Monday, November 19, 2012

Battle Meditation Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Bound for Rescue (5.08)


Ain't no party like a Weequay party.
"When we rescue others, we rescue ourselves."With Ahsoka captured by Hondo's pirates, the younglings work together to infiltrate the pirates' den, using their wits and courage to deceive Hondo Ohnaka and launch a daring rescue.
In this week's episode our Younglings head to Florrum to land the Crucible and let it's engine system cool down before it overloads.  Meanwhile they request for aide from General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his forces to rescue Ahsoka from the clutches of evil pirate lord, Hondo Ohnaka at his base on Florrum.  Before Obi-Wan and Commander Cody can come to Ahsoka's rescue they are attacked by a Separatist battle group led by General Grievous.  Grievous' forces board Obi-Wan's flagship and the Jedi is forced to abandon ship but not before he sets the self destruct and narrowly misses killing Grievous.


When no aid comes from the Republic, the Younglings set off across Florrum on their own to rescue Ahsoka. Conveniently they come across a traveling circus and their Force enhanced acrobatics are enough to impress the circus' Ringmaster. Disguised in animal costumes the younglings take advantage of an inebriated Hondo, stealing Ahsoka's lightsabers and freeing the Jedi and fleeing the pirate base with Hondo's band in hot pursuit.


Bound for Rescue had a little bit of something for everyone. Bound for Rescue is a well balanced Clone Wars episode from start to finish.  The youngling's story continues as some of them are able to finish building their lightsabers.  There is a terrific space battle and a duel between Grievous and Obi-Wan that provided some much needed action in this arc.  It is good to see Cody return, he is one of the more under used clone characters in this series.

I love this shot, it looks straight out of a video game.

I love the map of the galaxy, reminds me of the old map in the EU novels. 
 
How many times will Obi-Wan duel Grievous before Revenge of the Sith?
When the younglings attempt their rescue they join up with a circus.  The artistry of Jedi acrobatics made me think back to Alan Dean Foster's Clone Wars novel, The Approaching Storm where Jedi Master Luminara Unduli performed a strange sand dance.


The idea of infiltrating the bad guys base in disguise is hardly a new idea, we have seen it in Return of the Jedi, but the idea of infiltrating as entertainers brought me back to the late great Brian Daley's Han Solo at Star's End.  Where Han, Bollux and a pair of Trianni bill themselves as "Madame Atuarre's Roving Performers" in order to infiltrate the Corporate Sector Authority's prison.

Besides these nostalgic notes, the younglings in disguise didn't do much for me and their acrobatics is where the episode dragged the most for me.  But it did give us the chance to see the most interesting pirate in the galaxy, Hondo enjoying lots of adult beverages and feeling pretty good about himself.

"I don't always drink ale, but when I do it's lomin ale."

Rating: Bound for Rescue gets a 8.0. There was enough here to keep all ages entertained and it had that perfect blend of action, drama, humor and fun that makes Star Wars so magical.

Direct Link to Watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Bound for Rescue (5.08)

Clone Wars Download: Webisode 5.08: Machinations and Motivations: Being General Grievous 


Coming up next on Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode 5.09: A Necessary Bond

"Pirates and Jedi reluctantly join forces after Grievous attacks Hondo's settlement on Florrum."

SOURCE: Starwars.com

1 comment:

  1. Hondos short flight and landing must have hurt even as drunk he was. The best visual part was the spacefighter cockpit by far, still waiting for a new Tie Fighter game. Now just give Ahsoka a day off, must have been a tough few days.
    Excellent episode for the most part.

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