Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures: Season 2: Story 30: Big Pooba Problems
What is it ? : Nubs takes Lys out into the forest of Tenoo to see a Waalax Tree, whose leaves are large and covered with layers of wax, which makes them slippy and used as sleds by some. Nubs cannot reach the leaves, but Lys can and Nubs wishes he would grow up. But while they're looking at the tree they see a starship crashing.
They use their speeder bikes to get to the crash site, and discover it was a cargo ship which ran out of fuel, manned by NP-87, a droid, and Zeepohz, an adult Pooba like Nubs.
NP-87 says they need to get their cargo to Kublop Springs by dusk to fulfil their contract, and noticing the cargo container has repulsorlift drives, Lys and Nubs agree to tow it using their speeder bikes.
As they travel, they are attacked by Ganguls, and Nubs growls at them ineffectually, but Zeepohz growls loudly scaring the animals away, leading to Nubs once again wishing he was grown up.
They continue down a ravine, but after a distance find it is blocked by a boulder, Zeepohz cannot move it alone, but when Nubs attempts to help he drops his end causing a landslide blocking them both ways.
They rig up a winch, and lift the container and speeder bikes out of the ravine, and continue on their way, but when they are within visual distance of Kublop Springs and stop for a moment, Nubs leans against the container causing it to crash and the Repulsorlift system malfunctions.
Nubs spots another Waalax Tree, and they gather the leaves and place them under the container, which is now slippy enough with the waxed leaves to be towed and they make the delivery just in time. NP-87 and Zeepohz thank them for their help, and tell Nubs to not be in a rush to grow up, as he's a great kid and will make a fantastic grown up one day. . . .
High Points : A Nubs and Lys story which works pretty well, we seem to have been focusing away from Kai a lot recently, which is only to the benefit of the series as he's the most conventional character. But this tale of Nub's wishing he was grown up is well told, and quite fun, especially as Zeepohz is a compelling example of an adult Pooba, exactly something Nubs could aspire to be when he grows up.
Low Points : If the Waalax Trees are so rare that Nubs and Lys have to travel way out into the forest to find them, then why are there examples of the tree really close to Kublop Springs?
And when they're towing the container, why are the ropes connecting their speeder bikes to the container sagging? They should be tight as the bikes are pulling the container? And that said, why when they stop the speeder bikes does the container come to a stop almost instantly, but when Nubs leans on it does it keep going until it crashes? Either it has some kind of friction or not. (Yes I really am complaining about the laws of momentum as demonstrated in a show for preteen kids).
So what do you really think ? : It's a nice little tale, without much action or danger, just the story of the two kids trying to help some spacers make a delivery. And it's really enjoyable for that.
Final Words : And the very obvious moral of the story is, don't try to grow up too soon.
Score : 8/10
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