Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode Review: “Shattered”

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Let’s dissect The Clone Wars Episode, “Shattered” (with Spoilers)! A 14-year-old’s perspective on Star Wars and how its connected to the entire saga.

The episode, ‘Shattered’, was everything we wanted to see, didn’t want to see, and things we didn’t even expect. It gave us Order 66; the answer to how Rex removed his inhibitor chip; and how Maul escaped to continue running his growing criminal syndicate, Crimson Dawn. 

Siege of Mandalore Part III – ‘Shattered’

As the episode begins, we hear traces of the clone trooper theme as Ahsoka arrives with the captured Maul. Bo-Katan hands Ahsoka her lightsabers, which were recovered after being dropped in her duel with Maul in the last episode. Saddened, Bo-Katan looks at the injured Mandalorian citizens in the distance, and wishes she was good at something other than war. Ahsoka says the people need a new kind of leader, but Bo-Katan says her sister tried that and she never understood her idealism. I think the message Filoni is trying to send in this scene is that Bo-Katan recognizes that Mandalore can’t endure continued warfare, but doesn’t know how to avoid it, because she’s definitely not her sister; Satine Kryze, the previous Duchess of Mandalore. Bo-Katan never identified much with Satine, because Satine was a pacifist, and Bo-Katan is a warrior at heart. Commander Rex interrupts, saying that the Jedi Council is waiting for her. 

The story cuts into a conversation between Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi-Mundi (this  discussion can also be seen in ‘Revenge of The Sith’). But here, the scene picks up, as Ahsoka walks in with Rex and Yoda commends her, saying she has done a great service to the Republic. Making it clear where he thinks she stands, Ahsoka replies, “I did my duty as a citizen.” Yoda seems somewhat surprised at this, and probing gently at her position, asks, “Not as a Jedi?” Ahsoka hesitates, probably still not coming to terms with the Council’s immediate mistrust of her when Barriss Offee framed her for the Jedi Temple Bombing investigation, as seen in Season 5. “No, not yet.” This astounded me. After everything she went through, Ahsoka is saying that someday, she might be willing to become a Padawan again. If Order 66 hadn’t happened, she might eventually have ended up in the Council herself. 

Ahsoka asks to talk to Anakin, but Windu says he just sent him to inform the Chancellor that Grievous has been sighted on Utapau. Ahsoka asks about Obi-Wan, and Yoda says he has engaged the enemy. Again, these mentions tell us exactly when the events of Season 7 are happening with the events of ‘Revenge of the Sith’. Piecing all this together, Ahsoka comments that the war may soon be over, which Windu says depends on the Chancellor. Ahsoka asks why, but Windu is forced to shut her out pretty coldly, saying “I’m sorry, citizen. These matters are for the Council to discuss.” Ouch! 

One by one, the holographic Council members but Yoda leave, which is profoundly sad, as this will be the last time Ahsoka will see any of them alive. Yoda asks if Ahsoka would like to leave a message for Anakin, but she says she’ll tell him herself when she sees him, which is even sadder. I’m speculating that Ahsoka was either considering talking to Anakin to say that he was like a brother to her, to thank him for always being there for her, or maybe even to say that she too had doubts in the Council, but that they had to trust them. Yoda dismisses himself, saying “May the Force Be With You, Padawan.” Not citizen, or Ahsoka, but Padawan. Yoda still believes that in her heart Ahsoka will never stop being a Jedi, regardless of the fact that she’s no longer in the Order. 

Rex then reminds Ahsoka that she didn’t tell them what Maul said about Anakin, which was that Anakin is the key to everything, to destroying the balance of the Force, not restoring it. “No,” she says, “I didn’t.” Literally just 4 minutes 45 seconds into the episode and everything is already so sad, emotional, and deep. I will admit I was almost crying by the end.

Bo-Katan, flanked by Mandalorian guards, and Ursa Wren, escort Maul in a coffin-looking box with an observation peephole, to Ahsoka. Bo-Katan explains to Ahsoka that the box, which is covered in abstract Mandalorian art, including a Mandalorian helmet inscribed on the midsection, is “A relic of a bygone era, when Mandalorians had reason to imprison you Force-wielding maniacs.” Ahsoka and Bo-Katan say goodbye, and the Republic shuttle doors close, and with it the last time we know of that Bo-Katan Kryze and Ahsoka Tano see each other.

The eerie music that’s been playing since the beginning of the episode continues, building suspense for what we all know is doom to come. The shuttle arrives on the Jedi cruiser, and Maul is escorted to the detention level. Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Rex arrive on the bridge and watch as the cruiser jumps into hyperspace. The two stare out at the streaking stars and have a heartfelt conversation reflecting on what has led to this moment. Rex puts a spin on it saying that if it weren’t for this war, the clones would never have existed. Ahsoka replies that, “Well, then perhaps some good has come from all of it. The Republic couldn’t have asked for better soldiers, nor I a better friend.” Wow. This is absolute magic!! 

Ahsoka salutes Rex, and Rex is summoned to the bridge communications chamber for the latest briefing. He invites Ahsoka to come, saying it might have an update on Obi-Wan’s efforts on Utapau, but Ahsoka turns him down, reassuring herself and him that it’s probably just more good news. We cut to Maul in his detention cell, still in his coffin. His eyes suddenly spring open. Both Maul and Ahsoka hear the haunting dialogue from ‘Revenge of The Sith’, in which Anakin slices off Windu’s hands, and her Master is dubbed – Darth Vader!

Then, the moment we all dreaded. The holographic face of Darth Sidious appears, and orders Rex to “Execute Order 66.” Rex tries so hard to resist his programming, and shakily drops his helmet to the floor. Another pair of troopers behind Ahsoka also receive the Order, and raise their blasters to fire at Ahsoka. 

She begs Rex to explain what’s happening. Rex resists his orders long enough to yell to Ahsoka, “Find Fives!” Plot twist alert! Then Rex opens fire at his Jedi friend. Ahsoka leaps and knocks him to the floor, then deflects dozens of laser fire from the clones. Finally, clouds of smoke surround her so much that the clones assume she’s dead, and hold their fire. Rex looks up and sees where Ahsoka deflected all the bolts; to the ceiling above her, creating a hole. 

Rex orders a pair of shocktroopers to execute Maul, then explains the directive of Order 66 to the remaining troopers, and says that any trooper that doesn’t comply will be executed for treason. Rex most likely ordered Maul to be executed because Maul had made it clear that everything he was doing was to overthrow his ex-Master, Sidious, who Rex and the entire Grand Army of the Republic now serve. The remaining troopers leave to organize Ahsoka search parties. Rex dons his helmet, which makes him seem colder than ever, and he’s no longer the clone we’ve known for over 10 years. I was so stunned. All I could think was Filoni, Filoni, Filoni!!!!!!

Ahsoka’s next move was to free Maul, who immediately says that he too has felt the disturbance; the chaos, the death. Ahsoka tells him that the clones turned against her, even Rex, and Maul says that she did the right thing by coming to him, and only together can they survive. Ahsoka explains she’s not there to team up, but he’s merely a diversion and orders him to, “go cause chaos.” Ahsoka then finds her old droid R7-A7, who was her flight partner earlier in the Clone Wars series, with some fellow astromech units. She asks the droid to find the report on clone CT-5555, who was killed after discovering the existence of the inhibitor chips in all clones which we saw in  Star Wars: The Clone Wars season six. 

She views the report, then Rex’s report where he states his theory that the inhibitor chips serve a purpose which is not yet known. Just then Rex walks by with a search party, R7 blocks his path, and activates a hologram recording of Ahsoka. “Rex. I think I know what’s happening. I saw your report on Fives. It isn’t your fault. You were programmed. Your mind was altered to do this when you were very young. I can help you.” Rex demanda to know where Ahsoka is. “I’m right here,” Rex spins around to confront her but R7 stuns him. Ahsoka lifts him on top of the droid convoy, which rolls him to a medical bay.

The medical droid, FX-7, which is the same type of model that later turns Anakin into Vader in the transformation chamber, but which is first seen in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, is unable to find the inhibitor chip in Rex’s head. Ahsoka puts her hand on Rex’s head, and uses the Force to become one with him, and both she and the unconscious Rex chant, “I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me,” which we first heard in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’. Rex’s chip was buried pretty deep, and was only found through the Force.

The FX-7 droid begins to remove the chip as Ahsoka holds off the clones breaking through the door. Suddenly, Rex rises, pistols in hand. Which way will this go? He blasts his clone brothers in order to save his friend. Rex is saved from Order 66! “I’m ok. Sorry for what happened earlier. I almost killed you.” Rex, emotional and equally sad, tells Ahsoka that the entire Grand Army of the Republic has been ordered to hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights.” Ahsoka looks over at the blast doors, her closest allies are making their way in to kill her.

ROLL CREDITS 

Wow. This is the saddest episode I’ve ever seen. The destruction of the Jedi Order has begun. 

What will happen in the season and series finale premiering on May the 4th? I am counting down the minutes, so until then May the 4th Be With You! 

Author Bio – Jonathan Marroquin

Hi, my name is Jonathan Marroquin and I am 14 years old. My first memory of Star Wars is seeing a VHS tape and my grandpa explaining that it was a sci-fi movie. I fell in love with it immediately. In the next few days, I watched Star Wars: A New Hope more times than I could count. I like to say Star Wars was my first love, and it’s stayed true to me ever since. A LEGO enthusiast and stop-motion animator, I enjoy writing fan fiction in the Star Wars and Harry Potter universes. I also design LEGO starships both Canonical and Star Wars-inspired in my spare time. May The Force Be With You, Always!

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