Club Jade

For last week’s episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, it seems from the reader comments to our review that ‘The Mandalore Plot’ is really ‘We Demand-more Plot’ or more something. Here’s what other online reviewers have to say:

• The Star Wars Prequel Appreciation Society picks up on the Obi-wan/Satine rawr moments, and points out that Vizsla comes from the Cobra school of villainy.
• Television Zombies gives it 4 out of 5 sabers, liking sort of flirty Obi-wan, and makes a BSG reference but doesn’t acknowledge the EU revision.
• TheForce.net liked having all the new elements: new world, new conflict, new characters, and especially the dynamic between Satine and Obi-wan, but has some nitpicks about the Duchess, and discusses a lot of Mando continuity issues.
• MTV Movies Blog’s reviewer called it an “entertaining piece of fiction” that brought a smile to his face, even with the heavy changes to the EU.
• Dauntless Media gives it a B, liking the exceptional visuals, but feeling the plot a bit questionable and poorly paced.
• Big Shiny Robot liked it but found the ending lacking, and points out the EU shockwaves – prompting a reader to leave an rambling comment.
• Pendragon’s Post points out the coolness of seeing Mandos in action but also picks up on the racial disparity between the Fetts and the ‘Plot’ Mandos.

We’ll see how Obi-wan and the woman he once loved fare in the continuing storyline, in tonight’s ‘Voyage of Temptation,’ when Anakin learns that his mentor has a love life. On the official site, series writer Henry Gilroy looks at Obi-Wan, Satine, Jedi romance, and differing ideals. Meanwhile, Dave Filoni talks to the Insider about bringing in the Mandalorians. Seriously, shouldn’t ‘Voyage of Temptation’ that be the title of a FOX or VH1 reality show on a cruise ship?

Yoda once told Luke Skywalker that you have to unlearn what you have learned. Certainly true in order to enjoy last week’s episode of The Clone Wars, ‘The Mandalore Plot’. Even knowing it was coming from Karen Traviss’ departure from the EU last summer, the modern history of the Mandalorian people took an abrupt revision. My first viewing of the episode left me focusing more on picking out what had been kept and tossed from previous continuity than on the actual story. But after letting it all go, I watched it again to see what was actually there. (more…)

Not only do we have Stooge’s guest review of last week’s Star Wars – The Clone Wars episode, ‘Lightsaber Lost’, other reviews of the Ahsoka-centric episode have been found, with a little of Master’s Sinube’s patient detective work:

• Big Shiny Robot points out that the episode is an homage to the Akira Kurosawa noir film, Stray Dog, and despite simplifying the original plot, is still a fun episode with well-done action and suspense.
• TheForce.Net called it ‘really excellent’ for both story and message, and loved the visuals of Coruscant.
• Television Zombies gives it 4 out 5 sabers, liking the new characters, and good intention, but felt it lacked vibrancy.
• Galactic Binder points out some plausibility issues (like Ahsoka not using a Force grab to get her saber back), but likes the new characters.
• IGN felt that it lacked the spark of other recent episodes, but was still strong enough to warrant a 7.5, with a stronger second half to it.
• MTV’s movie blog calls it a good one, with great action and a few pleasant surprises.

Ahsoka has finally come into her own.  Not as a Jedi, mind you – she actually seems to be getting less mature as time goes on, no doubt due to prolonged exposure to a Skywalker.  But in terms of her status as a character, ‘Lightsaber Lost’ marks a definite turning point: it’s the first episode where she’s really on her own, with the action following her the entire time and not cutting away to any of the “classic” movie characters.  Yes, Jocasta Nu puts in a cameo, but she’s hardly one of our regular heroes.  Anakin also makes an appeareance for the first minute or so, but after that, he ducks out for good.  But is it for good?  Ahsoka, without Anakin for support and/or moral confusion, turns out to be a mixed bag. (more…)

Today brings our first novel of the new year: Paul S. Kemp’s Crosscurrent. Kemp’s been much in demand lately: There are interviews at TheForce.Net, swbooks.co.uk and in French at Star Wars Universe. Early reviews of the book have popped up at Flames Rising, DaveBrendon’s and Team Preston.

Don’t worry, comic fans, there’s something for you, too: Legacy #44 will be in comic shops on Wednesday.

While ‘Grievous Intrigue’ threw in a lot of action without much plot, ‘The Deserter’ combines story, character, and action to make a stronger episode. While Republic searches for a crash-landed Grievous, an injured Rex comes across something that forces him to rethink his life: a farmer and father, who happens to be a clone deserter. (more…)

The second episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars last week, ‘The Deserter’, about Rex’s discovery of a clone deserter-turned-father while Obi-wan and Cody try to apprehend a crash-landed Grievous, turned out to give the fans something to enjoy:

• TheForce.Net thought ‘The Deserter’ truly shined, with its philosophical debate, domestic scenes, and zombie-like feel to the final battle at the farmhouse.
• Pendragon’s Post calls it solid, and likes getting into the psychology of clones.
• IGN gives it an 8, but wishes that the Grievous/Obi-wan plot had been lessened, as well as the cuteness of those Twi’lek kids.
• Big Shiny Robot loved the final battle at the farmhouse, being reminded of the end of L.A. Confidential, and can’t get enough of those commando droids.
• Galactic Binder sees a “well executed storyline” and looks at Rex’s growth as he sees different notions of bravery.
• Broken Frontier thinks ‘Grievous Intrigue’ to be more entertaining, but ‘The Deserter’ to end up as one of the better dialogue-focused episodes.

Check back in a few for my review!

General Grievous finally makes his Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 2 grand entrance after lurking in the shadows last fall. In the first season, Grievous mostly came out as a mustache-twirling villain whose sinister plots would be undone by the Jedi and the ineptitude of his own droids, and the hacking cyborg would escape at the last second to try another dastardly plot. In ‘Grievous Intrigue’ he again shows his ability to cook up a caper, but this time, we see a glimmer of purpose behind the mask. (more…)

General Grievous tried to trap some Jedi in ‘Grievous Intrigue’, but they managed to escape again – let’s see how he fared in trapping the viewers of Star Wars: The Clone Wars:

• IGN liked the more complex nature of Grievous shown here, and gave it a 9 out of 10.
• TheForce.Net enjoyed the Obi-wan/Grievous rivalry and the spectacular lightsaber duels.
• SWCloneWarsReviews gave it 3/5 stars, calling it fun and enjoyable, but pointing out almost some boredom with Grievous-style lightsaber combat and the lack of tension caused by “we know these people all survive to Episode III” syndrome.
• Dauntless Media liked the kinetic, intense action, and calling the episode a visual feast, but without depth — and the episode being poorly named.
• Big Shiny Robot loved the commando droids and calls the episode “preposterously well animated action.”

And don’t forget to check back later today for my review!

Namesake corner. Topps is saluting the ‘Women of Star Wars‘ in their Galaxy 5 line. And since you can only have so many slave Leias before the theme gets tired, there’s an Adam Hughes Mara Jade card. Granted, it’s Adam Hughes and thus total cheesecake, but we’re used to that.

Visions peek. I can’t believe there’s, like, war and battle and stuff in the Star Wars art book. Ugh. (P.S. If we’re going there, I would love something ROTJish in the style of The Death of General Wolfe. And prints, because I would so totally buy prints of that if it was done with a stylistically straight face.)

Would you like some false hope with that? IGN has ‘thoughtfully’ compiled all the leading candidates for the totally nonexistent, never-going-to-happen (except for probably that bounty hunter thing in the live action series) additional Star Wars movies. Basically, what I am saying is, no matter how good the effects on Avatar are, don’t hold your breath. (Yeah, I am a little sick of this topic and Dark Empire? Are you kidding me? …Sorry.)

Crosscurrent. Check out chapter two of Paul S. Kemp’s upcoming paperback. Meanwhile, the first review has surfaced over at Stomping on Yeti.

The Old Republic. NJOE’s Rogue77 found a brief summary for Sean William’s The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance.