December 5 2008




Episode Guide: Cloak Of Darkness

Episode Air No: 9
Production No: 10

Director: Dave Filoni
Writer: Paul Dini

Episode Brief: Ahsoka & Jedi Master Luminara escort captured Viceroy Nute Gunray to trial, unaware that Count Dooku has dispatched his deadly apprentice assassin Asajj Ventress to free the prisoner and eliminate the Jedi.

As a 22 minute Jedi fight, this one is quite awesome. It is interesting to see how Anakin's influence over Ahsoka is making her quick to anger and action. Also Luminara is given a great personality and fighting prowess.

Somehow in contrast to Plo Koon who came out great I wasn't particularly impressed with Luminara - slow-thinking and uncreative. Then again you can now see why Obi-wan and Anakin are among the greatest Jedi. Overall, this episode was exciting and I also liked how the clones' devotion to the republic is compared to the shaky morals of a human soldier.

This is the best Jedi fighting episode yet.

Some really creative fight coreography - also clever writing. Good show.

I'll say. The tandem fighting between Luminara and Ashoka was quite fun to watch. I actually enjoyed watching Ventress fight more in this, than in the movie. It made me sad to see Gree in this, knowing that he's gonna get offed by Yoda.

I definitely agree it was a good episode and seeing the three women fight each other was bad ass too.

By the way listening to the music I heard direct quotes from The Mummy Returns via the strings portion, talk about total ripoff.

The fighting made this my favorite episode I still can't wait to see that little thing get killed.

Personally, I can't wait to see Ventress get killed, but better not to rush things.

I wouldn't be waiting anytime soon for these deaths. They're already working on season 2 now. These "clone wars' could last for years...

I thought the plan was 100 episodes. So that's 4 seasons, yes?

That is more than I thought. Are they leading right up to the Sith or just to when Anakin Marries those 2 soldiers

Does anyone know how many episodes each season will be and around what time we can expect the first season to be released on DVD/Blu-ray?

The second one.

Anyway, amazing episode all around. "Our guy" "us"'s (Kirk Douglas in his latest role! ) contempt for clone kind adds a whole new dimension to the nature of those in the ranks. His betrayal was effectively suprising - kind of a prelude to Order 66 in its frightening suddenness. It's funny thinking about the moment Arguyus counsels Ahsoka with that bullshit clone morale mantra about "doing what's right."

As for the other side of the episode, there's a real sense of desperation about stopping Ventress. It's not bad enough that she's going after their prized captive, but that she's also going about it in an ugly and dishonorable way. Ooh, those Sith! Luminara's comment about her fighting style reflects this concern about the formality of her means. Also, when Ahsoka confronts Ventress for the first time, the clever dialogue here also illuminates this idea. Ahsoka's taunt is academically allusive, admirably alliterated and bearably brief ("hairless harpy"; harpy is a reference to classical mythology, referring specifically to a ravenous, filthy monster having a woman's head and a bird's body), while Ventress's verbage is a long jumble of crude insults ("Skywalker's filthy, obnoxious little pet").

Another interesting moment was Ahsoka's near-fatal attempt to jump down the elevator shaft early on, mirroring a similarly careless free fall in an earlier episode. Shit is getting real.

Do you think if Ahsoka died it would hurt or help ratings?

There hasn't been any official statement of number of episodes per season and how many seasons total. However as a rule in the television industry the goal is to get at least 100 episodes for syndication purposes (reruns). Although there is a episode list from the recently released The Clone Wars "Theatrical Movie" Disc indicating there are 22 episodes per season:

[hr]
KEY: [s]EPISODES BROADCAST[/s]

[s]EPISODE I - 1x01: Ambush[/s]
[s]EPISODE II - 1x02: Rising Malevolence[/s]
[s]EPISODE III - 1x03: Shadow of Malevolence[/s]
[s]EPISODE IV - 1x04: Destroy Malevolence[/s]
[s]EPISODE V - 1x05: Rookies[/s]
[s]EPISODE VI - 1x06: Downfall of a Droid[/s]
[s]EPISODE VII - 1x07: Duel of the Droids[/s]
[s]EPISODE VIII - 1x08: Bombad Jedi[/s]
[s]EPISODE IX - 1x09: Cloak of Darkness[/s]
EPISODE X - 1x10: Lair of Grievous
EPISODE XI - 1x11: Dooku Captured
EPISODE XII - 1x12: The Gungan General
EPISODE XIII - 1x13: Jedi Crash
EPISODE XIV - 1x14: Defenders of Peace
EPISODE XV - 1x15: Trespass
EPISODE XVI - 1x16: Hidden Enemy
EPISODE XVII - 1x17: Blue Shadow Virus
EPISODE XVIII - 1x18: Mystery of a Thousand Moons
EPISODE XIX- 1x19: Hostage Crisis
EPISODE XX- 1x20: Storm Over Ryloth
EPISODE XXI - 1x21: Innocents of Ryloth
EPISODE XXII - 1x22: Liberty on Ryloth

[hr]

As for Cloak Of Darkness, for me this is one of the better episodes. Luminari was fucking awesome as was Ahsoka for a change. The Luminari and Ahsoka team-up is also more preferable than the Anakin and Ahsoka one.

Some of my favorite action sequences during the Ventress and Luminari duel [s]on Mustafar[/s] aboard the Jedi Cruiser, Luminari jumps up in the air and walks on the wall like in those Kung-Fu movies. Also when Ventress jumped down a shaft and used her sabers to slow her fall. Ahsoka showing off dark side and threatening Gunray was a plus. (Perhaps she picked up this behaviour from Anakin?)

More Paul Dini episodes please.

In regards to Kemper's comments about Anakin marrying two Clone Troopers - is this a reference to Expanded Universe "author" Karen TravisS$ slash novels?

Anyways tonight's episode is The Lair Of Grievous



source: starwars.com /theclonewars/

"Negotations with a lightsaber."

By the way, Grievous's pre-cyborg alien mug and body are seen in this week's web comic. Is this a first? Kinda disappointing, I was expecting something a little less mammalian, and a lot more lizardly with sharper lines and a scaly hide.

I always wondered why Grievous's exoskeleton was so strange (talons?). I hadn't considered that it was simply a remake of his original organic form.

The visionairies book had our first look at pre-cyborg grievous. It's got some decent art in it.

There's a pretty cool action figure of him, too.



Wait, what?

Kemper posted in the thread:



I'm not sure what the bolded part means unless it was some sort sarcastic commentary about a aspect of the episode. Recently, Expanded Universe Author, Karen Traviss penned a novel where two male mandalorians were married and had a (presumably adopted) daughter. I was thinking the "marries two soliders" comment could be referencing that. Perhaps we are thinking too much about this

I think Kemper's referring to the Clone Wars novel Jedi Trial. Anakin does hitch two soldiers together at the end. The timeline would fit about right.

Source: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_of_Praesitlyn

Also, darthpsychotic - about the two mando dudes: i didn't even make the connection of them together when I read it in one of the legacy novels, but now that you brought it up i can't avoid it. Brings a new meaning to mandalorian "brotherhood". Plus, Fett does have a pretty butch granddaughter.

Okay. Thanks for clearing my question about the number of episodes per season DP. 22 episodes/season sounds great so let's hope that's the way this series goes.