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

Full Series The Plo Koon in TCW Thread (Now with Season 4)

Discussion in 'Star Wars TV- Completed Shows' started by koonfan, May 13, 2010.

  1. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Yeah, it had to happen. :p

    Y'know, out of all the supporting Jedi we've seen so far, I'd say that he and Luminara got the most moments from which we could further define his character. True, it's not quite a large amount, but it's very impressive considering the wide variety of stories being told so far.

    So, why is Plo Koon the man? Is it his mask? His voice? The fact that he can fight in space? Is it that he appeared in Jedi Power Battles? Is it Dave Filoni's (and my own) bizarre fascination with him? Well, that's more of a personal thing, so I'll get right to the actual stuff: His character!

    I think they've been hitting a lot of right notes with Plo, as he seems equally suited to giving powerful (or if you're anti-Jedi, misguided ;)) rhetoric, wise observations, or witty asides. His first appearance was awesome in establishing him as one of the definite "looks out for his troops" Jedi. Heck, he even has the gunship design Pro's Bros, which is AWESOME. XD

    So what've we seen so far about him, and where's the evidence? Well, here's what I've got so far...
    -He deeply cares for the clones, to the point that he might deviate from the mission to save them. He risks death in space to save three clones, and when assaulting the Malevolence, his concern is that the plan might prove too risky for the clones. Later still, he briefly deviates from his flight path on Felucia to help out Warthog ("Come around and I'll try and get them off your tail!")
    -He dishes out sage advice and wit to encourage and instruct those around him, what with his lines in Rising Malevolence to his clones, and in Lethal Trackdown to Ahsoka. Don't you think the average Jedi Master would find a more cryptic word than 'drinking' to describe when people reveal things? XD
    -Plo Koon is one of the few Jedi who can criticise Ahsoka without so much as a snappy comeback, which speaks volumes of her respect for the Kel Dor
    -That being said, Plo Koon is also one of the few Jedi who is implied to have allowed Ahsoka to wreck four attempts to gather information before finally stepping him and telling her to be more subtle. Lax discipline? Unorthodox views thanks to Qui-Gon? Attachment to Ahsoka? The desire to see her learn on her own? Something else entirely? Or is it a mix of all those things? [face_thinking]

    Those are my findings, and I'm really hoping we see more of his character next season as well. Thoughts? :D
     
    whostheBossk likes this.
  2. Kualan

    Kualan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 4, 2008
    Plo Koon?

    Only a diseased mind thinks Plo Koon is the best character.

    ^ G-Canon.

    :p
     
  3. Senator Kelberry

    Senator Kelberry Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 22, 2010
    That's really what I'm hoping for is more background as to why she has so much respect for him. It'd be nice if they did an episode about it, but I'll settle for a book or comic or something. We know he's the one who brought her to the temple, but there's got to be more to it than that. Maybe he rescued her from a bad situation. Maybe her parents were jerks who were going to sell her into slavery or something and he saved her from that.

    Then, conversely there's how he feels about her. I thought it an interesting touch in the last episode when she told him about the murder she learned about and on top of calling her Little 'Soka (without getting any backtalk or nasty looks), he puts his arm around her briefly as though congratulating her as a mentor to a student. I've seen Anakin put his hand on her shoulder, but nothing like that (of course my memory isn't good, maybe I'm wrong). I wonder if he feels any regret for not being allowed to be her Master.

    BTW, did anybody else notice way back in "Rising malevolence" when he's drifting in space and calls for help through The Force, he calls to Ahsoka specifically. We know this because Anakin "Chosen One" Skywalker is sitting right next to her completely oblivious. I thought that was interesting.
     
  4. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    I'm not diseased minded...I'm just ahead of the curve. Like Dave Filoni! [face_cowboy]
    Well, alright, maybe a little diseased minded. 8-}

    The best we've got is a piece of artwork in the TCW Art Book of him finding Ahsoka on Shili. Who knows the circumstances? I'm thinking orphan, but jerk parents are another good possibility. Would add credence to why she's so grateful for being thrust into the dangerous role of Galactic Peacekeeper/Commander. XD

    Hmm, not too sure where Plo stands on regret, as so far we've seen him play his feelings pretty close to the vest. As all Jedi are human, I'm sure he feels at least SOME regret, but does his best to not let it interfere with his work. Much like Ki-Adi-Mundi caring for his family.

    And was that a specific call? Interesting...Commander Wolffe DID say earlier "It's Ahsoka!", so he might know who to look out for. Which makes me wonder, did he share some of his life story with the clones, or is it just a case of "she's the General's padawan"? [face_thinking]

    Also something of note for comparison: In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin wants to break off to go help Oddball and his pilots, but is stopped by Obi-Wan. Plo Koon receives a call for help from Warthog and immediately goes to his rescue. Does that hint at him having certain Anakin mixes? I always viewed him as in this place between Anakin and Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon...being one to take action, but having the advantage of age and experience to temper it.

    And one thing I really loved. It might be more unintentional, but when Plo slammed the table in his standoff in Lethal Trackdown, I thought that was almost a reference to something his master, Tyvokka did once, seen here (pardon his French :p).
     
  5. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Well, it's slow going until next season, so looks like this topic isn't going to last too long. XD

    Still, with his involvement in the Fett trilogy, while I'm aware it's unintentional, I still found it rather interesting in hindsight that they chose Plo Koon. Plo (next to Ki-Adi ;)) is one of the definitive underdog background Jedi with nothing on screen except an undignified end, much like Boba Fett. It's a little poetic that they chose a character like that to be involved in the debut of Boba Fett, who, as we all know, was the definitive underdog background character who had an undignified end. :-B

    I'm also wondering whether he'll get a model improvement. I know EVERYONE gets animation improvement when they're in the action, and I know it's cheaper to reuse the same model, but does anyone else think we'll see a different Plo Koon model at some point? Different mask, a disguise...maybe even phasing back to Jedi robes?
     
  6. Lugija

    Lugija Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2009
    He already got a hooded cloak, don't get greedy.
     
  7. Alexrd

    Alexrd Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2009
    koonfan, I don't know if you knew this, but I got to see the real Plo Koon model up close. I got some pictures too. :cool:
     
  8. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Oh, I know he already has a hood, and even without the underworld designer cloak, you can still see the sashes and hood being animated pretty darn awesomely. :D

    Still, it's just simple curiosity, and I know some people want to see a general phasing in of ROTS fashion eventually. For my part, I'm loving how he looks and actually hope he keeps it, but I'd be interested to know what they plan to do.

    Awesome! :D

    Y'know, it never quite leaped out at me, but Aurra Sing's a long-fingered individual. Plo Koon was able to destroy two blasters in a single stroke without so much as a severed pinky. =D=
     
  9. Alexrd

    Alexrd Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 7, 2009
    Take a look.
     
  10. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Well, thousandth post and I'm spending it here, predictably. :p

    Guess with the period of waiting between seasons there's not much to say about supporting characters, especially since I usually end up just talking to myself. XD

    Still, if anybody's really that desperate, there's always this character thread to lurk about in. ;)

    I wonder if they'll work on taking supporting Jedi like Plo Koon in certain prominent directions. I'm already starting to see that, in the case of new viewers, Mace Windu's the definitive no-nonsense, badass, strict boss of the Jedi as opposed to Yoda's vague exposition/wisdom. Could Plo and the others take a different direction to make the Jedi Council more diverse? [face_thinking]
     
  11. XCell

    XCell Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    Congrats on the post count.[face_coffee] I almost want to say Plo Koon is a people person, but I don't quite get that from him. But he is someone who gives people freedom and motivation. As a teacher, he comments on what's lacking instead of saying 'don't do that, do this'. As a general, he gives the clones some hope and self-esteem. As a negotiator, he's understanding and patient.

    So Plo values life, but he doesn't seem to form attachments and he never gets upset. He's level-headed and doesn't seem keen on ordering people. I dunno how to sum that up like 'no-nonense badass' though.[face_thinking]
     
  12. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Thanks a bunch, XCell! :D
    Yeah, I totally get what you mean. He's just so calm and naturally wise-sounding that you feel as if he's seldom hands-on or personable in the classic sense. Obi-Wan and Anakin seem like people people because they're openly friendly, dashing and encouraging. Plo, on the other hand, has a more measured 'background' sort of effect.

    Plo's approach and manner reminds me a lot of Qui-Gon, except that it's more like he's 'along for the ride, giving good advice' instead of 'calmly solving everyone's problems'. More of an adviser and guide...except when things get nasty. It doesn't look like he's shy about kicking butt when he has to. XD

    And for even more simple summations of the Jedi-according-to-viewers...
    Yoda= Weird talking big boss
    Mace Windu= No-nonsense badass OTHER big boss/Samuel L. Jackson
    Luminara= That unreasonable yet charming lady at work
    Plo Koon= That reasonable guy at work XD

    Upon closer (read: obsessive) analysis, Plo may have roughly the same priorities and tendencies as most supporting Jedi, but I like the directions he's being taken in, that of a sort of sage general. I hope that they carry this into his further appearances while expanding on how he deals with other situations and people.

    For one thing, based on what we've seen, not many Jedi would go "You know this droid?" and then "Well, play the message, then" immediately afterwards. XD
     
  13. Humble_Jedi

    Humble_Jedi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 14, 2004
    I'm on board with all the Plo Koolness. However, I wouldn't say Luminara is unreasonable. Far from it actually. I'd say she embodies the traditional 'old school' Jedi Master.

    Out of all the Jedi that have been featured so far, Luminara has been really fleshed out the most.
     
  14. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Oh, I'm with you, Humble. Luminara is THE most fleshed out supporting Jedi, and Plo Koon comes after her. I DO love her old school approach, especially the dynamic she has with the others, and she's great with how she acts in situations, the highlight for me being the whole nose-or-ear debacle. I'm simply noting that to the average viewer who focuses mostly on the Big Three, Luminara might seem more like 'the figure that needs a lesson'. XD

    But yeah. She's certainly very samurai-like in her focus and coolheadedness. Plo, in contrast, is a more reserved sage/sensei-like figure from the sidelines.

    Come to think of it, I'm wondering whether they're trying to place him in-between everyday frontline Jedi (like Aayla, Luminara and our heroes) and the more 'wise and imposing' leaders of the council. The former have their willingness to leap into action very well defined, while the latter are often placed in administrative, 'big picture' roles except when they take center stage.

    Or is that how it is with ALL council members? Guy who gives exposition, he's got a cool design, then OH MY GOSH LOOK AT HIM GO! [face_laugh]

    ...And I'm still hoping for a Plo/Kit team-up. :(
     
  15. rumblewagon

    rumblewagon Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 24, 2004
    In "Rising Malevolence", Ahsoka's line is vague. "It was Master Plo Koon who found me and brought me to the Temple where I belonged. Now he's lost. So I was hoping I could find him."

    Her mention about Plo Koon being lost almost implies that she was lost when he found her. Orphan? Parents killed? They abandoned her? The writers certainly need to develop a good backstory about Plo Koon finding Ahsoka and not just leave it out there like some nebulous, half-baked idea they were too busy to complete.

    Regarding Plo Koon, his deep resonating voice certainly helps give him gravitas as a character. The mask certainly makes him more mysterious as well. He's as impassive as a block of granite being completely unfazed when a trigger-happy Boba Fett points a gun at the back of his head.
     
  16. XCell

    XCell Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    Yeah, more on Plo and Ahsoka's backstory could be nice, but I don't think Ahsoka's line implied anything about her childhood. Plo and the clones were lost in space, and she wanted to find them, it's simple as that.

    Luminara doesn't seem very 'samurai-like' to me though. She seems more like the proper lady type who likes organization and being prepared, and in her strive to be these things she can get in over her head. But she's a wise warrior like most Jedi.

    What I hope is the writers make the Jedi more distinguished from eachother. I'd like to see a Jedi team that didn't work smoothly for once. Could Plo and Mace work well together? Mace isn't a big on compassion, but he did stand up for Zillo.
     
  17. Chewgumma

    Chewgumma Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2009
    I had always assumed that by 'lost' Ahsoka meant something along the lines of 'untrained in the force'.

    Without that endless power to act as a guide to the universe, or at least the inability to completely access it, I'm guessing you would feel a little lost after being accustomed to it. By losing a sense you are used to, something that you have been using for your whole life, you would feel lost. Kind of like losing your sight or hearing. It's a drastic change of perspective.
     
  18. XCell

    XCell Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    ^I'm not sure what you're talking about there. How do you get 'untrained in the Force' out of 'now he's lost'?:confused:
     
  19. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    That's an interesting way to look at it. I always thought that she was simply saved from a less than ideal life and/or given a place to belong, but the quasi-spiritual/metaphysical side of things works very well within the series.

    I think what he means is that Ahsoka, being Force Sensitive, perceives and feels things in her life differently from others. Sort of like every Force Sensitive child initially grows up with a blurred, faint feeling at the back of their heads about The Force, and they're more aware of it as they grow. The older they grow, the more they're aware that something is 'missing' in their life unless the Jedi step in to train them.

    Now, this doesn't seem to be that big a problem with other Force Sensitives, as various skilled characters have some sensitivity in their stories. In the case of Ahsoka, though, she's got enough potential and raw talent to be trained by the Chosen One. My guess is that in her case, the feeling of something 'missing' was more powerful than for most other Padawans.

    It's not a perfect theory, as Anakin himself seemed pretty stable in his childhood (if longing for a better life, but hey, he was a slave :p), but that's my take on what 'lost' could mean according to Chewie.

    How that relates to Plo Koon, well, I guess that since Jedi have especially strong bonds with those close to them, it extends to that feeling of 'something missing' as well.
     
  20. XCell

    XCell Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    ^I can understand all that, but again.. how do you this 'unfullfilled life' from 'Now he's lost'? Maybe you mean more the lines like 'He found me and brought me to the Jedi Temple where I belonged.'
     
  21. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    (shrugs) Not entirely sure myself. What I got from Chewie was that when she said 'lost' she had some meaning and special emphasis behind the word 'lost' itself, which would likely be the feeling of an unfocused connection to the Force.

    Still, very nice to see all this discussion, it's much appreciated, people. :D
     
  22. Chewgumma

    Chewgumma Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 14, 2009
    Well you are assuming that she meant 'lost' in the exact same capacity both times she says it.

    You can feel lost under numerous circumstances. It could be that she had lost her parents and was abandoned, but I had assumed when she said "He bought me back to the temple where I belonged" that she something related more to her connection with the force than being physicaly lost, like Plo was in Rising Malevolence.
     
  23. XCell

    XCell Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2004
    ^I still don't quite get the connection of 'something missing' or 'I'm lost inside' with that dialogue.. The scene just seemed straightforward to me.
     
  24. MarkVader1991

    MarkVader1991 Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 10, 2010
    I think what they are trying to say is that Ahsoka is using two different terms for "lost" in that scene. When she describes her self as being ?found? and being brought to where she belongs, she means that she was "lost" in a more metaphoric way. However when she goes on to talk about finding Plo Koon she means it in a more literal sense. However, at this point its all just speculation. Because we don?t know Ahsokas backstory it could be just as possible that Ahsoka is referring to both cases as a literal sense of lost.

    In any case I am surprised we don?t see more of Plo Koon in TCW, given the fact the second most powerful man at Skywalker Ranch is a big fan. The little we have seen of him has been undeniably good though. He seems like the kind of Jedi you could just chill out with. He?s just so calm and collected all the time. It seems nothing could annoy the guy enough to break his cool, much like koonfan himself. Maybe koonfan is Plo Koon?
     
  25. koonfan

    koonfan Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Yeah, that's a good interpretation of the whole 'lost' thing.

    And I'm also surprised that Dave has been able to keep Plo at the level he is for so long, so well. Then again, Dave IS still a professional, so he and the crew have done pretty well in trying to tell several different stories. Or it could be that they're just fans of so many more areas of Star Wars and wanted to make stories about those parts first.
    Still, if future seasons are less about separate adventures and more about focusing on characters/the war, Plo's one prominent Jedi they can feature outside the main trio. [face_cowboy]

    Also, that is one of the best descriptions I've received, MarkVader1991. You win an internet from me. Though I note that any similarities to persons living or dead are purely coincidental, it's still a great honour for me to be likened to my favourite character. [face_laugh]