Cocktail Sundays: Hondo Ohnaka's Asteroid Belt

 

The most difficult thing I've dealt with so far in cocktail exploration is cherries. Or, I should say, cherry-flavored drinks. I don't like them. They never taste quite right.

Part of this problem is with me, except that I don't think it's just me as my wife acknowledges having the same problem. The problem is that we grew up with cherry flavored... everything. Okay, not everything. But, you know, cherry-flavored medicine, cherry-flavored cough drops (okay, sure, it's sort of medicine, but it's also mostly candy), and, most of all, cherry Life Savers. All of these things have the same chemical cherry flavor, which is completely unrelated to how actual cherries taste. It took me a long time to like real cherries at all because, to me, they didn't taste like cherry oughta taste. There's a conflict between reality, expectation, and, then, what the drinks have tasted like, which weren't like reality or the built-in expectation of artificial cherry flavor.

We got some Luxardo maraschino liqueur, but... I guess it's fine on its own if you just want a taste, but the flavor isn't like cherries or artificial cherry flavoring. And I've never liked maraschino cherries, so I don't even know if that's comparable. It also hasn't worked for me in any cocktails we've added it to to boost the cherry flavor.

At this point, I'm just going to toss in here that I don't really know why I got so invested in making a cherry drink other than that it became some kind of weird challenge.

Here is what has worked: We got some Amarena Fabbri cherries, initially, because we needed the syrup for something. These cherries are amazing! And the syrup is delicious. Actually, this stuff is perfect on vanilla ice cream, not that that is what I've been using them for. They never last that long. We also got some Heering cherry liqueur, which was my last ditch effort at making a worthwhile cherry cocktail. The Heering is much better than the Luxardo, but it still didn't do the trick. I decided that cherry cocktails had defeated me.

Ah... but then I devised Hondo Ohnaka's Space Punch, which is not cherry, but, on a lark (because I wanted to add some cherries to my drink, I decided to try a cherry variation. And, wow!, am I glad I did! Not only is this drink possibly better than the space punch, but, with it, I conquered the cherry cocktail. Or, at least, a cherry cocktail, which is good enough for me.

So after probably too much explanation (but I needed to build some suspense, right?)...
Wait, does this make me like one of those cooking bloggers who writes 10,000 words before telling you that it should only take you three minutes to sauté some onions? Hint: it takes much longer than three minutes to sauté onions.

Here's the recipe:

1oz lemon juice

1oz cinnamon syrup (you can also use demerara syrup, depending on the flavor you want)

1/2oz Curacao

1/4oz Tawny port (regular port will also work and provides a deeper red color to the drink)

1/2oz Velvet Falernum

1/4oz Heering cherry liqueur

1/2oz Licor 43

1/4oz allspice liqueur

2oz rum

2 dashes Angostura bitters

3 Amarena Fabbri cherries

Add ice or however you want to chill the drink.

I've been making this with Mount Gay's Eclipse rum, but I think I also want to try it with a darker rum, maybe their Black Barrel. Once I pick up a new bottle of it.

Just to be clear, the cherries are the asteroids.

Cocktail Sundays: Hondo Ohnaka's Space Punch

 

Before anyone says anything, yes, I have intended to do these cocktail things more frequently. The thing is is that I like to be able to do a whole photo thing of making the cocktail (like in the previous cocktail post), but it's winter so the lighting in my house is shit. No, wait, the lighting in my house is shit but, during the summer, enough light comes in through the skylight for me to be able to take pictures in my dim little cave. During the winter, though... well, it's dim in here all the time. Basically, I haven't been able to take photos, so I have been reluctant to do anymore cocktail posts.

But I have this new cocktail that I've come up with that I really like, so you're getting a picture of Hondo, since that's cocktail appropriate. I suppose you don't really need the pictures of me putting the drink together, anyway.

First, some background:

As I've mentioned, my wife got me this book, Smuggler's Cove, and we've been experimenting with the cocktails. It's been a lot of fun trying the different cocktails and inventing my own. Part one of this cocktail came from one called "Center of the Galaxy," which was inspired by the discovery that a primary chemical compound in the center of our galaxy has a raspberry flavor and the smell of rum. However, I didn't particularly care for the cocktail. Well, it's a fine cocktail; it's not like it was bad; it just didn't really do it for me.

Once we'd tried the "Center of the Galaxy," it just kind of sat around in the back of my head: you know, good concept, poor execution. Then I re-happened upon a cocktail called "Hondo Hattie's Jungle Punch," a cocktail appropriately created for Disney for some party or other related to their jungle ride. As a side note, Hattie's cocktail contains Velvet Falernum, an alcohol I don't really care for except in this particular drink.

I don't think I should need to go into any long explanation about what happened next. Let's just say it was clear to me that Ohnaka needed his own punch, being a space pirate and all -- and you know about pirates and rum -- and I set about to make it.

And I did, too!

I'm pretty sure my wife thought I was crazy through this whole process but, then, she doesn't understand Hondo Ohnaka, one of the best side characters in the Star Wars universe. The drink did take a lot of editing... um, wait... revisions...? Permutations!? I'm going to go with permutations. Here is what I settled on:

Hondo Ohnaka's Space Punch

1oz lemon juice

1oz cinnamon syrup

1/2oz curacao

1/4oz tawny port

1/2oz velvet falernum

1/4oz raspberry liqueur

1/2oz Licor 43

1/4oz allspice liqueur

2oz Eclipse (the rum)

2 dashes of angostura bitters

This is, actually, my favorite drink at the moment, not just some, "Yeah, this is okay," kind of thing. "Yeah, this is okay" drinks are fine and all of that. You have to have some of those just to mix it up some and to remind you why it is you like your favorite drinks. This one is well above that for me and is going to end up being something I keep the ingredients around for all the time.

Which is saying something because, as I stated, I don't care for Velvet Falernum, and I also don't like tawny port. Before I came up with this drink, I had planned to not buy those two things again. Further proof that sometimes things you don't like can work together to make something really good.

Now if my kids would just figure out that vinegar works the same way...

Rebels: "A Fool's Hope" (Ep. 4.14)

-- "That would be no problem for me."

Ezra sees a window to get Lothal out from under the thumb of the Empire; the problem is that rebel command has written Lothal off as a planet that can't be helped. Which is totally understandable considering the fact that they lost their entire attack fleet (mostly fighters) when they went after the TIE Defender program. Every last ship. The cost of Lothal is just too high.

But in many ways, Ezra is the last Jedi -- Sure, Ahsoka is out there, and so are Yoda and Obi-Wan, but they've all retreated into hiding, which only leaves Ezra out in the world. Alone. -- and he has a plan.

Most of this episode is battle sequences, including a duel between Ezra and Rukh. Exciting stuff.

The episode is also fairly typical, story-wise, which is fine. It's an exciting episode. However, there is, for me, a major flaw with the story, one which is too spoilery for me to talk about. I'll just say that it would have been a much more interesting story if they'd gone the other way with it rather than sticking to what is stereotypical for these kinds of things. Maybe there would have been too much involved in doing that in a series that's winding down; I don't know.

But the episode has Hondo, so I can't complain too much, even if they did have him throw himself all in with the rebels. I get it. They have to tie up all of the loose threads, and Hondo needs an honest-to-goodness happy ending, kind of like Han in Jedi.

"He talks a lot for a smuggler."

"For that boy, there is nothing I would not do." -- Hondo

"This is the risk you take when you are a pirate."

Rebels: "The Wynkahthu Job" (Ep. 3.09)

-- "Come on; when have I asked you to trust me and it hasn't worked out?"

Oh, look! It's Hondo!

That's me in prepping this post before I've watched the episode. But, now, I have to go watch the episode because, look!, it's Hondo!

We always love a good Hondo episode.

I mean, an episode with Hondo is always good! Well, except for that one. But "that one" was clearly an aberration before they'd figured out what kind of character he was going to be.

And, no, that is not a use of the royal "we;" it's just an acknowledgement that everyone loves Hondo.

That should be a show: Everyone Loves Hondo. Or, maybe, Hondo's the Boss. Mad Hondo? Hmm... I think I like this game.

Completely aside from Hondo, this episode had the best moment of all of the Rebels episodes so far, possibly the best Star Wars moment ever. Okay, so that might be going a little too far, but both my son and I burst out laughing. It was great moment. And, no, I'm not going to tell you what happened, because you need to see it for yourself. And if you don't know what moment I'm talking about... well, there's no hope for you.

This is a very fun episode. It's a light heist sort of thing. The looting sort of heist with mild danger. No heavy themes or plot, just some fun theft. Or the desire for theft. But, hey, it's thefting from the Empire, so it's all good, right? Right!

And that's all I'm going to say. You should just watch the episode. Even if you have never seen another episode of Rebels or The Clone Wars. Sure, some of it will be lost on you, but I think it's fun enough that you won't care.

"I know that the two of you have had your past... conflagrations."

"I don't care what you have to offer; I'm not allowing... that on my ship."

"You are like family! Short... fragrant... family."

"I can pull your limbs off later."

Rebels: "Steps Into Shadow -- Part Two" (Ep. 3.02)

-- "Get ready for another demotion."

More Hondo! And he speaks Ugnaught!

heh

So... Last episode, Ezra was promoted and given his own mission to command. Let's just say that the promotion ends up being short lived. Let's just say there's some Dunning-Kruger effect going on here, as Ezra thinks he's got it all under control. You know, on his first command mission. Though I'm pretty sure it didn't go as badly as Ahsoka's first mission.

Also, I learned something in this episode!

Most everyone is familiar with the y-wing fighter as they appeared in the original Star Wars trilogy:

It's one of the reasons everyone preferred the x-wings, right? I mean, besides the fact that Luke flies an x-wing. Y-wings just look kind of junky.

But y-wings are also prominently featured in The Clone Wars and, in Clone Wars, they look like this:

I've always just assumed that the ones in the movies were a later model, like with the changes in the x-wing between the original trilogy and the current trilogy. Turns out there's a completely different explanation for the different look. Which I'm not going to tell you.

Anyway, while I was having my ah-ha! moment, my kid looks over at me and says incredulously, "You didn't know that?"

Yeah, well, I don't know everything about Star Wars. Even less so these days as I actively avoid material which may contain spoilers.

And/or horrible Star Wars fanboy trolls.

"When were you going to share that information?"

"Well, of course, I just did."

"They fight so hard to gain so little."

Rebels: "Steps Into Shadow -- Part One" (Ep. 3.01)

-- "You wouldn't believe the secrets he knows."

Pre-viewing comment:

I did, of course, know that Thrawn was going to appear in season three, but I didn't know he starts off the season! I'm very excited that Thrawn is now, finally, a canon character. He's an excellent villain. At least, he was in the Zahn novels. I'm hoping they do him justice here.

This episode does not disappoint! Not only do we get the introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn, but we have Hondo as well! You know it's going to be good when Hondo is around. And, hey, Dr. Who makes a voice appearance! THE Doctor, Tom Baker. How awesome is that? It's very awesome!

Tom Baker is the voice of The Bendu: I'm not sure if that's a race or a name. He's a Force wielder, but he uses some neutral aspect of the Force, something between the Dark and the Light. Baker's listed in five episodes, so I'm sure we'll find out more about what all of this means as he teaches Kanan how to see without his eyes.

So, yeah, Kanan is blind. That happened at the end of season two, so it's only a spoiler if you're not watching. I'm not apologizing.

Also, Ezra has learned to use the Sith holocron he got at the end of season two. He's learning to use his anger to give him power.

And we've jumped ahead enough that Ezra is visibly older. I'm guessing two years, but I don't really know.

It's a good episode; now, leave me alone so I can go watch part two...

"Acting out of anger offers quick results, but it's a trap."

Rebels: "Legends of the Lasat" (Ep. 2.14)

-- I want them alive.

Hondo's back!

Maybe that's all that needs to be said about this episode. That's all I need to know to want to watch an episode, after all.

Plus, this episode has the best music of any Rebels or Clone Wars episode so far.

Hondo rescues or finds or something -- it's really unclear, considering it's Hondo -- a couple of Lasat and, well, being Hondo, he decides to play the two sides against each other so that he can get paid twice. You know, being Hondo.

And that's all I'm going to say. It's fun. You should watch it.

"Well, this must look incriminating."

"Wait, I'm the child? I wanted to be the warrior!"

"A maze?! You never said anything about a maze. You prophecy types always pull something like this."

Rebels: "Brothers of the Broken Horn" (Ep. 2.06)

"We were enjoying a friendly game of sabaacc and, well, now, it's my ship."

With one episode, Rebels won my heart. Hondo Ohnaka was one of  my favorite side characters from Clone Wars, and it's a delight to have him show up here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he was my favorite side character, but he was definitely top three. I hope this is just the first of many episodes for him to show up in. [Evidently, he still has the best writers. So many great lines!]

"Oh, the stories I could tell, so many of them true."

Ezra's having a hard time dealing with all of his responsibilities. On top of learning to use the Force and all of the other things he has to do to be a part of the team, Rex is now working on teaching him how to be a soldier. It's more than a bit overwhelming, which is what leads to running into Hondo. Ezra takes a... day off. So to speak.

Nothing philosophical. Not really. Just a fun episode. A romp, if you will. Definitely worth a watch.


"Well, that's another version of the story; I suppose."

Clone Wars -- "Revival" (Ep. 5.13)

-- Strength of character can defeat strength in numbers.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

[Well, actually, considering that we're into season five, now, probably no one new is going to sign up, BUT! Hop over to The Armchair Squid for his take on the current episode.]

For any of you following along with both the Squid and me, you will have noticed that our episode recaps have been off by a week since season five began. This is the episode why that is so. See, season four ended with an arc involving the return of Darth Maul, and, I guess, they felt like they needed to air a Maul episode to start season five to give people a feel of continuity, but this episode doesn't belong at the beginning of season five as it is the beginning of a new story arc and belongs in the here, as they placed it in the DVD collection.

So, yes, we are beginning a new Maul/Opress arc.

This episode features Hondo and would have been good without him, but he makes this episode even better. He said so many great lines, I couldn't choose just one to include, so you're getting THREE Hondo quotes below!

The episode also features the death of a Jedi, and not one introduced just to be killed off. The Jedi in question has been featured in many episodes of The Clone Wars and also appeared in, I think, two of the movies. It's kind of a big deal, I suppose.

That's really all I'm going to say about "Revival," which, I know, is pretty close to nothing, but the Maul story line seems to pretty important seeing that he's been carried over into Rebels. Not that I've seen those episodes, yet, since I still haven't managed to start watching season two. Let's just say that the episode is about Obi-Wan's vested interest in seeing Maul return to the land of the dead. The astute of you out there will know how that turns out.



"Well, that settles it. Those traitors are no longer my men. I want their tongues!"

"Leave you alone with the two crazies...!? Well, okay."

"Insolence? We are pirates! We don't even know what that means!"

Clone Wars -- "A Necessary Bond" (Ep. 5.8)

-- Choose your enemies wisely, as they may be your last hope,

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]
[Well, actually, considering that we're into season five, now, probably no one new is going to sign up, BUT! Hop over to The Armchair Squid for his take on the current episode.]

Ahsoka is still being rescued as the episode opens but, as she says a bit later in, there are complications. Grievous being one of those, as Ahsoka has to go back and rescue Hondo from Grievous so that she and the younglings can get a ship and finish their escape from... Hondo.

Remember way back in... season two? I think it was season two. Okay, fine! I'll go look! Well, no, it looks like it was the episode "Dooku Captured" back in season one. Anyway, remember that episode? The one where Dooku was captured by Hondo and Hondo attempted to ransom him off to the highest bidder? Well, Dooku really knows how to hold onto a grudge, and he's finally coming for Hondo in revenge for being held captive that one time, so Grievous has shown up and overrun Hondo's base and captured him.

While somewhat coincidental (what, as a writer, I would call contrived), it makes for a good episode, and I 'm willing to overlook the part where this whole plan of Hondo's, from a couple of episodes ago, to steal the kaiburr crystals happens to coincide with Grievous' attempt to take over the system Hondo is in, a fact that Hondo is either oblivious to or is intentionally ignoring.

Also, remember how I was recently talking about how you should never forget that Hondo is a pirate? Well, this episode is a reminder of why it's so easy to forget.

"Well, today is a new day, and, lucky for you, today I like children."

Clone Wars -- "Bound for Rescue" (Ep. 5.7)

-- When we rescue others, we rescue ourselves.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]
[Well, actually, considering that we're into season five, now, probably no one new is going to sign up, BUT! Hop over to The Armchair Squid for his take on the current episode.]

Ahsoka got captured. My feeling is that this is a thing that has happened frequently, but, then, so have Obi-Wan and Anakin, I suppose. There really is a lot of getting captured and having to escape or be rescued! Mostly, that's not an issue.

Of course, Obi-Wan is going to mount a rescue operation, but he gets interrupted by being attacked by Grievous. It doesn't go well.

Which leaves the younglings on their own to figure out what to do about being left on a ship that has been damaged and with no supervision other than R2-D2. They do what all kids do -- or, at least, all kids in popular fiction -- they take matters into their own hands.
And join a circus.
Yeah, you'll just have to watch it to understand what that means.

Hondo's still around, because he's the one holding Ahsoka, expecting to make a profit of off her. From whom is a bit of a mystery since, when Ahsoka tells him he can't ransom her to the Separatists, he says he knows because, "Don't ask me why, but Dooku holds such a grudge against me since our little I-held-him-hostage affair." It's a great moment in an episode which is a bit anticlimactic after the previous one.


"If you don't let me go, you'll wish you had been born a protocol droid."
"Sometimes, I do anyway."

Clone Wars -- "A Test of Strength" (Ep. 5.6)

-- The young are often underestimated.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]
[Well, actually, considering that we're into season five, now, probably no one new is going to sign up, BUT! Hop over to The Armchair Squid for his take on the current episode.]

It's important to remember that Hondo is a pirate. Of course, he's a pirate in the same vein as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian: a charming rogue. It makes it easy to be taken in by him, characters and viewers alike. But, then, he does something every so often to remind us he really is just a pirate. It doesn't matter how "presidential" he sounds during his not-the-state-of-the-union address, he's still gonna cut your throat for profit if he thinks he's going to make some from doing it. There is no, and there never was, doing the right thing. He just fools you into thinking that when he's making money by being nice to you. But it all comes down to, "We all know how much I like to be rich, don't we?"

In the end, it makes Hondo no better, and possibly worse, than Anakin during and after his fall.

And this is how bad it is:
During the conflict when Hondo is obviously and blatantly trying to kill Ahsoka and those under her charge, Ahsoka says to him, "I don't want to hurt you." And she doesn't. Do you know why? She likes Hondo, just like we do, because why? Because he's a charming rogue, and you can't help yourself. Even while he's trying to slit your throat. Hondo's response? "I know." That's not a direct quote, but it's the spirit of it, and it gives Hondo the edge.

Oh, yeah, Honda is in this episode.

And David Tennant, my second favorite Doctor. Oh, no, not him, just his voice, but that's good, too.

Yes, we're still in the same arc started last episode. Let's just say it doesn't end well. You should probably just watch it.


"The lightsaber is a Jedi's only true ally."

Clone Wars -- "Tipping Points" (Ep. 5.04)

-- Disobedience is a demand for change.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]
[Well, actually, considering that we're into season five, now, probably no one new is going to sign up, BUT! Hop over to The Armchair Squid for his take on the current episode.]

The episode begins with a debate over the -- I want to say morality, but they're not really debating the morality of it. -- effectiveness of carrying attacks against the droids within the populated areas of the city. You know, on the one hand: It's war. On the other hand: Innocent civilians could be killed. This, then, is the debate over whether they are, in fact, a terrorist group as the illegitimate king has labeled the rebel band. I wish they had given this debate more than a few lines but at least they had it, right?

We also get more of the debate over how much involvement the Republic can officially have in the conflict on Onderon. To some extent, this reminds me of the doctors who would go to duels a couple hundred or more years ago but would turn their backs so that they could say they didn't see anything happen. It's ridiculous, but it's a thing that actually used to happen and things like this continue to happen, so I can't exactly say that the political game that the Jedi are playing here isn't really realistic. Maybe that's why it's infuriating: because it is realistic.

But we get an appearance by Hondo out of it, so how can I complain?

We also are introduced to some devastating new droid gunships. And, for some reason, a nod to Battlestar Galactica. Maybe that has happened before; I can't remember.

This episode, more than any of the others in this arc, gives us what is probably the most defining moment for Saw Gerrera. I'd say more, but it would spoil the ending. I will say that not only Saw regrets what happens, though. Pretty much the entire creative team was regretful of this one decision, especially considering Saw's transition into the live action world of Star Wars.

Clone Wars -- "Assassin" (Ep. 3.7)

-- The future has many paths: Choose wisely.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

Remember when Aurra Sing died? Yeah, me, neither, because, as it turns out, she didn't die. Which is why I was rather confused at the end of "Lethal Trackdown." I kept thinking, "I don't remember her dying." Because she didn't, and, now, she's back. Thanks to Hondo.

The episode itself is about an assassination attempt on the life of Padme, or, more specifically, Ahsoka's vision of said attempt. Or Ahsoka's vision of Aurra Sing. Well, let's just call it an episode about learning to trust yourself and your own instincts.

Now, I want to take a break from the episode itself for a moment:
I sort of hate the whole "trust yourself" or "trust your instincts" message. That's what it is: a message. And it's a message that has pervaded our society. For instance, a new study has shown that young, first-time mothers, especially teenage ones, are more likely to trust their instincts than the recommended scientific advice when it has to do with their babies; as a result, infant deaths due to things like suffocation are on the rise. The mother just felt like the baby needed that fluffy blanket despite the fact that it's a suffocation risk. It's that whole, "My opinion is as good as your fact," thing, and, well, it's not. Sure, you're entitled to believe in whatever stupid thing you want to believe in, but it doesn't make it valid just because you believe it or because your instincts tell you it's what you ought to do.

Having said that, trusting one's instincts is valid for a Jedi, because a Jedi has the Force; we, however, do not. There is a distinct difference between believing in oneself and doing whatever it is you feel is right in any given moment.

So, yeah, Ahsoka has to learn to trust in herself and her visions... and Padme's life hangs in the balance.

It's a good, solid episode with some teaching from Yoda, since Anakin's off on a mission in this one.

Clone Wars -- "Lethal Trackdown" (Ep. 2.22)

-- Revenge is a confession of pain.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

This episode marks the end of the young Boba Fett story arc and the end of season two. It's an interesting to end the season (with no cliffhanger).

Also: The return of Hondo!
In a good way.

Aurra Sing and crew took hostages during the previous episode and use those hostages to entice Mace to come after them and face Boba Fett in combat. Boba does want his revenge.

But Mace is too injured to go because of the events last episode, so Plo Koon goes instead and takes Ahsoka with him.

The interesting bits:
There's a conversation between Anakin and Mace about revenge, because Anakin thinks Mace should go after Boba because of the attempted assassination and all the troopers the bounty hunters killed. Mace has already let it all go and says doing that, going after Boba, would lower him to Boba's level. Anakin... well, Anakin doesn't agree. Mace only "agrees" to go after Boba because of the hostages they took.

Plo gives Ahsoka a lesson on subtlety, something she hasn't learned from Anakin. She's not really very good at it.

Honda is Aurra's ex! I hod completely forgotten about that, so that was a cool re-discovery.

It's a good story arc, and it provides interesting background material for Boba Fett. And it raises some questions, none of which I'm going to say, because there would be spoilers. I will say that one of them has to do with the Slave 1, though. I can't remember if any of the questions get answered, because I can't remember if young Boba returns to the series or not. I suspect that he does from the ending of the episode, but I can't remember it. It makes it like watching the series for the first time all over again.

Clone Wars -- "Bounty Hunters" (Ep. 2.17)

-- Courage makes heroes, but trust builds friendship.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

Hondo is back!

But not in a good way. Seriously, if this episode is your first interaction with Hondo, you'll come away from it wishing that Anakin had just finished the job. The job being Hondo. So to speak. He is almost without his former charm in this episode. Unfortunate.

The episode doesn't have a lot to do with Hondo, anyway, other than that he's the bad guy leading a band of pirates against a defenseless village in order to steal their very valuable crop of... something or other.

This is one of those episodes where the Jedi attempt to teach the villagers to defend themselves so that they can be self-sufficient in the future. It would be a fine episode -- well, it is a fine episode taken all on its own -- except that there was one of these in season one, also. Maybe there was more than one? I don't remember. Or maybe there are more coming up. Whatever the case, it feels like a thing they fall back on when they need a one-shot episode: "Let's teach the villagers to defend themselves!"

The more interesting aspect of this episode is the disagreement between Obi-Wan and Anakin over the fate of the village. Obi-Wan actually wants to leave the village to fend for themselves because they are on an urgent mission and, to him, that takes priority. Anakin wants to stay and fight (Anakin always wants to stay and fight). Of course, the decision is taken away from them by the arrival of Hondo. I would have liked to have seen if Obi-Wan resorted to pulling rank to keep them on task.

Clone Wars -- "The Gungan General" (Ep. 1.12)

-- Fail with honor rather than succeed by fraud.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

This episode is modeled after all of those World War II prison break movies and TV shows. Count Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin have all been taken prisoner by a group of pirates, and they're trying to escape. The only problem is that they keep getting caught by Hondo, the pirate leader just as they're about to get away. That whole part of  the story is quite amusing, especially since Anakin and Obi-Wan are forced to work with Dooku since they are all chained together. So to speak. Not real chains, you know. Some blue glowy stuff.

On the other side of things, Jar Jar has come to bring a ransom from the Republic to get Dooku to face charges. They don't know that Anakin and Obi-Wan have also been taken prisoner. To be clear, Jar Jar was not supposed to be in charge of this mission. He was sent along because he gets sent on anything like this where they need someone whom Palpatine looks at as expendable. However, a faction of the pirates betray the Republic (and Hondo) and shoot their ship down. As a senator, Jar Jar becomes the highest ranking member of the survivors.

This is actually one of those Jar Jar story arcs that is unenjoyable, but it might be largely due to the fact that Jar Jar has a substitute voice actor for this episode, and he just sounds... well, he sounds dumb, and that's saying a lot for Jar Jar. Look, I like Jar Jar, but Ahmed Best has a particular quality to what he brings to Jar Jar that this other guy, B. J. Hughes, just didn't have. Rather than being Elmo-like, Jar Jar just seemed like he'd been kicked in the head 20 too many times.

What it boils down to is this:
Half of the episode, the escape half, was a lot of fun. Especially once Obi-Wan and Anakin found out that Jar Jar was there and were trying desperately to escape before he found out that they's been captured. However, the Jar Jar sections were probably the worst pieces of the season so far. Fortunately, there aren't many bad parts, which makes arcs like this one stand out even more.


"You reject my hospitality, refuse to wait in your cell, and, now, you're going to insult me?"

Clone Wars -- "Dooku Captured" (Ep. 1.11)

-- The winding path to peace is always a worthy one, regardless of how many turns it takes.

[Remember, you can sign up to join the Clone Wars Project at any time by clicking this link.]

I think I can safely say that this is my favorite episode, so far, of the first season. That, in and of itself, is interesting to me, because, while I remembered this episode from my first watching of the series years ago, I didn't remember any of the things about it that made me love it so much this time.

One of the purposes of showing us the Clone Wars, according to Lucas, is so that we can see the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan and how close they were. So that we can see the betrayal and, actually, trauma involved for Obi-Wan in the confrontation on Mustafar. Obi-Wan says, "You were my brother!" But we really have no experience of that.

This episode gives us that experience. It's the first Anakin/Obi-Wan episode, since almost all of the other episodes have really revolved around establishing Ahsoka and her relationship with Anakin. This is a full on Anakin/Obi-Wan adventure, and it's pretty awesome.

It opens in the middle of a plot to capture Count Dooku which involves Anakin allowing himself to get captured. Then, Obi-Wan comes to rescue him, which is where we pick up the story. There's an immediate argument between the two about why it is that Anakin is the one that always has to be the one to be captured. It's really a classic sibling argument, and it had me chuckling. But it gets better.

As soon as they finish the argument, they come across Dooku and he makes a comment about how Obi-Wan has had to come and rescue Anakin. Again. They don't show it, but you can just about imagine the eye roll going on with Anakin.

Dooku escapes, by the way. The title of the episode is not precisely what you might think.

Anakin and Obi-Wan spend the whole episode bickering and, well, acting like brothers. It's a nice dynamic and provides some good moments. Plus, there's the continued banter, started in Attack of the Clones, about Anakin and his inability to retain a lightsaber.

This episode also introduces another of my favorite recurring characters: Hondo Ohnaka. Hondo is a Weequay pirate who Obi-Wan and Anakin run into from time to time. Or maybe I should say they have run-ins with him from time to time. At any rate, Hondo and his band of pirates are always good for a bit of amusement.

This is a great episode and one that doesn't carry over any previous story lines, so it makes a great jumping in point.


"They are devious and deceitful. And, most importantly, stupid."