Witches of Dathomir in The Clone Wars (season 3 spoilers)

As we've all heard from Celebration V, the Dathomiri Witches are coming to the Clone Wars. Specifically the Nightsisters clan.

I think such a big EU inclusion warrants its own discussion thread, since I foresee a lot of issues being raised by their inclusion. How will that affect the existing canon? Is Ventress and Darth Maul natives from Dathomir, no longer from Rattatak and Iridionia, respectively? Do the Nightsisters simply use a different method of tapping into the Force or do they use a completely different source of power? And what about the Singing Mountain clan, the light-side witches of Dathomir?

Here's the clip of Ventress arriving on Dathomir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHSjU_Z2ZRc

And Dooku facing them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJlUK9L1MJM

 

Given the ~30 year time differential, I think TCW actually has a good bit more leeway here than with other EU elements that get worked in and totally changed. Some retcons may be necessary, but I think they'll likely be easier to work in.

Also, I got the impression that we probably won't see Dathomir until the latter half of the season, but I could easily be wrong there.

 

Yeah, I don't think the continuity of the Dathomiri Witches themselves will be much affected. It's for Ventress and Maul that I'm more worried.

Dooku says "What sorcery is this?" when he removes the poison dart. Interesting that he immediately associates that dart with witches, even though every bounty hunter and their mothers use poison darts.

So, do we think that the nightsisters' invisibility is part of her witchcraft, instead of some sort of cloaking device? It seems very likely. However, what is the point in being invisible if your opponent can see your lightsaber?

 

I'm guessing the Singing Mountain Clan won't be mentioned or seen at all beyond a possible one-line reference; "Not every clan thinks like we do" or something similar. At least not in this season - if they decide to return to the Nightsisters in Seasons 4 or 5, who knows?

EDIT:

Getting to your opponent in the first place, probably.

 

Yeah, I highly doubt the other clans will get any mention, ever in the series. But I just hope they leave some room for them to exist.

And yes, being invisible does give them the surprise advantage. But after the combat has initiated...

 

I'm starting to think the lightning Dooku shoots in the trailer is against the witches, not Ventress.

 

I suppose it's harder to judge and anticipate an opponent's next move, which is crucial to lightsaber combat - particularly when your concentration and focus seem to have been affected in the way Dooku appears to have been by the dart.

Agreed. It does look like Dooku is preparing to unleash some serious Sith damage at the end of the clip.

 

Just saw the clip again, and I noticed Dooku says: "I do not need my eyes to see, Jedi." Which leads me to think the lightsabers are a product of his allucination.

 

You mean, that the witches aren't wielding lightsabers? What are they blocking his blows with, then?

 

I think the lightsabers themselves are real, "solid" objects, but their use is designed to fuel Dooku's misunderstanding of the situation.

 

Sadly I think the lightsabers are only there because George wrote himself into a corner with the whole "no other weapon can block a lightsaber" thing.

 

By the sounds of it, though, GL seems quite keen to establish the Nightsisters as using an 'alternative' manifestation of the Force, so surely he would want them to have their own 'alternative' version of the lightsaber to help them stand out from the Jedi and the Sith?

There's nothing "Nightsisterish" about these lightsabers - and even Pre Vizla had his own unique-looking weapon, even if it was from ancient Jedi - which makes me think it's due to a deliberate deception. Additionally, Savage Oppress seems to come with his own metal vibro-weapon, and if we weren't going to see him use it (whether it be against Obi-Wan, Anakin or even Dooku himself) why would they have him armed with it in the first place? GL might have reconsidered his "Nothing can block a lightsaber" attitude when he sat down and began to outline this arc with DF and the gang.

 

Yes, it might be possible he gave it some second thought. It would be much better to see Randy wielding that long axe than anything else. The lightsabers might just the Nighsisters trying to prevent Dooku from suspecting it is them who are trying to kill him, as I mentioned before.

 

Especially a double-bladed lightsaber!

 

I wonder what witchcraft is in SW? I hope it's not an excuse to go crazy and get around any sort of logic and rules established. I'm picturing very Dark side of the Force like, but sort of creepy like mental stuff like when the Jedi teamed up to break into Cad Bane's mind, and illusions and phantoms and spirits. I hope we don't get spell conjuring unless the Force is behind it.

Where in the trailer does it say Savage is from Dathomir and not Iridonia? Also, Ventress could still be from Rattatak if she left Dathomir. Like, when people are born one place but say they are from the place where they went to college.

Finally, there is so much time between TCW and Dathomir's introduction in Courtship of Princess Leia that there is enough time for changes and such.

EDIT: Who else noticed the Light-Cross bows the Witches are wielding. I'm surprised that hasn't sparked more discussion.

 

I'm guessing the Dathomir Magic will mostly be a more showy display of Force abilities, with glowing lights and some different effects. Sort of like in a video game.

And it doesn't say anything in the trailer about the origins of Ventress and Randy, but George Lucas, in his panel, made it seems like they were both from Dathomir. Of course, there's much to be explained yet, and it could probably just mean that both received training there.

 

What is the purpose of an energy bow? You can shoot arrows faster? Or you shoot energy bolts? Why not use a bowcaster?

As I mentioned in the other thread, I love the moving/organic aspect of the Mother's cloak.

 

Yeah, so far I don't like the "lightbows". I hope it doesn't work like a lightsaber, cause that would be, again, very fanboyish...

<img src="http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1797/lightbow.jpg">
I don't get it...

 

ho ho ho, your use of the name Randy when referring to Savaage is SUCH a sophisticated use of humour and all that. But do you have to do it every time? Its been done now, great! Now we have all laughed and been impressed, why not just call him Savage.

 

I'm not trying to impress anybody here. I just prefer calling him Randy than Savage, it sounds a bit less ridiculous. It's a nickname, and if Anakin can call Ahsoka "Snips", I can call Savage "Randy" (or Darth Goldie).

 

Lightsaber jokes aside, there is a certain elegance to bow archers, and this could be a good example of that. It's an elegance I've never quite been able to see in people who use crossbows or similar weapons. I doubt very much they will be able to fire projectiles/energy bolts/whatever any faster than a normal bow. It would take away from that if they did. For some warriors throughout sci-fi and fantasy, the style of weaponry they use can be nearly as important to them as their effectiveness.

 

Great, we've gotten the Darksaber and now this?!?

 

I suspect that the dart Dooku took to the neck was simply used to obscure his vision, thus prompting his "I don't need my eyes to see" statement.

 

Nooo! And nooo, Dathomir should not be a red planet.

 

Which is why I think it's a challenge, not an actual assassination attempt.