Full Series The Clone Wars: Episode 301: Clone Cadets Discussion Thread

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<img src="http://www.starwars.com/img/theclonewars/guide/epguide301.jpg">

"Brothers in arms are brothers for life."

Synopsis: The clone cadets of Domino Squad are at risk of washing out unless they pull their team together.

Director: Dave Filoni
Writer: Cameron Litvack

Key Characters: Fives, Echo, Hevy, Shaak Ti, 99, Bric, El-Les
Key Locales: Kamino

Explore the Official Episode Guide HERE

 

I can't wait. I'm really excited to see 99 and why there is so much excitement over this character.

 

Classic...

Domino Squad eh? Guess all the cool names were taken...

 

From Big Shiny Robot:

The war wears on, and the Republic is pushed to its breaking point. Support for the Jedi Knights and their noble cause comes in the form of valiant clone troopers ? steadfast defenders of peace and justice, even as the Jedi falter and the mighty Republic begins to crumble. Joined by familiar faces and confronted with deadly new threats, these everyman heroes lead the charge into a transformative new season of Clone Wars adventures ? where alliances will be tested, truths will be questioned and galaxy-changing secrets will be uncovered to shake the very foundations of the Star Wars universe. The next chapter of Star Wars: The Clone Wars begins with a must-see two-part premiere, airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 17 on Cartoon Network.

In ?Clone Cadets,? five headstrong cadets ? Hevy, Cutup, Droidbait, Fives and Echo ? struggle to complete their training on the ocean planet of Kamino. Unable to work together as a team, they must learn to embrace their future as soldiers before they are drummed out of the academy.

?It?s a band-of-brothers story that takes you back before most of the episodes we?ve seen so far; it?s one of the earliest episodes ? chronologically ? in the series,? says Dee Bradley Baker, voice of the clones. ?We?re going to see how the ?shinies? [new recruits featured in the first season episode, ?Rookies?] learn to work together. Starting off, they?re not a team at all. They?re just everymen; they?re human. And now they?ve got to pull it together. There?s something really cool about how the show brings out the heroism from characters like that ? not just the superpowered ones.?

A revealing look at clone development and training, the episode also introduces a unique new character. Clone Number 99 is a unique clone ? and imperfect model relegated to menial, custodial duties at the Kamino production facility. Still, despite his physical flaws, he nonetheless identifies with his genetic brethren ? and he aspires to make his own small contributions to their noble war efforts.

?He?s a great example of the show?s creative risks,? says Baker. ?I was nervous going into this episode. Does he sound real? Is he believable? I agonized over it; he?s a very special character, and a very unique challenge. Kinda high stakes for me, because I wanted so badly to get it right. He?s a little bit slower?quieter?softer than your basic clone voice. I skewed his dialect toward cockney to give him a blue collar, salt-of-the-earth flavor. I?ve got a lot of favorites, but 99?s definitely one of them. His story is very affecting ? really beautiful on a lot of different levels.?

 

Bunch of new images of this episode at the official site. 20 new between this and ARC Troopers.


I was just thinking though, we have Phase II armor in this episode with the ARCs, as show in the trailer. So anyone else think it's possible that they had access to this armor early in the war but they didn't get much time to test it out?

I was going to say that Rookies might be a little later in the war than we though but now Baker says its Clone Cadets is one of the earliest episodes in the series.

 

Ugh. I think 99 might "save the day."

 

Nah. I think he'll be part of a "message" or whatever.

I am intrigued to why some reviews are describing him. "But he?s one of my favorites and has a very Gunga Din feel to him. His name is 99 and I think you?ll all love him as much as I did."

 

On the cards that revealed 99, Hevy's picture shows him with the #1 on his armour. I wonder if this numerals have anything to do with rank... "Hevy's number one! "

 

I didn't notice that this episode was set before "Rookies".

I looked at Heavy's name, thinking it was a sequal to Rookies and I was suprised to see him alive. When they bring back dead characters to life, something inside of me dies. But I'm glad to see Heavy again.

 

It's probably for the fans to be able to distinguish the different characters.

 

TCW has done that in the past.

 

Well, it was either that or the Round Table Squad. See, they ordered pizza for
lunch one day at LF, and....

Just... just skip it

 

Strange

 

THESE GIRLS FALL LIKE DOMINOES, (Dominoes, Dominoes)

 

I bet that 99 will serve that inspirational coach role we see all the time in sports movies, where they turn misfit teams into champions (or near-champions).

 

Uh...... Will we get a training montage then?!!!

 

I'm more interested in the further involvement of El-les and Bric in these episodes. Will they fight? Die?

 

"Brothers in arms are brothers for life."

By the way, this could seriously be the best fortune cookie ever for the show.

 

I agree. It all but makes up for the lackluster name.

They could have just called it Brothers in Arms! I'd have no problem with that.

 

I don't know who would have more of a needed death, El Les or 99. One of them needs to go, for sentimental reasons of course

 

Is "El Les" supposed to be some kind of joke name? "L S"?

 

I don't know how 99 behaves (I'm trying to avoid clips from the episodes, specially "ARC Troopers") but I have to say that I really like El Les.

 

It could be someone's initials. I hope its not another bad tv show reference

 

What do you mean? Like MASH?