The Clone Wars season 4 episode 20 review: Bounty

This review contains spoilers.

4.20 Bounty

The return of Asajj Ventress continues as the would-be Sith finds herself on the Outer Rim after her clan of Nightsisters were massacred by General Grievous and his droid army.

In fact, the Dark Lordette pops up on Mos Eisley – in the Cantina no less! Oddly, Figran Dan and his Modal Nodes aren’t pumping out the tunes we’ve come to expect from the Bith hit-makers.

Lurking in the shadow of this hive of scum and villainy, is bounty hunter Bossk (who made his first appearance in The Empire Strikes Back) and fellow crim-for-hire, Latts Razzi (voiced by Seth Green’s wife Clare Grant, fact fans). Ventress is recruited to join their gang, which also includes another Empire bounty hunter, Dengar; who you may already know is brought to life by Simon Pegg.

The Spaced and Star Trek star doesn’t actually get that much to do (or, rather, say) in the episode, so it’s slightly surprising to see that much was made of his role last week. Odd too that a comparatively big name was brought in for such a small role. Such is the lure of Star Wars, I guess (even if you don’t like half the films…)

Headed by a young Boba Fett, the gang, which also includes heavily armed droid C-21 Highsinger (an IG-88 knock off), head to the planet Quarzite – an intensely pressurized world that prevents spaceships from entering into its atmosphere. It’s a neat conceit which delivers a couple of nods to the excellent multi-media story, Shadows of the Empire.

Not only do we get another Clone Wars look at Bossk’s transport of choice, the Hound’s Tooth (first seen in Shadows) but there’s also a nod to the skyhook of the 1996 story, which allows access to the planet below. Definitely an appreciated moment for us fans. Great also to have a new planet with new qualities for the Star Wars universe.

We’re also presented with a new race, the Belugans – who look not unlike a cross between an exotic bird and a whale. And it’s one of these Belugans, Major Rigosso, who has brought the unruly band to Quarzite.

It’s here the majority of the episode and action takes place, and there’s a lot of action. The Bounty Hunters are protecting their cargo which is on delivery via subtram through the caves system. It’s beautifully done though the struggle between the Fett & Co. and those who want to “steal” their cargo is perhaps a tad too long.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s stunning. Simply stunning and excellently directed but we’ve come to expect more from The Clone Wars than just amazing visuals (we are spoilt).

The plot leads up to a change in heart from the once evil bitch Asajj Ventress, who is on a journey to find herself after dispensing with becoming a slave to the Sith. This change is also brought about rather abruptly and some may well not believe in the schmaltzy nature of the denouement.

Of course, this may well be part of the grander plan for the season finale, just weeks away, where the Jedi have to make an uncomfortable alliance in order to defeat a returning foe…

Bounty isn’t a classic by any means but it’s solid. One wishes writer Katie Lucas had cut back on the action and given more to the characters (of which there are many). Re-structuring and re-thinking could have rendered this particular episode as good as the ones that preceded.

Read our review of the last episode, here.

Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.