We’re within the endgame now, with the ultimate arc of the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Outdated Pals Not Forgotten, the season’s 9 episode, hit Disney Plus on Friday, kicking off the long-awaited Siege of Mandalore.

We decide up with ex-Padawan Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) after her barely listless solo arc, when she opted to be a part of one-time enemy Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and her Mandalorian buddies in kicking former Sith apprentice Maul (Sam Witwer) off the planet for good.

That is a completely spectacular episode, like Star Wars rock ‘n’ roll from starting to finish. On the danger of sounding gatekeepery, it exemplifies why this present is important viewing for each fan. In the event you’re studying this and have not performed so, it is all on Disney Plus.

Anyhoo, on with dem SPOILERS.

Fortune cookie

There is not one. But when there was, it’d learn “Oh, it is ON now!” Which might be much less a pearl of knowledge than it could be pure hype for this superb beast of an episode.

As a substitute, we get the outdated Lucasfilm brand and a touch of Ahsoka’s theme earlier than a blast of John Williams’ Fundamental Title over a blood-red model of the present’s brand, which fades into the starscape like one of the films. That is basically government producer Dave Filoni promising us one thing actually epic and a reminder that we have hit the ultimate stretch of the final Star Wars undertaking that creator George Lucas had a direct hand in.

One final take a look at my buddies

We meet Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) as he rescues former grasp Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) from an enormous droid military like an absolute hero, When Anakin steps out and all of the droids take goal, it visually echoes a second that’ll occur many years later, when his son Luke’s Pressure projection steps out to meet the First Order on Crait in The Final Jedi. 

After Anakin fakes his give up, composer Kevin Kiner’s rating mirrors the second on Jabba’s Sail Barge in Return of the Jedi — suggesting a sneaky-sneaky plan. Anakin simply wished to draw out the tactical droid, which he takes out with one shift stroke, and go away the military susceptible to the clones (or an Assault of the Clones, if you’ll).

With the battle received, they reunite with Ahsoka. Anakin is considerably much less slick in her presence — he was clearly hoping for an emotional reunion together with his Padawan and he or she’s all enterprise. Obi-Wan is not sure about committing Republic forces to liberate Mandalore (as a result of politics!), but it surely goes off the desk after they get phrase that Normal Grievous has attacked Coruscant.

With that, the present has reached the occasions of Revenge of the Sith, so Anakin and Obi-Wan have to rescue Chancellor Palpatine. He’s a beautiful fella, in any case, and undoubtedly will not twist Anakin right into a monster.

Although they cannot assist, Anakin has some surprises for Ahsoka. He presents her with a platoon of clone troopers, led by the newly promoted Commander Rex (Dee Bradley Baker) with helmets painted to match her markings. It is a fairly highly effective second, particularly since it is the final time Ahsoka will see pre-Vader Anakin, and presumably Obi-Wan.

“I killed Maul as soon as,” the Jedi Grasp says. “Greatest to seize him, he would not appear to keep lifeless.”

Do not even fear about it Obi-Wan, you may take care of him in CGI animated followup present Rebels!

Anakin additionally offers Ahsoka the lightsabers she left behind on the finish of Season 5. He changed her inexperienced crystals with blue ones, so her blades match her cool new outfit. How handy.

“Anakin, good luck,” she says, in her remaining phrases of friendship to her former grasp.

Mandos for the darkish aspect

As Ahsoka, Bo-Katan and the Mandalorians attain their homeworld, they hear from sleazy Prime Minister Almec (Julian Holloway)

“Your time has come Almec,” says Bo-Katan. “We all know you are Maul’s puppet, and we’re coming for him.”

On the planet, we see that Almec is working with Gar Saxon and Rook Kast (Ray Stevenson and Vanessa Marshall), the pair who rescued Maul within the incredible 2014 Son of Dathomir comedian collection. Saxon will even go to function Emperor’s Hand and turn out to be the Imperial Viceroy of Mandalore in Rebels.

Saxon’s Maul-style Mandalorian Supercommando helmet is so superior — I am unsure why followers do not make an enormous fuss about these. They’re the one of coolest issues I’ve ever seen; Star Wars is one of the few franchises the place I root for the unhealthy guys simply as a lot because the goodies.

Even weasely Almec dons some fairly candy ornate Mandalorian armor later within the episode, but it surely would not cease Bo-Katan from beating him down just like the idiot he’s. That is the best way.

Left with no jet pack, Ahsoka leaps out of the troop provider like Captain America on the start of Winter Soldier. In contrast to Cap, she leaps from provider to provider, killing unhealthy Mandos and using on the aspect of a crashing ship till she reaches the floor (the place she halts her momentum by stabbing her lightsabers into the bottom because the ship explodes behind her). Am-az-ing.

“Beat you,” she casually tells Rex.

The ex-Sith emerges

Within the sewers, that are very clear, Ahsoka and the clones are ambushed by Kast and a bunch of others. the clones are all gonna die, as a result of Rex is not with them and that makes them expendable. Darkish and unhappy, however true.

As soon as they’re lifeless and solely a devastated Ahsoka stays, she’s rapidly surrounded by Mandos. We hear a sinister clankity-clank of metallic ft stepping from the shadows, and who’s it? It is solely our outdated monstrous bud Maul (Sam Witwer)

“I hoped for Kenobi,” the previous Sith apprentice purrs threateningly. “Why are you right here?”

I absolutely anticipate him to pull the traditional Sith “Be part of me” routine on Ahsoka within the subsequent episode, which hits Disney Plus on April 24, as we hurtle in direction of the Might Four collection finale. 

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Easter eggs and observations

• We catch a glimpse of Grievous within the new animation model through the intro recap. He appears to be like wonderful; it is a pity we did not see extra of him this season.
• Additionally within the intro, we see a younger Caleb Dume together with his grasp, Depa Billaba,. This lad will survive Order 66, go into hiding and alter his title to Kanan Jarrus — an element of his life seen 2015 comedian collection Kanan: The Final Padawan. The relaxation of his story will play out in CGI animated collection Rebels.
• Ahsoka makes use of the alias “Fulcrum” when contacting the Republic. She’ll later undertake it when working in opposition to the Empire in Rebels, however we study right here that Noticed Gerrera used it through the Clone Wars.
• Till the the remaining of the troops, Rex would not put on a helmet painted with Ahsoka’s colours after they arrive at Mandalore. Perhaps he determined it clashed with the remaining of his armor?

Come again Friday for one more recap!