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Clone Watch - Episode 12
27 Plays8 months ago
Daryl, Nick, and Lauren take a look at three Republic Senate-focused episodes that bear no resemblance whatsoever to real world events, confirming once and for all that Star Wars is absolutely not political.
- 00:00 Introduction
- 05:10 Heroes on Both Sides
- 30:14 Pursuit of Peace
- 45:04 Senate Murders
To follow along with your viewing, you can find the Clone Wars chronological viewing list at:
https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-the-clone-wars-chronological-episodeorder
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Casual Nerdity Podcast
00:00:11
Speaker
Casual Nerdity is a podcast celebrating and discussing pop culture that we love. Movies, TVs, comics, books, games, you name it. Ari missed to talk about the good, what worked, and yeah, sometimes what didn't.
00:00:23
Speaker
All with an eye towards building up, not tearing down. Thanks for joining us.
Meet the Hosts: Daryl, Nick, and Lauren
00:00:30
Speaker
Welcome back, everybody, to the latest episode of the Casual Nerdity podcast and our Clone Watch series. I'm Daryl. I'm Nick.
00:00:41
Speaker
And I'm Lauren. And Lauren is why we are here, because Lauren, you have never watched Clone Wars before this, have you? That is correct. This is my first time.
00:00:53
Speaker
And you know Nick has seen Clone Wars eight gazillion times. I've seen it a few times, not nearly as many times as Nick.
Clone Wars Viewing: Chronological vs. Release Order
00:01:01
Speaker
And so we just thought it would be fun to record your reactions to...
00:01:08
Speaker
Clone Wars and all of the fun and goodness. And Nick is a horrible evil person. am. Because Nick is having us watch it in chronological order.
00:01:20
Speaker
Oh, no! Oh, that's the reason why I'm evil? Yeah, it's just one of the many. ah yeah It's a long list. It is. It really is.
00:01:32
Speaker
But for those interested in watching a long... We will have a link to the official chronological watch order on the Star Wars website in the show notes. ah But spoiler alert, it's just as easy and more efficient to watch it in release order because you don't miss any information you shouldn't have because that later information didn't exist.
00:01:57
Speaker
done of Done editorializing about the evils and pains of chronological rewatch, you monster, Nick. I mean, I am what I am.
00:02:09
Speaker
And that's all what you am? Mm-hmm. Or is what you are is what you are? And I don't remember the rest of the new Bohemians lyrics, so...
Recent Events and Sister Podcast
00:02:18
Speaker
Oh, no! no ah But what what have we all been up to lately? I know we did Gamer Nation Con, and then I fell down the rabbit hole this past weekend of watching as much of the live stream of Star Wars Celebration from Japan as I could.
00:02:34
Speaker
And considering the time difference, it all started at 9 p.m. Yeah, same. a degree, yeah. I cut off on y'all's YouTube series.
00:02:45
Speaker
Right on. you You caught up on our sister podcast, the How We Roll Gaming podcast? Yeah, the one that I might show up on someday. Wow! But haven't yet.
00:02:56
Speaker
Wow! ah did you did Did I inspire you to pick up any How We Roll Gaming merchandise? ah don't don't Don't do that right now.
00:03:06
Speaker
Don't do that right now. yeah yeah yeah You know that I don't have money. we we We won't talk about that right now anyway. Just don't. don't But anyone listening, do feel free to check out our sister podcast, the How We Roll Gaming podcast.
00:03:20
Speaker
Now a proud member of the D20 Radio Network, wherever you can find your podcasts or on YouTube. Woohoo!
00:03:29
Speaker
um I will you know put in a small bit of of pride on that, in that in the week that we have been a part of the D20 Radio Network, we have more, not a lot more, but visibly more listens and views. so Nice.
00:03:47
Speaker
It's getting some traction out there. yeah Love to see it.
Analysis of Clone Wars Episodes
00:03:52
Speaker
Now, Last time we convened for Clone Watch, Nick and I were kind of nonplussed by the episodes that we watched.
00:04:03
Speaker
And Lauren loved them! Yep, yep. Sometimes that happens. And this time around, I had copious notes and ten clips from just three episodes yeahp that I pulled.
00:04:19
Speaker
You sure do have those clips in there. And it's one of the episodes that's but so An episode that I was looking forward to talking about. So we will dive right in because there's lots of notes.
00:04:34
Speaker
I hope you're ready get political. What? Star Wars isn't political. Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that Star Trek is woke. Whoa.
00:04:45
Speaker
um This time around, we do just have three episodes. um Up today, we have Heroes on Both Sides, which is Season 3, Episode 10, Pursuit of Peace, which is Season 3, Episode 11, and Senate Murders, which is Whiplash, Season 2, Episode 15. Ooh.
00:05:04
Speaker
who But we will dive in first with Heroes on Both Sides, Season 3, Episode 10. Official logline is Padme Amidala and Ahsoka Tano travel to Raxus.
00:05:17
Speaker
Well, that sounds like a pretty boring episode, doesn't it? yeah Long have I waited for one line in particular to be explained to me from the Episode 3 opening crawl.
00:05:29
Speaker
And that's the title of this episode. Heroes on Both Sides. yeah It's a great line. It's a great line. At the time, it didn't really make a whole lot of sense.
00:05:42
Speaker
Well, I mean, in any war, there's always going to be heroes on both sides. But you don't see them in the movies. But we might touch a little bit on that once a certain Padawan starts talking. Mm-hmm.
00:05:58
Speaker
A little bit down the line. But there is a lot going on here in this episode and the next one that sadly seems far too relevant for current events.
00:06:09
Speaker
From a certain point of view. From a point of view that you're watching the episode and then looking out your window and then you turn back to the screen and you look back out the window.
00:06:20
Speaker
Anyway. star wars Star Wars, the franchise that began from a hippie USC student making a science fiction allegory for the Vietnam War, has never been political.
00:06:35
Speaker
No, no, never. not Not a single politics anywhere. But the newsreel for this episode dives right in, saying that clone troopers are basically dropping like flies.
00:06:47
Speaker
And the Senate is convening to debate, air quotes here, doing some heavy euphemistic lee lifting with the true cost of the war.
00:06:59
Speaker
Yes, yes. It's time for the cost of the war to be debated. Yes, and in that debate, let's see if they continue treating clone troopers like meaty battle droids. Members of the Senate.
00:07:13
Speaker
Do you hear yourselves? More money, more clones, more war! Say nothing of fiscal responsibility, what about moral responsibility? Hasn't this war gone on long enough?
00:07:25
Speaker
Senator Amidana, are you suggesting we surrender to the Separatists? Of course not! But negotiation might be a better course of action. You can't negotiate with those animals!
00:07:38
Speaker
Keep the war going! Vote now!
00:07:44
Speaker
Members of the Senate, I suggest we table any emergency bill until it is determined whether or not deregulation is the right course of action.
00:07:56
Speaker
And deregulation could never harm anything. No, no, definitely not. Could never be a bad thing. Totally, totally. and we We cut to the Senate offices of the Banking Clan and the Trade Federation. Now, let that sink in, boys and girls.
00:08:11
Speaker
a Yes, got this one quote. Well, banks and a conglomerate of companies have seats on the Senate.
00:08:23
Speaker
Yeah. And they're also major contributors to the opposite side of the conflict.
Political Themes in Star Wars
00:08:29
Speaker
Right. So let that sink in for a minute. And remember, Star Wars is not political.
00:08:38
Speaker
Yes, they've got this one quote in particular where they say, in this case, war is our business. Right. they They have this whole exchange between the banking clan representative and the trade federation representative saying, you know, but, you know, our business, you know, isn't, you know, is about money. It will know this time war is our business.
00:09:00
Speaker
So, yeah, but again,
00:09:04
Speaker
Nope, nope, totally not political at all. Ahsoka wants the Jedi to advise Palpatine. She basically you wants to say, like, hey, let's wipe out these Separatist guys. And Anakin suggests that Padme teach Ahsoka about politics, but Ahsoka doesn't really get how things like finance and deregulation apply to the war or why we're fighting in the first place.
00:09:33
Speaker
War? What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again. or what is it good for? that That was just the next line, Nick. It wasn't an instruction.
00:09:46
Speaker
Boiled again. as they're having this discussion, Ahsoka says, I know the Separatists are evil. Mm-hmm. yeah Are they really evil?
00:09:59
Speaker
Mm-hmm. I mean, the child soldier is filled with propaganda? Who would have thought? Whoa! From her point of view, the separatists are evil. Mm-hmm.
00:10:09
Speaker
Yeah, the you're making a reference that Lauren doesn't know yet. No, I know that reference. Okay, never mind. I forgot memes. Yes. Yes. Very meme.
00:10:20
Speaker
I am the embodiment of memes around here, you know. Yes, yes, you are. But now let's let's take a listen to part of this conversation. War's complicated, Ahsoka, but let me simplify it.
00:10:34
Speaker
The Separatists believe the Republic is corrupt, but they're wrong, and we have to restore order. Maybe talking to the Jedi Council isn't the role for you after all. Thanks for your help.
00:10:45
Speaker
Come on, Ahsoka.
00:10:48
Speaker
Hey. You told me to teach her about politics, so I'm going to.
00:10:55
Speaker
Yes, Anakin focused on restoring order above all. Right? Right. He's definitely, yeah, that that's not, that's definitely not going to become a strong theme of his character going forward.
00:11:05
Speaker
No, but we've commented on Matt Lanter's performance as Anakin before too. And I just want to take a little side note. I love some of his delivery in that exchange. Yeah. like The separatists think this, but they're wrong.
00:11:19
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And then as they're walking away, Hey, yeah. ah You know, they're, All i'll love do to Hayden Christensen.
00:11:32
Speaker
George didn't direct him well. Yes. In live action. And Matt Lanter gave Anakin some much needed personality. Yes. Which when you when you graft your Clone Wars viewing onto Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
00:11:49
Speaker
then you know kind of retroactively, that gives live action Anakin some personality too. Yeah. and He's just having an off day on those days. And there's some deleted scenes, especially in Revenge of the Sith, that are straight up just Clone Wars comedy routines. Oh, yeah.
00:12:07
Speaker
That are like, if those were in there, you'd be like, okay, this is exactly what the vibe they were going for. Yeah. yeah ah So Ahsoka and Padme are in Padme's office talking.
00:12:19
Speaker
And Ahsoka is shocked, shocked, I say, to learn that Padme is friends with a Separatist representative and has to be reminded that you know the Separatists used to be part of the Republic.
00:12:34
Speaker
you know the It's not just you know a faceless enemy. These are people that Padme knew. And worked with and saw every day. Like the name, the Separatists, is both equally like ah great, great name for the opposing side. in that a It's exactly what they are. They separated from the Republic.
00:12:57
Speaker
But it's also separating them in terms of the audience's ability to see them because they we mostly see their battle droids. Right. And interestingly, apparently the Senate has made it illegal for senators to meet with separatist representatives so that they don't legitimize the separatists.
00:13:23
Speaker
So we have this war that everybody wants to be over. But apparently everyone is just dead set on not stopping the war, but wiping the other side out.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah. Across entire galaxies. yeah Yes. Yeah, that i does that doesn't sound like a very effective methodology. But then Padme has, to quote Dr. Seuss, an idea, an awful idea.
00:13:55
Speaker
She has a wonderful, awful idea. Or an Anakin idea. Master Skywalker and I hold what we call aggressive negotiations all the time. It's a shame you can't hold more peaceful talks when you want.
00:14:08
Speaker
You just gave me an idea. You're a Jedi, which gives you special clearance. Right. And Jedi are allowed to travel to neutral worlds like Mandalore, where we could then board a cargo ship to a separatist system.
00:14:22
Speaker
Are you suggesting I use my status as a Jedi to smuggle you behind enemy lines? It's just that you could get us through to meet with her, and i haven't seen her or her family in so long.
00:14:35
Speaker
Relax. I'll help you. Besides, Master Skywalker said you should teach me about politics. Right. You know, you two have more in common than you think. It's no wonder you get along so well.
00:14:48
Speaker
Of course. So, where are we heading? Raxus.
00:14:54
Speaker
Yeah, you two have a lot in common. you know Yeah. What you're talking about. i yeah think you No, no, no, no, no. no no Padme, abusing Jedi privileges. Yes. i have Well, I mean, we as we were just hinting at, that's not the only Jedi privilege that she abuses. Hey, hey, hey.
00:15:12
Speaker
If only Padme was a Jedi herself. If only they let her use a lightsaber. That would be cool. No, she just gets to carry the lightsaber. She just gets to... It's a clunky metaphor.
00:15:26
Speaker
She just gets to carry the lightsaber and comment on how heavy it is. But, remember, this is a kid's show. yeah Yes, it is.
00:15:38
Speaker
But the Grievous grievous at Count Dooku's order sends some droids off, frankly, on a suicide mission. he says in so many words, in fact, none of you will return.
00:15:53
Speaker
Yeah, we get to see a new infiltration droid type. And we will never see them again. oh Never. We will never see the cleaning droid bomb suicide droids again.
00:16:09
Speaker
And we also learn... Despite being very cool. Yes, yes, they were very cool. Yes, ah we also learned that a year has passed since the war has started.
Character Development: Ahsoka's Growth
00:16:19
Speaker
Right, and this is kind of hinted at visually in the episode because this episode is the debut of the new animation model for Ahsoka.
00:16:33
Speaker
Whereas Ahsoka now, rather than you being a fifteen year old a tiny 15-year-old in a tube top... I thought she was 14. 14, 15. 14, 15. Yeah. So now she's 15 or 16. Now she's 15 or 16 and no longer wearing the tube top, is taller, has longer Leku and Montrose. lightsabers! And two lightsabers. All right.
00:17:01
Speaker
That's one one. they've gotten to Raxus and Ahsoka is once again shocked that a separatist is just like a regular person.
00:17:16
Speaker
Wow, recognizing that people are people? So why should it be that everyone should get along so horribly? Mm-hmm. and We also at that point get the introduction, after getting introduced to Mina Bontari, the Separatist senator that Padme knows, we meet her son,
00:17:36
Speaker
Lux is a pretty neat guy for a Separatist. Yes. Lux is a pretty neat guy. And would you say, Nick, that this is the launch of a thousand ships?
00:17:48
Speaker
Yes. because You could say that. Because didn't quite a few people ship Ahsoka and Lux? Yes. I think I prefer her with the ah with the other Jedi girl.
00:18:01
Speaker
That got the brain worms that one time. Oh, yeah. Just put a pin in that. ah put than that put a pit Put a pin or two in that.
00:18:12
Speaker
it It sounds like we might have to have some ship against ship combat. Yeah. Yeah, there'll be some ship to ship combat. All right. um Just not necessarily how you think, but oh we'll get there.
00:18:25
Speaker
Like said, put a pin in it. Now, Lux, Lux being a nice guy, you know he, he offers to carry Padme's luggage and she's fine with that. He offers to carry Ahsoka's luggage and Ahsoka gives him side eye.
00:18:39
Speaker
Ahsoka then, you know, she is it when when they get to the Bontari's home, she gets kind of aggressive. Yeah.
00:18:50
Speaker
He's grown so much, Mina. Time won't stop. Even if we are at war. And I'm afraid these events are shaping his young life. With all due respect, as a Separatist, didn't you create this war? Ahsoka, it's all right.
00:19:07
Speaker
That's a very polarized point of view, my dear. Would it surprise you to know that many of the people you call Separatists feel the same way about the Republic and the Jedi?
00:19:19
Speaker
Lux's father was like that. Maybe I could speak with him. If only you could.
00:19:27
Speaker
A year ago next week, he was setting up a base on Argonar when clones attacked. My husband fought bravely in self-defense, but was killed.
00:19:41
Speaker
Excuse me. I think I'll get some air.
00:19:47
Speaker
Yeah, do you do that, Ahsoka. You do that. You go get some air after eating your entire foot. Yes. so but So I would give credit to her to be that.
00:20:00
Speaker
Well, I would like to talk to this man. a So Ahsoka goes outside, runs into Lux, and you know Lux has a pretty good point. you know Before the war, he was told the Jedi were good.
00:20:14
Speaker
Now all of his friends say that they're bad. He was a Separatist boy, and she's a Jedi girl. Can I make it any more obvious? Did they take a Midnight Convey X going anywhere?
00:20:28
Speaker
ah But yeah they they have their little talk and Ahsoka asks Lux with a... Correct me if I'm wrong.
00:20:39
Speaker
I'm not the only one who saw this expression on her face as a flirtatious one. It's like, I'm not so bad, am I? It certainly... Lux certainly didn't didn't make it any more obvious by saying, no, not bad at all.
00:20:54
Speaker
Also, she's like 15 or 16. Isn't he like or too? Yeah, they never really set his age. I just assumed that he was roughly Ahsoka's age. Yeah.
00:21:07
Speaker
I'm just pointing that back to the audience.
00:21:10
Speaker
It seems boys are the same whether they're Republic or Separatist. Yep, that's Ahsoka's response to... So, far be it from me.
00:21:22
Speaker
it I hate when I hear other people say this kind of thing, but Ahsoka intentionally flirted with him. He flirted back. And then her response is, oh, it seems boys are the same everywhere.
00:21:37
Speaker
and wander And storms off. It's like, really? yeah ah Right now I'm picturing the Mad Max Fury Road meme. That's bait.
00:21:49
Speaker
Mm-hmm. But Lux continues schooling her on perspective. How many Separatists have you actually met? And droids don't count.
00:22:01
Speaker
Yeah. And she fesses up that, well, okay, yeah the only Separatists that I've met are like military leaders that I have been active combat against.
00:22:15
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Including General Grievous, who is not a droid. No. The cyborg.
00:22:22
Speaker
so yeah, ah sometime after that, we end up seeing the Separatist Parliament, which is much less technological. I found it very interesting. but It's smaller, because it's they're a smaller...
00:22:36
Speaker
movement, a smaller organization. Yes. But the fact that the side that uses battle droids and technology as their soldiers is less technological kind of interesting.
00:22:49
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And then we have this one. The other thing is the hologram of Count Dooku there. Yes. And... Ahsoka and Padme are leaving to head back home and they're saying their goodbyes.
00:23:02
Speaker
And Lauren, how does she give her goodbyes to Lux? She says, I wouldn't want to meet you on the battlefield for your sake. And this girl, i i mean, she she still flirts better than me but but her her she still flirts better than me, but her flirting is very combative.
00:23:24
Speaker
it's very anekin This is true. There are some people who are very into that. so This is true. It's very Anakin. But she has not performed wholesale slaughter, including the women and the children. that thats You can't just start with that.
00:23:46
Speaker
You've got to find out what sort of biome they don't like the most and then compare them that they are not that. Yeah, yeah. Fair. Yeah. but So they get back to Coruscant and Padme tries to convince Palpatine to pursue peace with the Separatists.
00:24:02
Speaker
Oh, Padme, if you only knew. if only. If you only knew that you were talking to... There are heroes on both sides. There is only one leader on both sides. Well, then that actually rev reminds me to the...
00:24:17
Speaker
directly after that quote is there's heroes on both sides, but evil is everywhere. Yes. Yes. When she, when she's having that exchange with him, I don't like that look when he gives her, when he tells her, or when he tells her who she established a dialogue with or when she does, you know, that, that look when she says, Oh, you know, I talked to Senator Bonterrey.
00:24:43
Speaker
really Yeah. the it was It was almost like he's part of the dark side or something. Whoa, the dark side?
00:24:55
Speaker
So the droids, the suicide bomber droids, go into you generators on Coruscant and they slaughter Republic personnel on screen.
Senate Decisions and War Economy
00:25:07
Speaker
And as we said earlier, remember folks, this is a kid's show. And not too long before that, they had a funny gag where they were supposed to go where the clones directed them to the correct location. Like, it's to the left.
00:25:20
Speaker
Yeah, the generator's to the left. ah Stupid droids. Yeah. Like, literally a couple seconds later, bu but bu bu bu bu bu but but but and it's like regular people, not even clones.
00:25:32
Speaker
Yeah. And, well, Nick, are you insinuating that the clones are less than people? Perhaps.
00:25:43
Speaker
Maybe that's an incorrect opinion of mine. So the droids, you know, kind of... Perhaps I'll learn about that in a in a future episode. The droids kind of combine together into great big bombs and bomb Coruscant power generator that apparently that one little generator affects the whole planet, it looked like.
00:26:06
Speaker
Yeah. Those are very effective bombs, and I... I'd imagine how useful that would be. bad we'd never see them again. And Padme's peace initiative is sunk.
00:26:19
Speaker
And the Senate votes to deregulate the banks because terrorism. Terrorism. and du Because the separatists rightly so, accurately so, claim responsibility for the bombing.
00:26:38
Speaker
Mm-hmm. what coincidental timing. so I'm sure it's all coincidence. Yeah. I would like to note that ah these battle droids that we see in this episode, they should totally be Lego Technics.
00:26:53
Speaker
Oh, they would be Lego Technics. They would be so cool. But we'd never see them again. We'd never... we'd never We never see them again. And when they combine into like bomb mode, it reminds me of the subspace emissary with the robs and the subspace bombs.
00:27:08
Speaker
And it's just like, oh man, they're doing the subspace emissary in this episode. And then the most unlikely thing happens.
00:27:19
Speaker
Ahsoka and Padme for, know, breaking the rules and following their gut, They get scolded by Anakin.
00:27:33
Speaker
I'm returning your Padawan. I'm sorry your talks with Bonteri failed. How did you know? We have eyes and ears everywhere, Ahsoka. That was dangerous and careless going to Raxus.
00:27:45
Speaker
Not to mention illegal. You went too far this time. You would do the same. You'd do the same all the time. This was too much.
00:27:56
Speaker
Maybe so. But I did realize something. The politics of this war are not as black and white as I once thought they were.
00:28:05
Speaker
Now, how badly does Anakin Skywalker have to think that you screwed up when Anakin Skywalker is the one saying that you went too far?
00:28:23
Speaker
Like, I i swear that oh ah this that he picked up the scripts that Obi-Wan's supposed to be reading, and Obi-Wan's supposed to be coming around and giving this speech, but he's the one reading it instead.
00:28:35
Speaker
And was it unsettling to anyone else that Anakin is like, we have eyes and ears everywhere? yes Again, that's further proof of the Jedi Order's seemingly large amount of lateralness they already have this illegal rule that goes beyond the senate yes yeah it's true it is episode but also the fact is like we have eyes and his everywhere he's not saying the republic has eyes and its everything That's implying that Jedi Order has eyes and ears everywhere.
00:29:05
Speaker
I mean, the way he phrases it, it can be worded. It could be interpreted either way. But neither is comforting. and Neither of them is comforting. And Anakin, if there are eyes and ears everywhere, Ahsoka is absolutely right.
00:29:24
Speaker
You do this kind of stuff all the time. Mm-hmm. And you don't care that eyes and ears are everywhere. Yep. In fact, you're doing something that's pretty easy if eyes and ears are everywhere to be figured out.
00:29:39
Speaker
I mean, eyes and ears don't have to be everywhere. Just last episode, we talked about how he and Padme were being very couple-y at a Senate party. so how suddenly Jar Jar found Jedi robe on Padme's ship.
00:29:57
Speaker
Yeah. so You don't have to be the world's greatest detective, just a better detective than Obi-Wan Kenobi in Attack of the Clones. Right. To put this together. So that wraps up this one and takes us to Pursuit of Peace, Season 3, Episode 11, with the tagline, Padme Amidala, Bail Organa, Anaconda Far become targets.
00:30:25
Speaker
Yes, and we're starting the episode with Senate arguments. Yeah, it's near-immediate aftermath of the last episode's events. And the Senate pretty much just wants to escalate the war and borrow money for more co clone troopers.
00:30:42
Speaker
Wait a minute, I remember this one. It's a classic. For a galaxy we are in. Not that long ago, all things considered. Yeah, that again...
00:30:54
Speaker
Star Wars has never been political. Nope, definitely not. And none of this is timely for the day that we are recording this episode or any time in the past few months.
00:31:08
Speaker
Or years. or For the foreseeable future. Yeah. But Padme is back speechifying in the Senate.
00:31:20
Speaker
My people are drafting an emergency appropriations bill that would raise funds. From the banking clan? Yes, of course. Do you have an alternate means of paying?
00:31:32
Speaker
One alternative might be to stop the war, not escalate Traitor!
00:31:41
Speaker
Whoever attacked the power grid wants us to continue the fight. It's a calculated attempt to destroy the peace process. Not everyone in the Confederacy wants this.
00:31:52
Speaker
I know this for a fact. You have separatist friends, Senator? Whose side are you on?
00:32:02
Speaker
And then... And i I cut the clip off before then because it was kind of lengthy already. But... ah Palpatine gets a message like directly in the middle of the Senate that, uh, Mira Bonteri has been killed.
00:32:21
Speaker
Yep. And, you know it This is like a message directly from Count Dooku, and Dooku blames the Republic for it, escalating tensions even more.
00:32:33
Speaker
And now, before we move on, let's talk about how chilling that whole exchange in that clip was. Yeah. Yeah. Padme is saying, hey, how about we find a peaceful solution to this conflict and is called a traitor?
00:32:51
Speaker
immediately. and then we called situation of friend yeah And then she's like, but I know firsthand that separatists don't want this war any more than we do.
00:33:05
Speaker
Oh, do you have separatist friends? And that... The mood just turns instant. Yeah. It's a whole... That whole thing is just frightening and far too real.
00:33:23
Speaker
Oh yeah, definitely. And the next part that's far too real, Lauren. ah Well, you see, deregulation increases costs.
00:33:34
Speaker
What? I mean, you with the banks deregulated, the banking clan interest... that they're charging to the Republic jumps from 10% to 25%.
00:33:48
Speaker
And they're openly lending to the separatists for more battle droids too. Yep. You know, no deregulation couldn't possibly be a thing. And it couldn't possibly impact a lot of aspects of life in the Galactic Republic. No way. 25% interest.
00:34:07
Speaker
That's a lot of credits. The interest alone could completely bankrupt the Republic. As it is, social services have suffered because of this war. Education, infrastructure, health care.
00:34:19
Speaker
we go deeper into debt, the basic needs of our people will evaporate. This is good. It is. Clearly, taking out a loan on such obscene terms would essentially destroy the Republic, regardless of the outcome of the war.
00:34:33
Speaker
We only need to sway another handful of senators, as long as they don't buckle to the threats. What threats? Some members have received messages warning them not to vote against the bill.
00:34:45
Speaker
Considering what's happened to your friend Bontari, they're frightened.
00:34:51
Speaker
So yes, the war costs too much to be sustainable. But both sides will keep sustaining it. Yep. Good times.
00:35:03
Speaker
It's kind of a type of war economy. What? Some sort of military industrial complex? That's just more crazy talk, Nick.
00:35:15
Speaker
I know. i've have I took my crazy pills today. yeah And so there's... there's planned blackouts on Coruscant that leads to fear and attacks on the senators. I mean, the senators are being attacked openly in public by these bounty hunters.
00:35:39
Speaker
And Padme convinces Bail that he's the one that needs to speak out against the funding bill. He's you the... He's Jimmy Smits. he Yeah, he's Jimmy Smits. He's well-liked throughout the Senate.
00:35:54
Speaker
And she, lets let's put it this way, she's got the stink of that last clip we played, or two clips ago that we played, where everybody's like, oh, oh you want peace? You're a traitor.
00:36:08
Speaker
And you know separatists? Well, you can't be any good if you know separatists. It's not like they were a part of the government for so many years. Right. But she convinces him that he needs to be the one to deliver the message.
00:36:25
Speaker
And that who delivers the message is sometimes more important than what the message is. And unfortunately, she's not wrong.
00:36:38
Speaker
Especially in delicate situations like this, you need the right person say the message. Even if the message is correct. Or, you know, I'm not saying that this has ever happened in human history currently, but you the wrong message delivered by the right person can be very effective, too.
00:37:06
Speaker
Yeah. Equals and opposites. Heroes on both sides. Whoa. That was last episode, though. Yeah. I'm sensing a theme.
00:37:20
Speaker
but so yeah they They try to get some senators to at least listen to what Bale has to say. Yes, and there's one Senator Christo who is willing to listen. But interestingly, I almost put a note about this scene myself, and I need to try to remember what it was, that um he makes a point about himself and Senator Anno that, no, I'm concerned about my constituents.
00:37:52
Speaker
And then, you know, Anno makes make ah comment. Well, wea when was the last time that you talked to any of your constituents? And then Christo turns it right around to say, like, well, probably the last time you talked to yours.
00:38:09
Speaker
Oh, boy. Nice. And so that meeting ends and. And next up, Padme goes and she takes a walk. But then she's attacked and she has a small knife against a really big guy. Yeah. And that bounty hunter, it ends up in a speeder bike chase with Padme through the streets of Coruscant until she's stopped by the cops who the bounty hunter is nowhere to be seen. And Padme is like, I'm a senator. And they're like, no, stop where you are. And then she hightails it, too.
00:38:48
Speaker
And here is a moment where we descend into full-on, honest-to-goodness science fiction.
00:39:02
Speaker
What has happened to democracy? And why doesn't anyone seem to care?
00:39:09
Speaker
Well, you do. Forgive me, my lady. You're not like most politicians. If only that were enough, Tekla. Well, you actually talk to the people.
00:39:21
Speaker
People like me.
00:39:26
Speaker
Good night, my lady. Tekla.
00:39:31
Speaker
Tell me, how is your family? They are fine. How is the war affecting them? But it hasn't been easy. And it's only getting worse.
00:39:43
Speaker
How? Please, tell me. Tell me how it's getting worse.
00:39:51
Speaker
A politician actually talking to and listening to a common person? What? That's science fiction right there, my friends. Impossible. Completely impossible.
00:40:05
Speaker
Now, that leads directly to... Bale in the garage of, I guess the garage of yeah the Senate building being attacked by those same bounty hunters.
00:40:21
Speaker
and And we got a Organa punch! Yeah, he, you know, Jimmy Smits didn't voice him in this episode, but let me tell you, animated Bale Organa was channeling his inner Jimmy Smits.
00:40:36
Speaker
And one of the bounty hunters here is Chata Hiyoki. This bounty hunter is from Sokaf, of the planet Banan, which features heavily in the Legends video game Knights of the Old Republic.
00:40:48
Speaker
Oh, cool. And this is also where we learn that her hair was a hat! What? Honestly, that's exactly rather shocking to me, too. I believe it's because, and I think we even discussed it while we were watching the episode, that it's probably due to it being a 3D asset.
00:41:06
Speaker
Still weird, But yeah I guess it it does kind of make sense on how she quickly changes elaborate hairstyles so quickly. Yeah. It was like, it still was rather shocking to see it happen.
00:41:24
Speaker
is Yeah. And Bale... It was like a Lego piece being removed. Yeah. Bale is too injured...
00:41:35
Speaker
To go to the Senate and make the speech himself. And so he convinces Padme that despite the damage that was done to her reputation at the top of the episode, she has to be the one to deliver the speech.
00:41:53
Speaker
yeah Which she does. Tecla Mina.
00:42:04
Speaker
Tecla is one of my aides. Like so many of the people that we tell ourselves we're here to serve, Tecla lives in a district that rarely has electricity and running water as a result of the war.
00:42:19
Speaker
Her children can now only bathe every two weeks, and they have no light in which to read or study at night. the Republic has always funded these basic services.
00:42:32
Speaker
But now, there are those who would divert the money to the war with no thought for what the people need to survive. If not for people like Tekla and her children, who are we fighting for?
00:42:47
Speaker
My people, your people, all of our people. This war is meant to save them from suffering, not increase it. I support our brave soldiers, whether they come from the clone factories or from any of the thousands of systems loyal to the Republic. But if we continue to impoverish our people, it is not on the battlefield where Dooku will defeat us, but in our own homes.
00:43:17
Speaker
Therefore, it is our duty and our responsibility to preserve the lives of those around us. By defeating this bill.
00:43:31
Speaker
No, not applicable to modern day events at all. Yeah, now no, no. Star Wars is just a bunch of complete nonsense. It's never been related to any sort of real life politics.
00:43:43
Speaker
star wars Star Wars is just, you know, a bunch of, you know, it's it's a story about space wizards with laser swords for children. Complete escapist fantasy. You don't need to think about anything ever.
00:43:55
Speaker
Exactly. Now, there's a groundswell of support after Padme's speech.
Padme's Speech and Investigation
00:44:03
Speaker
and Palpatine's response is really ominous, but this emphasis that I'm about to give it is my own.
00:44:12
Speaker
For now, we must adhere to the principles of our democracy. and For now. And then we get the quote, let the wheels of the Senate turn.
00:44:25
Speaker
Yep. Palpatine's not, you know, not not a bad guy at all. Not at all. No, no, he's perfect. He's wonderful. He's a kindly old man. Very kindly. Very old.
00:44:36
Speaker
Very man.
00:44:39
Speaker
ah Definitely not trans at all.
00:44:44
Speaker
I mean, that would probably be preferable to how he looks in Return of Rise a Skywalker. Yeah. See, I have even the title of that one kind of blocked out of my head. um Anyway, that takes us on to the last episode we're going to be going over this time.
00:45:03
Speaker
Senate Murders, Season 2, Episode 15. Padme Investigates Senator Anaconda's Death. Yes, and we see that people believe in Padme.
00:45:15
Speaker
Yes, it's almost like you know they tailored the previous episode to go with an episode and dovetail nicely into an episode that aired a year later.
00:45:30
Speaker
give me earlier. year earlier. we're We're going backwards in time as far as yeah states go. Yes, we we have a TARDIS. Wabbly, wobbly, timey-wimey.
00:45:42
Speaker
Stuff. oh But Padme makes another rousing speech against escalating the war, and one of the other senators warns her that speeches like that are unpatriotic.
00:46:00
Speaker
Uh-oh. Make the galaxy great again! Unpatriotic indeed. Let's go back to the High Republic era. Everything was never wrong.
00:46:12
Speaker
And admittedly, the Jedi had way cooler cloaks. They did, and I mean, you know, I don't know, was was it better or worse that the galaxy's biggest problem at the time was ah gang of intergalactic bikers with delusions of grandeur? Mm-hmm. I'm not saying... Make Star Wars... Make make the galaxy of the High Republic again! in cool robes!
00:46:42
Speaker
So yeah, Padme, she's being seen as a separatist sympathizer. And I actually think that in this case, the chronological order actually helps that make more sense.
00:46:54
Speaker
Considering that had a whole episode where she visited her separatist friend. And then there was the whole, you have separatist friends moment in the previous episode where people seeing her as a separatist sympathizer, that it provides context that helps that moment stand out better, I think.
00:47:12
Speaker
I can see that point of view where my counterpoint would be that I find it... I don't know what word I'm looking for.
00:47:22
Speaker
I find it more... it gives a better sense of the kind of paranoia that they were playing with, with that line that we were just talking about, about, you know, that kind of speech is unpatriotic, that the mere fact that they were trying to find, she and Bael and Mon Mothma and the rest were trying to find a nonviolent, peaceful way to end the war.
00:47:56
Speaker
was enough for people to say, oh, well, you're just a a separatist sympathizer. hi I like that thematic, just the fact that they're looking for a nonviolent end is enough to make people well glance at them sideways, because that kind of thing certainly isn't happening on the streets as we're recording this.
00:48:20
Speaker
Oh, yeah, no, definitely not. But here's where, here's how that accusation happens in this episode.
00:48:29
Speaker
Truly, you have turned the tide.
00:48:34
Speaker
My dear, you were brilliant. Thank you. But perhaps we should wait till we actually win the vote before we make a victory speech. What a novel idea.
00:48:46
Speaker
Imagine that. Amidala's actually making sense for once in her life. Senator Bertone, this is a private conversation.
00:48:57
Speaker
Private conversation or separatist conspiracy? How dare you! We are not pro-separatist. We want to end the war. Committing more troops to the front lines will not allow diplomacy to resume.
00:49:11
Speaker
Diplomacy failed the Republic long ago.
00:49:15
Speaker
Now, one thing, I don't have it in my notes here, but one thing that after that clip ends, Anno points out to the Kaminoan senator that production of the Clone Army bought Kamino a seat on the Senate.
00:49:36
Speaker
Mm-hmm. So, going back to a point that we were talking about earlier, Banks have a seat on the Senate. They're represented in the Senate.
00:49:48
Speaker
A corporate conglomerate is represented in the Senate. And manufacture a manufacturer of war materials and soldiers is represented in the Senate.
00:50:03
Speaker
Well, you know, corporations are people too. Yeah. They deserve representation.
Real-World Parallels in Star Wars Politics
00:50:10
Speaker
It's just one of those things that as you step back and take a look at it, ah going back to the original novelization of the first Star Wars movie, there's some background on how the Republic transitioned into the Senate.
00:50:27
Speaker
And it's further fleshed out in the original D6 RPG game. And rent b six rpc game and What's kind of interesting is that a lot of this was a lot of what was in that novelization was done away with by Lucas when he did the prequels and Clone Wars.
00:50:46
Speaker
But the Senate was already rotten and corrupted from within. Yes. And... Palpatine was presented in this background as having been basically a naive junior senator who was corrupted by various forces within the Senate who used him as a means to an end to kind of become a puppet leader of the Senate and then become
00:51:24
Speaker
everything devolved into the empire and he became what they set him up to be for real. And so it's a rather interesting, I, I understand why Lucas went the route that he did when the prequels were made, but it also, it was almost a juicier, meatier concept that we saw in that original novelization that almost wish that we could see that version of the star Wars history as opposed to what is you the actual story.
00:52:08
Speaker
Yeah. But in a way, his revising still keeps a lot of the elements of it because it's very much similar to the, the fall of Rome and was yeah updated to more recent,
00:52:24
Speaker
and developments at the time when he was writing the prequels. Right. It reflects certain other different view views and ways on how certain elements were growing.
00:52:35
Speaker
Right. um And just basically, it turned him from being the puppet into the puppet master, which is fine. As an ongoing villain, he needs to be more active and yeah And needs to be the puppet master.
00:52:52
Speaker
But I just always thought that that was an interesting take. But anyway, yeah after they toast their victory, after the Kaminoan senator leaves, Ono falls dead. dead oh no! There goes Senator Ono, who first appeared in Season 1, Episode 8, Bombad Jedi.
00:53:13
Speaker
Excelsior. There goes... you know Oh no there goes Senator Ono. Go-go Zillow Beast. So then it cuts to Anno's body being shuttled off to Rhodia for whatever funeral rites Rhodians have.
00:53:32
Speaker
And as it's been around... I was almost thinking more Ferengi. But I don't know. I don't know. I don't know why I was thinking Ferengi. There's nothing about Rodians that is particularly Ferengi-like. Rodians are like aquatic, right?
00:53:50
Speaker
They're aquatic. They're also a hunter species. maybe Maybe they do like sort of a Viking funeral sort of thing. I can see that. I can see that. They can see that they're the weird monster that Jar Jar made friends with. Yeah, yeah. yeah um As they're going around the platform, there's this random...
00:54:10
Speaker
Duchess Satine cameo. And all I can wonder is, is she there just because it's an existing animation model of a noble?
00:54:21
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong. I like Satine as a character. I like the design of Satine. It's just like, why is she here? Yeah.
00:54:33
Speaker
Yes, and then we get a the investigator, who I believe is the one who says, there's no time for time. Yeah, he's a Weasley guy. he He has extreme ego.
00:54:45
Speaker
And he he's fun. i like him. it's He's sort of that, he's the ultimate, like, the detective that has, he's kind of the Clouseau, he's kind of the Lestrant to Sherlockies.
00:55:02
Speaker
He's bumbling, but you can always understand that he's doing it by the book. He's one of those know-nothing, know-it-alls. Yeah. And as a result of his um vibes, Padme goes on to do her own investigation.
00:55:21
Speaker
And as she's investigating, goes... Which again, some of the proofs that she is destined for Anakin. Yeah. The minute he sees authority figure, it's like, and I am not going to listen to them.
00:55:34
Speaker
Right. And as she's doing her own investigation, she accuses those more hawkish senators of Anno's murder.
00:55:44
Speaker
And gee, i I wonder if that focus on the droid pouring drinks might be significant. It's been a while since we've done this joke, guys. Foreshadowing is a literary device. Yeah.
00:55:57
Speaker
Sometimes it's more subtle than you think. Yeah. Yes. And so as she does her investigation, she ends up in an intimidating red room.
00:56:09
Speaker
Yes, with one of the with one of the many hawkish, and believe it's the Kaminoan leader. And it's sort of very... It's like, all right, they... They want... I think it's like a deliberate call-out to being a red herring.
00:56:26
Speaker
In my opinion. It's just like, the room's too evil. It's too evil. yeah It looks too much like David Lynch designed it. It's like, alright, either we're getting some sort of weird cryptic clue, or this is a red herring.
00:56:44
Speaker
And yeah, then we see Organa on edge. And... i don't I don't fully remember what Organa was doing in this episode. He's just kind of nervous.
00:56:56
Speaker
yeah Again, it would make sense. he He used all of his power and had one Organa punts last time. Yeah, yeah, true. Yeah, he did. And, you know, remember, he he was too weak to even stand and and go to the Senate to make the speech. Mm-hmm.
00:57:11
Speaker
And so, yeah, and then there's a dockyard chase, which is a little underwhelming, actually. It was. It was... I understand that they wanted to add some action into this the episode. but It is Star Wars, after all.
00:57:26
Speaker
But i honestly, like it's not badly choreographed. I don't know if it's just too short or too abrupt. Yeah, yeah, it's definitely one of those. It's probably one of those.
00:57:38
Speaker
I can see what they were doing, but it's like, we just don't have enough time. And the mystery part is just is a way better done than than the action thing. Mm-hmm. and then And then we got this one quote.
00:57:50
Speaker
My friend was murdered. I don't have to care about rules. Yeah, you've definitely been around Anakin too long. Yep. i yeah Honestly, considering the last one of the best episodes we watched, finishing up the last season, and we finished... ah Yeah, that's Anakin's opinion of everything.
00:58:11
Speaker
You know, I've been calling Anakin Reimu-coded from Toho, but in this episode, Padme is definitely Marissa-coded. so you know, clearly the two are definitely, they're meant for each other.
00:58:21
Speaker
Yes. Yes. I understand these references now. Yes, yes, you get it now, Nick. you you You know about the Tohos. Mm-hmm. So, yes. And then we have Senator Dietschy stabbed.
00:58:37
Speaker
Yes. And ah around shortly after that, too, Anno's fellow Rodian senator, Lolo, comes running around the corner saying that the Kaminoan senator jumped her.
00:58:51
Speaker
Oh, no. And I'm like, Okay, that just sounds hilarious to me because the Kaminoans look like a stiff breeze could knock them over. And this particular Kaminoan is hunched over and walks with a cane.
00:59:05
Speaker
She's very, very clearly but pri presented as being elderly. Yeah, like she ah she always has this like really shaky vibe to her. Yeah. And just the general of them looks like if you just karate chop them on the neck, which is like 90% of them.
00:59:23
Speaker
Now, this brings the investigator and everyone to the Kaminoan senator's room or office. And everything starts to get spelled out. you know He's gotten an analysis report back from basically from Anno's autopsy.
00:59:44
Speaker
And it turns out that he was killed by a Kaminoan poison that only affects Rodians. And so you're a Kaminoan. You have access to this poison. And you didn't like Anno. So that's your motive.
00:59:57
Speaker
And you it only affected him. So you have the means with that poison. But then you remember that very convenient shot from earlier of the droid pouring the drinks.
01:00:09
Speaker
Yes. And then it occurs to Padme, well, he It couldn't have been that, because if all of our drinks were poisoned, it would have killed Lolo, too. But wait a minute.
01:00:22
Speaker
Lolo didn't drink. Rhodian betrayal. It's like, yeah. Classic Detective Simmation and the guilty party confesses. Murder she wrote.
01:00:35
Speaker
Is it... Spoiler alert, Jessica Fletcher was a serial killer who used her skills as a mystery writer to frame other people for her crimes. you cant says but There's only so many murders that could happen in that small town.
01:00:51
Speaker
Tell me about it. Tell me about it. Then we we get the bad news, Padme gets the bad news, that the bill to stop production of more clones has failed.
Depth in Antagonist Characters
01:01:03
Speaker
And so more clone troops will be created. continue the clone wars will going yoda mode in there huh and then that brings us to the end of this three-part arc that the final part it aired a year before parts one and two yes so what did you think of this senatorial intrigue arc lauren ah You know, I think that one thing is the idea of giving the separatists some actual characters to care about is definitely good.
01:01:42
Speaker
i think that I'm definitely going to have a lot more to say about this ah during a later episode where giving the antagonist side, giving the dark side characters to actually relate to so that it's not all just pure black and white.
01:01:58
Speaker
It's an important dynamic because for a lot of this era of Star Wars, Lucas was clearly wanting it to make it so that the Jedi are not all good. that They're, they're, you know, that they're, they're, they're doing, they're doing some shady stuff themselves, but they're always up against the infinitely more evil, you know, other side, whether it's the dark side users, whether it's the, the separatists, you know, it's,
01:02:27
Speaker
It's not, it's almost black and white. It's gray and black. And so I think that adding some gray to the black side as well, giving, making it so that they're not all evil.
01:02:38
Speaker
I think that's an important dynamic for the ultimate message that they're going for with a lot of this. Again, like going back to like why I harped on like when I was a kid and watched these attack prevented as if in theaters,
01:02:55
Speaker
I was baffled by that line of heroes on both sides. It's like, um, no. One side is the bad guys. Very clearly and like 90% of the media I'm looking at.
01:03:14
Speaker
There is a definitive bad guy side. Not anymore, there isn't. Nope, not anymore. So that literally was like, baffled me the whole time. it was like Especially because that's the movie that introduced us to General Grievous.
01:03:31
Speaker
The baddest, like, bad guy, bad guy was the bad guy name. but But he was a hero on the other side, Nick. He was a hero. it just like It took to this episode and the Clone Wars series to really be like, okay, now that line's starting to make sense.
01:03:51
Speaker
Yep. yeah I think those are my thoughts. Yep. a much more For me, anyway, a much more engaging set of episodes than the ones that we looked at last time around. But, you know, it happens.
01:04:04
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. And it's a it's a seven yeah season long series. Not every arc is going to be. they're They're not all going to be bangers. And it was just luck of the draw that the episodes we looked at last time were just all in a row that just had me going, okay.
01:04:25
Speaker
But I will say this, this does put to bed like when people are like, oh, no one likes the prequels for the for the Senate bits. This is all Senate bits, and it's done better than any of the prequels did it.
01:04:37
Speaker
Oh yeah, way better. People complain that Phantom Menace, what's exciting about the taxation of trade routes? Shall I mention the word tariffs, my friends?
01:04:50
Speaker
No! And the drama that is going on outside our windows right now over that very subject? Mm-hmm. May i offer you an egg in this trying time?
01:05:02
Speaker
but how Nick, you're going to have to sell your house and your kidneys for one egg, please. Ha ha ha ha ha. But that is this batch of episodes for us.
01:05:17
Speaker
I think we are good to call it a wrap unless either of you have any final thoughts about this arc. I think I'm um good ye Well, then hopefully everyone has enjoyed this episode and our thoughts on these episodes of Clone Wars.
01:05:36
Speaker
And we'll join us next time. ah Just teasing out a little bit in the near future, um one of our next episodes, we are going to take a slight break from Clone Watch as the next Marvel movie, Thunderbolts, ding, comes out.
01:05:59
Speaker
And... We'll be taking a look at that. i know that Nick and I are going to be talking about it. Lauren, you are more than welcome to join us. And we will reach out to others of our our our little dysfunctional circle to see if they are interested in participating in in that discussion about Thunderbolts.
01:06:18
Speaker
Ding! i don't have the sound effects set up yet. Mm-hmm. To indicate the asterisk. And then we will dive back into co Clone Watch and go through more batches of episodes and have a roaring good time as Star Wars continues to not be political at all.
01:06:39
Speaker
Yep, yep. Never political. Not at all. Until then, as always, I'm Daryl. I'm Nick. And I'm Lauren. And thank you for joining us on Casual Nerdity.
01:06:54
Speaker
This has been Casual Nerdity. We hope you've enjoyed your time with us and look forward to having you back.