9.7/10. Pretty damn cool. Delving deep into the Star Wars mythos, finding a "conduit" of the force, and exploring Anakin's chosen one status is pretty huge stuff for The Clone Wars. There was a very mystical vibe to this episode -- some strange mix of Avatar and Zelda and Lord of the Rings and a lot of other high fantasy works molded into the Star Wars Universe. The ethereal vibe of the mysterious place our heroes are sucked into, not to mention the denizens of it--who seem to be personifications of the light side, the dark side, and a mighty being to keep them in balance--helped give the episode a distinct, more meditative feel.
There's a lot to unpack here. There's a lot of poetic dialogue here, characters speaking in riddles and much of the proceedings feeling more like metaphor than regular storytelling, but that generally helped it to feel special. Reappearances from Qui Gon (was that really Liam Neeson?), Shmi, and future Ahsoka added to that. The way they used those avatars to explore different facets of the characters in relation to Anakin worked really well. Obi Wan is concerned whether he's bringing the chosen one to fruition or building great power in someone who can't be trusted to control it. Ahsoka is concerned about whether her wilder, less focused instincts will be heightened by her association with Anakin. And as the episode makes crystal clear, Anakin is still struggling with his guilt, unable to move past it.
The final scene in the Force Wielder temple was pretty amazing. Anakin literally appeared to move heaven and earth to save his friends, and his ability to cow Brother and Sister suggests that he really is the Chosen One, or at least someone with the ability to balance the dark and the light not just in himself, but throughout the universe. We of course know that he doesn't do that, that one side overcomes him, but the idea that there was a chance for him to ascend to something different, to become one of these elementals or world weary ancients instead, is an intriguing twist. This was a hell of an episode that I imagine I'll be revisiting as I go deeper into the series.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2016-04-23T00:43:57Z
9.7/10. Pretty damn cool. Delving deep into the Star Wars mythos, finding a "conduit" of the force, and exploring Anakin's chosen one status is pretty huge stuff for The Clone Wars. There was a very mystical vibe to this episode -- some strange mix of Avatar and Zelda and Lord of the Rings and a lot of other high fantasy works molded into the Star Wars Universe. The ethereal vibe of the mysterious place our heroes are sucked into, not to mention the denizens of it--who seem to be personifications of the light side, the dark side, and a mighty being to keep them in balance--helped give the episode a distinct, more meditative feel.
There's a lot to unpack here. There's a lot of poetic dialogue here, characters speaking in riddles and much of the proceedings feeling more like metaphor than regular storytelling, but that generally helped it to feel special. Reappearances from Qui Gon (was that really Liam Neeson?), Shmi, and future Ahsoka added to that. The way they used those avatars to explore different facets of the characters in relation to Anakin worked really well. Obi Wan is concerned whether he's bringing the chosen one to fruition or building great power in someone who can't be trusted to control it. Ahsoka is concerned about whether her wilder, less focused instincts will be heightened by her association with Anakin. And as the episode makes crystal clear, Anakin is still struggling with his guilt, unable to move past it.
The final scene in the Force Wielder temple was pretty amazing. Anakin literally appeared to move heaven and earth to save his friends, and his ability to cow Brother and Sister suggests that he really is the Chosen One, or at least someone with the ability to balance the dark and the light not just in himself, but throughout the universe. We of course know that he doesn't do that, that one side overcomes him, but the idea that there was a chance for him to ascend to something different, to become one of these elementals or world weary ancients instead, is an intriguing twist. This was a hell of an episode that I imagine I'll be revisiting as I go deeper into the series.