7x02 A Distant Echo

[8.1/10] It’s funny, I remember so little of this episode from the story reel. I obviously remember them finding Echo, a moment which still has a real impact. But I don’t remember the conversation with Padme, or the skirmish with the locals, or much outside of that discovery. I’ll have to check whether it changed or I’m just forgetful.

But I liked just about all of it! The conversation between Padme and Anakin in particular is a nice thing. It makes them seem romantic and caring in a way we rarely saw in the actual Prequel movies. There’s something about the two of them surreptitiously sneaking away in the clone barracks to chat that’s sweet. Plus, holy hell, Obi Wan telling Anakin that he hopes he said hello to Padme for him takes on a pretty portentous meaning given where things go. It fits with the cute “sneaking under the bleachers” vibe this whole thing has.

It also nicely sets up the major theme of the episode -- that after spending so much time with Anakin, some of the general’s impulses have rubbed off on his clone commander. This is a Rex-centered episode, and it’s interesting to see the way he mirrors Anakin here. The normally resolute soldier flies off the handle a little bit here. The difference between this and a regular mission is that this is to rescue someone he cares about. That makes him more emotional, more prone to anger and chancey risks, more...well...like Anakin.

That’s a cool parallel to include. It gives the episode an emotional strength in moments where Rex tries to wail on Crosshair for belittling the death of “just another reg,” or when Rex confesses to Anakin that he’s tried not to let the deaths of so many of his brothers get to him but that Echo has gotten to him, or the catharsis when he finally retrieves the poor soul from Wat Tambor’s chamber.

So much of the best parts of The Clone Wars have involved exploring the humanity of the clones, and the way that they have complicated feelings despite being bred and copied for war. Rex’s regret at having lost Echo at the Citadel, his pain and desire to make things right, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to rescue his brother, is really meaningful in the shadow of so much character development, for him and those like him, over the course of the series.

It must be jarring and unmooring to open a chamber and see not only see a battered man whom you feel you’ve failed, but also a grim reflection of your own visage. It’s something only this show could pull off.

Beyond that personal and philosophical element, this is also a nice one for action. The group’s skirmish with the local giant birds and their riders has the excitement of an airborne pursuit. There’s neat, long-limbed design for the Skako Minor locals and even the modified B-1 droids the Bad Batch and company run into. Plus, the droid fights are pretty cool here too, with an especially nice oner of Anakin and the Bad Batch blasting through bots.

Overall, this is a great way to escalate this episode, drawing lines of comparison between Anakin and Rex, and using the show's history, for Rex specifically and the show overall, to make this mission more meaningful.