Full Series The Obi-Wan Undercover Arc

So I finished rewatching this story arc from season 4 today (definitely a solid arc and a lot of fun to watch) and I was thinking some more about the last act of the final episode 'Crisis On Naboo'; what was really Dooku's (and Palpatine's, assuming he was in on it) plan?

The wrap-up was pretty quick and maybe sort of simple after all the build-up to it and the intent of the whole intricate kidnapping scheme is not too easy to understand completely; my main guess it was to test the Jedi but I might be wrong, what do you others think?

 

Here is my crazy take on the arc:

The whole thing is a Xanatos Gambit by Palpatine, it was an elaborate plan to setup a fight between Dooku and Anakin he could observe. He knew that if the Jedi got some sort of intellegence about the kidnapping they would send someone undercover. He just didn't know who.

I suspect that when Rako Hardeen seemingly shot and kill Obi-wan who is something of a war hero. Then the 'captured' Rako Hardeen ended up tagging along with Eval and Bane, Palpatine being the smart dude he is figured it out. He also used this as an opportunity to play with Anakin's paranoia to play up the distrust between him and Obi-wan.

This is where "The Box" comes in. You really have to watch the arc together to appreciate how that episode fits. "The Box" was a Jedi trap that was used to isolate which one of the "Bounty Hunters" trying out for the kidnapping was a Jedi. I kinda suspect Dooku was suspecting Hardeen was Kenobi the entire time. Obi-wan gave plenty of clues. After it was over Dooku and Palpatine knew for sure.

In "Crisis on Naboo" the plan comes together. Anakin and Dooku are finally put against each other with Palpatine watching. The end result of Anakin just feeling snowed by the council and even Obi-wan which is what really hurt him (and Obi-wan as well) was the icing on the cake.

I just gotta say it. I love this arc and thing it is absolutely brilliant.

 

I like this. I figured Palpatine knew Obi Wan was undercover after sardine Hardeen escaped.

 

Honestly how could he not suspect Obi-wan? The farther the arc goes the more blatantly obvious it would seem in universe that Kenobi is Hardeen.

 

Seerow Very true. The Jedi Council must not get out of that spire much.

 

The plan was to exchange Palpatine for all the imprisoned Separatists.

 

Maybe they ought to kidnap Padme or something. They do need to free some of the separatist leaders they captured in past episodes.

 

They probably would have done better to pick another Jedi to go undercover but OOU I wouldn't replace Obi-wan in that arc for anything.

No! No more kidnapping Padme. xP

 

I would be fine with that if they kept her for a very long time. (So we don't have to watch any more political episodes.)

 

Anybody else notice that the episode "The Box" of this arc was basically just a Star Wars remake of "Cube" but with less gore / Nicole deBoer?

 

Since humanocentricism is back in TCW with the Jedi younglings' wannabe leader and all-round arrogant git Petro somehow being rewarded for his duplicity, here's something to consider:

In Crisis On Naboo, Obi-Wan says of his disguise (ie. Rako Hardeen): "This is the face that saved the Republic." It's strongly implied that Hardeen is rewarded by the Republic, getting credit for Obi-Wan's actions during the arc. The optics of the situation as it gets publicised to the Galaxy at large are interesting. The only human in the group of mercenaries is working for the Republic and foils the plot, with the alien mercenaries being the antagonists.

No doubt Rako Hardeen is given some lucrative rewards to keep him quiet, perhaps contracts with the Republic and Jedi Order. I hope to see him again at some point in future TCW episodes. If the CIS has its cadre of regularly contracted mercenaries and bounty hunters, the Republic could do with at least one.

 

I know right!

It was quite evident.

This arc was one of the worst and unfocused arcs from the show.
Disapointing anticlimax, no actual payoff, the arc was full of mostly filler and reuse of elements like the boring duel between Anakin vs Dooku.

 

I like Seerow's theory in the first reply and regarding the plan of using Palpatine to free the imprisoned Separatist leaders to me felt like something of a ruse or a means to an end; it was not the main intent of the whole thing so I think said theory feels the most believable.

 

As for Sidious and Dooku's grand scheme in this arc, it was more "Let's screw around with Skywalker's head". Sidious will move planets and armies to push that boy closer to the darkside, or test him against his apprentice, and if Skywalker can't hack it then Dooku will hack his head off. If anything, it'll distance Anakin from the Jedi, even if it's just a small nudge.

That, and it was an entire episode that was just "Cube". not that I minded, I dig Cube so even a rip off I'll take it.

 

The overarching ppoint of it all was to pit Ankain against Dooku as a further test of Skywalker's abilities and loyalties, with the added bonus of inserting the wedge of mistrust between Anakin and the Jedi Council (and even Obi-Wan). This was stated explicitly by Filoni in the blu ray segment dedicated to the 'Undercover' arc, but I think it was demonstrated pretty well during the episodes, in such a manner to make it all fairly clear during the final act, anyway.

I think that had the Jedi agreed to the trade of Separtist leaders for Palpatine (and somehow pulled it off in spite of what would have been strenuous refusals by the Chancellor), Sidious and Dooku would have taken it as a win to get the leaders back into the fold and still managed to find a way to make the Dooku / Skywalker showdown a reality.

 

I have to say I did wonder exactly what happened to the real Hardeen. Maybe he is treated like a hero. I would like to see the real one again in the future.

 

I figured the real Hardeen was kept quiet during the mission, only to later serve out a sentence for attempting to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi. Maybe in an off-world prison, if the Jedi felt the need to keep more of a lid on matters.

 

There was a subplot cut from 'The Box' about Rex sneaking Hardeen off Coruscant.

 

Is this in the deleted scenes?

 

Nah. From that arc there are deleted scenes of Commander Fox actually doing something to try and catch the fugitives. A deleted scene where Bane tells a 'your mom' joke when he kills the guy for his hat. A really good one of Anakin confronting Yoda and Mace about seeing Obi-wan in disguise and they still lie to his face (why didn't you finish this and leave it in?) An alternate capture scene for Bane. I like the pump action shot gun. Plo Koon was on Naboo. There is one last deleted scene where it is revealed Dooku knew who Obi-wan Hardeen was all along. My theory is right!

Rex's cut role was Trivia on the OS episode guide for 'The Box'.

 

I didn't know that! Thanks for the heads-up, See.

But I have to ask - Rex sneaks Hardeen off of Coruscant, but to what end? Is this even remotely addressed?

 

I don't know what would have been accomplished with Rex getting Hardeen off world. The reason the plot was cut is stated they thought it was to out of character for Rex. I sorta agree and sorta don't.

 

Should it even be Rex?!

 

Actually I think that subplot would have made a great Rex AND Cody story.

 

Power to the Cody!