THE CLONE WARS (S7E3) “On the Wings of Keerdaks”: The Great Escape

When the world was watching The Mandalorian in unison only a few short months ago, I was right there with them. One aspect of the show that took some getting used to was its episodic nature. The idea that each episode would simply be a slice of life, and that not every episode must end with a reveal as big as Baby Yoda. The show was content showing us a small task for Mando to complete, and then rolling the credits.

Such is the formula for Clone Wars. This week’s episode didn’t have the looming figure of Darth Vader in the background, nor did it reveal a secret that would shock us. It was just a classic episode of Clone Wars with one thing on the agenda: get out alive. Let’s talk about it.

Welcome Back Echo

After last week’s cliff-hanger ending which revealed the long-believed-dead clone Echo to be alive, this episode thankfully picks up right where that one left off. Clone Wars had a habit of doing that with their episodes that followed specific arcs. They’d end and episode, and the following would take place almost as if no time had passed at all. The next line of dialogue would begin the episode, and wed be back in it.

So, I love this decision to keep us with Rex standing over Echo’s body. Especially with such a huge reveal, we’d feel cheated if we didn’t found out what immediately happened next. The show quenches our thirst for knowledge by giving us the info we need exactly when we want it.

And boy did we want it. The episode began with a ticking clock, as the clones had to work together in order to free Echo from the wires that bound him before the enemy droids made it into the room. It’s one of the more horrific things we’ve seen in a Clone Wars episode: Echo, so pale that he looks like a walking corpse, with his head shaved, connected to wires and tubes that are inserted into his skull. As the show progresses, hopefully answers about what this machine is will become clear, and whose idea it was. I’m betting on Palpatine, how about you?

No Time For Talking

For a clone, there’s time for talking, and there’s time for fighting. Episode 3 of the seventh season is clearly a time for fighting. This action packed episode didn’t have many heartfelt moments of conversation, but it did have some truly superb action sequences. In a way, I think this was a perfect way to show the development between the Bad Batch and Rex. The episode showed them fighting in perfect unison, no longer as separate units, but as a team. They’re soldiers, and their ability to fight as one is far more important than their ability to get along.

Though, I’m still not sure why Breaker is…the strongest person ever, but I did find it endearing when he was able to throw every clone up to the escape hatch, and then had a nervous breakdown when having to cross the bridge. Dichotomy like this helps to make the clones more human, and continue the show’s thesis that each clone is unique, even if they look the same. The episode sprinkles in a nice battle, and a classic display of the clones reaching an understanding with a native tribe, who help them ward off the Separatist’s forces. And is there anything quite as cool as watching Anakin take down that giant robot? I don’t think so.

What did you think of the new episode? Any theories on what exactly happened to Echo? Let me know in the comments below!

Clone Wars continues this Friday with its fourth episode.