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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

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 2 Review

Of all the Clone Troopers that we’ve met in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Captain Rex is by far my favorite. In the beginning, I saw him as just another one of many Clones, but as time went on, I think he became one of the best characters in the franchise. Now, the show’s final season seems to be cementing that notion for many others.

Despite being a badass soldier, though, Rex still deals with the same pain of loss that all soldiers feel. He’s lost many comrades during the show’s run, and will lose more in the future. So when he discovers evidence that his friend Echo may be alive, he’s ready to throw caution to the wind and rescue him. Everyone else, though, is skeptical about it, and that drives the plot to this next episode.

Being Anakin’s Wingman

Rex was with Anakin all the way up to the events of Revenge of the Sith, so I think it’s fair to say that he was like Anakin’s wingman. Almost every time Anakin wanted to leap into danger over most people’s objections, Rex stood by him; like a good friend and wingman would. Yet it takes a talk with Padme (who is showing subtle signs of her pregnancy) to make him realize that he taught Captain Rex that.

In the reversal of situations that we saw in this episode, I think fans got to see how much of an impact Anakin had on Rex. The young Jedi taught Captain Rex that sometimes you have to make your own decisions instead of following the rules. This episode, to me at least, helped to drive that point home. Which helps make it an important moment for Captain Rex.

Also, I love the fact that Anakin trusts Rex enough to cover for him while he talks to family. True wingman material!

Echo’s Alive

So, spoiler warning, but yes, Echo is alive. The last surviving member of Domino Squad, who we thought died at the Citadel, somehow survived. I never liked the Citadel Arc, partially because it’s where I thought Echo died. So you can imagine how happy I am to know that he’s still alive!

However, it appears his time as a prisoner has left him worse for wear. He’s more machine now than man, but thankfully not twisted or evil. According to the Star Wars Wiki, most of his body’s now cybernetic and capable of being hooked up to a computer, which is how the Separatists used his knowledge of the Clone’s tactics to beat them on Anaxes.

I doubt that Echo will ever be able to fight on the front lines again, but his return and transformation does lead to some interesting opportunities. Think about it: one of the most memorable Clones from a Squad of soldiers that we followed form the beginning. That’s grade-A material for future stories.

Rex Gets Echo Home

So, thanks to Anakin, Rex, and the Bad Batch, Echo’s been rescued. Now they need to get him home. Easier said than done, but they Anakin, so it’s pretty much assured.

As a whole, I think that this episode some of the “oomph” that “Bad Batch” had. It chose to forgo some of the action in favor of the more personal moments, but the action scenes were still decent. Next week, though, will likely be when everything hits the fan, and I can’t wait! Bottom line, go watch this on Disney+ if you haven’t already!

I Give “A Distant Echo” a 4/5

Also, “The Techno Union is Neutral” my foot! We saw you on Ryloth, Tambor! WE KNOW WHAT YOU DID!

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