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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Full Series The Clone Wars - Episode 5.6 - The Gathering - discussion thread

Discussion in 'Star Wars TV- Completed Shows' started by Seerow, Oct 31, 2012.

  1. QuangoFett

    QuangoFett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 11, 2011
    I love how the two reckless ones who almost get themselves trapped in the cave with their rash actions are the human and the near-human, while the Rodian, Ithorian, Wookiee and Nautolan all get out in time with relatively little fuss. It seems humans aren't the best-suited for the Jedi way by default, being beaten here by a species which George Lucas himself once banned from being portrayed in Jedi roles. That's a humiliating blow to Humanocentricism right there.

    LFA can make it up to humanity by diversifying the bizarrely homogenous background humans in crowd scenes. :p

    This was a very good episode. Compared to where S4 was at this point (either Shadow Warrior or one of the droid episodes), S5 is going strong. All the episodes up to now have been fairly consistently decent, with no duds and only a few disappointments. The characters were all likeable, moreso than Steela was in A War On Two Fronts, and their internal group dynamic is intriguing. Even swaggering mini-Saw (Petro) showed some positive character development. They're at once young kids and bona fide Jedi, and they perhaps show this contrast and combination better than S1's Ahsoka did up to Storm Over Ryloth.
     
  2. Senator Kelberry

    Senator Kelberry Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 22, 2010
    One minor technical detail I enjoyed was the way Zatt and Katooni sounded mildly congested for at least parts of the episode, much like most of us would sound if we're out in freezing temps for an extended period.

    Though on a related topic I was mildly interested on the second viewing to see Ganodi sniffle as she was crying. How does a Rodian sniffle?
     
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  3. QuangoFett

    QuangoFett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 11, 2011
    Rodians apparently breathe through their snouts and they have a strong sense of smell. They secrete various pungent pheromones in order to communicate with each other. I'm guessing they have a nose somewhere in those long snouts of theirs, plus mucus-generation and all the other functions for the process of sniffling.
     
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  4. KenobiSkywalker

    KenobiSkywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Does anyone know what time the OS usually posts the episodes?
     
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  5. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Loved it. The look was beautiful (design, colors, character animation), the story showed us a new aspect of Jedi training, and the music was really good.
     
  6. cwustudent

    cwustudent Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2011
    Great question. I want to sink my teet into the trivia!
     
  7. Trebor Sabreon

    Trebor Sabreon Former Manager star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 15, 2010
    This week's installment of TCW takes us on a journey to the beautifully rendered world of Ilum, 'no place more sacred to the Jedi' and site of a Jedi initiate tradition known as "the Gathering." I found this episode less complicated than some of our previous season 5 offerings. The result of which was was a story lacking some of the layers of recent events, but with all the charm a simple, uncluttered and well-paced tale has to offer.

    Diversity! We finally are treated to some new Jedi to explore, a most welcome development, even if the students were accompanied by the disapointing choice of one of the series' Big 3 as a guide in Ahsoka. We were offered a glimpse of Tano's discovey by the Jedi, though, and this at least adds a new dimension to an already thoroughly explored character. Still, a different choice would almost certainly have been enjoyed by most. Also in the newsreel, we were given a hint of youngling training not seen before.
    Master Yoda finally leaves his "cradle of power" in Coruscant to enter the field and offer some sage advice to his young disciples, including the awesome use of his lightsaber as a tool of instuction, rather than warfare. When I was a child watching The Empire Strikes Back compulsively, this is how I imagined the wise old master using his lightsaber - not spinning around like a demon posessed on Geonosis.

    It looked to me as though each lightsaber crystal was blue, though a promo photo for this arc shows the student's lightsabers evenly split between green and blue blades. I had a feeling ol' Presto's (wait, PetCo? no, Diesel) first 'crystal' may have just been ice. And my God, tell me why can't I place his voice? It's right there on the tip of my tongue.

    The students themselves were of varied species, including a little wookie! I mean, how cool was this? I l-o-v-e-d the wide-angle shot of his crossing the ice. It would have been nice had he been given a voice other than Chewbacca's. I mean, not all Wookie's should sound so obviously the same, right?

    The challenges faced by the students were as varied as their species, with each having to face and then overcome a shortcoming of their very own in order to succeed. The way in which each challenge was wrapped up in 22 minutes left me with the very real feeling that this could have been a fine stand-alone episode. In fact, the episode was so well self-contained (and I at least try to remain spoiler-free), I've absolutely no idea where things could be headed next. The fact that the show's producers were able to properly introduce us to such a varitey of characters while still making the episode feel complete is a welcome change from an Onderon arc who's only real issues for me were the result of poor pacing over the span of four episodes. I feel this bodes very well for the remainder of this four-part arc.

    Did I mention how beautiful Ilum was? I particularly enjoyed the perma-frost statuary. Oh, and the cracking of the ice by Sunoco and lil' Adi was fantastic.

    A fun journey which was well done, if a little cutesy at times.
     
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  8. rumblewagon

    rumblewagon Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 24, 2004
    [​IMG]
    *When your Google Maps app fails to find your Jedi lightsaber crystal*
    I really loved this episode and it certainly exceeded my expectations.
    + great parallel between the youngling summoning her crystal from the ice and Luke Skywalker summoning his lightsaber from the snow in ESB.
    + yougling Wookiee hearing that siren reminded me of Chewbacca hearing the alarm noise when in imprisoned on Cloud City.
    + Yoda's lesson of being trapped by your mind rather than being trapped by any other obstacle is one of the most profound thus far from the Jedi Master.
    I'm looking forward to the continuation of the younglings' journeys.
     
  9. QuangoFett

    QuangoFett Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 11, 2011
    That shot of Zat destroying his datapad actually reminded me of a shot in The Raid where a character smashes another guy's head into a light fixture and the wall (from 1:50 to end of trailer).



    O:)
     
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  10. DarthTalgus

    DarthTalgus Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    this episode was really good , great dialogue and great characters
    [​IMG]:p
     
  11. rumblewagon

    rumblewagon Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 24, 2004
    That's precisely the problem. There's only one true crystal and she's overwhelmed by the countless number of crystals she's seeing. She has to let go her conscious self and stretch out with her feelings.
    It's difficult for Ahsoka to please everyone when she's so perfect.
     
  12. TaradosGon

    TaradosGon Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2003
    Which doesn't make sense if they can only see their crystal. They have to have more than one "true crystal," otherwise any Jedi that has to rebuild their lightsaber (like Anakin) would be out of luck. It was established that the crystals that they could see were "theirs." She saw many. She should have been able to take her pick.
     
  13. DM99

    DM99 Jedi Padawan star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 26, 2012
    Ahsoka getting kidnapped from pirates in the next episode and she must let her save from little younglings with cold noses. Beeing saved from a bunch of Younglings will be a desastrous PR for Ahsoka inside of the Order. Maybe here her downfall will begun and end in the temple arc, beeing accused of terrorism...:oops:

    And some of you folks still believe that she will be knighted soon.:D

    LOL
     
  14. Zabrak 2

    Zabrak 2 Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 7, 2012
    Nevermind.
     
  15. Garth Maul

    Garth Maul Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 18, 2002
    Your senses can deceive you. "With the blast shield down I can't even see, how am I supposed to fight?" ;)


    I thought they did a good job linking each Youngling's crystal quest with a flaw in their personality. Yeah they beat us over the head with it at the end, but for little kids, probably not a bad thing. I guess you could argue Yoda wanted them all to know they each had a lesson to learn. :)

    Did the animation seem more airbrushed to anyone else? Whereas on Onderon, sometimes the animation still felt too angular/Thunderbirds, here there seemed to be a slightly softer effect and it worked extremely well.

    As far as Ahsoka's presence, no need for explanation IMO - the Jedi can't ignore the non-combat training of their top Padawans just because the war is on.

    I'm sure Yoda felt it was important for Ahsoka to be in a different type of leadership role.

    It also signified to the Younglings the next stage in their training.
     
  16. cwustudent

    cwustudent Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2011
    [​IMG]

    Why did the Force grant him four? Ridiculous.
    I'd really appreciate an answer to this, Mr. Filoni, wherever you are.
     
  17. Senator Kelberry

    Senator Kelberry Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 22, 2010
    That's kind of what I was thinking too. She seems good with younglings. Possibly Yoda was letting her act in the roll of a "Teacher's Aide" if you will. obi-wan said in the TCW movie that it's a Jedi's responsibility to help train the next generation. This could be one way of letting older Padawans get a feel for how it's done, under the observation of a Master.
     
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  18. KenobiSkywalker

    KenobiSkywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    He was granted one for each arm. :p I have yet to see the episode, but that concept sounds silly...
     
  19. rumblewagon

    rumblewagon Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 24, 2004
    How do we know those were actual crystals and not just her eyes deceiving her? And perhaps they need to find their first crystal in the cave when building their first lightsaber. Later, they can obtain as many crystals (for replacements or for additional lightsabers) as required. I don't think it's such a big deal as people are making it out to be.
     
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  20. Dan_Grievous_Tikkes_Fan

    Dan_Grievous_Tikkes_Fan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Maybe like Ahsoka or many others, he had one in the start but later was granted permission to get a second saber.
     
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  21. cwustudent

    cwustudent Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2011
    My take is: Ganodi saw many crystals, but none that stood out from the rest. This echoed her feeling of mediocrity. But when she remembered that, with the Force as her ally, she's actually very special and unique, her crystal shown brighter than the rest. Not just any crystal will do.
     
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  22. Super_Battle_Droid

    Super_Battle_Droid Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 8, 2002
    Once the crystals are in the lightsber hilts can they not change back to being clear? If not, then how does that explain Grievous's lightsabers since he isn't force sensitive?
     
  23. Dan_Grievous_Tikkes_Fan

    Dan_Grievous_Tikkes_Fan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Maybe the Crystals are still attuned to the user even if Grievous killed him or her.

    http://starwars.com/explore/the-clone-wars/ep506/#!/media/commentary
     
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  24. KenobiSkywalker

    KenobiSkywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    It's up! 12pm EST is the time to watch for.
     
  25. Todd the Jedi

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

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    Yeah, Ilum's a big planet. I doubt this is the only place where crystals are found. Just one place the Jedi have designed for training padawans.