Full Series The Clone Wars: Episodes 117 & 118: Blue Shadow Virus/The 1000 Moons Discussion Threads

I did not like both episodes like I thought I would!!! We've been on such a streak, so maybe we've just been spoiled. The doctor annoyed me. The fact that he said WHYrussss... annoyed me. Wasn't a fan of the Naboo art. And did the ships seem to land really quickly/choppy?

And, I'm sorry, but why is Jar-Jar in all of these episodes? Are there no other senators???? Has he killed all of them??

There were plenty of sweet parts though. I actually liked the Anakin-Obi Wan relationship. I wasn't buying into it earlier but the past few episodes I have been. The 1000 Moons was good to see. Wish they could have explored around a little bit more.

Also, did anyone feel like this was a little rushed - - the ending? I just felt like it ended way too abruptly. I didn't get the gratification that we were completely out of time (which they almost had me) and I wanted to see the rescue mission!!!

But, all can be made up for when I see Rex training Jar-Jar!!! That's an episode I do want to see!!!

 

I liked how Vindi went "Yes yes yes yes yes yes!"

 

Have to disagree... I thought he was saying "Yeah yeah yeah yeah!", but either way I just kept thinking "shut up, shut up, shut up!"

I thought the first of the two episodes got off to a very bad start, mostly thanks to the mad scientist. But somewhere along the way it got better, and the second episode was very good... so overall a very good two-parter.

"I am not training him!"

 

Well, in my opinion, these have to be the two worst episodes of the season thus far. The story was decent, the characters and situations were pretty good, but the voice acting drove me through the roof. I like Jar Jar. He can be overly annoying at times, but he's not a bad character. It's an interesting departure to have a character who is a good-hearted individual and attempts to be a hero, but is simply incapable of heroics. That said, I cannot stand BJ Hughes Jar Jar voice. He's completely destroying the character. Every time he speaks it makes me want to gouge out my ear drum, or something. My mother, who's only seen Episode I once or twice even picked up on the vocal difference, and strongly disliked it. And believe it or not, the female Gungan was worse. SOOOOOOOO much worse. I don't think it's much of an evolutionary advantage for a species to develop vocal chords like these... Doctor Vindi I could have stood on his own, were he the only irritating voice in the episode, but he wasn't. Didn't care much for genius kid either.

Overall, these are two episodes that had some terrific moments, some great character moments, and some cringe-inducing atrocities. This was the first time I was embarrassed to be watching something Star Wars in front of my family. These episodes could have been good, maybe even great, but the terrible voice acting (and a few plot/pacing deficiencies) dragged them down to mediocre. Damn shame, too. The show was having such a good streak.

 

Only one thing really bothered me about these episodes, (Besides BJ Hughes as Jar-Jar)the virus cloud. Come on how much blue smoke can one vial hold. One other strange thing the lasers around Iego were yellow lightning.

 

I thought both these episodes were really good, a nice deviation from the primary seperatist villans.

Usually in long running cartoon series, you get one week where the main villan(s) take a break and you get the mad scientist who is the temporary replacement - I remember this happened alot with 80's cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the like. This one though, works, also because of how it does kind of relate to the real world and the greater possibility of some high-tech nutjobs working on viruses.

I have to say that it seems like the animation and visuals have gone up another notch in these two episodes. Teh faces somehow look better and more expressive, and the movements are again more fluid, paritcularly noticeble when the Jedi cut through droids and swing around their lightsaber mid-jump.

I thought Iego was a great place. They really nailed down the once busy but now wasteland-ish/left-behind nature of the planet, and the droids that were left behind and reprogrammed conveyed that nicely. In particular I like how they truly looked salvaged, some with different heads, arms, some with missing arms and slight modifications on them. Would definately like to see Iego again and these "Angels".

Oh, and I love the rabbit-ish assistant droid. I love how they made it kind of scared like a little mouse but at the same time that lethality about it when it threatened Padme and Jar Jar and self-destroyed itself by releasing the virus. Nice clash in personality for it.

 

I liked both episodes. The parts on Iego were good jar jar's voice was jarring but his role in the story didn't bother me that much. It was nice to have an episode on naboo and see Typho and Queen Jamilla have small parts.The Episode wasn't perfect but I think Filoni and co are doing a good job,

 

It wasn't Jamillia, but it probably should have been.

 

I really enjoyed both episodes to be honest, of course they both had their ups and downs but overall i really enjoyed it. I didnt mind the doctor, i just want to know what race he is. The female gungan was designed really cool but her voice was kind of annoying lol.

Good points:

- Naboo was done amazingly, the animation this season has gone up so much! It was nice to be on a familiar planet from the movies! (so far we have tatooine, coruscant and naboo)

- Animation was overall really well done. The facial animations were noticeably improved this episode! I saw natalie portman in padme to the tee!

- Iego was a really cool planet to profile, both creatures and the quarren guy were done amazingly!!!

- I loved anakin's impulsive behaviour/anger. It shows us the path hes slowly taking, letting his emotions take control!

- Ashoka/Padme together was really cool!

- The angel woman was really cool yet eery at the same time.


The not so great:

-Jar jars voice wasnt THAT bad, but it wasnt that good either. His clumsyness also gets over the top sometimes, but i guess they are just staying true to his character.

-I didnt like the doctor's accent, i thought it could have been more alien. I liked his design and character archetype though.

 

Finally got around watching them ^^ Here's my thoughts

Blue Shadow Virus:
Really didn't like this one, bottom five for sure. It went around way to fast and tried to push too much into too little. Did they even discover there was a virus before Jar Jar and Padmé set off in their suits? And Peppy.. just no. I like the fact that there was a female gungan shepherd, but did she really have to be pink for us to understand that she was a lady? And her voice pretty much scarred my ears :S The doctor was also taken one step too far, was he even with the seps? Chairman Cho was just one sided, this guy made no sense at all. And the thick German accent...

On the bright side Ashoka was good, she was still Ashoka in the sense that she was cocky and witty, but she never became too much. I really liked the lightning too, especially in the tunnels and the scene on Naboo where Anakin speaks to Obi Wan.

1000 Moons:
I liked this one much better, still felt a little rushed though I knew I had heard Iego somewhere, but didn't really get it until the angel showed up, that really was an awesome moment ^^ I hope we get to see more of them in the future The whole moon was pretty cool, it kind of reminded me of a pirate hideout of some sort. Too bad they didn't get to stay there for long. The boy kind of reminded me of Huckleberry Finn (or something). Only thing that really bugged me was the end, how the hell did they get Padmé and Ashoka out of the bunker without releasing the virus? And if they could than why didn't they do it any sooner?

 

Hmm, Kristal Skull

Seems pretty appropriate since that was one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

I watched two minutes of the second show and turned it off

 

It's a virus, is self-replicates when it's released. That's why they only needed one of those bombs to infect each planet on the list

 

Well, finally finished watching both episodes. Liked them, though I admit they didn't really hit me as strongly as the Maridun arc. I do agree that the new Jar Jar voice really has to go. It's barely tolerable, even to me. I think the writing DID avoid overdoing him, though.

Iego was definitely my favourite moment of the whole episode. Terrific design and look, and the laser grid was impressive. The Angel was really eerie yet beautiful, though I never expected butterfly wings. XD

The doctor's accent was overdone, but I kind of liked him, if only for the fact that his "Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya!" reminded me of Billy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.

 

is next episode Ambush?

 

Blue Shadow Virus

BJ Hughes needs to go. We want Ahmed Best! Best or bust!

Kevin Kiner still uses the same pan flute/ ethno music throughout most of the episode. What about the already established character and planet themes??? Padmé had her own theme. Jar Jar has his own theme. Anakin has his own theme. The Trade Federation has it's own theme. Naboo has it's own theme. Yet Kevin Kiner rarely, if ever uses them.
My biggest gripe with the series is still the IMO sub-par score. It never has a melody to it, which all of John Williams tracks do. Kiner's music is either ethno pan pipes or grande bombastic orchestra without a melody.

Captain Typho finally- yet why is he wearing a Pilot Uniform? Same with his appearance in the Genndy Tartakovsky Micro Series.

Anakin using the word "Slimo"- reminded me of that one time he used it in TPM when
calling Sebulba one.

Shaaks lol

Doctor Nuvo Vindi- is it just me, or is he another continuation of the history inspired maniacs? In "Defenders of Peace" we were introduced to General Lok Durd, who seems to share some similarities (broad hand gestures among other) with the Italian Facist Dictator, Mussolini. Now in this episode we were introduced to Nuvo Vindi, who seems like a mixture between Nosferatu and Nazi Heinrich Himmler. Not only does Vindi have a German accent but he has the narrow eyes and wears glasses and a grey uniform/ lab coat.
Also, he deals with chemical gas and both are completely insane.
Michael York did a great job on his voice.
[image=http://threads.rebelscum.com/photogallery/data//661/Dr_Nuvo_Vindi_comparison.jpg]

Anakin and Obi Wan in the Naboo Hangar. Brings back memories of TPM.

Obi Wan saying "You seem a little on edge." to Anakin, like he did in AOTC.

Peppi Bow balancing on the security camera. By the way, I like the name Peppi Bow. Peppi Bow Peppi Bow Peppi Bow.

Ahsoka using the Force to levitate a Thermal Detonator.

Padmé giving Annie a lesson on his priorities- saving her coming after destroying Battle Droids

The Bunny Droid- I hope they'll make an action figure of him.

The way the Destroyer Droids maneuvered around in the laboratory's corridors.

I wonder when this massive secret laboratory was built? Maybe they already started building it during the invasion of Naboo?

That camera pan towards the bomb squad Clone Troopers starting to deactivate the bombs. Pretty funny.

The Thousand Moons

Jaybo Hood mirroring young Anakin. His reactivated Battle Droids are just brilliant. Again, I hope they'll make them into action figures. If not, I'll customize some.

Anakin almost dropping his cover about the secret love between him and Padmé.

Loved the basaltic spired of Iego. And that glowing moon right next to it looked very interesting as well.

Angels- interesting to see these finally appear, though it was a little rushed.

The Ithorian wearing glasses and the Nikto wearing a helmet seen in the meeting hall of Cliffhold, Iego.

The flesh eating plants reminded me a little of Super Mario.

Obi Wan interrupting Anakin when he was about to call the ghost story BS.

Anakin again using a curse word he hasn't used since TPM. This time "Poo-Doo".

The energy web looking like a map of star signs.

Rex saying he won't be training Jar Jar on how to use a blaster.

 

Vindi=Himmler.

Yes there are some similarities.

 

That would have made these episodes infinitely awesome.

 

Don't forget the moon with the laser that looked like the Death Star.

 

It's kind of embarassing to admit, but I kind of have a crush on cartoon Padme. She was beautiful in that yellow suit.....

Oh yeah, the episodes...

Loved Naboo, Ahsoka, the Obi-Wan-Anakin dynamic was great in the second episode, some of the jokes were pretty dang funny, as in "I am not training him." Iego was a cool planet as well.

The finding of the antidote seemed awfully convenient, and I do find it strange that the Trade Federation would house its bio-warfare facility on Naboo, rather than a planet that would be more secure than that. But I don't have any huge gripes with these episodes.

 

These were definately my least favourite episodes so far. There were some some good ideas there, but they just didn't work for me. Jar Jar's new voice actor sounded better this time round, but if they can't get Ahmed Best then I'd rather they not use him again - he just doesn't sound right. I've never found Jar Jar particularly annoying, but I did find his actions here pretty irritating, as well as the other female gungan.

I didn't mind the Doctor guy, but Michael York has a great voice - what's the point of getting him in and then having him do a generic german accent?

On the plus side, I like seeing Typho and Naboo again: it was animated very nicely. And seeing Iago and the Angel cameo was great.

 

Anybody else had problem understanding what Pepe Bow was talking about?

 

Oh yeah, it was yeah.

 

Well I finally sat down and watched "Blue Shadow Virus" and "A Thousand Moons" a couple of times. Overall I enjoyed both episodes, but there was something a little off in both. I've written down a few observations:

While overall I like the choice of starting each episode right in the middle of the story, leaving the back story to be developed either through the opening narration or through dialog, I think "Blue Shadow" really suffered from this. The story lacked a sense of suspense or a build up of tension because most of the plot had already happened off screen by the time Padme and Jar Jar arrived... our heroes simply showed up to wrap things up. The two-parter "Jedi Crash/Defenders of Peace" is a much better example of how this episode should have been structured.

One of the things I thought was odd was Padme's offhand comment that relations between the Naboo and the Gungans had been strain, why? Maybe both sides were suspicious of each other because people had gone missing (I know some of the answers are found in "The Valley" web comic). Remember what Vindi said when Padme and Jar Jar showed up: "You can never have too many lab specimens." Maybe Vindi was kidnapping Gungans to test this new strain of Blue Shadow on. Maybe he could have released a small sample of the virus and part of Naboo is infected.

The truncated nature of the episode also led to other problems. Doctor Vindi... I think his character suffers from the super-fast pace of the story. Vindi is clearly modeled after the Nazi mad-scientist archetype that was common among movie serials and pulp stories of the 1940s. Michael York even supplies a wonderfully maniacal, over-the-top German accent to accentuate the point. But the character is largely wasted and really not given much to do other than cackle and threaten to unleash the virus. He could have been given a much more menacing persona had we seen him experiment on a Gungan or two, or meeting with Ventress or Dokku to discuss his devious plans. Instead he is relegated to nothing more than a caricature.

"A Thousand Moons" also seems to be a bit of a mess. Tonally the episode feels completely detached from "Blue Shadow" and it wouldn't shock me if both episodes were originally one-shots that were not related but were cobbled together to make this two-parter. "Moons" when put together with "Blue Shadow" doesn't really work as a cohesive story.

There are odd moments when Anakin seems agitated and reminds Obi-Wan (and the audience) that people will die if they don't hurry, then for some unknown reason the two seem to take their time and wander around exploring the planet and looking at the new aliens. In fact the whole "town hall meeting" scene seemed out of place considering that Anakin and Obi-Wan were both pressed for time. Was having yet another scene with everyone telling the Jedi that the moon was haunted really necessary?

Watching Filoni's video commentary on "Thousand Moons" I came away feeling that Dave really didn't have that much enthusiasm for the episode beyond it being a vehicle to show off some of their new and improved character modeling.

Just an odd couple of stories. Again I liked them, but they were clearly the weakest episodes of the series to date. All in all, Clone Wars has had a fantastic 1st season and every show has a couple of eggs from time to time.

NOTE: BJ Hughes (or whoever he is) has to go. Sounds like Jar Jar with a cold.

Yancy

 

For me it was more like "Ja" in German, or something between that and "Yeah"...

Well I thought those two episodes were gonna be a disaster, but they turned out pretty decent. There were some pretty good scenes...I was a bit skeptic about the doc, but I kinda liked his character, despite being a cliche mad doc...

And why Captain Typho was on Naboo, isn't he supposed to be guarding Padme?