Clone Wars -- "The Deserter" (Ep. 2.10)

-- It is the quest for honor that makes one honorable.

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"The Deserter" finds Obi-Wan hot on the trail of Grievous from the previous episode. Yeah, Obi-Wan and Grievous have a particular animosity for each other, and Kenobi really (I mean really) wants to -- well, I'd say he wants to capture Grievous, but I don't think it much matters to Obi-Wan at this point. Dead is as good as alive -- beat the virtual snot out of Grievous.

But that's not really what this episode is about. Obi-Wan's pursuit of Grievous is just the backdrop to the actual story, which is a further exploration of the differentiation of the clones. During the search for Grievous, Captain Rex comes across a clone who had deserted from the army some years prior, long enough ago to have young children with his twi'lek wife. Rex assumes that the man is a coward.

Of course, the story is more complicated than that, and the deserter proves his bravery when his farm is attacked by a squadron of commando droids. The whole thing shows Rex that things aren't always what they seem, but it's also a lesson on personal choice as Rex realizes that he chooses to be in the army. It's not a default state for him but an active choice.

There's plenty of action in the episode, but it's the philosophical nature of it that makes it enticing. The episodes that get into the nature of the clones, especially the ones that have to do with how they view themselves, are always worth watching. This one is no exception.

Clone Wars -- "Rookies" (Ep. 1.5)

-- The best confidence builder is experience.

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"Rookies" introduces us to several new recurring characters, one of which we've actually already met. Commander Cody, working with Obi-Wan, is introduced in Revenge of the Sith, but we get to meet him here from before he and Obi-Wan have formed a working relationship. There's also Captain Rex, who often appears alongside Cody in the Clone Wars series, and Echo, and Fives. Fives, named for his ID number, is one of my favorites of the side characters.

We're also introduced to the Commando droids. The Commando droids are somewhat of an upgrade from regular battle droids. Not only are they smarter, but they look cooler. Note that I only said that they're "smarter" than regular battle droids, not that they're smart. Actually, the Commando droids seem to be competent. At least competent enough to carry out complex orders and pull off infiltration missions.

As the title suggests, this episode deals with rookie troops, whom the veteran clones call "shinies," due to the shiny, new armor they have. It's an interesting look, even if done in just over 20 minutes, at the difference between raw recruits and veteran soldiers.

My favorite part of the episode is the opening during which the clone troops are listening/watching the radio/holo thing. It's a broadcast just for the troops and reminded me somewhat of Good Morning, Vietnam. As I've said before, it's these little details that seem just kind of tossed in that help flesh out the world and make it real.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was an eel. That's why we have the regulation not to go outside."