Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season One episodes...

Continued from last week...

(6) Downfall Of A Droid: After a narrow victory over the Separatists in an asteroid field, R2-D2 is lost. Anakin, Ahsoka and an erratic replacement astromech droid R3-S6 go hunting for him. First they encounter a salvage vessel, operated by shifty, fat Transdoshan, with a hold full of IG-88-style assassin droids, then Anakin runs afoul of General Grievous himself and only escapes with the intervention of Ahsoka and the rest of the fleet.

A particularly dark episode, Downfall Of A Droid stresses the bond between R2-D2 and Anakin, something that Obi-Wan just can't understand and doesn't really approve of. As always, the story was a visual and audio treat from start to finish, but now being aware (after Rob Rogers' comments last week) I realise that this was a particularly dark episode in parts - especially Anakin's run in with the assassin droids - that might not be suitable for very young viewers. (4.5/5)

(7) Duel of the Droids: Anakin, Ashoka and R3-S6 follow a lead to Grievious' hidden listening post where the missing R2-D2 has been taken. During their assault on the station, a traitor is revealed and Ashoka faces General Grevious in single combat.

Day after day (Star Wars: The Clone Wars is being shown daily on Cartoon Network over here), I am dazzled by how simply gorgeous this animated series looks. Tense times for our heroes in this episode - particularly for the young padawan when she is alone with the wicked cyborg Grievious - although the unmasking of the traitor wasn't a great surprise; however it set-up the highly entertaining confrontation between R2 and R3, while the listening post blew up around them. (4.5/5)

(8) Bombad Jedi: Amidala goes on a diplomatic missions to Rodia, accompanied by Jar-Jar and C-3PO, only to discover that the Rodians have already given their support to Viceroy Nute Gunray and the Separatists. Amidala is captured and Jar-Jar mistaken for a jedi. Hilarity ensues!

I can cut George Lucas a lot of slack for a great many things - as he lets us "play" in his Star Wars universe - but not Jar Jar Binks. He is neither amusing or endearing - just very, very annoying. And his debut in The Clone Wars series has him back at full-on Episode I levels of nails-down-chalkboard, teeth-grinding, mind-rotting annoyance. It isn't even clear why the Republic keep him around (he manages to destroy Amidala's ship in this episode, for instance) as he contributes little, or nothing, to the war effort. On the positive side, for this episode, Rodia is another beautifully realised planet and Amidala kicks some serious butt during her escape. (2.5/5)

(9) Cloak of Darkness: Ahsoka and Jedi Master Luminara are escorting the captured Nute Gunray to trial when their ship is boarded by Separatists led by Asajj Ventress. Just when it looks the good guys have driven off the attackers, a traitor is revealed in their ranks and Gunray slips through their fingers.

This is more like it! After the Jar-Jar-heavy Bombad Jedi episode, this is an amazing return to form, scripted by DC Comics' Paul Dini, that sees the finest lightsaber duel depicted in the series to date (and possibly in the Saga as a whole) when Ahsoka and Luminara take on Ventress. This is pretty much the perfect episode for me - even if it features none of the "main cast" - with a balance of continuity and conflict that demonstrates the full potential of the Star Wars Universe. (5/5)

(10) Lair of Grievous: Jedi Master Kit Fisto and his former padawan Nahdar Vebb follow Gunray only to find themselves drawn into a trap set by Count Dooku. The Count is using the two jedi to test General Grievous, in whom he has been losing confidence because of the General's recent defeats.

A solid, if uninspiring episode, elevated, as always, by the incredible design - such as the detailing of the misty planet where Grievious has his lair and the lair itself. Nahdar Vebb might as well have been wearing a Red Shirt though as his doom was sealed from the first moment we met him - as it was clear that, given the nature of the story and the fact that we know Grievous is still around in Revenge Of The Sith he was owed a victory - however minor. (4/5)

To be continued...