RJ Writing Ink

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 10 Review

Whatever happened to the Separatist’s after the Clone Wars ended? We saw Anakin slaughter the high command on Mustafar, but what about everyone else? What happened to the other people who supported the Separatists? In the old Expanded Universe, many of them went into hiding, died, or moved on. However, a few holdouts went on to join the rebellion against the Empire. And in this week’s episode of The Bad Batch, we get to see one such holdout join the infant rebellion. However, first the Bad Batch has to come to terms with their past and find common ground with a former enemy.

Finding Common Ground With Former Enemies

The episode opens on Raxus, which Clone Wars fans will remember served as the Separatist capital during the war. Now, it’s under the boot of the Empire, and despite their claims of being there to help unite the Galaxy, no one buys what they’re selling. Least of all Avi Singh, a Separatist Senator voiced by Star Trek: Deep Space Nine alumni Alex Siddig. The Empire wants him to convince everyone to back the new regime. Instead, he speaks out against them, and gets arrested. Even if he wasn’t part of the Separatists, this means he’s screwed. However, his faithful droid gets a message out to Cid to rescue him. Thus, Cid sends in the Bad Batch, minus Omega, who’s stuck at the bar to keep her safe.

The Bad Batch makes it clear that they don’t like helping out someone who, not long ago, was considered the enemy. Echo, in particular, is very vocal about his distrust. Considering how his original squad died fighting the droid army, though, that’s to be expected. As a result, several members of the squad spend the entire episode trying to trust Senator Singh, thinking that he’s going to leave them to dry first chance he gets. Thankfully, not only does he refuse to do that, but he plays a big role in their escape. By the end of the episode, the Bad Batch realizes that they can’t let their old grudges stop them from seeing the bigger picture.

We All Hate the Empire

We know that the higher-ups of the Separatists were evil. Dooku was evil, Gunray was a slimeball, and Grevious was a hate-filled cyborg monstrosity. However, when it comes down to it, the Separatists were all pawns of the Sith. The regular people who backed them thinking it was the right thing to do were played like chumps, just like everyone in the Republic. In other words, both sides have common ground on something: hating the Empire.

The birth of the Rebel Alliance is still a long ways off, but the seeds to it are already taking root. We see them in Rex’s new mission, the Martez sisters, and in the former Separatists. This is a pivotal period in Star Wars, and it’s nice to see former enemies bonding over their shared hatred of an evil regime.

Omega The Strategist

As everything’s happening on Raxus, Omega’s left moping and feeling sorry for herself. As good as she’s getting, she still doesn’t know how to make herself useful to her adoptive family. That’s when Cid discovers another hidden talent to her: strategy. Even though she’s never played the game before, Omega proves to be a natural at Dejarik, AKA Star Wars chess. She’s so good, Cid has her play people for money and she wins every game. In the end, Omega single-handedly wipes out the Bad Batch’s debt.

This is big for the Bad Batch. Not only does this mean that they don’t have to work for Cid unless they want to, it hints at what Omega’s true role may be for the squad. Some may argue that being good at a chess-like game doesn’t mean someone’s great at strategy. However, in this case, I think it does mean that. The ability to analyze every possible move and outcome is one of the most valuable skills a person can have. And if Omega has this in spades, it means that she can help her family get the upper hand on the Empire.

I’m just saying.

A Nice Break

Some people may be upset that this episode doesn’t do anything to advance the overall plot of the series. They want to see more of the squad running from the Empire or taking the fight to Crosshair. However, without these self-contained adventures to keep a story grounded, then viewers will quickly find themselves drained by excitement of what’s going on. In other words, sometimes it’s best to take things slow.

The Bad Batch still has six weeks left to it. That can be more than enough time to continue the overall story. I’m perfectly willing to wait on it.

I Give “Common Ground” a 3/5

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 12

Somber. If I had to describe the final episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it would be somber. We’ve known for fifteen years how the Clone Wars ends, and we’ve known for five years how it ends for Ashoka and Rex. They escape, Maul escapes, and don’t meet again until Rebels. What I wasn’t expecting was how they all get out of Order 66, and it rivals the best the movies have to offer. Or video games, for that matter.

War Drives Men Mad

Picking up where the last episode leaves off, Rex is free from the madness of Order 66, and he and Ashoka have to get off the ship. Something that becomes harder when Maul single-handedly destroys the hyperdrive, takes the only shuttle, and leaves everyone to crash into a nearby moon. Classic Maul. Worse, thanks to Darth Sidious, the other Clones are beyond the point of reasoning. When Rex makes the logical argument that Ashoka’s not a Jedi and not subject to Order 66, the Clones don’t listen. 

Herein lies the true tragedy of the Clone Wars, in my eyes. This show helped to make the Clone Troopers human. Thus, fans feel compelled to care about them. To see them form bonds and friendship’s only to be turned into mindless drones by Sidious is heartbreaking. Thank the Force that Rex and Ashoka have enough compassion to avoid killing them; even if they’ll all die when the ship crashes.

Speaking of which, the final third of the episode is a cinematic masterpiece that would make Genndy Tartakovsky proud. No dialogue as the heroes endure high-flying, Tomb Raider stunts as the ship goes down. When the dust settles, the two are alone in a Galaxy ruled by the Sith. Before they set out on the next stage of their journey, Ashoka pays one final tribute to her former comrades. The sight of the Clones buried in graves marked by their helmets is something you’d see in photos of long-ago wars. It’s a haunting reminder of many people who go to war never come back from it. 

May the Force be With You

There’s probably some parallel universe where the show ended on Cartoon Network years ago. However, this universe gives us the courtesy of knowing that the two live to see the fall of the Empire. Their stories have yet to end, and if rumors are true, we’ll be seeing Ashoka in the next season of The Mandalorian. However, I think this is a perfect end to one chapter of Ashoka and Rex’s lives. Quiet, solemn, and a somber reflection of what they’ve lost. The war’s over, fans; no one wins. Except for Darth Sidious.

May the Fourth be With You.

I Give “Victory and Death” a 4.5/5. War’s Over

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 11

From the moment The Clone Wars started, we knew this moment was coming. With three words, Darth Sidious almost wiped out the Jedi Order: “Execute Order 66.” Now fresh off the heels of its best episode, we get the saddest moment in Star Wars history.

I could not keep my eyes from getting misty, and neither could most fans, it seems. An entire generation remembers the collective horror of seeing Order 66 on the big screen, and “Shattered” reopens that old wound anew.

From the start, the episode is fraught with tension. We know what’s coming, but can’t stop it. Not when we see the Council talking about Palpatine. Not when we hear what’s happening to Anakin. And not when we see Rex turn his blasters on Ashoka.

Seeing Rex being forced to turn on Ashoka reinforces the tragic genius behind The Clone Wars for me. Before this show, the Clones were just one of a million faceless soldiers. As we watched them fight and grow, alongside the Jedi, though, they became human. Which only makes seeing Order 66 even more heart wrenching than the first time around. They were pawns of Darth Sidious, pieces in a game that only he knew was being played!

Thankfully, Ashoka is able to remove the inhibitor chip in Rex and snap him out of it, but that’s of little comfort. We know there are thousands of Clones who will come out of a trance and realize “what have I done?” Any surviving Jedi will be left with feelings of betrayal. That’s the tragedy of Star Wars. And The Clone Wars plays it for all its worth.

It’s hard to follow up on a show’s best episode, but “Shattered” more than does so. It’s not grand or epic, but personal and emotional.

On May the Fourth, we have the final episode of The Clone Wars. With Order 66 in full swing, we’re going to need a lot of tissues. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go cry some more about this. #ScrewYouDarthSidious

May the Force be with you.

I Give “Shattered” a 4.8/5

Stray Observations

• “I’m sorry, citizen. These matters are for the Council to discuss.” Not even a sorry from Windu. There goes any sympathy for him
• Hearing the remix of “Anakin’s Dark Deeds” is the icing on the cake.
• Anakin’s password is 8-1-0-8. August 10th, 2008 was the day the show premiered
• Had Ashoka told the Council about what Maul said, or tried to tell Anakin, it could have stopped him from doing what he did.

Click here to learn all there is about Star Wars with Wookiepedia, the Star Wars Wiki.

Click here to see more of my Star Wars Stuff.

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.

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 8 Review

After struggling to find its footing, the Ashoka Alone arc finally manages to do so in its final chapter. I’ve made it clear that I think this arc has not been that exciting; it’s got a lot of pacing problems! However, this final episode finally manages to get its message across. That message being that while Ashoka’s not a Jedi anymore, she can still do good in the galaxy. Which actually brings her closer to what a Jedi should be like in the first place.

A Test of Character

Throughout this arc, one of the big concerns that’s been hanging over Ashoka’s head is whether or not she should tell her friends about who she is. A lot of people don’t have a high opinion on the Jedi anymore, and she doesn’t want them to abandon her. However, she decides that the risk is worth it, in the end. Sort of. She pretends to sell out the Martez sisters to save herself while they go to get new spice.

If the Jedi Council saw what she was doing, they would likely reprimand her. Me, I think this is the best option. She gets her friends out of harms way, leaving her free to bust out on her own. Plus, she makes it clear to the sisters that she’s not turning on them: “Trust me…”, she says. However, only Rafa catches on to the cadence in her voice. So they decide to go back because Rafa refuses to let herself get one-upped by Ashoka. And not because she’s grateful for her help!

What it Means to Be a Jedi

As it turns out, it was a good thing they go back, because Ashoka gets caught once more, only this time because she discovered something much bigger was afoot. The Pykes are taking orders from none other than Maul, former Sith Lord and one of the most dangerous beings in the Galaxy. His location: Mandalore.

I had hoped that this arc would be eventually segue into the long awaited “Siege of Mandalore”. However, it didn’t happen like I thought. Instead of the Mandalorians freeing her and telling her everything, she found out on her own. Worse for her, the Pykes reveal to the returning Martez sisters that she’s a Jedi, which does shock and upset them a bit.

However, this doesn’t stop the three from working together like badasses and escaping the Pykes back to Coruscant. After which, the Martez sisters pull her aside and give her their honest opinion. She may not consider herself to be a Jedi, but she’s more of a Jedi than any the sisters have ever met.

I’d have to agree with that sentiment. Ashoka may no longer be a part of the Jedi Order, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to follow their ideals. Now that she’s no longer bound to the restrictions the Republic puts on the Jedi, Ashoka can go out and do more good than she would otherwise. Just travel the galaxy and help people, like Samurai Jack. In other words, Ashoka’s more a Jedi than most of the Order at this point.

A Good Segue to the Final Chapter

This arc is not going to be one that I’ll remember well in the long run. However, it does manage to provide a good segue to the final chapter of the show. At the end of everything, Ashoka’s approached by the Mandalorians, led by Bo-Katan Kryze. They’re not Death Watch anymore, they’re just trying to free their world from Maul. And they want Ashoka to help them.

We already knew that Ashoka was going to join them, but what we didn’t know is how. Well, now we know! The whole point of this arc was to remind Ashoka that she can still do a lot of good in the galaxy and that she shouldn’t give up her past as a Jedi cold-turkey. However, she’s still worried about where this path will take her in the end.

As for me, I can’t wait to finally see how the show will end. This is going to be good!

I Give “Together Again” a 3.5/5

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

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

Remember how I said that I was looking forward to seeing what happens in the next episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars? I take it back; so far, this arc has been a snooze fest for me! Which is a shame, as I wanted Ashoka’s return to be this big thing. It’s the lost chapter in the life of one of Star Wars‘ best characters, and something I was looking forward to. Yet the story with the Martez Sisters feels like it’s going in a circle with little growth.

Prison Time

Thanks to the series of bad decisions the trio made last episode, Ashoka, Trace, and Rafa are locked up by the Pykes until they get their spice. Which they won’t, since Trace dumped it. So the three begin debating over the ethics of smuggling spice to a crime syndicate. Ashoka tries arguing that giving them something that helps them ruin lives makes them just as bad.

The thing is, Rick and Morty did the exact same thing years ago when Rick sold a gun to an assassin to kill a sapient, organic hating cloud. Bottom line, Pykes would get the spice either way, so Ashoka’s argument falls flat.

I have to give this episode credit, though: it does show why Trace and Rafa don’t trust the Jedi. Apparently, when Ziro the Hutt was freed from prison in “Hostage Crisis” back in Season One, the Jedi chased after him. Cad Bane sent a speeder plummeting out of control, and a Jedi stopped it from hurting anyone. Except for Trace and Rafa’s parents, who were killed when said speeder crashed into their shop.

The worst part is that the Jedi didn’t do anything to help them beyond saying “the Force will be with you.” They didn’t even try to help them or take responsibility for collateral damage. No wonder they don’t like the Jedi.

The Mandalorians Return?

So, the trio manage to briefly escape the Pykes and come close to getting off-planet, but they end up back where they started. They get recaptured, and the episode ends with them in another prison cell. What a waste of time!

Or maybe not. While Ashoka flees the Pykes, we get a shot of someone in a nearby crowd of people. Someone wearing a Mandalorian Helmet. After that, we then see another group of Mandalorians who recognize her from what happened on Carlac. There’s only one group that would know of that: Death Watch, now lead by Bo-Kotan Kryze.

Right now, my hope is that we see the Mandalorians bust Ashoka and her friends out in the next episode, then invite her to help them take down Maul and free Mandalore. It would be an amazing segue to the final arc of this season, as well as the final act of the Clone Wars. Plus, given the rumors that Ashoka will appear in Season Two of The Mandalorian, this would make for an amazing tie-in to that!

This arc has been boring for me so far. However, if it helps to transition to the long-awaited Siege of Mandalore, then I hope the next episode sticks the landing.

I Give “Dangerous Debt” a 2/5

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

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.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 5 Review

If you watched Star Wars: Rebels or read the name of the same name, then you already know where Ashoka Tano’s story will take her. After leaving the Jedi for their betrayal, she goes on to become an early leader of the Rebellion and lives to see the fall of the Empire. However, that’s years from now, and there’s still a big hole in her story. What did Ashoka do in the days after she left the Jedi, and how did they shape her into the Rebel Leader she became? The final season of The Clone Wars is finally giving us a look at what she did. As far as openings go, though, I’m not impressed.

Ashoka In Her New Life

The episode “Gone With a Trace” starts out with Ashoka in the kind of situation one could expect. She’s got nothing but an old speeder and the clothes on her back, and no desire to go back to the Jedi. Had she been in this situation when the show started, she wouldn’t last long; scratch that, few Jedi would last long. They’re powerful, but living apart from the Galaxy makes it hard for them to act normal.

Fortunately, I knew Ashoka would be able to handle her new lifestyle with grace, for several reasons. Firstly, thanks to being taught by a mechanical whiz like Anakin, Ashoka has an extensive knowledge of droids and vehicles. That’s a marketable skill, something that can help her survive. Secondly, she’s got the Force and her martial arts training, so she can defend herself. The one thing she lacks is how to deal with people in a morally grey world that doesn’t really like the Jedi anymore.

Speaking of morally grey, the plot of the episode involves Ashoka befriending two sister, Rafa and Trace Martez, as they try to complete a legally questionable deal. And that deal involves building droids that were designed to destroy. Ashoka’s morally opposed to this, and to a lesser extent, I know Trace is, as well. However, Rafa argues that they do what they need to to survive.

In hindsight, I think this is an example of how the Jedi failed the Galaxy.

Lost their Perspective

I will always admire the Jedi and the good they can do for people. And they didn’t deserve what happened to them in the end. That said, as I’ve gotten older, I realize that Barriss was right: the Jedi lost their way. They were so consumed by war that they forgot that they’re supposed to be helping those who can’t help themselves, like the Martez sisters. The Jedi should bring hope to the helpless, yet Ashoka has to hide who she is.

I could go on about how the Jedi lost their perspective, but I want to end on a high note. Ashoka’s doing what the Jedi were meant to do: going out and helping those in need. This is what the Jedi need to be, and if Disney stops dragging their heels and have Rey rebuild the order, I hope that’s how it will turn out.

We all know what Ashoka’s future holds, and we have yet to see where her story ends. However, I think her experiences in the final days of the Clone Wars will be what shape her into the rebel leader we see in the future. This episode may not be as good as it could be, it sets us up for something bigger.

I Give “Gone With A Trace” A 3/5

Stray Observations

• I’m hoping that those droids are going to be used for droid fights. At least that’s cool!
• Am I the only one who thinks it was sweet that she called Anakin her “older brother”
• Darth Sidious did play a large part in making sure the Jedi looked bad, but they were already screwing up on their own.

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 4 Review

Of all the Clones we’ve come to know during Star Wars: The Clone Wars, few have stood out as much as Domino Squad. As this FANDOM Article puts it, this quintet of Clone Troopers was abnormally quirky. Once they stepped up, though, they seemed like they would accomplish great things, and several of them did. Then one by one, they all died. However, the final season opened with the reveal that Echo was alive. Thanks to the Bad Batch, Rex, and Anakin, they rescued him from being used as a living computer. However, Echo has unfinished business with the Separatists, and regarding his future.

In a last-ditch attempt to retake Anaxes, Echo decides to use his cybernetics to mess with the droids. So they take Anakin, Rex, and the Bad Batch Squad to sneak aboard Admiral Trench’s ship to do just that.

Now, Tom Kane’s opening narration leaves us with the interesting question of whether Echo can still be trusted. Could years of captivity led to brainwashing by the Separatists? Considering how his comrades accidentally left him behind, it would be understandable for him to hold a grudge. However, I knew from the get go that Echo was going to stay loyal to his brothers, even if the Bad Batch didn’t feel the same. It also makes for unnecessary drama in the scheme of the episode.

Jedi Are Awesome and Anakin Channels his Vader

The real drama, though, comes in the form of Obi-Wan and Mace Windu’s attack on the main Separatist facility. Mace, in particular, gets a chance to show off how much of a badass he is. In a moment that would make Samuel L. Jackson proud, Mace’s voice actor gives the following speech to the battle droids.

They should have taken the offer.

However, the main drama this episode came from Anakin himself, who’s gotten a backseat most of this season. We’re only a few months away from Revenge of the Sith, and Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader. However, the Clone Wars and other materials have shown us that his turn wasn’t sudden. We’ve seen Anakin give in to his dark side several times in the show’s run, but “Unfinished Business” gave us his most Vader-esque moment yet. When he corners Trench on the bridge to get the codes to disarm a bomb, he makes it clear he’ll kill the enemy commander if he refuses; and he does! Granted, Trench tried to attack him, so it was self defense. Still, it was very unsettling to see him do this.

I said in another post that one of the Jedi’s biggest failures was their inability to truly help Anakin, and as we see in this episode, he needs help. He’s been fighting a war for three years and has lost so many friends and loved ones to it. As a result, he became protective of those he had left to the point he’d kill in cold blood. It’s part of the reason why he becomes Vader, and we’re already seeing what he’s going to become in just a few short months. It’s a sad sight, a truly sad sight.

The Future of Echo?

In the end, Echo is able to help the Republic retake Anaxes, and is promised medals and praise coming his way. However, and I wish they had explored this more, Echo realizes that he may not have a place in the regular Clone Army anymore. His cybernetics, while useful, won’t exactly help him in the heat of battle. In addition, while he has Rex, the rest of Domino Squad, his brothers, his family, is dead.

Thankfully, that’s where the Bad Batch comes in. Domino Squad was always quirky and one step away from being ‘defectives’. the Bad Batch could have ended up like them had things gone differently with their genetics. So, after admitting they were wrong to doubt him, the group offers Echo a place with them, which he accepts.

I’m happy about this end to the Bad Batch arc of The Clone Wars for two reasons. Firstly, it’s bringing Echo’s story full circle in a way. He lost his old family in Domino Squad, but now has a new one in the Bad Batch where he’ll fit right in. Secondly, it leaves the door open for future writers to tell more stories about Echo and his new comrades. What happens to them after the rise of the Empire, and what sort of things do they do? So much potential to be had!

However, I think the show’s ending this arc at the best possible time. I want to see Ashoka’s story continue next!

I Give “Unfinished Business” a 4.5/5

By the way, I loved Wrecker in this episode. “This is the happiest day of my life!”

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 3 Review

Star Wars is one of the best franchises of all time for a reason. It combines action, drama, spiritual themes, and cyberpunk for a story like few have ever told. If I could decide when Star Wars is at its best, though, it’s when its doing thing: blowing stuff up in visually spetacular fights. And the latest episode of Star Wars: the Clone Wars not only does that, but hearkens back to early days of the show. In other words, it feels just like old times.

Overwhelming Odds

After managing to get Echo out of the Techno Union base, Anakin, Rex, and the Bad Batch scramble to find a way off-planet. Ironically, it was a scenario like this got almost killed Echo and got him captured. This time, though, Anakin’s not leaving anyone behind. Luckily, Echo has the Techno Union’s entire database in his memory, so he manages to find them an escape route. Then they commandeer the local flying creatures to escape.

Flying giant, winged bats is not only the kind of thing Anakin would do, but that Star Wars would do. As if that’s not cool enough, they get chased by winged battle droids!

Unfortunately, Anakin’s team led the droids back to a village of natives, forcing them to face down overwhelming odds against a superior opponent.

Again, classic Star Wars, like old times.

An Impressive Fight

Star Wars: The Clone Wars has always had some impressive fight scenes. However, this episode cements how far the show’s come in twelve years. Seeing the planet’s natives, Anakin, and the Clones work in tandem to defeat the Separatist droids is a visually stunning, though brief, fight. The visuals, use of animation, and action are awesome. A major step above what we first saw back in the pilot movie all those years ago.

Having the heroes fight an overwhelming foe alongside allies with more primitive technology isn’t new, either. Watching the Rebels and Ewoks beat the tar out of the Empire’s “best troops” remains one of my favorite moments in the franchise. Partly because I enjoy seeing arrogant villains get humbled; and because the Stormtroopers lost to what were essentially Muppets.

No PTSD For Echo

The one thing that I have to complain about regarding the episode is how it uses Echo. This is a Clone Trooper that fans have almost since the show started, and who we thought dead for years. Not only is he alive, but he’s been turned into a cyborg with parts and wires sticking out of what’s left of his organic body. That kind of thing would be very traumatic for most people to endure, on top of a near-death experience.

However, Echo doesn’t seem to be suffering from any PTSD or any changes to his personality. As soon as he’s unplugged, he reverts to his normal personality and doesn’t say anything about his experience. That’s a missed opportunity, if you ask me!

Fortunately, Echo has Rex to help sort out everything he’s gone through. Rex even makes it a point to say that things are going to be “just like old times”, a sentiment that Echo seems to agree with. However, I doubt they can go back to the old times after what Echo’s gone through.

Good Times

So, this episode marked a full return to the action that I loved during The Clone Wars original run. It was short, but nice, nonetheless. No, seriously, the episode was only eighteen minutes long, including the end credits. The next episode should be the finale to the “Bad Batch” arc, so I’m hoping it can stick the landing. Even if it doesn’t, this episode did feel a little like old times.

I Give “On the Wings of Keeradaks” a 3/5

Click here for some of my Star Wars stuff.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.