Tuesday, February 28, 2017

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

-- Disobedience is a demand for change.


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[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.

2 comments:

  1. Now see, I think this distinction is important. They're technically only terrorists if they are targeting the civilians, not if they are hurt as collateral damage. The distinction is important because the military - not to mention the Geneva Convention - makes the distinction. When the Israelis send a guided missile into an apartment complex to take out a terrorist target without regard for civilian casualties, nobody calls it terrorism. Maybe we should, but that's a separate discussion.

    The Onderon arc is a good one. I'm almost sad to see it end. Though the next one looks promising, too. Season Five is a big improvement so far.

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    1. TAS: I would have enjoyed more of this story, especially the fall out from how it ended, but, then, maybe that's what Rebels is meant to be? I need to get back to that, but I'm barely keeping up with Clone Wars, right now.

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