![The Clone Wars: The Umbara Arc [074-077/134] ✦ Watchalong Reaction & Review](https://img5.samsuka.com/storage/5/nb/pe/c6f9d9-019e7b8d-9efb-76b0-bd38-1a349ee8ac75.jpg)
The Clone Wars: The Umbara Arc [074-077/134] ✦ Watchalong Reaction & Review
Added 2022-08-25 05:54:10 +0000 UTCOkaaaaaaaaaaaaaay damn, I get it now. I think I understand how emotional this show can be and I know that more of this hard-hitting FEELS is ahead. What an arc! Easily a top one in this show so far. I feel like I am still recovering from what I watched. If you haven't watched one of my TCW reactions in a while, you won't want to miss this one!
Here are the episodes that make up The Umbara Arc that we are watching today in this watchalong:
Season 04, Episode 07: Darkness on Umbara
Season 04, Episode 08: The General
Season 04, Episode 09: Plan of Dissent
Season 04, Episode 10: Carnage of Krell
Let's chat about this arc in the comments! I'm so excited to see how you all feel about this one. I feel like this arc must be "top tier Clone Wars", right? [Direct link here.]
✦ KL
Comments
I watched The General episode again last night and man this episode just pops visually. Action packed and the main characters aren’t even in this one. Just love it so much
Absher
2023-06-18 19:24:47 +0000 UTCThanks for the comments, Alex! A super heavy, intense, and wonderful arc for sure!
kaiielle
2022-08-28 19:09:24 +0000 UTCHey, Kaiielle! CARNAGE OF KRELL: PONG KRELL has been the substitute teacher from Hell and the 501st have had enough! Krell orders that FIVES and JESSE be SUMMARILY EXECUTED without a court martial but a firing squad which includes KIX and TUP is unable to gun the two of them down after Fives reminds them angrily that they're men, not droids! Thwarted, Krell commits a wartime atrocity by stage-managing a FRIENDLY-FIRE MASSACRE! The DEATH of WAXER last seen in "Landing at Point Rain" (Season 2, Episode 5). His helmet bears the image of little NUMA from "Innocents of Ryloth" (Season 1, Episode 20). Waxer's distinctive facial hair was a soul patch. I really like the single tear he sheds as he dies. REX orchestrates a mutiny and its the greatest example of his fine leadership yet! The scene of Krell's attempted arrest mirrors the scene of Palpatine's attempted arrest in "Revenge of the Sith". The powerful Besalisk Master butchers the clones with his dual-bladed lightsabers until TUP bags the rogue General using the vicious VIXUS PLANT! Krell delivers a frighteningly accurate PROPHECY OF DOOM! DOGMA, the only loyal clone, executes the sadistic and twisted fallen Jedi! The darkest and most sobering arc to date in the series that leaves Rex questioning the point of the war. For all the talk of being independent-thinking men, this arc just brings the tragedy of Order 66 into sharp focus when you consider how the clones would have acted if given the choice. In LEGENDS, the role of Pong Krell fell to Weequay Master SORA BULQ briefly seen in the background of a situation room briefing in the animated show. He protests the war as a violation of Jedi principles initially creating a schism within the Order but eventually becomes Dooku's acolyte. The rise of Krell was foreshadowed by Mon Calamari Knight NAHDAR VEBB's aggression and callousness in "Lair of Grievous" (Season 1, Episode 10). This hearkens back to the conversation about the underlying theme of the entire series between Barriss Offee and Ahsoka Tano in "Brain Invaders" (Season 2, Episode 8) about the role of the Jedi. The war has compromised the Jedis' principles making them blind to the corrupted nature of those in their ranks like Krell while the same conditions seem to provide Palpatine clarity in that he positioned Krell where he could create chaos, sow discord and demoralize the Order.
Alex Vazquez
2022-08-28 12:22:06 +0000 UTCHey, Kaiielle! PLAN OF DISSENT: A trio of clones execute a successful stealth mission in direct opposition to the General's orders and Pong Krell will have his pound of flesh! REX demonstrates his leadership quality yet again by recognizing the merits of Fives' plan, by covering for the disobedient trio and by accepting responsibility on their behalf. Rex references what Anakin did against a LUCREHULK in "Phantom Menace" when noting the similarities between Fives' plan and Anakin's exploit. FIVES' attempt to mollify Krell's demands for an explanation of the disturbance in the hangar as Hardcase struggles with the starfighter's controls is an homage to the scene where Han tries to reassure the Imperial officer demanding to know the nature of the disturbance in the detention block in "A New Hope". FIVES, JESSE and HARDCASE punch through the atmosphere into a firestorm but manage to make it all the way to the control ship's reactor before a tactical droid drops a ray shield in their path! Loyal DOGMA almost spilled the beans! The DEATH of HARDCASE! FIVES and JESSE face a court martial where a guilty verdict means execution!
Alex Vazquez
2022-08-28 12:21:07 +0000 UTCHey, Kaiielle! THE GENERAL: The advanced heavy-duty Umbaran hardware turns General KRELL's reckless frontal assault into a meat-grinder! REX's excellent leadership had him make a boots-on-the-ground revision to Krell's strategy using it as cover for a stealthy infiltration to acquire air support. This arc is one of the few times the clones battle other living beings instead of droids. The Umbarans' armor and faceplate is modeled after that of the SARDAUKAR in Frank Herbert's "Dune". The VAPOR issuing from the cracked Umbaran helmets is a gas that boosts the troops' aggression and stamina! They're juiced like the Dominion's JEM'HADAR from "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". The vehicles the Umbarans use have a wild design resembling centipedes and scorpions! The return of KIX, the medic clone, last seen in "The Deserter" (Season 2, Episode 10). KIX: front-to-back solid stripe on helmet, lightning shaved into peach fuzz on scalp The clone standing by Krell who offers to assist the 501st but is ordered to stand down is Sergeant APPO who will later prevent Bail Organa from entering the Jedi Temple in "Revenge of the Sith".
Alex Vazquez
2022-08-28 12:20:21 +0000 UTCHey, Kaiielle! DARKNESS ON UMBARA: This is one of the finest arcs of the series and it's a clone-centric one! As this arc involves FIVES, this is the fourth DOMINO SQUAD story. REX's leadership quality really shines in this arc. Here he saves his men from an ambush by retreating against orders. The murder of pale and snide Umbaran Senator MEE DEECHI in "Senate Murders" (Season 2, Episode 15) precipitated Umbara's secession from the Republic. SLY MOORE, Palpatine's pale, bald female aide, was an Umbaran seen in live-action in "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" during the Chancellor's announcement of the clone army, his attendance at the opera and his Imperial declaration. The introduction of Besalisk Jedi Master PONG KRELL, a Jedi with a most unusual perspective. DEXTER JETTSTER, the diner owner who tipped Obi-Wan off about Kamino, was a BESALISK seen in live action in "Attack of the Clones". The return of FIVES last seen in the Citadel Trilogy of Season 3. The return of JESSE and HARDCASE last seen in "The Deserter" (Season 2, Episode 10). The return of ODDBALL last seen in the "Clone Wars" movie. The pilot who firebombs the ridge is seen in live-action in "Revenge of the Sith". The introduction of troopers TUP and DOGMA. HARDCASE saves FIVES from a man-eating VIXUS PLANT! Trooper armor, tattoo and hair differentiation: REX: two inverted 'V's on helmet, bald FIVES: semi-circle on helmet, '5' tattoo on right temple, goatee HARDCASE: front-to-back parallel stripes on helmet, double blue line tattoo on right temple, bald, heavy rotary cannon JESSE: Republic symbol on helmet, Republic tattoo on scalp and face, bald TUP: right teardrop on helmet, right teardrop tattoo, man-bun DOGMA: 'V' on helmet face, 'V' tattoo on face, widow's peak ODDBALL: in starfighter Blink and you'll miss Padawans AHSOKA TANO and BARRISS OFFEE engaged in the orbital battle over Umbara during the opening narration.
Alex Vazquez
2022-08-28 12:19:23 +0000 UTCGlad you enjoyed it and had fun. Yeah, that convo with Waxer got me hard cause I loved him so much in The Ryloth Trilogy arc. 😭 And thank you!
kaiielle
2022-08-26 05:38:40 +0000 UTCCarnage of Krell- alright, you got me, totally teared up when you did. Haha. Well that didn’t take long to cry again. Excellent arc, love that it’s a Clone arc. Skyguy and Snips are the stars of the show but this was such a great arc and proves you don’t need the main characters to enjoy SW. Also, I know I’ll shed so many more tears before Clone Wars wraps up. This is amazing to go through again. Thank you again for sharing your reactions and being vulnerable with us. 501’s for the win!
Absher
2022-08-26 05:37:29 +0000 UTCThe callback was nice.
kaiielle
2022-08-26 05:36:53 +0000 UTCDef not the last. 🤣
kaiielle
2022-08-26 05:36:38 +0000 UTCPlan of Decent- another good one. Love the space battle at the end and Rex’s callback to Anakin’s childhood in Phantom Menace when he destroyed the droid army control ship.
Absher
2022-08-26 04:57:47 +0000 UTCThe General- OMG fantastic! So last December I bought a really nice Sony 4K OLED TV for my birthday. This episode looked incredible on it. This is a perfect Clone Wars episode imo. Not my favorite mind you but everything you want out of Clone Wars. Love that is was Clone Trooper driven, no Jedi’s just Rex and co being amazing. This is Clone Wars. “Now this is pod racing”
Absher
2022-08-26 04:24:53 +0000 UTCDarkness on Umbara - can tell there was a step up in the animation. Closer to the later seasons. Might have been the first tear you shed in the show but I seriously doubt that’ll be the last.
Absher
2022-08-26 03:52:06 +0000 UTCI really liked Tup! I did not like Dogma at all, but maybe he'll come around to me if we see him again. Rex is still my favourite clone, but after him would be Fives, Waxer, Hardcase, Jesse, Kix, Tup, Appo (I'm not sure I even remember this clone), and then Dogma. Fives does give good speeches and he is very memorable.
kaiielle
2022-08-25 16:50:02 +0000 UTCThanks Sean! Yes, definitely a top tier arc, that's for sure! Super excited for more arc's like this.
kaiielle
2022-08-25 16:48:16 +0000 UTCThanks Guiguioh! Krell is such an awful Jedi, I don't even want to call him a Jedi!
kaiielle
2022-08-25 16:47:50 +0000 UTCIs it the dark side clouding their vision or is it their own decisions to stray from what the jedi are supposed to be? Maybe a little of both?
Andrew Sitek
2022-08-25 16:04:48 +0000 UTCOne thing of note I always find interesting is Krell's words on his vision. "A new power is rising, I've foreseen it, the Jedi are going to lose this war and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside." It's interesting how he is able to see into the future with the Force while the Jedi Council and other Jedi are having their vision clouded by the dark side and can't properly see that far or are able to use the Force in that way. And we know he's not wrong, we know how this all ends in Revenge of the Sith. Just really interesting In Episode 2, Attack of the Clones, Mace Windu says to Yoda, "Our ability to use the Force has diminished."
William. C
2022-08-25 11:57:35 +0000 UTCThat was a lot, and I actually had to type most of it twice because Patreon wipes it if you accidentally wipe off for a second.
Justin
2022-08-25 10:30:25 +0000 UTCPart 2: Pong Krell- HE WAS SOOOOOO COOL!!! 4 Arms! 2 Double Blaned Lightsabers, of DIFFERENT COLORS!!! And his voice was great, his design, and he has my favorite Lightsaber sound effect out of all lightsabers. He is actually a Species called the Bessalisk, the same one as Dexter Jetster from Attack of the Clones (the guy Obi-Wan visits in the Bar) not the same as Grievous. Story- And people used to call this a kids show, well it is but not really. FRIENDLY FIRE. Just wow, and what is funny is that you kept hoping to see Obi Wan but instead Krell sent Obi Wans troops to fight Anakin’s Clones. The Orange Clones were Kenobi’s battalion. Seeing the clones focused on so much was incredible! You said it well, it felt like a war movie. It was really interesting not fighting droids, like we have fought Native Species with Droids before, but here other than the Supply ship and the Umbaran Tazzer Bug Droid, we don’t fight any droids. One thing that I think is interesting is I’m pretty sure that the Umbarans can breath there own Planets air, the clones can. But they all had this green mist in their tanks and helmets. I’m pretty sure that they were huffing some war drugs in those suits. The Umbarans really had some crazy technology. Random details/thoughts- You probably have noticed that sometimes the lightsabers in this show have black blades with the colors around instead of the whole inner blade like normal. That is a weird Disney Plus thing that they just never fixed, everything looked correct back in the day. It is really upsetting to think about how the Clones are kinda Products, and Slaves. They were bread and sold to the Republic just like Battle Droids were built and sold to the CIS. De Bradly Baker is one of the best voice actors ever, he made each clone feel unique. It’s probably somewhat trained in me but I independently hear Fives, from Rex, from Hardcase, and so on for most of them. Ironically Jesse I kinda never really noticed as a kid, like for whatever reason he felt the most “normal” to me out of our Squad we followed. I just thought about how Krell probably Mindtricked that Clone into reporting that “Umbarans stole Clone Armor”. That is messed up. What was your favorite part of this ARC?
Justin
2022-08-25 10:29:14 +0000 UTCI have a lot to say. So I’m going to make Paragraphs. Part 1: New Named Clones- The only new clones are TUP and DOGMA. Tup is the clone with a Teardrop painted on his helmet, and a teardrop tattoo under his right eye. He also wears his hair in a Man Bun. Dogma shot Krell. Sergeant Appo is technically not new, he is in Revenge of the sith, with his name never being said and his armor was not unique. But in this ARC Appo has an Arrow on his helmet, and he was the Clone that just stood next to Krell on the ridge in the 2nd episode of the ARC. Oddball is also mentioned who is in Revenge of the Sith and earlier episodes of this I believe. Old Favorite Clones- RIP WAXER, you will very much be missed. He actually has a painting of Luma on his helmet, the Twi’lek girl that him and Boil met in season 1. If you go to 9:31 of the 4th episode you can see it. I LOVE HARDCASE!!!! HARDCASE, JESSE, and KIX (the medic) all were in the season 2 episode with Cut (the Deserter Clone on the farm, when Rex got shot). So it was nice to get them back but RIP HARDCASE😭. Fives is a pleasure as always, he is my second favorite clone ever. FIVES gave some damn good speeches, and I love that Anakin bragged about blowing up a Droid Control ship (Lucrahulk) is what it’s called. When Fives was awkwardly trying to fool Krell over the call, that was an A New Hope reference where Han Solo does the same thing when the are rescuing Liea. REX got a lot of development, he definitely is traumatized now. Well they all are but REX definitely had it a bit worse. All of the Clones felt really unique in this ARC, I loved it. What would your Clone Ranking be for this ARC? Between Rex, Fives, Hardcase, Tup, Kix, Jesse, Waxer, Dogma, and Appo, who’s your favorites best to least?
Justin
2022-08-25 10:27:30 +0000 UTCNow this, THIS is what I call a good arc, there’s so much character development from so many characters, I love it so much, not my absolute favourite arc, that’s at the end of the series, but my goodness this was an amazing arc, enjoyed your reaction as always KL! Can’t wait for the next one (:
Sean H
2022-08-25 09:36:47 +0000 UTCDon't have much to say, that was just fun re watching it with your reaction. This arc makes you care about the clones, it is rough losing some of the names you remember hearing previously. Krell is a great character, what an awful Jedi he became. Very dark for a kid friendly show but one of my favourite arc of the whole series. See you for the next one.
Guiguioh
2022-08-25 09:10:02 +0000 UTCHis character design is very cool, and that VOICE of his is wonderful. But gosh, is he an asshole. The frustration I felt was high and I just wanted to give Rex a hug.
kaiielle
2022-08-25 06:15:01 +0000 UTCIn my opinion, thats one of the best arcs of this show. I feel like the first two seasons of the show are mostly happy and reduce many battles to something like games. Umbara is different. The second battle of Geonosis was bad, but Umbara is way worse and I feel like you get thrown into this feeling right away. Aditionally we see the difference of a competent commander who leads from the front, like Anakin, Obi Wan, Ahsoka, or Plo and a commander who is just trying to get his troops killed as fast as possible like Krell. I'm still a bit upset he turned out to be an asshole, because I really liked his character design
Franz Greif
2022-08-25 06:09:19 +0000 UTC
