#which was an heroic act given he was just a padawan at the time dueling a seasoned Jedi master

[marvelstars]

Why Palpatine LOVED Anakin’s Mechanical Arm

In the novelization of ROTS Dooku said to Sidious how he was disgusted by Anakin´s mechanical arm, he was revolted at the idea of recruiting an ally who wasn´t entirely human, comparing Anakin to general Grievous. To Dooku´s surprise Sidious replied that Anakin´s mechanical arm was exactly what made him the perfect man for their plans. He saw Anakin´s arm as a permanent symbol of the sacrifices he had to make for peace and justice. That arm was a badge of heroism that Anakin had to publicy wear for the rest of his life, forcing everyone to look at him and see his honor, courage and integrity. Sidious said that Anakin was perfect just the way he was.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Star Wars The Clone Wars : The Final Season

For 6 years long years, all of us star wars fans; hardcore, die hard and casual alike, have been waiting for this day. The day that we could see the final season of one of the greatest pieces of storytelling ever created for the beloved universe. While George Lucas was finishing the third Prequel, "Revenge of the Sith" he had announced that he was going to make a 3D animated series based on The Clone Wars itself. This was the best decision he had ever made. Not only did he expand his world, he brought new depth to characters we knew and introduced us to new characters that we'll keep in our hearts until the end of time. He entrusted a team of designers, animators and one man to spear head his vision. That man was Dave Filoni and this man delivered the same amount of love and devotion to every episode that George had when he started it back in 1977. The story arcs have become legendary among the fandom and that has carried over to this final season. For the rest of this review I'm going to talk about all of the story arcs of the season and I will do my best to not spoil the most special moments. I still want to leave the surprises and emotional beats for the viewers who are trying to catch up.  

The Clones themselves have become characters in their own right and have such a range of emotion and personality. You could easily tell them apart as soon as they spoke and The Bad Batch story arc illustrates this to the fullest. I had seen the raw animatics to the first part of this arc and it was amazing to see it all completed in the way you were meant to see it. Captain Rex, Sergeant Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshairs and Tech were all given life by one of the masters of voice acting, Dee Bradley Baker. Rex has always been my favorite clone, but Clone Force 99 are a close second. Dee's performance across the entire episode was truly magnificent and should be apart of a masterclass program. This arc will definitely be on my personal Top 10 of Clone Wars arcs.

Not all story arcs are great, but they are still strong in quality. We do get the chance to catch up with Ahsoka Tano after what seems to be at least a year and she gets caught up in an all new adventure in her civilian life. The wonderful Ashley Eckstein returns as Ahsoka and she takes her on an even more heroic level as she helps her new friends. The Martez sisters, Trace and Rafa, were good for a time as they show Ahsoka how they are making a living. I found this arc refreshing, but not that great. It was at times cliche and aggravating with certain character decisions and sometimes felt like a step back from the forward moving speed of the show. There were some great lessons in the middle and towards the end and it does come to a satisfying end. It's a point A to point C story that has great moments of Ahsoka trying to keep her Jedi identity a secret and world building.

The last arc of the series is where the meat of the story is presented and it was truly one of the most heart pounding, suspenseful, gripping and compelling stories ever told in the history of animation. I don't want to ruin anything, but the series goes down the path that it had always been leading us. The story finally runs parallel with Revenge of the Sith and even though you and I may know where everyone ends up after this show, you almost forget all of that as you’re entrenched in the drama and intensity of the situation. This is where all of the visuals, choreography, world design and character development comes full circle. It was truly breathtaking.  

All of the performances from the main cast are on display and this was their best work. James Arnold Taylor and Matt Lanter as Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker deliver the same perfect chemistry that you've loved over the years. Sam Witwer returns once again as Maul and he has never been more sinister and perfect as the character. He brings to life the his strategic brilliance and evil resolve. I can't praise her enough and she rightfully deserves it. Ashley Eckstein has delivered a career defining performance as Ahsoka Tano. From the moment she appeared on screen as a teenage Padawan and to see her grow to the adult, was truly a privilege. In my opinion, she is hands down the best Jedi ever created in Star Wars history. The moments between her and Anakin were truly amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. Her physicality with her lightsabers was beyond impressive and even her hand to hand was amazing. Ahsoka's duel with Maul was a true highlight of the series, but the real magic is the depth of her friendship with Captain Rex. Dee Bradley Baker delivers his most heart shattering moments as Captain Rex when he’s with Ahsoka. We get to see Ahsoka go through Order 66 and it is truly the most pulse pounding and emotional moment I've ever seen in the universe. Ashley Eckstein will forever be one of the best actresses to ever grace the franchise with her talents and I thank her for the nonstop excellence of her performance.

Kevin Kiner has been the series composer ever since the show started and this season features his best compositions ever. It was epic, somber and moving throughout. Since the great John Williams has retired from composing the Star Wars films, I believe Kevin Kiner is his rightful successor from now until his retirement. George Lucas created a world in which others could play, but only very few understood his vision. Dave Filoni studied and understood everything and you see his magnificent work in every frame. I just want to say thank you Dave Filoni for creating this masterpiece of a series and delivering the perfect and satisfying ending that we've all been waiting for. This show is not only great, it is a work of art. If you are in any form a Star Wars fan, this series is required viewing and will fill the void if you've ever felt it. It is all streaming on Disney+. I highly recommend you get started.  May the force be with you.