Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Clone Wars Episode 5.16: The Lawless

We're just killing everyone off today, huh?

Spoilers Ahead



Bo-Katan attempts to free Satine, but they are recaptured after sending transmission to Obi-Wan Kenobi, who unwittingly falls into Darth Maul's trap.

Really silly bits punctuated by really dramatic bits. This is Star Wars, ladies and gentlemen!

Okay, first bit: Satine's nephew is named Corky? Really? I mean, okay, it's spelled "Korkie" apparently, but still. I had to laugh at this fantastical space duchess exclaiming "Corky!" This of course put me into a false sense of security.

So Obi-Wan dashes to her rescue in a startlingly Anakin-like manner. And for all the good it does him as we have Unexpected Death #1: Maul ruthlessly runs Satine through with the black lightsaber-ish thing Viszla had. And, I know I'm supposed to be torn up at this, and it is indeed shockingly blunt, but I'm sorry; all I heard in my head during that scene was "The greatest thing...you'll ever learn...is just to love...and be loved in return." I'm ashamed to admit I laughed in spite of myself.

Of course, the big showstopper was exactly the one I was hoping for. Palpatine...err...I mean...Darth Sidious gets to stretch his wings and learn his former apprentice some. I was a little shocked when he brought out twin lightsabers. In fact, I quoted Axel from the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II: "Two?!" And of course, Palps was having the time of his life whirlwinding around the Zabrak brothers. Which lead to Unexpected Death #2.

Well, unexpected before the episode started. I didn't think Savage would be disposed of this soon into the arc, but the second the future Emperor stepped into Mandalore's throne room, I knew Opress wasn't getting out of this one. It was interesting how he shrank back down as he died (I never saw his creation episode, but I've heard secondhand how it happened so I wasn't too surprised). What did surprise me is how...sad Maul seemed at this. I didn't think he particularly cared. Of course, Palpy gives him some shock treatment but doesn't kill him. Oh no, not yet. This should be interesting...

The other fun thing about this episode are the incessant callbacks to famous lines from the saga. Most of them from IV-VI, the best of these being Maul reciting the "Presence I've not felt since..." line, but my favorite was a surprise word-for-word recitation from Revenge of the Sith. The line where Obi-Wan says to Padmé "Anakin is the father, isn't he? I'm so sorry" is repeated almost verbatim, same delivery and everything, except "Anakin" is replaced with "Satine" and "The Father" replaced with "Your Sister" (And "he" with "she", but that kind of goes without saying).

As much as it seems like it kind of panders at times to the kind of "fan" I've been fighting against, I'd be lying if I said this wasn't a very well-done, effective, exciting, and enjoyable episode and a highlight of the season.

The plot may go to a different arc after this, but this is far from the last we're seeing of this storyline, and I'll do a post-mortem when I'm convinced it's fully over.

2 comments:

  1. I cried when I saw the look at poor Obi-Wan's face. And that lightsaber thing was a Darksaber which was a weapon that was the precursor to the lightsaber that was stolen by Vizsla's ancestors in the time of the Old Republic-or something.

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    1. Yeah, sorry I'm just a huge Moulin Rouge fan, in spite of its silliness. So that's my brain's failing rather than anything on the part of the CW crew.

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