[7.6/10] Another good outing. This one also felt a little more traditionally Star Wars in its construction, but was still steeped in South Asian culture which made it much more engrossing. There’s a reason multiple shows have returned to the “innocent is pursued by an Inquisitor” setup. It creates instant sympathy in the audience for the one being pursued and makes for an easy source of fear from the terrifying peruse.
This episode does a good job at making us care about the brother and sister trying to find a new life away from the threats they face just for the sister existing. Their bond is endearing, especially for their cute little bandit game and the way it’s the non-powered older brother who goes above and beyond to protect his force-sensitive sister.
I love the twists in this one, from the arrival of the Inquisitor, to the old lady in charge of the distant enclave being a secret Jedi, to the hideout under the fountain. There’s a cool ebb and flow to this one, which plays with your sympathies and expectations.
The visuals are also a thrill. The art-style here isn’t necessarily out of line with other 3D animated shows. But the train set piece is well-done, and the fight between the hidden master and the Inquisitor is top notch. The various settings, which interpret the Star Wars iconography through a South Asian lens, also have a visual distinctiveness to them that’s worth taking time out to notice.
The emotional element of this one is strong as well. The bond between the brother and sister is important because it must be severed for the good of the sister. There’s parallels to real life people having to be hidden because of who and what they are, and families getting separated to the same end. So it resonates with real world struggles, while still rooting the experiences of the characters in this world. The siblings having to say goodbye to one another, while the brother receives the flute they inherited from their father, a sign that they’re still bound by lineage and culture, is a really heartening note to go out on after a bittersweet climax to the story.
Overall, I’m a broken record, but this is yet another Visions short that tells an engrossing, single-serving story with neat visual elements and a specific cultural perspective.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2023-06-30T01:15:31Z
[7.6/10] Another good outing. This one also felt a little more traditionally Star Wars in its construction, but was still steeped in South Asian culture which made it much more engrossing. There’s a reason multiple shows have returned to the “innocent is pursued by an Inquisitor” setup. It creates instant sympathy in the audience for the one being pursued and makes for an easy source of fear from the terrifying peruse.
This episode does a good job at making us care about the brother and sister trying to find a new life away from the threats they face just for the sister existing. Their bond is endearing, especially for their cute little bandit game and the way it’s the non-powered older brother who goes above and beyond to protect his force-sensitive sister.
I love the twists in this one, from the arrival of the Inquisitor, to the old lady in charge of the distant enclave being a secret Jedi, to the hideout under the fountain. There’s a cool ebb and flow to this one, which plays with your sympathies and expectations.
The visuals are also a thrill. The art-style here isn’t necessarily out of line with other 3D animated shows. But the train set piece is well-done, and the fight between the hidden master and the Inquisitor is top notch. The various settings, which interpret the Star Wars iconography through a South Asian lens, also have a visual distinctiveness to them that’s worth taking time out to notice.
The emotional element of this one is strong as well. The bond between the brother and sister is important because it must be severed for the good of the sister. There’s parallels to real life people having to be hidden because of who and what they are, and families getting separated to the same end. So it resonates with real world struggles, while still rooting the experiences of the characters in this world. The siblings having to say goodbye to one another, while the brother receives the flute they inherited from their father, a sign that they’re still bound by lineage and culture, is a really heartening note to go out on after a bittersweet climax to the story.
Overall, I’m a broken record, but this is yet another Visions short that tells an engrossing, single-serving story with neat visual elements and a specific cultural perspective.