RJ Writing Ink

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 6 Review

You’d think that an arc that brings back one of The Clone Wars breakout characters would hit the ground running. Last week, our first look at Ashoka post-Jedi crashed; quite literally, too. She crashes in front of the shop of two young sisters trying to get out of their shady life. As a result of their meeting, Ashoka gets a dose of how life’s not black-and-white like the Jedi say. Sometimes, it can be a gray galaxy, and Ashoka has to adapt to it.

A Simple Job

“Deal or No Deal” starts with Ashoka tagging along with the Martez sisters for a simple job that promises to make a lot of money. She wants to make sure they stay out of trouble out of the goodness of her heart, but the cynical Rafa think she has “an angle.”

This is a classic example of cynicism vs. idealism. Ashoka’s been raised with the strong moral code of the Jedi, so she tries to hang onto that as much as possible. Having been shaped by her tough life, Rafa doesn’t care as much about morals, only surviving. It’s a gray galaxy they have to live in. As a result, these two end up becoming the little angel and devil on Trace’s shoulder during the episode. Too bad neither of them can do what’s best for the trio.

Worse, it turns out that Rafa’s “big job” is delivering spice for the King of Kessel to the Pyke Syndicate.

Kessel Spice Run and Gray

I remember Kessel from the Expanded Universe: a misshapen asteroid that barely had an atomsphere. Anyone who got sent to the dark spice mines had little chance to escape. While it looks like an actual planet now, complete with greenery, I saw through it. It’s a gilded world of corrupt elites and abused slaves.

One would think that Kessel’s the kind of place the Jedi would want shut down. However, it’s Ashoka’s turn to be cynical about the matter. When Rafa remarks that the Republic would shut the operations on Kessel down if they knew, Ashoka can only scoff and say “you’d think they would.” It’s sad, but also reassuring to know that she’s not as naive as some Jedi. Yet she still tries to live up to their morals, as she tries to talk Trace out of delivering the spice.

So, Trace dumps it all, which was the absolute dumbest thing she could have done.

Ashoka in a Gray Galaxy

The whole point of this arc is to show Ashoka adjusting to living in a morally gray galaxy. It will help her to survive until her return in Rebels years later. As a result, she has to learn to balance between her morals and what’s necessary.

Case in point, when the three have to deliver the absent spice to the Pyke’s, Ashoka resorts to using a Force Mind Trick on their leader to get the credits. The Jedi Council would reprimand her for doing such a thing. However, given the circumstances, a lot of people would do the same thing. Heck, I pulled similar stunts while playing Knights of the Old Republic. Still not sorry!

Fortunately, Ashoka remembers enough of her Jedi past to keep herself from falling down a slippery slope; or at least of what Anakin taught her. Speaking of whom, we get a touching scene near the start of the episode that shows how Anakin still cares about his former Padawan.

When Trace accidentally flies her ship into a military lane, Admiral Yularen’s ready to arrest them. However, Anakin senses that Ahsoka’s on board, and and she senses him in turn. In a moment that mirrors what will happen between him and his son Luke in Return of the Jedi, Anakin lets them go. Yet another example of how Anakin may be more of a Jedi than most Jedi. Which only makes his fate all the more tragic.

How will Ashoka Get out of This

By the end of the episode, Ahsoka, Trace, and Rafa have all screwed up. As a result, the Pyke Syndicate takes them prisoner. However, we all know that Ashoka will get out of this situation intact. the Martez sisters, though, may not.

This episode was a step up the previous episode, and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out for Ashoka. This is one step on her way to becoming the badass leader she is in Rebels, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I Give “Deal or No Deal” a 4/5

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

My Hero Academia Season 4, Episode 24

It’s been a crazy season for My Hero Academia, and while the second half hasn’t been as exciting, it still aims to go out with a bang. Until now, the show hasn’t really focused on how All Might’s retirement has affected the Heroes. All we know is that Endeavor is now the number one hero, but people aren’t that confident in him. In this episode, though, we see him start to make an effort to change how people think of him. Even if he doesn’t do a good job at it.

Recap

With the School Festival over, Class 1-A gets some exciting news: Eri is going to be living in the Teacher’s Dorms! Due to her Grandfather, the head of the Hassakai, being in a coma, Mr. Aizawa’s basically adopted her so they can learn how to control her powers and then reverse what happened to Togata. In the meantime, the Wild Wild Pussycats visit and bring Kota, who acts like a tsundere fan of Midoriya.

On a national scale, the Japanese Hero Billboard Chart, which determines the ranking of Heroes in Japan, releases for the first time since All Might’s retirement. Endeavor is now officially the number one Hero, while in second place is a young man named Hawks. After the new ranks are revealed, Hawks pulls Endeavor aside and asks him to come with him to his hometown. He reveals that he’s been tracking reports of more Nomu across the country, and that he wants to help Endeavor become the leader that the Heroes need. However, their meeting gets interrupted when an extremely powerful Nomu attacks them, forcing Endeavor into battle.

Review

If All Might is the Superman of My Hero Academia, then Endeavor has to be its Batman. It’s dark, edgy, and abrasive Batman that doesn’t care what others think of him. We’ve already seen how much of a jerk Endeavor can be; look at his son, Shoto! However, I think we’re finally see him own up to the fact that he was a jerk and try to change. Trying to be like All Might, though, isn’t going to work.If he wants to make the title of No. 1 Hero his own, he has to do it in his own, Endeavor-way. At least he has Hawks to back him up.

I don’t quite know what to think of Hawks. On the one hand, he acts very laid-back and lazy despite being the No. 2 Hero at such a young age. At the same time, this episode shows how seriously he takes his Hero duties, protecting people while walking down the street and giving out autographs. In addition, while he has the ability to do so, he has no desire to be No. 1 because of all the work; he thinks Endeavor can be that guy. In other words, he wants to be the man in the chair for the hero so he can be lazy.

Endeavor and Hawks make for an interesting pair, but I think them being polar opposites is what makes this episode work. It almost makes me feel bad that the season’s ending next week, as I want to see more of their relationship. For now, though, the villains seem to be gearing up for something big with that new Nomu. With the next episode the last one of the season, here’s hoping that it lives up to the series motto: GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!

I Give “Japanese Hero Billboard Chart” a Solid 4/5

Click here to see more animanga stuff.