Star Wars - the Clone Wars series

[DarKush]

Actually I disagree with you slightly on that. I think the problem with the prequel films was the tendency to try to show Anakin too much in a sympathetic light. I think that factored in first introducing us to Anakin as a kid, which I thought was a huge waste of time, and then developing his relationship with Padme in the second film, and then there seemed to be a rush to get to Vader in the third film. Anakin was heroic in TPM, perhaps not so much in AOTC, and then again in ROTS, and even if they didn't spend a lot of time showing his heroics on film they talked about it or how strong in the force and potentially great he was.

I do agree that the Clone War series does provide an opportunity to flesh out Anakin's character and to show different sides of his personality which is a good thing.

 

[Mr Light]

I've always said TPM should have just been a novel, with AOTC as Ep 1, Clone Wars events as Ep 2, and ROTS as Ep 3.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Actually I disagree with you slightly on that. I think the problem with the prequel films was the tendency to try to show Anakin too much in a sympathetic light. I think that factored in first introducing us to Anakin as a kid, which I thought was a huge waste of time, and then developing his relationship with Padme in the second film, and then there seemed to be a rush to get to Vader in the third film. Anakin was heroic in TPM, perhaps not so much in AOTC, and then again in ROTS, and even if they didn't spend a lot of time showing his heroics on film they talked about it or how strong in the force and potentially great he was.

Actually, that's exactly what I'm talking about. To tell the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker in three films, only a few basics could be dwelt with. He began as a too sweet kid that grew into an impulsive, love-stricken teenager and eventually a man who sold his soul to the devil. There really wasn't a lot of time that could be focused on Anakin simply as one of the greatest Jedi of his era and so things were kind of rushed along during the prequel trilogy to show how Anakin went from a friendly kid who liked to help people to a murderous Sith Lord.

As a result, I think during Episodes II and III, Anakin's bad qualities were on par with his good qualities before he became Vader, whereas in The Clone Wars we generally see more of the good in him as a Jedi Knight and general of the Republic army...

 

[FPAlpha]

I started it when it was released and saw the first few episodes then stopped.

A few months ago i made it to about 2/3 and stopped again.

Reason? It is just too shallow adventure fun.. if i were a kid i'd adore the show but as an adult i like my entertainment a bit more complicated and challenging.

From a technical point the show is awesome.. the animation style is up for debate but the technical part is very well done. However the stories just don't grip me, the Jedi kid is annoying as hell (almost as much as Jar Jar) and the scripts just don't engage me (apart from a few exceptions).

 

[Hermiod]

As a result, I think during Episodes II and III, Anakin's bad qualities were on par with his good qualities before he became Vader, whereas in The Clone Wars we generally see more of the good in him as a Jedi Knight and general of the Republic army...

I think Clone Wars can fill in a gap here. It could show Anakin generally doing more morally questionable things at Palpatine's prompting. They have to show why Anakin trusts Palpatine's word over Obi-Wan, who had almost become like his brother rather than his former Jedi Master.

And then there's Ahsoka. Something's going to have to happen to her. She's too important, and dare I say popular, to just say "oh, she died in the purge".

 

[nx1701g]

^ I still half expect Lucasfilm to order Ahsoka survives so that they can use her for other projects. The character is fairly popular from what I've read.

 

[firehawk12]

It'd be hilarious if they spun her off into the live action series.

Then she'll be the hot Jedi Mara Jade equivalent.

 

[KobayashiMaru13]

A thing to be kept in mind: it's geared towards kids. The kinds WANT the heroes to look good, even if it is only due to wimpy, unintellectual villian. They WANT the clones (after all, if they're "expendable", its one more person who will probably be shot).

IMO the clones are the best part. I love their personalities, and Rex, Cody, Denal, and Heavy are the best. Also IMO, Jar Jar needs to be blown up. Who the frak likes him?? And Cad Bane is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

[Hermiod]

It'd be hilarious if they spun her off into the live action series.

Then she'll be the hot Jedi Mara Jade equivalent.

She's 14!

I'm not sure that kids do always want the heroes to look good. I always liked Vader when I was a kid, still do.

 

[Talosian]

It's an okay children's program in terms of cheap thrills and effects, but honestly, it's pretty lifeless. Contrast it to something like the original Batman: The Animated Series. Then imagine a Star Wars cartoon (traditional cell animated preferably) on that level of quality.

Also, children aren't as dumb as they're being made out. Even as a small boy I hated the way villains were so often dumbed down. I wasn't the only kid who rooted for the smarter bad guys like Starscream and Cobra Commander.

 

[Hermiod]

^I spent much of my childhood wondering why the villains never won.

 

[nx1701g]

^ Especially if they were supposed to be so dangerous.

 

[Hermiod]

^ Especially if they were supposed to be so dangerous.

Yeah, that's the big problem. If you make your villains look like chumps all the time then the heroes don't look very heroic when they win.

In the movie series, that's what The Empire Strikes Back is all about. Going in to that movie for the first time, you know that the Rebels in a few beaten up old fighters and a smuggler's cargo carrier just destroyed the Empire's gigantic new planet killing battlestation despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned. The Empire is made to look like fools.

Not too long in to the sequel, those same Rebels get absolutely squashed. Their base is destroyed, you see AT-AT's swatting Snowspeeders like flies and their soldiers running away in fear.

By the end of the movie, on the Rebellion's greatest heroes is captured and another has just had his hand cut off.

Empire does such a great job of reestablishing the Empire as a threat which makes the Rebels look even better when they eventually win.

 

[Mr Light]

^^ You mean when the Ewoks utterly wipe out the Empire's best Stormtroopers?

 

[Hermiod]

^Well, ignoring that part.

Well, actually, they didn't wipe them out. Towards the end there the Stormtroopers were clearly winning until Han pulled a little trick on them with their stolen AT-ST. Problem was that they tried to fight a jungle battle with giant machines. Obviously nobody in the Empire ever saw a Vietnam movie.

 

[Alpinemaps]

I don't try to overthink the series. I enjoy it.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Season Two premiere is 10.02.2009. Source

 

[Tomato]

I don't try to overthink the series. I enjoy it.

QFT. It is a kids show. Turn your brain off enjoy the explosions and bad ass jedi fight scenes.

 

[Peter the Younger]

^Well, ignoring that part.

Well, actually, they didn't wipe them out. Towards the end there the Stormtroopers were clearly winning until Han pulled a little trick on them with their stolen AT-ST. Problem was that they tried to fight a jungle battle with giant machines. Obviously nobody in the Empire ever saw a Vietnam movie.

I seem to recall that Lucas actually based the Endor battle on his perception of the Vietnam War: an arrogant, industrialized force beaten by locals who fight guerrilla style and know the terrain.

But I sure wish he would have stuck with this original idea and had the second Death Star being built by wookie slave labor above Kashyyyk. Seriously, nobody would have questioned it if a hundred escaped wookies kicked the crap out of the stormtroopers.

As for Clone Wars, it's fun, and a damn sight better than most of the crappy cartoons out there.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

But I sure wish he would have stuck with this original idea and had the second Death Star being built by wookie slave labor above Kashyyyk. Seriously, nobody would have questioned it if a hundred escaped wookies kicked the crap out of the stormtroopers.

Even though Chewbacca was no more useful than a creature half his size would be.

The best thing he does is highjack that AT-ST, and I suspect that was the Ewoks' idea.