Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures: Season 1: Story 43: The Tale of Short Spire
What is it ? : Nash is transporting the Young Jedi to Batuu to train under Jedi Master Carver Drow and his Padawan Celesta Kami. The two Jedi escort the Crimson Firehawk in, in their Vector Starfighters, explaining how the spires on Batuu are spectacular, they're also a bit of a navigation hazard and can make the Temple difficult to find.
Arriving there, Nash heads off on her own business, and Lys admires the Temple, commenting how it's very different to their own, telling Celesta about the Tree in their temple, which she finds amazing. She comments she hasn't had a chance to get to know the people of Batuu as Master Crow concentrates on History. Overhearing he tells Celesta and the Young Jedi he needs some parts for his research, if they could go into town to get the parts, and it'll be a good time to get to know the people.
They arrive in the town and admire how it's built in harmony with the environment with Rock Spires jutting up throughout. They see a man speaking to the townspeople, trying to sell them the idea of making Batuu better by building the town up, and getting rid of the spires. The people aren't convinced, and the man, Ozon Nimbee, leaves and decides to release some droids to cut down some spires to demonstrate how it improves the area.
As Celesta and the Young Jedi are shopping they are approached by a youth of the town who recognises their group as Jedi and reports that he's discovered a bunch of Spires which have been cut down. They follow him and discover the droids, stopping them some escape and they follow them back to where Ozon is speaking to more people and trying to sell them on the idea of making Batuu better.
Celesta tries to tell the people what Ozon is like, but they don't recognise her or know her, so don't trust her word, but Lys convinces her to introduce herself, and she gets backed up by the Young Jedi and the youth who witnessed the cut down spires.
They come to believe her, and Ozon releases more droids, as he believes that once the spires are gone the people will turn to him. The Young Jedi fight the droids to try to stop them destroying the Spires, but the number of droids are too many, but the townspeople join in and Master Drow arrives to help, and they clear up the droids, and Ozon leaves, promising to find another world which he can improve. The townspeople are thankful to the Jedi for their help and Celeste introduces herself, and promises to spend more time with them, remembering she hasn't gotten Master Drows tools, the townspeople offer to help find them . . . .
High Points : While the storyline isn't much, I felt the characterisation worked a lot better in this one, I've definitely got a soft spot for Nubs, but felt he was extra adorable, giving the spires a hug before rushing off to fight the droids, and the environmentalism aspect with Lys taking the lead definitely worked. Perhaps Kai and Nash aren't particularly prominent in this episode, but that gives a much bigger chance for the other two and for the introduction of Drow and Celeste.
Low Points : Ozon Nimbee just feels like a recast version of Raxlo, and it seems odd they didn't use the opportunity to bring him back, and his entire scheme seems ill judged. It's even pointed out at one point that the spires are pretty much the only interesting thing on Batuu and the reason people visit, so while they do cause problems in navigation so removing them would make it easier to come and go from the planet, without them there would be no reason to visit at all. Kind of like redeveloping Niagara, by getting rid of that pesky waterfall.
So what do you really think ? : The characterisation really made this one watchable, even Master Drow, a Jedi Master who would rather get on with his research than anything else, came across as a well rounded and thoughtful character, trying to do the best for his Padawan. So even if the plot didn't come to much, I really enjoyed watching this one.
Final Words : Again, the timetable here weighs on my mind, the Young Jedi talking about how the temple of Batuu is beautiful, and Celeste connecting with the people, just made me think of how soon the Nihil will be coming, the temple abandoned by order of the Jedi Council, and the Jedi forced to leave.
And I just think about how all of this is for nothing, as we know what the future brings.
Score : 8.5/10
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