[CaptainCrunch]

Wow, first of all, I'm really sad that this series is over, while I thought for the most part this was a stellar piece of Star Wars story telling as a series, they certainly saved what I consider to be the best for last with this four part arc. I'm sad to see it go, however this series has been a must watch again because as I've stated above its now completely changed the dynamic and feel of ROTS.


So here we go

Spoiler!

Some thoughts.


From a pure action point of view this was spectacular with so many great action sequences, and all in confined spaces.


Ahsoka didn't want to hurt the clones, Rex didn't really want to either but being a soldier it was either them or him but his heart wasn't in it.


That scene in the docking bay when Ahsoka talks to Rex about not wanting to kill soldiers, and then she takes his helmet off and he's crying as he realizes he might have to is heart breaking to watch. I was choking back a single man tear on that one.


Maul as a point of destruction basically pulls the engine out of the ship. So this whole episode of the escape takes place in real time.


There was some satisfaction in seeing Maul stealing their shuttle and leaving them to their end, especially after you felt that Ahsoka in the last episode told him that she wasn't rooting for him. Maul was certainly a monster, but he was a tragic monster created by circumstances, abuse and abandonment.


Seeing Jessie becoming the enemy of Rex was sad to see, especially since he so matter of fact ordered the execution of Rex and Ahsoka after Rex tried to talk them him out of it by stating that she wasn't a Jedi. Jessie didn't care with the chip at full force the Clones just ruthlessly followed orders as given.


The Droids were so loyal, and they saved Ahsoka's and Rex's lives over and over only to be ruthlessly executed like they were was an illustration that these weren't clone troopers anymore, they were Storm Troopers.



Clearly there was information on those chips as they referred to Sidious. Which is funny because in original lore, Palpatine didn't disclose his Dark Lord of the Sith origins to anyone but Vader.



The action sequences just looked awesome and the hero's didn't get away unscathed as both were shot more then once.


The escape in the Y-Wing and Ahsoka reaching for the fighter gunners turret was amazing.


Once again the music was awesome as was the animation. The Venator coming out of hyperspace with all of its damage was awesome looking as were the fight scenes.


Rex and Ahsoka took the time to go back to bury the clones who had died. She then left her lightsaber which symbolized both her kinship with the clones and the realization that she was no Jedi.


The very last scene showed the Empire arriving at the crash scene including Vader.


This was jarring in a couple of ways. We now saw that the Clone Troopers were stormtroopers, all of the individualized phase 3 armor was replaced with the bleak white armor, there were no more individual markings and no more individual clones that was gone in the rise of the faceless empire. What was more jarring is that there was no audible conversations with the Storm Troopers, while they were probably talking directly, this made you feel like the Troopers were more like the droids that they had fought for so many years, a almost droid like group of enforcers for the Empire.


Anyways Vader then approaches the grave site of the Clones and kneels and finds Ahsoka's light saber and ignites it, almost reflecting her turning on the light sabers when Anakin presented them to her. He then deactivates them and turns and leaves. This was beautifully shot from the back, and we once again see one of those birds from Rebels circling the grave site. We can't predict what Anakin is thinking at that point. He's lost everything and at the core knows that he was used and betrayed by his Master. He's for the first time truly alone to burn in the furnace of his decisions. But what he has now is all he has. Is he having regrets. Is he assuming Ahsoka died in the crash, which makes "The Apprentice Lives" line from Rebels all the more meaningful? Does this firm up his hatred and commitment to kill all the Jedi remaining because their preceived betrayal of him lead to Ahsoka being killed?


The last scene is especially sad as he turns and leaves and we're left with the visual of one of the Clone helmets with her paint job left in the snow, symbolizing the death of the Clones and the end of the story.


Awesome episode.


Some random thoughts from me


1) It would have almost been nice if when Vader arrived the Stormtrooper in charge was Cody, it would have been nice to have some closure on him.


2) We don't get the scene where Rex and Ahsoka part ways, it would have been nice to see that.



3) Damn again Rex with the tears when he figures that some clones are going to die for him to survive.


4) Maul was a force of nature, and while his actions in the last episode helped save Ahsoka, I expected him to come to her rescue. But in the end he doesn't care. He's been molded by circumstance to be a single minded monster of revenge.


5) I almost wanted Ahsoka to receive the beacon transmission from the Temple with the message from Kenobi. That would have been a nice link up to the next series in rebels.


I want to leave this here because I think it sums up the end of the series.