Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars is, essentially, camp. To love it, you have to start there. Needless to say, the last fifteen years have been traumatizing for the Star Wars legacy—the prequels failed to hit that fleeting but lovely balance of camp, action, morality, and humor that makes the Star Wars galaxy so hilariously addictive. But where the movies disappointed, somehow, Star Wars: The Clone Wars succeeds. It’s light fare—after all, it’s a Saturday morning cartoon—but it effortlessly takes you into the world of Star Wars, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. As a result it’s highly enjoyable: fascinating and immersive and fun.
To put the series context for new viewers: Star Wars: The Clone Wars takes place in the three-year gap between Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith. “Revival,” which aired this morning, is Clone Wars’ fifth season premiere. But if you haven't seen the first few seasons, the major players are all easily recognizable, and context is quickly established. Darth Maul survived being sliced in half and tossed down a reactor pit exhaust shaft after that fairly epic lightsaber duel at the end of The Phantom Menace. He is now, improbably but also awesomely, half machine. Maul recently reunited with his brother, Savage Opress (Maul and Savage Opress. What the hell were Mr. and Mrs. Opress thinking?), and the two of them are pillaging and murdering across the galaxy, a sideshow during the ongoing drama of the clone wars. According to the voiceover in “Revival’s” introduction, the brothers are also “searching for meaning,” motivated by “rage and vengeance.”
This plan has some flaws.
In time-honored Star Wars fashion, the episode starts with a quick and dirty action scene. The brothers (who call themselves the Crime Lords) raid a generic facility and seize the gold in the safe. Savage is happy about the spoils, but Maul is looking for more—revenge against the Jedi. Less than three minutes into the episode is our first totally sweet lightsaber fight (albeit a short one) between the brothers as Maul asserts his dominance over Savage. He wins because he has long robot legs, and names himself master to Savage's apprentice.