As The Clone Wars progresses, there sometimes appears to be a more developed plot that links the episodes together. Then, there are episodes like these, which simply shine a light into corners of the galaxy otherwise ignored. Let’s dig in.
1. Greedo, shot first
Finally, what we’ve all been waiting for: a Greedo story! What…you weren’t waiting for this? Well, neither was I, but…
This was one of the most fan-service-y elements of the show thus far, and for no good reason. Aside from needing a bounty hunter, nothing about this had to be Greedo, nor did it tell us anything about his character. In fact, all it did was establish that he can speak English, and therefore was talking in a different language with Han Solo to…be a dick? I’m not really sure.
This episode, “Sphere of Influence,” really didn’t do too much from an overall plot/structural standpoint, aside from reinforce the ideas that a) the Trade Federation are in bed with the Separatists and b) both are full of bad dudes. We knew both of those things ahead of time, so why did we need it?
2. Ahsoka as Jedi
Actually, this is why we needed it. This was the first episode where Ahsoka was presented as a full fledged Jedi, even if she’s still a Padawan. She absolutely destroys some battle droids, she pulls off a Jedi mind trick, and she generally kicks all sorts of ass. This is about as relevant and independent as we’ve seen Ahsoka thus far. She’s the real wildcard of the series, as we don’t (at least I, who haven’t read her novel or seen Rebels) know what her path is, so anything could happen to her at any time.
I found Ahsoka quite annoying at points in the first two seasons, so it is nice to see her actually stepping up to be more than just Anakin’s plus one.
3. Satine’s back
In the second episode, “Corruption,” we get to spend more time with Satine, who is emerging as another interesting character that I know little about. The idea of neutrality is something that has been somewhat of a focus in the past season or so, and Satine’s neutrality seems a little…well, not very neutral. Sure, she doesn’t want to join the Republic or align with the Separatists, but she wants the protection/help of the Senate. That’s not how neutrality works, Satine.
This episode gives a little insight to who she is as a leader, and introduces some aspects of Mandalore – like their pagentry – that I’m sure will be further developed in the future.
4. Padme longs for neutrality
This episode marks the first time that we’ve seen Padme openly wish for a less involved role in the political machinations of the galaxy. You get the impression that she is wishing for a quiet life at home with Anakin, allowing someone else to have to find out why schoolchildren are poisoned, or go on stakeouts that could get her killed.
This doesn’t make Padme any less of a true believer, but it reveals something that anyone who has ever been in the Shit (metaphorically or in ‘Nam, I suppose) knows: sometimes, you just want to lie down. Everyone needs a little time to rest and get some perspective or you’re just going to fester and explode and be no good to anyone.
Sadly, I don’t think Padme is going to get that relaxation she desires.
5. Still trade shit, but more bearable trade shit
One of the major criticisms of the prequels were the boring as watching paint dry political stuff. These two episodes are, ostensibly, about trade deals, neutrality, blockades, etc, and they at times can feel as dry as the prequels. But there are two things happening here that help.
First of all, this show established a nice cadre of female characters that are multi-faceted and interesting. I’d much rather watch Ahsoka, Padme, and Satine do stuff than have to deal with Anakin’s whining, especially in the prequels. But beyond that, the show also establishes why this stuff is important. One of the flaws of The Phantom Menace is that you hear about the Trade Federation making things hard for the people before you actually see that. Those films tell far more than they show. This goes the other way, and it is far more effective.
