Week 13 - The Mandalore Arc

The Mandalore Plot is a really good episode. Mandalore itself is really cool looking. There's a lot of cool details with reflections and people under the glass that really add a lot. And this episode introduces a lot of cool stuff like Death Watch and really the first look into Obi-Wan's past. Obi-Wan and Satine play off each other really well. Vizsla being the villain is kinda obvious but he's damn cool and seeing the darksaber for the first time is incredible. A lot of the locations on Concordia also look really good, especially when they're flying in. There isn't really a whole lot to complain about here. This introduces a cool new part of the show and feels really different from everything that came before. It's good. 7/10

Duchess of Mandalore is probably the weakest and I doubt it’s anyone’s favorite. That being said, it’s still good. And it starts the line of some character being wrongfully accused of murder and then being chased through the streets of Coruscant. Being a political episode, it can’t help but pale in comparison to the two we just had. It’s probbaly the most logical conclusion for this arc but hardly the most exciting. Though the concept is cool of villainising the Republc to throw Mandalore into disarray. I wonder why Sheev would want this but I guess anything to prolong conflict. I remember being disappointed by the episode when I first saw it. I actually wanted to see Vizsla try and take over Mandalore. But well, he’d probably need a sith and a half to do that. 6/10

Ok this is kinda funny. I googled Voyage of Temptation and came across the discussion for it on JCF. There, they thought that since Anakin appeared without Ahsoka, that the writers were canning Ahsoka due to her unpopularity and she wouldn’t appear for the rest of the show. Nevermind that Anakin appeared without her in Trespass or Grievous Intrigue, or that Ahsoka literally just carried her own episode.

The Mandalore Plot is pretty fun, it was really cool when I first watched it to see Boba/ Jango like people fighting. I really like that first one on one duel Kenobi has with the Mandalorian, it kinda reminds me of The Temple of Doom.

I also remember the first time I figured out that the Governor was behind everything basically from his first couple scenes. But nobody really could have predicted back then what would later happen with Vizsla, Satine and Mandalore.

Anyways I’d give the episode a 7/10. It had pretty good pace but it wasn’t the most exciting or interesting episode of all time. Honestly I should go back and watch last weeks episodes before these ones...

I’m gonna give Voyage of Temptation an 8/10. Once again interaction with Kenobi and Anakin is always the best duo in the show and I really like their conversation about Satine and then Anakins lttile comment later “Go save your girlfriend” and Kenobi gets annoyed lol.

I liked the kind of mystery plot in this episode as well, although it was somewhat obvious who the traitor was since a lot of the other characters are recognizeable and have been seen before. I do like how Anakin stabs him in the back though where Kenobi wouldn’t have done that. You don’t really see the Jedi fight non droids too often so it’s difficult to judge their opinions on kllling people. Usually when they are fighting things other then droids it’s animals as well like those hunter dog things in the Citadel arc.

Voyage of Temptation is very enjoyable, and something about it all occurring within a ship that's neither Republican and Separatist makes for a good change of pace. Some of the dialogue between Obi-Wan and Satine is a little overdone, but I really appreciate the writers trying to flesh out their characters and their past. This arc does a great job of showing that even characters we know the fate of still can have interesting subplots that strengthen their character.

The Assassin Droids were a good touch, and they felt like a true threat. Anakin's interactions with Kenobi were very good, and it was nice to see him throw his lightsaber. It was cool to see how Kenobi responded to compassion (either ignoring it or leaving the Order completely) versus Anakin trying to manage both. Also it's funny to see Orn Free Ta with two hookers basically.

The betrayal was easy to see, but how it played out was fun to watch. A little bit of droid action at the end was fun, and like Spider said, something about the camera angles in this episode made it feel grander. I'd give it 8/10

Y'know I really never appreciated how gorgeous Mandalore Plot looks. The designs here are incredible be it on Mandalore, or Concordia. I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for anything involving a Mando or two. Remember reading tonnes about them on Wookiepedia as a kid, lol. When season 2 revealed they'd be going down that alleyway, I was pumped. Easily Mandalore Plot is the best one here. It does its job excellently in establishing Death Watch as a proper threat for the future. It's also somewhat interesting to see Obi-Wan, ever the by-the-book peaceful Jedi tagged alongside an even more extreme pacifist.

Voyage of Temptation is also pretty nice to watch, has a kind of Alien vibe to it in places and the Coronet is a terrific location. However, since it drops any digging of Mandalorian culture it doesn't feel quite as strong as the last one. Additionally this pacifist group sounds more like the Sitting Duck Brigade. Aren't they informed that a side in the war is being led by a tyrannical Sith Lord with zero care towards anyone's rights, let alone neutrality? Satine just sounds like she's in complete and total denial of this, which is good in a way as it shows even those who wield authority and desire peace can too possess flaws. By the way, did anyone catch the mere snippet of Imperial March when Anakin makes Merrick kick the bucket? Man, I really forget the many Vader teasings in this show

And then we have Duchess of Mandalore, which is kind of an experiment as a big arc's finale. It's not going in guns blazing, instead going the political thriller route, like Star said. Can't say the experiment totally paid off, but I liked the intriguing political maneuvering in play. Felt a lot more grown up, which is something you really start to notice with this show in season 2: maturity. It's also the arc where we see the seeds being sowed for one of the better long run arcs, so in all I liked the Mandalore trilogy, but it would've been nice if we could dig into the Mandalorian culture stuff a bit more.

Voyage of Temtpation is great. You could cut that sexual tension with a butter knife.... And I liked Anakin's role in this episode, on the side doing Potato Rules... idk... lol. But there were only like 10 clones on the ship I thought, how were they having an all out battle at the end? And it's kinda weird how pretty much everyone Satine knows ends up being a traitor..

Also I think the Coronet might've served some inspiration for Dryden Vos' yacht which I'm just now realizing. Guess yachts in Star Wars are really tall lol

Oh and I just noticed Orn Free Taa has 4 lekku... odd

Damn I knew I already watched Voyage of Temptation... seems overlooked that one when I gave it an 8/10 Spidyyr I was going off the great list you have and thought I didn’t watch it but I knew after starting it was still pretty fresh.

Anyways yeah same rating I gave a couple months ago, it’s a good episode with great banter between Kenobi and Anakin like I said before. It’s nice they gave Kenobi that kind of love interest tbh, it makes it seem that if Anakin told Kenobi about him and Padme later it might not have been the end of the world. Although honestly after the war is over I could see Anakin just leaving the Jedi, to be with Padme.

The picture isn't working but I looked it up and people are saying it is fat... lmao that's gross....

But that Aayla pic tho......

Ultimately not much comes of this arc itself, honestly I’ve always disliked Mandalore in this show and I think the planet itself looks kind of shit, the cities there are unappealing. Plus stupid pacifists...