Talk about your Empire Strikes Back of Clone Wars episodes?
There’s really not a way to talk about this episode in my mind without spoilers, so, be warned.
This episode was nothing but the perfect middle part of a Star Wars trilogy. It had elements of so many Star Wars films, though, it’s hard to say where it drew most of its inspiration, though the plot bore little resemblance to any of the Star Wars movies.
After the events of the last episode, having lost an entire colony of Togruta to slavers, Anakin, Obi-wan, and Ahsoka decide to go undercover into the world of slavery in the Star Wars galaxy. Anakin and Obi-wan disguise themselves as slavers and Ahsoka as a slave. But, like all the best laid plans of mice and men, things go pretty much horribly awry.
Obi-wan is caught, then Anakin rescues him in classic Return of the Jedi style, then they get caught, then Ahsoka gets caught. Then Anakin is forced into the service of the slavers if he wants his friends to live.
And that’s pretty much where the episode ends.
There’s some very telling character moments in this episode that I love. Firstly, Anakin’s assumed name in this episode is Lars. That’s a pretty big tip of his hat to the man who rescued his mother from slavery and I doubt the use of the name was merely coincidental. And since he mentions it to no one, playing it off as though it’s just some assumed name, with this mission in particular it seems as though he’s quietly showing his gratitude.
Just that one little moment was so touching that it made me love the writing in this episode. But there were so many more.
First off, handing Artoo the lightsabers and pulling them out just like Luke on the skiff in Jedi gave me a chill. Doubling down on that, having Ahsoka and Obi-wan ignite their lightsabers as well in a fashion reminiscent of the Jedi in Attack of the Clones. And Obi-wan getting on the flying lizard creature that seemed so much like the one in Revenge of the Sith? I love watching this show made by people who love Star Wars as much as I do.
But this episode also had a lot of difficult concepts and moments that hit me right in the gut. Not in a bad way mind you, but this episode was just one big downer. Obi-wan gets shot in the back, a slave commits suicide after a failed assassination attempt, another slaver drops a dozen slaves out the bottom of a repulsor platform just to make Obi-wan realize who will be hurt if he’s insubordinate.
It was harsh.
Add to that the fact that Anakin is being forced to do things that are completely outside his will in an effort to save his friends. He’s in a difficult position and there are no easy ways out of it. Difficult choices are going to have to be made, and none of the choices are very Jedi like.
This whole enterprise is the insidious nature of Palpatine’s plan. But where is he? Like the rest of this season, there is so much coming back to The Phantom Menace, not just story and thematic elements, but the Phantom Menace himself. The Jedi are going to have to sell their souls to make it through the war, Anakin in particular. He relies more and more on his force choking as the war goes on, making his reaction in Revenge of the Sith to Padme all the more telling. But it’s not just Anakin here. Ahsoka almost kills that guard, knocking him off the building with the force. And Obi-wan is beaten in this episode, the entire galaxy is on his shoulders and he just wants to help, but there’s just nothing he can do.
This was an incredibly dark episode and I can’t stop turning it over in my head. It was challenging and worked so well and in all the right ways.
But none of this story could have been told without the stage it was told on. This show looks incredible, even more now that it ever has before. The lighting, the sets, even the sky and horizon, are all characters, each one a brilliant tool to tell such a heartbreaking story.
I really don’t understand how they keep topping themselves. Seriously, that last group of shots of the flying-lizard creatures flying through the sunset was absolutely gorgeous.
To the cast and crew of this episode of The Clone Wars, all I can say is this: Well done.