Cartoon Review: The First Season of the 2008 "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Series (Spoiler Alert)
That is the main flaw of the first season. It is far too episodic. With the exception of a few story arcs that span two or three episode, very little connects the entire season as a single, coherent story. Characters do not undergo deep development, but remain two-dimensional shells throughout the season. We do not get a detailed exploration of the politics behind the war, and why we should root for one side over the over. Nor is there an attempt to show the degradation of the Republic leadership overtime, or how the Jedi Order itself gets corrupted. These are both main themes of the movies, and are critical to explain how we get to the evil Galactic Empire and its sinister enforcer, Darth Vader, by the time we reach Star Wars: A New Hope.
The disappointment commences with episode one, Ambush, which depicts the Toydarians trying to decide whether to join the Separtists or the Republic in the galactic war. This conflict isn't resolved by comparing the principles and values of the competing sides. Rather, this important matter is determined simply by seeing if the Republic forces, led by Master Yoda, are clever enough to overcome the roadblocks Count Dooku and the droid army have put in the way of the Jedi arriving at the negotiations with the Toydarians on time. Seriously, a civilization, who heretofore have not been attacked, deciding whether to join a war, and on what side, is a complicated political matter, not merely resolvable by a single contest of whether one of military leaders can successfully navigate a series of traps placed by his adversaries in order to arrive at the negotiating table. The plot is insultingly too simple. With a few exceptions, this continues throughout the rest of the first season.
In episode fourteen, Defenders of the Peace, the pacifist culture of Lurmen finds criticism, as the village leader refuses to join the war, even in the face of a Separatist weapon that will destroy his people. There is no attempt to extol the virtues of peaceful resistance, such as the strategy Gandhi employed. No, in this world, problems are typically solved by fighting.
In fact, we get not one, but two episodes that depict Jar-Jar as a buffoon outwardly. Yet, he winds up being the hero by saving the Republic characters with his unconventional actions.
As for the Separatist forces, it is hard to see how they pose much of a threat to the Jedi. The battle droids are mostly used for comic relief. Their leader, General Grievous, wines about their incompetence when confronting Count Dooku. Grievous himself is depicted as a self-interested, bumbling fool, ready to abandon his troops whenever he is in immediate danger. Count Dooku is all too willing to betray the general of his army, and set him up to be captured by the Jedi, as shown in episode ten, Lair of Grievous. How the Separatists can continue to be a menace to the Jedi, when there is no loyalty or support among them, is inexplicable.
Likewise, the plot line in episodes eleven and twelve, where Dooku, and then Skywalker and Kenobi, are captured by Hondo Ohnaka and his band of space pirate, stands in stark contrast to almost the entire Star Wars universe. Dooku, a Sith apprentice, should be easily able to handle a small group of untrained space pirates. Yet, he gives up without a fight. Likewise, we have seen Jedi hold their own not only against battle droids, but their compatriots, super battle droids and destroyer droids (droidekas). Showing the Sith and Jedi to be at the mercy of a band of overconfident space pirates is just inconsistent with everything else we've been shown.
Indeed, the characterization of Anakin Skywalker is puzzling. He is the Chosen One. His ability to use the Force has supposedly grown quickly during his apprenticeship with Obi-Wan. For somebody with is purported to be so powerful, he appears to get captured and seriously injured fairly regularly.
As for the Jedi Order itself, its depiction is also baffling. Jedis are supposed to be compassionate. It is what makes them stand out against the Sith. But in this series, the Jedi are far too willing to sacrifice injured or captured compatriots by leaving them behind. Indeed, this is a point Ahsoka raises in episodes thirteen and fourteen. There is never a satisfying answer to her question, only a Spok-like assertion that sacrifices the one at times is beneficial to the many. Ironically, the one who violates this Jedi characteristic the most by making the effort to save those for whom he cares, is the one who will later turn to the dark side: Anakin.
Season one continues with one of the most annoying and insulting aspects of the prequels. Namely, the use of stereotypical accents. The overly sexualized Twi'leck Jedi, Aayla Secura, for example, speaks with a mock French accent. French woman, of course, are stereotyped as provocative and seductive, which only reinforces her sex-pot outward appearance. Nute Gunray continues with his degrading Asian accent. Similarly, the Gungans continue to speak like Caribbean islanders. In episode fourteen, the Lurmen villagers speak in a terrible Scottish accent. Or maybe it's Irish. To be honest, the accent is so bad and annoying, I really couldn't tell. The mad scientist in episode seventeen, Blue Shadow Virus, speaks with a mock German accent, again reinforcing the mad scientist stereotype.
This criticism may seem unfair. After all, isn't this just a cartoon meant for kids? Just because something is a cartoon, however, does not mean its intended audience is children. Japanese anime, for example, with its violence and sophisticated story-lines, often aims for the young adult audience. Consider the amount of violence depicted in this series. At times, the violence can be graphic, such as in episode seven, Duel of the Droids, where General Grievous stabs a junk smuggler cold-bloodedly, through the chest, all on screen. Later in the same episode, Grievous threatens Anakin Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, with light sabers while holding her by the throat. In the series finale, bounty hunter Cad Bane effortlessly snaps the neck of a Coruscant police officer.The series goes beyond the cartoonish Tom and Jerry style violence you would expect in a show made for children.
Moreover, the female characters are overly sexualized. In episode one, less than a minute into the series, we are introduced to a new Asajj Ventress. Unlike her depiction in the 2003 Genndy Tartakovsky series, Ventress dons a costume that is form-fitting and reveals copious amounts of skin. Ventress must have undergone plastic surgery in the three years since the end of the Tartakovsky series, as her breasts, which are now emphasized, have grown. Indeed, this appears to be a theme in The Clone Wars, as the computer generated Padme Amidala has been also been enhanced to be far more endowed than Natalie Portman, the actress who plays Padme in the live action prequel movies.
Even among the Jedi, female characters are very comfortable doing battle in revealing clothing. Ahsoka tantalizes by wearing a bikini-like outfit, exposing her midriff while surrounded by armored male Jedi and clones. We later see Jedi Aayla Secura swaying her hips while wearing a two-piece costume with a plunging neck line and low waisted pants, defending the Lurmen against a droid attack. Even the female Gungan, introduced in episode seventeen, needs to show off her belly button while helping the Republic foil a Separatist plot to develop deadly weapons.
Clearly Lucasfilms targets hormone-driven adolescent boys as one of their prime audiences (as well as the geeky, overgrown loners who need to move out of their parents' basements). Teenagers are far more sophisticated than the writing for the first season makes them out to be, and deserve better plots.
There are some positives to this season of The Clone Wars. Episode fifteen, Trespass, does a good job playing off the Jedi, who respect the indigenous culture of the planet where the Republic wants to install a listening post, against the political leader of a nearby planet, who approaches the natives with bigotry and over-confidence. Episode sixteen, The Hidden Enemy, is a very good mystery, as the Clones attempt to find the traitor in their midst, who is cooperating with Ventress behind the scenes. This episode even addresses the issue that the Jedi may be treating their Clone counterparts more as slaves than as equals.
The season does end with some promise. There is a three episode story arc about the liberation of Twi'lecks on the planet Ryloth. The last two of those episodes focus on battle action in an exciting manner. Episode twenty one, Liberty on Ryloth, introduces us to a Twi'leck resistance leader, General Syndulla, who will become the father of a majorcharacter in the Rebels series. The episode exposes us to a conflict between General Syndulla, and Senator Taa, who resist working together over because they are political rivals.
The most promising episode is the season finale, Hostage Crisis. This episode introduces us to Cad Bane and his band of bounty hunters, including fan favorite Aurra Sing. This episode does not contain the silly comedic relief present throughout much of the first season. Instead, Bane is characterized as a formidable adversary, not easier defeated by even the Jedi. The episode is far more serious, and gives hope that season two may show improvement.
These rare gems, however, only highlight the issue that drove me away from the series in the first place: it's inconsistencies. Yes, there are well-written episodes, and well-developed story arcs worthy of being Star Wars canon. But you need to wade through a lot of garbage to get to those episodes. Getting to season seven may prove to be pure torture, as I have already found myself outwardly groaning and rolling my eyes as I slogged through season one.
References
Internet Movie Database, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."
Wookieepedia, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series)."
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