a script in need... of some editing
Dec. 28th, 2018 09:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
callioopeI just watched The Clone Wars episode "A Friend in Need" (S4:E14) and while I know I've probably seen weirder episodes, something about this one just struck me as particularly bizarre. It's all over the map in terms of tone and writing, and it feels like they were trying to cover everything, but it's done kind of sloppily. We've got romance tropes (fake engaged! kissing as a cover/excuse!), but it's weird; really dark themes with the Death Watch involved, and even some droid rights stuff thrown in, because why not?
As a side note, Ahsoka looks absolutely baller in her furry winter coat, and it's become clear to me that it must be a prerequisite to the Fulcrum position to own fashionable winter gear.
Anyways! I watched this episode twice just to fully wrap my brain around it, perplexed observations below the cut (because spoilers, not just for this episode, too)!
Opening on Mandalore
For some reason, we start in the middle of a negotiation between several representatives of the Republic (including our faves, escorted by Ahsoka, I suppose? Anakin is mysteriously missing) and the Separatists, hosted on Mandalore with Satine apparently presiding. And Satine looks bored, so I guess she doesn't care that the guards just let Lux Bonteri barge into their meeting? Because -- weren't there guards posted outside? What were they doing?
This feels really out of place considering the rest of what happens in the episode -- like, by opening in this setting, I had wildly different expectations for where this was going to go. Which is why it feels like suddenly things Escalate Very Quickly!
Anyways, I suppose because she's so bored, Satine gestures for Lux to go ahead and speak (why? surely she knows what he must be there for and that it will not help things...). As he goes through his intro spiel, he and Ahsoka share a deep, longing gaze -- which he then immediately, jarringly interrupts to shout, "my mother was murdered in cold blood!" ...Nothing says romance like declarations of murder, I guess?
We now enter the Ridiculous Escalation Phase, wherein
(a) Lux is dragged away by Separatist muscle men (and apparently-still-bored!Satine gives a Willy Wonka-esque "Wait stop don't" -- I'm sorry, I really don't understand Satine's characterization in this)
(b) Ahsoka asks Padme if she can go rescue Lux (because surely the Separatists are going to kill him for his accusations against Dooku) & Padme says sure but be discreet
(c) Dooku does, indeed, decide to kill Lux, but fortunately Ahsoka is there to rescue him and hold his hand* as she leads him out
(d) Ahsoka then proceeds to be chased and shot at (so much for discreet, but really I expect that in SW by now)
(e) Ahsoka takes one of the Republic(???) ships and leaves behind Clone Troopers to cover for her as some droids shoot at them (What happens next here? We'll never know, it's not important...)
(f) Lux pulls a gun (yes, gun, that is what Ahsoka calls it -- I thought they were all blasters in GFFA, learned something new) on Ahsoka and then tases her!
This all happens in about five minutes, I'm pretty sure. Whoa.
Carlac
This is where the rest of the plot takes place and my only comments here are: very beautiful planet, with the snowfall, red leaves, all the snow-covered boulders -- absolutely beautiful, totally my Aesthetic, if I were like that. (Must remember to use this planet in future fic.) (also, srsly, Ahsoka is so freaking cool in that coat.)
*The Romance
I can't deny that I'm sort of biased, I'm not super into romance plots with Ahsoka and I wasn't into it in the last episode Lux was in. But this felt super forced to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally here for fake engaged, kissing for cover, rivals(?) to lovers, but I just don't feel chemistry between Lux and Ahsoka. The dynamic is very bizarre because even before the fake engaged, they oscillate between longing looks and arguing -- and it's strange for me as I'm typing this because these are legitimately tropes I like! I'm trying to figure out why it fails so spectacularly here, but something is just not executed well. Maybe it's mood whiplash (or whatever it is people call that)? The shifts between the romance and the fighting are pretty jarring, and the fake kiss felt super awkward. Usually there's some attempt to show the characters enjoying it and unwilling to admit it, but that didn't happen at all here, surprisingly, considering the rest of the heavy handed attempts at romance.
Perhaps it's been too long since I watched the last episode with Lux in it, but I just didn't feel like there was enough foundation there for me to buy their longing gazes to begin with, and much of the episode feels like Ahsoka babysitting Lux, who clearly is bumbling around like a righteous idiot. That sounds harsh, but like. He just doesn't listen to her. It's one thing to be naive and idealistic, but he comes across to me as just recklessly stupid. I know he's upset about his mother's death, but he also barely talked about her? His emotions felt very empty and more plot device than well developed.
So with all the above in mind, it really felt like the episode was forcing their romance on me, like "look! look! they like each other," and... I get it. It's not working, but I get it.
That being said, I did very much appreciate this interchange:
Lux: I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble
Ahsoka: It's nothing
Anakin (via holo): *raises his eyebrow*
I'm just disappointed we didn't get more of Anakin in this. This episode could have used a combination of his exasperated-but-also-amused expressions (especially considering how he was with Obi-wan! Imagine! Big Brother Anakin teasing Ahsoka about how this Lux character clearly has a thing for her?)
The Actual Plot & Writing
I'm not sure the writing/plot made any more sense than Lux's actual plan, but... basically he purposefully got kidnapped by Dooku's people so he could track Dooku's position via holo (didn't know you could do that, but okay), and he's trading his info with Death Watch so he can have the resources to see Dooku killed. Great plan kid, except Death Watch is hella bad. As Ahsoka explains. And he just is like "nah, what do you know, you're only a Jedi who's probably seen way more of the galaxy than I have..."
Considering the weird romance tropes above, the plot is oddly quite dark; I mean Death Watch is involved, and the show goes out of its way to show that they are Bad: droid abuse, villagers held hostage, a village being burned to the ground. The tone just doesn't jive with a fun fake dating trope, especially considering that Vizsla commands them to drag Ahsoka back to camp -- that's really rough.
Plus there's some half-hearted commentary on droid rights, I think: they show Death Watch shooting the droids and then they make R2 reassemble them. The way the droids inch closer and surround R2 was super creepy (and made me think of one of those scenes in Toy Story, with Sid's toys). [Also use of the word "target practice" inevitably makes me think of Saw...]
One line in particular stood out to me: "We are a simple people. We trust easily. And we were betrayed." Were the writers even trying here? This sounds like a placeholder line in an outline that should have been fleshed out more.
Other Items
File this under: R2-D2 and Yet Another Time He Saved the Day [srsly where would this galaxy be without him?]
Apparently Vizsla's second-in-command is Satine's sister. I checked and this was her first appearance, so we're not supposed to know that yet, and I'm sure (I hope) this will come up later but why is her sister in Death Watch?! Also, was it intentional that they both would make (rather unexplained) cameos in this particular episode?
Anyways, thanks for reading my rant. It seemed like they just tried to cover too much in this episode, I don't know.
I won't lie though, for all it's weirdness, I did actually kind of enjoy it, in a perplexed, "what is even happening?" kind of way.
As a side note, Ahsoka looks absolutely baller in her furry winter coat, and it's become clear to me that it must be a prerequisite to the Fulcrum position to own fashionable winter gear.
Anyways! I watched this episode twice just to fully wrap my brain around it, perplexed observations below the cut (because spoilers, not just for this episode, too)!
Opening on Mandalore
For some reason, we start in the middle of a negotiation between several representatives of the Republic (including our faves, escorted by Ahsoka, I suppose? Anakin is mysteriously missing) and the Separatists, hosted on Mandalore with Satine apparently presiding. And Satine looks bored, so I guess she doesn't care that the guards just let Lux Bonteri barge into their meeting? Because -- weren't there guards posted outside? What were they doing?
This feels really out of place considering the rest of what happens in the episode -- like, by opening in this setting, I had wildly different expectations for where this was going to go. Which is why it feels like suddenly things Escalate Very Quickly!
Anyways, I suppose because she's so bored, Satine gestures for Lux to go ahead and speak (why? surely she knows what he must be there for and that it will not help things...). As he goes through his intro spiel, he and Ahsoka share a deep, longing gaze -- which he then immediately, jarringly interrupts to shout, "my mother was murdered in cold blood!" ...Nothing says romance like declarations of murder, I guess?
We now enter the Ridiculous Escalation Phase, wherein
(a) Lux is dragged away by Separatist muscle men (and apparently-still-bored!Satine gives a Willy Wonka-esque "Wait stop don't" -- I'm sorry, I really don't understand Satine's characterization in this)
(b) Ahsoka asks Padme if she can go rescue Lux (because surely the Separatists are going to kill him for his accusations against Dooku) & Padme says sure but be discreet
(c) Dooku does, indeed, decide to kill Lux, but fortunately Ahsoka is there to rescue him and hold his hand* as she leads him out
(d) Ahsoka then proceeds to be chased and shot at (so much for discreet, but really I expect that in SW by now)
(e) Ahsoka takes one of the Republic(???) ships and leaves behind Clone Troopers to cover for her as some droids shoot at them (What happens next here? We'll never know, it's not important...)
(f) Lux pulls a gun (yes, gun, that is what Ahsoka calls it -- I thought they were all blasters in GFFA, learned something new) on Ahsoka and then tases her!
This all happens in about five minutes, I'm pretty sure. Whoa.
Carlac
This is where the rest of the plot takes place and my only comments here are: very beautiful planet, with the snowfall, red leaves, all the snow-covered boulders -- absolutely beautiful, totally my Aesthetic, if I were like that. (Must remember to use this planet in future fic.) (also, srsly, Ahsoka is so freaking cool in that coat.)
*The Romance
I can't deny that I'm sort of biased, I'm not super into romance plots with Ahsoka and I wasn't into it in the last episode Lux was in. But this felt super forced to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally here for fake engaged, kissing for cover, rivals(?) to lovers, but I just don't feel chemistry between Lux and Ahsoka. The dynamic is very bizarre because even before the fake engaged, they oscillate between longing looks and arguing -- and it's strange for me as I'm typing this because these are legitimately tropes I like! I'm trying to figure out why it fails so spectacularly here, but something is just not executed well. Maybe it's mood whiplash (or whatever it is people call that)? The shifts between the romance and the fighting are pretty jarring, and the fake kiss felt super awkward. Usually there's some attempt to show the characters enjoying it and unwilling to admit it, but that didn't happen at all here, surprisingly, considering the rest of the heavy handed attempts at romance.
Perhaps it's been too long since I watched the last episode with Lux in it, but I just didn't feel like there was enough foundation there for me to buy their longing gazes to begin with, and much of the episode feels like Ahsoka babysitting Lux, who clearly is bumbling around like a righteous idiot. That sounds harsh, but like. He just doesn't listen to her. It's one thing to be naive and idealistic, but he comes across to me as just recklessly stupid. I know he's upset about his mother's death, but he also barely talked about her? His emotions felt very empty and more plot device than well developed.
So with all the above in mind, it really felt like the episode was forcing their romance on me, like "look! look! they like each other," and... I get it. It's not working, but I get it.
That being said, I did very much appreciate this interchange:
Lux: I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble
Ahsoka: It's nothing
Anakin (via holo): *raises his eyebrow*
I'm just disappointed we didn't get more of Anakin in this. This episode could have used a combination of his exasperated-but-also-amused expressions (especially considering how he was with Obi-wan! Imagine! Big Brother Anakin teasing Ahsoka about how this Lux character clearly has a thing for her?)
The Actual Plot & Writing
I'm not sure the writing/plot made any more sense than Lux's actual plan, but... basically he purposefully got kidnapped by Dooku's people so he could track Dooku's position via holo (didn't know you could do that, but okay), and he's trading his info with Death Watch so he can have the resources to see Dooku killed. Great plan kid, except Death Watch is hella bad. As Ahsoka explains. And he just is like "nah, what do you know, you're only a Jedi who's probably seen way more of the galaxy than I have..."
Considering the weird romance tropes above, the plot is oddly quite dark; I mean Death Watch is involved, and the show goes out of its way to show that they are Bad: droid abuse, villagers held hostage, a village being burned to the ground. The tone just doesn't jive with a fun fake dating trope, especially considering that Vizsla commands them to drag Ahsoka back to camp -- that's really rough.
Plus there's some half-hearted commentary on droid rights, I think: they show Death Watch shooting the droids and then they make R2 reassemble them. The way the droids inch closer and surround R2 was super creepy (and made me think of one of those scenes in Toy Story, with Sid's toys). [Also use of the word "target practice" inevitably makes me think of Saw...]
One line in particular stood out to me: "We are a simple people. We trust easily. And we were betrayed." Were the writers even trying here? This sounds like a placeholder line in an outline that should have been fleshed out more.
Other Items
File this under: R2-D2 and Yet Another Time He Saved the Day [srsly where would this galaxy be without him?]
Apparently Vizsla's second-in-command is Satine's sister. I checked and this was her first appearance, so we're not supposed to know that yet, and I'm sure (I hope) this will come up later but why is her sister in Death Watch?! Also, was it intentional that they both would make (rather unexplained) cameos in this particular episode?
Anyways, thanks for reading my rant. It seemed like they just tried to cover too much in this episode, I don't know.
I won't lie though, for all it's weirdness, I did actually kind of enjoy it, in a perplexed, "what is even happening?" kind of way.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-29 02:00 pm (UTC)On the other hand, isn't this where Ahsoka decapitates four Death Watch dudes in one move? She was not playing around.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-29 03:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-01 11:36 pm (UTC)bahahaha, well said!
I don't remember much about this episode - it wasn't one that stood out to me very much and partly because it was hard to pay attention. basically, what you said!
(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-02 12:44 am (UTC)Considering this was a one-off episode in a series of 3- or 4-episode arcs, I have no idea why it bothered me enough to watch twice and rant about it. Perhaps I'm just super opposed to shipping Lux and Ahsoka and was peeved they kept shoving it at us. Because it really is pretty forgettable.
Anyways -- I powered through the next five episodes about Asajj Ventress and Savage Oppress with very little to say (except, gahhh, was not expecting what happened with Adi Gallia!!) and have *at last* arrived at "A War on Two Fronts" ... I am simultaneously super excited and also Not Ready for This. (even though I've been waiting for this moment since I started watching TCW...)
(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-02 12:46 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-02 01:02 am (UTC)Also, interesting re the Jedi rationale. Their logic seems to have been lacking lately (like, did they really think faking Obi-Wan's death and not telling Anakin was a good idea?? really? I thought that was absolutely bizarre ... anyways I think the gist of this is the episodes of TCW can be hit or miss but I am glad it exists)
(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-02 01:18 am (UTC)1 | 2 | 3
(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-02 01:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-06 02:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-01-07 12:28 am (UTC)