The Clone Wars - Season One Discussion Thread

[DSJ™]

BTW congrats Dale!  Of course you'll be behind in less than 36 hours....enjoy it while you can.   

Yeah, bite me! 

Caught up again I think. The AT-TE attack was sweet, the assassin droids sure can move around. The gold droid was a pain in the ass just like the music, sounds like some kinda disco/prOn tune. 

[iFett]

Caught up again I think. The AT-TE attack was sweet, the assassin droids sure can move around. The gold droid was a pain in the ass just like the music, sounds like some kinda disco/prOn tune. 

Agreed.  I thought the AT-TE attack played out beautifully.  Goldie sucked ass and I actually didn't care for him.  I also don't get the reprogramming bit.  Don't all the Jedi fly with astromechs?  What's the point in doing so if they get shot down?  Not the greatest episode so far, but those were the "highlights" for me.

[David]

What did everyone think of the Trandoshan?

[Brian]

Here's the Episode Guide for "Downfall of a Droid".

[Jayson]

Downfall of a Droid... should've been Downfall of a Series. Alright, last night's episode wasn't too bad, but it was the worst so far. I though the story, locations, characters, etc. were all fine and dandy. The editing and music and stuff like that really bugged me. I thought everything moved way too fast in the episode. And what the hell was up with the music? Sounded like the same annoying garbage that CN plays right before the commercial breaks. The other epsidodes kept a nice Star Wars feel, but this one seemed very aloof.

This episode was actually the second one created (the movie being the first) in terms of writing and animation according to SW.com. So, if you thought the movie didn't quite hit the mark in terms of quality or in having the Star Wars "feel" that is probably why.

[Jesse James]

I didn't mind the episode overall but it wasn't the best.  I just got a chance to watch it last night, and it set up a greater story and I'm leaving it at that basically.

The space battle had some "flaws" from a logic standpoint but I think with the time allotted that they did the best they could while keeping the action interesting.  The Sep. ships were shieldless in the rear (an important plot point) when the AT-TE's attacked...  I think time constraints made it necessary for the walkers to seem more powerful than perhaps they are...  They did hit the engine quadrants though, a possible weak point on these ships, especially if they're unshielded.

The point about the bridge being taken out too...  It seems to be a weak point for some ship designs doesn't it?

Really though, I thought the Trandoshan scrapper with his IG assassin droids was pretty great, and the "ploy" Ani and Ahsoka tried using on him to get an astromech was funny.  It was neat seeing a fat Trandoshan ala the ones in Republic Commando too...  Anyone at all catch that?  He definitely reminded me of some of the slavers from the Rep Commando game.

The part about this episode that I really liked though, was what I talked about earlier...  Anakin's, once again, strong attachment...  Likewise I enjoy Obi-Wan's fairly heartless attitude towards R2.  To him, R2's "just a droid", but to Ani he's clearly a companion and friend...  He's getting impatient, angry...  That, to me, is what's making this episode good.  You're seeing Anakin, just like with his mother, and Padme, in the films, now getting upset over the loss of his droid...  It has nothing to do with R2's memory (which he doesn't wipe because he actually cares about R2 and doesn't want to make him "droid dumb" I guess), but rather it has to do with his controlling dark nature.  I love that...  It's trying to build just how Anakin becomes Vader and fill in some of that, "Wow he turned into a prick right away" feeling you got out of the movies...  It was a very long process, basically.

Now I'm curious to see this side story's conclusion...  Obviously Anakin gets R2 back, but it'd be really interesting to see the Seps get some juicy info out of it, that helps them break through into the core worlds or something.

[Brian]

The Official Site has a preview up for this week's episode "Duel of the Droids".

[Phantom-like Menace]

I didn't think it was too unbelievable that the AT-TEs could inflict enough damage to give Anakin's forces the upper hand. There were a great number of them (you can see fire coming from other asteroids off screen as well), and they were firing into unprotected, possibly sensitive areas like the engines, and it's possible they could even have taken out the shield generators and that the cruisers did most of the damage after that. I found it less believable that one of Anakin's cruisers gets knocked out so easily. I also agree that the time constraints of the show prevented the scene from running longer.

So not much to comment on this episode. I really liked the creative thinking that went into the AT-TE ambush. Kudos to whichever writer came up with that. I liked that we continue to see Ahsoka giving Anakin much needed advice. It's a shame something as simple as nicknames cause fans to discount her character's strengths. The IG assassin droid attack was cool, and I thought Ahsoka's bisecting the droid straight out from a flip was awesome. I did like seeing Artoo's escape attempt as well.

Otherwise, kind of a dull episode.

[Jesse James]

Yeah the AT-TE thing I've not put too much thought into...  I think the writers tried to get you to "believe" it by having Grievous throw all shields forward, basically leaving his ass open...  And like was said, the hull/armor sections of those ships don't extend to cover the engine area, kind of like Destroyers have...  That means vulnerability in the rear, but perhaps it's made up for by a very strong forward armor/shield design.  With shields, the rear could've probably withstood the AT-TE's, but without shields back there they took much more punishment and that possibly affected all other aspects of teh ship then (shields collapsing 360 degrees around the vessel, etc.).

And I still think Goldie is a nod to Pittsburgh sports teams with the paint deco...  There's also a 36 in the name...  maybe a nod to Jerome Bettis?   Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but Filloni's from Pittsburgh and very proud of that (or so I'm told).  I wish someone could ask him that question, just out of curiosity.

[Jayson]

And I still think Goldie is a nod to Pittsburgh sports teams with the paint deco...  There's also a 36 in the name...  maybe a nod to Jerome Bettis?   Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but Filloni's from Pittsburgh and very proud of that (or so I'm told).  I wish someone could ask him that question, just out of curiosity.

From the episode guide:

R3-S6's gold and black color scheme is based on Dave Filoni's hometown favorites, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Good call Jesse!

[Jesse James]

Hah, and the "36" is Bettis' #, who was a major factor in the Steelers last super bowl win, so that's pretty neat.  Or at least I'm assuming that was intentional as well.  Weird coincidence if it isn't the case.

I'm pickin' up Goldie now just for my desk, even though Goldie turned out to be a prick.

[JangoTat]

Hah, and the "36" is Bettis' #, who was a major factor in the Steelers last super bowl win, so that's pretty neat.  Or at least I'm assuming that was intentional as well.  Weird coincidence if it isn't the case.

I'm pickin' up Goldie now just for my desk, even though Goldie turned out to be a prick.

if it was based on NHL teams one could say artoo and goldies fight was a nod to the Leafs vs the Pens

[iFett]

Very good episode for the most part.  Loved the droid fight between R2 and Goldie!  Had a feeling there was something wrong with him.  Nice to see him go.

[David]

I'm really looking forward to next week, despite Jar Jar. The episode sounds pretty cool from what I read in the Visual Guide.

[DSJ™]

All caught up again thus far. 

Ha, the droid fight was neat & droid poppers! Those are pretty cool, never seen them before.

Jar Jar is next week already, oh dear god!