Transcript
Speaker: All right. Welcome back, everybody. Welcome back. As always, I am Daryl. And I'm Lauren. And I'm Nick. Are you sure? I'm fairly certain. Well, I mean, I might be, I mean, I could be replaced. But is that really Nick? I could be replaced by my evil altered alternate count of eight. The Nick who does math.
Speaker: Or maybe he's been replaced by something that will be relevant later in this episode. Maybe. and Maybe. Who knows? Well, um we are here as always on our Clone Watch series of episodes here on Casual Nerdy.
Speaker: Taking a look at the Clone Wars animated series, and why are we doing that, Lauren? Because this is my first time watching the series! What?! Yeah! Well, and and then there are there are people like me who have have watched it once or twice and can barely remember what happened in most of the episodes except for a handful of favorites.
Speaker: And then there are people like Nick who remember every last sentence uttered on every single episode and every evening of animation. and You gave me way too much credit. Yeah, he only remembers every third line. Oh, okay. ah That makes more sense. That is that is much more reasonable.
Speaker: Anyway, I am a very reasonable fan, very reasonable interest in the Star Wars franchise. Totally. I am so glad we are not in the same room because I don't want the lightning to hit me too.
Speaker: And of course, we have a particular order that we're watching these episodes in. Yes. What is that order, Nick? Oh, it's it's just the proper order.
Speaker: It is the is the chronological order which you can view down below so on the official Star Wars .com page and you can follow along with us instead of the release order which is a bit jumbled. And watching it in chronological order proves that between you and the evil twin that can do or the twin that can do math, you are the evil twin.
Speaker: but
Speaker: Spoiler alert, that's the story art that's going on in the background. Oh, yeah. at Nick, you you swore that you have never, even though you're subscribed to it, have never watched the Patrick H. Willems YouTube channel. but you're stealing that entire storyline that he did during COVID. Nice. Anyway, this time around, we'll be looking at the next five episodes in the Clone Wars, which make up a single five -part storyline, starting in Senate spy season two, episode four, landing at point rain season two, episode five,
Speaker: Weapons Factory, Season 2, Episode 6, Legacy of Terror, Season 2, Episode 7, and Brain Invaders, Season 2, Episode 8. What do you know? It's just the the straightforward episodes. No jumping around at all. I would hope so, considering it's a five -part storyline. but but Anyway, so first up, Senate Spy, Season 2, Episode 4.
Speaker: At the Jedi High Council's request, Padme investigates a separatist conspiracy in the Senate. And hi I say this quite often as we go over these episodes. I had totally forgotten how often the show skipped any pretense of setup and just let the newsreel intro say, oh, this is happening. Yeah, some sometimes episodes just happen.
Speaker: i mean this is It's one of the biggest in case of like, it sets up the entire arc, but it's also like, not the most egregious because where it's like, especially the pirate episode where it's like, oh, Anakin and I wanted to capture it off screen. Yeah. yeah yeah So not as egregious, but still like, it's the entire arc hinges on like, yeah, this happened.
Speaker: So and now we have to deal with that. Yep. So yes, in this episode, Anakin and Padme are actually having chemistry. Right. we We open with them in some domestic bliss, and I actually kind of believe them as a couple here. It's like it's a miracle. Look, no shade thrown at Natalie Portman, who is an amazing actor, and Hayden Christensen, who has truly come into his own since being cast as Anakin. And and he was that he still had some chops. But they just had zero chemistry. Yeah. i didn't It didn't help what the topics of discussion were in those scenes.
Speaker: Padme, I just massacred an entire group of people, including the women, and the children! And the children, Oh, well, baby, I love you. but but Now, Lauren, I know that you're aromantic, as you've mentioned. You know, asexual, but yeah.
Speaker: Either way, that's that's how it works. Yeah. Genocide. Genocide is the way to Olwen's heart. Oh, okay. So it's a good thing I'm maybe sexual, then. I don't have to do genocide. Exactly. I mean, that's why I'm single. ah I mean, I've been married for 23 years, so I think the statute of limitations has expired. Understandable. Yeah, the the the the genocide is all done and gone.
Speaker: But i I do love the look that Obi -Wan throws. you know When they're they're trying to you know explod get Anakin on board with recruiting Padme for this undercover mission, because you know as Mace puts it, Padme and Clovis had been good friends. And the look that Obi -Wan shoots Anakin. Well, Lord, we've recently went through a certain series where a group of characters said they were just friends. yes we A series about friendship and magic and ah two background characters said they were just friends. Well, we know what they were saying. Yes, of course. I mean, we all know, especially with the emphasis that Mace put on it and and the look that Obi -Wan gives, yeah. oh yeah we We all know what that means. But just giving ah the fact that
Speaker: that such a terminology transcends franchises. And if you consider, you know Clovis and Padme went into the Senate at the same time. Padme went into the Senate after her two two -year terms as Queen of Naboo were up. She was 14 when she was elected Queen. So she was an 18 -year -old. She had wants. She had needs.
Speaker: help she But Anakin had a 10 -year -old. The Ritz. Diddy, though. Diddy. According to Padme, yes, apparently. Well, I mean, you know, she didn't she didn't really...
Speaker: He didn't do the genocide till he was 19. And that's when she fell. then it that me up and yet like that's that That's what sealed the deal. Boarding that message to everyone here. It's like, if you want to get the girl, commit a genocide. This this podcast does not constitute legal or relationship advice.
Speaker: That said, you only have to do it if you're a guy. If you're a girl going for a girl, well, that's an entirely different matter that I'm sure we'll get to later. I'm pretty sure that that causes like two genocides. But that the domestic bliss then turns into squabbling as indeed as they discuss this potential mission here. Because Padme had turned the Jedi down before. And so they they were putting pressure on Anakin like, yeah yeah you You're friends with with with ah Senator Amidala. Maybe you can convince her. And Obi -Wan's like, yeah, you're good friends with Padme. Why don't you convince her to do it? And so we've got some Anakin jealousy and some Padme spite. And Anakin pulling out the line, you know duty comes first, especially in war.
Speaker: doesn't just come back to bite him later in the episode, but it's another example of the Jedi losing their way after being pressed into military service. But that jealousy and spite continues, and it escalates, and Anakin's like, I'm not gonna let you do it. And Padme's like, you're not gonna let me? It's like, oh, oh, oh, Anakin, just - stop just stop stop no no no good comes from that phrase yep and i'm just saying like then also i've been remembered like oh wait episode two is entirely red flags oh it was so red flag oh yeah maximum red maximum flag
Speaker: And so, yeah, then she goes with Clovis to another planet to ah to to figure out what's going on with the spies. And I believe that's around the time that we learn about Lord Poggle. Yep. Poggle the Lesser. Yep. Mm hmm. Lesser Pogging. He is he is Lord Poggle the Beta. Yeah.
Speaker: And Daryl, I get the feeling you probably don't understand what's funny about this. but i ah Other than, you know, Alf being back in POG form, remember Alf Bart? No. But I think yeah work we're vibing on it. Yeah, we're we're vibing on this one. In any case, there's there's something about Clovis here, about that you want to say, Bill? Yeah, yeah ah it wasn't really great.
Speaker: then when the episode aired. But now with a modern lens, Clovis' advances toward pasme towards even ickier. It's like, yeah. Yeah. And again, I don't even, did they imply his age? He seems like he was like a and senior to her junior.
Speaker: Well, I mean, they entered that they entered the Senate at the same time, but he does seem older than her. And she was particularly young for a queen, let alone a Senate. Yeah, like like we were just saying, she was she would have been 18 when she entered the Senate. ah So, yeah. It's not impossible for their ages to be reasonable, but probably not. Yeah.
Speaker: um But either way, it how it's portrayed is neutral. Part of how she was in the Senate so young is that the incoming queen of Naboo is like, okay, the people wanted to amend our constitution so you could have another term. So why don't you serve in the Senate since the people like you so much? yeah She was basically appointed. Yeah.
Speaker: So, yeah. But Padme goes, you know, she does some shenanigans. She finds the plans for the droid factory. Don't forget 3PO is here. Oh, yeah. Sure is in the episode. 3PO is there and no one - And to reassert to reer you, Lauren, 3PO will survive. No way. But Padme finds the plans. She gets the disc to Anakin.
Speaker: literally throwing herself at Clovis to do so. Because he's like, oh, its oh give me your hand. She's got a drink in one hand and the disc hidden behind her back in the other. He's like,
Speaker: give me your hand. And she's like, uh, we throws herself out. Yeah. So that she can, and Anakin is watching this and it's like, what was she, he's, he's clearly jealous still, but it's like, what was she supposed to do? Yeah. yeah subtiuse This is This is spy craft. What was she supposed to do? And she's like waving the disc at him like here.
Speaker: take it so that I can get so that I can stop, you know. Meanwhile, he's just like my woman, my rival. Oh, no. So he he you know uses the force to to grab the desk and pulls it over to him. Also, I don't think you actually mentioned this, but ah she's poisoned right now. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The the drink is poisoned. Yes.
Speaker: She has been poisoned. This is a pretty big plot point. I don't think he realized he's been poisoned yet, or at least the effects haven't happened. Yeah, the effects happened in a minute when for for a second I thought that she was laying it on really thick because he starts putting moves on her again and she's like, I'm not feeling so well. I'm not feeling so well and passes. i At first I thought that she was just doing the whole Oh, oh, I have the vapors. And swo this one, this this one, the rarity, as you know, for my pony. Yes. Yes. The fainting. I'm quite familiar. It's like, but no, it's like, no, she's actually feeling the vapors. Uh -huh. Yeah. So she, she is poisoned. And Clovis actually cares. He's like, yes. Medic! His interest in her is sincere.
Speaker: But it's sincere, but is it good? No, it's not good. But ah he's he's not faking it, at least. Because you know and we we know we know that it's not his first name, but come on, is his first name Chad?
Speaker: ah Because cause he's very much a Chad. Exactly. His first name is Russ. Yeah.
Speaker: That's basic for that bias will be the Star Wars equivalent of Chad Clovis ah And so yeah, he he he generally cares for Padme but He's ah he's in deep with the sharks. Yeah, he still gives me the ick. Yep. Oh, yeah, no doubt. I have ick and but the alternative is I Anakin. He does risk himself to save her though. Whenever ah he pulls a gun out on the... Who does he pull a gun out on? ah buddy On Yeah. In order to get the antidote. Yeah, he he does. and you
Speaker: and Anakin, he can't be bothered to to get the disc back to their ship. himself because he's too busy being jealous and worried about Padme passing out. So he gives the disc to R2. Yes, R2 gets the data, as he tends to do. And so you know he Clovis does pull a blaster on LotDod demanding the antidote. So okay, that's a good thing, I guess.
Speaker: um but and they they get the uh the antidote so they're taking her on back to the ship but uh Anakin just uh leaves Clovis behind he's like yeah bye thanks for helping but thanks for helping hopefully don't kill you too bad bye because it's not like you've Devon revealed there's a double trader and in enemy territory. And so it's really, especially for, again, this is still a kid's show. We have a lot of, we have a double tree. We've got a lot of gray area here because Anakin is really jealous of Clovis and leaves him behind. Even though Clovis genuinely prioritized Padme,
Speaker: asber As he did have feelings, and even if those feelings may not have been returned, he cared for her enough to risk his life and enough to pull a weapon on the unlocked yard, who is like the head of the traitor innovation, a huge organization. And then Anakin just leaves Clovis to the Nemordians. Yup! Like, bye!
Speaker: yeah like it's not even like it's like okay best case he's in prison worst case he's gunned down right there and from odds are gunned down right there and there's no indication of what that fate is and when Padme wakes up and the kid does not give any reassurances or like what happened to him yep it's like you we're safe it's like Could you be a fly on the wall for that conversation? So where's Clovis? About Clovis. he's Very dead. You are safe now. Yep. He helped and he's dead now. so Sleep, sleep, sleep pattern. ah You need to sleep now. So they the Republic now has the plans for
Speaker: foundry Yes, on Geonosis. So that takes us to the next episode. Something I'd like to point out is that this episode, um going on to the next several episodes, the next several episodes are all very directly connected to each other. But this one feels pretty disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Like, this could have theoretically been plans for just about anything.
Speaker: and totally thin going forward the plans that they get could have like they could have just already had the plans you know what i mean so like yeah last episode we were talking about how okay we we totally skipped the setup and let the newsreel take care of it this time we got the setup yeah we got we played out in terms of like of a role -playing game system like Instead of me, like, here's the mission from like, uh, like high command. Yeah. You played it out. And that's it. Yes. It's a smaller, more intimate, like two player session, but you got the, so that's going to make it kind of influence the next arc in terms of a role -playing scenario way of explaining things. And they, they clearly you wanted to have some.
Speaker: you know interpersonal Padme, Anakin stuff. and you know maybe maybe poke at some jealousy, maybe keep the audience you reminded that, oh yeah, yo they're secretly married. um And they - But also we're going to a hugely action -heavy arc. Yeah. And this is a more like intrigue character driven one. Yeah, like um almost everything that happens in these ah in this episode here isn't relevant for any of the episodes coming up.
Speaker: only that the information that is given, but a lot of character development and thought about the characters is given. But it's entirely set up for a larger action heavy arc. Yes. Which picks up with Landing at Point Rain, season two, episode five. Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi -Wan, and Kiari Mundi lead a landing party to destroy a droid factory on Geonosis. Oh yeah, I did make a note of it, but I would say that this is basically ah the ah storming of the beaches of Normandy, Star Wars style.
Speaker: And so yeah, Poggle is pogging from getting his new factory. Even though he's the lesser. Yes. And he is lesser pogging. And we we have what I believe is the Clone Wars series introduction of Kiyori Mundi, the final - No, actually. The final arbiter of all Star Wars canon. Mm -hmm. Quote, unquote.
Speaker: And that's just, you you know, Lauren, that I like digging at at the Grognards. Yeah. um So I kind of have with that, but I'm not as aggressive as him. But so when the acolyte, when the acolyte TV series came out earlier this year, the usual suspects lost their ever loving minds. Oh, boy. Because In The Phantom Menace, Kiadi Mundi's one line,
Speaker: is the Sith have been extinct for a millennium. So the Acolyte, which is set about 100 years before um the prequel movies. And we're gonna get to that probably. Yeah. Because now I just realized that I'm cursed with dragging you through Star Wars lore. Short version, it involves the Sith in that time period 100 years before the co Clone Wars and the prequels and such. Yeah. And about halfway through the series, Kiyori Mundi shows up. Oh my goodness.
Speaker: Now it's important to note the scene that he's in. No one knows that Sith are involved, no one says the word Sith. And even though he exists, it's been known that he has a elongated lifespan. No, no, that was the other thing that they got mad about. i am Because so then they started complaining about, well, this destroys canon.
Speaker: Because if he's in the Acolyte, which deals with the Sith, how why would he believe that the Sith had been extinct for a millennium? And then they got bent out of shape because apparently there was a trading card from selling ride the trading car from some the galaxy trading card from some time during the prequel's release time.
Speaker: The galaxy was severe it was the galaxy's rain guard. That said he was like 78 years old or something. But here he is, a full fledged grown adult Jedi Knight, a hundred years before the prequels. Well, these people don't care about canon. One more piece, of course not. And the thing is, nobody, and I say this as someone one who kind of enjoyed the character before.
Speaker: Nobody cared this much about Kiyori Mundi. No one cared about Kiyori Mundi until like roughly around 2012. Well, even then, even then, nobody cared that much. Nobody was that invested until with the usual suspects could point to him and say, well, this proves Disney Star Wars bad.
Speaker: Of course, but her only like real The rest of the world what's interesting is the key automotive through episode three means in the early to mid 2010s But you know but back on track back on track Yeah, we then get one of my favorite things in the world sassy obi -wan. Mm -hmm describing the last time he was on Geonosis in Attack of the Clones when he was you held prisoner in the arena and and all of that. I love that. we episode you reference Honestly, I would say, like as I mentioned, to like once we get to the arena part of Attack of the Clones, that's when it gets good. And I think you'll agree with that. that that was That's it got. Really good.
Speaker: And then, and then everybody gets shot down. Yeah. And we've got some cool brown clone armor. yeah that yeah Wonderful armor. and been you But also we get to the meme of like, wait, is there any main characters in Name Jedi on our gunship?
Speaker: Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Now, I will say that that we go into a moment that sometimes Anakin seems like a genuine tactical genius and sometimes less so much a tactical genius. Have you located General Skywalker's position? We think he's somewhere along the eastern barrier. That's not a barrier. It's a fortress.
Speaker: Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into. What? Hey, it's not my fault. You were supposed to study the holomaps. I did! Remember when I reminded you about the Just get ready to climb.
Speaker: ands so got us to deal with the giant wall that she warned about yeah The amount of chaos, the explosions, the death. it's like Behind the fact that they're having like a casual conversation. No Star Wars, but also like...
Speaker: oh fascinating as like a dynamic. Yes. Yeah. And I just, I love that. I told you like when, when I said the giant wall, I love it. It was just, it was, it was wonderful. And it really proves it's like master and apprentice are literally sharing the brain cell. Yeah. Yes.
Speaker: and The Geonosians are actually kind of formidable here. Yeah. ah really like I really like the sound guns that they have. the Yeah, the sonic cannons are. Yeah, they look so cool. Yeah, that's always very, very cool. Both visual and I love, like, just kinetically, like, these sound like... well ah boom They also give an interesting mechanical element where they can't be deflected, like lasers. Right. um Now, back in the day,
Speaker: of the prequels and the Republic comic that was going on at the time, I kind of liked Kiyori Mundi. He it was pretty cool. i mean The comic was fleshing him out, giving him a personality, establishing you know some information about his homeworld and um you know stuff that was going to have to be hand -waved or retconned as we got further into the prequels.
Speaker: ah but then Clone Wars and current canon and he's kind of a dope. Yeah. Yeah, mean he's got two brains and he's got brains and no brain cells. He's got two brains, but Anakin and Ahsoka are using the brain cell right now. No, I would say like he's got two brains and in canon, his species, he's the only one in the Jedi Order is allowed to. Have sex, yes, because it's species not Nick.
Speaker: back that up a little bit. Oh, you're right. It's not, yeah you're making the same mistake that people made about angels prophecy in Buckland Angel. yeah right It's not sex that's the issue. It's attachment.
Speaker: Now, Kiyadi Mundi was the only Jedi allowed to be married. Yes. Because the the legends lore, and I'm still not sure if they've carried it over into Canada. They have not confirmed what canon lore is. Is that on his world there's ah there's a problem with underpopulation and the females of the species far outnumber the males of the species.
Speaker: And there is a, so they are a, there's a problem. There is a polygamist, they are a polygamist society where Kiadi Mundi has like four wives and a bunch of kids. Yep. And the, the women run the household. Um, but he was given special exemption by the Jedi because of the population crisis
Speaker: yeah but he's also a setdi master on the je i council so that kind of does allow some like
Speaker: i do feel it' like a part of like storytelling but i they they i'm ah i'm pretty sure that the I'm pretty sure that they just plain don't want to touch whether that is still canon or not, because if you look too much into that, then it yeah it opens up a whole can of worms about Anakin and Padme, whereas if they had just come to them and said, hey, it probably wouldn't have been that big of a deal.
Speaker: because there's a whole lot of ways like to interpret that but i do because because i personally i keep that as my personal canon because it gives like more flaws to the jedi order at this time because meanwhile you know a couple hundred years before in the high republic books right now we have two jedi masters who are full on saying like yep yep we're We're a couple. We're doing it. Yeah. Pardon us. We're going to go over here in this corner and make out for a little bit. Yep. And we are like Jedi masters. We're going to make. lack of merititarian Like really cool. Cool as the eye. But um so get' back on track. Yep. So we've got Anakin and Ahsoka throughout the fight pulling a Legolas and Gimli.
Speaker: keeping count of the number of enemies that they have taken out. And that's not really Jedi like? No, no, it's not. Again, they're defeating droids entirely. yeah This whole sequence. um the The only thing that's missing is you know when they when they blow up the wall, one of them should have said to the other that still only counts as one.
Speaker: ah but And of course, speaking of droids, we've got the Bubble Boys. Yeah. I know how much you love those guys. Yeah. I know you love your droidekas. The Bubble Boys are here, y 'all. But more importantly, like now, you know, the deal of them. Yes. And so that you got, you you know, the the you know, the secret that every other droideka doesn't want you to know. Yeah. Now, Nick, is it just me?
Speaker: Or is the way they get the explosives into that fortress something that one of our our RPG groups would pull? Like, here, hold you know the battle droids are coming up, and here hold this for me. I don't think you guys would have handled like the like the slow -move move grenade into like the Jordica. But tossing the grenades into like the like the Invader belts bringing up droids into that that's that's a movie And you're handing it to the droids guy. Here you go. Oh you guys would have like slammed it into was like for the comedic effect for me to like Honestly, I would still like there's two droids and like you'd slam it into it's like No, no, that's not for me. That's not for you. It's like oh, huh, huh? Oh, oh
Speaker: and that It would have been a comedy routine, but like I could see that you guys doing that. I would do something like that. Anakin and Ahsoka force Yeet Captain Rex. He is traumatized. Then they jump off the fortress and watching it, i could I could hear part of the beginning of Captain America, the Winter Soldier in my head, you know when he jumped out of the plane to get onto the ship.
Speaker: and so Was he wearing a parachute? No, he wasn't. He landed. He's like, don't do that again. yeah Rex was just like, you could have just told me to jump. Yeah. That man was traumatized. it like he He probably just went a couple of meters out and just like barfed.
Speaker: Now, I do really like that the animation in this episode does a really good job of replicating the sandy and dusty atmosphere of the battle at the end of Attack of the Clones. Yeah. It does a really good job of that. It it gives you that same feeling. In fact, if anything, it looks a little better. Honestly, again, and that does does influence my opinion of it because, yeah, I've spoken in my share to you there all about Attack of the Clones, but this, the Battle of Geonosis, one of the best sequences in the entire, it's easily one of the best sequences in the entire franchise. Oh, yeah. It's it's gorgeous. It's, eight and
Speaker: This second battle of Geonosis is amazing. It hits all of those points and makes it even, but it it builds off of that, but it does bring me back to that, to that strong moment. And again, like, you know that I have strong feelings about Attack of the Clones and it's not my favorite Star Wars movie, but this sequence,
Speaker: And this arc is, I like it. Yeah. And so we we end up then, Obi -Wan kind of wags his finger at Anakin and Ahsoka for tallying up their final score. Yeah. But then it turns out that Mundy had the biggest score of all. And he's like, so what do I win?
Speaker: It's like my effort my everlasting respect. Yes, yes. This is something very rare to win for Mannequin. And Kiati looks so crestfallen at that, like, that's it. yeah I don't even get a T -shirt. No. i know I know what I give him. if you may yeah but We can't put it on this.
Speaker: but Oh no, I didn't realize what this ah mechanism is, so I was winding it up. So that leads us then into the next episode. Yes. Weapons Factory, Season 2, Episode 6. Luminara and Anakin act as decoys to divert new enemy super tanks, while Padawan's Barris Offee and Ahsoka attempt to destroy a separate destroyed factory.
Speaker: now Right. It just it's a minor thing. The rest of this arc gives a give us, you know, really catchy episode titles that kind of give you the feel of what it's going to be this weapons factory. Mm hmm. Yep. Weapons factory. I'm kind of let down by the episode title. Oh, yeah. It's kind of a bit more complex, but also not as complex as it should be.
Speaker: you know I feel like this episode, this episode is where we really get into the arc. This is where I'd say at the arc truly begins with its like its themes and motives and like the point of the episodes. you know Again, i agree like like yeah the title, the ah themes that are being portrayed are ah not what's saying what is. it the The first episode was mostly unrelated. The second episode was basically just a big action sequence. But this episode, this is where like everything from here on outward is much more connected with each other overall. But I would say that also even the ah the sort of like introduction dialogue is, yeah even that's not proper.
Speaker: and so how much how deep we're gonna go with like the next couple episodes. Yeah. And so we we start off, Ahsoka is briefing the troops and Anakin keeps interrupting and apparently this is a pattern. And Ahsoka is very understandably upset about it. Yes, yes, she feels like Anakin is having doubts about her abilities. Yeah, and you know, it's a No, i've i'm I'm just trying to get it done right. It's like, but you're supposed to be teaching me. Mm hmm. How can I? How can I? Well, yes, I'm teaching you right how to do this briefing. By interrupting me. Yep. And then again, that's a fun fact if we don't have Obi -Wan here to yeah moderate.
Speaker: But then we do get the entrance of Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barris Offee. And they are much more by the book than Anakin and Ahsoka. Oh, yeah. They literally enter while Anakin and Ahsoka are bickering. And Barris is like, did they? Oh, man, when I first watched them, I was like, oh, I don't know if I like these guys.
Speaker: Oh. They feel like too stickler for the rules. Oh, no. That's why I did so. There's a thought for them. But, you know, we have to remember that, you know, Anakin never Anakin is a hot shot. So, yeah. Yeah. But ah that was my initial response when I watched it easily. Post watching that.
Speaker: I can now see it from Anakin's perspective and why this is where the conflict happens. Right. And speaking of Anakin in conflict, Lauren. Oh boy, Anakin's going to be a distraction. What? How can Anakin - He's so distracting.
Speaker: How can Anakin possibly be a distraction? I don't know. He's always so low key. It's going to be so difficult for him. Right? It's almost like he has some sort of like attachments to things. Yeah. And so yeah, as Anakin and the other Jedi Master, Luminara and Unduli are being the distraction, they're padawans, are the ones who enter the hive. Yeah. And as I was watching this, Stephanie came in the room, she's like,
Speaker: Padawans are going on the mission, but what could possibly go wrong with that? Yes, apparently Barris Offee has memorized all of the pathways in this very complex hive structure. Yes, which, you know, she's a good Padawan. Yup. yep see see sees she she know, with her purpose. She's she's actually yeah given stuff to do by her her master and takes it seriously.
Speaker: Yeah. where Whereas Anakin is like, let's go for a joyride. Yeah. And i really like I really like the way that Ahsoka and Barris have like conversations as they're going along, talking about their interactions with their masters. it's a Those two are really great together. The repertoire between them is brilliant, eden especially in this highly stressed scenario with one like I know what's going on. It's like, do you know what's going on? Do you know what what if something goes wrong? It's like, I know scenario the The way to kind of look at it is, you know while well we haven't been following Luminara and Barris throughout the Clone Wars, the impression that you get is that Barris has knowledge and Ahsoka has experience. Yes.
Speaker: And by comparison, the Vanara has pure trust.
Speaker: Anakin is attached to his padawan. Yes. To a more a Muslim degree. And we'll be getting much more into that later in the episode. Yes. But there's similar, like,
Speaker: Luenar is attached to Berus, but understands her and purpose. And so then, you know, we we have some more of your favorites, Lauren, we have some more droidekas. We've got the Bubble Boys, and this time we see that the rocket launcher beats Bubble Boys.
Speaker: And afterwards, back back inside again, as as ah Ahsoka and Barris are setting up bombs to destroy the factory. We've got Poggle who's pogging for super tanks. Yes, the Geonosians have super tanks. And they've got them inside the factory. So the the tactical droid. Yes, the tactical droid is handling the ones inside the factory and the tactical droid gets bombed. But that that leaves less bombs for actually destroying the factory. Right. And so
Speaker: Ahsoka and Barris don't have their bombs. They can't make it out, but they can use one of the super tanks to destroy the factory generator, but they won't be able to get out in time so that they they do it. Anakin's like, no, you need to just get out of there. Don't worry about the mission, but they do it and they're buried under rubble. Yes, Ahsoka is ready to give her life, but she does not give up.
Speaker: And so they you the whole thing comes crashing down. And they Luminara is like, well, yeah I don't feel them anymore. I guess they're gone. And Anakin's like, no, you we're not giving up on them. He refuses to. And she's like, if it's their time, it's their time.
Speaker: And, you know. But Ahsoka is actively working to prevent that time. She's. She she sends out basically Star Wars Morse code. Yeah. Well, also with her with trying to prevent the immense weight crossing down on them. And you know i I do like you. she She's definitely you picked up Anakin's kind of gallows humor um when you Barris says something about, you I'm not looking forward to starving to death down here. And it's like, oh, yeah, no, we would run out of air long before we starved. I i believe there's a side of it. It's mm -hmm.
Speaker: and they was really And so the signal gets out and Anakin and Luminara use the force, lift up all of the rubble and rescue their Padawans. Yes. The big force lift. But it is like an immense amount of effort. Oh, yes. From both sides. Add them as Padawans, like literally
Speaker: It's basically like sort of like pushing against like immense weight. and So then we we we get a little, you know, kind of heart to heart between Luminara and Anakin. I knew they were still alive. I told you we shouldn't give up on them.
Speaker: It's not that I gave up Skywalker, but unlike you, when the time comes, I am prepared to let my student go. Can you say the same?
Speaker: Yeah, I got so good. It's like, basically kind of like behind like, like, like exhausted, having to have like, hold up this is massive sieve load it just sort of collapsed into the arms of her savior yes and you know we know the unspoken answer to the question that luminara asked anakin there yeah no because as as we're seeing anakin to anakin is the kind of person that
Speaker: caused the Jedi to form rules against attachments. Ahsoka saved her friend that day. Yes.
Speaker: well
Speaker: Well... Say the line, Daryl. Which line? Which line, Nick? about foreshadowing. Well, did ah that's common because Ahsoka and Barris do make a good team and make good friends. ah And I'm sure that they will be like that for many years to come. Yeah. Foreshadowing is a literary device. We're going from the Yuri route, y 'all.
Speaker: and so that takes us into the next episode legacy of terror season two episode seven yeah When Luminara goes missing, Obi -Wan and Anakin lead a platoon of clones in search of her. When the search leads to a mysterious lair, the Jedi are faced with a horde of undead warriors. Oh, no. Spooky. Sounds pretty appropriate for the season. Yeah. It's zombie time. Oh, boy. So yeah, we're starting out with the search for Poggle. The lesser. He's not the alpha. No.
Speaker: And so then um you the big sandstorm hits on Geonosis. Yeah. And Storm takes out some droids, or at least a droid. I believe it's one of Poggle's droids. They end up getting caught as they're unable to follow him effectively. And you can hear you at the beat. ah That droid is not a character. Aww. Right. If he was, he would be a dead character. ye And then, yeah, Luminara, she comes across a creepy temple. Yep, and Luminara tracks Poggle through the sandstorm to that creepy temple. It kind of gives me, like, Exorcist 2 vibes. Like, anytime they deal with, like, Pazuzu. Nick, you are the I do not know the last time I heard any anyone make a reference to the Exorcist 2.
Speaker: the
Speaker: you are unique in that fashion um but how it's similar that has similar vibes to Exorcist one when they also encountered pet producer for the first time but definitely was more in Exorcist too well see I was thinking that you know with the carvings of a rumored Geonosian Queen that it was giving me some major alien vibes ultimately id say likey like major vibes once we get in there. It's alien vibes. Yeah. But it's sort of like Sandy location, the esoteric temple and sort of the sort of, if you see it, Exorcist 2, I feel like that would be a vibe. It's a horror vibe in general is what they're going for. I've heard that Exorcist 2 has a horrible vibe.
Speaker: yeah Nick, you need to get closer to the microphone again. You're cutting out. Okay. Good. Still quiet. yeah you're you're you're still You still sound like you're way far away. Good. Okay, that sounds better. That's a little better. Okay. um and so Then they they come across Zombie Geonosians. Yes, it's the episode has gone to full horror mode.
Speaker: and obbi as As must always happen in a a horror project pretty much since Scream, someone has to explain the rules, and Obi -Wan explains the rules of the zombies here.
Speaker: What were those things? We couldn't kill them. I've heard stories of a Genosian hive mind so powerful, so strong that it can maintain its connection with its warriors even after they have died. And you think that's why we couldn't kill them? Because they're... Already dead. Yes. That can't be true. That's impossible! Impossible or not, these creatures keep moving after we cut them up or shoot them down.
Speaker: and ah This is very fascinating, egg and I have some so theories, but that will come into like later episodes. and Yeah, and we we get the rules there. We also get you know a nice little you know minor Empire Strikes Back callback. That's not true. That's impossible. um And we get some more you know Anakin and Obi -Wan banter. The only reason I didn't pull a clip is I didn't want to play a clip right after a clip. But Obi -Wan says, I make observations while you think with your lightsaber. Which you're not wrong, Obi -Wan. And there's a bit of a double entendre there. Yeah. Yeah. It's subtle, but if you smell subtle in like 50 -foot letters in fire. And once again, you're not wrong, Obi -Wan.
Speaker: So yeah, they end up, ah they make it to the queen and Obi -Wan is very curious about these worm creatures. Oh, he's very, very, very interested. He's like, disturbingly interested. ah It's kind of like, I'm not sure if it's in character or out of character for him hit to be like, this like,
Speaker: granularly interested yeah i'm not entirely sure i don't know what we want as well as either of y 'all do how do y 'all feel about that it just it seems especially under the circumstances it just seems really odd it seems really really odd i see oh i'll give my opinion obi once he's like a freak in this especially when he says like Come on, again. What do you think? Ear or nose? Oh, yes. Yeah. And then that's when I was like, OK, that's that's a bit too far for curiosity. And so the queen gives a description of how the brain worms work that sounds a lot like Star Trek's Vulcan mind meld ritual. you know
Speaker: my mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts, sounds very much like that. And Anakin kind of hopes that the secret of how the worms control minds is buried with the queen. you know he's gonna he he won He wants to tear it all down and bury it all with the queen. And I'll say it again, we we say this a lot, foreshadowing is a literary device.
Speaker: yeah it's it's ah It's time for Anakin genocide number two. He's getting awfully good and comfortable with the genocides. He's killing everybody.
Speaker: he's he that there's There's definitely ah nothing bad is going to come out of that. No, not at all because they they have wiped everything out and there's nothing else to do. yeah The brain worms are gone. Yep, they're all gone.
Speaker: And they killed the queen, which apparently is like the source of G &S and society. So, whoops. They're gonna die. So everybody, let's go home. i'll Nothing to see here, nothing more to see. Everybody go home. And Obi -Wan is very disappointed. I wanted to bring a brain worm home. Well, he might be in luck because then the next episode,
Speaker: comes up which is Brain Invaders season 2 episode 8 when Geonosian brain worms take control of their supply ship Ahsoka and Barris must battle to stop the vessel from unleashing the deadly plague upon the galaxy. You know I feel like this episode is really what the this arc has really been I feel like this arc is really built up to this episode but mostly specifically episodes ah like six and seven Because the episodes 4 and 5, they don't have much to do with this episode. but yeah important classic They're classic fight scenes and establishing scenes for a big battle. yeah but like But these last couple of scenes have been like building to this episode. Yes, yes, like these these three episodes here with ah six, seven, eight, these are definitely directly connected. You could not have these episodes separated from each other. The first two episodes in the arc, they could conceivably be about anything.
Speaker: And one thing that I like about the arc as a whole is that it does a really good job of passing the spotlight from one set of characters to another at the start of each episode. And even better, it's passing the styles. like We had an espionage episode, we had a classic like landing on the beaches of Normandy, an episode where we went into like fight styles, to a horror episode, to a another separate horror episode building off of that. This is definitely my favorite episode of the arc right here. The arc is very much like very unique and it's like, it's not the same episode over and over again. Well, and the by passing it off too, I mean, in some cases they literally have like the previous episodes
Speaker: focus characters, talk to the new episodes focus characters who then turn around and go off into the story. Yeah, which makes the makes the arcs feel way more cohesive. It's like this is true, despite them all having like different like sort of genres. Every episode sort of like leads into the other. So we we've got a group of clone troopers. Yeah.
Speaker: Kind of sleeping there on the ground, you know, taking a rest. You take a rest where you can in war. And one of them... In the Clone War, yes. One of them gets a Geonosian worm up the nose. Yep, it's Scythe. I wonder if his name is a metaphor for anything. I don't know. horse chattering is sometimes subtle yeah And so they head on up to the ship. they're They're taking a ship towards a Republic medical station. And in transit, Ahsoka and Barris have a little heart to heart.
Speaker: I was just thinking about what you said earlier. About enjoying the peace while it lasts. As a Jedi, I'm not sure I know how to do that. Master Windu has said we are keepers of the peace, not warriors.
Speaker: However, once the war is over, it will be our job to maintain the peace. Yes, but... ...what we do so as keepers of the peace... ...are WARRIORS. And... ...what's the difference? I don't have all the answers, Ahsoka. Like you, I'm a learner. What does your master tell you?
Speaker: anna oh and i find some of his thoughts on the future a bit radical I'm not even sure how peacetime will agree with him Note the musical notes. Yes. the The music kind of playing the Imperial March there behind. Slightly. It's a very lower minor key and first three notes. Yeah. Yeah. um But. Horse adoring is supposed to be subtle. Yeah. And we we already you know had in in Attack of the Clones, we had Anakin and Padme
Speaker: in their little game of who's the shmoopy, having their discussion about the best way to run the galaxy. Yes, it when they were tipping cows in that field with the with the infinite and waterfall. Yes.
Speaker: and yeah And Anakin's made no secret of the fact that he's like, yeah, just put a dictator in charge. Yep. Anakin has opinions.
Speaker: yes yes he does strong opinions about government the jedi and he just has strong opinions yeah so but yeah the the ship that they're on it feels very episode four yes it very much very tentative for i love the aesthetic i really do And it it's of the same, it is a Corellian -style i ship, so it does have a similar interior. Yes. Right. But to yeah, the brainworm, it begins to spread and thus yet the Amogus paranoia ensues. Yes, the the clones start to start attacking Barris and Ahsoka, and the two of them can't imagine
Speaker: how the clones could possibly turn against them. And I'm just like, well. And for those who knew about this before this episode, because this episode came out ah after episode six yeah and the original run of the expanded universe Clone Wars. Well, and it also it also came after episode three.
Speaker: Yeah. where're Where a very, very much a thing. Yeah. I think we yeah you're your your next note is. Yeah, the, the ah and you one of the, as they're hunting them down, one of the clones says, if there's one thing we clones know, it's how to stop a Jedi. But but but but why? Why would they know how to stop a Jedi? So cue some more ominous music. Yeah.
Speaker: there as we're thinking of that. Now this will be explained much later. Yes. Keep this in your, put this little, put this in your notes. Oh yes. People at home. This might be important later. Perhaps. And so then you know Barris pops up in a horror movie jump scare. And then a Jedi has been wormed.
Speaker: Yep, Barris has a worm in her. and and And it's rather frightening how the worms get in. Just to be dead. The worm infection is, oh yeah, it's freaky. Rather freaky because it goes right up the nose. Right up Booger Street. Yep.
Speaker: And so we we have Barris fighting Ahsoka, and I sure am glad that the two of them being at odds with one another is just because of the mind control. I mean, obviously that would impact the shipping community. Yeah. Yeah. And they they definitely had some chemistry in this episode. Right. They did. And as friend it's friends. It's friends, obviously. Yes, yes. And no, no Yuri here. No Star Wars Yuri.
Speaker: Meanwhile, yeah no je maron the ha have ah have ah connection nope Hanakin trying to get a feel for what's going on here because they know something's wrong by this point. ah He gets pretty dark torturing Poggle for information. Poggle the Lesser. Yes. And once again. Poggle the Alpha.
Speaker: And once again, a little snippet of the Imperial March plays. Oh, even that he's, he's going straight up for soak. Yeah. This fogg is not parking. No, he is not. And, uh, and so you have something here, Nick, about Anakin's attachments.
Speaker: it's a It seems that whenever we get these closer moments to him, embracing the dark side, it's when he feels his attachments are either a threat or in danger. and He sets aside his, and even though he he does break the Jedi code in front of us over, he does try to like mask that by saying like,
Speaker: Well, yeah, the council didn't agree with you, but they didn't necessarily disagree with me. Like, no, this is when he's actively, frequently used at the dark side, only when someone he's a attached to is in danger. Yes. Yep. And so Ahsoka takes out the worms by - It's more of a theme. It's more of a theme of his character, not a fluke. Yes. Yes.
Speaker: And so Ahsoka takes out the worms by exposing them to cold with a big fight with Barris in the meantime while all that's going on. Yes, these worms need to chill out. Okay, Mr. Freeze. When you make cold jokes like that, you're supposed to speak with a Schwarzenegger accent. Of course, of course. ah So we did get ah yeah get a bit of a cat fight.
Speaker: But yeah, the the the worm, the worm gets super freaky whenever it's getting frozen and Barris is opening her mouth as the worm is trying to like get out and get into a soca. Essentially, it's like the worm mouth shot very freaky, very yeah very freaky, very freaky and not suggestive at all. Oh, yeah, no, no, of course not. Also, this is a cell for kids. Yep. And It all ends. Ahsoka is you concerned about you know the you know attachments to other people. And Anakin imparts a lesson to her about both the good and bad of attachment. And he is one to talk. Oh, he sure is. Yep. it's it I think the episode even has a little awkward cut into him. is like
Speaker: Are you serious? Really? And nobody knows what he did to Poggle, do they? like he was the only one there whenever he was forced joking polyole nobody knows yep he's like he's like no he he told me yep oh he did yep but he sure did he sure did he sure did he just has he just has a sore throat in fact his throat may have been constricted by all about like a couple of years no no no he he has a sore throat because he was so busy telling me what he did what I wanted to know. He was so busy telling me. He was so busy. I not stopped talking. that so happen It just so happened that the ah the ah security cams turned off when I entered the room. Total coincidence. a Power accident. Yep. ah Total coincidence.
Speaker: and Anyway, so be careful about attachments.
Speaker: And that brings us to the end of this episode of Clone Wars and wraps up this Clone Watch. So, Lauren, the standard question. yeahp What you thinking? I really liked these last three episodes in particular. I really like how they all connect to each other. I really like the Ahsoka of it all in particular. I like that. a but You've been wanting more Ahsoka action. And this is this is exactly it. particular Particularly episode six and eight. It was it was excellent. And the the newer character ah Barrett was her name, I believe.
Speaker: Barris. Barris. Yes, Barris. Barris is also great. I like her a lot as well. ah She's one of my favorite species. I love Mary Alex. They're really cool. She is a great character and she and Ahsoka will be lifelong friends. Oh, boy. I see what you do. I hear what do you do there. um But so that takes us to the end of this episode. Any any final thoughts, either of you?
Speaker: I've said my piece. aye Honestly, I think as an arc, it honestly hit like so many different types of genres, but still felt consistent. And this was their first foray into a really long arc. Yes. They've done two and three before. This is five. Oh, yeah. And when and you're dealing with 20 -something episodes a season, you know this is this is a decent chunk of the season. Oh, yeah. It's an entire yeah fourth of it.
Speaker: yeah And it's also like, as I said, different genres of a singular event. It's espionage, warfare, infiltrates upon enemy lines, horror, i like basically like an alien Omaze as well. like and then the thing And then the thing is like, it worked.
Speaker: Despite being like several different episodes, it still felt like, yeah, this whole arc was like, flowed together. And that's kind of how we watched it. Yep. And it's good. It's good. It's just amazing that they were able to do that. like if you If you took them out individually, it would seem a little bit odd. Yes, it would. Well, that wraps everything up for this episode for us then.
Speaker: ah Next time, we have a relatively short episode because then we'll be going into another ah another arc, the episode after that. So rather than making the next episode top heavy, we decided to to make it a shorter one. so And once I bring in our a special guest for that that specific arc,
Speaker: Yes, that next arc we do will bring back our our friend Betsy. But first, you're going to have to deal with just the three of us in the next episode again. Oh, how disappointing. The horror. Yes. So thanks for joining us again. Thanks for listening. and I hope you keep coming back and we're just going to keep having fun going through and walking through Lauren's first ah first exposure to Clone Wars. so Thanks everybody and see you next time. See you later. Bye. This has been Casual Nerdy. We hope you've enjoyed your time with us and look forward to having you back.
