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Full Series Discuss/Regrade the Episode: S03E20: Citadel Rescue

Discussion in 'Star Wars TV- Completed Shows' started by Todd the Jedi , Sep 2, 2013.

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How would you rate this one?

  1. 10/10

    15.4%
  2. 9/10

    46.2%
  3. 8/10

    15.4%
  4. 7/10

    7.7%
  5. 6/10

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  6. 5/10

    7.7%
  7. 4/10

    7.7%
  8. 3/10

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. 2/10

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. 1/10

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    Episode 3.20 - Citadel Rescue
    To Escape the Inescapable! he Rescued Prisoners Strike Back!

    [​IMG]

    "Without honor, victory is hollow."

    After their ship and only way off the planet is destroyed, Anakin and Obi-Wan must lead the escaped prisoners across Lola Sayu's perilous landscape as Plo Koon commands a task force of four cruisers and their fighters through the Separatist defenses in a daring rescue. Even Piell is ravaged by anooba tracking beasts, but before he dies, he passes on his Nexus Routes coordinates to Ahsoka. When the survivors return to Coruscant, Ahsoka knows half the intel, and refuses to disclose it to anyone but the Jedi Council, while Tarkin refuses to hand over his half to anyone other than the Chancellor.

    http://starwars.com/explore/the-clone-wars/ep320/#!/about

    Now let's regrade and discuss this episode!
     
  2. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
  3. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
  4. Circular Logic

    Circular Logic Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2013
    Citadel Rescue was an intense and worthy conclusion to the Citadel arc. Although the fortune cookie seems to be rather bias toward a certain point of view---the Jedi POV, apparently. Or in Mass Effect terms, Paragon (honorable means to an end) as opposed to Renegade (doing whatever it takes to win).

    First off, this episode delivered with its space battle scene, and gave Saesee Tiin the only real action he's had in the series, emphasizing his skills as a fighter pilot, one of the best in the Order during the PT era. I especially liked his line that there was never a battle such as this "since the days of the Old Republic". Osi Sobeck was a bit of a mixed bag in the episode, seemingly emasculated when Dooku appeared to him as a hologram, noting that "Good news would indeed be a surprise". Pwned! But OTOH, he was a true thorn on the side of the Jedi and Even Piell's escaping crew, and not a threat to be underestimated, particularly after he unleashed his pack of rabid Anooba to track the escapees down.

    Meanwhile, the Jedi and their group head toward a small island in the center of a lake of lava, their rendezvous point. A strange choice, but I guess the open space provided an appropriate area for a gunship to land to pick them up? The group is forced to retreat further when a droid strike team discover them, and R2 sacrifices his trio of reprogrammed B1s to buy the team time. "All for one and one for---!" [face_laugh] As Tarkin questions the Jedi's decision, Anakin and Obi-Wan discuss doing what's right versus whatever it takes to achieve victory, the latter point which Anakin seems to agree with Tarkin on; to him, the Jedi should be more warriors than peacekeepers during the present time. Cue Ahsoka sneering and rolling her eyes at the Captain. Tarkin also notes that he's fallen in favor with the Chancellor, much like Anakin, so his career appears safe no matter how he treats the Jedi commanders.

    Soon, the Anooba attack the group, but Anakin and Obi-Wan do a good job of fending them all off. However, Piell, distracted from attacking crab droids, is gutted by an Anooba before Ahsoka could save him. After doing so, Piell surrenders his coordinates to the Nexus Route to Ahsoka, knowing that his time was up. Here we get a good scene between the two where Ahsoka admits to her regret that she was never meant to be part of the team, and had disobeyed her superiors' orders to join the mission. But as the only other person with Piell, she was entrusted with the top-secret information. Now I realize that this episode contradicts Jedi Twilight from the Coruscant Nights series, but I thought Piell's new death was appropriate, if a bit pathetic as he was killed by an Anooba. But whatevers. Ahsoka then takes Piell's body to the others, and together Anakin and Obi-Wan give the diminutive Jedi Master a burial at sea in lava.

    Sobeck and his squad of STAPs finally catch up with the group just as most of them have crossed cables onto the rendezvous point, and here Ahsoka makes a critical decision that would have massive---and tragic---repercussions two decades later; she saves Tarkin from being thrown into the lava by Sobeck, stabbing the Phindian in the chest. Alas, Alderaan, you are doomed! Just as crab droids arrive to overrun the escapees, Plo Koon appears on a gunship to rescue the group, and they make their escape. After the gunship and its flanking fighters board a Venator, the Republic fleet retreats through hyperspace back to Coruscant.

    Back on Coruscant, the Jedi Council demand a report from both Ahsoka and Tarkin to receive the coordinates of the Nexus Routes, but the ever-ungrateful Tarkin insists on bringing his information directly to the Chancellor himself, as was requested of him. Ahsoka follows Piell's final wishes and says she'll only reveal her coordinates to the Council. After Anakin asks Plo whether or not he allowed Ahsoka to join the mission, the Kel Dorian Master replies in the affirmative, saving Ahsoka some serious reprimanding from her Master. As Tarkin departs to the Senate, Obi-Wan and Anakin again discuss the Jedi's path in the war; Obi-Wan insists that victory is hollow without honor (per the fortune cookie), while Anakin feels Tarkin's sentiments about doing whatever it takes is the right one.

    Overall, a great ending to the Citadel arc, with plenty of action on the ground and in space, and a moving death with a fairly decent score from Kevin Kiner, for once (it wasn't until mid-Season 4 that the soundtrack really became noteworthy). The Nexus Hyperspace Routes would prove essential in the future, and the arc provided excellent Republic versus CIS battles, both large and small. The main nitpicks were Ahsoka being covered by Plo rather than accepting responsibility for her actions, and a minor quibble at Piell's death retcon; but it served the overall plot well in terms of making the CIS seem more competent, since not all the Jedi escaped alive. I gave this episode a 9/10, rounded up.
     
  5. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    7/10

    This episode should be very good, but as it is it's only pretty good. Canon quibbles aside, Even Piell's death is pretty lackluster. I don't mind Ahsoka getting the responsibility to carry the info though.

    Still, the planet continues to look amazing, and Tarkin continues to be amazing. He's such a great role model for Anakin. :p The space battle, though brief, was pretty damn epic, and a good use of Saesee Tiin.
     
  6. EHT

    EHT Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 13, 2007

    Done. :)
     
    SithStarSlayer likes this.
  7. Arrian

    Arrian Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 15, 2011
    Quite a few problems with this issue. And I'm not just talking canon disasters, either.

    Firstly, I was hoping Sharp Spiral would appear, though it was good enough to see Saesee in a cockpit, let alone doing something at all.
    [​IMG]
    Furthermore, great continuity by having Adi Gallia (the second or third best starfighter ace) appearing. Kit Fisto was a weird choice.


    Then there was Even Piell. Oh, Even Piell. Not only was his death contradictory to Jedi Twilight, but it, as Todd already pointed out, completely lacklustre, and almost existed only to give responsibility to Assoka. That is just stupid and shows a disregard for characters beyond Anakin/Obi/Ahsoka. Mauled to death by some dogs? Give me a break; you're a Jedi High Councillor.
    [​IMG]

    I did like the animation in this episode, however. Lola Sayu looked ominous as ever, and the space battle was a nice touch. It wasn't enough to salvage this episode, though.

    A fundamental flawed episode, and an episode typical of the show: good ideas, strange creative choices, too much Ahsoka, bad continuity and ultimately little consequence beyond the arc. The beginning of the end for this show in terms of quality.

    I give it a 4/10.
     
  8. Deputy Rick Grimes

    Deputy Rick Grimes Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Epic episode to a awesome Arc
     
  9. Ani501st

    Ani501st Jedi Padawan star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2013
    I voted 10/10. Epic conclusion to this arc :
    - rescue mission with Plo Koon
    - Saesee Tiin in his jedi starfighter
    - dramatic part : Even Piell dies
    - interesting ending with Anakin, Obi, Tarkin
    - Anakin and Tarkin shakes hands
     
  10. SithStarSlayer

    SithStarSlayer Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2003
    Avatar_SW_LAC_WAC.PNG
    "I'm not dead.... Somebody has to watch the twins.";)
     
  11. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Good space battle, great to see Anakin and Tarkin bickering over who's the biggest bosom buddy of Palpatine.
     
  12. SithStarSlayer

    SithStarSlayer Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2003
    The Nanny™ pic made it easy.... EP is so epic, that he faked his own death twice.
     
  13. Orrelios

    Orrelios Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 21, 2005
    Great episode as well a great ending to the Citadel arc. The animation is reallly solid and the intensity and the action, of which we both get ground battles and a space battle (with nice involvement of Plo Koon, Saese Tiin and Adi Gallia), were great. Loved the continuation of Tarkin's development and the liking him and Anakin is taking to each other (the latter complimenting him several times is quite interesting considering what happens much later on); as for Ahsoka saving Tarkin from Sobeck who tries to kill him, I like it (and while it seemed as a good idea at the time, it's sort of funny how things turn out later because of this). Even Piell's death by anooba bite was well done and the retconning doesn't bother me (most likely considering I didn't read the Coruscant Night series) & the funeral sequence was pretty great and had some nice music (it also reminded me of the funeral scene in 'Alien 3').

    A couple of minor things bugged me (Sobeck sending out the anoobas for "tracking only" and yet they attack their targets with intent to kill & the fact that R2's entire squad of three battle droids are intact in this one even though one of them was taken out in the previous episode) but these didn't ruin the episode at all as it definitely delivered. I wonder what happened to the Citadel afterwards; did the Republic launch an full-scale assault later on to take it out or did they just leave it be altogether? Anyhow, I really enjoyed this episode and it's definitely the strongest one of the three; one of the best aspects of this arc was that I think Tarkin was made into a more nuanced and interesting character.

    9/10
     
  14. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Nexumaster I agree this is the best of the three, it's the only one with space battle action and it's the peak of the tension with Tarkin.