Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 3 episode 15 review: Overlords

A new trilogy of episodes kicks off, as Star Wars: The Clone Wars also gives us a little bit of Liam Neeson...

3.15 Overlords

If the past few weeks of The Clone Wars has demonstrated anything, it’s that the very fabric of Star Wars lore can be addressed and added to in the animated spin-off. And, so quickly, another story comes along which has possible dramatic ramifications with the television series.

Whereas the previous trilogy delved into the world of the Dark Side and the Sith, this new trilogy, starting here with Overlords, is a study in The Force, examining the prophecy that Anakin Skywalker is the ‘chosen one’, bringing balance to the universe.

The story sees Anakin, his feisty Padawan Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, encountering a family of Force-wielders, beings whose powers belittle the Jedi with uncomfortable ease and lie somewhere between, and above, Jedi and Sith. Whilst resting, each of the Jedi are visited by familiar faces.

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As revealed last week, Qui Gon Jinn returns for a brief chat with his former Padawan. Hearing Liam Neeson’s tones will send shivers down your geekoid receptors. The sense of awe has never been more apparent in the series, due to the weight Neeson brings to the role.

Also returning is actress Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker, who has some disturbing news for her son, from beyond the grave. Most concerning, though, is the vision Ahsoka suffers, a future version of herself who states that Anakin may be her downfall. A grim foreshadowing for the character?

All these visions could turn out to be merely manipulations by the Force-wielders, who seem to have the upper hand by some margin with the Jedi (until Anakin reacts and confirms his role as the ‘chosen one’ in a magnificently tense scene). But it’s this mystery which is so enticing and looks set to continue for the next couple of episodes as the prophecy is explored.

From the very beginning of this episode, the Jedi are placed within mystery and peril, an angle which plays very well in terms of drama. The action may be low, but the intrigue and interest is at full tilt, engrossing and demanding in equal measures.

With a wonderfully pitched soundtrack, using some incredibly emotive cues from the films (quite unusual for The Clone Wars), and the stunning visuals of the new additions to the Star Wars galaxy, the Force-wielders and the planet they inhabit, Mortis, this episode contains a  perfectly pitched balance between story and production.

Initially, the prospect of Liam Neeson would have seemed to be the point of interest in Overlords, but this is not the case. By exploring the notion of the ‘chosen one’ and the very nature of the Force and how it can be manipulated, the makers of The Clone Wars are asking questions that the cinematic saga never did. The right kind of questions.

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Read our review of episode 14, Witches Of The Mist, here.

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