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Post by Spidyyr on Nov 23, 2018 3:10:07 GMT -5
Here we go. Just, just here we go. This is what you've waited for.
Novmber 23rd - 29th 2018
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Post by Star on Nov 23, 2018 10:34:41 GMT -5
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Post by Star on Nov 23, 2018 11:29:01 GMT -5
With Nightsisters, we see the introduction of a whole new phase for Ventress. Originally, I wasn't so sure how it would play out, but she works much better as a Dark Jedi than a Sith Apprentice. The opening sequence in space is very cool, and it reminds me of the beginning of ROTS, minus every line being a meme. It's really interesting to see Sidious sense how close Dooku has become to Ventress, and it makes you wonder if Dooku would have legitimately overthrown his master. He did suggest a similar idea to Obi-Wan in AOTC, and he says it again to Savage later in the trilogy. Following the space battle, we get a sweet introduction to the Nightsisters and Dathomir. Everything they did there was executed nicely, especially the flashbacks that fleshed out Ventress even more. Seeing how she lost 3 different masters throughout her life really gives her more depth, but also shows how it was easy for her to be corrupted by Dooku following the death of her Jedi mentor. It really displays how Ventress is rooted in her emotions much more than approaching issues solely from a rational viewpoint. My favorite part of the episode comes when we get Ventress and two Nightsisters attempt to kill Dooku in his palace. The fight here is stellar and might be the first 3v1 lightsaber battle the show has given us. How the camera angles work in this fight are very cool too, especially in moments like this. Despite Dooku being weakened, he still holds his own, showcasing how powerful he is. Although this episode is mostly setting the stage for bigger things in the future, it tells its own story without going too slowly or quickly. The animation throughout this episode is also noticeably better than almost every previous episode. I give this one 9/10. |
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Post by Newan on Nov 23, 2018 11:55:55 GMT -5
Well this is where the show becomes for the most part consistently good with some relapses in season 5
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Post by Star on Nov 23, 2018 12:11:35 GMT -5
The quality continues with Monster, where we get to see the origin of Savage Opress. This arc might be where he's most interesting, since once Maul comes back, he's overshadowed a fair amount. Regardless, I really like how we got to see the transformation of Savage from an innocent Zabrak to a ruthless figure. The trials Ventress conducts are interesting, but given the 22 minute run-time, they did feel a little rushed. That didn't take away from my enjoyment of the episode though, and the animation during these trials was great, particularly at the start of the second trial with the red of the night sky against the dark backdrop of the mountains.
It was very cool to see Savage undergo his first mission, but it always seemed a little too easy. I know it was mainly to demonstrate how powerful the Nightsisters had made him, but it just seemed a little overplayed. Mother Talzin taking a Separatist shuttle from Dathomir to Serenno was a little odd, but I guess that could have a reasonable in-universe explanation.
This episode is the weakest of the trilogy for me, but that's largely in part to it having to set up a lot of things for the story. I do think they handled Savage's introduction to the series very well though, and in some ways, he's almost a tragic character to follow. He wouldn't have been involved if not for the conflict between Dooku and Ventress, which was a side effect of the war. Then once involved, Savage is essentially being used for the benefit of others. It makes him pretty interesting, even if once he's transformed, he mostly appears as a mindless brute. 8/10.
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Post by Star on Nov 23, 2018 23:23:40 GMT -5
Witches of the Mist is a great conclusion to the arc. The brief appearance of Republic Commandos was very cool, especially with the brooding tone the rain added. I really enjoyed how Savage training under Dooku mirrored Luke under Yoda. Both students expressed their frustration, and the masters responded with their wisdom; however, seeing Dooku stir the hate in Savage was interesting. The scenes with Obi-Wan and Anakin throughout the episode are fine despite being fairly brief. Witnessing them play catch-up with the events on Dathomir is cool, especially since the Jedi do seem to know a fair amount about the Nightsisters. I also thought the dialogue between the two was done well, since there was still some banter, but nothing excessive. Their encounter with Savage on Toydaria was a good tease, and King Katuunko's death was always kind of sad to me. Even when confronted by a vicious Zabrak with a lightsaber, he didn't cower. The highlight of this episode, and probably the trilogy, was the fight at the end. I really like how this encounter displayed their different fighting styles. Dooku was so refined and skilled, and it proved to be better than the acrobatics of Ventress and the brute force of Savage. Also, that one shot at the start of the fight is so cool. This arc really stepped it up with the fight scenes. Even though we don't get much of the Jedi in this final confrontation, their part was still incorporated nicely. Another intriguing aspect of this fight is how Savage went from being a pawn to a deadly third party that was against Ventress, Dooku, and the Jedi. After less than an hour with his character, he had radically changed. Even if his betrayal of Ventress was a little quick, it didn't seem unbelievable, given he realized how both sides just wanted to use him for their own benefit. Overall, this episode was very strong. It delivers pretty much everything we wanted to see. There was a great cast of characters and various future stories were set in motion. This arc also took the show in a whole new direction via a potentially risky story, since it was unlike anything Star Wars had seen on-screen. Furthermore, it completely reinvents Ventress, introduces other major players like Mother Talzin and Savage, gives us a deeper look into Dooku, and so much more. I have to set the bar for a "perfect" episode somewhere, and I think Witches of the Mist meets that threshold. It's a 10/10 for me. |
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Post by Kenbo on Nov 24, 2018 11:04:24 GMT -5
Geez can I catch up lol
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Post by Newan on Nov 24, 2018 13:26:10 GMT -5
I mean you can just go from here... I still have a few episodes here and there I go back to every now and then |
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Post by Newan on Nov 25, 2018 16:51:48 GMT -5
Nighsisters is a good episode... although there’s a few problems I have with it. Like the beginning where Sidious calls Dooku seems kind of random, remember that we didn’t see any of Ventress in season 2 and overall she was maybe in like 7 episodes and usually lost all the time. I’ve always said that The Clone Wars handled villains very poorly.
Next is Ventress back story, it seems kind of tacked on and I wonder was Ventress actually in the Jedi Order? Or was she just apprenticed to a maverick jedi like Qui-Gon, because no other Jedi really mention that she was apart of the order. Also how were the sisters able to see each other when they went to attack Dooku? Maybe if works on them differently idk.... and like who strong armed the Sisters into giving up Ventress in the first place? I know Sidious exerted his power to get Maul at a young age but I’m not even sure if that alien guy was force sensitive.
This episode leaves a lot of odd questions that are not really answered either but does set up a good story arc. I mean I did like the space sequence and I also liked seeing Dooku fighting someone other then Anakin which is quite rare. They really showed how strong Dooku is which is very cool and this was the first time we get to see Dooku’s home world I believe.
Idk I think I’ll give it an 8/10, although I almost want to give it a 7 cause of all the loose ends.
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Post by Newan on Nov 25, 2018 16:53:06 GMT -5
But yeah the animation is noticeably better in this episode and pretty much for the rest of the show it kinda stays at this level
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Post by Star on Nov 25, 2018 19:44:39 GMT -5
Nighsisters is a good episode... although there’s a few problems I have with it. Like the beginning where Sidious calls Dooku seems kind of random, remember that we didn’t see any of Ventress in season 2 and overall she was maybe in like 7 episodes and usually lost all the time. I’ve always said that The Clone Wars handled villains very poorly. Next is Ventress back story, it seems kind of tacked on and I wonder was Ventress actually in the Jedi Order? Or was she just apprenticed to a maverick jedi like Qui-Gon, because no other Jedi really mention that she was apart of the order. Also how were the sisters able to see each other when they went to attack Dooku? Maybe if works on them differently idk.... and like who strong armed the Sisters into giving up Ventress in the first place? I know Sidious exerted his power to get Maul at a young age but I’m not even sure if that alien guy was force sensitive. This episode leaves a lot of odd questions that are not really answered either but does set up a good story arc. I mean I did like the space sequence and I also liked seeing Dooku fighting someone other then Anakin which is quite rare. They really showed how strong Dooku is which is very cool and this was the first time we get to see Dooku’s home world I believe. Idk I think I’ll give it an 8/10, although I almost want to give it a 7 cause of all the loose ends. It's pretty ambiguous if Ventress was ever formally a part of the Jedi Order. Her master seemed more like Qui-Gon for sure, but I think it's possible he was stranded on Rattatak or was at least on a lengthy mission there. It doesn't really specify if the two of them ever leave the war-torn planet, so maybe Ventress was taught on the side and never formally inducted, thus making her roots in the ways of the Jedi not known to many. |
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Post by Spidyyr on Nov 25, 2018 21:47:13 GMT -5
Nighsisters is a good episode... although there’s a few problems I have with it. Like the beginning where Sidious calls Dooku seems kind of random, remember that we didn’t see any of Ventress in season 2 and overall she was maybe in like 7 episodes and usually lost all the time. I’ve always said that The Clone Wars handled villains very poorly. Next is Ventress back story, it seems kind of tacked on and I wonder was Ventress actually in the Jedi Order? Or was she just apprenticed to a maverick jedi like Qui-Gon, because no other Jedi really mention that she was apart of the order. Also how were the sisters able to see each other when they went to attack Dooku? Maybe if works on them differently idk.... and like who strong armed the Sisters into giving up Ventress in the first place? I know Sidious exerted his power to get Maul at a young age but I’m not even sure if that alien guy was force sensitive. This episode leaves a lot of odd questions that are not really answered either but does set up a good story arc. I mean I did like the space sequence and I also liked seeing Dooku fighting someone other then Anakin which is quite rare. They really showed how strong Dooku is which is very cool and this was the first time we get to see Dooku’s home world I believe. Idk I think I’ll give it an 8/10, although I almost want to give it a 7 cause of all the loose ends. It's pretty ambiguous if Ventress was ever formally a part of the Jedi Order. Her master seemed more like Qui-Gon for sure, but I think it's possible he was stranded on Rattatak or was at least on a lengthy mission there. It doesn't really specify if the two of them ever leave the war-torn planet, so maybe Ventress was taught on the side and never formally inducted, thus making her roots in the ways of the Jedi not known to many. Idk. That would have to be like ten years and she got a lightsaber... |
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Post by Star on Nov 25, 2018 22:21:00 GMT -5
It's pretty ambiguous if Ventress was ever formally a part of the Jedi Order. Her master seemed more like Qui-Gon for sure, but I think it's possible he was stranded on Rattatak or was at least on a lengthy mission there. It doesn't really specify if the two of them ever leave the war-torn planet, so maybe Ventress was taught on the side and never formally inducted, thus making her roots in the ways of the Jedi not known to many. Idk. That would have to be like ten years and she got a lightsaber... There's always the possibility Ventress was kept a secret as best as possible. Ventress formerly being trained under a Jedi was most likely a later idea intended to develop her character though, hence why parts of her past seem odd. |
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Post by Spidyyr on Nov 25, 2018 22:43:37 GMT -5
Idk. That would have to be like ten years and she got a lightsaber... There's always the possibility Ventress was kept a secret as best as possible. Ventress formerly being trained under a Jedi was most likely a later idea intended to develop her character though, hence why parts of her past seem odd. Maybe, but it definitely should've been explained. |
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Post by Star on Nov 26, 2018 10:24:00 GMT -5
There's always the possibility Ventress was kept a secret as best as possible. Ventress formerly being trained under a Jedi was most likely a later idea intended to develop her character though, hence why parts of her past seem odd. Maybe, but it definitely should've been explained. It would've been nice to have more explanation, but it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of this particular arc. |
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Post by Newan on Nov 26, 2018 12:46:37 GMT -5
I think Monster is also a good episode, although I really wish we could know more about the relation between Talzin and Dooku. We Sidious had run ins with the Sisters back when he was still an apprentice to Plageuis and acquired Maul but I want to understand how they know Dooku. I guess Sidious sent Dooku to Dathomir in his Sith training but it’s weird that Talzin would want to conduct business with him knowing who Dooku works for...
Anyways the actual episode is good, the trials themselves are only like 10 minutes long and do feel a bit rushed, and it was obvious who was going to win even the first time you watch the episode. I like Savages transformation and the final fight is personally one of my favorite moments in the show.
Anyways another 8/10 for Monster.
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Post by Newan on Nov 26, 2018 13:16:10 GMT -5
Witches of the Mist is a great conclusion to the arc... personally want to talk about the opening sequence for a bit, there’s a lot going on here. We get to see Delta Squad Cameo which is really cool, also the first time we see Clone Commandos in general and I think it’s the first time we see Saesee Tiin in the show although maybe he has appeared in the background before? But really not sure. Seeing rain on Coruscant is kinda cool tbh, kinda weird but it’s different.
Plo-Koons comments about a new Sith Lord are interesting because they really don’t understand that Dooku isn’t the Sith master yet even though IMO it seems somewhat obvious... Dooku supposedly only left the council right after Qui-Gon died on Naboo and Windu and Yoda literally discuss the rule of two at his funeral. Thus Dooku can’t be the master to Maul unless they really think he was a secret Sith Lord while being a Jedi which would be really weird...
Anyways as for the rest of the episode, it’s fast paced but in a good way, constant action and lots of moving around which makes the episode all around very enjoyable and fun. It sets up Savage and Maul fairly well, although the Ventress plot line just feels incomplete, from start to finish in this arc it is missing something.
I’ll give this episode a 9/10, not ready to give my first 10 yet. Probably won’t be until Umbara however the Mortis arc may warrant one not sure....
I haven’t really given too many 9s yet either except for like Cat and Mouse, Tresspass and maybe some of the Holocron episodes
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Post by Spidyyr on Nov 27, 2018 1:04:26 GMT -5
Really dang busy with finals. Will probably have to watch this and the next two arc when I get done with the semester. Though low key that will be a hell of a binge.
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Post by Star on Nov 27, 2018 10:08:22 GMT -5
Really dang busy with finals. Will probably have to watch this and the next two arc when I get done with the semester. Though low key that will be a hell of a binge. I may have to binge the next two arcs as well with exams almost being here. This arc and the next two are the strongest set of episodes in a row up until this point in the show, and maybe even for the entire series. |
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Post by Newan on Nov 28, 2018 0:21:02 GMT -5
Remember guys that in a couple weeks there’s a week with only 2 episodes and then there’s a span of 2 weeks where I only put the Mon Cala arc so there’s about a 3 week span that’s good to catch up on
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Post by Spidyyr on Dec 11, 2018 4:28:00 GMT -5
Nightsisters is the start of a great turning point for the show. In some way, you can sense that. It just kinda feels different. Idk if it's just the animation but it's unmistakable we're somewhere new and there's no going back. Well it could also be how this episode is so eager to shake things up. Ventress was basically a female Grievous up to this point, so I love that they took a risk and sent her on her own journey. The flashbacks, as others have said, are a bit problematic. They were never hinted at again and aren't ever mentioned later. It's possible from them that she wasn't a literal member of the Order, but it seems like something that could have been clarified or at least brought up in one of Ventress' later appearances. Well getting off that, this episode also did wonders for Dooku's character. Honestly, I hadn't cared for him much up to this point but he shows his power here. The final fight scene is a little brief but well executed. Overall this episode is just a great palate cleanser and almost feels like the beginning of a new show. I didn't know if I would but yes I'll give it 9/10.
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Post by Spidyyr on Dec 11, 2018 4:37:10 GMT -5
I think I've always kind of liked Monster more than most people do. I guess I expected Savage to just be a mindless brute, so I was surprised the show took the time to develop him and give him a real character arc. The final test of him killing his brother maybe is a bit obvious but I honestly think it's played pretty well. Whether it's expected or not, it's tragic to see it happen. This episode has Ventress at her most brutal IMO. She's never exactly been gentle but there aren't actually a whole lot of instances I can think of her killing people before now, except that one poor clone and of course Argyus. Here she's actually mowing down people I feel bad for. I always thought was a bit weird how she's so cold just after the episode where she was supposed to be sympathetic. But looking back it makes sense. Just because she has a sad backstory doesn't make her a good person. I know a lot of people take issue with the ending being so quick but personally, it's never bothered me. It felt like we saw as much as we needed to understand his power. Anyway I'll give it a 9/10.
EDIT: Also I like the touch of reveling Dooku wants to destroy Palps. I suppose it should be a bit obvious but I like hearing him admit it. This arc just makes Dooku a much more frightening character IMO. He never was my favorite TCW villain but this shot him pretty high up.
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Post by Spidyyr on Dec 11, 2018 4:57:42 GMT -5
At the time, Witches of the Mist was the end all be all of the finales. And it's still way up there. The only issue I have with the episode is its title. Why witches? They really are not the focus at all of this episode. I mean I guess it sounds cool but it's kinda like calling The Lawless "The Rise of Korkie" or something. Idk. But luckily that has nothing to do with viewing the episode, which by the way is damn amazing. There's a lot going on. The pacing is quick. But somehow you don't feel it, and I can't exactly place why that is. We go through so much but it feels so seamless. The action in this episode is great. Dooku vs Ventress vs Savage is still one of my favorite moments in the series. I think I stood up and cheered the first time I saw Savage choke them both out. Also kinda random, but I just noticed Dooku has the same escape he used in "Dooku Captured." Also, I appreciated them bringing Katunko back and I was pretty surprised they killed him. This is the third arc in a row we've lost some Season 1 character(Ziro and Farr). I feel like that's the show trying to signify a little more that things are changing forever. And I appreciated how fearless Katunko was when he had to know he was going to die. I liked how they included Anakin in this one. He's usually kept pretty separate from all the Dathomir stuff (I kinda wish he could've met up with Maul at some point) and he adds some nice light humor to the episode. Speaking of  that reveal at the end is just iconic. The first time I saw this episode (when I was 11) it just didn't register. How could Maul be back? But we'll get to that later. This episode is exciting, iconic, perfectly-paced, and holds the single biggest reveal on the show. IMO, that crosses all the boxes for a 10/10. |
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Post by Newan on Dec 11, 2018 12:26:57 GMT -5
At the time, Witches of the Mist was the end all be all of the finales. And it's still way up there. The only issue I have with the episode is its title. Why witches? They really are not the focus at all of this episode. I mean I guess it sounds cool but it's kinda like calling The Lawless "The Rise of Korkie" or something. Idk. But luckily that has nothing to do with viewing the episode, which by the way is damn amazing. There's a lot going on. The pacing is quick. But somehow you don't feel it, and I can't exactly place why that is. We go through so much but it feels so seamless. The action in this episode is great. Dooku vs Ventress vs Savage is still one of my favorite moments in the series. I think I stood up and cheered the first time I saw Savage choke them both out. Also kinda random, but I just noticed Dooku has the same escape he used in "Dooku Captured." Also, I appreciated them bringing Katunko back and I was pretty surprised they killed him. This is the third arc in a row we've lost some Season 1 character(Ziro and Farr). I feel like that's the show trying to signify a little more that things are changing forever. And I appreciated how fearless Katunko was when he had to know he was going to die. I liked how they included Anakin in this one. He's usually kept pretty separate from all the Dathomir stuff (I kinda wish he could've met up with Maul at some point) and he adds some nice light humor to the episode. Speaking of that reveal at the end is just iconic. The first time I saw this episode (when I was 11) it just didn't register. How could Maul be back? But we'll get to that later. This episode is exciting, iconic, perfectly-paced, and holds the single biggest reveal on the show. IMO, that crosses all the boxes for a 10/10. I think I knew it was Maul right away because there’s various comics and stuff that were not cannon but had Maul alive in “what if” scenarios and they basically used his model from the Old Wounds comic. |
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Post by Maverick-Jedi-Valen on Jan 17, 2019 4:15:11 GMT -5
Aw, yeah, we're finally getting the golden age here  I mean, just watching Nightsisters' opening is better than most of the previous episodes  It's so refreshing, from Ventress' new direction in life, Dooku's surprising attachment of her, the epic space battle, the fact we get a window into the magical, hocus pocus side of the Force, that pretty slick assassination scene. It's like the show's just reached puberty here Granted, Ventress' flashbacks are a bit tacked on, but I like the extra depth they give her (just wish they actually bothered to reference them again later down the line). As for Ky Narec teaching her, I believe in the EU, he was a sort of a loner Jedi who wasn't really in touch with the Order, so that might explain why no one talks about it. And then Monster just carries it all forward. All these years later and I still see it as one of the most bone crunchingly brutal. I find it odd how the show tries to make us sympathise with Ventress, even well after this, despite being shown here as selfish, arrogant, sadistic and goes so far as to brainwash some poor fella and force him to kill his own brother. Kind of a point of no return thing for evil characters, am I right? Anyway, I love the mood and atmosphere. The trials are like some glimpse into a Star Wars horror film and humanising Savage (or is it Zabrakising? ) is a choice I'm glad they made. Adds to whole through line that most people in the Dark Side only have tragic stories to tell. Then finally, Witches of the Mist (Spider's right, that title's pretty weird). For a time this was one of my faves. It's just crammed with stuff I love. A Delta Squad cameo, Sith training and some of the best duels in the show. One thing I always weirdly loved was Savage's ridiculously simplistic fighting style of literally rushing in like a bull. How he didn't get his head cut off is beyond me And I love the ending and its hook. It's one of those parts of the show you never forget. I remember thinking the whole Maul being alive thing would turn out to be a hoax, an illusion of some sort by Talzin, but boy was I wrong. Terrific arc and one that leads to even greater ones  |
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that reveal at the end is just iconic. The first time I saw this episode (when I was 11) it just didn't register. How could Maul be back? But we'll get to that later. This episode is exciting, iconic, perfectly-paced, and holds the single biggest reveal on the show. IMO, that crosses all the boxes for a 10/10.
It's so refreshing, from Ventress' new direction in life, Dooku's surprising attachment of her, the epic space battle, the fact we get a window into the magical, hocus pocus side of the Force, that pretty slick assassination scene. It's like the show's just reached puberty here 
it’s been quite a while. I’ve been pretty good, how about yourself?
Sept 30, 2024 21:29:31 GMT -5
Nov 11, 2024 16:43:58 GMT -5
Nov 11, 2024 16:43:58 GMT -5