Top 5 Favorite Mentor Characters in Television, Films and Games

Within the storytelling landscape of film, television and games there have been a lot of great mentor characters. Because of this, this list was fun to make and given the amount of media I’ll be pulling from may not be characters you have necessarily heard of but were ones who stood out for me. For this list I didn’t do any villain mentors and stuck only with heroes so you won’t be seeing any Darth Vaders or Palpatines on this list. They’d be a villain list as I believe if someone is a proper mentor than they are a good individual helping the hero strive to be better and in some cases to eventually surpass them. For each I’ll be going into why they are on my list where they are.

Honorable mentions going to Gandalf, Master Shifu, Rupert Giles, Admiral William Adama and Splinter.

So without further ado, here are my Top 5 Mentor Characters in Television, Films and Games:

5th) Rytlock Brimstone

Steve Blum’s Rytlock Brimstone of “Guild Wars 2” is a fascinating and amazing character. This Charr leader is there in the first 30 levels of the game helping you level up and take part in important battles against Ghosts to protect the Charr Nation. He’s heroic and willing to listen and learn from all of the Legions even though he is a warrior in Blood Legion and we see how stubborn the other leaders are in asking for help. He is also this way with working with the other races as he is a member of Destiny’s Edge, a guild that has representatives from all the races of Tyria who together are the first united group to face off against the Elder Dragons. This big picture view stays true through the other games as well as well as his awareness of your character and the larger story in play even when it means great sacrifice for himself. He also isn’t perfect either as he has a lot of pride and is always seeking how to gain the most glory being at the front of a fight. Still, he is one of my all time favorite characters in fiction and his flaws make him a compelling leader and mentor.

4th) Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi was my first favorite character in “Star Wars” as I remember being drawn to him when I was a kid watching “A New Hope.” He was a character who helped Luke find the courage to face the unknown and he carried such a weight from The Clone Wars and from losing his friend and apprentice Anakin Skywalker. He chooses death with peace though and even after dying his spirit continues to train Luke guiding him to Yoda for further training. If he’d been with Anakin more I think he might not have fallen to the darkside as Obi-Wan was much more stoic and balanced than the quick to anger and action of Anakin. In the end his blindspot was the same as Yoda as he failed to see Palpatine until it was too late and the Jedi Order was destroyed. He still managed to carry on the better part of their legacy though, in how he trained Luke and showed how to make peace with enemies. McGregor and Guinness were both amazing in the role.

3rd) Zeratul

“Starcraft” is one of my favorite sci. fi. franchises and games and a big reason why is because of the Dark Templar Zeratul. This Protoss is one of the first to see the bigger picture of threats beyond Kerrigan or the Overmind’s Zerg Swarm and he is first to find the weakness in both too. He is also there to call out the High Templar’s for their prejudice as they are initially willing to stay on Aiur and die after the Overmind and swarm have conquered the planet. He is Artanis’s guide and thanks to how he guides Artanis the Protoss are able to survive and thrive and eventually take bake Aiur and free themselves from Amon’s control. He is also somewhat of a mentor to Raynor as well, showing how he sees the big picture further. In the end he sacrifices everything to save the Protoss and the galaxy and is easily one of the best characters to come out of “Starcraft.” Fred Tatasciore and Jack Ritschel did an amazing job voicing the character.

2nd) Yoda

Yoda may have failed to see Palpatine or how the Republic was failing but this is a character who successfully trained Jedi who managed to survive and in the case of Luke even beat Palpatine’s power. This wise figure always acted with empathy but could also be cunning in how he trained those under him. I still remember the first time he appeared and how he was revealed to be the Jedi Master Yoda and how Luke realized he’d failed the test judging Yoda by his appearance as he imagined a great warrior being someone more like Obi-Wan. “The Empire Strikes Back” really highlights Yoda’s philosophy and his focus on ideals on how to defeat anger and to find balance within. Yoda as a constant is always there to teach humility as he himself was humbled in his failure to stop the rise of the Empire. In the end he does succeed through the training of Luke though, and unlike Obi-Wan he was aware of training Leia as an option too if Luke were to be killed in his duel against Darth Vader. Frank Oz truly did an amazing job in the role as Yoda is iconic and one of the best mentors in fiction.

1st) Iroh

For first place there is Iroh, from the television show “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Like Yoda and Obi-Wan he is tempered by the loss of his son in the war with the Earth Nation and has learned humility, unlike his brother and niece. It is this humility and inner strength he teaches his nephew Zuko as well as finding the path beyond prejudice just like Rytlock Brimstone demonstrates in his story. There was never any doubt he was going to be first for me as not only is comedic and sometimes not the smartest in his decisions but he is always and sees the big picture (as seen in his membership in The White Lotus). Mako Iwamatsu and later Greg Baldwin did such an amazing job imbuing this character with empathy and firmness. He was the father Zuko and Toph never had and anyone he interacts with, if they are open to it grow from the experience as he is always willing to teach. Iroh is the goal of the perfect mentor as in his human imperfection he found the right path to walk and in doing brought the best out of himself and others.

Who are some of your favorite mentor characters in television, film and games? I’m curious to hear who stood out for you and the reasons why given how important mentors are in the lives of characters and our own lives.

5 Ideas I’d Like to see for Television and Film for “Star Wars”

“Star Wars” is a franchise that has a lot of potential in the stories that can still be told. These are stories that can take place in the present of “The Mandalorian” or in the past or future. Like “Star Trek,” “Star Wars” is one of my favorite science fiction franchises and these are some of the ideas I had. I’ll also give an honorable mention to the Thrawn Trilogy as that might be being adapted currently with “Ahsoka” and “The Mandalorian Film” so it won’t be on this list. These are largely ones inspired by ideas I found interesting and in some cases are ideas that may have been ideas prior but were never made.

So without further ado, here are my 5 ideas.:

Darth Plagueis

Film or Television Miniseries

Darth Plagueis is one of the most fascinating Sith. The fact that he is a Muun and trained Palpatine is fascinating and for how long he must have been in play during the decay of the Republic. He is one of my favorite Sith Lords and all we really know is how he died given that his book is now “Legends” so who knows what from it will be taken as canon if his story is made into a film or show. I see the show as a political thriller as we see the pieces that Plagueis is moving as well as how he is avoiding and manipulating the Jedi and given the amount of Jedi it automatically gives him the feel of an underdog depending on his mind for success.

Knights of the Old Republic

Film or Television Miniseries

“Knights of the Old Republic” is one of my favorite “Star Wars” stories and games. Darth Revan is such a fascinating character and adapting his fall and eventual redemption is perfect for a show or film. He has an amazing supporting cast and there is so much lore that could be explored. They can even choose to pull or not pull from the “Knights of the Old Republic” mmorpg and what that does with the lore too. I honestly think using lore from that or just the original game works for either a film or television miniseries format. This is honestly the one I’m the most surprised at Disney not having done yet given how popular the game is.

Star Wars: Underworld

Television Show

This is what “The Book of Boba Fett” could have been but failed to do. So my idea to separate it from “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” is to start with a small time enforcer who eventually becomes a bounty hunter or contractor and rises to a crime lord as we see him start out in a small time gang and rise up through the ranks and see the politics between the many factions in the galaxy. It’d be like the gangster shows and films we see nowadays and would have lots of shades of grey to the characters. Any era could work though I’d prefer it to be in one where we don’t see the Sith or Jedi given how overplayed they are in the shows currently. Ideally I’d prefer for our hero to not be a human either as I feel human characters like the Sith and Jedi are way overdone. I’d love if it was a Pyke or one of the many humanoid species of “Star Wars.”

Beyond Tatooine or A Tuscan’s Journey

Television Show

The Tuscans are one of my favorite factions in “Star Wars,” along with the Pykes but I think for this premise a Tuscan would be best. I want the story of a Tuscan that leaves Tatooine either from tragedy and being the only survivor of their tribe or they chose to leave or maybe they were even exiled. Either way we get to learn more about Tuscans and we get to see a Tuscan make a life outside of Tatooine. I could see the Tuscan getting a band of outcasts and becoming a captain taking odd jobs around the galaxy akin to “Firefly.” This could go on for multiple seasons easily and given the hostility towards Tuscans it would be very easy having an antagonist for our hero to face off against. Again, any era could work and I’d prefer to see no or very little Jedi or Sith in this.

The Fel Empire

Television Miniseries or Television Show

The Fel Empire is an Empire in Legends that gives us a diverse Empire and troopers who are trained in the Jedi arts or are force sensitive. It is such a cool idea that I want to see this. What happens when force sensitive people have a place beyond separating themselves from the populace? Both the Jedi and Sith cut themselves off from the common people beyond missions but preached no attachments. In this they’d have attachments and I think it would work as a great ensemble show as we cover the perspective of a soldier, a politician and someone from whomever they are fighting be they a rebel group or something completely original.

These are my 5 ideas. What are some of yours? What stories would you like to see “Star Wars” tell? This is a universe still rich with possibilities and I’m excited to see what new stories are told.

“Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” Season 1 – An Exploration of the Paths of Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano

“Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi” is a story of contrasting paths. Those paths are the moments in the life of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku that shaped eventually where they end up where most are most familiar with them in their roles. Overall I’d say it is good and I hope we get more seasons like this that go into more moments in the lives of the Jedi. In this review I’ll tackle Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku separately and within the exploration of each of them go into the individual episodes. At the end I’ll do an overall score for the season as a whole.

The show was created by Dave Filoni and this is clearly him in his element.

SPOILERS ahead

Count Dooku’s Story

Count Dooku’s story takes up most of the past as we begin with his time apprenticing Qui-Gon Jinn, a mission with Mace Windu before either were Masters and exploring his actions after the death of Qui-Gon and the choice he is offered. Here are the episodes and there breakdown.:

Episode 2 – “Justice” – Directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Dave Filoni

Count Dooku and his apprentice Qui-Gon return to a planet to save a senator’s kidnapped son. They found out the whole village was in on the kidnapping and the senator has been keeping the resources for himself and the capital. Count Dooku nearly kills the senator in rage but is stopped Qui-Gon frees his son and the son promises the people he will help them. Dooku is skeptical if real change will actually happen but thanks Qui-Gon for stopping him from killing the senator. It is good and I wish we could have learned more about the people and planet as we see how awful it is for this village but not much beyond that. It does work for shaping Dooku’s perspective though. I do wish we also could have got more of Qui-Gon’s perspective too to add more of a contrast to their approaches. With a bit more of either of these details and the episode would have been great.

Score: 8 / 10 Solidly good.

Episode 3 – “Choices” – Directed by Charles Murray who co-wrote the episode with Élan Murray.

The story follows Mace Windu and Count Dooku investigating the death of Master Katri. We learn the guards did it as they were attempting to blackmail the senator to change his policies to better help the planet. Count Dooku voices agreement with their ideology after. We see him clash with Mace Windu through the episode who is by the books and in the end that is rewarded as Mace Windu is given Master Katri’s seat, leading Dooku to thinking it was all planned but Windu said it was because Dooku’s actions lead to the guards killing the senator. This episode was great for how it explored the early separatist movement and built on what we saw in “Justice” on larger scale as well as keeping up the theme of senate corruption. Dooku even directly asks Windu if the Jedi would serve the senate of the laws were corrupt and Windu said the Jedi keep their own council and we can see that Dooku didn’t believe him. This team-up and the mission was great to see for how it explored their characters I just wish we could have learned more about who Master Katri was as we don’t learn about the events of her life at her funeral.

Score: 9 / 10 Builds on the themes and shows the direction Dooku is headed.

Episode 4 – “The Sith Lord” – Directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Dave Filoni

The story begins with a moment with Qui-Gon and Yaddle talking after Qui-Gon had fought Maul. We later pick up after Qui-Gon’s funeral and follow Dooku as he erases Kamino from the archives and goes to meet Darth Sidious. Yaddle follows him as she had sought to comfort him over his apprentice’s death earlier. In this we get the battle for Count Dooku’s soul as Darth Sidious says they both lost an apprentice but the ends justify the means to bring a “fair and just” order to the galaxy. Yaddle confronts them and we learn she left the Jedi Council after they had ignored Count Dooku’s warnings and she believed in the corruption he was calling and that there was still hope. Sadly Count Dooku is too far gone at that point as he kills Yaddle and fully becomes Darth Sidious’s apprentice. This was a powerful story and I love how it explored Yaddle and how good she was as she tried to guide Dooku back to the light as well as how gaslighty Sidious was praying on Dooku’s idealism and using him. The story was tragic for both the loss of Dooku’s soul and the murder of Yaddle.

Score: 10 / 10 One of the best examples of just how powerful short animated stories can be in the “Star Wars” Universe.

Ahsoka Tano’s Story

In Ahsoka’s story we begin with her birth and first year when her mother takes her on first hunt, when Anakin trained her by having her spar off against Captain Rex and his troops and exploring her choice that Bail Organa offers after she leaves the fight for a time. Here are the episodes and their breakdown.:

Episode 1 – “Life and Death” – Directed by Nathaniel Villanueva and written by Dave Filoni

“Life and Death” gives us somewhat of a glimpse into Togruta life. We see the village is there at the birth of a new Togruta, in this case of Ahoska Tano and traditionally their mother takes them on a hunt to teach them to appreciate life and death early. Togruta culture is built around the hunt as explored in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” In it Ahsoka is kidnapped by a sabre-tooth cat but subdues it and has it bring her home, leading to the village elder calling her a Jedi. The story is basic and I wish we could have learned more about the Togruta.

Score: 7 / 10 Enjoyable but could have delved more into who Ahsoka Tano’s parents were.

Episode 5 – “Practice Makes Perfect” – Directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Dave Filoni

This is the episode where we learn how Ahsoka was able to survive Order 66 and that was because Anakin trained her by having her spar against Captain Rex and his best men. The training sequences we get are some good action but it is a good thing is so short and it kind of shows how pointless it is by leading into the scene where Rex and Ahsoka face off against the clones in Order 66.

Score: 7 / 10

Episode 6 – “Resolve” – Directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Dave Filoni.

Ahsoka Tano attends Padmé Amidala’s funeral on Naboo where Senator Bail Organa gives her a device if she never needs his aid or wants back in the fight. She mentions she is tired of fighting and goes into hiding as a farmer until the farmer’s son turns her into the Empire bringing an Inquisitor upon the farm who destroys it until she kills it and calls Bail Organa to help the refugees as she decides to join the fight once more as Bail tells her things have only gotten worse. I like that Ahsoka had a moment where she walked away, she’s been through a lot and it was cool to see her build a relationship with a farmer she saved with the force. The Inquisitor is just there and Ahsoka doesn’t even use a lightsaber to beat him he is evil and has no dimension or even a name we are given and is a pointless villain.

Score: 9 / 10 Solidly great Ahsoka story.

Overall I’d say all of the stories worked even if some weren’t nessasary or lacked detail that would’ve enriched them. The stories that were on point were amazing and it was great to see the story of Count Dooku before his fall and to have that contrasted with Ahsoka who also left the Jedi order but never left the light. If you liked “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” I’d recommend this series as it is a very similar tone and quality and I hope we get future seasons.

Final Score: 8.3 / 10

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” Miniseries – A Flawed but Solid Meditation on the Jedi and the Empire

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” was a flawed but good miniseries that explores Obi-Wan’s trauma as well as the consequences of both the actions of the Jedi and the Empire and how it affects those in the present of the show. This is where it is strongest as there are some annoying plot holes and pacing issues, it really should have stuck with being a film but if you are a fan of the animated show “Rebels” or the videogame “Fallen Order” I think you’ll find a lot to like here as both of those are the “Star Wars” stories this feels closest to and is drawing the most inspiration from, for both better and for worse.

The series was directed by Deborah Chow.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is living on exile on Tatooine when his past returns when an old friend calls for aid.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Tone – This is a show that has a dark and reflective tone. I wish Deborah Chow had been able to lean into that more but the core essence of the loneliness of and the need for hope is consistent through all episodes. Obi-Wan, Reva and Vader are all alone and cut off from people and we see them facing that in different ways.

The Worlds – I liked the worlds in this. This version of Tatooine felt like “A New Hope” and I liked the cyberpunk city of Daiyu and the desolate world of Jabiim and seeing Mustafar and the Inquistor Moon of Nur. Seeing these worlds, brought the story to life and each had a distinct feel and tone to them. We also spend some time on Alderaan, which is a lush world compared to the other planets.

The Duels – I liked the duels as they all meant something. Vader’s first duel with Obi-Wan is an ambush where he breaks and burns Obi-Wan in revenge. Obi-Wan is wracked by guilt and driven only by surviving as he is cut off from people and the Force. We get a flashback duel of padawan Anakin facing Obi-Wan and we see how Anakin’s obsession for victory is what leads to him losing, as it was a lesson he never fully learned. There is the duel between Reva and Vader where Reva tries to avenge the younglings Vader killed and he doesn’t even take out his lightsaber and simply defeats her using the Force before revealing the Grand Inquisitor she thought she killed is alive and he knew her intentions all along. It showed Vader’s power like the Obi-Wan duel and how fully Vader Anakin was. The last duel was when Obi-Wan accepts Anakin is gone and reconnects with the Force as he is reminded of why he is fighting in Luke and Leia being the future and accepts Vader saying that he killed Anakin, not Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan breaks half of Vader’s mask like Ahsoka did in “Rebels” and the blended voice of Anakin and Vader is chilling.

The Characters – The characters are one of the strongest aspects of this show and I wish we could have spent more time with the characters as I liked all the characters original to the show who we got to know and the characters who were in other films or shows were great to see again.

Princess Leia – The new Leia is realistic as we see her sass her bully older cousin and is friendly to droids, which fits how she treats droids in the “Original Trilogy.” She is basically in the Grogu or Omega role and with Obi-Wan in the place of Din Djarin in “The Mandalorian” or Hunter in “The Bad Batch” and it works. It is her trusting of people is that first gets Obi-Wan to open up as we learn he had a brother before the Jedi took him and he never saw that brother again. Her friendship with Obi-Wan is sweet and he ends up being a great mentor for her as the adventure goes on.

Bail Organa – Jimmy Smits is back as Bail Organa and he continues to be wonderful as the idealistic politician and the man who pulls Obi-Wan back into action to save Leia after Reva has bounty hunters kidnap her. He is good and I loved seeing him and his wife in Alderaan and how they interacted with the people.

Tala and the Path – Indira Varma is great as an Imperial officer who turned against the Empire when she saw what they were doing and how they were killing people and the hunt for Force sensitive individuals by the Inquisitors. She has regret over joining and it is her regret and how that motivates her to do good and that helps Obi-Wan reconnect with people again and is the beginning of his process of healing as Tala is the one who saved him from Vader killing him in episode 3. Tala and the Path show him what is worth fighting for and help him trust. Because of this her death is powerful and I really liked her character.

Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru – Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are fantastic as Owen is gruff but caring as he is in “A New Hope” and we see how wonderfully stubborn Beru is as when she learns Reva is coming for Luke she arms the two of them and prepares for the attack. I wish we’d gotten more conversations with Obi-Wan and them, but all the ones with Owen are great and in the end he doesn’t distrust Obi-Wan as much anymore.

The Third Sister / Reva – Moses Ingram’s Reva reminded me a lot of Trilla from “Fallen Order” as both are Inquisitors torn between their need for revenge against those who couldn’t save them from Vader and the Empire and the good when the same people they see as failing them reach out and remind them of the good within themselves. The main difference between the characters is Reva joined the Inquisitors to get close to Vader to kill him at one point stabbing the Grand Inquisitor in order to advance into the role to get close. This doesn’t work out though as Vader knew who she was and used her anger for his own purposes in hunting Jedi and leaves her to die after easily defeating her in a duel and revealing the Grand Inquisitor survived her attack. In the end it is this good and Reva and Trilla’s facing of their trauma that defines them as in the end Reva breaks the cycle by not killing Luke and Trilla when she has a change of heart for forgives her former master before Vader kills her. I wish that Reva’s change had happened in episode 5 as her defending the Path and protecting Leia made a lot more sense and giving her a heroic sacrifice protecting others would have made this story great. Still she was a good character and you could understand why she hated both Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.

Darth Vader – Hayden Christensen and James Earl Jones make Darth Vader in this as we see how the events on Mustafar have killed Anakin Skywalker fully and all he has is hate and vengeance for all those around him, but especially Obi-Wan. He is a great villain once more as we see Vader’s brutality and obsession on full display as it takes everything for Obi-Wan to survive him. Darth Vader’s need to be personally victorious over Obi-Wan goes all the way back to when he was Anakin and it is that makes him such a terrifying threat throughout the show. Also, in the end we see how Vader’s guilt defines him as he sees himself as the one who killed Anakin versus Obi-Wan’s scarring on the duel on Mustafar. It is a powerful scene and adds more dimension to Vader.

Obi-Wan Kenobi – Obi-Wan Kenobi is my favorite character in “Star Wars” and Ewan McGregor’s performance was one of the best parts of the Prequels. Here we see how he carries guilt over how he scarred Anakin on Mustafar and his leaving him to die. It is that past that pulls him back into the story though when the Inquisitor Reva hires bounty hunters to captures Princess Leia and Bail Organa comes directly to Obi-Wan on Tatooine for aid. It is here Obi-Wan accepts the call and we see him slowly grow to trust others again, first through protecting Leia and later in his interaction with the Path, and finally reaching understanding with Vader and seeing that he wasn’t the one who made him in their last duel on the show. This all leads to him making peace with Owen and the final scene is him meeting Qui-Gon’s ghost to continue his training as he has finally fully reconnected with the Force once more.

A Meditation on the Childhoods Stolen by the Jedi and Empire – Both Reva and Obi-Wan mention what the Jedi took from them as children as we learn Obi-Wan had a brother and Reva once had a droid she grew up. They lost their childhoods twice, once from the Jedi and finally from the Empire who killed the family they had made in the Jedi as both were left alone and because of that trauma and unable to trust anyone. It is powerful and the parallels drawn between the two groups and how that leads to Obi-Wan trusting Luke to be raised as a normal kid is the first time we see a Jedi breakaway from the past.

Finding Hope in Despair – A major theme through all of “Star Wars” is finding hope in despair. This has been true since “A New Hope” and this show does that well as Obi-Wan faces his trauma over leaving his friend to die on Mustafar and what came out of that, as well as his feeling of hopelessness at being unable to connect to his master Qui-Gon Jin but when he finds hope in the future he is able to connect again as we see him trusting the Force.

Okay:

The Inquisitors – There have been two times the Inquisitors have felt like genuine threats in current “Star Wars.” In “Fallen Order” and the first season of “Rebels” with the Grand Inquisitor. Here we see them command troops but we never see them fight outside of Reva. This is a shame as we have 3 other Inquisitors in the Grand Inquisitor, The Fourth Sister and the Fifth Brother (who was also in “Rebels”). They weren’t bad but I wish they’d actually got to do more and that we’d seen them at least fight members of the Path or had gotten to duel Obi-Wan and lost.

The Cons:

Some of the Action – There are some action scenes that aren’t filmed well. The first standout one is how bad the bounty hunters are at capturing Leia on Alderaan and later with the infiltrating Fortress Inquisitorius has some of the most standout of this with some bad CGI ships and close action fights. It doesn’t help that security hasn’t improved in the Fortress even after Cal broke in “Fallen Order.” The action can be slow at times but it isn’t consistent as I enjoyed the duels and what they were saying in the action on screen.

Length and Pacing – This really should have been a film. For 6 episodes we should have had more characters developed more that we didn’t get. The core characters all get good development though and we see them living what motivates their actions.

Weakened Lightsabers – Lightsabers felt underpowered in this. Obi-Wan has to cut a few stormtroopers multiple times when before we have seen lightsabers take off limbs…we see that happen in episode 1 of this series too but they are never as effective after that and we don’t see the lightsabers kill any named characters.

Plot Armor and Stakes – If a character is stabbed in the gut with a lightsaber, they will survive. This happens twice in the series. Both with Reva and with the Grand Inquisitor. This hurt the overall stakes as we already knew certain characters like Leia, Luke, Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, The Grand Inquisitor, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan all have to survive to later times in the story so we needed more characters who didn’t have plot armor to die to keep the Empire an effective threat. The Empire felt like they were in “Rebels” from the mostly useless Inquisitors and the only competent threat being Darth Vader and I did think “Rebels” was good but that was a major problem that show had.

Reva and Kenobi and Getting Back to Tatooine – In a film them jumping back to Tatooine for Reva’s redemption would have been more forgivable but here it stood out as we know Obi-Wan had a ship but the Empire left Reva to die. Why would they leave her any ships and we only saw 2 ships the Path had and they were destroyed or in use.

This was a good and flawed show that I do think sometime I would watch again in the future. I appreciate the deeper ideas it explored and the core characters who drive the show are compelling. Ewan McGregor is one of my favorite actors and Obi-Wan Kenobi is my favorite character in “Star Wars.” This miniseries does have a lot of flaws but for me the strengths outweighed the weaknesses and in the end, it is a show I would recommend.

Final Score: 8 / 10

“Star Wars: Visions” Volume 1 – Intriguing Stories With Beautiful Animation That Fit Right Into the Star Wars Universe

“Star Wars: Visions” is a great anime anthology show that I hope gets more volumes. This series gives stories that fit so well into the Star Wars Universe. I’ll be grading each episode individually in this review and listing them from the episode I liked least and ending with the one I liked most and give a final score for the volume at the end. So this is a SPOILER review of volume 1 of the show. Before I get into SPOILERS this is a show I highly recommend though. The stories are compelling and the animation is beautiful. They really chose great collaborators for this series.

So without further ado, here are the reviews.:

9) “The Twins”

Ep. 3, Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, Written by Hiromi Wakabayashi and animated by Studio Trigger.

The premise to this episode is promising with two twins born from the dark side of the force and used to create a superweapon. Sadly that is where it ends as the brother is randomly good and any logic is thrown out the door with them fighting in the vacuum of space and the brother surviving being on top of a ship and jumping to hyperspace. Leaps of logic can be explained but not without setup. The writing sucks and nothing is explored. The animation and voice acting are good at least.

Score: 5 / 10

8) “T0-B1”

Ep. 6, Directed by Abel Góngora, Written by Yuichiro Kido and animated by Science SARU.

This episode is harmless and takes no chances. Really my biggest issue is how a robot can use the force is never explained. This is a fun adventure though and the Jedi professor is killed so there are stakes.

Score: 7 / 10

7) “The Elder”

Ep. 7, Directed and written by Masahiko Otsuka and animated by Studio Trigger.

“The Elder” is beautifully animated and poses some cool ideas in the ex-Sith Elder. Sadly it fails in stakes as the apprentice survives when he should have died so the Jedi Master is back to status quo by the end.

Score: 7.2 / 10

6) “The Duel”

Ep. 1, Directed by Takanobu Mizuno, written by Takashi Okazaki and animated by Kamikaze Douga.

Stylistically this is the most unique of the episodes. The reason I don’t rate it higher is how much was planned. Our not-Jedi fights a Sith Bandit Leader and seems to be collecting Kyber Crystals. The mercs were defending the village from the bandits but the not-Jedi doesn’t interact until it looks like they are losing. I wanted more clarity whether it was all chance or the not-Jedi’s plan all along. Still the duel is great and the aesthetics of the episode rock.

Score: 7.8 / 10

5) “Tatooine Rhapsody”

Ep. 2, Directed by Taku Kimura, Written by Yasumi Atarashi and animated by Studio Colorido.

This episode is fun as a Padawan escapes from Order 66 and is taken in by a rebellious Hutt who’s forming a rock band. In the end Boba Fett takes in the Hutt but the band rescues him with their first finished concert and Jabba becomes their sponsor. This episode is so good and wholesome. Only reason it isn’t higher is the music from the band doesn’t always work. They are good but not great.

Score: 8 / 10

4) “Akakiri”

Ep. 9, Directed by Eunyoung Choi, Written by Yuichiro Kido and animated by Science SARU.

“Akakiri” is a great story with not great execution. It has a Jedi return to a planet to help his former lover and he saves her and the planet but joins the dark side. The problem is pacing and execution as it largely depends on flashbacks and the Sith is one-dimensional.

Score: 8.2 / 10

3) “Lop and Ochō”

Ep. 8, Directed by Yuki Igarashi, written by Sayawaka and animated by Geno Studio.

This is an episode with consequences that I wish had gone deeper as Lop was an Imperial slave given freedom by Ochō and her father yet they work with the Empire until the father rebels but Ochō goes full collaborator. The characters and action are all good though and it sets up future drama between the adopted siblings as they are the ones in full control of the family legacy as Lop is now a Jedi standing against the Empire.

Score: 9 / 10

2) “The Village Bride”

Ep. 4, Directed by Hitoshi Haga who co-wrote the episode with Takahito Oonishi and animated by Kinema Citrus.

This episode is an explorations of Jedi philosophy as a Jedi and her partner return to her former Master’s homeworld and face a bandit threat as the local village is trading the princess for peace and we see her marriage to her love beforehand and her drive from duty. In the end the Jedi saves her and we see how the people are connected to the force. The princess and her husband and the Jedi and her friend are the compelling relationships explored. It is a great episode.

Score: 9.4 / 10

1)”The Ninth Jedi”

Ep. 5, Directed and written by Kenji Kamiyama and animated by Production I.G.

“The Ninth Jedi” is a great episode with so much misdirection. It starts with a mysterious man who looks like a Sith calling all Jedi to a Jedi Temple where lightsabers are being constructed again after the form was lost. It is later revealed most of the Jedi are Sith and the one who called them is a Jedi. It is a great episode that sees 2 young characters learn what it means to be a Jedi. I loved this episode and the misdirection only makes the story stronger.

Score: 10 / 10

This is a series I highly recommend I can’t wait to see what future seasons brings.

Final Score: 8.8 / 10

Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Season 1, Episode 8 – “Reunion” – Adapting to Crosshair

“Reunion” is a great action episode that brings back one of my favorite characters from the Clone Wars era. This episode does a good job of taking the tension and keeping it and the action rising through the episode. So, this is an episode worth checking out.

The episode was directed by Steward Lee and written by Christian Tyler.

The Empire arrives on Bracca lead by Crosshair as Clone Force 99 attempt their escape.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Kaminoans – We get more of the Kaminoans this episode as the Minister is shown to be the one who has been hiring the Bounty Hunters to get Omega back. Nala clearly isn’t good with this though and I’m curious to see her story playout. I suspect she will probably be killed when she helps Omega escape again.

Crosshair and the Empire – This episode does a great job with the Imperial threat as Crosshair corners Clone Force 99 twice and only loses due to Clone Force 99 using the weapons from the ship to destroy the ship, putting all of them at risk. I was worried we’d see him beat easily but Crosshair is a dangerous foe and showed why he’s the primary threat to Clone Force 99.

Clone Force 99 – Clone Force 99 works as a great unit this episode as we see Tech and Echo use their skills to bring the ship to life and Wrecker and Hunter use their explosive skills to get them out of danger twice. It is only when they are apart that Cad Bane takes out Hunter and kidnaps Omega for Kamino.

Cad Bane – One of my favorite characters from the Clone Wars era is back! Cad Bane is the gentleman bounty hunter and we see how dangerous he is taking out the Imperial Clones and defeating and nearly killing Hunter. He is also so much smarter than Fennec Shand and captures Omega and defeats Hunter quickly.

The Cons:

Cliffhanger Ending – Crosshair is chasing Clone Force 99 and they need to find Omega when they don’t even know who Cad Bane is or what his ship looks like. The Cliffhanger is annoying but hopefully next episode will feel more whole as a story.

This is one of the est episodes this season and I can’t wait to see more of Cad Bane as well as more of Crosshair in action. This is episode is a good example of how to do rising tension and action and made full use of all the skills of the members of Clone Force 99.

Final Score: 9 / 10

Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Season 1, Episode 5 – “Rampage” – The Changing Galaxy and Omega the Hero

“Rampage” is the story I was hoping for in “Star Wars: The Bad Batch.” We get to see more of the changing galaxy, interact with the Star Wars Underworld and Clone Force 99 as mercenaries and there is great tension and action through the entire episode. This is my favorite episode of the show so far and I hope we get more stories like this.

“Rampage” was directed by Steward Lee and written by Tamara Becher-Wilkinson.

The episode follows Clone Force 99 as they follow up on a lead from Echo on an informant named Cid, who might have information on the bounty hunter hunting them. When they arrive they are offered a job in exchange for the information.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Mission and Planet – Ord Mantell is an outskirts planet as we see both Jabba’s influence and the Zygerrian influence as the Zygerrian kidnapped a baby rancor named Muchi from Jabba and he wants it back. This is the job Cid gives to Clone Force 99 for information on Fennec Shand. It is a great setup and the planet and mission have great tension and establish the details of the Star Wars Universe in cool ways.

Clone Force 99 – This episode uses the members of Clone Force 99 really well after Omega frees Muchi, which provides the distraction for them to break free from the Zygerrians. We see Hunter take out their leader who wants to restore their slave empire while Echo and Omega help the slaves get to rescue as Tech helps with the capture of Muchi. Also feeling bad for Wrecker as we see him beat the rancor Muchi in a fight but his head continues to cause him pain, I think the chip in his head might kill him.

Omega – Omega is shown to be the one who notices the details as we see her figure out who Cid is before Clone Force 99 and frees the Rancor Muchi which is the distraction Clone Force 99 needed to free themselves. She’s great and she picks up a cool Zygerrian bow during the mission.

The Zygerrian Threat – The Zygerrians from the Clone Wars are back and we see a warlord trying to bring back the slave empire the Republic defeated. He is a good threat too and has a giant brezak to enforce his will on his soldiers and the slaves. Seeing him beat was rewarding and there was sadness that he is right n the Empire will probably help him take back his planet if he gives them slave labor. The fact that the Zygerrian threat is back is telling and it shows just how bad things will get.

Cid – Cid is the Trandoshan who gives them the job to rescue Muchi in order for her to get them information on Fennec Shand. She is true to her word and we see her offer future jobs to Hunter, which I hope Clone Force 99 follows up on. She is smart and cynical but also not pro-Empire as they’ve cut into her mercenary work she provides. It was cool that the Jedi trusted her too. I can’t wait to see more of her.

The Cons:

How Quickly Clone Force 99 Was Neutralized – My only issue with the episode is how quickly we saw Clone Force 99 get taken out. There should have been more resistance against the Zygerrians before their capture given how talented we see they are.

This is a near perfect episode of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” and I can’t wait to see more mercenary missions. This is the kind of story I wanted to see when I first heard about the premise of the show. There are so many great stories you can tell in these mercenary missions and it is easy to tie them to the greater threat of the Empire and other Bounty Hunters who might be hunting them.

Final Score: 9.6 / 10

Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Season 1, Episode 2 – “Cut and Run” – Hunter’s Growth and Finding Family

“Cut and Run” is a solid episode of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch.” This episode doesn’t do anything new or exciting but it does give us characters we haven’t seen in a long time and further develops the squad and their dynamic with one another. These aspects made it a good episode though there are a few things, mostly related to the ending that kept it from being great.

The episode was directed by Steward Lee and written by Gursimran Sandhu.

The story involves Clone Force 99 traveling to the planet Saleucami to meet up with an old contact.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Changing Galaxy – One thing this episode does well is how different Galactic is from Imperial control. We have the Empire impounding vehicles and having all money transferred over to Galactic credits as well as everyone having to be registered under the Empire and needing chain codes to travel. It is for this reason that Cut, a deserter from the Clone Wars who started a family. He can’t register himself with the Empire as they’ll figure out he’s a clone deserter which leads to the main drama of the episode.

Wrecker – Wrecker is a problem solver in this and the friendliest. Cut and Suu’s kids call him Uncle Wrecker and he clearly gets along with them. This connection and empathy carries over too as he is the one who asks Hunter where Wrecker is after Hunter tries to have Omega leave with Cut, Suu and their family. He wasn’t annoying in this and his fast thinking saved Clone Force 99 multiple times in this episode when Echo’s technology or stalling wasn’t working.

Echo and Tech – Echo and Tech are teamed up in this to get the chain codes needed to get Cut, Suu and their family off world and it is fun seeing them in action as Tech tends to hold information back and Echo still has a lot of the prejudices of regular clones as he is disgusted about Cut being a deserter until it is mentioned all of them are deserters too. The do succeed in the end and I look forward to seeing them in action further as Tech is the one who has faced the most prejudice from Regular clones it seems where Echo still is making sense of the new person he is on some level.

Cut and Suu – It is so great seeing Cut and Suu again. In “The Clone Wars” they were fantastic and added another dimension to what it meant to be a clone as we see the level of PTSD Cut was dealing with but also how Suu and he were still able to start a family. Both Cut and Suu help Hunter be a dad for Omega and it is really sweet in how they approach it. Cut does it through example, comforting Omega after the Nexu attack and Suu through talking him through it when they are guard duty. These are a great couple and I think we might see them again given the ending of this episode. We also learn from them that Rex had passed through the day before, so I can’t wait for him to meet up with Clone Force 99.

Hunter and Omega – The main relationship that drives the episode is that between Hunter and Omega. Omega is so new to anything that isn’t on Kamino so dirt is something that surprises her and she is in awe of everything. Hunter on the other hand is used to command soldiers so feels that she is better off without him. He doesn’t recognize Clone 99 as being capable parents and it takes Cut and Suu teaching him as well as Omega coming back to change his mind. The emotional beats of this arc hit and I was rooting for Hunter to be a good dad.

The Cons:

The Nexu – The nexu attack only exists so that Omega could be put at risk. It is contrived mostly because outside of the traps flora and fauna have not been established as dangerous to Omega once. I feel that at least Hunter (it is even in his name) should have mentioned that nature is beautiful but also dangerous. This was a missed and obvious opportunity that would have established the attack better than simply traps around Cut and Suu’s homestead.

Risking Cut and Suu – This is mostly tied to how the final fight goes on long enough for Omega to run back from the shuttle leaving to get back to Clone Force 99. What I hated about this is is that if it isn’t touched upon again that Omega put Cut and Suu’s family at risk. All Imperials need to do is look at the video and trace where the shuttle was going. Crosshair is hunting them and Clone Force 99 and Omega’s traveling between groups was very obvious. I hope this pays off in a good way with Omega learning and this does mean we will probably see Cut at the very least again.

Filling in a bit of the gaps would have made this episode great but it was still good and worth checking out for how it develops Clone Force 99. This is a great group of characters and seeing Cut and Suu again was a much needed reunion in this universe. If you were a fan of “The Clone Wars” you will find a lot to appreciate about this episode.

Final Score: 8 / 10

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Season 7 Retrospect

“The Clone Wars” Season 7 was a return to form for this wonderful show and I really hope it isn’t the last. Like the show itself there were some arcs that were merely okay, some arcs that explored the life of the Clones and also some Jedi focused episodes as well. I’m glad Dave Filoni got to give this last hurrah for the show as it was canceled before it had the chance to finish and there are still stories that I hope can be told in one-shots or mini-series related to the show. I’ll get into those arcs and give an overall score for this season at the end, but before I do get into SPOILERS, this is a season worth checking out.

Summaries and SPOILERS ahead.:

“The Bad Batch Arc” covers the first arc of the season and explores Captain Rex as he works with Anakin and Clone Force 99, a group of Clones with genetic mutations who each have distinct personalities and are nearly rogue in their approach to missions. The mission turns into a rescue and infiltration the Techno Union homeworld to rescue the missing clone “Echo,” while all the time facing off against Admiral Trench, one of the greater Separatist Admirals in the Clone Wars. I really enjoyed this episode as the Clone stories really were one of the strongest parts of the show as a whole and this arc is no exception.

Final Score: 8.6 / 10

https://cameronmoviesandtv.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-7-episodes-1-4-the-bad-batch-arc-echoes-of-the-republics-future/

“The Martez Sisters Arc” is the weakest arc of this season, though it does not reach the lower depths of some of the droid and Jar Jar episodes. The problem is the Martez sisters cause most of the problems in this arc and just aren’t likable. Luckily the Pyke Syndicate as a threat and Ahsoka’s return help elevate this episode to enjoyable.

7 / 10

https://cameronmoviesandtv.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/star-wars-the-clones-wars-season-7-episodes-5-8-the-martez-sisters-arc-at-least-ahsoka-is-back/

“The Siege of Mandalore Arc” brings many characters to a close as it takes place during the events of “The Revenge of the Sith” and we see how that plays out with our heroes and how they interact across the galaxy. This is a story with consequences and we witness how devastating Order 66 is for all those involved. The events on Mandalore have some of the best in the show and Bo-Katan reveals how complex her character and what drives her. This is an episode full of nuance as even Maul is alone reaching out for anyone powerful enough to help him stop Sidious. He also never stops being such a complete threat and I hope someday they can make a film of his escape from Sidious. This episode is full iconic scenes and so much sorrow and is the perfect story that revealed how powerful this show could be.

Final Score: 10 / 10

https://cameronmoviesandtv.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-7-episodes-9-12-the-siege-of-mandalore-arc-the-cost-of-the-clone-wars/

This was a solid return to “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and I hope that we can get more of the unfinished stories that Filoni and the team made brought to life in animation or film. I hope that enough people on Disney+ check it out and show just how much people care about these stories. This was a series that captures that cost of war, gives us beautiful action and explores what identity means…whether one is a Clone or Jedi. Suffice to say, I’d recommend checking this out if you are a fan of the show.

Season 7 Final Score: 8.7 / 10 This was a really good return to form and shows the stories that this series was capable of from okay to amazing.

“The Mandalorian” Season 1 – For Disney+, This is the Way

    “The Mandalorian” is the first thing to come out of the new Disney Star Wars that feels original. There are all the trappings of Star Wars but it doesn’t feel tied back to any prior lore and is a solid series as is. It doesn’t need the rest of the Extended Universe to be good and that is where the strength of it really is. This is a space western that explores the life and story of a bounty hunter in this universe and Jon Favreau and handles this amazingly well. There is a beautiful simplicity to the great westerns that this show captures perfectly. For non-spoiler thoughts the only cons that stood out were the cliche writing tropes that happened sometimes and I had a few issues with the final episode. Also, this show is super quotable. You’ve probably already heard “I have spoken” and “This is the way” from the popular culture around you. It was wonderful being part of the experience of it all with everyone.

The show was created by Jon Favreau in collaboration with Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson.

The story follows the Mandolorian bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) on his bounty assignments as his life is changed after he discovers one of his bounties is not what he’d thought it would be.

SPOILERS ahead

The Pros:

The Soundtrack – The soundtrack is what makes the world. It feels completely seperate from John Williams’s score and sets the world apart as a western. Ludwig Göransson is truly a master of his craft. I want to check out his other work now. The soundtrack is a big reason I’d watch the credits at the end of each episode, besides the cool concept art that came with it.

The World – This world takes place within “Star Wars” but has none of the major characters. The major antagonist is Moff Gideon who leads a remnant of the Empire but as far as we can see, doesn’t even have a Star Destroyer and his army seems to be made up of mercenaries. This is a world where the Mandalorian people have been nearly wiped out and our protagonist is part of a hidden group in the sewers of a planet. The New Republic is also nowhere to be seen showing that it is a new government and they have never really had an organized Navy in the way the Empire did. The world is beautiful, raw and works.

The Supporting Characters –  The supporting cast of “The Mandalorian” is a big reason this show works. You have Kuil played by Nick Nolti who is the Mandalorian’s (Mando / Din Djarin) first mentor and helps him become the father figure to “Baby Yoda.” His other ally is Cara Dune played by Gina Carano who is Mando’s fellow warrior. There is also his sometimes boss Greef Karga played by Carl Weathers who is in charge of the Bounty Hunters Guild. All of these characters who appear multiple times get development and lore. There are smaller characters like Mando’s former criminal co-workers who he ran with and of course enemies like Moff Gideon who we meet too. All of these characters give life and nuance to the world and show us who Mando is in how he interacts with them.

The Mandalorian – Our protagonist Din Djarin the Mandalorian is a character who tells us so much in his silence. He doesn’t talk much and demonstrates who he is from his actions. We see this when he saves Baby Yoda from the imperial remnant, his defense of a village from raiders and his willingness to give people a chance, even if they betray him. Pedro Pascal is excellent in the role. This is a character ruled by trauma from the Clone Wars when droids killed his parents, and dealing with that hate and distrust is his main arc beyond caring for others again. He never stops being a Bounty Hunter but he finds a way to keep to the good within that code. It is extremely well done and I can’t wait to see where future seasons go.

Okay:

Imperial Remnant – I have a few okays listed because the ideas work in some ways and don’t work in others. For example the Imperial Remnant. The Empire has so many stormtroopers killed and they are the but of jokes, but they also manage to destroy most of the hidden Mandalorians and can be threatening when there is a need. I can’t call them a pro because Moff Gideon hasn’t won on screen yet and we don’t know how powerful this remnant of the Empire is.

Unearned Happy Ending – The ending wasn’t bad, I was fine with it but it could have been better. We have heroic sacrifice, which I appreciated…but Moff Gideon never gets the chance to be a real threat and his Imperial Remnant never feels effective. I’m not putting as a con because I did like Mando and his friends fighting against the Moff, it was just way too happy. Moff is defeated in his Tie-Fighter (but survives) and after Greef just declares victory. It felt short sighted and making the episode happy rather than taking in both the loss of IG-11 and Kuiil.

This is a show that has so much promise. It isn’t perfect but I do consider it great. It had enough characters I cared about, the feel of the world is one I want to spend more time in and the fact that there is more story to tell has me intrigued. My personal hope is that it doesn’t tie itself to closely to Disney’s new lore in episodes 7-9 as I’d like this to be a show that someone who isn’t into “Star Wars” could pick up and enjoy and follow all the way through. I don’t know if this will happen, but that is the hope I’m holding onto for this series. This is a story that doesn’t need any prior lore to keep it strong and I’d like it to stay that way moving forward.

Final Score: 9 / 10