1x07 Part Seven: Dreams and Madness

Getting Part Three vibes again. A sense of "That's it?" when the episode closes coupled with the realization that pieces have been moved into position and the plot has been set up for some bigger thing that's about to happen.

I was confused and then delighted by Ezra's whole attitude. He's doing a kind of "Jesus in the wilderness" thing and seems to have a very different connection to the Force than he did when we last saw him. The way he moved when he fought looked like something was moving him. Lightsabers? Ain't nobody got time for that.

As short as this episode was, we got see a lot of different class pair-ups at the end. Baylan vs Ahsoka was power vs power; This time their dual ended in a stalemate. Sabine vs Shin was cunning vs fury; This time Shin didn't underestimate Sabine, but Sabine still held her ground. Ezra vs Shin was wisdom vs fury; The first time Ezra had to fight in a long time, and it showed. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is bruised and spongy." And Ahsoka vs Shin was balance vs fury; The thing that shook Shin the most was that Ahsoka wasn't angry at her. Shin comes from a time after the fall of the Jedi Order and I don't think she's ever had to face someone properly trained in the Jedi arts before.

The time spent with everyone else was pithy and just served to put them in their place for the finale. The scene on Coruscant was almost useless (of course Hera would be excused and protected for abusing her powers as a General), but Filoni does know how to force a grin out of me with a very unexpected C-3PO cameo. Apparently 3PO was having a spinal malfunction that day. I did appreciate the Gideon past-tense name drop which cements exactly when Ahsoka takes place against the third season of The Mandalorian (release order = chronological order).

Again, solid content, but nothing special... not yet at least. There's no question that Filoni is just putting runners on the bases to tee things up for a grand slam (baseball metaphor). It's what he always does. By now, even the lay viewer should understand that. Maybe it won't be exactly what I personally dream it could be, but good money says it'll be worthwhile. If you're still not sold on this series, or harboring discontent just because Disney's name is attached to Star Wars now, take advice from the wise, old star whales and fuck off to somewhere else.

[7.6/10] It’s nice to have a fun one in here! There’s been a lot of melancholy, a lot of soul-searching, and a lot of piece-moving, so it’s downright pleasant to get an episode where things are not only going right for once, but downright peppy.

THe episode opens well, with hera facing a senate committee, oy to get bailed out by Threepio and (by extension) Leia. Again, leia helping the good guys play politics to a hands-tied Senate feels very much like the *Aftermath * Trilogy to me. But it’s nice to see Senator ORgana and our favorite gold droid sticking up for her. The show’s doing a bit of pandering here, but by gum, it worked on me.

I also like the little bits we get of Ahsoka training with holo-recordings of Anakin from the Clone Wars era. It’s a nice way to dramatize the idea that she’s resolved her feelings for her aster and what he became, in a way that makes her ready to be a master again herself. Plus my goodness, her banter with Huyang is fantastic. I just love the two of them together, with Ahsoka wryly getting his goat, and Huyang’s “I hope I survive long enough to see it” attitude to the warm reunion.

This is also a nice outing for Thrawn, who lives up to his master strategist reputation once more. I’ll admit, I think some of it is just him seeming calm and unperturbed while everyone else is freaking out about the latest development. But his measured response to Ashoka’s arrival, recognition of how to approach her given that she’s Anakin’s apprentice, and his point that, losing the battle or not, time is on their side makes him seem like a legitimately formidable opponent. I was a little sanguine about Thrawn's first appearance in the show, but he’s settled into the persona now, and I dig it.

I also dig the way action meets reunion in the main part of the episode. There’s a lot of moving parts here, from Ahsoka reaching the distant galaxy, to Era and Sbine fighting off the bandits, to the involvement of the bad Jedi types, to Thrawn's forces, and the mixing and matching of it all as the good guys regroup together. But it’s all rollicking action filled with nice character moments.

I love that the witches find Ahsoka using their dark magic, but that Ahsoka finds Sabine using their force connection as master and apprentice. It’s a nice homage to Luke and Leai in *Empire Strikes Back*i and a good way to vindicate their bond.

It’s also nice to see Ezra and Sabine in action together. The fact that Ezra doesn’t use his lightsaber makes his combat extra fun and kind of feel in character for his off-kilter playful monk vibe. He feels right in live action in a way I didn’t expect, from the way he’s fiercely protective of the adorable turtle guys, to his boyish feisty charms when confronted by the bad guys. I often referred to him as Space Aladdin, and I mean that as a compliment -- he’s got the improvising street rat charms that make him a likable character, and the empathy that makes him a good Jedi.

Filoni and company do a good job at cutting between the various centers of action to keep things peppy and interesting, before bringing everyone together. I like that Ahsoka squares off with Baylan only to adopt the “there are alternatives to fighting” mentality. I like that they succeed by grouping together, like Huyang always wanted. I like that they show mercy to Shin, which is the Jedi way. And I like how warm and familiar Ezra and Ahsoka feel when reunited, and how touched both Ahsoka and Sabine seem to feel about being together again.

Overall, this feels like a lot of things Ahsoka has been gradually working towards finally coming into place. There's been a lot of moving the pieces around the board, and now Filoni and company can pull the trigger. The action is enjoyable, the character moments are there, and our heroes are together. It’s been a bit of a bumpy road to get here, but the destination, or at least the pit stop before the season finale, is a good one.