Ryan Shoots First: The Clone Wars (S7 Ep11) “Shattered”
It’s time, THAT episode. Ashoka has Maul and Order 66 is about to be declared. It’s the penultimate episode of the final season of The Clone Wars.
The episode begins with poor Bo, taking her victory lap with no idea what’s coming. She commends Ahsoka on capturing Maul and expresses how she wishes she was talented at something other than war. Rex comes up and informs Ahsoka the council is waiting for them. As the two walk up we see the scene from Revenge of the Sith where Mace Windu and the others are discussing arresting the chancellor and how they sense a threat to destroy the Jedi. Right as the scene ends in RoS Ahsoka and Rex walk in. The others tell her she has done a service to the jedi and Ahsoka claims she did it as a citizen not a jedi, at least not yet. She wants to speak to Anakin but he has left to inform the Chancellor that Obi has discovered Grievous. As everyone else logs out of the zoom, Yoda stays behind and asks if she has anything to say, she neglects to tell them about Maul’s warning about Anakin, a piece of info that may have been useful in about an hour or so.
Back at the dock they are transporting Maul out, the music this whole episode has been so foreboding as we all know what is coming. They have Maul in some sort of device that neutralizes force users as they load him onto the gunship. Ahsoka says farewell to Bo and they head off. A simply subtle amazing scene takes place as we see Rex and Ahsoka heading to the bridge with scenes of troopers putting Maul in his cell but the music is so ominous and everything is so hard to look away as you are just waiting for Sideous to execute the order. Ahsoka and Rex share a moment, noting their mixed feelings on the war as a soldier informs Rex their next briefing is ready.
Here.We.Go.
Maul in his chamber closes his eyes and we hear Anakin’s voice from Revenge of the Sith choosing to help the Emperor and becoming Darth Vader. Ahsoka also on the bridge feels this tremor in the force and calls out to Anakin. Meanwhile in the briefing room we see the Emperor utter those words “Execute order 66”. Ahsoka rushes in to tell Rex they need to get to Anakin. He is trembling as he drops his helmet to the ground. He tells her straining to speak to find Fives. Just then other Clones burst into the room Ahsoka goes on the defensive and draws her sabers. She isolates her and Rex in the briefing room but before she can get through to him other clones come in. In what is one of the flat out most Badass Jedi moments in all of Star Wars the clones unleash a barrage while Ahsoka is deflecting all the blasts in 360 degrees until the smoke clears and the clones discover she escaped. Rex tells his men to go execute Maul. Rex informs her men all Jedi are now enemies and to hunt her down.
At Maul’s cell two troopers walk in and open his container. Before they can execute him Ahsoka comes in and takes them out. She sets Maul free and tells him “Don’t make me regret this”. Maul tells her now they are together but Ahsoka interrupts him and tells him he is nothing but a diversion and to go cause some chaos. Ahsoka manages to sneak in to R7 and all the droids start asking her why the clones are doing this and that they want to help. She is able to find the report Rex filed about Fives discovering the inhibitor chips they have inside them. Meanwhile Maul si doing what he does best and is wrecking clones on the ship including chopping off a clone’s arm in a blast door. On the bridge the droids manage to isolate Rex from the others and Ahsoka shows up and stuns Rex to take him to the medical bay. They keep running scans but cannot locate the chip. Ahsoka holds his head and uses the force to help locate the chip and then try to remove it. As the troopers enter Ahsoka fends them off to buy Rex time. Rex on the table behind her comes to and draws his pistols. He tackles out the troopers and apologizes. He is back to himself. He tells her the entire army has been told to hunt down and destroy the Jedi. The credits roll as the troopers outside begin burning their way in.
What an episode again. While the last few weeks have been grand on spectacle and big moments this weekend hit on such an emotional level. The foreboding music and feeling permeated through every scene and the syncing up with Revenge of the Sith coupled with fans adoration with Rex and Ahsoka made this such a huge moment. Made even more impressive by the fact we know both end up ok and we will see them again. Top notch storytelling and the big finale next week focusing on Rex and Ahsoka escaping should be a grand finale. I’m so happy I only have to wait till Monday as the finale will be out for Star Wars day on May 4th so be sure to come geek out with me on the appropriate day!
Can the weekend just end already and bring on Monday? (Never thought I would say that)