The End of the Clone Wars is Near
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 9 Review
To quote from Tony Stark, “part of the journey is the end.” Star Wars fans knew going into The Clone Wars what to expect, how this story would end. Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader; the Jedi forced into hiding, and the victory of the Sith. Now, after all these years of waiting, we’re in the final arc of The Clone Wars, the Siege of Mandalore. And by the Force, is it beautiful.
Bittersweet Reunions and Farewells
In the last episode, Bo-Katan recruited Ashoka to help her liberate Mandalore from ex-Sith Lord Maul. If you’ve seen Rebels or read the Ashoka novel, then you know what happens next. Ashoka and Rex lead part of the 501st to capture Maul, but then Sidious launches Order 66. The end result is Ashoka and Rex going into hiding while Maul escapes. Had the show finished its run on Cartoon Network, then we’d have the fortune of not knowing what happens next. And the fortune of surprise. Knowing what happens doesn’t make what this episode any less emotional.
Seeing Ashoka reunite with Anakin, Obi-Wan, Artoo, and Rex is a bittersweet moment. It’s the last time we’ll ever see the five of them together in one place. Mid-episode, Anakin and Obi-Wan have to return to Coruscant to rescue Palpatine, kicking off Revenge of the Sith. Knowing that this is the last time Ashoka will see her master as a friend, and likely the last time she sees Obi-Wan at all, brought tears to my eyes. So many things unsaid, unresolved.
The real gut punch comes from the best characters in the show: the Clones themselves. Even after Ashoka left, they salute her and call her “Commander” out of respect for their comrade. Rex and his company even paint their helmets to mimic her facial markings. The message is clear: they’re loyal to Ashoka. Which only makes what’s to come even harder.
How Far Ashoka’s Come
When the Siege of Mandalore finally begins, it’s a masterpiece. Mandalorians and Clone Troopers donning jet packs, dueling in the skies of Mandalore and in the streets of the capital. It’s enough to make fans of the franchise giddy with excitement!
At the heart of everything, though, is Ashoka, and she kicks ass! As the final act of the show, the Siege of Mandalore showcases how much Ashoka’s grown. As the battle begins, she confidently jumps into the sky and effortlessly makes her way to the ground, taking out enemies as she goes. I always thought she had the potential to be one of the best of the Jedi, and this basically affirms it. Our little Padawan’s all grown up. Is it any wonder we can’t wait to see her in season two of The Mandalorian?
Maul Appears, Final Battle Begins
The one flaw to this episode is the lack of one key player: Maul himself. We know he’s hiding on Mandalore, but we don’t see him until the final moments of the episode. It’s a letdown, but I think it helps to build up the tension.
With only three episodes left in the series, there’s still plenty of time for action and drama. After stumbling through the “Ashoka Alone” arc, this episode gives me hope that The Clone Wars can end on a high note. I can’t wait for next Friday as the Siege of Mandalore continues!
I Give “Old Friends Not Forgotten” a 5/5
Stray Observation
I would like to point out that this episode doesn’t dispute the events of the Battle of Coruscant that were depicted in Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars mini-series. Ergo, it’s still canon to me.
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Poison Ivy Gets Some Character Development
Harley Quinn Season 3, Episode 3 Review
You know who one of my favorite characters in Harley Quinn is? Poison Ivy. She’s stood by Harley when she needed it the most, and believed in her when no one else would. Ivy’s been Harley’s rock, but at the expense of her own development. That is, until this episode, where their roles are reversed, to my enjoyment.
Catwoman is Joker to Poison Ivy
Having killed Penguin and trapped Riddler in a hamster wheel, Harley’s next target is Mr. Freeze. He’s the one who literally put her on ice for months, so she wants payback. However, when she can’t melt her way into his fortress, she decides to steal Firefly’s plasma flamethrower from Dr. Trap. He’s this trap-based villain who’s got a museum of villain artifacts, and Harley and Poison Ivy can’t get inside. So Harley calls in a professional: Catwoman.
Personally, I don’t like this version of Catwoman very well. She has the whole femme fatale thing going for her, that’s for sure. However, I think she lacks the playfulness we expect from Catwoman. She looks down on others because she knows she’s good at what she does, especially Poison Ivy, who has a love/hate relationship with her. On the one hand, Ivy knows that Selina only cares about herself. On the other hand, she thinks that Selina’s so cool, even when she’s leaving her hanging.
From my viewpoint, Poison Ivy and Catwoman’s relationship mirrors what Harley had with Joker in the first season. Harley knew Joker was bad for her, but couldn’t help but fawn over the guy. Ivy helped her see that, so now it’s her turn to look after her friend.
Ivy Rediscovers Her Roots
In the end, Harley and Ivy’s boyfriend, Kite Man, help her realize that she shouldn’t try to emulate what Catwoman’s got going on. She’s got her own life that makes her happy, and she shouldn’t get rid of that. However, Catwoman does help the eco-terrorist realize that she’s spent so much time helping Harley that she’s neglected her own growth. As a result, she makes time to do what she loves: killing people who hurt the environment.
This leads to a moment where Harley and Poison Ivy have a heart-to-heart as the latter melts the board of directors of Ace Chemicals with their own toxic chemicals. Harley basically gives her friend the same support she offered her in season one, and Ivy admits that she’s happy with how her life’s turned out. It’s a heartwarming and morbidly hilarious scene that fits with the show’s writing, and I couldn’t help but smile at it.
I’m personally glad Ivy’s recognized that she needs time to focus on herself. She’s a great character that’s neglected a lot of development by spending time helping others. Having seen Steven Universe: Future, I know the consequences of what happens when a person helps everyone but themselves.
Dr. Psycho’s Insecurity
Meanwhile, Dr. Psycho’s going through his own issues in the B-Plot. He used to be an A-List villain until he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Now he’s working for Harley and his ego’s hurt. As a result, Riddler messes with Psycho to escape. Then he willingly goes back into captivity, having only done it to show that he could. It’s a fun little side plot that shows some cracks in the crew, but time will tell if this ends up mattering.
What’s most concerning is how so easy it was for Riddler to escape. He’s only staying there because he wants to. He’s got great exercise, good food, and front-row seats to the drama the Crew goes through. Odds are, he’ll escape when he’s bored with messing with Harley’s Crew.
Okay Filler Episode
This wasn’t my favorite episode of the show, but even a great show can have a few bad eggs, I guess. What it does do, though, is set us up for some potential plot threads as the series progresses over the spring and summer. I’d love to see it focus on Ivy as much as it does on Harley and the others. As long as the comedy keeps on coming, though, I can’t complain.
I Give “Trapped” a 3/5
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