The Clone Wars Double Take: The Siege of Mandalore: Part III

Welcome to The Clone Wars Double Take—where Fabio and Ross (and maybe even special guests) will give some quick thoughts regarding the latest episodes of The Clone Wars (Season 7) on Disney+. On this article we will cover The Clone Wars: The Siege of Mandalore: Part III.

Fabio’s Double Take

Execute Order 66. The Siege of Mandalore: Part III: Shattered is the culmination of Palpatine’s plan seen through Ahsoka’s eyes. I cannot believe the level of emotions this episode delivers, scene after scene. From the reveal of The Clone Wars logo to the very end of the episode, Kevin Kiner gifts us with one of the most ominous, sad, yet beautiful scores—mixing some of my absolute favorite tracks from Revenge of the Sith. Let’s begin:

• A Plot to Destroy the Jedi: The Jedi Council holo-meeting perfectly overlaps with Revenge of the Sith, as Masters Windu, Yoda, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Secura discuss the concern of a plot to destroy the Jedi and the possible involvement of Chancellor Palpatine—as the dark side of the Force surrounds him. What happens outside the overlap is what will finally destroy any chance for the Jedi to stop the dark side to rise once again. In Revenge of the Sith, Master Windu sends Anakin to report to the Chancellor about Master Kenobi’s engagement with General Grievous. This is when Palpatine will finally reveal himself to Anakin as the Sith Lord. In Shattered, Ahsoka joins the meeting just as Anakin left. The conversation between them is awkward to say the least. Ahsoka’s statement of serving the Republic as a “citizen” rather than a “Jedi” clearly upset the Council—especially Master Windu as he refuses to share the Chancellor matter with her. Ahsoka chooses to do the same, hiding the revelation she learned from Maul about Anakin Skywalker.
• Execute Order 66: This is the moment we were all waiting for. The moment where everything shatters. Ahsoka senses a terrible disturbance in the Force. We hear moments of Anakin stopping Master Windu from killing Palpatine—straight from Revenge of the Sith. Then a holo-transmission from Lord Sidious: “Execute Order 66.” Order 66 seen from Ahsoka and Rex’s perspective hurts even more than when I last saw it in the movie. A friendship that grew strong over the entire run of the show, simply turned off by simple, spoken words. It hurts so much to see every clone turn against Ahsoka—especially her friend Rex, who is the only one showing a small resistance to the directive. Before pulling the trigger, the Captain gives a crucial clue to solve the unexplained betrayal: “Fives. Find him. Fives!”
• Maul Unchained: Maul is no Jedi, but he certainly made it on Sidious’ enemy list. He was about to be executed from the Mandalorian Force wielder prison (we need a Black Series for this one), but Ahsoka comes to the rescue and frees the Zabrak. This is probably the only comedy relief of the episode as Ahsoka turns down Maul’s team-up request once again with “I need a diversion, and you’re it.” And so Maul is “Unleashed” (yes, I am referencing The Force Unleashed) as he begins to slaughter all the clones who stand in his way in a creative way. The scene is very reminiscent of the Rebel slaughter by the hands of Vader in Rogue One. But that’s not it. The clones being sandwiched by ship panels through the Force are a visual nod to The Force Unleashed games—whose main protagonist is Sam Witwer, voice of Maul on the show. Maul pulling a clone’s arm as one of the blast doors is slowly being sealed, eventually amputating it almost mirrors that famous scene from the first episode of The Mandalorian. “What fun.”
• The Inhibitor Chip: If you have watched Season Six, then you know about the inhibitor chip—which is supposed to prevent the clones from being aggressive. Obviously, we know that was a lie all along, and that the chip is actually connected with Order 66. Ahsoka is able to access the reports about clone trooper Fives and Rex’s confession about the purpose of those inhibitor chips. With new determination, she is able to capture Rex and—with the help of three brave astromechs—manages to bring her friend to med bay. This is such an emotional moment as Ahsoka recites the infamous prayer “I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me” (first heard from Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One) to allow the scan to locate the inhibitor chip and ultimately extract it. Rex is finally free from the evil directive and is able to save Ahsoka. “Yeah. Yeah kid, I’m okay.”

What a beautifully heartbreaking episode. Just when I thought last week’s episode was topping the emotional level I could possibly handle in Star Wars, Dave Filoni delivers a heavy package with heart wrenching moments. Shattered adds so much to Order 66—the way we experienced it in Revenge of the Sith.

I am not ready for The Clone Wars to end next week.

Ross’ Double Take

We have truly engaged the Revenge of the Sith. Timelines and tragedy interweave as the Force is rocked and both Ahsoka Tano and Maul feel the ominous weight and impact. But the episode builds to get there, starting somber as Mandalore smolders after “victory”—and Maul simmers preparing for transport to Coruscant—so everyone thinks. My takeaways in a non-chronological order—and guessing Fabio has hit the details of the film tie-in and Order 66 above:

• The Mad Dathomirian: Sam Witwer continues his mastery of Maul at a depth level 1313 can’t fathom. He starts by merely breathing as a captive in a Mandalorian iron maiden—a device to contain Force wielders used during the previous Mandalorian/Jedi wars. But then, after being freed by Ahsoka, he laments into a madman’s monologue reminiscent of the narrator from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart. The former Sith apprentice is at once worried, impressed, angry and determined—and exhibits his power on the clones charged with stopping him.
• Silence Part I: The audible effect and haunting aspects of the score is genius. As the audience is introduced to the devastation on Mandalore there are only two words spoken in the first 1:20 of the episode: “Watch it,” from the clone trooper taking away the captured Gar Saxon. Everywhere is a war zone. Everyone feels it.
• Silence Part II: The drama and tension magnify as Ahsoka takes leave of Mandalore to deliver Maul to the Jedi Council. Bo-Katan Kryze says goodbye to her new Togruta ally at 6:04 of the episode—we wait until 8:26 before another sentence is uttered. Captain Rex breaks the silence with the question, “Something on your mind?” to Ahsoka—just before he is pulled to a significant meeting with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.
• Ahsoka’s Blades: The former Jedi Padawan shows more skill and fluency each episode with ignited lightsabers. Her gymnastics routine while fending off the clones with their activated inhibitor chips—and redirecting a bevy of blaster bolts to the ceiling above her to open the ceiling is a work of art. Everything she does seems to have a purpose and artistic flair.
• Rex’s Warning: “Ahsoka. It’s all of us. The entire Grand Army of the Republic has been ordered to hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights.” How does this play out?

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