Well, I’d been behind on the show for a few weeks because of finals, but I binge-watched the episodes I’d missed this evening.
The last episode I’d seen was Legend of the Lasaat, and it was meh. Wasn’t bad, but eh.
Then up next was hyperspace squidwhales… ugh. I was alright with it being just a lame filler episode about space animals, I mean, they did it in the Clone Wars with the nebula whale things, but then when they jumped to lightspeed at the end? Just awful, but whatever, the Clone Wars had plenty of Jar-Jar episodes and other filler. Whatever. I’ll just forget that one. The custom TIEs were neat, though.
The next episode was definite Clone Wars fanservice. Which I’m okay with. I knew this episode was coming as soon as I learned Hera’s last name, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Gobi and little Numa all grown up and wearing a reminder of Waxer and Boil in the old clone armour. Hera’s native accent coming through when she was upset was also interesting and cool. Freaking LOVED the Star Wars: Rebellion reference in the form of the light carrier they hijacked. I used to play Star Wars: Galaxies on the Flurry server, which was named after that ship from Rebellion, kinda hoping they name their new prize after my server. I love all these little nods, like the Interdictor and the B-Wing (which was designed by a Mon Cal named Quarrie, which was great).
After that was the Zeb/Kallus episode. A bit of a cliche storyline, but I enjoyed it. Kallus came across as a much more nuanced and interesting character, and it deepened him quite a bit, showing him to be an honourable soldier just doing his job. The end, with the juxtaposition of Zeb returning to his friends and Kallus returning injured to his cold room alone and ignored by his crew to think about the Empire makes me excited to see what they do with his character in the future.
The episodes were improving a lot as I continued, but I was not prepared for the next one. Wow. THIS is why this series is good.
Anakin’s training holocron was pretty cool, but there was so much more than that. Each of the three Jedi got personalized lessons: Kanan learning to let go (in the dojo from the Matrix) and his ascension, facilitated by a VERY unexpected party left me with so many questions; Ezra learning that being a Jedi is more complex than he thought from the (admittedly-poorly-designed) master himself; and Ahsoka dealing with turning away from the Order, but was she struggling internally, or was she actually speaking to her former master through the Force? I think she feels the good in Anakin and may try to reach him, and I think he may try to turn her as well. Her wave to Yoda at the end was heartbreaking, and Vader’s return means things are going to get real again.
KOTOR fans will rejoice again at the inclusion of Malachor. This episode is the beginning of an arc that I’m very excited to see the rest of.
I feel like they’re using their returning characters from The Clone Wars very judiciously, and I’m always excited to see them show up. I feel like maybe Kanan and Ezra use their lightsabers too much, but at this point they’re being hunted and everyone knows who they are anyway, so they might as well. I’m also surprised that we’re seeing Vader as often as we are. I was sure that we’d only get him for the premier and then he’d go away for a long time, but he actually stuck around a bit and is coming back again now that things are getting heavier. I feel like Lucasfilm is doing a great job keeping James Earl Jones and Frank Oz on retainer for voicework, and that really legitimizes everything and makes me very happy.
I was a bit worried having come back from a meh episode to another one, but the latest episode won me right back. A lot of people are saying it’s looking worse than The Clone Wars this season, but I think people are forgetting that The Clone Wars had some pretty fillery episodes between some really incredible spirit-of-Star-Wars episodes. Even in the later seasons we were still getting those Jar Jar episodes dropped on us for every amazing and gritty clone episode.