After the final moments of last week's episode, many fans were left to wonder about the fate of the titular character, now that she found herself back within the "world between worlds". Dave Filoni stepping back into the director's role (as well as the special theatrical screenings), signaled that we may be in store for something BIG. "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" did not disappoint as it reunites Ahsoka with her former Master (who also happens to be dead, but who's counting), Anakin Skywalker, as he attempts to complete her training while she stares down death's door. Fortunately, it's more than just a nostalgia play, as the action is largely motivated by character, allowing for a satisfying "rebirth" of Ahsoka as she faces her demons. Unfortunately however, the back half of the episode lacks much of that early momentum. Although it does neatly setup the final 3 episodes, which remain a mystery, as we've still yet to see the big bad, Thrawn. Things should really heat up next week as we take out first steps into a new Star Wars galaxy (presumably).
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SSSW - Ahsoka S1E4 "Fallen Jedi"
Despite being only a few minutes longer than last week's episode, "Part Four" of 'Ahsoka' manages to feel much grander and expansive. It not only packs a heavy action punch, with plenty of lightsabers, it also manages to expand on a lot of the most interesting character dynamics and plot points as well. Character through action is always appreciated and this episode brings that in spades. That's without even mentioning the bold and surprising turns that Dave Filoni is able to pull off here, leaving the heroes in a very tricky spot heading into episode 5, which by all accounts is supposed to be banger. There's plenty of chatter online about where this episode sits in terms of the pantheon of "The best Star Wars TV", which means it certainly holds it's own against the some of best Star Wars installments we've ever seen. Join Julian and Rachel as they break it all down, scene by scene, and make your own assessment.
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SSSW - The Mandalorian S3E3 "The Convert" + The Bad Batch S2E13 "Pabu"
After a massive bombshell at the end of last week's episode of 'The Mandalorian', we take a sharp left turn into a completely different part of the galaxy and largely leave the Mythosaur thread to dangle... for now. The shift to concentrate on Dr. Pershing and his attempt to reintegrate into a post-war society, though surprising, was actually chalk-full of deep world building and does the leg work to set up a fascinating mystery. The Mando bookends featuring some stellar dog-fighting, and a surprisingly quick resolution to the whole "redemption" arch, were appreciated for their ability to keep the central story moving forward. On 'The Bad Batch' front, the season put the pause on things as it took our heroes on a short vacation that reminded us of what was actually at stake. It was slower, but intentionally so, and took the time to let us just "live" with the characters for a moment. Unsurprisingly, it didn't take nearly as long to unbox this episode compared to Mando
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SSSW - The Bad Batch S3E7 “The Clone Conspiracy” + S2E8 “Truth and Consequences”
This season of 'The Bad Batch' has been a real rollercoaster. The highs of "The Solitary Clone" to the lows of episodes like "Faster". This week, the show once again elevated itself with a 2-episode drop that feels like a spiritual sequel to the great 'The Clone Wars' episode "Clone Conspiracy". In fact, the first part of this 2-part story arch, aptly named "The Clone Conspiracy", doesn't even feature our titular characters. These 2 episodes also felt like a great companion piece to last year's 'Andor' as we focus again on political intrigue and dangerous secrets. The tension is palpable and the presence of returning characters feel natural in this given situation. But the biggest revelation is that we finally have a clear understanding of the fate of the clones. There's still plenty to explore in this show, but after these 2 episodes, it has easily justified its status as must-watch Star Wars.
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Episode 166 - Execute Order One-Hundred and Sixty-Six!
Despite (what I think to be) the very clever title for this episode, the ToB Crew actually spend much of their time discussing a wide variety of topics this week. Including an in depth review of 'Batman: The Long Halloween Pt 1', which is the latest entry in the WB Animation DC line-up, but only the 3rd with the new art design. Julian and Dan (welcome back!) give a spoiler free review of the first Marvel movie in what feels like forever, 'Black Widow'. There is also SOME Star Wars discussion, as Julian does his best to "sell" 'The Bad Batch' to Jeremy and Dan, with mixed results. Plus, the guys touch on some of the Emmy nominations, and much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
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