Full Series Grade the Episode - 404: "Shadow Warrior"

Gave it a 6.

'Best' episode of the season so far (including 'Mercy Mission').

A weak storyline with crazy 'Monkey Lizard Did It!' moments... it doesn't deserve to be called a 'good' episode, but the most important thing is that I enjoyed it. This is the only one I've really enjoyed so far, despite all the WTF moments it has.

Jar Jar was freaking hilarious.

 

As far as Gungans go, I can only tolerate two of them. Boss Nass and Tarpals. In this episode they don't even mention one, and kill the other. It wasn't bad for a one and done, but was still kind of boring to start. I give it a 7 for not being a drawn out three parter.

 

7/10.
Premise was weak. Dooku consulting with a witch doctor = no.
Fantastic graphics. Great voice performance by Ahmed Best. The funniest Jar-Jar yet.

 

5/10

How disappointing that Jar Jar Binks was the highlight of the episode. My score is incredibly generous.

As someone who appreciates the true Padme Amidala (distinct from the not-fit-to-lick-her-boots imposter known as "Padme" in TCW), I actually didn't have a problem with her in this episode... apart from her inexplicably outsmarting and outshooting a commando droid. The Gungan subplot wasn't too bad.

Grievous - a trainwreck from start to finish. Utterly worthless. At least he doesn't come across as a completely separate character to the Grievous in ROTS (like TCW's alleged "Padme").

Similarly, the Anakin/Dooku duel was lacking in suspense. It's probably time that the writers realised that most viewers know that Anakin is going to survive and that he is not going to be affected in any permanent way by electrical torture. I'm sure someone has drawn a graph plotting the duplication of Anakin's power every time he meets Dooku between 22 BBY and 19 BBY.

 

I loved the development of Jar Jar in this episode. His confrontation with Grievous was a massive highlight.

 

6/10
One of the more mediocre episodes of Season 4 and in TCW generally, but it had its moments. The Two Towers is my favorite LOTR movie, so I appreciated the TCW version of the Theoden/Wormtongue plotline with Boss Lyonie and Rish Loo. The awkward interaction between Jar Jar and Grievous was genuinely amusing, and overall I find Season 4 Jar Jar to be much more palatable than his earlier renditions.

The duel between Tarpals and Grievous was pretty cool, but if they were planning on killing off Tarpals, I would have preferred it to be in a situation with more stakes. The animation for the duel, however, was spectacular.

Dooku vs. Anakin, again? Really? "My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Count." "So since last week?"

Probably my biggest critique is that the episode basically solidified Grievous' fate as just a meme. What did the poor general do to deserve this?

 

They weren't planning on killing off Tarpals. His death came about as a meaningful cost that helped sell the success in Grievous' capture. And his capture was at stake.

I never had a problem with any of it. It's a great scene.

 

I loved Jar Jar in that episode. I appreciated his role as an unlikely hero who is sort of was thrown into everything and had to do his best. You could really feel his fear.

I would have liked to see Grievous captured for longer to really justify Tarpals' death and also giving the Gungans and Jar Jar the most awesome scenes ever. As for what Grievous did, he killed General Tarpals for one thing, which is unforgivable.