Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Season 1 Episode 12: The Gungan General
What is it ? : So following on from last episode, Obi-Wan and Anakin awake from being drugged . . . Woah, woah, woah, wait a second . . . they didn't get drugged, they swapped drinks last episode and the guys that they swapped drinks with fell unconscious, wow major continuity mistake, a really major one.
Anyway they wake up in a cell with Count Dooku, and team up with him to escape, he uses the force to get a knife from outside the cell and forces it into the lock to open the door. However due to not working well together, they get caught. Hondo makes it clear that none of this is personal, it's only business and once he's received payment for them, they can go back to being friends.
Meanwhile, Jar Jar and some Clone Troopers accompany Senator Kharrus to deliver the ransom from the Republic for Count Dooku. One of Hondos lieutenants decides to take the ransom for himself, by killing the Republic delegation, and shoots down their ship. Senator Kharrus dies in the crash, leaving the highest ranked person as Jar Jar.
Obi Wan uses the force to convince their jailer to let him Dooku and Anakin out, and through bickering and squabbling they get caught again. Hondo begins electrifying Obi Wan and Anakin since they can't be friends and stay nicely in their cells.
Jar Jar through a series of "hilarious" mistakes leads the Clone Troopers through acid geysers, an ambush, and takes down the power in the pirate base, letting Obi-Wan, Anakin free from their electrocutions, and Dooku free from his cell. Dooku steals a ship and leaves, and Obi-Wan, Anakin, Jar Jar and the Clone Troopers leave aboard Anakins ship.
High Points : Hondo remains the best thing in this story, a pragmatist throughout, and his quote about his mums view on the more the hostages the better is a real peek into his upbringing.
The planet they're on is pretty interesting, with the acid geysers and the herd animals with a survival technique to avoid them being extremely well done.
Low Points : Well, the start is a what-the-hell moment as it doesn't match the continuity from the last episode, and there's a whole load of Jar Jar zaniness, which always disappoints.
So what do you really think ? : The whole thing feels like an early version, and could have done with a rewrite and perhaps a fresh set of eyes to put some polish on it.
Final Words : A very disappointing first story for Hondo Ohnaka, and a bit of a mess overall I'm afraid. While competently performed, and with decent dialogue, the plot line, the timing and the reliance on Jar Jar drags the whole thing down.
Score : 6/10
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