Transcript
Speaker: Casual Nerdy is a podcast celebrating and discussing pop culture that we love. Movies, TVs, comics, books, games, you name it. Are you missed to talk about the good, what worked, and yeah, sometimes what didn't. All with an eye towards building up, not tearing down. Thanks for joining us.
Speaker: Welcome back to our Clone Watch series. I'm Darryl, and I'm back with Nick and Lauren to go over the next batch of episodes in Lauren's first watch of Clone Wars. Indeed. Welcome back, you two. Yeah, it's me, Lauren. Glad to be back. Glad to have you back, Lauren. Yeah. So so do do we want to remind people what we're doing here with Clone Watch? Well, I am not especially familiar with Star Wars as a whole, but whenever I joined your tabletop role -playing group, a lot of what y 'all play ah is the Star Wars RPG. And so as such, y 'all are basically indoctrinating me into the greater universe of the series beyond the original trilogy that I was familiar with. One of us. One of us.
Speaker: and much to ah the delight and betterment of enjoyment for Lauren and to the disappointment of Daryl. We are doing a chronological rewatch. Yes. Disappointment is a very mild word.
Speaker: but ah monitor agetation s There's a lot of adjectives we put there. Yes, there are a lot of adjectives, but I am trying to avoid having to put the E next to to this episode when we post it.
Speaker: All right, so what what episodes are we watching this time? Well, we're gonna be actually in relation to the difficulty of watching in a chronological view. And just to remind our audience, we will include links to the official Star Wars Where's that con chronological episode order that we are following? Yes. And in response to that, we are starting with today's episode is season three, episode three, episode one, actually the clone cadets. All right. And then moving on after that to season three, episode three supply lines and then season one, episode one, ambush and.
Speaker: We've got a lot to cover there. So let's dive in to Clone Cadets. Yes. And in Clone Cadets, you we're following Domino Squad, which is a group of Clone Cadets. Imagine that. Whoa. Loved by the fandom, but also have been introduced earlier in the series before this point. Yes. We'll get into that in the next episode. This is their backstory.
Speaker: but they are struggling with their training and they they're on the verge of being washed out a because they're struggling. We get an insight to how they're trained, the the structure of it, and we get a lot of insight on like not every clone is fit for duty. Yeah. and and Part of that training is so with with Django Dead,
Speaker: I guess now they're just, you know, hiring bounty bounty hunters like you'll do. Yeah, I didn't realize that any of the characters were bounty hunters when watching it. Were they like, are they are they introduced earlier in the series as bounty hunters before? No, but they're described more as like bounty hunters and mercenaries that likely were contemporaries of Dango Fett. Yeah, the voiceover says that that they're bounty hunters and mercenaries.
Speaker: there they're kind of one -offs, they're designed after other characters that popped up in the original Cantina scene, in the original Star Wars, but they're not those characters. I see, gotcha, gotcha. But yeah, overall, I think that the intro to the clone training acts as a decent intro to what the clones are like, generally speaking, because this really helped give me an understanding of how the clones were going to be treated throughout the series, essentially, where you know they' they are, in great part, actual characters that aren't just expendable. And i um I'm going to make one of my callouts to chronological versus hair order. And part of that is because we are watching in chronological order. Had this been
Speaker: the first hourly episode, or I guess since there were technically a couple of before it, the the third or fourth weekly episode, that kind of characterization hadn't been rolled out yet. ah And so that's a comment that I'll make in our next episode when we jump back to the beginnings of season one.
Speaker: okay That's why I made reference when we talked about that there's There it's clearly that it was later in the production line that they made this especially because of how popular the episode that we're gonna talk about The next episode is gonna be about I see I see but that's why I was like this is important to the overall arc but Honestly, I see that this was like a course correction hmm You see, I didn't realize that with you know the context that I've been provided here. In air order, this is a case of, hey, you know those characters that you really like that you've been watching for two seasons now? Here's their backstory. Ah, gotcha. Again, the episode that we'll talk about next week is wildly popular. It's honestly like considered one of the best episodes of the series at the time.
Speaker: but hi and i i had totally I am so used to seeing Echo between the rest of the series and Bad Batch, I had totally forgotten that he got that name just by repeating the orders that they were issued, good going full on Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest. Yes, but also repeating the orders. A very thought. That's also a great way of like, it explains clone nicknames, but also still leaves the mystery of like, how did Cody become Cody? Oh, yeah. so Maybe maybe it has something to do with coding. That's a better explanation than I've ever heard. I just came up with it all.
Speaker: of that's up you know maybe he's Maybe he's really good at ah slicing. I think that's what they call hacking in the series. yes yeah The real reason is that it's a play on an old science fiction serials character commando Cody. yeah and so Lucas just like, yeah, we're going to call him Commander Cody. Because that's what he grew up with. He grew up with old school, like, among his many references to previous media that he wears proudly on his sleeve. Well, you remember it says like, oh, they took from this, it was like, in other Star Wars probably, it was like, Lucas just basically took everything he liked as a kid and growing up and just threw it in a blender. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: And you know if if we want to if we want to call out a certain segment of fandom right now, oh one the ones who complain that all current Star Wars is, all Disney Star Wars is, is the directors and writers have their action figures and they're just banging them together. Yeah, that that's exactly what Lucas did. yeah Except it wasn't Star Wars action figures, it was Flash Gordon.
Speaker: And Samurai action figures that he was banging together. 90 % of a collective history of like seven like roughly around 70 years of fiction that he just like dumped into a blender. Yeah.
Speaker: and setting to the to hear it over a thousand faces in the classical myth arc. and And that is not a condemnation of what he did by pointing that out. Yeah. He's kind of pointing out that... This isn't new. It's not new.
Speaker: is that that anyone takes ever Imitation is is the height of flattery. Indeed. But so as they're walking, ah as they're progressing through this, they meet the the failed clone 99 who works maintenance jobs. Mains is a basic, he's a janitor. um And, you know. He's very much not the not the not the the ah prime example
Speaker: um Right. And he he is a term that you know later on down the line is going to sound familiar. He's referred to derisively as a bad batcher. Ninety nine. Yeah. Yeah. I have a note about that, too. Some of my notes are out over here. But to yeah, so bad batcher. I heard that and I wrote it down. It's like, hey, wait a second. Isn't that the name of the series? How does this term get you?
Speaker: well and And not only that, his he is 99 and the Bad Batch's real designation is Clone Force 99. There's some inspiration here, but that is, again, you're coming into this when we first heard it. it was like It had no significance, but it does have significance in this rewatch as you are now versed and we've brought them up before we've talked about the episodes as a series only recently finished like earlier this year. Yeah. Yeah. And but you'll get more context to that later on. All right. And it's one of the day Dave Filoni does not throw out an idea that he likes. Yeah.
Speaker: If there's an idea that he likes, it doesn't just get used for the sake of using it. He holds on to that and then, hey, I can use this over here as well. And he will use his fact that he's actually the the apprentice of ah Lucas to be like, no, no, no. This character dies when I say they die. And I say they never die. als um We'll get to that in later watches.
Speaker: And so therere they're in they're being put through a training scenario called the Citadel. and what I do re be regret that I wish that as one of the few fans of the EA Battlefront 2, I would have loved this as a map.
Speaker: hello and it would have been fun and they even oh mods it by having the same like sort of practice st droids as a skin that you can buy oh cool and it it's funny that you mentioned that because the the citadel very much seems like a video game yes certainly you you you can almost watch it and and see them have the licensing ideas in their heads as they're writing the Citadel scenes but then of course at one point in the Citadel they are run through scenario THX 1138 and I just want to say I see what you did there
Speaker: being like, and I had to explain that, but yeah, I noticed David Pine, hoping to let's play THX1138. yeah Yeah, that is George Lucas's first film. And it's been a consistent sort of in joke throughout all of Star Wars media. Nice. It's just a... It's something that you can easily...
Speaker: It's even it's even it's referenced in the original movie. it was And when it was referenced in the original movie, that was Mark Hamill throwing it in because they the cell block number was different in the script. And he did it the scripted way a few times. And then he threw in 1138 and Luke is ah No, no, no, let's let's not do that. And Mark's like, oh, come on. It's fun. And it stayed in. Nice. But it's it's I wouldn't call it a classic, but it's a it's a it's a pretty good sci fi flick. And there's there's two versions of it out there. He did it as a student film at USC. And that that
Speaker: got him some attention and then he made it as his first he remade it, expanded out to feature length with you know a a now more significant cast and ah and a bigger budget. And that's the version that you can find easier is the feature length.
Speaker: but yeah it it it
Speaker: Yeah, it's a sort of a part of Star Wars history. Like I make that constantly in our role -playing games. Like yeah if i I need something to needa need a number or anything, it's 1138 or T8X and stuff like that. Or if you need a landing bay or a landing pad, there's 327. Yeah, there's just a lot to, there's certain numbers that just can be like, that are constantly reused. and It's the reference number.
Speaker: It's the reference number. Exactly. Same thing with like ah how Pixar has an A1328, which was the name of their building that they first started off coding. Yeah. But yeah, this ah this episode, this feels like the first place where chronological order really feels like a particular benefit because In previous instances where chronological order was relevant, it didn't necessarily feel like it benefited things a whole lot. like We saw multiple episodes setting up how the the characters get onto the ground in that ah one battle at the beginning of the movie, essentially, with the yeah blue -green towers and stuff. but miss up we did yeah We didn't really need to know what the setup for that battle was for anything to make sense.
Speaker: we you could've just opened up in the middle of the battle and it's perfectly fine. Quite literally, yeah. Which is exactly what happened. Yes. But here - But it's not how Star Wars usually is, it's always a... in media's razz franchise. Yeah. We start in the middle of things. But you're right, this is like an actual setup to an actual proper arc of characters quite literally. Yeah, like this feels like watching this first feels more relevant to what will happen later, essentially, setting up the characters and who they will become. In fact, most of them get their names and their get their sort of sparked together, the B Domino Squad in this episode. Yeah. You you just stop reading ahead, Nick. I know you don't have the show notes in front of you, but stop reading ahead.
Speaker: this was
Speaker: but Yeah. So one note that I have here, uh, it says clone on clone violence. I do not remember what this is referring to because we watched the episode like over a month ago now. And they were sparring with each other and sort of did get into a bit of a scuffle, but not significantly. But again, considering it was a month ago, this was considering how you said, this is a new perspective as a purely clone episode. Yes. Yes. That was probably very striking. Yeah. Yeah, definitely.
Speaker: And yeah, they the the other squads that are there don't get along with Domino Squad because they think Domino Squad is a bunch of losers and failures. Right. And Domino Squad doesn't get along with each other because, well... They think they're a bunch of losers and failures. And they blame everyone. One of them tries to... I don't leave the group overall. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker: And then I have a big another convey part of this episode is that it humanizes the clones. Yes. I do have another couple of quotes here about, uh, about the Jedi in particular. One of them says, a Jedi does not feel concerned. And other, another one says, uh, with the Jedi going, they're living beings, not objects to which I think it's, uh, one of the the other characters says you Jedi show too much compassion. And these quotes.
Speaker: They feel very ah somewhat contradictory to each other in a way, where it's like, no, we're concerned about people, but also they're they're people, so we do care about them at the same time.
Speaker: i just I found that interesting. That is very interesting. That is, and I hadn't even caught that. and you if you If you think about it, did there there's always been in the prequel era a bit of a dichotomy with the Jedi in that they are the protectors of the people. At least they see themselves as the protectors of the people and the keepers of the peace, but they're also kind of sequestered away in their literal ivory tower. um free town yeah yeah
Speaker: And they're connected the people very much to the Galactic Government, but also not beholden to it. And so there there's there's a very strong case to be made. And and you'll see this come up you way further down the line very explicitly. Oh, even in this series, like and that's what i'm i'm I'm thinking. Trace and Rafa. Yeah, that's why I say very far down the line. But there's also like hints going on to like we'll be seeing like how like this the idea of jedi's being generals in a war is opposed to what the jedi code is and you know they believe that like i say that they are of the people and for the people and the people
Speaker: barely know what the Jedi are beyond, for want of a better term, news headlines. I mean, you know, in the original trilogy, a bunch of people barely even believed that the Jedi were real, even when they were around when the Jedi were in control of a lot of stuff. Yeah, there's there's some statements that when you look at the timeline that Lucas came back and established 20 years later,
Speaker: quite mate ah logical so but long time is and EU work has done the work to sort of massage that. The main fact is, well and you also we can see the fact that this is meant to be, think of this period as the fall of Rome.
Speaker: yeah The Jedi are meant to be the height of power, but they're actually on the decline and its that's why both internally and externally. And, you know, if we we have now you know only to really look around at our world and go like, oh, yeah, people totally forgot something that happened, you know, five, 10 years ago. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: yeah Yeah, now I totally buy it. yeahp yeah I totally buy it now. i and that he That people in front of it will put some certain and things that are blatantly in front of your eye into like the into into memory hole. Yeah, what when i was when I was young and bright -eyed, it's like,
Speaker: How could people forget the Jedi? The Jedi were awesome. And now I'm old and jaded and cynical. I was like, yeah, that tracks. It's not old and jaded and cynical. It's like it happened. You just didn't think it could happen. There's also the matter of the Jedi might not have been as awesome as we originally thought. And a point of um That's one of the big points that everyone sort of forgets is the point of the prequels. The fall of the Republic wasn't solely just one Machiavellian villain. But we'll get into that as we go on, as we get into more issues. But let's finish up this issue. Yeah. Yeah. But one of the other one of the other
Speaker: lines around that same point of the episode that you were bringing up, Lauren, is that um when the the clone trooper that will become heavy is talking to 99 and he says we're just numbers 99 and 99 replies to him, not to me, to me you'll always have a name. Yeah, yeah that is definitely a really good one.
Speaker: in a couple episodes because when a certain character reflects on a certain moment on that.
Speaker: And yeah, after that, they yeah they go into the final simulation and they do some bros moves. Well, first we get to see ARC TROOPERS again. Oh yeah, yeah. ARC TROOPERS, you were chosen because you were the best. Leave.
Speaker: um ah I'm sorry, that is one of my favorite moments. Oh, you know, it's just one of my favorites to it. Yeah, I'd love you would love as like, that's awesome. And also, as an adult. So, so i love itself but you know, by by that point, you know, after his that talk with 99,
Speaker: Heavy becomes heavy. yeah and and even said like and the name's heavy and And that moment when the last member of Domino Squad embraces his individuality is also what cements the group as a unit.
Speaker: So there's nice little cross play there in that, you know, they can't come together as a cohesive group. Even though they're all the same. Even until each one of them recognizes who they are as an individual. Yeah. And it was cool seeing them all work together at the end. and i Like climbing up ra round it the energy cannons and stuff.
Speaker: The big red front is that they were, for lack of a better term, more understandable in Star Wars role -play game. The game masters flipped it but the dark side point. Oh no. They removed the climbing gear. Oh no! Well, and I mean, it's not far off from what happened narratively either when one of their trainers is like,
Speaker: Oopsie, did I take away your gear? That's my smith that it is exactly what I'm saying. yep and ah but yeah they it once again seems very video gamey and you you can ye can see, okay, yeah, this is a video game scenario, oh yeah which, you know, that I don't know that it's necessarily a direct reference, but there's both fictional and real world precedence for, you know, using
Speaker: video games to train potential soldiers. That's what video games were originally designed to do, essentially. And it also goes back to like a lot of people when this first came out as someone who's a fan of the original Battlefront 2, like the most popular meme that um came out of that era was like, just like the Simulaces, boys. Especially a clone trooper.
Speaker: to it Very quote. Nice. and well and And so we got to see the simulations. Yeah. Well, and we also, you know, last episode we we mentioned the theme of of the Republic using child soldiers in both the clones and the Jedi. You got your Ender's game. You got your last Starfighter ah and stories like that where ye you're using video games.
Speaker: to literally train child soldiers. yep War games are also a part of major of every major conflict, yep like the government. So there's ah it's both precedent and in both real life and exterior and Dixon, but it's also like, how much can you learn from the them? And how much does that gain you? It's often like the how it's used in facing. Have you been desensitized by the simulation or have you learned from it?
Speaker: But yeah, then after the simulation, they have a really nice 99 moments where I think it was heavy gives his, his badge to 99. It's like, you're also part of the team. Yes. And, and I,
Speaker: You have to hold on to this for me because how else can I come back and get it? Yeah. I really like that moment. That was cool. a Great moment. at which kind of segues into the the episodes closing that was a a very World War II movie vibe. where Again, again i I think I mentioned that even as well too to Lauren that's like, yeah, a large amount of like Star Wars is based on like classical World War II vibe. Yeah, yeah yeah totally.
Speaker: the The rest of my note here about you know closing with the World War II movie vibe is that sometimes this show and Star Wars as a whole really wears its inspirations on its sleeve. And that again, like i that's why I never feel bad whenever like I wear my inspirations on my sleeves. is like Me either. i Especially during a Star Wars game. As you guys can see, what I'm I'm doing like, I'm not saying like that. It's like, I'm trying to be coy with it. Yeah. I'm saying this is this is the thing that I am that I am borrowing from. So if you know that. Good for you, I had to you into the mood for everyone else. Well, you'll be a little bit off put, but you'll you'll figure it out.
Speaker: Anything else on clone cadets before we shut on? I will take one bit that will probably come in much, much later. Oh, yeah? This is where we get this beat? Jedi Master Shark T. Ah, yes. Yes, be before one of her many multiple tasks is your own adventure deaths. Oh, boy. We'll get into those as we get closer to her.
Speaker: Yes. To her, choose your own adventure death. Exciting. Seriously, see see I've mentioned that the Fraser, you forgot it, it didn't note it, but it's like, she dies a lot. yeah Because none of them were ever formally included in but in the media. It's like, okay.
Speaker: and And here, Shakti dies. Okay, well, we're we're gonna leave that scene out. Oh, here, Shakti dies. Okay, well, that was Legend's continuity. all right Well, here's Shakti dying. Well, she was gonna be in this deleted scene, so we have to change that now. Oh, and and look, here, here we're gonna have Shakti later on in the timeline. She didn't... Oh, no, she died. Shakti. You're Shakti.
Speaker: Throwingers, Shakti, yes. She is in a perpetual state of dead and not dead until further notice.
Speaker: I have to look this up afterwards, but I need to figure out is it makes sense to speed the Jedi on... Let's draw that. But now I've realized that I need to figure out... You have a rabbit hole that you need to dance for. I have a rabbit hole I need to go through tonight.
Speaker: um So next up then in our in our watch is supply lines ski oh three and in this one the Republic needs to get supplies to Rylof which is under attack and they send Senator Bail Organa to toy toy Daria easy for me to not say hey negotiate um alongside representative Jar Jar Binks. Yep he sure is here he is
Speaker: Misa back. is Isn't that his his his line? Isn't that his first line? ah I think so, yeah.
Speaker: Either Misa back or eats a meat or something like that. ah But we we do kind of get, throughout the episode, get interesting looks at both Ryloth and Toideria. And you this is one of my Star Wars nerd things is, you especially after we have species introduced as being from planets of hats, I like seeing those planets of hats and how other creators kind of build them out. And so, okay, so they're they're not so, you know,
Speaker: So, samey on the planet. I mean, there's a lot I could say about Toideria, but I don't want to say it.
Speaker: It's a bit on the nose. So, yeah, we we get introduced to a General Dai, who I'm sure will live for a very long time.
Speaker: Well, General Gundai. Yeah, yeah. what's What's his first name, Nick? Im. Ima. His name is Ima Gundai. Nice. Nice. Which does bring me back to, I don't think I've told, I don't know if you've heard this because you aren't on Tumblr, but there are only three Star Wars names, Daryl. Oh, really?
Speaker: Glubsiddo,
Speaker: Evil McBadMan, and Kevin. I see. We've got an Evil McBadMan here, I think. Except not literally evil this time. But either really weird, super on the nose, or a Luke. Yep. It's Luke.
Speaker: ye luke luke I mean i that again it's a tumblr meme but it's like it's not wrong that it is like three types of names especially once we get to certain characters down the line yep yes I believe it so yeah ah whenever we get to actually a Toydaria Jar Jar is here in Organa shuts him up
Speaker: Well, I mean, if you were if you were um you know not quite Jimmy Smits, wouldn't you want to shut Jar Jar up, too? Yeah. Yeah. That said, ah he emotes much more effectively in animation, especially his eyes. I swear the fact that he was originally at animation may decrease. Yeah. You can get away with more more outrageous and stylized things when everything is animated than you can usually when you're trying to make it look as if it's another being there on the set. And i've I've seen the behind the scenes and the actual like apparatus. Oh yeah.
Speaker: look Looks like an iron maiden, honestly. I mean, is it any better or worse than on the set of Rogue One when Alan Tudyk would be on stilts as K2SO? Honestly, stilts are more natural than having this like weird thing thing that's supposed to track your movements instead of like eventually figuring out like like the dots.
Speaker: that That really helped with like, that's what they call them so more believable. ah yeah With Tudyk, it's like walking on stilts with, from from his his shoulders up, a big placard with K2SO's face on it to like to give the actors an eyeline for where K2's face was, and eyes were. But to be honest, like, it's honestly better than like, if you look at the ah behind the scenes of a lot of the prequels, like, they're just in green voids. Yeah, yes, they're they're just talking to air or tennis balls hanging on a string. Nice. And I get on at celebrations, I saw a fully articulated, like, regular like, five five guy.
Speaker: You had like a K2SO, so cosplay. Yeah, I saw that footage of him. And it's like, I was there. It's like, that was insane.
Speaker: Oh, the next thing that I have a note here and this is always, you know, just this is me as as Star Wars nerd and as RPG nerd and wanting to say the thing. Don't worry. You're a monk. You're a monk. Yes, I know. But Senator Ornefreeta from Ryloth pronounces it Twi -lek, not Twi -lek.
Speaker: put a pin in that for a moment. i mean I'll admit that, but that I can also see the, since we've seen the conflict later on, we can we can discuss that later. Oh, we will be discussing this later. There's there's another note. um and then you my might Yeah, if you feel the need to make notes as you for future episodes, that since you now hear our perspective on things and reflect on that, especially since arcs are building on each other. So there's overall all of that. Yeah. Yeah. And also the news and the the next thing that kind of comes up is
Speaker: and Jar Jar's gonna be at a state dinner party? What could possibly go wrong? Yeah, they're they're hinging the plan on Jar Jar. Oh, that's that's dangerous. All right. I mean, yo, go go go home, I guess. So does hinge on the fact that of the Jar Jar hate. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: But and as you'll see in this episode and future ones where we multiple yards, he's at least like three or four yards are episodes in now. Yeah. And you will see that you there was a very conscious effort at for one of a better term, and I for one of a better term because there really isn't a good one redeeming jar jar yeah and i see that they've been re -exceeding at that better word from what i've better word than redeeming rehabilitating jar jar's image yes because
Speaker: Again, we're going to do at some point a, without, without this, uh, outside of this, uh, every Watts, a, every Watts of Phantom Menace for him. Yeah. Yeah. yeah So that, but part of that will be explaining like the rather unfortunate the cases of certain those actors. Yes.
Speaker: and how not just that their characters get dragged through the mud for nearly over a decade, and how that affected that. And and of course of course, the fandom learned their lessons from that in the prequels, right? Right? No. Right? yeah darrell That's what fandoms don't learn lessons.
Speaker: Wait, so what you're saying is like irrational hatred and horrible behavior is like poetry. It rhymes. ah but Referential and fandom never change. All things happen happen in fandoms and someone who's been through transformers, DC, Marvel and My Little Pony. There's no there's no escaping it. I've been through the Sonic fandom and the Homestuck fandom.
Speaker: I have witnessed horrors beyond a human comprehension. I've been through the comics fandom, the Star Wars fandom, the Star Trek fandom, the Marvel fandom, and kind of TC. We could have a - There is no fandom that is pure. There is no fandom that is - There is not. The more people there are in a fandom, the more annoying people there are in a fandom. It's really that simple. I don't even think it's that.
Speaker: the more people there are in a fandom, the more the annoying people in the fandom feel the need to be loud. And that itself is a symptom of the internet, but that's a different discussion. Yes. Yes. Yes. But, uh, but then general up here weird, even though I'm the one that's always right, right, right viewers. Of course, of course.
Speaker: The General Dye has a great line, I think, from this episode. War turns promises into hopes. I wish it wasn't so. ah That is profound and good. Yeah. Yeah. Famous last words, honestly. Yeah. Yes. Famous last words. What? Dies? Dies?
Speaker: What? Is it just me or did the battle droids that were assigned to check out the dropship that had all the explosives in it look like they knew they drew the short straw, like their heads were hung low, and they're just kind of trudging over like, yeah, we're so screwed. Except for the one that opened up and was like, hey, there's no one inside. Just explosives.
Speaker: And then they explode beautifully. It's beautiful. I love the explosions. And then we cut back to Jar Jar. It said dinner party. And what happens? He's succeeding with his clown skills. It's like i I had forgotten this scene. And I'm sitting there watching it saying, wasn't part of his whole deal supposed to be that he was clumsy?
Speaker: yeah and And are we supposed to be expecting that which makes this scene, which is what makes this scene work? Or is itself a unintentional clumsy success of it?
Speaker: Is he eve falling into success or are we getting more evidence of what people call the Darth Jar Jar period? Oh no, it's Darth Jar Jar. And I...
Speaker: i I love that Jar Jar's whole purpose in this plan is to just be saying, hey, look, Bart's doing stuff. ah He's there to be distracting and annoying.
Speaker: he was a bor book out the window yeah
Speaker: Again, and that's kind of why I feel that, especially in the chronological rewatch, it's like that's what most audiences going into it. It has been sort of the poison pool of a lot of audiences going into Jar Jar. But he's using all of that like chaotic, clumsy, comic relief, annoying energy in a way that' like and now that's serving the plot. And then before General Dye dies, he then turns around and says, Twi 'lek instead of Twi 'lek. Yep. the the This has been one of those
Speaker: brain itches that I have never been able to scratch. That's what we're saying that this episode comes after the Ryloth arc. Where were they they said it consistently right? And it's like this is season but three. Yeah, is is it? It's a brain itch that I've never been able to scratch because depending on the source, it's Twi 'lek or it's Twi 'lek. And more and more I become irrationally not not upset. Agitated. Agitated by Twi 'lek. I don't know why. There's no rational reason for it. None whatsoever. Who who needs rational reasons? when You can have ah agitation.
Speaker: You're absolutely right. ah Forget this podcast. I'm going to start a YouTube broadcast where i I film either in the front seat of my car or in front of a wall of Funko pops. don don't no no thats oh no the uncle pu its just my with the You're just blending with the rest. The rest is a little loose if you do it in front of your car. Unless you have a truck. And just rage about saying Twi 'lek. And I'm sure it's the fault of of you someone it in some marginalized group. Yeah, it's it's me. I'm the marginalized group.
Speaker: Yeah, it's all your fault. yep i ran you Yeah. invite do this so Over a decade ago. You see, here's the thing. I mean, that's not wherever I go. All right. So do we have any closing thoughts on on supply lines? I have more interesting thoughts for the show what this means going forward into the ark when we return to lilac okay oh so you're putting a pin in that no well okay then and but that's that's that's for later that's for later but if anyone else had anything else to say um
Speaker: do i hate and give your No, i I've gone through all of my notes, including my beginning, my my rage bait, quick fuel grift on Twi 'lek. And all I'll say is that I like Jar Jar's eye jiggle physics. They're good. The way that his eyes bob around on their stocks.
Speaker: Nice. yeah This being season three, we're starting to get some improved animation. But we're going here. The technology is catching up with what they want to do. But now we're going to the next episode where we got to go back. yeah Yes. Yes. We're going back to the future. Somebody called Michael J. Fox. See if we can get him on an episode.
Speaker: And we're going back all the way to Season 1, Episode 1! Yeah! We're going back to Ambush, where Yoda is sent to negotiate with the King of Toyderia on a neutral world, but Count Dooku springs an ambush on the rebel on the Republic forces. And it's interesting to me that this is the episode that officially opens the series. In introducing with a Yoda episode,
Speaker: There's actually like again, like the official the Clone Wars movie, which is actually the premiere and technically considered like the three part part pilot. Yeah. We'll never be shown as that. It will always be shown as like three separate episodes. And then we'll also be kind of weirdly he intercut, especially on Cartoon Network. Yeah.
Speaker: Well, it'll always be shown as the movie. Yeah. As opposed to the first three episodes of the series. Mm hmm. And so. But the main factor is like this is what those who didn't go to and a movie didn't even have like a long self life. It didn't do well in theaters. Mm hmm. And now and I understand their structuring.
Speaker: if you go straight from the movie into the series, which was intended, you know we kind of touched on this last week when we were launching off, um it was intended to be kind of an anthology.
Speaker: yeah And so You just spent three episodes with Anakin and Obi -Wan and the characters. it yoga You spent it with the characters from the movies that that you know and our new original character, Ahsoka. So let's move on to probably the next highest profile character from the - In the entire franchise. That the audience knows.
Speaker: So let's let's move on and we' will do we'll do a half hour with the Yoda and so that Yoda can do cool Yoda stuff. Yeah. And it is it is just interesting to me that you even even in a chronological viewing, there there isn't any Ahsoka and Anakin yet. And that's other than the movie, naturally. But just like whenever going into the series, I was really expecting those two to be like the primary focus for the majority of it. And on this you know on my first time watching it,
Speaker: We haven't really gotten to them yet. like This is day two. yeah it's just ah it's It's an interesting direction for the series to take for its opening acts, both an original <unk> law school since and a chronological set.
Speaker: Now did you yeah that we've gone through a couple more episodes of season one, do you realize how like heavy C was in? Yeah. I mean, we've gotten through, I'm pretty sure we've seen all of season one at this point, like, you know, on our own. One episode. Yeah. There's only one episode left. But yeah, also the there's ah whenever we actually get to the planet, I really like the brain matter plant life. I like the way that this planet looks. It looks very cool. Yeah. It's it's an unidentified moon.
Speaker: And i just i love that I do love all of the wild environments that Clone Wars brought to Star Wars. Yes. Because that that's one of the nice things about animation, whether it's whether it's traditional cell animation or 3D. You don't have to worry about the practicality of it. like like As much as I love like live acts and sex and stuff like that, there is only so much you can do of that.
Speaker: And me personally, I prefer animation to live action just on the whole. So like this, the whole Clone Wars series, it's it's really actually more up matt my alley than like the movies are overall. You always get that advantage of like, yeah, we can have like wild environments that are weird and wacky. I mean, I just, again, I'm a, I come from the,
Speaker: I'm a big fan of like the original trilogy. I like like sets, I like models and stuff like that. I appreciate the filmmaking. But I also like like... Give me something weird and strange. I love the weird. I love the strange. so so And Clone Wars manages to make that work because it's characters that aren't real, so I can accept any strange, unusual environment. Oh, yeah. It's great.
Speaker: So better than like, Oh, yeah. Better than like, say, like, I've made this reference when we watched Attack of the Clones, Lauren. Yes. When I was like, they're in the Jedi Temple, which should have been a set. It was like Yoda Obi -Wan Mace Windu sort of walking down a hallway. that Right, right. The hallway that you hated so much. Yeah, like that could have That could have been sad. the the The outsides of it could have, yeah. CGI, the exterior is like, why is the whole thing CGI? It looks flat.
Speaker: And I'm just going to make a little side comment here that I'm going to go get my walker and feel old and yell at a cloud because neither of you got the strange and unusual plant reference. No, I didn't. I'm sorry. A little shop of horrors. Oh, yeah. I didn't hear that because I was making my own point. um But yeah, that's the usual. But Nick, I it if If animation is more but up Lawrence Alley, I'm thinking once Clone Wars is done, there's Bad Batch and there's Rebels, I'm just saying. Oh, boy. Hey, I'm trying to get him into this niche fandom known as Spider -Man. Such a niche fandom. I'm not going to have anybody to talk to this about with other than the two of you. Exactly. i just
Speaker: I'm hoping that this will would be the gateway drug so that I could keep on doing watches like this for all this of maybe even live action ones.
Speaker: oo just ah But yeah, the next line that I really like in the episode is people or alert darol yeah yeah is the saying ah there's no understanding a Jedi.
Speaker: as they're like completely confused by Yoda. And it makes me think back to like the force as a metaphor for being neurodivergent. Because I know there's a, there are plenty of people out there who would have said, there's no understanding, Lauren. She's just completely incomprehensible.
Speaker: Because I have ADHD, some very extreme ADHD at that. And - No, honestly, there has been a lot of like, not necessarily major discourse, but on the furries,
Speaker: neurodivergent people have talked about like how the force is how they can understand this like some sort of like some sort of way of understanding the the world around you that's different. There's also the way to understand the force is like alternative religion or different types of religion and there's meditation, pure ESP. The force isn't one thing. Yeah.
Speaker: But because it's not one thing, it's ironically what how old we want to describe it. It binds people together. it's like and Even people that don't share similar belief systems, concepts of ideas and stuff like that. this like And if you if you want to look at it as metaphor, you can also describe it the way Yoda did the tree on Dagobah, what's in there, only what you take with you.
Speaker: Yeah. like the There's a reason the force is and Star Wars, especially the force, is so attractive to people. Yeah. it's It's not one thing. Yes, it takes upon a whole grade of deal, and yes, takes a lot of heavy influence from Eastern religions, but doesn't tie itself to that. It's the idea that you feel things beyond yourself and that can as someone who's also somewhat on a spectrum haven't been tested but will say that like yeah and I know people they've also been like yeah this feels like this is like oh I can and never even have people like
Speaker: Okay. So what if I describe like, uh, like ah I'm good with, good with have mechanics for the force because, uh, cause I feel like this, it sounds like, it sounds like a bit neurodivergent. It's like, yeah, that could be interpreted as a force yeah or a wiccan. It's like the force is like, yeah. It just can be a lot of things, but just in this particular moment, I felt like a very, uh, zero neurodivergent line.
Speaker: Yeah, basically, they that's a great moment for for you and one that is proof that the force is out there for anyone.
Speaker: And that's part of the point of this episode. We'll get to that soon. Yeah. um And and this is you know this is the first regular episode, and already Yoda is setting up the idea that the clones are all unique individuals, not just carbon copies. I can't remember watching that. and Are we going to get to that scene or are we going to like talk about how awesome ri Yoda is first?
Speaker: I mean, we could talk about how awesome Yoda is. I mean, is there much difference between Yoda being awesome in that scene? I mean, that that scene is say awkward more awesome in that scene than even his acting sequence. That is a critical element of Yoda's awesomeness. Yes. yeah is but After a series of really awesome moments,
Speaker: Yoda and the clones are in a cave. yeah And he asked them to remove their helmets and the head clones as like, oh, we're not much to look at. We look all the same. No, individuals you are in the forest.
Speaker: And that, I remember watching that, that That's so interesting. Oh, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, it's it's absolutely the the kind of thing that that. You don't expect this is ostensibly a kids show. Yeah, right. Yeah. And especially in these early seasons,
Speaker: This is episode one. This is episode one. Maybe four, depending on how you count the movie. Yeah. And you know you're you're expecting you ah to two quote the illustrious Patrick Willems a show about space wizards with laser swords written for children.
Speaker: and That's all you really need to expect. Give me that in Star Wars, and I'm fine. Yep. But that just means that every little detail you give extra hits harder. Yeah. yeah
Speaker: Because again, if it hits for me, it's also hitting a kid. Yeah. Not like that. Yes. we we were Disclaimer, we are not advocating hitting kids. Please do not do that. Please don't do that. Please do not get hit kids at home. Or anywhere else for that matter. Exactly. Kids emotionally. yeah Yes, yes.
Speaker: Thanks for the say, guys. I tried. Yeah, we we we we pulled you out of that hole you were digging there, Nick.
Speaker: But yes, that line, again, like, hits so hard emotionally. And it's like, these clones don't think, even though they have their own nicknames at this point, it's like, they're also like, well, we're the same person. So we're not connected to your force. Like, no, no, no. Individual beings you are. And that's,
Speaker: so interesting. It also sets them apart from the droid army. They are living beings, and even though artificial, they are unique. Not just amongst themselves, but as beings recognized by the living force.
Speaker: right Fascinating.
Speaker: And that's what helps them turn the tide, is like... Honestly, that moment is like... I mean, the only way that that whole scene could have been better, it was like the actual Yoda voice actor.
Speaker: But i I have no qualms with Tom Kane as oh no he did a great job Yoda. And we we lost a lot when when his medical issues took his voice from him. That is regretful. We lost a great voice actor in general. yeah Not just a great Yoda voice actor. So what did I say? like I can feel it could have been the actual voice actor for
Speaker: Cause that's, that's a line that he would say. That's what made me, made everyone like him. He's just a little green guy. yeah It's his wisdom.
Speaker: that makes the Yoda Yoda. Oh, yes, indeed. And then he starts kicking butt.
Speaker: A bunch of guys and as cool as it is, I'd honestly they like that's just that that's a cherry on top. Yeah. Yes. the the The icing on the cake as he's having that conversation with them is that he's taking care of them. The one that is is injured and having trouble walking, he's literally taking their guns and making a crutch. Yeah. Using the lightsaber to sort of solder them together. is like Yeah. And they're like, well, we only have one rocket left and one of us is injured. It's like, we have more than enough.
Speaker: They're implying that it's not strength of arms that will win the day. Strength of hearts and minds.
Speaker: And i i didn't I didn't write the take note of the exact line. I wish I had. But you want a once the rest of the ambush gets sprung on them, yeah someone remarks that there's only Yoda and the three co clones. and and Yoda's like, yes, outnumbered they are. yeah Yes.
Speaker: Again, that's. As well, I like Yoda is the Jedi Master. Yep, that that is not not just because he's the oldest, but you he's he's got the experience. And not just that. And the heart.
Speaker: is the heart, the wisdom, the understanding. You see an individual that is just who's not overconfident with his strength, but knows his strength.
Speaker: And I think you've got the last couple of notes here, Lauren. Yeah, yeah. So basically, ah once once the big battle happens, The bubble boys show up. The droids with the bubbles. I love them. As he calls the droidekas. Yep. It's them. It's the bubble boys. And then they do some classic rock beats laser using the rocket to send the rocks down onto the bubble boys, utilizing their resources efficiently, just as Yoda told them to. It's beautiful. I love the scene. It's it's great.
Speaker: just a great action sequence overall. No, no, no. Mm -hmm. Just the way that the clones were able to help out in Jedi against some of the... Again, you were the encounters in that. Yes. You really said like, know when to act what you will. Mm -hmm. And they did. it yeah They did. It was great. Even though they said like, we only have one rocket and none of us have any ammo left. Mm -hmm.
Speaker: But yeah, overall an excellent episode. A little bit strange for it to be the first episode of the series, but you know what? I think it shows a lot of great things about the series overall, and it's an excellent introduction to how Yoda functions within the series as well. Yep, absolutely.
Speaker: As well as help establish what events that we talked about the first episode in this sort of episode that we're doing about cadets. like This helped us get that perspective. like it yeah The clones aren't just numbers and expendable.
Speaker: but They are people.
Speaker: Yoda believes that and this whole episode was about them even seeing beyond that. Yes. Which will only get expounded upon in like cadets and other episodes going forward. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, so Lauren, do you have what you're Delving deeper into the Clone Wars. What did you think of these episodes as a whole? I think that they were really great. You know, both the first and third episode that we talked here, you know what? It really gave a better idea of what the clones were like in general, how they are their own individuals.
Speaker: I think that that worked out well. And Supply Lines had Jar Jar being a functional party member. That that was exciting. Well, you know that Sith Lord Binks is just biding his time. Of course, of course. You did say that you haven't watched episode three yet. Correct, correct.
Speaker: So you have not seen him revealed as Palpatine's master yet. Right, right. yeah Oh, I'm sorry. I spoiled that. i'm sorry I can't believe you would spoil me about such a thing. so Supreme Leader Banks can't be revealed until episode seven, Daryl. My bad. but No, use the bash.
Speaker: bad beast of band Not bomb bad, just bad. but that I am looking forward to the part where we actually get to Anakin and Ahsoka action because that is what I was looking forward to most for a series in general. You don't have long to wait because our next episode will be looking at the three -part malevolence story and then revisit Domino Squad. Yeah.
Speaker: ah We want to thank everyone for joining us for this episode. Thank you. Thank you. And tune in next time as we take a look at at rising malevolence, shadow of malevolence, destroy malevolence. That's a lot of malevolence. So much malevolence. And rookies. So thank you again, and we will see you next time. See you then. Bye.
Speaker: This has been casual nerdy. We hope you've enjoyed your time with us and look forward to having you back.
