Full Series The Clone Wars 7.08 - Together Again- Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

At the end of 7.07 we saw Rafa appear to take responsibility for their dire situation, with the episode ending on a shot of the three of them standing side by side and all facing in the same direction ... a cinematic way of telling us they were all going to work together from there on out and that Rafa was growing as a character.

Then at the start of this episode ... so dang frustrating!

 

Season 5: Maul forms the Shadow Collective and then is captured by Sidious.
Son of Dathomir: Maul has been in Sidious's custody since his capture. Dooku notably wants his underworld connections. Maul is freed, and then after a series of battles with the Separatists, the Shadow Collective dissolves.

In this episode, we find out Maul is free on Mandalore and the Shadow Collective is still intact as Fife mentions it by name. The contradiction should be obvious, and to me it's rather infuriating.

 

Overall, very awkward arc. Loved the second episode, third started strong before ending in the exact place it started.

This one was overly convoluted. The entire swindle and side trip to steal the spice from the army of Ben Quadrinaros (okay, honestly just glad that’s a thing now) was entirely pointless, since they get immediately captured (AGAIN) upon returning.

The canyon escape was all fun, as was the aformentioned fight with the Ben guys, but it all could have been condensed to a more straightforward plot of “Ahsoka immediately comes clean and they actually escape this time”, without all the far fetched triple crossing, Hail Mary passes and stupid decisions by villains. That’s even ignoring the fact that it took the sisters a day to leave and go get the spice, then somehow return in five minutes.

I actually like the Martez sisters as characters, and I think Trace should’ve kissed Ahsoka before she left. But maybe they’re just saving that for the last scene of the show for when she returns for her speeder bike.

 

I like the Martez sisters a lot too ... enough that I'd happily watch a spin-off series of their (mis)adventures, but man this arc didn't need to be 4 episodes. Or at least it needed 4 eps worth of story instead of maybe 2 1/2 eps of story.to fill the 4 eps. I mean, 7.07 can pretty much be skipped without losing anything of significance given that the character development suggested at the end was pretty much a fake out.

 

Hah. I called it about the Mandos. They played no part in the escape and the story and decisions remain those of the arc's main characters, Ahsoka, Trace and Rafa.

This wraps up Trace and Rafa's character arcs pretty nicely. Trace stands up to Rafa for a change. Rafa ends up being the one to trust Ahsoka for a change and makes the decision to go back and attempt a rescue. Both get their eyes opened a little and learn that not all topsiders and Jedi are out to get them. This doesn't come at the cost of their original character traits. Trace is still impetuous and makes seat-of-the-pants decisions that dismay her older and more jaded companions, but this time it works to their advantage when she performs the "Han Solo" move and resorts to a frontal assault when their rear deflectors fail (and followed up by a visual reference to Boba trailing the MF afterward.) Rafa is still comfortable with swindling and conniving to achieve their goals even as stealing the Pyke's own spice to bargain with seems like karmic justice. Their part in the season is pretty safely done even given the hint about the speeder bike. The episode does a good job of balancing the three mains. Everyone plays a role in the escape, and the outcome is more about their choices more than Force powers.

Ahsoka's development doesn't seem quite done yet though we have four more episodes with her. The newsreel sets up her dilemma between opening up as a Jedi so they can all escape and ruining her friendship with Trace. Her compromise is to keep her Jedi past a secret but pretend to sell them out in order to secure their freedom. So in the end, she chooses to save her friends at the risk of being branded a traitor by them. In the end, Trace and even Rafa recognize that the self sacrifice and willingness to help no matter what makes Ahsoka more of a Jedi than the Jedi. Ahsoka still doesn't seem quite ready to embrace that she can't turn away from the Jedi path entirely. Her decision to leave with Bo Katan is still transactional. Maul is a bigger threat than Death Watch so she has to put her distrust of Bo aside. I hope this doesn't get swept aside too quickly in Siege. Plus, of course, she did go on about how she helps others no matter what and this was Rafa's chance to shoot that right back at her.

Oh, and our first appearance of Toongs in animation.

The way this weaves in with Maul does seem to signal once and for all that stories like the Sith Shrine and even Son of Dathomir will never see the light in their original form. The events of SoD seem to have happened concurrently with this arc and there's a retcon regarding the Shadow Collective and relations between the Pykes and Maul. Series-wise, they're going for a tighter narrative now.

The forced ~22 minutes 4-episode structure shows its limits. Part 3 was necessary but could have been shorter while I would have enjoyed a bit more time in Part 4 to let the character parts sink in. This will probably land as a 9. Much more meat than part 3 but leaving me wanting a little more, so not a 10.

 

It was a more dumber episode than I jokingly anticipated for,lol.

The capture and escape and talk their way out stuff is played out far to much where it stops being funny. Ahsoka could've easily always unlock the doors, far too stupid that she'd wait after all the torture and beatings they all went through, is she a sadist?!

The passive Nite Owls was one of the big disappointments, they did nothing cept catch glimpses here and there and then try and track them to Coruscant by simply following right behind them...

Ahsoka jumps right into battle with Maul just cause crazy Bo-Katan shows up and proclaims we have a common enemy, which was what she already did with Kenobi with the enemy of my enemy is my friend. There is no reason Ahsoka would join up with her after their last meeting, and no Bo-Katan just claiming Death Watch is over in a sad voice does not suffice - in fact Death Watch is very much around and under Maul's rule. Made no sense.

How on earth did Filoni think Asoka should be going up against Maul without first Jedi aid or at all. If Bo-Katan comes and goes from Coruscant and needs to recruit a Jedi, why did Kenobi just dump the cause, makes no sense. We also know in Son of Dathomir Kenobi and the other Jedi were taking a proactive role in attempting to capture Maul, and they were working with the Mandalorian resistance. With 4 episodes left, I don't see how this ties into SOD(even Fife is out of character), unless they try making all these events happen within the episodes we have left.

Only positive for me in this episode was Maul' brief appearance and Marg's fear of Maul's always knowing everything. The Crimson Dawn is now confirmed to have begun before the end of the Clone Wars and part of the Shadow Collective. Maul also pits its partners against one another to keep them inline, so one wonders if the Black Sun's move on Krim's family part of Maul's directives. He seems to run the Shadow Collective like Sidious runs the Separatists and Republic and later the Empire, First Order and Final Order. He is well versed and has plans within plans.

 

I can’t even with this episode. I slogged through the first three episodes hoping for a kickass finale like with the D-Squad arc, and got nothing for my troubles but continuity problems and idiotic Trace and Rafa buffoonery. This is far and away the worst arc to ever be shown on The Clone Wars, and I’m disgusted with Dave Filoni’s appalling writing. I used to look forward to seeing an episode with him working on it directly, but no longer...I don’t even have enthusiasm for Siege of Mandalore anymore, and that’s saying a lot.

I think I can honestly say now that it would have been better if The Clone Wars had never been “saved.”

 

yeah it is kinda scary.

 

I really liked the episode I'm just trying to understand how the timeline is supposed to work now with Son of Dathomir and Dark Disciple This has to be after his escape atleast, he does say that he has other things to attend too, could that be the rest of the events of SOD?

 

They shouldn’t have changed the timeline just because the new idea of “closure” is 12 episodes.

 

This was the first episode I could watch without being spoiled and I watched it right after the 3rd of this arc.

Maybe it's because I haven't had enough Coffee, but I really enjoyed this one and the one before.
This time I could even stand Rafa, who I really dispises before.
The story of the arc is alright for me. It's just about young, normal and completely inexperienced people who takes a too big slice of the cake. And someone who has to try to fit into a life that couldn't be more different than the last one.
I can feel with Ahsoka. Years ago I worked for a short time in a factory after years in lawyers offices. It was like being in another world, everything was so different, it wasn't even in my country. It was hard but I personally learned so much about everything and myself. I would do it again. But it was incredible hard first to get my old experiences out of my head and talk and work with people, who talk and see things so different from me.
But well, might be that I just got desperate because of their austrian accent. ;-)

I give the arc an 8/10.

 

I liked the spisode with Ahsoka and the martz sisters, it was fun and good to see Bo-Katan again. Maul is where i loved it, with him being in a Palpatine position. He's the mastermind of the criminal underworld with his shadow collective and it survived his capture and when pikes and black sun left, he seems to have encourege them back and still has his criminal empire intact. We have confirmation of Crimson Dawn being made soon after he made his underworld empire. I wonder if his shadow collective still lives to Solo as even then he seems to a emperor of the underworld. As the pikes says he pits his partners agains each other and that may also be evident in Solo. He almost dressed like he wan in Solo too.

 

All in all I liked the episode, all though I think that Deal No Deal was my favorite of the arc. I give the the episode a 7/10 and the arc over all also a 7/10.

+Seeing Darth Maul again in TCW made me so happy since he's one of my favorites, pretty cool that his design seemed to be a blend of his S5 TCW design and his look in SOLO. That holocall between him and the Pykes felt so much like his brief cameo in SOLO and the way they talked about him. He rules this criminals with an iron fist and you could see how much he picked up from his former master.
+I liked how Indiana Jones like the fight seen between Rafa and the Manager felt (Indy fighting the big strong Nazi pilot in Raiders or the big cultist in Temple of Doom). Also neat with the Jurassic Park raptor sound.
+I was neat character development to finally hear the sisters reckonize their mistakes while also giving Ahsoka a lesson in a way.
+More Bo-Katan is always appreciated
+Nice action all around and stunning animation
+It set the stage nicely for Siege of Mandalore
-/+ While I liked the final interaction with Bo-Katan and Ahsoka it did feel a bit rushed
-This episode just further confuses the timeline when it comes to Son of Dathomir and Dark Disciple, I wish they could've gotten 16 episodes instead since SOD is such a big part of Maul and Talzin's story arc.

 

9/10

Fantastic episode. The most cinematic and perhaps the best of the season so far (along with Deal No Deal). Apart from the big events, such as Maul’s and the Mando’s appearance, some little things I loved:

1. The Ben Quadinaros alien saying “Yeah, yeah, kill her!” like some space Beavis.

2. Cool ship designs and shots. The Silver Angel is one of the best ship designs of the post-TPM era, I think. Great, simple, memorable profile. The Pyke pursuit craft looked great too. And that shot of the Mando ship taking off at the end was beautiful. Some great staging and directing in this one.

3. Trandoshans. Those guys always up the menace level with their creepy lizard faces.

4. Coruscant never looked better.

5. Mention of Crimson Dawn. These little connections to the new suite of films are very welcome. I’m ready for this broader SWCU.

More dumber, eh? The irony...

 

this arc could have been better. I think the episode before this was unnecessary and the arc would have had a more believable story if they escaped on the first attempt. After that, the Pykes, pragmatically speaking, should have killed Ahsoka and the girls for costing them drug money and then Maul would've told the Pykes that at least they did something right.
The ending with Bo Katan and company was definitely rushed. "I'll give you five minutes... not because I'm impatient but because, you know, the episode is about to end. Seriously, make it quick! Never...nevermind that business on Carlac"

Speaking of Maul, I loved that Kiner crossed the series and used Maul's Rebels theme. If they're willing to go there, think some Duel of the Fates may be in store for the final confrontation, that was also used in Rebels when Maul and Ahsoka clashed blades. I was also surprised to hear TIE Fighter attack in the escape sequence, I don't think that's something that has been quoted in the series yet.

 

Enjoyed the episode...like that it is set up to lead into Siege of Mandalore with the Mandos showing up in the last couple episodes.

 

That was season 5, and this is season 7. Maul is free, Shadow Collective is reformed. Criminal organizations dissolve and reform all the time in actuality. Don’t see what the issue is here.

 

Welcome to the price we all have to pay for TCW not making any of its money back in 2013.

If only it made a profit, it could convince Disney enough to produce more episodes since this show is very expensive to produce.

 

A gold star to you sir!

To be honest, I have to say the last two episodes have not been as strong as the first two. The plots seem highly contrived to rush Ahsoka into SoM.

PROS:
Darth Maul looks fantastic!
Bo-Katan recruiting Ahsoka to help free Mandalore!

CONS:
The Pykes are completely incompetent. Hard to believe they are a major crime syndicate.
Rafa just bullying the workers into loading spice onto her ship. If it's as valuable as the Pyke leader seems to think it is, I would think there would be much stricter security.
Plot convenience of the bombs going off just in time to prevent Ahsoka and company from being shot. Unless Ahsoka used the force to press the button (that'd be more believable).
Rafa and Trace seem to be able to beat up just about anybody.

Notable quotes:
"Unfortunate that your stupidity is so authentic." Coming from the incompetent Pyke leader, this is extremely ironic.
"Don't worry, Death Watch is gone." Don't worry about all those innocent people we killed on Carlac and the time I tried to kill you and the time I smacked you on your rear end. Death Watch is gone. It's all good now. And we have common enemy. So join us without any hesitation. Well at least only five minutes worth of hesitation.

 

Have to say that overall this was a wasted arc. There really wasn’t much character development for Ashoka or progression of any wider story. 4 episodes for a couple of Mando scenes. There were so many other arcs that would have been better.

Oh well, after the appetiser and the starter we finally get the main course next week. Can’t wait!

 

Exactly...after SoD he could have just gotten the what was left of the Shadow Collective under control.

 

Rumor has it Ahsoka bike is still in that hangar.

I’m hoping the sisters finally start carrying weapons instead of metal sticks

 

Extremely happy to see the Pykes. Character designs, architecture, locations, voice acting etc. are marvellous.

Not happy that the Pykes became cartoonish disney villains.
Oh well.