A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Storm Over Ryloth," "Innocents of Ryloth" & "Liberty On Ryloth"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars 

We are basically done with this long stretch of season one after this post, which is good. "The Clone Wars" really hits its stride and becomes a little less repetitive once it moves into season 2 and beyond and season 1 ends on a relative high note.

"Storm Over Ryloth,"Season One, Episode 19

"It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness."

Narrator: "Planet Ryloth invaded! Subjected to a brutal occupation, the people of Ryloth are starving under the blockade of a Separatist fleet. Evil Separatist leader, Wat Tambor, now rules with an iron fist. Answering a plea from the Senate, the Grand Army of the Republic mounts a bold offensive to liberate the system. It is up to Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka, to make way for Obi-Wan's ground assault."

Anakin puts Ahsoka in charge of her first squadron to try to get past the Separatist blockade of Ryloth. Once they are out, more ships join the blockade. Despite being told multiple times to retreat, Ahsoka continues to advance, losing some of her men before finally going back. Anakin comes up with a new plan to pilot an escape pod alone towards the blockade, leaving Ahsoka to command the troops. Can the gun-shy Padawan execute this new plan effectively?

I learned it from watching you!!!!!!!

From the moment that you find out that Ahsoka is going to be commanding her first squadron, you know that it is going to go horribly wrong. And it does. One thing about all this, is that it makes perfect sense. As soon as they tell Ahsoka to retreat, you know she's not going to and it is in character that at this point she would reject that order. This is exactly what she's seen Anakin do time and time again and it has worked. She should be able to do the same thing, right? It is an interesting conversation that happens between Anakin and Ahsoka when she gets back on the ship. Anakin doesn't really scold or chastise her. He knows why she did what she did. She knows who she learned it from. I think Anakin knows how ridiculous he sounds talking about chain of command and following orders which is why his heart really isn't in it. 

We get more of a sense of Anakin's teaching style and it is very Anakin. Rather than lecture or brow beat Ahsoka, Anakin firmly believes that she should get back on the horse and try again. So he immediately takes himself out of the equation and puts Ahsoka in command again. He knows that the best way to help her is to show her that her that she can do this. Someone having a crisis of conscience or doubting themselves when they are leading troops in war isn't great and Anakin recognizes this. I'm not Anakin's biggest fan usually, but this is a great example of why what happens to him is a tragedy and the potential he would have had if he hadn't gone to the Dark Side.

Grade: A-

"Innocents of Ryloth," Season One, Episode 20

"The costs of war can never be truly accounted for."

Narrator: "Invasion! Separatist leader Wat Tambor has taken control of the planet Ryloth and subjugates its people through a brutal droid occupation. In a daring surprise attack, Jedi Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, defeated the space blockade guarding the planet. Now, Jedi Generals Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi lead a massive invasion to liberate the starving people..."

The Separatist forces are not going to let go of Ryloth without a fight. They have five major plasma cannons and are using the Twi'lek people as a human shield. Obi-Wan leads a small group of Clones to take them out so their aircraft can safely land. While in the village, Clones, Waxer and Boil, meet an orphaned Twi'lek girl who begins to open their eyes to the true costs of war.

Nerras.

Much like a lot of the war stories the first season of "The Clone Wars" tells, this one isn't re-inventing the wheel. That doesn't mean it isn't pretty effective. We've seen stories where soldiers befriend orphans of war and learn a valuable lesson or a new perspective, but we haven't seen that story through the "Star Wars" lens and that is what adds that twist that kind of reinvigorates this could be formulaic tale. I wish I could say that I was unaffected by the relationship between Twi'lek orphan, Numa, Waxer and Boil, but I'm only human. How could I not get in my feelings seeing her slowly begin to trust them and be instrumental in the Jedi and the Clones defeating the plasma cannons. Learning that the word she keeps calling them, "nerra" means brother? I mean, even my icy heart melted. The human cost of war can sometimes be downplayed a bit in "The Clone Wars" or offset with stories of the people fighting back so it's nice to see that isn't always the case. Sometimes, people are just caught in the middle and needlessly lose lives over pointless conflict. 

The rest of the episode is kind of ho-hum. Just run of the mill action featuring new bloodthirsty beasts the Separatists are going to unleash on the Jedi and the Clones. It's mediocre but it doesn't drag down the quite more poignant portions of the episode which are what really sing.

Grade: B

"Liberty On Ryloth," Season One, Episode 21

"Compromise is a virtue to be cultivated, not a weakness to be despised."

Narrator: "Republic victory is at hand! Clone troopers under the command of the Jedi have successfully invaded the Separatist-occupied world of Ryloth. Anakin Skywalker battles the enemy in the skies, while Obi-Wan Kenobi frees villages from the grip of vile Separatist leader, Wat Tambor. Now, Jedi General Mace Windu leads the attack on the enemy lines in the final offensive to liberate the capital city of Lessu..."

All that's left to do to liberate Ryloth is to take back the capital city. Mace Windu has a plan to enlist the rebels of Ryloth, led by Cham Syndulla. Ryloth Senator, Orn Free Taa, isn't sure about this because he believes Syndulla wants power overall and the two were political rivals before the war. Windu is unconvinced. He entreats with the rebels and hopes they will assist in the liberation of their capital city and their planet.

He's hot, right?

This is another episode that really excels when it sorts of gets into the weeds of things and looks at how war affects the people caught in the middle. Rather than look at people who are, "helpless," for lack of a better word, this episode looks at the people who are fighting back. The quiet conversations with Syndulla and Windu are my favorite parts of this episode, specifically when Syndulla asks Windu if Republic armies would remain on Ryloth after they had ejected the Separatist forces. Is one army better than another or is it just another occupation? Even if this one is supposedly benevolent. It's a philosophical question that I kind of wish the episode would have spent a little more time on because again, it's another war angle that doesn't get talked about very often. I would have also enjoyed a little more time spent on the political wrangling of Taa and Syndulla. I love seeing this political intrigue working it's way into a situation where both of them really should be working for to help their people. But it's another example of how the Senate had become corrupt and how relatively easy it was for Palpatine to manipulate everyone.

Like with "Innocents" the rest of the episode was pretty formulaic, basic fighting stuff. There were some fun action scenes but it was really nothing we haven't really seen before. And this guy voicing Mace Windu? Yikes. I get that not everyone can do a great impression of Samuel L. Jackson but like this was really jarring.

Grade: B

Next up, Cad Bane shows up to stir some trouble.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these episodes as always. I think this was one of the more successful three parters the show has had up to this point. What about you? Let me know in the comments.