-- Compromise is a virtue to be cultivated, not a weakness to be despised.
This episode wraps up the Ryloth story line and has some pretty impressive action in it by Mace Windu. I think Windu gets overlooked a lot because, mostly, in the movies all he does is sit in a chair and talk. Sure, he went toe to toe with the Emperor, but I think people also underestimate how powerful Palpatine was supposed to be. Actually, he beat the Emperor -- something Yoda failed to do decisively -- and, if not for Anakin getting involved, could have put an end to the Sith right there in Palpatine's chambers. Mace Windu did, though, develop Vaapad, the seventh form of lightsaber combat, a dangerous form only he mastered.
All of that to say that we, the audience, forget just what a badass Windu was supposed to be because we don't get to see him being all badass in the movies. However, the animated series shows off his power to great effect, and it's great to see in this episode.
But the episode isn't about Windu. It's about whether you accept help from a force which might occupy your country as soon as they help you get rid of the force occupying your country. Have you ever read the book The King, the Mice, and the Cheese?
I loved that book when I was a kid. The king loves his cheese, but he has a mouse problem. To get rid of the mice, he brings in cats, which he then can't get rid of, so he brings in dogs... Eventually, he brings in elephants -- to get ride of the lions, maybe? I don't quite remember -- and can't get rid of them, either, so he brings the mice back. This is kind of the question in this episode. Do you stay with the enemy you know, or do you bring in another that could be potentially worse?
The Separatists are starving the twi'leks and destroying and stealing their cultural heritage. But is it worth it to bring in the Republic forces (an issue caused by rival political factions on Ryloth) to drive out the Separatists if they are just going to stick around?
Sounds like an issue we've seen a lot of in recent years.
It's an interesting episode. Not as compelling on a character level as the last couple, but it's a good question to look at and fit in well with this trilogy of episodes.
All of that to say that we, the audience, forget just what a badass Windu was supposed to be because we don't get to see him being all badass in the movies. However, the animated series shows off his power to great effect, and it's great to see in this episode.
But the episode isn't about Windu. It's about whether you accept help from a force which might occupy your country as soon as they help you get rid of the force occupying your country. Have you ever read the book The King, the Mice, and the Cheese?
The Separatists are starving the twi'leks and destroying and stealing their cultural heritage. But is it worth it to bring in the Republic forces (an issue caused by rival political factions on Ryloth) to drive out the Separatists if they are just going to stick around?
Sounds like an issue we've seen a lot of in recent years.
It's an interesting episode. Not as compelling on a character level as the last couple, but it's a good question to look at and fit in well with this trilogy of episodes.
I remember that book. Love the reference.
ReplyDeleteTAS: I though it was good.
DeleteAs I wrote in last week's post, I had always assumed that Mace Windu was created as an excuse to cast Samuel L. Jackson - an understandable motivation, mind you. I agree that he's not developed especially well in the movies.
DeleteSo have you weighed in yet on Episode VIIs trailer? Albert Burneko has an interesting article about whether the new Star Wars will be good.
ReplyDeleteAlso not a comment on this post: I read your review of "The Martian," but not only does the book not appeal to me all that much (XKCD described it as a book/movie for people who wish that part of Apollo 13 where they dumped the stuff on the table and tried to figure out how to fix the spaceship with it was the whole movie) but I'm jealous of the author for getting HIS book about a lost astronaut to be a big deal. Not my best trait, I guess, but I have decided to single him out.
Anyway: this post: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," until he is my enemy because our mutual enemy is gone. That's kind of the history of much of the world, isn't it? Americans and the French were pals until 1812, for example.
The book sounds good, though.
Briane: The book, the cheese one, is good. You should try it with your kids.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to go out on a limb here and say that Eclipse is better than The Martian. At least if you want introspective and thoughtful. Most people don't want things that will make them think, though, and, from what I can tell, The Martian isn't threatening to make anyone think.