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Star Wars: History Abridged Pt. 4

Welcome back to another entry in Star Wars: History Abridged, the series where I take the best of the Star Wars Expanded Universe and break it down into bite-sized pieces. Yesterday, I started going over the Great Sith War with the crisis on Onderon. In 4,000 BBY, this Inner Rim planet was looking to join the Republic. When the Jedi came to stop its centuries-long civil war, though, they found the planet had a dark secret. For centuries, the planet had been ruled by the lineage of an ancient Sith Lord. With the help of the Jedi, the dark influence of the Sith was banished and peace brought to the planet. However, this was just the beginning of an even larger conflict. Today, we cover the rise of the Krath cult and the return of the Sith in full force.

The Krath Holy Crusade Begins

At the end of my last post, I mentioned two visitors came to Onderon as a cult of Sith worshippers threatened the planet. Their names were Aleema and Satal Keto, two aristocratic cousins from the Empress Teta System in the Deep Core. The cousins were spoiled brats with an interest in Sith lore and had founded a Dark Side cult called the Krath. Their visit caught the eye of the ghost of Freedon Nadd, whose bloodline had ruled Onderon for centuries. However, Nadd realized Onderon was a lost cause, so he gave the Keto’s a trove of Sith artifacts and texts. As a result of their Dark Side knowledge, the Krath overthrew the government and became the new rulers of the Empress Teta system.

Realizing the threat the Krath posed, a Republic-Jedi strike force, led by Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider, was sent to liberate the system. They promptly got their butts handed to them. As a result, close to ten thousand Jedi gathered in a conclave to figure out their next move. It’s there that Ulic came up with a dangerous plan. He would go undercover within the Krath and bring them down from the inside, saving lives that would be lost in a full blown war. Many Jedi told Ulic that that was a terrible idea; the Dark Side would corrupt him like so many others.

Before they could argue the matter further, the Krath struck first. They had snuck into the conclave and set an army of droids loose on the Jedi, killing many of them. Among the casualties was Arca Jeth, Ulic’s own master. Outraged, Ulic went through his plan to infiltrate the Krath, despite the concerns of his brother, Cay, and lover, Nomi. This would have terrible consequences for everyone.

Fall Rise of Exar Kun

In another part of the Galaxy, there lived a young Jedi Knight by the name of Exar Kun. He was powerful in the Force, but also an arrogant blowhard with serious anger issues. Throw in the fact that he was obsessed with learning about the Sith, and that’s a recipe for disaster. His curiosity led him to seek out the new tomb of Freedon Nadd on Dxun, wherein he met Nadd’s ghost. Seeing Kun’s strength in the Force, Nadd took the already wavering Jedi and led him down a path to darkness.

Kun would next travel to the ancient Sith home of Korriban before finally journeying to Yavin IV. There, at the mercy of the planet’s Massassi, Exar Kun fully embraced the Dark Side, much to Nadd’s delight. Seeing the former Jedi as his best chance to gain a new body, Nadd urged him to do just that. However, Kun had become fed up with Nadd’s meddling and, using his newfound power, banished his spirit to the afterlife for good.

Fall of Ulic Qel-Droma

Meanwhile, Ulic’s mission to infiltrate the Krath went as bad as everyone said it would. Satal was on to the Jedi from the start and tortured him for weeks. Meanwhile, Aleema used her charm to seduce him even further into the Dark Side. When Nomi and Cay came looking for him, he refused to leave with the pair. Instead, he killed Satal and took in the Krath leadership.

Seeing the red flags being waved, Nomi and Cay led an even larger strike force on a raid into the Krath’s stronghold. Although, by that point, Qel-Droma was too far into the Dark Side to come back of his own volition. Plus, attempts to bring him back by force failed as well. Ulic’s friends reluctantly accepted that he was now lost to them and retreated.

As the Krath celebrated, they found their victory party was crashed by an unexpected guest: Exar Kun.

The Sith, Reborn

Rather than remain on Yavin IV, Exar Kun had sought out Dark Side users that would be a threat to his power. Learning of the Krath’s existence and that they had also been taught by Freedon Nadd, the Dark Jedi sought to eliminate them. Upon arrival, Kun and Qel-Droma fought in an intense duel, yet neither could gain the upper hand on each other. Then, something unexpected happened. Both combatants wore an ancient Sith amulet, and as the two clashed, their amulets reacted to each other. Their reunion created a surge of Dark Side energy that summoned the spirit of the long-dead Sith Lord, Marka Ragnos.

Ragnos saw how strong Kun and Qel-Droma were in the Dark Side and had the strength to restore the Sith. Thus, he declared Exar Kun the new Dark Lord of the Sith, with Exar Kun as his apprentice. With the two Sith and Krath united under one banner, the Jedi’s worst fears came true: the Sith had been reborn.

To Be Concluded

Pretty epic story, huh? Well, that’s only the start. The return of the Sith would start the Great Sith War. With Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun leading the Sith-Krath forces, the Jedi and Republic would face their greatest test in a thousand years. Next time, we’ll be covering the Great Sith War and its aftermath. May the Force be with you!

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Star Wars: History Abridged Pt. 3

Hello, everyone, Jay here with some more Star Wars: History Abridged. This series has been dormant for some time, but with “May the Fourth” next week, I thought it’s a good time to restart it. Picking up where we left off, this post will cover the start of the Old Sith Wars, my favorite period in Star Wars lore. The long and short of it is that, in fifty years, the Galaxy almost fell apart. The Republic came close to collapse, and the Jedi came closer to extinction than ever. Until Order 66, that is. And it all starts with the conflict known as the Great Sith War and a planet called Onderon.

Crisis on Onderon

According to Wookiepedia, the Great Sith War started in 3,996 BBY. However, its roots go back four years earlier, to a planet called Onderon (Yes, that Onderon). The world was harsh, filled with dangerous beasts from its moon, Dxun. The two were so close that they would briefly merge atmospheres and create an air bridge. Worse, there was an ongoing civil war between the ruling monarchy and the Beast Riders, outcasts who had tamed the dangerous beasts of the planet.

When Onderon asked to join the Republic, Jedi Master Arca Jeth sent his three Padawans, Tott Doneeta, Ulic Qel-Droma, and his younger brother Cay Qel-Droma, to resolve the conflict. They showed up right as the Beast Riders raided the Royal Palace and kidnapped Queen Amanoa’s only daughter, Galia. The three Padawans pursued the Princess’ abductors deep into Beast Rider territory, arriving at their base just as Galia was marrying their young leader, Oron Kira.

Years ago, Oron had snuck inside the Onderonian’s walled city. There he became friends with Galia. United by their shared desire for peace, the two fell in love. Galia knew her mother would never approve of their union, so they had secretly arranged all that had transpired. This abduction was nothing more than an elaborate plan to elope. One that the Jedi consented too once everything had been explained.

With that, the wedding continued, and everyone celebrated the union. However, Oron and Galia revealed a startling secret about Onderon to the three Jedi and their world’s connection to the Dark Side.

The Dark Truth of Onderon

Four hundred years ago, there was a young Jedi Padawan named Freedon Nadd. Everyone who met him saw him as a prodigy and thought he’d be one of the Order’s best. However, his strength made him arrogant, and when he was passed over for knighthood, he furiously left the Jedi Order. 

Traveling to the moon Yavin IV, Nadd discovered the Massassi, descendants of Naga Sadow’s followers who had joined him in exile centuries prior. What’s more, Nadd found an even bigger secret: Sadow himself kept alive in stasis for centuries. Recognizing Nadd’s strength in the Force, Naga Sadow taught Nadd everything he knew about the Dark Side. Then, Nadd killed him and declared himself a Dark Lord of the Sith. After this, he traveled to Onderon, where he established himself as King, banishing criminals and anyone who opposed him beyond his walled city to die. The Beast Riders were the descendants of these outcasts.

It gets worse. Nadd died centuries ago, but his ghost stuck around his Tomb underneath the Royal Palace. He spent centuries teaching his descendants the Dark Side in the hopes that one of them would be able to create him a new body to possess. 

Battle for Onderon

As freaked out as they were, the Jedi came to bring peace, so that’s what they were going to do. So with Galia and Oron in tow, they returned to the Capital city of Iziz to negotiate peace. 

Queen Amanoa wasn’t interested. Calling on the spirit of Nadd himself, the Queen used the strength of the Dark Side to empower her outnumbered forces. Iziz became a battleground between the royal army and the Beast Riders. The three Jedi were almost overwhelmed. However, Master Jeth’s timely arrival turned the tide of the battle in favor of the Beast Riders. With the Dark Side’s influence broken, the Jedi pursued Queen Amanoa into the palace to Nadd’s tomb, banishing Nadd’s influence. Which, unfortunately, killed the Queen. 

Naddist Uprising

With Amanoa’s death, Galia and Oron became the new monarch’s of Onderon, which officially joined the Republic. The only problem was what to do with the remains of Amanoa and Nadd? In 3,998 BBY, Arca Jeth chose to move them to a new tomb on Dxun where their Dark Side influence could be locked up. However, their bodies got stolen by the Naddist Sith Cult, led by Amanoa’s thought-to-be-deceased husband, King Ommin. With Master Jeth captured by the Naddists, Ulic Qel-Droma, now a Knight, called the Republic and Jedi for reinforcements.

In the battle that followed, thanks to the aid of Jedi Knight Nomi Sunrider, the Naddist forces were crushed, and King Ommin himself was slain by Qel-Droma. At last, Onderon was freed from the grip of Freedon Nadd.

What no one knew at the time was that this wasn’t the end of the crisis. Instead, it was only beginning.

Birth of the Krath

The Jedi didn’t know at the time, but just before Ommin’s defeat, he had visitors. Two cousins from a Deep Core system with an interest in the Dark Side and Sith Artifacts. Intrigued and realizing Onderon was a lost cause, Nadd chose to make them his new apprentices and helped them escape with Sith relics in tow. Together, they would found the Krath, a Sith Cult that would seize power in their system. 

Worse, Nadd had appeared before the Jedi and sensed darkness within Ulic Qel-Droma. Unknown to all, there was another Force-user that Nadd had taken an interest in, a young Jedi named Exar Kun. However, that is a story for another day.

To Be Continued

Pretty cool story, huh? If you want to learn more, click the links to Wookiepedia. Or if you want to read the story for yourself, search for the Tales of the Jedi series. Tomorrow, we’ll be picking things up with the rise of the Krath and the Return of the Sith as the Great Sith War begins!

May the Force be with you!

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7 Episode 10 Review

We’re only halfway through the final arc of The Clone Wars, and I have to agree with Ashley Eckstein, Ashoka’s voice actor. The Siege of Mandalore is already one of the best stories in Star Wars history! Last week saw the start of the fabled Siege of Mandalore start with a fight worthy of being on the big screen. Ashoka, Rex and the Clones, and the Mandalorians all worked to free Mandalore from ex-Sith Lord Darth Maul, and we got to see how far the former Padawan’s come. However, as epic as it was, we cannot overlook the coming storm gathering in the distance. And in this episode, Maul makes things clear: it’s time to be afraid. 

Hide from the Coming Storm

When I was a kid, I thought that Darth Maul was one of the scariest guys you could meet. Ergo, if there’s something out there that’s enough to scare him, then everyone should be afraid. As the episode establishes in its opening minutes, the ex-Sith knows what’s happening in the background. He may be the only one in the show that’s aware of the coming storm that is Revenge of the Sith. And he doesn’t want to be around when that happens. 

As a result, Maul spends the episode focused on getting off the grid. He kills anyone who could rat him, orders the Shadow Collective to go into hiding, and throws the Mandalorians out as decoys while he gets off-planet. But before he does, he can’t resist trying to make one last jab at Kenobi and Darth Sidious. He was hoping that not only Kenobi would come after him, but also Skywalker, so he could kill both.

Skywalker is the Key 

At first, I was confused as to why Maul would want Anakin dead. Then it all clicked. In the episode’s climax, Maul tells Ashoka the cold truth: Anakin Skywalker is the key to all of Darth Sidious’ plans. Maul figured out that Sidious has been grooming Anakin to become his apprentice since day one. So he decided to rob his former master of that satisfaction by killing him.

This moment was the lynchpin to the whole episode for me. The events of Revenge of the Sith were hanging over the entire episode like a sword about to fall. We know what’s coming, but can’t do anything to stop the coming storm, and it gives the episode a sense of genuine dread. What’s the worst part, though? Ashoka doesn’t believe Maul. 

This moment only makes Anakin’s fall even more tragic. Had Ashoka believed Maul, she could have warned Anakin or Obi-Wan of Sidious’ plans. It could have stopped everything before it started. Tragically, it’s Ashoka’s faith in her master that costs her this one chance to save him before its too late. 

A New Duel of the Fates

I’ve always thought that if the Jedi never fell, Ashoka would be sitting on the Jedi Council by the time of Rebels. So far, the Siege of Mandalore has vindicated these thoughts for me, with Ashoka facing off against Maul in the Sundari Royal Palace. 

The duel between the former apprentices strikes a perfect balance with all the duels in the films. It blends the emotional intensity of the original films with the speed and acrobatics of the prequels. There’s even a hint of the desperation found in the sequel duels. This is peak lightsaber dueling in Star Wars, and we get to see Ashoka largely in control of the fight. Thanks to some help from Rex and the Clones, Maul’s finally captured. It’s small comfort, though.

Day of Reckoning Almost Here

We’re only halfway through the Siege of Mandalore, and I’m already counting it as one of the best arcs in the show’s history. It’s also going to be one of the most tragic stories in Star Wars history. Early in the episode, Ashoka talks to Obi-Wan, who informs her that Anakin killed Dooku and his departure for Utapau. Judging by the film’s timeline, there’s only a few hours left before Order 66 begins and the birth of the Empire. 

In my opinion, this episode hammered home how pointless the Clone Wars really are. An entire galaxy devastated and divided by war, courtesy of Darth Sidious. We hate how he’s going to win, and aside from Maul, no one else realizes it. While we know that Ashoka, Bo-Katan, and Rex live to see another day, this isn’t going to make what’s to come any less heartbreaking.

I love it when shows end with a bang, and it looks like Star Wars: The Clone Wars is going to end on the biggest bang possible. As the coming storm prepares to engulf the galaxy, I’m going to keep a box of tissues handy for the next two Fridays. Tears will be shed.

I Give “The Phantom Apprentice” a 5/5

Stray Observations

• During the whole episode, it felt like Maul was acting like the only one who’s in on the big joke. If it weren’t so tragic, seeing Darth Sidious play an entire galaxy would be hilarious. 
• Maul wouldn’t last five seconds if Anakin had shown up. 
• I got the title for this post from Tartakovsky’s series Star Wars: Clone Wars. Watch it on YouTube.

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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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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

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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

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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 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.

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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!”

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New Revelations about Sidious’ Return and Rey’s Dad

When word came out that Darth Sidious would be returning for The Rise of Skywalker, fans speculated as to how he survived. In October, I posted an article talking about a story from the old Expanded Universe that saw the Sith Lord resurrect himself through cloning. I theorized that this would be a likely explanation as to how he returns in Rise of Skywalker. Sadly, the movie never explained it, so I had to leave that as my headcanon.

Then, I found this article on Screenrant, and I couldn’t help but smile. The newly released novelization of The Rise of Skywalker confirmed that Sidious had, in fact, survived by cloning himself. Before his death in Jedi, he had sensed that Vader may turn on him, so he came up with a massive contingency plan to ensure his return and the resurrection of his Empire.

Sidious’ Plan B

Sometime before the Battle of Endor, Sidious secretly had most loyal followers to create batches of clones for him to inhabit once his body failed him. When Anakin threw him over the railing, his original body died, but his spirit refused to go to hell. Instead, he traveled to Exegol, his secret Sith stronghold in the Unknown Regions, to take his new body.

Meanwhile, those most loyal to him enacted to the Contingency Plan. On the surface, it seemed to be a mad scheme to destroy the Galaxy in retribution for his demise. In reality, it was meant to purge the Empire of all but it’s best and most loyal people. When the Galactic Civil War came to an end, those followers fled into the Unknown Regions where they founded the First Order. What almost none of them knew was that they were one piece to Sidious’ plan. When the time came, he would reveal himself, take command of the First Order, and reconquer the galaxy.

It’s a long and complicated plan that would require decades of plotting in the shadows. It’s also the kind of long-term game that only Darth Sidious could play, and reminds us why he’s one of the most evil beings in fictional history. He even went the extra mile by creating Snoke to lead the First Order and corrupt Anakin’s grandson.

Fortunately, his plan hit a snag. As this article from SyFy Wire explains, Sidious minions couldn’t create a suitable clone of him in time. As a result, he was stuck in an imperfect body, unable to handle his Dark Side powers. That’s why he looked like he was falling apart in the film.

The Truth About Rey’s Father

That same SyFy article reveals the truth about Rey’s father. Instead of being the biological child of Darth Sidious, Rey’s dad was more like a Boba Fett person. The Sith Eternal managed to create another, unidentical clone of Sidious that had none of his power in the Force. Instead of killing him, Sidious sent his clone into the galaxy to continue his bloodline as another backup plan. That’s how Rey was eventually born.

So, since her dad was a clone of Palpatine, that technically makes Rey Sidious’ daughter rather than grand-daughter. This doesn’t change the fact that she’s descended from the guy who’s actor considers more evil than the Devil himself. What this revelation does do, though, is make fans cry out in relief.

Like almost every fan of the franchise, I was dumb-founded at the fact that Darth Sidious could have any children. Mainly because of what that implies. What sentient being in their right mind would do that with that hideous, twisted abomination? It’s a huge relief to know that it was just a clone!

Why Didn’t They Say So?

Unfortunately, these dual revelations about how Sidious cheated death and had a son also reinforce just how much better The Rise of Skywalker could have been. There were just so many small details left out that could have gone a long way to improving the film. If they had dropped more hints about this stuff before the movie was released, or even decided to split the film into two parts, then the film wouldn’t be so controversial.

Still, that’s the beauty of Star Wars. Whenever the films don’t get to explore a subject or topic, the expanded universe will be able to build on that. So I guess this is a good start. Now all Disney has to do is push forward, stop dragging their heels, and bring the Jedi back in full!

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