Full Series The Clone Wars: Episode 219: The Zillo Beast Strikes Back Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

TaunTaunHerder...you really need to sit down and just relax and enjoy it.

This show is filled with homages, or "reused lines" or "scenes taken from other movies." This entire episode was supposed to be a homage to King Kong, they even had the Zillo Beast climb a huge building and let out a giant roar.

 

You know what's funny? I never saw Godzilla (well, I did, but I was a little kid and don't remember jack **** about it) but I saw South Park this week where they brought back, for the first time since like the first season or whatever, Mecha-Streisand, and now I'm convinced they used the same kind of scaffolding to hold Godzilla, because the superstructure was exactly like the one they used to hold the Zillo Beast.

I'm really wondering here - was South Park doing an homage to Godzilla, or an homage to The Clone Wars' homage to Godzilla?

 

After watching every single episode of Clone Wars diligently since the beginning, I would have to say this is the absolute worst episode. The graphics, sound, music all were fantastic, but the story, characterization and dialog were mind-numbingly terrible. The whole thing was just homages, self-referential repetition of lines, pointless cameos and shark-jumpingly implausible scenarios. The series has always done that to a degree, but come on, enough is enough. I actually would have preferred a season one Jar-Jar episode or more whiny padawan field trips. Ok, it's a cartoon for kids, sure, but I really think I've seen better written and more fantastically plausible episodes of Scooby-Doo or Masters of the Universe, that at least attempt to adhere to some kind of internal logic or purposeful narrative. Do they really have to remind us that this is Star Wars by incorporating all that "I've got a bad feeling..." stuff? I guess we might forget it was Star Wars if there wasn't the Emporor riding a flying R2, an acrobatic yoda, Mace issuing a grim warning, and C3-PO being terrified. How much more unlikable are they going to make Padme; or did I miss something and there is a plan to strategically turn the audience against her?

Besides the fact that bringing the beast to Coruscant made as much sense as it would be to move the Jedi Temple to the Death Star - ok so they wanted to make reference to Godzilla/King Kong, but it is possible to write a science fiction story that isn't an homage to a film? Hasn't there been plenty enough of that this season as is? The whole film homage thing comes across as lazy writing in general, what is this South Park? If they're running out of ideas already that doesn't bode well for the next three seasons. Are we going to have to endure dozens more episodes that are clever homages to famous genre films, while somebody pops up every other minute to say "There's always a bigger fish" or "I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe" etc? I won't continue to dissect this because there's just too much wrong with the whole episode.

It just seems like a waste to have such obviously expensive and technically impressive state-of-the-art animation and design, an entire universe filled with planets and potential plot lines, and then just resort to this level of writing and story - and there have been some pretty good ones lately, but this was just too much.

 

lol, why?

Well, at least it'll give you a reason to watch the episodes of TCW that you missed.

I remember shouting, "Use the Force, idiot!" at the TV when that happened, lol. Actually, it would've been kinda hilarious to hear Obi-Wan yelling that up at him from the ground. He probably would've put it a bit more eloquently than I did.

 

I sort of wondered that myself...

 

I loved this episode. Definitely on my top 5 list of my favorite CW episodes of all time.

 

Would Palpatine considered using the force there to save his own life had it come to that?

 

Eh, opinions are like cornholes, kloony, everyone's got one. This wasn't my favorite episode but I thought it had its moments. Most people here, even the ones who didn't particularly like this episode, at the very least like The Clone Wars enough that we come here and talk about how awesome it was, what we liked, what we didn't. I disagree with you on what worked and what didn't, but meh, to each his own, you know? Like my dad says "it's all a matter of personal preference."

Personally, MY favorite episodes are the ones that focus on the clones themselves.

Anyway, to answer your question, South Park is a TV show that's been on Comedy Central for a little over a decade. I started watching it when I was in the 3rd grade, and as Cartman, the fat kid on the show would say "it warped my fragile little mind." But yeah, it's a cartoon but it ain't a kid's show. It is funny as Hell in my opinion. You should go check it out sometime. But no, this Star Wars episode came out BEFORE the South Park episode I was talking about. I was just wondering if South Park was doing an homage to Godzilla or an homage to TCW's homage to Godzilla.

 

Ok, The Gungan General was the singular worst episode of the series so far. I will never be convinced otherwise. They'd have to consciously work at it to produce an episode worse than that one was.

Now I will concede the point I can see why some wouldn't care for this particular episode. It did have weak moments, but worse than The Gungan General? That's a huge stretch.

 

I wasn't specifically referring to the fact that both Clone Wars and South Park both may have referenced the same films, but that in general continually referencing other films is a little tiresome. For something like South Park, and adult comedy, after what must be hundreds of episodes made, that kind of homage in the context of satire makes a little more sense to me. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing a giant animated beast smash stuff as much as the next person, especially with the impressive production and graphics, but to me the rest of the story seems forced and stretched to justify the concept. Obligatory cameos and pre-existing star wars quips are shoe-horned in, and it seems like the story itself takes the lowest priority in the whole production. Borrowing scenarios as homage seems to me like what happens to a series that is running out of ideas. Seems to be a ton of story possibilities with so many characters, new and old, to draw from in the series, that this would be unnecessary. Perhaps I am being too harsh but is there somebody standing around telling the writers "Next episode needs to re-enact The Shining, feature Boss Nass and two ANH witty punchlines, you have 30 minutes, now go!"

 

Well, if you must know, my main reasons for liking this episode weren't so much to do with the overall story, but more to do with Palpatine's character focus. Plus that scene with Cosmos the clone was awesome. Unlike some people, I actually enjoy the droid humor, but clone humor is better.

As for this recent wave of homages, can you really say that if you were in charge you wouldn't do the same thing, only different? Since this cartoon is set during a war, I'd have more war movie references like when they did The Longest Day on Geonosis. I'd also have nods to Scarface, Fight Club, and maybe some Tarantino movies. Any movies that I thought were really good, just find a way to reference the best parts and make it brief, or at least not detract from the overall originality. For their part, I think Lucas and Filoni have done an excellent job, and I'm not just saying that as a Star Wars fan. This show has already exceeded my expectations, and I don't even think it's halfway through.

 

This episode was the first in a while I had seen in HD on CN and it makes such a huge difference. The animation was breathtaking, it's hard to believe this is the same show as the movie and some of the early stuff from season 1.

The Zillo Beast arc was very entertaining. All the homages to Godzilla and King Kong were done very well. Palpatine really shined in this episode with his motives and actions and also how the Zillo Beast was just trying to warn the Jedi that Palps is a Sith Lord.

How Zillo went down was perfect with the dramatic music, slow cuts, and slow motion. This series is the most cinematic thing on television and this episode is probably the most cinematic one yet. The look of Coruscant is right from Episode 2 or 3, and all the characters seemed like real people with the much improved facial animation.

I can't say enough good about this episode, it was paced perfectly, had stunning animation and really gave us a good look inside the Chancellor's mind and motives. 9/10

 

I loved this arc, cause it showed how far Palpatine is willing to go "win" the "war". It really showed the transition from the peaceful senator we see in Episode I to the ruthless killer we see in Episode III - VI.

I couldn't help but laugh at all the homages to the various King Kong and Godzilla movies. Let's face it...when you do anything that involves a giant monster, no matter what the series, you gotta tip your cap to those two franchises...cause they did it first.

 

That's a great question. Seriously.

 

After being rather disappointed with the last episode, I was very impressed by this follow up. It was such and improvement that it makes the last episode seem so much more like the introduction it apparently was meant to be. That's all right, though, the quality of this episode made up for it. From the beautiful animation to the exciting "giant monster in the city" plot to the focus on the characters, Palpatine in particular, it was a solid episode from beginning to end.

Watching the episode, I hadn't gotten the impression that Zillo had sensed Palpatine was actually evil, just that it knew he was the one responsible for imprisoning and trying to kill it. Kind of funny to think that he was really trying to rid the galaxy of a terrible threat.

"Master Kenobi has taught you well." Excellent callback and of course and hilarious underhanded statement.

Looks like they used a similar energy binding technology to hold the Zillo beast to the one used on Kenobi in Episode II and Luminara in "Legacy of Terror". Nice little continuity there.

I am also surprised that Threepio, who apparently lost an arm in a tumble in ANH was able to slide down that building and hit the ground without any obvious damage. I guess 20 years took its toll on him.

Like I noted before, beautiful CG in this one, particularly the Zillo itself (and that green, glowing eye) and the shots of the LAATs firing the flares and the missiles.

I wonder if the Zillo looking at Palpatine was supposed to be a callback to Jurassic Park. Then again, I guess the giant monster looking at the little person with only their enormous eye didn't start there.

Yeah, I noticed that. They seemed pretty panicked given that by the time the doctor got out of the building, the Zillo beast was long gone.

I couldn't help but wonder if Rex was thinking of Geonosis when he said that.

I'm not really understanding the attitude on why they were wasted while Obi-Wan, Mace, and Rex, the guys who just... stood there, apparently weren't.

Most of that came before they knew it had broken out. After that, she suggested doing exactly what they'd done in the last episode, using the stun beams to knock it out. She's suggesting a course of action that she knows worked previously. I think Palpatine's point was probably that while they had the technology to stun it, they apparently didn't have what they needed to contain it.

I don't think he did. He wouldn't have grabbed Artoo when he was falling off of the platform, would he? He would've just used his rockets.

 

I really disliked the portrayal of Palpatine in this episode....he's just way too sinister. Yeah yeah, he's Darth Sidious and all that, but I'd really rather not have any Sidious mixed in with my Palpatine and vice versa, at least not until he drops his facade in ROTS.

 

Great episode. I have no problem with lightsaber-proof armor, Palpatine being publicly "evil" or cheesy genre film homages. However it is hard to believe the general population of Coruscant would not revolt or at least ask questions about the giant, non-native beast rampaging the streets. Not a huge gripe but it would be nice to see a bit more propaganda, marketing, etc... to keep the masses in line. We've seen what goes on in the Senate but how do "normal" people feel about Palpatine and this clearly reckless abuse of power. Was there a cover up?

 

Great episode. Up there in my top 5.