THE CLONE WARS (S7E4+5) “Unfinished Business” & “Gone With A Trace”: Not The Jedi Way

Even though the show is titled “The Clone Wars”, clones are not the sole focus of the show. Clone Wars exists to expand the Star Wars universe. To allow viewers to dive deeper into the uncharted areas of the galaxy so that we can better understand this world. While the clones provide the canvas backdrop of the series, the Jedi share the spotlight with the soldiers. In the original trilogy, we often heard about the might of the Jedi when they were in power. How they were a huge presence in the galaxy that was tragically dismantled by the sinister plans of Darth Sideous.

The prequels promised us a look at the Jedi at the height of their reign, but…well, the prequels are another piece entirely. Clone Wars seems like Star Wars making good on its promise to show us the intricacies and inner politics of the Jedi. We get to see them react to the world around them, and we learn that they’re not all the peace-keeping agents that they claim to be. Episodes 4 and 5 of this season, “Unfinished Business” and “Gone With A Trace”, allow us to return once more to the world of the Jedi. But we can see that this world is being slowly but surely pulled apart.

The Return of the Jedi

In episode 4, we said goodbye to the Bad Batch, but not before Echo helps to foil the plans of Admiral Trench with the help of Obi-Wan and Mace Windu. Anakin, meanwhile, showed us some of his dark side by killing Admiral Trench. In the end, Echo hopped on board with the Bad Batch and left Rex for good. In episode 5, we saw the return of everyone’s favorite Togruta, Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka meets a mechanic named Trace, who instantly strikes up a friendship with the former Jedi. The two do some robot-roundup and viewers across the world breathed a sigh of relief at finally seeing Ahsoka again.

The Jedi took center stage in these episodes, but interestingly, they were acting very unjedi-like. This theme of going against the Jedi code links the two episodes. Trace, a poor mechanic, long ago gave up the fantasy that the Jedi were superheroes that would rescue her. They’ve faded from a source of hope to a source of anger for Trace, who feels forgotten and left behind by the order. Ahsoka struggles with this. She’s no longer a Jedi, but she can’t help but defend them when she hears them being tarnished, even though this was the very order that banished her.

Likewise, Anakin has his Vader-moment in killing Admiral Trench. The score doesn’t opt for something so obvious as playing the Imperial March, but it does turn sinister. The violins slowly string out a few notes in a minor key while a horn plays somberly in the background. Piece by piece, Darth Vader is slowly putting on his mask to hide Anakin Skywalker. Anakin and Ahsoka have always been linked in their struggle against the Jedi, but it’s becoming more clear as we reach the show’s climax that they are destined to follow similar paths, though they lead to different ways of the force.

Places To Go, People To See

These episodes smartly transitioned us to new plot lines. While we’ve followed the bad batch for four episodes now, the reintroduction of Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi helps to signal to us that we’ve arrived at a new plotline. The show is slowly weaning us off of the clones and back to the Jedi, though their paths will continue to cross. Windu’s part in episode 4 was a good send-off for his character (assuming we don’t see him for the rest of the season). Fans have clambered for more info on the purple-wielding Jedi ever since we first saw him hold his saber up to Count Dooku, and this episode, in the little time it had, showed his bravery. He was willing to send his men away while he stayed with a bomb that would mean certain doom for him. It was an admiral showing from a Jedi that is almost universally loved.

Ahsoka had her moment too in episode five, when we saw her use the force to save Trace from falling along with a droid she was chasing. Ahsoka seemed determined to use everything but the force to save her friend, but what the time came, she had no other option. There’s a great shot of a single child seeing what Ahsoka’s doing, and it was a great nod to Broom Boy at the end of The Last Jedi. This scene had me breathe a sigh of relief because it means that Ahsoka hasn’t completely given up the ways of the Jedi. We’re still going to get to see her in action just like we always have. It’s the same Ahsoka we all know and love, just hiding, biding her time until it’s right to come out.

What did you think of these episodes? Were you excited to see Ahsoka again? Let me know in the comments below!