In defense of the first half of The Clone Wars Season 3
I thought the last two episodes were relatively well liked, judging by the comments on the episode guides which were largely positive the last time I looked, aside from a few people whining about "politics, oh no" who make me wonder how they feel about the prequel movies (you know, one half of Star Wars) which are about... politics! I want to respond to some of the negativity.
- God forbid they are trying to teach kids a few things about politics. And yes, they have to do it in a simplified and exaggerated, i.e. cartoon form (interest rates rising from 10% to 25% in days? Deregulation or no, WTF?). If more people got over their phobia of politics, the world might be a better place, and I don't blame the makers of TCW for trying to start with kids (because let's face it: most adults are a lost cause).
- So Padmé is a hopelessly idealistic left-winger and pacifist who has trouble understanding other points of view. After the movies and the first two seasons of TCW, who would have guessed? < / end sarcasm >
She thinks fewer clone troopers = little to no chance of military victory => other people will have to start doing what she's doing: seeking a diplomatic solution. It's foolhardy and naive, like many of the things she does in the movies (e.g. going to Geonosis), and yes, it's just luck that she has survived this long.
- Who said Teckla Minnau is from Naboo? When we see her working at the Naberries' villa in AOTC, it's never said that she is from there or has family there. I don't know if there is an expanded universe bio of her somewhere, but if so, this wouldn't be the first time TCW has disregarded the EU, and you won't see me complaining about it.
Padmé's "my people... our people" are the people of the Republic. She is not Queen of Naboo anymore and she doesn't have to (and, knowing her, isn't able to) limit her compassion to the population of one planet.
- I too would have been reluctant to make another speech if my last had been greeted with shouts of "TRAITOR!". That's got to be tough on the self-esteem of someone whose job is to persuade and negotiate. AOTC Padmé seems sure of herself, but not so arrogant as to be unaffected by such a blow. Besides, "Pursuit of Peace" is chronologically closer to ROTS than to AOTC.
- We are seeing glimpses of ROTS Padmé - the one who gives up when Bail & co. are planning to fight. No, it isn't out of character. There are things she "cannot do" because of that overactive compassion and her inability to ever accept just how bad reality is.
Plus, she is grieving.
- Look, it's a cartoon for kids. Dave Filoni and his team prioritize entertainment and humor over perfect realism, plausibility, and consistency (when even the movies contradict themselves and each other). What were you expecting - The West Wing*?
*Which has its share of unrealistic twists and hopelessly idealistic politicians you would never find in power in the real world.
No, The Clone Wars isn't plausible political fiction, nor is it supposed to be. As far as cartoons go, it's an entertaining and intelligent one.
"Heroes on Both Sides" and "Pursuit of Peace" (and, now we know, "Senate Murders") are prequels to Revenge of the Sith, and they have done a great job in that role. After what happened in these episodes, it's understandable and believable that Padmé would eventually say something like "we may be on the wrong side". This is the expanded universe at its best: filling plot holes and explaining things that make no sense if seen in the context of the movies alone.
And that's why they are some of my favorite CW episodes.
- God forbid they are trying to teach kids a few things about politics. And yes, they have to do it in a simplified and exaggerated, i.e. cartoon form (interest rates rising from 10% to 25% in days? Deregulation or no, WTF?). If more people got over their phobia of politics, the world might be a better place, and I don't blame the makers of TCW for trying to start with kids (because let's face it: most adults are a lost cause).
- So Padmé is a hopelessly idealistic left-winger and pacifist who has trouble understanding other points of view. After the movies and the first two seasons of TCW, who would have guessed? < / end sarcasm >
She thinks fewer clone troopers = little to no chance of military victory => other people will have to start doing what she's doing: seeking a diplomatic solution. It's foolhardy and naive, like many of the things she does in the movies (e.g. going to Geonosis), and yes, it's just luck that she has survived this long.
- Who said Teckla Minnau is from Naboo? When we see her working at the Naberries' villa in AOTC, it's never said that she is from there or has family there. I don't know if there is an expanded universe bio of her somewhere, but if so, this wouldn't be the first time TCW has disregarded the EU, and you won't see me complaining about it.
Padmé's "my people... our people" are the people of the Republic. She is not Queen of Naboo anymore and she doesn't have to (and, knowing her, isn't able to) limit her compassion to the population of one planet.
- I too would have been reluctant to make another speech if my last had been greeted with shouts of "TRAITOR!". That's got to be tough on the self-esteem of someone whose job is to persuade and negotiate. AOTC Padmé seems sure of herself, but not so arrogant as to be unaffected by such a blow. Besides, "Pursuit of Peace" is chronologically closer to ROTS than to AOTC.
- We are seeing glimpses of ROTS Padmé - the one who gives up when Bail & co. are planning to fight. No, it isn't out of character. There are things she "cannot do" because of that overactive compassion and her inability to ever accept just how bad reality is.
Plus, she is grieving.
- Look, it's a cartoon for kids. Dave Filoni and his team prioritize entertainment and humor over perfect realism, plausibility, and consistency (when even the movies contradict themselves and each other). What were you expecting - The West Wing*?
*Which has its share of unrealistic twists and hopelessly idealistic politicians you would never find in power in the real world.
No, The Clone Wars isn't plausible political fiction, nor is it supposed to be. As far as cartoons go, it's an entertaining and intelligent one.
"Heroes on Both Sides" and "Pursuit of Peace" (and, now we know, "Senate Murders") are prequels to Revenge of the Sith, and they have done a great job in that role. After what happened in these episodes, it's understandable and believable that Padmé would eventually say something like "we may be on the wrong side". This is the expanded universe at its best: filling plot holes and explaining things that make no sense if seen in the context of the movies alone.
And that's why they are some of my favorite CW episodes.