– Spoiler Review –
The Ahsoka Underworld arc comes to a fun, solid, character-driven end with “Together Again,” including some exciting set up for the grand finale of The Clone Wars.
THE MARTEZ SISTERS LIVE! Dave Filoni, especially in The Clone Wars, has a less than savory history with killing off original female characters, like Steela Gerrera, Mina Bonteri, Satine Kryze, and (potentially, but I’m holding out hope) The Mandalorian’s Fennec Shand, so it was hard not to be worried for the Martez sisters, especially as I grew to enjoy them more and more each episode. Thankfully, the two women make it through events with Ahsoka alive, and the events of these episodes sort of fulfil Luminara Unduli’s disappointing consolation after their parents’ deaths. She told them, many years ago, the Force will be with them, and while it’s a really bad look then, in a way Ahsoka’s arrival and selflessness in helping them saves them from almost certain death on their big job with the Pykes, meaning the Force worked in its mysterious way to be with them in their time of need. I was as nervous as Ahsoka was regarding how the Martez sisters would react learning she was a Jedi at one point, so myself and Ahsoka were pleasantly surprised with how well they took the news. It helped a lot that Ahsoka sacrifices herself in an attempt to save them, giving them a way out, but Rafa respects the move and pretends she’d rather not be one-upped by the Togruta as an excuse to go back and rescue someone who looked out for them when no one else would. What really hit home was the reason why they didn’t mind her being a Jedi, because she’s not as rigid or as misguided as the Jedi have become, instead telling her she acts like how they’d want the Jedi to act, still looking out for people and helping them when they need it, instead of leaving them to fight some bigger war and forget about the little people. Rafa and Trace show off their bond and hustling abilities in this final episode, working together to trick some dock workers into giving them spice to give to the Pykes in exchange for Ahsoka. I loved Rafa’s confidence in the middle of a hustle and it was great to see her hold her own against the Trandoshan manager, and Trace shows off the piloting skills she’s been bragging about since the beginning in a rather awesome display worthy of some of the best pilots. I’m glad the Martez’s are out there, somewhere, doing what they do best, while keeping Ahsoka’s bike on hold, just in case she may ever need it again. Hopefully we can see these two again!!
Ahsoka hearing how the Martez sisters feel regarding her version of being a Jedi helps validate her feelings about the Order and her choice to leave it, and it comes moments before her greatest test yet. As she briefly breaks out after sending away the sisters, Ahsoka runs into a conversation between Marg Krim, the Pyke holding her, and his boss: Darth Maul! Still running the Collective at this time, where many crime gangs answer ultimately to him, Maul senses something and nearly notices her, which prompts her to track the call logs and find he’s currently ruling his Collective from Mandalore. Bo-Katan, Ursa Wren, and their fellow Nite Owl thankfully do not intervene in Ahsoka and the Martez sisters’ escape, instead watching and waiting, approaching Ahsoka after the trio arrives safely back in the Coruscant Underworld. Leaving the Order was a giant, complicated choice to make, and to have the sisters tell her she’s on the right path is a big enough boost to get her to consider helping out Bo-Katan win back Mandalore from a common enemy, where her concern lays less in the fight, but who it means she’ll likely have to come in contact with again: the Jedi. With this newfound confidence about her path, she’s finally ready to see her old friends, and Master, again and there’s no escaping the possibility when Bo-Katan comes knocking. I’m really going to miss the banter and dynamic between Ashoka and the sisters, who have developed a rapport in only 4 episodes seemingly stronger than ones she’s had for most of the series, but I’m looking forward to the drama of her seeing Anakin again, as well as the tension between her and Maul when they have their big showdown before Order 66 throws everything for a loop.
Here are a few other things:
- A design we haven’t seen often, the Toong, appeared as many of the dock workers Rafa and Trace try to hustle. The Toong are best represented by podracer Ben Quadinaros. I love seeing designs and species we don’t often get to!
- Maul mentions Crimson Dawn, the gang he has a stranglehold on by the time of Solo – A Star Wars Story, which was a neat little reference. Though it is curious what this means about his Collective, does he lose his hold on many of the gangs and only retains Crimson, or does he fold them all together into Crimson?
The Clone Wars ends the Ahsoka Underworld arc with an excellent finale in “Together Again,” which gives Ahsoka a new confidence, the Martez sisters an excellent ending, and includes some tasty morsels of set up for the grand finale, Siege of Mandalore!
+ Martez sisters get a happy ending aka ALIVE
+ Ahsoka’s vindication
+ Setting up for the final arc
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
THE CLONE WARS REVIEWS
Season Seven: Ep. 1 “The Bad Batch” | Ep. 2 “A Distant Echo” | Ep. 3 “On the Wings of Keeradaks” | Ep. 4 “Unfinished Business” | Ep. 5 “Gone With a Trace” | Ep. 6 “Deal No Deal” | Ep. 7 “Dangerous Debt”
Legacy Impressions: Crystal Crisis | The Bad Batch