Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures: Season 1: Story 24: The Thieves of Tharnaka
What is it ? : The Young Jedi are with explorer droid 0G-LC searching for the Tharnakan Story Stone, which records the history of the lost species of the Tharanakan. They are searching the legendary caves of the planet Tharnaka, but when after various obstacles they find the stone, 3 masked thieves rappel into the caves and steal the stones, fleeing on Speeder Bikes.
0G-LC laments that the stone has been lost, but an incoming lightning storm forces the thieves to set up camp, and the Young Jedi catch up with them. Ambushing the thieves, they are shocked to discover that they are led by Ace Kallisto, and Kai is disappointed she hasn't turned over a new leaf.
Ace reveals that not all is at it seems, one of the other members of her group, Ishbul Ekwesh, is a Tharnakan who is trying to retrieve the stone for his people so they can know their history once more, and OG-LC would actually be stealing it for a museum which has no real claim on it. OG-LC accepts that he was wrong to lay claim to it, and the Story Stone should go to it's original owners. However the third member of the group, Tooba Jinx, a Gungan, grabs the stone planning to sell it for profit.
He flees on his speeder bike and the rest give chace, only finally catching him on the gangplank of their ship as he attempts to board and leave. With Tooba caught, the stone is returned to Ishbul who promises that the Tharnakan people will add to their story, with the tale of a brave droid, a good friend "Kallisto" and the Jedi who helped to return the Story Stone to their people. . .
High Points : I honestly liked the twist in this one, where just because OG-LC is a explorer and historian, he doesn't have the right to take everything he finds. The Tharnakan people have the right to items from their history, and while it would be nice to share that with the galaxy, it's their right to give that or not. In that context, OG-LC is the thief, taking things which don't belong to him.
It's also nice to use Ace in this context, as Kai instantly judges her to be in the wrong because of her history, but the tables have turned and she is actually helping someone do the right thing.
Low Points : The idea that the thieves have to bed down for the night within walking distance of the caves because of a storm doesn't work very well, with Speeder Bikes capable of many hundreds of miles an hour, it would just be the matter of travelling for 10 minutes or so to be out of view and out of walking range.
So what do you really think ? : Not really sure of the message of this one, it's clear that they shouldn't judge Ace based on her history, and should be giving her a second chance, but that seems a little muddled by the entire "Archaeologists are just grave robbers with a good reputation" theme of the episode.
Final Words : A decent little episode, not as preachy as many, an enjoyable level of action, and they get to arrest a Gungan at the end.
Score : 8/10
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