“Duchess of Mandalore” is a sweeping, cinematic tale. And it just might be the most mature, allegorical story we’ve seen thus far in the series. What’s remarkable is the fact that this episode is successful despite the fact that a promised battle never materializes. Put simply, the story doesn’t need a battle to be compelling, suspenseful and masterfully crafted.
“Voyage of Temptation” is another one of those solid installments of The Clone Wars. It doesn’t feature the original conceptualization, riveting pace or pulse-pounding action of some episodes. But it’s a fairly mature and compelling tale, particularly from a character perspective. The concept of “temptation” is prevalent and deftly utilized. And the focus on Obi-Wan’s character, his own history and choices, makes the whole production quite enjoyable. The result is yet another classic installment.
“If you ignore the past, you jeopardize the future.”
“The Mandalore Plot” is yet another in a long line of The Clone Wars episodes that is filled with action and adventure and is a lot of fun to watch. Visually, the episode is exceptional. And the interactions of the characters are very entertaining. But there’s something about the halting pacing of the episode and, perhaps, some questionable logic to its featured “plot” which hinders the overall production. Still, it’s a classic episode for its introduction of Mandalore — an iconic planet and heritage in the Star Wars mythos.
“Lightsaber Lost” is an amusing diversion. I think it’s safe to say that, of all the Clone Wars episodes to date, it’s easily one of the most “cartoonish” in its approach. The story, the characters, the dialogue all have a simple, juvenile feel to them. The biggest problem for the episode comes from how it compares to typical Clone Wars fare. The juxtaposition of this episode’s approach with that of other, darker, more intense installments will certainly make the mood feel a lot simpler than it actually is. Still, the change in tone can be a barrier for fans of the series.
“It is the quest for honor that makes one honorable.”
“Deserter” is a fantastic episode insofar as it is a sincere exploration of the clones as individuals. In fact, this installment is perhaps the best the series has to offer into real character drama. Unfortunately, the episode is an uneven affair, balancing the character work with a subplot that doesn’t really amount to a whole lot, either in terms of buildup or payoff. The result is a surprisingly arresting story that isn’t given enough time on screen.
“For everything you gain, you lose something else.”
Just in case anyone needed a reminder of how thrilling and heart-pounding The Clone Wars can be, the unfortunately titled episode “Grievous Intrigue” will serve notice that, as far as action-based shows go, there’s almost nothing that can compare to this particular series. Oh sure, the story itself isn’t exactly deep or profound, but in terms of a dark, kinetic episode, you couldn’t ask for a whole lot more than you get from this installment.
For those that deride the Clone Wars as little more than a disposable kid’s show, there is an episode such as “Brain Invaders” — a middling installment that has no right be anything more than a “mindless” diversion. And yet, despite a decidedly slow and unimpressive buildup, the episode ends with a tremendously ominous development — an example of using the ends to justify the means.But despite the positive outcome of the episode, it’s clear that this particular course of action will, ultimately, lead to great tragedy. This then is an example of how, even with a relatively average episode, Clone Wars conveys a meaningful story.
“Sometimes, accepting help is harder than offering it.”
“Legacy of Terror” is an exercise in creating a mood. As the episode unfolds, events become increasingly ominous and spooky – until the final horrific confrontation. Execution is key to stories such as this, and if there’s one thing that the Clone Wars series has proven of late it’s that it can craft stories with exceptional care. Such is the case here. The pacing helps build the increasing suspense and tension. The characters react plausibly – even providing some illuminating aspects of personality – and action kicks in at just the right moments. The result is yet another classic Clone Wars episode.
It’s all about character. And action and impressive visuals. But really, “Weapons Factory” is the kind of episode that illustrates why the Clone Wars series isn’t just another cartoon or just another kid’s show. In fact, behind the glitzy exterior is quite a bit of subtle characterization – through dialogue, action and even body language – particularly for Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano. True, these aren’t quite Shakespearean explorations of the human psyche, but they are purposefully placed within the narrative and provide a significant amount of depth. The result is an episode which is very, very good.
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve never seen an episode like “Landing At Point Rain,” from the increasingly superb Clone Wars series. From start to finish it is a tour de force of action, intensity and the brutal reality of war. It’s an episode that pulls no punches and is easily the best action Star Wars has seen since … well, perhaps ever. If there is a criticism to the episode it’s in a story that is relatively thin on character or theme. But this episode set out to be the most intense, action-packed installment of the series thus far and it succeeded masterfully. Or to put it another way, the episode was impressive. Most, impressive, indeed.
“Senate Spy” is a solid installment of the Clone Wars series. Perhaps what is most interesting about this episode is how deliberately it references the Prequel Trilogy – from characters to settings to specific camera “shots.” It’s clear that series is meant to evoke familiar moments from the films in general, but this episode draws very strong parallels to Revenge of the Sith. The story itself seems tailor-made to such comparisons and the result is a very good installment.
“The first step to correcting a mistake is patience.”
It’s an incredibly rich tapestry upon which the Clone Wars series is being woven. If nothing else, “Children of the Jedi” demonstrates the incredible wealth of character, setting, thematic and even technical resources that this series has available to create its stories. The good news is the fact that the Clone Wars almost always makes economical use of its assets. With that in mind, this installment is, truly, a classic – featuring a capable, resourceful villain, relentless heroes, and a quest that is worthy of being told.
“Overconfidence is the most dangerous form of carelessness.”
“Cargo of Doom” is a thrilling, fast-paced episode filled with plenty of action and enough twists and turns to keep the pace both frenetic and fresh. Indeed, this episode doesn’t suffer from the same silly contrivances that marred its predecessor. Instead, the episode features smart decisions by everyone involved – making this one of the few times in which we see the bad guys take the upper hand. As a result, this is a fantastic installment of the Clone Wars series.
Season Two of Clone Wars begins with “Holocron Heist,” an episode featuring plenty of action and intrigue, and offering a dash of character work on the side. For the most part the episode is entertaining and plenty of fun to watch. Visually, it’s mesmerizing. The level of animation is certainly very impressive. But there are a couple of issues in terms of plausibility that undermine what would otherwise be a true classic.
If you were a fan of season one of Star Wars: Clone Wars, this trailer for season two looks absolutely fantastic. And if you weren’t a fan of season one … well … why the hell not?
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