Did the antagonistic title get your attention?  Did it?  Sensationalist journalism, folks!  Actually, I jest.  The title does tie in though because wow do we have a sorry excuse for a Jedi in these episodes but I’ll stop there.  Wouldn’t want to give away the arc too much now would I?

Darkness on Umbara
This is possibly one of the more battle heavy episodes I’ve seen.  I think the first 10 minutes or so were almost all action?  Episodes with this much fighting stand out to me for some reason.  It’s fun getting to see them fighting the war and to see more of how Anakin’s battalion in particular works.

Okay, this replacement Jedi general?  Pong Krell?  He’s a real ass.  Something bad had best happen to him by the end of the arc.  Alternatively, he will not be one I will be sorry to see Order 66-ed.  Honestly, you’d think that a Jedi could at least manage to use a trooper’s name.  Every time he used Rex’s number instead of his name, I wanted to punch him in the face.  I’m surprised Rex didn’t punch him, honestly.

Krell was put in charge Anakin’s battalion because Palpatine had recalled him back to Coruscant.  This has a very fishy smell to it.  Why would the Chancellor just pull one of his Generals back before a big battle?  Sometimes, it surprises me that no one realized that Palpatine was evil before he went all crazy lightsaber Sith.

Seriously.  Someone remove Krell from command.  His plans are bad.  You know nothing, Pong Krell.

The General
I should probably note that Umbara has a neat look to it.  It’s sufficiently creepy and different enough from Earth to really feel like a planet from a galaxy far far away.

This episode makes a good point about how victory should take the possibility of high casualty rates into account.  General Krell may be effective (supposedly) but if he loses hundreds of men on a regular basis, that doesn’t sound very effective to me.  Actually, if you can’t realize the difference between necessary and senseless sacrifices, you don’t deserve to be in command.

Can you tell that I do not like General Krell?  Can you?

Honestly, this guy makes me so angry that it’s difficult to say anything else about these episodes.  Good things the Clones have things under control.

Plan of Dissent
I admit that I’m surprised they’re having this storyline cover so many episodes.  I expected it to be a one-and-done or perhaps a two-parter at most.  Now I’m wonder what the pay out is going to be at the end.  On the other hand, it’s letting the clones’ rebellion against Krell build up much more naturally.

One of the things I love the most about this show is how they handle the little things.  An example would be Obi-Wan transmission to Krell and Rex.  It’s all pixelated and is different from the usual flickering and fake static.  It’s quite nicely done.

I think that River pretty much sums up how I feel about Krell right now.  As does the Blackfish.

On a happier note, this is the episode that really made me love the heck out of Rex.  Apparently I am a sucker for a good commander who will do anything for the troopers under his command.  I like that he’s even willing to put himself between troopers who are looking to tell the General what some of their brothers are really doing.  I also love how he’s struggling with the tough situation he’s been put in.  Point is, congratulations Rex: you’ve joined the elite numbers of my favorite clones.

Carnage of Krell (DC)
Okay, this episode’s title is enough to give away that he is up to no good.

WHOA WAIT.  I didn’t think they’d take the episode title so literally so fast.  Krell’s going to have the insubordinate troopers executed.  I am so not okay with this.  What a jerk.  You have no idea how relieved I am that the clones did the right thing and refused to kill them.

I’m sorry, I didn’t sign up for the feelings in this episode.  Krell basically tricked the clones into firing on each other.  THAT BASTARD.

How dare he.  HOW DARE HE.  Arresting him for treason is too good for him.

I can respect the Order 66 parallels here.  I really can.  I absolutely get what the producers were trying to do here and it does help support why so many clones could so easily go along with Order 66.  It doesn’t stop me from supporting the clones with cheers and shouts though.

What I don’t get is how Krell can simultaneously wield two double bladed lightsabers.  It looks cool, sure, but it makes no sense.  There’s no way he should be able to do that efficiently.

What I also don’t get is how now one sensed that Krell had fallen to the Dark Side.  Honestly Jedi?  You dropped the ball on that one.

As much as I hate Krell, I’m glad that Rex wasn’t the one to pull the trigger.  It would have felt too out of character for him.  …I am glad that Krell is dead though.  It felt oddly fitting that the clone who had been the one supporting Krell was the one who killed him.

I was really not expecting to get so emotional from this episode.

Kidnapped
Pro Tip: Anytime an invading enemy comes to your planet and offers to protect you, HE IS LYING.  The marching battle droids probably gave that away though.  Another good sign is a hairstyle like the bad-guy-of-the-week has.  What good guys do you know have

I know that a post or two ago that I said I was glad to see Anakin and Obi-Wan in their Jedi robes again but I’m over it now.  Can we have them in their half armor in battle situations again?  That felt nice and logical.

One of the best things about Obi-Wan Kenobi is now tongue in cheek his nickname of The Negotiator is.  True, he does certainly appreciate diplomacy and make every effort towards it but he’s also not naïve.  His tone alone when entering a situation should give that away.

I also love how strongly Anakin feels about slavers in this episode.  It’s probably a given that he does hate them but I love when its followed through with.

I’ll admit it: the previous episodes wiped me out.  I don’t have much else to say about this one that I haven’t already.  Well except for the usual about being glad to see Anakin and Ahsoka actually working together for once.  I do, however, look forward to Ahsoka’s inevitable quest to save her people since they disappeared.

And that’s it for another batch!  Tune in TWO WEEKS from now when I watch more of Season Four.  That’s right folks: two weeks.  I’ll be at a convention this weekend so no Hondo for you next week.  Tragic, I know.  Anyways!  As always, you can follow my progress on Twitter @chaosbria or the hashtag #HondoCaravan.