talyseon's Full Review: Star Wars - Clone Wars: Vol. 2
Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume Two. Directed by Genndy Tartakowsky. Written in part by George Lucas.
I highly recommend that you read my previous review, Star Wars Clone Wars Volume One. This story picks up exactly where the previous one left off. The war continues a group of clones closing in to retrieve the Masters attacked by General Grievous. They are in time to save Master Mundi, Aylla Secura and Shakti, but only barely, and only after suffering considerable losses.
The episodes flit between several different themes: The direct war: Anakin and Obi-Wan break the defenses of a besieged Separatist strong hold.
Anakin and Padme, and the sorrowful love they share. A bright moment of happiness is when Anakin is promoted to full Knight. In a touching gesture, Padme puts his Padawan braid in the same box as the amulet Anakin made for her on Tatooine.
The attack on Coruscant. The planet is invaded. Yoda and Windu show what a Jedi can do when they cut loose. In the confusion, General Grievous attempts to kidnap Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. He is defended by Shakti, and two other Jedi, a Talz (big white fuzzy with four eyes and a tube for a mouth) and an Ithorian (Hammerhead.) Ithorians have two mouths back on their necks, and four throats. An Ithorian yell is an impressive attack. The Jedi flee across the city with Palpatine, with Grievous and various numbers of elite warrior droids after them. The fight in the train station is exceptionally well done. The whole subplot details how Chancellor Palpatine came to be on Grievous’ ship at the beginning of the third Episode.
Anakin’s trial. Though made a Jedi Knight, Anakin still must undergo the trial of spirit to be a true Jedi. His chance comes on planet Nelvaan, a land locked in unnatural winter. There, he interferes with a rite of passage, killing a huge and dangerous beast. Now, he is the one chosen to rid the land of the problems facing it. Covered in slug generated tattoos, he sets out to discover the source of the land’s (and his) distress. He has a vision of a warrior who looses a hand, but gains a new stylized one (his own prosthetic?) that has great power, but that turns on the warrior, killing all he loves. This is called the Ghost Hand.
The Technounion is running an experimental station, sucking up the planets geothermal heat to power their operation to convert the tribal Nelvaan warriors into bio weapons, huge, bloated with muscle, and with one hand replace by a blaster cannon. Anakin uses his hand to grip the energy crystal from its protective shield, and there by blows it off, but also frees the warriors.
As he pursues the Technounionists, he uses his telekinesis, guide by his right stump, to destroy them. The parallels with the legend are easy to read on the Nelvaanan’s faces. But Anakin regains control.
Back in the village, the willowy female Nelvaanans are horrified to see the disfigurements their men have suffered. There is an awkward pause. Then one little child goes forward and asks “Pappa?” (translated, of course.) They hug, and the tribe moves together. When Anakin asks if they are going to be okay, Obi-Wan says, “Yes, if they can learn to accept themselves.”
The end of these cartoons takes you into the action of Episode Three. A wonderful supplement, they fill in some of the back-story, and show a few secret details, like Anakin’s knighting.
Overall, I like these cartoons. This is unusual, because I hate the “Samurai Jack” hyperstyalized art they used. They wanted something different, and they got it. It is just not my taste. At all. So that tells you a lot about the story and production. If it can get me past art I can’t stand, they did something right.
One of the best things is the sound. They did not use any actors except the voice of C3PO (Anthony Daniels) but the sound effects are pure Star Wars. As I sit here, it is playing in the background, and the quality is almost indistinguishable from the movies.
All in all, a very well done series. I am not the only one who thought so. The series won three Primetime Emmys and the Annie and was nominated for the Saturn Award.
This is a great series for fans. If you loved Star Wars, and wondered what happened between Episode II and III this is the collection for you.
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