The Clone Wars - Season Five Discussion Thread

[Brian]

I don't get this. It was reairing on saturday mornings already.

Cartoon Network has a history of sabotaging shows with an adult fanbase by changing air times and limiting rebroadcasts, like Justice League and Masters of the Universe.

I followed both those shows (JLU and MOTU), and I can say they definitely made it more and more difficult to catch the episodes (especially in the pre-DVR days).  I don't think CW is to that level yet (or maybe it never will be), but it definitely doesn't seem to get the push that it used to.

We've heard quite a few times about the lower ratings, so maybe it is a show on the way out.  It is hard to judge, because to me, I watch these shows (with some episode exceptions) and think "why wouldn't a kid be watching this?".  If these types of toons were on when I was a kid, I would have been all over it (there are other examples of superhero type shows that struggle these days too apparently).  In what might be similar to toy-buying/interest, kids might just be different these days.  They'd rather have shows about dueling card players and some such nonsense .  It is funny though, how some shows make their comebacks.  I know the Hub channel (which I know isn't exceptionally common) not only re-airs Joe and TF (although early and late in the day), it also shows somewhat older shows like Batman: TAS and Batman Beyond as well.  And now, our local CW affiliate has started showing Justice League on Saturday mornings again too.

I wonder, if/when the show does end, if Cartoon Network will keep it on a daily rotation like they do some of their other older shows.  That would be kind of neat.

[Jesse James]

Kind of bummed that this could be like a death throw for it...  The show looks like they maybe righted the ship this season.  I honestly am amped...  They trick me with trailers sometimes, but this one really looked like this year's going to what they needed to go to.

[Jabba the Slug]

Kind of bummed that this could be like a death throw for it...  The show looks like they maybe righted the ship this season.  I honestly am amped...  They trick me with trailers sometimes, but this one really looked like this year's going to what they needed to go to.

To be honest, with what was shown in the trailer and with the apparent "big secret" set for later in the season, this could be THE big bang to end it, you know? Because honestly at this point I don't see it surviving another season. And it looks like a LOT of loose ends will be tied up. I mean, Sidious fighting Maul and Savage? Come on, someone has to die there. And I have a feeling something big will definitely happen with Ahsoka, I did read somewhere (don't remember where exactly) that all the actors had to be kicked out of the studio while Matt Lanter (Anakin) and Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka) recorded one particular scene together.

I'm just so hyped for Season 5 it's ridiculous. Thank you, Dave Filoni, for putting together a quality and rewarding season together for us.

[McMetal]

I wouldn't worry about the show being canceled unless you start hearing about it from a source slightly more credible than 2 geeks with a podcast. Pretty sure neither of them works for Cartoon Network, so I'm not starting any candlelight vigils yet.

I don't remember who it was in another thread that proposed actually releasing these episodes as multiple standalone movies throughout the summer, as opposed to the current weekly episodic format, but I thought that was rather brilliant.

That would provide more of an "event" feel for things and provide a more sutainable model than them having to worry about advertising dollars, and ratings, and demographics, etc.

I will definitely NOT be watching this show at 9:30am on a Saturday. It's the darkest show on TV already. No way I am going to see everything in the glaring light of day. I hope they do a later re-airing or at least have it up On-Demand the next day.

[Jesse James]

I've not honestly heard many of the rumors on it ending, I'm basing it off just the fact the war's only 3 years long, and that there's reason to think it probably can't go on for too much longer.

I hate the thought of losing it, as I enjoy the show (even bad times like lunch program episodes), but there's part of me wouldn't mind seeing it end and see what new direction they go...  I'd kinda dig seeing them try, if the live-action's off the table for the time being, a post-ot show, or a show from TOR, or something.  Filoni helming it, Lucas popping in to steer the ship now and then, and I'd like to see what they do.

I'd LOVE a show that took it right after Endor though, and shows the continued struggle with the Empire, who takes over immediately, etc.  Some of that EU is utter tripe so I'd be even ok with them stepping on some toes there...  HTTE is a good distance beyond that point, so I'd like to see them hit that gap between ROTJ's end and HTTE's beginning...  maybe even wrapping that show up with a certain Grand Admiral's entrance in its final season.  Could be really awesome stuff.

Getting kiddies into it would be tough I think...  The troops they love are all bad, and plain. 

[Jabba the Slug]

New clip of Savage vs. Darth Maul on the main site. Yup, Savage vs. Darth Maul. If this isn't going to be one kick-ass season premiere then I don't know what is.

[jedipurge]

ya i finally got around to seeing that short clip.  didn't get it tho.  maul says there's only 2 blah blah blah, but Maul isn't a sith anymore so why is he gettin all preachy with Savage.  i have a feeling tho that this dual between Bros. is gonna wind up why we see Savage with a robot left arm in that longer clip.

[TheSon]

Just watched the "ask Dave" clips from the sw site. He confirmed that an updated Twilight will return in season five, thanks to Anakin's engineering prowess, but also hints that it may be destroyed before the season ends. I only hope it s featured prominently enough to allow for a TRU exclusive to be made. I still think next to the falcon, this would be a money maker in the large scale line for Hasbro. But more likely Dave and the crew are going to blow it up so people stop asking about it.

He also teases the fate of Rex and confirms that the Lex Ahsoka storyline will be elaborated.

Overall I have high hopes for this season. And now that the show is in syndication maybe toy sales will see a spike.

[Nicklab]

Interesting stuff in the Ask Dave videos.  The Twilight bit is cool. 

And he did make a point of talking about Rex and Ahsoka.  Eventually there's going to be some sort of turning points for both characters.  But he seemed to be focusing more on how their characters are continuing to evolve.  At some point I think the audience is going to need something to happen to these characters.  Filoni & company should take note in something JJ Abrams recently said about the series Lost.  That being that Lost took too long to get some major plot elements established, and that he and his show running team learned that you can only keep the audience hanging for so long.  The Clone Wars audience knows that something is going to happen to Ahsoka, and likely to Rex as well.  You can only keep stringing them along for so long.

[Lestat]

Sooo Adi Galia has now died twice?


It was nice to see Kenobi FINALLY kick some ass!

[Scockery]

The Brothers McMaullen really botched that up. Maul limp away supported by his now one armed brothers.

Adi Gallia another Jedi Master killed by the not-even-that-well-trained Opress...wow, Jedi suck.

Is that the first time we've seen Palpatine in his ROTS opening robe?

Hondo's back...yay...those flying saucers never meshed with weequay in my mind.

Blue Snaggletooth. Awesome. Had the silver boots.

I guess the confusing sith with Jedi is a hint of the galaxy having an increasingly negative view of the Jedi?

Didn't expect to open with a one shot (ableit one connected to last season's finale). Next week Onderan...which is likely an arc.

[TheSon]

Pure awesome sauce! This was the best season opener of the series. Loved he up tempo fighting. Good thing they moved this to mid morning on Saturday so kids can watch Jedi get killed and monsters get their arms and legs hacked off...I'm guessing he show producers were not anticipating the time switch when this episode was written.

[Qui-Gon Jim]

This show is WAY too violent for this time slot.  It is one thing for battle droids to get sliced and diced, but seeing another living being get limbs cut off, or murdered in cold blood is a little much for Saturday morning fare.

I wasn't too impressed with this episode.  I have been 'meh' about the return of Maul, and this one didn't do anything to change my mind.  Anyone else think the design of Maul, especially his Sith ascot, is a little lame?

[Scockery]

Long gloves, the ribbed ascot and running around shirtless...what's goofy about that? 

(Minor spoiler: based on  previews he changes his attire later in the season...)

Is the stabbing in the back with a lightsaber played out yet? Grievous, Ventress and Maul...hmmm not sure Dooku has done it. Did Anakin? Maybe. Ahsoka did, IIRC...to save Tarkin.

[McMetal]

Very pleased to see that Comcast had the new episode On-Demand the very same night, so I didn't have to wait around a couple days just to catch up.

Loved Blue Snags, even if he talked like the Sheriff from Squidbillies. All he was missing was the dented toe...

I still think Adi Gallia deserves a figure based on her body of work in the series. But sheesh, put up a little bit of a fight maybe?

At least we got Hondo when the line was still kicking. He never disappoints. 

You would think, with all the advanced technology and what-not, that it would not be that hard to detect if an escape pod was missing from the wreckage. That thing was not small.

This whole "ability of the force to tell when people are alive or dead" thing is really one of the abilities they should spend some time honing. Because it seems to work just fine sometimes and is inexplicably useless most other times.

The lightsaber combat was solid, although after repeated viewings it is still impossible to tell exactly HOW Obi disarms Savage, but whateves. It was sweet to see him hold his own at least.

Not sure what the big endgame was supposed to be. Surround yourself with a gang of pirates? Is Maul really stupid enough to think that would protect him from the Jedi? Seems like they could have just used the credits and hidden away for awhile and come up with something better.

Seems like Sidious would be more concerned about this too. You've got sixth Sith lords running around the galaxy creating havoc now. That's three times more than your own self-mandated limit. Those morons can't even follow their own rules.

Glad to have the show back though, Hasbro's ongoing toy fail notwithstanding.