Battle Meditation Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Wrong Jedi (Episode 5.20)

Yoda: "Ready he is, to teach an apprentice. To let go of his pupil, a greater challenge it will be. "

 The Season Five finale of Star Wars: The Clone Wars was an amazing piece of cinema shown on television. Complete with a full orchestral score, stunning animation and the best voice acting of the lead characters in the series, the story of Padawan Ahsoka Tano wrapped up in compelling, satisfying and heart-wrenching fashion.

"Never give up hope, no matter how dark things seem."
On trial for murder, Ahsoka faces her greatest challenge.

There is so much to say about this episode, but the highest compliment I can pay is that it made me care and feel about characters in a way that no animated television series ever has.  The relationship between Anakin and Ahsoka is so deep and complex by this point in the series that the emotional pain that both are feeling during this episode is clearly conveyed to and felt by the audience.  I was very skeptical of Ahsoka's character at her introduction, but I can without equivocation say that she is my favorite character in the series.  Her relationship with Anakin is an odd amalgamation of parent-child, teacher-student, friend, and at time co-conspirator.  

The trial scenes both in the Jedi Temple and in the Republic military base where dramatic and well done.  The revelation of Barriss Offee as the traitor was handled well and the action and story where so compelling that even a Expanded Universe devotee such as myself didn't event think about continuity once while I was devouring this episode.   The exchange between Anakin and Asajj was beautifully done and  Nika Futterman  once again delivered some incredible acting.  

I could say more, and I have speculated on Ahsoka's ultimate fate and the fate of the series, but what I want to focus on are the final two scenes, the Jedi Council's apology and Anakin and Ahsoka's goodbye. 

The Jedi Council, so quick to bow to political pressure and self-doubt to believe that Ahsoka could be guilty comes back to the Ahsoka in what can only be considered a half hearted apology. As Yoda says, "back into the Order, you may come." The council acts as if it is doing Ahsoka a favor by asking her back and offering her the promotion to Jedi Knight. 

Ahsoka's rejection of the Council and the Order feels to Anakin like a personal rejection.  The animators really worked over time in this scene. From the body language of Ahsoka and Anakin, the moment as Plo Koon reaches out to restrain Obi-Wan from going after his former Padawan as Anakin chases down Ahsoka, and the look of sadness that washes over Yoda are all conveyed beautifully.  

In the final scene on the steps of the Jedi Temple, Ahsoka reveals to Anakin that she needs space to work out everything that happened. This is important because it doesn't foreclose the possibility for her rejoining the Order at some point down the road. It is clear that whatever happens with Ahsoka's relationship to the Order it will be on her terms not Anakin's and not the Councils.

This scene also shows the desperation and attachment that Anakin has developed for Ahsoka.  Anakin cannot handle loss, it isn't in him to give up or let go.  This is both his greatest strength and his greatest flaw, Anakin wins in battle because of this, but it also causes him to lose himself.  

His confession to Ahsoka of his thoughts of leaving the Order and her simple yet full of meaning "I know" reveals just how close the master and padawan have become. Not only can Ahsoka sense Anakin's emotions and desires, but she knows his great secret and his forbidden love of Padme.  This scene works so well because Ahsoka treats Anakin not as her master but as her equal and her friend.  It is clear just how much she cares for him and how difficult Ahsoka's departure will be for both of them.  

 I could watch that final scene on a loop and be a very happy Clone Wars fan.  From lighting, animation, sound and acting it was pitch perfect. It was worth every minute I have spent obsessing over this series to reach this point.  Thank you to the entire cast and crew at Lucasfilm for this brilliant episode.

Direct Link to Watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Wrong Jedi

Direct Link to Watch: Clone Wars Download 520: The Jedi Vanishes

SOURCE: StarWars.com

The Final Fate of Ahsoka Tano and the end of The Clone Wars

Yoda: If into the security recordings you go, only pain will you find.

As the dust settles following the developments in The Clone Wars Season Five finale, it is time to revisit the fate of Ahsoka Tano and how the series should end.  I am not going to even deal with the issues of production and distribution in this post, this is purely about what I really care about, the story.

Just as the Jedi Council lost faith in Ahsoka, her faith in the Order and the Republic has been shattered.  So quickly they were to believe in her guilt despite of her devoting her life to their cause, can you really blame her?

The Jedi try to make it up to her by granting her the rank of Jedi Knight based on her experience in this arc representing her great trial.  The irony is that even the council seems not to understand that the rank bestowed by the Order means nothing to someone who no longer respects the Order. Their olive branch is meaningless to Ahsoka, the only thing that even makes her briefly question her decision to leave is her familial love for Anakin.

What does Ahsoka's departure from the Jedi and from her role as a Commander in the Grand Army of the Republic mean for her and for the series as a whole?

For Ahsoka her life is at a cross-roads.  She is no longer a Jedi, but her separation from the Order could allow her to be a true Jedi.  This story line also strikes me as a bit of insurance.  If the show is not picked up for distribution and continued production on a new channel or avenue, leaving Ahsoka alive but outside the Jedi Order and the GAR allows for a plausible explanation of her absence from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and allows for her character to survive and be used in other storytelling venues, be it books, comics, a spin-off TV series or a stand-alone film.

I am an eternal optimist so assuming arguendo, that The Clone Wars continues to be produced let me lay out how I see Season Six and Season Seven going.

Season Six would see the Clone Wars ramping up to the wars end, we would continue to see stories focusing on Anakin, Obi-Wan and the rest of the background Jedi leading the Grand Army as they get closer and closer to capturing Dooku and Grievous. At the same time we should see at least two full arcs or between 6-8 episodes focusing on Ahsoka.  The first arc would be Ahsoka finding her own new path, the second would be a more action packed adventurous arc as Ahsoka is being a galactic do-gooder.

I think it would be interesting to see TCW borrow a bit from the Expanded Universe and Ahsoka seeking out some other Force using groups a bit like Jacen Solo's off-screen five year Force journey. Ahsoka could visit a few different Force using groups seeking to find answers or inner peace on what she should do in her future apart from the Jedi.

Ultimately I think Ahsoka finds her role by acting to help those in the galaxy, doing things that the Jedi would normally have done in the past but are too consumed with the war to currently do.

Then either in the Season Six final arc or early in Season Seven, something happens that causes Ahsoka to cross paths with Yoda, Anakin, or Obi-Wan and causes her to either re-join the Order or to work as a Jedi Independent Contractor.

In Season Seven or possibly in Season Eight if it continues that far, I believe we are now on an inevitable course that will end with Ahsoka's death.

The only question in my mind is if George Lucas and Dave Filoni are willing to deal Ahsoka as tragic an end as I have in mind.

If I were telling the story, Ahsoka will selflessly return to the Jedi Order in a time of their great need just before Order 66, this act of selflessness ultimately leading to her own death at the hands of her former Master.

Anakin Skywalker when confronted by Obi-Wan on Mustafar doesn't believe that he had killed Padme, it is only after when Palpatine convinces him of it that he comes to this "knowledge." The Clone Wars gives us the chance to expand on what can feel like an abbreviated and rushed fall to the Dark Side of Anakin.  If there is one act short of killing Padme that Anakin could never forgive himself for it would be killing Ahsoka. As such I believe Star Wars: The Clone Wars will end with Order 66's Operation Knightfall.  I believe that this fate is foreshadowed by the inclusion of the Young Jedi arc younglings in the Season Five finale. Ahsoka will be in the Temple when Anakin comes in with the clone troopers, she will step between Anakin and the younglings and they will duel. Ahsoka will actually duel Anakin to an advantage but hesitate and be unable to kill Anakin.  Sensing this moment of hesitation Anakin kills Ahsoka and then proceeds to the slaughter at the Temple.  This is the moment that Anakin is reliving on the balcony on Mustafar, the guilt, shame, and regret that he is overwhelmed by.  This helps push Anakin so far that neither Obi-Wan or Padme can reach him at the end.  At the end as the Vader personae takes dominance, he hates himself more than anything else.

The only other ending that feels right to me at this point is the same set up except Ahsoka escaping her duel with Anakin, much like Yoda escaping his duel with Sidious and fleeing into hiding with a small group of padawans or younglings. This would be the less tragic and more commercially friendly ending for future projects, but to me would be less emotionally profound.

I am very pleased to say as skeptical as I was of Ahsoka during The Clone Wars movie, she is now one of my all time favorite characters in the vast Star Wars universe. I care about the character's fate and that means that the goal of any good storyteller has been accomplished. As much as I wish Ahsoka could live, when the series ends she should die.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Wrong Jedi (Season Five Finale) Preview Clips

Perhaps Ahsoka will resort to the "Wookiee Defense" to extricate herself from the clutches of the Republic justice system, or perhaps not.

One thing is for sure, if the current Clone Wars story arc is a procedural, then we are in to courtroom part of the Law & Order episode.

I find it interesting that Admiral Tarkin refers to Ahsoka as "former Padawan Tano" did the Jedi already expel her from the order or demote her?  Hmmmm.

Check out four clips below to get a taste of what is in store this Saturday.  Will Ahsoka be convicted before the Jedi framing her is exposed?  Will she be put to death? Will Anakin lose his mind and get all Sithy? Will Tarkin lose and get all grumpy?  Tune in Saturday, same Jedi time, same Jedi channel to find out.

Clip #1: The Jedi Council Judges Ahsoka




Clip #2: Anakin confronts Asajj, just how long will it take him to realize she doesn't have her lightsabers?




Clip #3: Ahsoka before the mercy of Palpatine with Tarkin prosecuting. She is so boned.



Clip #4: Cartoon Network's Teaser for the episode



SOURCE: Star Wars YouTube Channel

Battle Meditation Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars: To Catch a Jedi (Episode 5.19)

"In war, truth is the first casualty." ~Aeschylus

I've got a bad feeling about this...

"Never become desperate enough to trust the untrustworthy."
The fugitive Ahsoka escapes to the criminal depths of Coruscant.

This week's episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars followed Ahsoka's flight from Republic authorities into the underlevels of Coruscant where she receives the aid of fellow Padawan Barriss Offee and Sith acolyte turned bounty hunter Asajj Ventress.  There is a very neat bit of story telling going on in this episode, but I'll get to that in a bit.

This week's episode was written by Charles Murray and directed by Kyle Dunlevy, and while I don't like how I believe this character arc is going to effect certain characters, I have to say it has been superb.

This story revolves around trust. Anakin's trust of Ahsoka, the Jedi Council's trust of Ahsoka, Mace's trust of Anakin, Ahsoka's trust in Barriss and Ahsoka's very tentative trust in Asajj and Asajj equally tentative trust in Ahsoka.

The brilliance of the storytelling is that both Ahsoka and Asajj are being falsely accused in this episode. Ahsoka of the bombing and murder of the clones and Asajj of attacking Ahsoka and presumably next week being accused by Anakin of being behind framing Ahsoka.  This works well because both characters are coming from such different personal histories but finding themselves in similar circumstances.  How quick are the Jedi to doubt Ahsoka and how quick is Ahsoka to doubt Asajj and believe the masked assailant was Asajj.  This pairing continues next week as both Ahsoka's and Asajj's fates appear to be hanging in the balance, I don't think both can escape this story arc unscathed.

I think we can look forward to three big events next week; 1) The trial of Ahsoka and her sentencing, 2) The revelation of the Jedi behind the bomber, presumably Barriss Offee, and 3) Anakin's confrontation with Asajj.

Ahsoka's trial will be fun because we will get to see Palpatine being all Palpatiney.  It will also be interesting to see if Ahsoka is convicted and expelled from the Order and exiled from Republic or if the true culprit is revealed during the trial and Ahsoka is found innocent but her trust/faith in the Jedi and Republic is so shocked she leaves of her own volition.

All signs point to Barriss being the villain in this arc. If you look at the previous episode The Jedi Who Knew Too Much in light of this week's episode, all of Barriss body language points to her being guilty.  In addition in this week it appears that she sets up Ahsoka by convienently sending her and Asajj to the munitions factory where she is caught red handed with nano-bombs.

The fact that the mysterious assailant is a slim Force using female and we have no other characters used in this arc that would fit for this big reveal makes it a pretty telegraphed shot.

I also found the mysterious assailant's fighting style to seem much more graceful and Jedi-like than one would expect.  It was a nicely choreographed duel.

I also get the sneaking suspicion that Anakin is going to over react next week and not believe Asajj's denials about not attacking Ahsoka and being behind the plot. Is she able to somehow convince him, or does Anakin slip into darkness again and kill Asajj?

On the continuity front, if Even Piell's death was a continuity tremor, then Barriss Offee's turning bad will be much worse.  Barriss Offee was the star of the Medstar Duology (MedStar I: Battle Surgeons and MedStar II: Jedi Healer) , a set of two novels written by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry set during the Clone Wars.  These books are under appreciated gems in the Expanded Universe.  Of all the Jedi to take this turn Barriss seems like the most unlikely of candidates and seems like she is being used simply because TCW team has not dedicated enough time to building up a group of friends or peers around Ahsoka.  Outside of Barriss and Lux, I am not sure Ahsoka knows anyone her own age or in her peer group.

Direct Link to Watch Episode 5.19 To Catch a Jedi

Clone Wars Download 519: A Wretched Hive: The Coruscant Underworld

Next Time on Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Episode 5.20 The Wrong Jedi




SOURCE: StarWars.com

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: To Catch A Jedi Preview Clip #1: Tarkin and the Jedi Council

Tarkin being a total Moff, Anakin brooding in the corner and Yoda believing Ahsoka is guilty? The Clone Wars is ratcheting up the intensity again in the second to last episode of the season. "To Catch A Jedi" airs this Saturday on the Cartoon Network.

Just my two cents, but I think Yoda is questioning Anakin's faith in his padawan in a very Yoda fashion.  My bet is the next thing that happens after this clip is that Anakin is assigned or asks to go after Ahsoka and help prove her innocence.

I gotta say I love the Plo Koon has Ahsoka's back.  In my head Ahsoka is Punky Brewster and Plo is Henry Warnimont.  I blame the '80s.

For a high-quality version of the trailer visit CartoonNetwork.com

SOURCE: Youtube

Star Wars Insider #140 Cover: Ahsoka's Fate?

Newsstand Edition

Well it certainly looks like Season Five of The Clone Wars is going to end with a bang, and the next issue of Star Wars Insider magazine is getting in on the action, featuring Ahsoka on the cover and a cover stories featuring 10 questions based on the final episodes and an interview with Dave Filoni regarding the future of the show.

As season five of Star Wars: The Clone Wars comes to an end, Star Wars Insider will be asking 10 questions raised by the latest episodes! Supervising director Dave Filoni talks about the future of the show after the explosive season finale, and designer Kilian Plunkett offers a look at how the worlds and characters of The Clone Wars are created. For fans of the original movies, we'll be taking an exclusive look behind the scenes of Return of the Jedi, which is 30 years old this year! 

I smell a cliffhanger.

Alternate Cover Art

SOURCE: TFAW.com

Who Framed Ahsoka Tano? UPDATED 2/24

Who is the rogue Jedi who is responsible for the nano-droid bombing of the Temple and presumably for the framing of Ahsoka Tano?

2/24/13 UPDATE:

Based on the events of Season Five Episode 19, To Catch A Jedi, I think we can safely eliminate Sora Bulq, because the bad guy who got the jump on Asajj and then Ahsoka is clearly of the female persuasion.
 

Now clearly Dave and crew want the viewer to suspect Barriss Offee as the culprit.  We see Barriss alone in her quarters wearing dark clothing and talking to Ahsoka via comlink.  Later in the episode it is Barriss who gives Ahsoka the lead to the munitions factory where she is confronted by the masked assailant and captured by the Clone/Jedi task force.

As an Expanded Universe fan, and a big fan of the MedStar Duology that stars Barriss Offee, I would have a lot of storytelling problems with how they are handling Offee's character if they make her the villain.  I would also have some reservations because Barriss is one of very few friends that Ahsoka has in her peer group.

The good news is that while we see Barriss in what appears to be dark clothing, the outfit appears to be different than the attacker.

In terms of how the character's body looks it seems close enough that it could be Barriss, but the outfits are clearly different gone is the skirt that Barriss wears and in is a catsuit with different textures than the rest of Barriss' usual outfit.  I think we are getting some misdirection here.

For the life of me I can't figure out is who the character might be if it is not Barriss.  It seems odd that we would have a completely new character that would set out to frame Ahsoka.  One possibility is a return of Aurra Sing, but this would mean that Dave Filoni and crew are giving Sing back EU Force abilities that they prevented her from displaying earlier in the series.

This is setting up to be one great season finale.  I guess the real killer will be unmasked next week.

Original Speculation:

Based on Lucas' penchant to borrow from the Expanded Universe comics, one has to wonder if the prime suspect is Jedi Master Sora Bulq and if Bulq's story will involve a heavy does of retroactive continuity repair.

There is one telling shot from this weeks episode that leads heavily to this suspicion.

In addition to our usual cast of characters we have a few odd ones.  The Starwars.com Episode Guide says this about this image:

"Among those in attendance of the Jedi funeral are Mas Amedda, Palpatine, Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Barriss Offee, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Plo Koon, Yoda, Eeth Koth, Admiral Tarkin, Admiral Coburn, Admiral Yularen, Kit Fisto, Saesee Tiin, Shaak Ti, Tera Sinube, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Eekar Oki, and a Weequay Jedi."

This could simply be the TCW crew re-purposing a well used character model, i.e. Weequay pirates to fill in the background of this scene, or it could be a telling clue.

I suppose we will find out in one of the next two episodes.

SOURCE: StarWars.com

Clone Wars Season 5 Finale Ahsoka Arc Trailer Analysis

The toughest part about analyzing the season five final arc trailer is that from what we have been given there are multiple storytelling pathways which are equally compelling and thus also equally likely.  Below there will be spoilers of what is publicly available plot summaries, images and my own informed speculation about what is to come.  I am likely to be wrong many times, but perhaps just once or twice I will be correct.  Read with caution.

S05, E17  "Sabotage"

Anakin and Ahsoka investigate an explosion at the Temple, suspicious that a Jedi-turned-dark is responsible.



S05, E18  "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much"
After meeting with Letta Turmond, Letta turns up dead and Ahsoka is arrested.


S05, E19  "To Catch a Jedi"
On the run in the underworld, Ahsoka makes a bargain with Asajj Ventress while hunting for proof of her innocence.

S05, E20 The Wrong Jedi
With Ahsoka on the run, Anakin, who continues to believe in Ahsoka’s innocence, hunts for the truth.



So we know the arc opens with Anakin and Ahsoka on a mission to Cato Neimoidia where their Jedi Starfighters come under attack by buzz droids.  Does the similar opening to Episode III portend dark events in this arc?

Meanwhile back at the "Old Folks Home" protesters are picketing outside the Jedi Temple.  I would think that if anyone group in the galaxy could withstand protesters it would be the Jedi. Silly protesters.

What looks to be a LAAT/i lands in the Temple's hanger while some innocent workers are loading and unloading, and proceeds to explode. How rude.

Good luck getting the Mon Cala smell out of the walls.

A little too familiar imagery of terrorism.  But it gets the point across.

Anakin and Ahsoka speed back to the Temple.

Ahsoka runs into some old friends at the Temple

Jedi funeral, not becoming one with the Force = FAIL.

Ahsoka looks more devastated than most of the Jedi, did someone she cared for perish?

Things don't go well for Mace when it is stormy on Coruscant. But in HD the rain on the window looks terrific.

CSI Jedi style.

The David Caruso droid is featured in this episode. Did I ever mention that I saw Caruso's Kiss of Death in the theater? I have no idea why I went to see it in the theater, but it was hilariously bad, not even Nic Cage bench pressing a girl could save that steaming pile of a film. But it did have Mace Windu in it as well.

These are the images I am having some of the most trouble placing in the arc. Either Ahsoka is presenting what she learned to the Jedi Council as part of her investigation, she is being tried first by the Council for the death of Letta Turmond or she is standing before them ready to leave the Order. I would think if it is part of the investigation then Anakin would be present as well. I suppose upon further pondering it could also be Ahsoka asking for permission to search for prime suspect Letta Turmond on her own.

This solo shot of Ahsoka walking makes me wonder if she is leaving the Order at least temporarily after the events of the arc. Not sure where to put this image chronologically.

Ahsoka tracks down Letta.

Sometime after this encounter Letta is killed and Ahsoka is blamed. Who kills Letta and who framed Ahsoka, it has to be agents of Palpatine, but who?

I absolutely love every single "Imperial" shot in this trailer. Breathtaking.

Tarkin's back, back again, Tarkin's back, tell a friend.

This doesn't look ominous at all.

We get some very interesting new character models. Lightsabers, masks, and armor? Who might these be? Velma thinks they might be what eveolves into the Imperial Senate Sentinels, so lets call them Republic Senate Sentinels for now.

For the prosecution, Admiral Tarkin. He is pretty much the antithesis of Perry Mason.

Foreshadowing much.  It's the little things but the Imperial Guards are one of my favorite character designs in all of Star Wars.  They need more screen time.

Yeah, about that democracy thing. Not so much.

I put these next two shots together because of the back grounds.  Does Anakin attempt to break Ahsoka out of jail? The architecture looks very similar.

Ahsoka on the run in the underlevels of Coruscant, while security patrols hunt for her.

Time for quick cuts, grimaces, angry looks and fisticuffs.

Anakin looks a little bit like he is about to slaughter peeps.

Asajj without the mask fighting Anakin?

 Ahsoka looks a little peeved herself.

In the end it's hard to say exactly what is going on with Ahsoka. I would bet that Palpatine uses that anti-war protests and potentially a Jedi subverted by Dooku to stage a terrorist attack on the Temple. He would do this knowing that Ahsoka were away on a mission and that they would be the most likely Jedi because of Anakin's importance to lead an investigation.  He does this to set in motion the downfall of Ahsoka and further emotional trauma he wants to inflict on Anakin.

Ahsoka seeking to prove herself asks or disobeys orders and goes looking for fugitive Letta Turmond.  She confronts Letta, but Letta is killed in such a way that witnesses or holo-cams make it look like Ahsoka is responsible.

Palpatine issues an arrest warrant for Ahsoka, and the Jedi lead by Plo Koon go looking for her to bring her in for questioning.  The Jedi go along with this believing that the facts will clear Ahsoka, but conscious that given public distrust of the Jedi they must submit to the civil legal processes or they will prove their critics correct.

Anakin of course disagrees with this approach, he knows Ahsoka is innocent and their is no reason to put her in jeopardy in his view.  The Council is worried about Anakin because his emotions are swirling and they are not sure if he can sit back and let the legal process play out.

Ahsoka is hauled into the Hall of Justice where Palpatine sits in judgement, I bet that Tarkin presents the evidence against her in what amounts to a military tribunal. This is the Clone Wars version of GITMO.

Ahsoka is either convicted or while the proceedings are taking place she escapes and once again is on the run, where she runs into Asajj Ventress in the slums of Coruscant.

Asajj initially thinks Ahsoka is after her so she attacks Ahsoka. Ahsoka is close to being killed when she convinces Asajj that she needs her help and Asajj puts her lightsabers away.

Ahsoka and Asajj team up to look for proof of Ahsoka's innocence and to find the real killer.

Meanwhile Anakin leaves the Temple and comes looking for Ahsoka, in addition to countless Republic military forces searching for her.  You will notice in the trailer that she is fending off stun bolts, so clearly the order is to detain not kill at this point.

I would bet the arc concludes with two major things happening.  1) Ahsoka is able to find evidence that exonerates her. 2) In his passion to search for Ahsoka, Anakin dips his toes into the dark side again and commits some act of violence that Ahsoka witnesses that shocks her.

Ahsoka at the end of the arc is a tangle of emotions, doubts in the Jedi Order over how they treated and doubted her and doubts in her Master after what she witnessed.  Ahsoka leaves the Order in the closing shots of Sesaon Five in an attempt to find peace and make sense of it all.

SOURCES: Zap2it, Teletoon, Youtube