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A lot has occurred to the Star Wars franchise within the final 14 years that it may be tough to keep in mind that the brand new canon truly started with Dave Filoni’s Clone Wars cartoon. It was retroactively added into Disney’s new Star Wars tales by advantage of being a reasonably good present helmed by the man who would ultimately be the driving power behind Star Wars’ live-action TV series. It may be even more durable to keep in mind that The Clone Wars kicked off with a film—a theatrically launched film—that was completely horrible.
The movie, launched in 2018, got here collectively considerably actually when then-head of Lucasfilm George Lucas noticed the footage of the CG cartoon set between Assault of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith and have become utterly enamored of it. He advised a smattering of the earliest Clone Wars episodes collectively and releasing it in theaters. For those who’re questioning, “Wouldn’t that simply really feel like 4 episodes of an after-school Star Wars cartoon smashed collectively as a substitute of an actual film?” you’ve discovered its first deadly flaw.
Whereas the second, third, and fourth episodes inform one steady story concerning the kidnapping of Jabba the Hutt’s son, the primary is a standalone story about Republic clones preventing a droid military that necessitates Anakin and his new padawan apprentice Ahsoka hiding in a field and creeping down the road like they’re in a Looney Tunes cartoon (or Steel Gear Strong recreation). It’s needlessly goofy, however the “foremost” story is simply as goofy and feels even smaller in scope.
Depend Dooku has kidnapped Jabba’s toddler son Rotta in a needlessly sophisticated plan to border the Jedi and get the crimelord to permit Separatist forces to make use of the interstellar commerce routes in his territory. The Republic additionally needs entry to the commerce routes, so that they ship Obi-Wan to speak to Jabba, whereas Anakin and Ahsoka observe down the horrible little slimeball with arms that’s Rotta, a.okay.a. “Pungent.” What could have labored as three episodes of a cartoon turns into a large number when watched back-to-back, as “plots” shortly come up and resolve themselves. Obi-Wan leaves Tatooine to assist Anakin, however Anakin is already leaving when he will get there. Rotta is sick, however there’s drugs on the ship random ship the Jedi commandeer. A bunch of Grievous’ Magnaguards accost Ahsoka on Tatooine, however she kills them with ease.
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Talking of, Ahsoka has since turn out to be one of the beloved characters to not debut in a live-action film, however I’m not exaggerating once I say she is horrible within the Clone Wars film. It’s not voice actor Ashley Eckstein’s fault, who does the perfect with what she’s given. However what’s she given is dialogue written by 40-year-old males who’re completely assured they understand how a 14-year-old lady talks. It’s atrocious. She calls Anakin “Skyguy” and R2-D2—who already has a really established nickname—“Artooie.” She’s overconfident and pouty and precocious and smarter than everybody generally and dumb as rocks at others.
There’s additionally Ziro, Jabba’s uncle, who seems to be partially chargeable for Rotta’s abduction. He comes throughout as a stereotype, talking Galactic Primary (versus Huttese) with a lisping, high-pitched Southern drawl, primarily based instantly on the overtly homosexual writer Truman Capote. Ziro is roofed in glow-in-the-dark make-up, wears feathers on his head like a Twenties flapper headband, and smokes from an extended cigarette holder. Now, whether or not you’re offended by this or just delighted by the fact that 2008 Star Wars had any semblance of queer illustration is as much as you, however there’s nonetheless the truth that George Lucas particularly requested that his youngsters’ film embody a caricature of a author who died greater than 20 years prior.
However that’s hardly Clone Wars’ solely adherence to issues its younger viewers wouldn’t know or presumably be concerned about. For those who’re a fan of the TV collection—as a result of it actually improved on this regard because it went on—it’s possible you’ll not keep in mind that the animation and look of Clone Wars was impressed by Sixties British marionette exhibits like Thunderbirds and House Patrol. These puppets had been visibly picket and moved in awkward, janky methods, which had been lovingly and inexplicably recreated within the 2008 cartoon. Generally, I swear you may see the woodgrain within the stable chunks that made up the characters.
Once more, fortunately, Clone Wars bought higher, each within the animation and storytelling departments. Now it’s remembered for the way it went on to develop Ahsoka Tano into one of many franchise’s most beloved characters, the way it humanized the Clone Troopers, its evolution of the Mandalorians, and so, a lot extra.. Nicely, a minimum of till Dave Filoni makes The E-book of Boba Fett: Chapter Two, by which Pungent the Hutt returns to assert his father’s throne.
Need extra io9 information? Try when to count on the most recent Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and all the things it is advisable to find out about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.
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