[Clone Wars] Episode 19

[BigBenKenobi]

This week's episode was Episode 19: Storm Over Ryloth, and wow, I must say that I was very impressed. If you didn't have the opportunity to see it yet...meaing Friday night, here's a quick summary with only a few major spoilers for those of you who are yet to see it. Basically, the Separatists have invaded and conquered the planet of Ryloth, and Republic forces rush to save the planet's inhabitants from being destroyed. In preparation for a ground assault lead by Obi-wan and Master Windu, Anakin's forces must first destroy the blockade. During a nightmare battle with a Separatist fleet (Techno Union this time), Ahsoka Tano leads her team in an attempt at victory, but instead endangers most of her squadron in an attack gone wrong by disobeying Anakin's order to retreat. However, Anakin gives her a chance at redemption and well, you know the ending...they save the day. This time it was pretty awesome how they did it though. In my opinion, it was one of the better episodes with a great deal of action, which we all love. Next week's part two looks pretty good as well. Thoughts anyone?

[Solo]

You see, this is why I shouldn't take naps when I get home. I missed one of the few episodes of this I've been looking forward to, and (more importantly) I missed BAG too.

[GIR3691]

The OT references are getting tiresome. The fighter crashing into the ship's bridge, the escape pod with the desert planet in the background... it's neat to see them worked into the story, but when there are so many, it seems like they are just hanging stories around the references. I'm very mixed about them.

The actual plot was pretty interesting, giving Ashoka command and seeing her get all her pilots killed.

[Firespray]

Aye OT references are fun but they're just throwing them in there now just to thrown them in there. Last night's episode was pretty cool though, the Venator ramming the Control Ship was pretty gorram cool. Ahsoka didn't annoy me for the first time in... probably ever.

[Jay]

Not the best, but yeah, it was good. The Republic winning was predictable though, and the OT references weren't subtle enough.

[meeotch]

I enjoyed last night's episode. I actually didn't pick up on the OT references, but I was building my USC TIE/In at the same time, so I was only giving CW half my attention.

[JPCJedi]

Great episode as far as I'm concerned. My favorite image is at the end when you see multiple squadrons of Y-wings and Torrents strafing the separatist ships. I mean, it's pretty straightforward, but those scenes were even more exciting that the ROTS space battles. I also especially liked seeing Acclamator class star destroyers under Obi-wan's command.

To be fair, let me include a gripe or two. "They're droids. They're just...slow." I never bought how weak the droids are in these movies. Computers can make decisions faster than living people, they just can't learn as fast. But the way the droids are portrayed, it's as if the Trade Federation used the processor from a cell phone and tried to make it run a robot. Remeber, these robots killed a hundred and fifty Jedi in AOTC! At least the SBDs are scary.

In the end, this episode was like watching an X-wing video game come to life. It was dogfight-centric, simple, and loads of fun.

[yankeeken]

Personally, I consider any episode in which Ahsoka doesn't die to be a bad episode.

On another note, I sort of agree with JPCJedi. Mind you I haven't actually watched any of the new Clone Wars cartoon episodes, due to the fact that I gouged out my eyes in the middle of the Clone Wars movie, but from what I saw during the movie makes me agree that Lucas is making the droids act way to dumb. The droids in the Clone Wars movie were a hundred times dumber than they were in any of the prequel movies.

[Joedward]

Considering how bad the movie was I'm impressed by, and reasonably happy, with the series as a whole. And I think the battle droids from the Clone Wars > battle droids from epIII.

Episode 19 was okay, there have been better, but not many. Ahsoka still annoys me to no end, but the ep didn't suffer that much from it. Looking forward to 20.

[yankeeken]

Is the series really any better than the movie? As I haven't been able to bring my self to watching after the traumatizing movie.

[The Brain]

If you watch it on an episode-to-episode basis (not connecting episodes that aren't in multiple parts), ignore bad dialogue--especially the battle droids--and banter between "Skyguy" and "Snips", ignore plot holes when they're seen, and try really hard to enjoy the episodes, they're not half bad. I enjoy the series, but really only watch for the action, when there is any. I could care less about Jar Jar and Padme. I personally don't mind Ahsoka--if I don't ponder the continuity rift she creates and ignore the lame dialogue, she has a pretty cool part in the CW. Favorite thing about her--she holds her lightsaber often like Galen Marek (Force Unleashed's Starkiller for those of you who didn't know) from the PS3 version. That's sick.

[meeotch]

I definitely agree that the series is much more watchable than the movie, and I'm glad to see that I'm not crazy for thinking so. I think part of it is that I didn't know what to expect with the movie (other than to be wowed) and from the moment I realized that the opeining crawl was replaced with some campy voice-over, I was let down. But now with the episodes, I know what to expect. In many ways it's no different than the movie, but I do get to watch it at home with a beverage of my choosing and it's in little installments. Also, I'm a relative newcomer to SW fandom, so part of it for me is just getting new SW canon in a format that is easy for me to take, as I have no time right now for books or video games. And then, when I see something that interests me, I go on one of my long Wookieepedia trails.

[Jake]

Very fun episode, I really enjoyed it, cos SPACE! More V19's and Y-Wings are always welcome, and even goofball mcShuttle was nice to see in all it's fugly glory. Oh, the real characters were nice too, poor ol' Yularen getting a clonk on the noggin and Ashoka sucking. Sneaky giant-ego'd commander was nice too, a refreshing change from dumb tactical droids and the like. Roll on next week, say I!

[Master Fetty]

This Episode was over shadowed by last weeks rather dissapointing re-run. I mean really, Ambush is good, but whats the point in re showing it, part way though a series? And as added salt to the woud, there were two episodes the week before. Why not do the obvious things and show the first one one week, the second the next? If you really want to reshow Abush, why not put it on after/before a new episode?

[The Brain]

I don't know why they showed a re-run either--I didn't bother watching it again.

I think it must have had something to do with a predetermined release date for the Ryloth Trilogy, and they needed to give viewers a break from several weeks of new episodes in a row (I wouldn't have minded if they kept showing new ones, though) so they could catch up on previous stories.

[Master Fetty]

But if it was to show the Ryloth trilogy on set dates, why not just have the second part of the Blue Shadow Virus double bill on instead of Ambush? In the two week gap, I've become a lot more distant from the series and am not really that bothered about it as much.

[BigBenKenobi]

I don't know why they showed a re-run either--I didn't bother watching it again.

I think it must have had something to do with a predetermined release date for the Ryloth Trilogy, and they needed to give viewers a break from several weeks of new episodes in a row (I wouldn't have minded if they kept showing new ones, though) so they could catch up on previous stories.

I didn't mind the re-run last week that much. I thought the one they showed again, which was titled Ambush, was a good episode. Therefore it didn't bother me that I had to watch it again, and wait another week for the new one. But a few weeks ago, I think they had a re-run of Bombad Jedi...that bothered me for obvious reasons.