Full Series The Clone Wars: Episode 208: Brain Invaders Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

I've also been assuming we'll see "possessed clones" as opposed to "zombie clones", but I guess that if you take a blaster to a PC, he'd instantly turn into a ZC. I think. The worms seem to be multi-purpose that way.

 

Considering I have a huge phobia/deathly fear of parasitic worms, I honestly don't know if I'll watch this episode. I might, just to see how it ends (I sense ship destruction) and to celebrate the end of this laggy Geonosis arc that nearly killed my interest in the show.

Seriously tho', this is one episode where I'm very interested to see how it ends. Phobia aside, of course.

 

Interesting how many people are getting tired of the Geonosis arc.

Let's compare S1 and S2 8 episodes in:


Season 1

Ambush - Yoda, Ventress
Malevolence Trilogy - Anakin, Ahsoka, Grievous, Plo Koon
Rookiees - Cody, Rex
Downfall of a Droid/Duel of the Droids - Ahsoka, Anakin, Grievous
Bombad Jedi - Padme, Jar-Jar


Season 2
Holocron Heist/Cargo of Doom/Children of the Force - Anakin, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Cad Bane
Senate Spy - Anakin, Padme
Landing at Point Rain/Weapons Factory/Legacy of Terror/Brain Invaders - Anakin, Obi-Wan, Luminara, Barriss, Ahsoka

Anakin has been in every S2 episode to date. Ahsoka has been in all but 2 episodes. Maybe we just need a little more variation - 4 episodes (5 if you include Senate Spy) dealing with Geonosis might be too much.

 

<img src="http://www.starwars.com/theclonewars/news20091202/braininvaders_img.jpg">



Friends Become Foes in The Clone Wars

Reunited after the Battle of Geonosis, Padawans Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee are assigned to take a supply ship back to Republic-controlled space. But their routine mission becomes a fight for survival when they discover that the ship has been overrun by a horde of deadly stowaways -- Geonosian brain worms with the grotesque ability to control the thoughts and actions of their clone hosts. It is impossible to tell friend from foe when dealing with deadly "Brain Invaders" in an all-new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, December 4 on Cartoon Network.

With their clone comrades controlled by the gruesome Geonosian brain worms, the Padawans must confront their greatest challenge yet. Though faced with a deadly threat to life and limb, it is their commitment to the Jedi teachings that is truly put to the test; with former friends as enemies, the two young women are forced to weigh the fate of the Republic against their own personal attachments.

"Due to Anakin's teaching, I do feel that Ahsoka is developing similar attachment issues. Only time will tell if those issues will play a part in her destiny," says Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka. "Over the course of the Clone Wars so far, Ahsoka has spent most of her time with Anakin, and she is really beginning to emulate him. She is becoming more and more like her Master in every episode; we'll see if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Ahsoka has found some balancing influences as well, particularly in the company of her fellow Padawan, Barriss. It is a dynamic that provides a sharp contrast to the sometimes reckless teachings of her Master.

"Ahsoka has become a better, more well-rounded Padawan because of her friendship with Barriss," she says. "After becoming friends with Barriss, Ahsoka is now able to look at things from another point of view. She's realizing that they each have different strengths, and as a team they work well together. When I think of the two of them together, I think Padawan Power!"

As for whether or not Ahsoka will succumb to the emotional tolls of the war, or to the emotional temptations that will one day turn her own master to the dark side, Eckstein remains optimistic.

"Maybe it's just my own personal positive thinking, but I don't see her going to the dark side. She just wants to be the best Padawan she can be, and ultimately prove that she deserves to become a Jedi -- and sometimes that means making tough choices," she says "One can't overlook the overall message of Star Wars -- that good will always overcome evil. Our show presents these lessons in such a cool way, and I think it's a great message to teach kids today."

 

The preview clip is up. Couldn't find the relevant thread. Sorry!

Found it for you. Apology accepted.

 

"Padawan Power"? More like "Super Padawan." Anyway, I hope that some clones actually injure Ahsoka and Barriss. If they come out scratch-less, that would actually lower what Order 66 was, and if you compare that to this episode, it would seem that Padawans are more powerful than Knights and Masters that fell during 66.

 

To me, Order 66 was so successful because the clones massively outnumbered the Jedi and had surprise. It looks like the barinworms won't be able to bring a lot of numbers together before putting the Jedi on guard.

 

Yeah, I agree. Surprise, battle, numbers, and the like played into a lot of those ambushes.

Besides, I'm sure clone troopers are a heck of a lot more effective and accurate than zombie troopers...though getting swarmed by zombies is still pretty scary. A clone can shoot a blaster out of someone's hand...a zombie will likely just lunge forward.

 

Exactly. The clones were able to mount a massive surprise attack, striking with overwhelming numbers and/or advantageous positions, plus a very clear objective that demanded swiftness. The zombie clones probably won't be very organized, won't attack in great numbers (at first) or from a better strategic position and probably won't be in that much of a hurry to eliminate the Jedi.

 

If it was 2 episodes (Point Rain and Weapons Factory primarily) -maybe 3 if you count Senate Spy-, then I wouldn't have had so much of a problem with the Geonosis arc as a whole.

4 is really stretching it at this point, at least for me anyways.

But hey, people wanted more action/fighting and they got what they asked for.

 

Friends Become Foes preview.......

Please don't discuss the preview clips in this thread. That's what the Preview Clips thread is for. - Gry

 

It's not stretching it at all. This episode doesn't even take place on Geonosis.

I thought a lot of people here wanted less self-contained episodes and more ongoing continuity?

Well, this is precisely that.

 

I for one am not annoyed by this long arc at all. I've always been an advocate of longer story arcs and plot points stringing the season together. Geonosis itself was only really a trilogy. Senate Spy was an introduction and Brain Invaders seems to be more of an epilogue, not taking place in Geonosis.

 

I think this five parter is the best story in the CW so far.

 

Yes, I think its good to have some longer arcs, although I think most you'll find won't be a 4 parter.

When you think about it though, the whole goal of the attack on Geonosis was to destroy the new droid foundry, and this was accomplished in the span of 2 episodes (5 and 6). Episode 7 dealt with Luminara chasing down Poggle only to get caught then a new story starts - Queen Karina, zombies and the Brain worms. Episode 8 is basically the finishing touches, ie, the Padawans and some clones leaving, getting some rest, their job is done and the threat of the brain worms carries through to this episode.

I think it's interesting that the "destroy droid foundry on geonosis" story turned into this unexpected tangent with the brain worms. A new threat was uncovered.

 

I think it's been great. You can't judge an "arc" like you would a feature; it's just not structured that way and doesn't have to be. The episodes in themselves have "acts", but the shows strung together are more... well, episodic. In this case we got the Big Battle, the Covert Ops episode; the "there's something weird on this planet" installment, and the "ship in a bottle" episode... almost the reverse order of how you'd structure a feature, but all the storytelling has been solid, some new characters haver broken out, and yes, continuity has been bolstered. All good things.

 

Without the substantial arc, it is very, very difficult to develope
characters (like Unduli, Mundi, etc.) with any rapidity.

Still, if it's not an arc that you like, it's excruciating.

 

I like arcs, when well executed. I'll have to watch all 4 episodes before I can comment on its success - but that was much to love in what has aired.

Just...no Obi-Wan in this episode? Is TCW really the "Anakin" and/or "Anakin/Ahsoka" show? (I'm not ragging on Ahsoka, it's just I'm not sure why Anakin has become the dominant character.)

 

On the DVD commentaries of the 1st season, they say there will be more prequel episodes like "Hidden Enemy". I hope for more Anakin/Obi-Wan based episodes.

 

That's a good point. Should SW:TCW have a dominant character, or core character group, or an open
pastiche of recurring characters? If a core group, who should be in the group?

By the way, VS, just how dominant would you like Obi-Wan... hmmmmm?

 

I honestly can't think of another series quite like TCW in that it pulls its characters from a large pre-existing roster, and nobody appears in every episode. The only thing that ties every single episode together is that it's set in the GFFA during a certain time period. There's no single location that functions as the "office" or "house" or "base", nor is there a core "team" in the cast. I think that "the Jedi" is too large a group to be considered "the team" as opposed to most shows where there's a core crew, unit, team or whatever-- you know, the five to eight characters who typically appear in the theme song montage whether they're in that particular episode or not. But again, I may be blanking on some really obvious analogous show...

The "core group", were it to exist, would be Anakin, Ahsoka, R2, Obi-Wan, Rex, Mace and Yoda; supporting cast would be Padme, Threepio, Jar Jar, Palpatine, Cody, maybe some other clones, with a few Jedi gaining ground. But it could change. The first five are kind of locked in, and Mace and Yoda take the Jedi limelight because they're always around for the "big" Jedi decisions and mission briefings.

 

Well, to tell the truth, I refute that you need an entire arc to develop characters like Mundi and Unduli. You really just need a single episode devoted to them, because we know so little about them.


I'm not sure Ki-Adi "Crazy Uncle" Mundi was developed at all, for that matter.

 

A core group - certainly. Jedi, clones & separatists.

Umm...after the (whispers: loincloth) thingy I'm avoiding that question. (Dominance has so many - interpretations. For the record, I like the Jedi dominating their opposition via skill and brains.)

Um, Anakin.

I know there was one (possibly more) episodes he didn't figure in, but even in those, I believe, he was present via hologram for a cameo or so.

Ahsoka, almost as much so.

Characters like Yoda, Mace and Obi-Wan are present quite often via hologram but not as many episodes or given much prominence to the same degree as the "A" team. (trademark: Moi)

I do enjoy seeing Kit, Plo (though I don't understand the fascination - yet ), Luminara, etc. and I'm glad to see them popping up.

 

May I ask who represents MR. T on that "A Team"?

 

I never watched the "A Team" so I don't even know the names of the characters and what actors were associated with those characters. Wasn't one guy "Face"? Of course the dude with the hardware was all over the TV but I'm not even sure which character he was, either.

It is fun to "slot" characters from one show into another show, but it can also be a sign of an author's overreliance on stereotypes if there's too much similarity.