the political episodes. Ahsoka's realization that she wasn't just fighting mindless automatons and twisted warlords was an important one. However these episodes focussed on Padme too much. We have seen her beat her head against the wall of corruption and manipulation one too many times, and there isn't really anywhere interesting for her character to go. More emphasis should have been placed on Palpatine, as only one short scene hinted at his plot.

Looking Forward: Even though some of these episodes were sometimes boring and pointless, the general story-lines that they follow have a great amount of potential. Now that we have seen the erosion of the political systems on Mandalore and in the Republic, the stage is set for the takeovers by Deathwatch and Palpatine respectively. In coming seasons, I look forward to seeing the return of the Mando splinter group and an epic battle for control of Mandalore, as well as further exposition surrounding Palpatine and his machinations. Additionally, an interesting seed has been planted in young Ahsoka's mind. Will she realize that she may not be fighting on the right side before it is too late?

Series III: The Underworld

Episodes: Assassin, Evil Plans, Hunt for Ziro

Summary: In these episodes we saw the return of the nefarious third-party character that give Star Wars so much depth, the scum and villainy of assassins, bounty hunters, and crime lords. The story here builds off of the lauded introduction of the Underworld in Season 1's Hostage Crisis. The first two episodes detail how Aurra Sing and Cad Bane went about enacting Ziro the Hutt's revenge on Padme Amidala and acquiring the information to free Ziro from prison. When Sing attempted to terminate the senator on a diplomatic trip to Alderaan, Ahsoka hones her new abilities to see the future through Force visions. Then we watch Bane capture C-3PO and R2-D2 in an effort to gain information that will help free Ziro. The arc concluded in the third episode, that followed Ziro after he escaped and Quinlan Vos and Obi-Wan's quest to track him down. But eventually Ziro's past caught up with him as he was murdered by former lover Sy Snootles, leaving the Jedi and Cad Bane to engage in an epic showdown that was one of the highlights of this arc.

Assessment: Aurra Sing seemed to lack a certain edge in her episode, leaving fans with mixed opinions. But the revelation that Ahsoka can have Force visions was very interesting. Alderaan was beautifully animated, as this episode serves as an early look into Princess Leia's eventual homeland. The second episode Evil Plans left a lot to be desired, and in my opinion was one of the worst episodes in the entire TV series. It neither included high action nor an interesting plot, and was a complete waste of the popular villain, Cad Bane. Thankfully the final episode of this arc was a bit more fun to watch. Quinlan Vos was a fresh addition to the series, a perfect character to play off of Obi-Wan's by the book methods. However cheesy, the romance between Ziro and Sy was dramatic against the backdrop of the swamps of Nal Hutta and jungles of Teth. Finally at the end of this episode, we saw a much needed action sequence between the Jedi and Bane. This was well choreographed and gave the story a climactic end that the previous one lacked.

Looking Forward: This arc did little to advance the characters in the Underworld, with Boba Fett and many others on the sidelines. But I still hope there will be more stories told about Bane and Sing. I can live without seeing the Hutts again though. Hopefully further exposition on this subject will be more action packed and relevant to the war and its politics, like the arcs in Season 2. The evolution of the young Boba Fett into the most notorious bounty hunter in the galaxy is certainly the most compelling story-line in the Underworld, and I look forward to seeing how Cad Bane and Aurra Sing will factor into it.

Series IV: The Dark Side

Episodes: Nightsisters, Monster, Witches of the Mist

Summary: I'm sure a lot of people would agree that Season 3 didn't really start until the Nightsisters episodes aired. Here we were brought a story like none before it, one that focussed on the Dark Side of the Force. It began with a space battle between the Republic and the Separatists. After their ships crashed in a hanger, a lightsaber dual ensued between Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ventress. The Sith warrior was outmatched, forcing her to call Count Dooku for help. But Dooku saw this as an opportunity to kill his apprentice at the wary request of his own master Darth Sidious. Left alone after escaping an exploding warship, Ventress finds her way back to her birthplace, the witch infested planet of Dathomir. There the Nightsisters begin their plot to avenge Dooku's betrayal of Ventress. Initially a trio of assassins including Ventress, storm Dooku's palatial home in an attempt to kill him, but they are no match for the Dark Force user. After retreating they come up with a new plan, offer Dooku a male warrior to replace Ventress that they control through Dark Magic.

After a brutal selection process, none other than Darth Maul's brother, Savage Opress, is chosen. After enhancing and enchanting the Zabrak warrior, the Nightsisters turn him over to Dooku for training. However their plans are accelerated when Anakin and Obi-Wan catch the scent of this new force, and become a threat to his life. Thus Ventress boards Dooku's ship after Savage completes a mission and forces the immature Sith to help her fight Dooku prematurely. After withstanding a beating from Dooku's Force lightning, Savage realizes that he is nor more than a pawn and turns against both Ventress and Dooku, with Ventress too taxed by fighting Dooku to calmly control Savage. Ultimately the outmatched Ventress and Savage retreat with Anakin and Obi-Wan on Savage's tail. Ventress escapes into unknown space, and Savage finds his way back to the Nightsisters, where he is told that his brother Darth Maul is still alive. The story ends with Savage embarking on a quest to seek Maul out for further training.

Assessment: These episodes blew the previous Season 3 episodes out of the water. Their plot is fresh and compelling, and the animation is groundbreaking. However brief, the space battle towards the beginning is fantastically animated, and the duel that occurs in the hanger is excellently choreographed. The environment of Dathomir was depicted with breathtaking detail as its inhabiting Nightsisters proved to be interesting characters. The attempt on Dooku's life was a climactic end to the first episode. The dark nature of the following episode was novel, as the show reached a new level of violence and palpable action. Savage Opress was proven to be a dangerous warrior as he slaughtered clones and Jedi alike on Devaron. Dooku's Sith training was intriguing to watch, as it proved to be a warped version of Yoda's training of Luke. This makes sense considering that Yoda was Dooku's master at one time. The final duel that involved Anakin, Obi-Wan, Dooku, Savage, and Ventress was probably the greatest the show has seen. And the revelation of Maul's fate was one of the most shocking moments of this past season. Throughout these episodes the music fit well with what was going on in various scenes. There was a much welcome abundance of new character models, like the Zabraks, Obi-Wan's Episode III look, a couple new outfits for Ventress, the debut of Saesee Tiin and a couple new Jedi, and even the brief appearance of Delta Squad. The combination of an innovative plot and well executed visuals, voice acting, and music, make this arc one of the best of the TV series thus far.

Looking Forward: The future of this story-line is extremely exciting to think about, as we now have the groundwork for many compelling stories about Dooku, Force Witches, Ventress, Savage, and even Darth Maul. Throw in the possible role that the under-used Darth Sidious could play into this plot, and you have a recipe for brilliance. It is implied that Savage will find and be trained by his brother. More powerful than ever, Savage could team up with multiple Sith parties and help eliminate their opposition. I'm sure that we have only seen the beginning of the role and activity that the Dark Side has in the Clone Wars.

Series V: The Force

Episodes: Overlords, Altar of Mortis, Ghosts of Mortis

Summary: Before the dust could settle after the epic Nighsisters arc, the Mortis trilogy plunged the series even deeper into the mysteries of the Force. An ancient distress signal draws the 3 main protagonists of the series, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka, to an intersection in space that causes their consciousnesses to be transported to a strange world that appears to be an amplification and allegory of the nature of the Force itself. In the first episode, the 3 Jedi experience visions that cause them to consider what their place is in the universe. Obi-Wan discusses his former Padawan Anakin with the curious yet wary ghost of Qui-Gon. Ahsoka receives a warning from her future self. And Anakin sees his deceased mother, Shmi, who calls attention to his issues with attachment. The episode concludes with Anakin passing a test that allegedly proves he is the Chosen One from an ancient prophecy. A being called the Father whose apparent purpose is to balance his quarreling and opposite-natured children, asks Anakin to stay in Mortis to replace him, but Anakin refuses.

While trying to leave the planet, the Dark Side inclined Son kidnaps Ahsoka and takes control of her, forcing her to fight Anakin to the death. Meanwhile the Light Side inclined Daughter helps Obi-Wan obtain a dagger that has the ability to kill the Son. But the enchanted Ahsoka is able to take the dagger from Obi-Wan and turn it over to the Son, who attempts to kill the Father with it. But at the last moment, the Daughter hurls herself in front of her doomed father and sacrifices her life for his. With her last breath, the incarnation of the Light Side frees Ahsoka from the Son's control. The Jedi try to flee Mortis once more, but Anakin discovers that he must kill the Son, or there will be serious consequences. But when confronting the Son, Anakin is shown events from his future, and in an attempt to thwart them, joins the Son. However the Father is able to erase Anakin's memory of the future, and then the Father and the Jedi proceed to kill the Son, bringing balance to the Force.

Assessment: These episodes are extremely controversial, and can be interpreted in various ways. Many find a literal interpretation to be unbelievable. But I feel like there is enough evidence to support that the events of these episodes were nothing but a collective Force vision experienced by the 3 Jedi. Therefore I think these episodes are an allegory of the Star Wars saga itself, mainly focusing around the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin. Through its ethereal nature, this plot allowed the creators of the series to paint a rich and compelling story, independent of continuity restraints. The planet of Mortis was beautifully animated. The dialog was deftly written. The fight scenes were mind-blowing. And the characters were very interesting. Additionally, the music of the series reached new heights of excellence, as John Williams motifs were craftily altered and echoed throughout the trilogy. This story answered questions in a very Star Wars-like fashion by providing answers at the expense of asking even deeper questions. But after this episode we know for certain that Anakin is the Chosen One, and more importantly that both his former master and Padawan understand this.

Looking Forward: The future of this story-line is expressed in various questions. Now that Anakin knows for certain who he is, how will that affect his training of Ahsoka, his view on the war, and ultimately his fall to the Dark Side? Will Obi-Wan report this knowledge back to the council, and will that start to sow the seeds of distrust that we see by Episode III? How will this experience affect Ahsoka? She now has been warned about Anakin's philosophy and has seen how it can negatively affect him. Will she realize that he is going down a dark path and reject the temptation of the Dark Side, or will she continue to emulate her master and slip deeper and deeper into the shadows? This story-line will most likely not continue directly, with the beings of Mortis now dead, but there is an opportunity for it to have a profound effect on the future of the series.

Series VI: Star Wars

Episodes: The Citadel, Counterattack, Citadel Rescue

Summary: After 2 plot heavy trilogies, the series turned back to some classic Star Wars adventure. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, and a stowed-away Ahsoka embark on a dangerous mission to free Jedi Master Even Piell from the clutches of the twisted and cunning Osi Sobeck and his notoriously impenetrable prison, the Citadel. Along the way they pick up Captain Tarken who shares half of the information with Piell that the Seperatists are after. The team spends a good deal of time trying to escape the Citadel, with Sobeck thwarting their every move. Meanwhile Anakin and Tarkin begin to discuss their philosophies on the war with each other, and agree that the Jedi Code can sometimes inhibit the Jedi's ability to command the clones. Ultimately many team members are killed in the great escape, including Domino Squad's Echo, and Master Piell himself. After several intense skirmishes with Sobeck's minions, the remaining rescuers are forced to call in a fleet to get themselves off the planet. Among those who come to aid them is Saesee Tiin who takes part in a large space battle above the surface. Finally the heroes are rescued and brought to Coruscant where they prepare to reveal the important information to the Republic that Piell had died to protect. However Ahsoka, who had taken the information from him, would only reveal it to the council, and Tarkin would only agree to give his part to Palpatine.

Assessment: The Citadel Trilogy continued the season's upward trajectory of improving animation and excitement. The character expression was phenomenal, and there were many emotionally compelling moments. Even though I didn't find Sobeck to be the best villain the series has seen, I was very pleased with the portrayal of the classic Star Wars character, Tarkin. His relationship with Anakin added another dimension to pretty simple plot. At times the music in these episodes was filler and at other times it rose to the occasion. But there certainly was no problem with the choreography of action, as the final battles in space and on the ground were amazing. One of the most controversial issues in the series stemmed from this arc however, as according to the Expanded Universe, Even Piell was supposed to live through Episode III. But I only see that as a minor inconsistency in a sea of inspired story-telling.

Looking Forward: This story arc laid the groundwork for a very compelling side story in the TV series, the relationship between Anakin, Tarkin, and Palpatine. We know that around this time, Tarkin begins helping Palpatine build the Death Star, and the Citadel's resemblance to the lethal space station probably is no coincidence. I would love to see these character's relationships continue to develop and watch the early formation of the Imperial might in Episode IV. These episodes seemed almost like a prequel to A New Hope in that way, but most of all, they were compelling because they included many classic Star Wars elements, and I look forward to seeing more of the same.

Series VII: A Padawan's Tale

Episodes: Padawan Lost, Wookiee Hunt

Summary: Season 3 concluded with a Finale duology centering on Ahsoka. During a battle on Felucia, the Padawan is captured by Trandoshan game hunters and released onto the distant moon of Wasskah to be hunted down for sport. Soon she bands up with a clan of lost Jedi Padawan's with the same fate, and with the help of  the beloved Chewbacca and his fellow Wookiees, they defeat their treacherous captors and escape the forlorn moon. Experiencing the loss of a fellow Padawan, Ahsoka is thrust into a leadership position, and provides the moral strength that allows the captives to become victorious. Meanwhile Anakin struggles to let go of his attachment to his Padawan, as he paces the halls of the Jedi Temple, powerless to find and save her.

Assessment: Fans were initially uncertain if these episodes could outdo the epic trilogy of trilogies that came before them, but once again, the creators of the series delivered a visual and emotional masterpiece. The most stunning aspect of these episodes was without question the animation. The environment of Wasskah was densely depicted with outstanding detail. The expression of the characters was believable, as we felt their pain, frustration, sorrow, exertion, and triumph. The Trandoshans proved to be some of the most menacing villains the show has seen, with both their looks and sounds portraying their fierce reptilian nature. The addition of Chewbacca and the Wookiees to the series was another fantastic and well received feat. The season certainly ended on a high note with a demonstration of how animation, sound, and music can come together to create an enthralling experience.

Looking Forward: The Finale did set up a possible explanation of why Yoda has good relations with the Wookiees. But ultimately it was all about Ahsoka. She is nearly a full knight now, proving that she can overcome dire circumstances without the help of her master and even lead others. It will be very interesting to see how her character develops. Plo-Koon seems to be an active mentor to her; will his wisdom be able to counter Anakin's recklessness? As much as this arc sets a story standard for the series, it also sets an animation standard. And one of the greatest things I take from these episodes is the anticipation of how amazing the animation will be in Season 4.

Epilogue

Overall Season 3 was a season that continued to push the boundaries of television animation. Even though the first half had some dull moments, I feel like the final 11 episodes saved the season and caused it to surpass the  previous 2 in my mind. From the trailers we gather that the series will return to the frontlines in Season 4, with clips of epic battles on the marine planet Dac and Naboo being released, as well as a large-scale space battle. We have seen images of a young Admiral Ackbar and a 4-armed, double-bladed-saber-wielding Jedi of Dexter Jettster's species. Another exciting thing to expect in the next season is the introduction of the Phase II clone armor from Episode III. Personally, I am also excited to see the return of one of my favorite Jedi, Kit Fisto, and more action from the recently quiet General Grievous. There also appears to be a story in Season 4 involving Count Dooku, Anakin, and Padme. That leaves us all wondering if Dooku will find out about their secret.

In the coming seasons I hope to see an epic battle on Mandalore, the rise of Boba Fett, the fate of Ahsoka and Rex, a Zillo beast army, the return of Darth Maul, the revenge of Savage Opress, and more character exposition of Darth Sidious, the man behind the Clone War. I was thoroughly satisfied with Season 3, and greatly enjoyed writing reviews for the episodes. I can't wait to sink me teeth into Season 4, and look forward to speculating about it all summer long. The Clone Wars is keeping Star Wars mainstream, and I am loving every second of it. I hope you are too.

"Wookiee Hunt" Review

I'm not sure Star Wars gets better than this. The first half of season 3 of the Clone Wars series left many people scratching their heads, but the second half featured 11 extremely strong episodes, and the finale was most certainly one of them. The animation continued to increase in detail and fluidity, the story was compelling and exciting, the characters were memorable, and even the music went out of its way to scream of Star Wars. After a series of 3 fantastically done trilogies, the pair of finale episodes had a lot to live up to. But in my opinion they marvelously succeeded. I'm not sure "Wookiee Hunt" blew other previous season 3 episodes out of the water, but it certainly was up to par with them. That is probably due to the nature of the plot. Even with perfect animation and interesting character development, it is hard to beat the emotional and action packed trio of trilogies that included epic space battles and lightsaber duels. Yet in its own way, "Wookiee Hunt" carved out its own personality, and left me excited about how the Clone Wars continues to deliver in diverse ways.

Like the previous episode, the animation was breathtaking. The forlorn planet of Wasskah provided a dense backdrop for the story. It is amazing how far the quality of the facial expressions has come in this series. In season 1, they were considered wooden, season 2 gave us a few more "looks" that at the very least made the characters seem alive. But by the end of this season, the characters talk with their faces just as much as they do with their voices. The varied expressions that Ahsoka exhibited in her final dual with the Trandoshan leader showcased the vastly improved abilities of the animators. The look on her face as she stood over the fallen body of her enemy was a noticeable mixture of pride, desperation, and shame.

In earlier episodes, the galaxy that the Clone Wars took place in was very clean. It had sleek spaceships, organized environments, and clear atmospheres. But recently the animators have made strides in "dirtying" things up a bit. The dusty air and soiled objects, clothing, and even skin of the characters go a long way to lending reality to a virtual world. This also reminds me a bit of the "used universe" concept of the Original Trilogy, that of a more dystopian science fiction. Aside from the pure appearance of things, the animators added subtle details in the background of the episode that gave the environment more depth. There seemed to be a complimentary story being told with a few birds in a nest outside the fugitive's tree cave. Toward the end of the episode, the little animals warded off a larger predator, a microcosm of the greater story plot.

The addition of smoke and air-born material enhanced many scenes, especially when the Trandoshan prisoner transport crashed onto the beach. The crew seems to be understanding the concept that just like in a live-action movie, sometimes the sets need to be hidden a bit to seem more real. To draw a comparison to the films, the Cloud City carbon freezing chamber was not a very impressive looking set. But after misty vapor was added to it, the gloomy environment came to life. This is also true of the costumes used in the Cantina scene. The outfits themselves looked amateur and campy in the light of day, but the shadowy lighting of the bar brought characters like Ponda Baba and Greedo to life. I see these concepts being used now in the Clone Wars series, as the animators use dirt, atmosphere, and lighting to make the characters and environments seem real.

With amazing animation capabilities in their tool chest, the creators of the series now can bring stories and characters to the screen that are classic Star Wars, the struggle between Wookiees and Trandoshans with Ahsoka thrown into the mix, was no exception. I understand now how difficult it must have been to bring Wookiees to the series, because even with increased capabilities, they just barely pulled it off. The fury Chewbacca seemed a bit too much like a flexible plastic figure. His hair didn't move as much as Anakin and Obi-Wan's in the Citadel episodes and some of his positions seemed unnatural. But overall it was a thrill to see this saga favorite introduced to the Clone Wars. The individual drawbacks of animating his species were overshadowed by sheer numbers, as more Wookiee warriors joined the final battle on the Trandoshan mother  ship, a battle that didn't leave much to be desired. We saw blaster fights, hand to hand combat, and characters manipulating larger objects like speeders. On a side note, the Trandoshan speeders seem to be the "Jeeps" of the Star Wars universe.

At the side of memorable secondary characters, this 2 part story belongs to Ahsoka Tano. She has demonstrated that she can take care of herself in episodes such as "Brain Invaders" and "The Academy", but now she is gaining the ability to lead others as well. Only a naive youngling in season 1, I now see Ahsoka developing into a formidable warrior. She has gone from slicing up "tinnies" to facing off against dangerous opponents even without wielding her 2 lime-green blades. She came into the series as a "book-smart" Jedi with an overambitious attitude, but now has become a "street-smart" soldier with battle experience. While mentors like Anakin and Plo Koon continue to guide Ahsoka, she is now becoming the guiding light for others around her. But even with her increasing independence, the looming question remains; will Anakin be able to let go of his padawan?

To mention a few things that caught my attention in this episode, it was nice to see the return of some characters from the season 2 episode, "Bounty Hunters" as Sugi and Seripas gave the Wookiees a ride to Wasskah. The deck of the Trandoshan ship during the final battle had a semi-reflective quality that didn't look blatantly computer generated like many other metal-like surfaces in previous episodes. Kevin Kiner's liberal use of John Williams motifs was surprisingly enjoyable, as the heavy use of the Force theme gave added weight to several scenes. Additionally, Ahsoka's theme was also featured prominently in this episode. Some of the camera shots were choreographed beautifully. I particularly liked the moving shot that showed the padawans creeping up to the beach and watching the prisoner transport emerge through the mist.

In conclusion, "Wookiee Hunt" was a worthy addition to not just the Clone Wars series, but the Star Wars franchise as a whole. It stood out as being a fantastically animated story with relevant character development and memorable references and ties to the Original Trilogy. Throughout these final 2 episodes of season 3, the action was paced adequately, as the story flowed well. I was not let down by a single episode of the second half of this season and eagerly anticipate season 4.

"Padawan Lost" Review

There were moments in this episode where I thought I was watching a live action theatrical film. The animation was that good. But Padawan Lost is an interesting penultimate episode, because it lies between the epic conclusion of the Citadel trilogy and the climactic season finale featuring the much anticipated Clone Wars debut of the beloved Chewbacca. Even though most would assume on the surface that this is a filler, set-up episode, I beg to differ. For me it included three fantastic elements, breathtaking animation, thrilling character exposition, and further references to the Original Trilogy. Just like the first Citadel episode, the story is hard to judge because we are only halfway through it. But thus far I am enjoying the suspense.

The thing that stood out to me the most was the animation. It seems like most of the episodes in the last half of this season have taken place in darker environments, which allow for high contrasts and melodious light play. The planet of Felucia was further developed from its appearance in season two and looked very much like it did in Revenge of the Sith. The luminescent plant life during the night and the insects crawling on the trees and ground, gave the environment even greater life. The moon of Wasskah that the Trandoshans took Ahsoka to, was even more fantastically animated. The gloomy jungle reminded me of Tim Burton's version of Wonderland with it's whimsical yet dreary biosphere. The industrial looking crafts of the Trandoshans differed from the sleek Prequel Trilogy style and were more reminiscent of dystopian science fiction. The scenes from the outside deck of their ship overlooking the clouded atmosphere of the forest moon gave the similar effect of military ships over Pandora in the movie Avatar. From the overarching branches to the root-filled caves and jungle floor, Wasskah is one of the most detailed environments I have seen yet in this series.

Amongst the backdrop of the grim moon, the Trandoshan hunters' brutality was poignantly evident. These rogues made Bossk seem fairly civilized, as they more resembled the blood-thirsty slavers of the Expanded Universe. Their jagged teeth, sharp claws, glowing eyes, and snarling, lizard-like expressions gave them an ominous presence. Additionally the sound design of their reptilian voices was superb, as their raspy, hissing, ticking mannerisms only added to their fearsome nature. The Trandoshans certainly stand out to me as some of the most vicious villains that this series has seen. Their primal nature was bone-chilling, as their motivations strayed from that of most Star Wars antagonists. They aren't killing to win a war or make a credit, but for the sport of it. A predatory mindset that surely cannot be negotiated with that tests the heroes like nothing has before.

For Ahsoka Tano, this was another stand-out episode. I am pleased with the direction they are going with her is the series. Recently I have started to get the idea that Ahsoka is what Anakin would be if he had started his Jedi training at a younger age. She seems to have his impetuousness, as she throws herself into situations expecting them to be resolved through her abilities. Just like her master would have, she didn't accept her role as a fugitive on Wasskah, but immediately started thinking of ways to go on the offensive against her captors. However she differs from Anakin in that her attachments and fear of losing control do not weigh her down. Therefore even with an audacious nature, she continues to control her hate and remain on the path of the Light Side of the Force. These differences between padawan and master are illustrated well in this episode. In one scene Ahsoka warns her fellow padawan Kalifa not to kill a Trandoshan out of hate, and in another Anakin mentions that his apprentice's greatest trait is her fearlessness, something that he himself lacks. So far, Ahsoka continues to acquire Anakin's traits without comprising her core Jedi teachings, but will this last forever?

Aside from the Trandoshans, there were also a few more interesting Original Trilogy references. One of the captives dropped off on the jungle moon was the same species as the cantina alien known colloquially as Snaggletooth. Additionally there was a Wampa hide draped across the lead Trandoshan's thrown and Wookiee skins hanging on the walls of their lair. There was also a reference to a season two episode, Bounty Hunters, that took place on Felucia, as the farmer Dilani aided the Jedi in their attack. This series continues to make references to the Original Trilogy and that will continue when more characters will show up in the conclusion of this storyline.

Although the action sequences in Padawan Lost were not lengthy, they were animated well. The initial battle was pretty thick, and the shots of the Trandoshan hunting crafts patrolling the jungle shooting down their prey were fun to watch. The hand-to-hand combat between the Trandoshans and the padawans toward the end of the episode reminded me of earlier season three episode, Monster. Unlike that in recent story arcs, I found the musical score of this episode a bit lacking. It served it's purpose to give mood to the animation, but seemed very filler and wasn't memorable. However the pacing and perspective of Padawan Lost was adequate, as it fit into its twenty-minute slot pretty well. With the given plot, I don't believe any major improvement could be made, as the only thing that disappointed me is the absence of the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk in this story arc. But at least there were no major continuity changers in this episode, which was a pleasant surprise given the events of recent episodes.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Padawan Lost. The animation was unbelievably believable at times, the action was well paced and choreographed, the plot was very fresh, the villains were portrayed fantastically, and the character development was interesting. I think this episode definitely continues the run of excellence that the series has had in 2011. I feel an equal weight of satisfaction from Padawan Lost and anticipation for the conclusion of this storyline in the season finale, and if Wookiee Hunt is an improvement in any way on its predecessor, I will be greatly pleased.

"Citadel Rescue" Review

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If this episode did not "rescue" the Clone Wars TV series for every cynical Star Wars fan and harsh critic in the universe, then they might as well cancel their Cartoon Network subscriptions, seriously consider if they are Star Wars fans anymore and watch reruns of Star Trek and Firefly for the rest of their lives. It. Was. That. Good. Considering this trilogy as a whole, we were treated with relevant plot exposition that added to one of the most classic relationships in the galaxy far, far away, that between Grand Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader. And just in this concluding episode we saw unbelievable action sequences, breathtaking animation, poignant dialog, bone-chilling villainy, nail-biting drama, and commendable valor. It's a pity if the CGI animation is deterring any fans of excellent story-telling from watching this series, because it's something that should not be missed. On to the details...

One of the largest looming questions that existed after the previous episode concerned whether or not Tarkin knew that Darth Vader was once Anakin Skywalker. Some fans felt that the events of this trilogy seemed to suggest that he did, but others still wished that the identity of Darth Vader was a secret known to only a few Force-users. Tactfully, the Clone Wars crew left that question open to interpretation. They masterfully expanded upon Tarkin and Vader's relationship without defining it. At the end of the Citadel mission, the character of Tarkin has been thoroughly introduced to the series, and I hope that they will continue telling stories about this "foul stench" that lent so much villainous gravitas to the original Star Wars film. We know from Expanded Universe sources that Tarkin oversaw the construction of the Death Star during the waning days of the Clone Wars. It would be awesome to see this story told in the series, as well as see further exposition on the "Triangle of Evil" consisting of Vader, Tarkin, and the Emperor.

From the relevancy to the drama-- in my opinion the death of Even Piell was the most shocking demise that has occurred and probably will ever occur in the series aside from that of Ahsoka Tano. This is for two reasons. The first is that this is the first time a Jedi from the films has died in the Clone Wars series, and the second is that it contradicts a lot of Expanded Universe and reference sources. This proves once and for all that the series supersedes every other Star Wars property canonically with the exception of the six films. Even though we all thought Piell was on the council in Revenge of the Sith, since he was never seen on screen or mentioned by name, this fact was not set in stone. I hope this successful play for drama in the Clone Wars outweighs the bashing that the Expanded Universe took at the hands of none other than George Lucas himself.

Aside from the technical implications, the death of Master Piell served as an extremely compelling event. One of many that have occurred recently as this series has elevated in terms of drama and suspense. The significance of this moment will live on in the memories of both Star Wars fans and the character of Ahsoka Tano, as she witnessed the honorable death of a true hero, one that fought to his last breath to better the chances of restoring peace to a corrupted galaxy.

Almost lost in the introduction of original trilogy elements and shocking deaths was the birth and eventual demise of a new villain in the Clone Wars series, Osi Sobeck. He vexed our heroes to the very end, while teetering between cruel efficiency and utter insanity. Ultimately it only took a little prodding from the merciless Count Dooku to push the Warden off the edge and force him into one last risky assault on the fugitives. And in typical fashion, the psychopathic antagonist met his doom while basking in the fear of the helpless Captain Tarkin. Sobeck was a memorable character, but one that will forever be overshadowed. Interestingly it was not Anakin but his padawan that thrust her blade through Sobeck to finally end his reign of terror. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time I can recall Ahsoka killing a sentient being. She has been fighting no one but mindless automatons and invincible Sith warriors. Perhaps the insect like Geonosians were the closest things to living beings that she has had to kill. I wonder how this incident will affect her.

The action sequences in this episode were fantastically choreographed and animated. Scenes of the heroes warding off various typez of battle droids were excellently shot. The commando and crab droids along with battle droids flying STAPS proved to be dangerous competition for the fleeing Jedi and clones. But the things that pushed this episode over the edge action-wise were the deadly tracking beasts that Sobeck unleashed upon the fugitives. I thought the animation of the Jedi's struggle against these ferocious looking creatures expanded upon the bare-bones fighting choreography of a previous Season Three episode "Monster". Not only was the choreography of the action exhilarating but the careful camera direction and editing created an emotionally charged environment. For me, these scenes were just as exciting and impactful as those in the live-action films.

In addition to all of these elements, "Citadel Rescue" also including the first Saesee Tiin action that the series has seen. This took place in several --and unfortunately abbreviated-- clips of the epic space battle that occurred above the broken surface of Lola Sayu. I know that they only have twenty-two minutes to work with, but I was disappointed that the crew chose to focus so little on this battle. Saesee Tiin was one of my favorite peripheral Jedi from the films and had the reputation of being an excellent pilot. I hope one day we will see more of his skills and tactics expanded upon. But that is the beauty of this show. Just like in the Star Wars films, we are now seeing awesome characters get only a little screen-time. If the crew had shortened the final sequence in this episode that consisted of two-minute long dialog, and added more of the space battle I would have been thoroughly satisfied and would consider this episode the best Star Wars since Revenge of the Sith. Alternatively, a clandestine meeting between Tarkin, Anakin, and Palpatine would have also achieved this effect with identical pacing. But I guess if they reach perfection now, we would not be able to look forward to any improvements in the future.

In conclusion, I was extremely entertained and impressed by "Citadel Rescue". Due to the things I just mentioned, I still hold to my belief that the Mortis episodes were the best of this series so far. Yet the Citadel trilogy reached a compelling climax that causes it to stand with the Mortis and Nightsisters story-ars. Even though the musical score of this trilogy had fewer direct references to John Williams, it still echoed the classic Star Wars soundtrack to an adequate extent. By the end both an honorable clone and Jedi were lost, a new friendship with an evil destination was formed, fans young and old were thrilled, and the Clone Wars series continues to push the boundaries of CGI television. With the revelation that more original trilogy characters will be introduced into the series in the final episodes of Season 3, I expect this run of epic episodes to continue, to infinity and beyond, where no man has gone before, in a galaxy far, far away.

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"Counter Attack" Review

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So the story continues. In the second installment of the Citadel arc, the Clone Wars series continues the high adventure of the the original Star Wars trilogy, with a little prequel flair. Even though "Counter Attack" did not include the shocking revelations of the Mortis trilogy or the epic duals of the Nightsisters arc, it still beckoned my attention. In my opinion, it brought together most of the elements that make a good Clone Wars episode, cool visuals, interesting character development, exciting battles, and a few homages to classic film. And as this story arc has established, those homages are to none other than the original Star Wars films themselves.

There were two things that stood out to me in this department. Firstly, Obi-Wan looking out the window at the Jedi's shuttle reminded me greatly of a similar sequence in a New Hope where the heroes peek out a window at their own escape vessel, the Millennium Falcon. And secondly, the turret guns that fired upon the fugitives during the climactic hanger battle were very reminiscent of those on the exterior of the Death Star. These nods to the ultimate space station along with the presence of Tarkin himself went a long way to tie this arc to the events of a New Hope.

Concerning Tarkin, after the previous episode I was interested to see how his and Anakin's relationship would develop as this arc moves along. And I was most certainly not disappointed in this episode. Tarkin hits Anakin with a tough observation during one of the quieter moments in the story. How can peace-keepers effectively lead soldiers in battle? This issue has been brought up in Clone Wars episodes before. In Season One the pacifist Lurmen accused the Jedi of this duality, and even Ahsoka herself wondered how the Jedi would be able to return to their old ways after the war concluded in Season Two's Brain Invaders.

Yet Anakin shows his character clearly in his response to Tarkin. It seems that rather than being worried about how the war is stretching the Jedi Code, he is dwelling on how the Jedi Code is impeding the Jedi's ability to fight. For the first time we see the future Grand Moff and Dark Lord agree with each other, as their shared corruption is made evident. Aside from the intelligent and relevant dialog, the fantastic visual and vocal portrayal of Captain Tarkin lends greatly to scenes like this, as this story arc is emerging as a direct prequel to a New Hope itself in many ways.

After his first appearance the character of Osi Sobeck did not impress me. I was humored at his facial features and strange voice, and was not given any reason to respect his strategic competency. However he is slowly winning me over. Sobeck, like Grievous and other minions, struggled to live up to the demands of the meticulous Count Dooku. But by the end of the episode, the Warden of the Citadel succeeded in predicting and thwarting nearly all of the Jedi's moves. Even the supposedly brilliant Tarkin has yet to find a way out of the Citadel's region, as the rescue party is forced to ask for backup.

Finally a few notes about the episode. Unfortunately it featured the death of a beloved Clone Trooper. We have seen Echo mature from a dysfunctional cadet to an inexperienced rookie to an elite ARC trooper. And a story line that has continued throughout the first three seasons of the series has been reduced to a single thread, as Fives remains the last surviving member of the fabled Domino Squad. Additionally we continue to see glimpses of the Jedi Council member, Master Saesee Tiin. But have yet to hear him talk or see him be involved to any degree in the story. However it looks like he will finally see some action when he leads the rescue team in the following episode. Voice actor James Arnold Taylor's talent is displayed in the episode, as I was amused to hear two very unique characters of his, Osi and Obi (oddly similar names), dialog face to face.

Overall "Counter Attack" was a worthy Star Wars story. Upon seeing it, the "counter attack" seems to be on the part of the Separatists and not the Republic, both similar in name and concept to the Empire Strikes Back, keeping with the Original Trilogy vibe. The visuals of the chasms around the Citadel were stunning, as the animation of the battles were breathtaking, evoking the escape from the Death Star and the ensuing space battles. I feel like this story arc grows at it goes, and I look forward to what should be a fitting conclusion next week.

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"The Citadel" Review

The easiest way to summarize this episode is this: a fun Season One story with Season Three graphics and audacity. Perhaps that's just what we all needed following the infinitely deep Mortis Trilogy. The Clone Wars continues to produce a wonderfully varied montage of stories, and "The Citadel" fits in well. The plot was simple: let's free a Jedi master from a dungeon and keep vital information from being turned over to the Separatists. In fact this was one of the simplest plots in a long while. Yet this episode did not ride on the depth of its storyline, but on the coolness of how it was told. And that is what I took away from it.

Let's start with the first cool thing to show up: Master Even Piell! Yet another addition to the Jedi Council in the series, his uniqueness was refreshing. Aside from the obvious trait of his stature, Piell's humor and voice reminded me of the dwarves in many fantasy novels. Characters like Gimli from Lord of the Rings come to mind. I hope we see much more of this jovial master, and I can't wait to see him in action! The second cool thing to show up in the episode was a carbon freezing chamber, and I thought the crew nailed that. Both the sound and look of the chamber and its products matched the material from the films well; it even had Ugnaughts operating it. So does this mean that there is some connection between this chamber and the one on Bespin? It could even be the same company. I'm not sure if the Cloud City on that planet existed during the Clone Wars, but if it did I would love to see it.

The next cool thing in this episode was an appearance by none other than the great Grand Moff Tarkin. This little development left me both excited and a little puzzled. On the positive side it is interesting to see Anakin develop relationships with officers that he would serve with in his years as Vader, like Yularen, and it should be noted that neither Yularen or Tarkin have taken a liking to the Chosen One so far. However I, like most people, assumed that Vader met Tarkin for the first time at the end of Revenge of the Sith. This begs a question to be answered: Did Tarkin and Yularen know that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were the same person, and if they did, how would it effect their perception of Vader in the Original Trilogy? I'm sure the question will be answered promptly by the Clone Wars crew, but I still want to throw it out there.

Now the villain in this episode, the antagonist that controlled the Citadel, was an interesting character. But I am not impressed with him yet. He doesn't seem to have the intelligence of a character like Thrawn from the Zahn books or the brute force of Savage Opress. The two traits of his that stand out to me the most are his oddly high-placed nose and the alien like cadence of his voice. Hopefully in further episodes he will win my respect, but for now I'm not on the bandwagon yet.

Some other notes about things that caught my eye or ear in this episode: Clone Troopers Echo and Fives are back and in full elite ARC regalia! It is awesome to see their storyline continue through Rookies, the Season Three premiere, and now this story arc. Ahsoka's theme was used a few times, and this was the clearest I have heard it since the Clone Wars movie. The look of the planet that housed the Citadel was fantastic! It reminded me of the incomplete Death Star in Return of the Jedi. The scene where the Jedi and Clones scaled the cliff was a great visual! And finally the side storyline involving Anakin's reluctance to share the risks of the mission with his padawan was interesting. I wonder how Ahsoka convinced Plo Koon to let her come along or if she did at all.

Overall "The Citadel" was a really cool "Star Wars" episode. I would have liked the plot to have been a little thicker, the characters to be more compelling, and the pacing to be quicker at the beginning of the episode. It felt like it dragged on for 6 minutes or more before the Jedi finally reached the Citadel. I was shocked when the episode ended, as the writers left us with a huge cliffhanger. In fact it was like the episode was more than 22 minutes long and just got clipped at a point. Hopefully things will continue to heat up in the sequel, because so far this seems a little like a filler between the Force and Chewbacca. The only things that really carried my attention were the awesome references to the Original Trilogy and a certain monocular master.