Full Series Discuss/Regrade the Episode: S04E03: Prisoners

Episode 4.03 - Prisoners
A Last Gasp of Hope!



"Crowns are inherited, kingdoms are earned."

The Republic and Gungan forces have been captured by Riff Tamson and his Karkarodon enforcers. Now, it is up to Ahsoka and the young Prince Lee-Char to unite the fractured people of Mon Cala and drive out the Separatist invaders.

http://starwars.com/explore/the-clone-wars/ep403/#!/about
Now let's regrade and discuss this episode!

 

I like how there are CIS soldiers (the Karkarodons) on this episode, its a shame it wasn't shown more often on TCW that not all of the CIS troops were battledroids, I know there have been Geonosians and Umbarans, but this was one of the only time where we got to see CIS soldiers fight on a planet that wasn't there home world.

 

The finale of the Mon Cala arc was to me the best episode of a fairly mediocre three-parter. Riff Tamson was a convincingly ruthless villain here, as he not only tortures Anakin and Kit Fisto with giant electric eels, but attempts to drown Padmé by cracking her helmet. Though the Jedi could attempt to staunch the flow of water into her helmet using the Force, it is Jar Jar of all people that saves the Senator's life by using his Gungan "waterproofing" mucus to seal her helmet. Eh... Meanwhile, Tamson has delusions of grandeur and insists on seizing the throne of Mon Cala for himself, and Nossor Ri is powerless to object.

Meanwhile, Prince Lee-Char and Ahsoka sneak into the prison camp where the Mon Calamari, the Gungans, and the SCUBA troopers are held, and the prince rallies his people, insisting that the time to resist would be after a quarren takes arms against the Separatists, before being caught and taken to Tamson. After sharing some words with the prince, Tamson orders Lee-Char's public execution, but thanks in part to the Separatists' mistreatment of the quarren, Nossor Ri rescues Lee-Char and arms the remaining prisoners, sparking an insurrection against the CIS forces. After a brief battle in which the Separatist forces are driven back, a livid Tamson kills multiple enemies using his explosive knives (pretty badass weapon, I must say) and confronts the prince, admitting to killing Lee-Char's father. Lee-Char manages to steal one of the Karkarodon's knives and impale him in the shoulder with it, and then Tamson blows up in an obvious homage to Jaws. But alas, no Tikkes (I feel for ya, Dan_Grievous_Tikkes_Fan), who was almost slated to appear in this episode. A gruesome ending to the Karkarodon Separatist leader, as we see darkened blood and Tamson's skull floating in the water afterward. That was definitely the highlight of an otherwise fairly forgettable episode; everything is tied up very quickly and neatly, and the quarren and the Mon Calamari are suddenly friends again. All is good. Happy happy joy joy.

Ultimately, I gave this episode a 7/10.

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...


Why, TCW, why!?!?!?! Why no Tikkes???? Two years and I am still pissed about this!


A toy accessory for Ackbar made it into the episode and arc, but not Tikkes... WHAT?!!?!


Thank you, Circular Logic, for the shout-out for Tikkes and the mention.