Where used to be Ahsoka Tano born? What drove Count Dooku to the Dark Side? What came about to Yaddle, the one Jedi Council member to percentage a homeworld with Yoda? Where did Ahsoka cross after Order 66? The newest animated Star Wars effort, Tales of the Jedi, hinges on whether or not or now not you’ve requested any of those questions or expressed far flung pastime of their solutions. While those 15-minute shorts received’t somewhat fulfilled, they do make the watch for higher Star Wars content material reasonably extra bearable.
Tales of the Jedi
Tales of the Jedi adopts the anthological construction of The Clone Wars, however, it doesn’t contact the extent of substance that made that sequence so excellent. There isn’t sufficient energy or weight in those tales to elicit a reaction more than, “Oh, cool. So that’s how that happened.” It isn’t the shortened duration that works in opposition to it. It’s the place and the way the display expands its power.
Tales of the Jedi would possibly not quantity to a lot more than a selection of truncated backstories, however, there’s sufficient gap-filling to intrigue and fulfill extra discerning enthusiasts. Characters maximum people had forgotten about, equivalent to Yaddle, reappear briefly however once in a while significant techniques. Image Source: Disney
The sequence splits its focal point into two techniques. The first see Ahsoka Tano’s start and next upbringing in the Jedi Temple, culminating in a string of post-Order 66 adventures that enrich that devastating Clone Wars finale. Matt Lanter and James Arnold Taylor in brief reprise their respective voice roles as Anakin and Obi-Wan, however, they do little to lift the fabric. They are little greater than dietary supplements, acquainted faces who serve as free tethers to awesome Star Wars tales.
Surprisingly, Ahsoka herself is nearly as dull right here. There are different, higher coaching arcs scattered during The Clone Wars, so observing her move Jedi trials isn’t just about as entertaining or revelatory as the writers meant. Even seeing an older, wiser, and sadder Ahsoka doesn’t pack the punch it must. Again, no matter what this sequence does or makes an attempt to do, it used to be executed higher in earlier presentations. Showrunner Dave Filoni doesn’t stroll again components of her personality, however, he doesn’t improve them in noteworthy techniques,
All of this is to mention that those episodes as a collection are superb, however, they’re infrequently worthy of the similar reward heaped upon Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars. Ahsoka’s start and early life have by no means been in particular related to who she grows as much as be, so a maximum of this seems like filler. The absolute best Ahsoka content material stays (and most likely will stay) the overall season of Clone Wars, and not anything in Tales of the Jedi adjustments or enriches that.
The extra compelling batch of episodes worries themselves with Count Dooku’s transition from respected Jedi to chilly Sith Lord. A wholesome quantity of this enchantment lies in Kevin Kiner’s rousing ranking, which is as resonant and provoking as ever. Played in opposition to Dooku’s pivot to evil is a haunting theme swelling in tandem along with his inside turmoil, pumping sun shades of grey right into a black middle and including measurement to a well-liked personality.
An oft-teased –however hardly explored– dynamic will get some consideration right here, which will have to pleasure Mace Windu enthusiasts (and Dooku enthusiasts, after all!). The fan-favorite Jedi Master will get an excellent quantity of display time with Dooku, and it’s thru their stories and interactions that we see the latter start to flip. Honestly, growing extra of this courting would’ve long passed far in conserving my engaged.
These bits are inherently extra fascinating than the rest the display delivers, essentially as a result of we see sides of his personality that the prequels –or even The Clone Wars– didn’t display us. Dooku is likely one of the largest warriors in Star Wars lore; his talents as a duelist are unrivaled, and his Force talents are similarly spectacular. Until now, even though, he used to be most commonly one-dimensional, a large unhealthy round whom different characters had been compelled to develop. Tales of the Jedi is sensible to modify this.
But rather than some welcome Dooku building and a handful of amusing lightsaber duels, Tales of the Jedi most likely received’t stick to enthusiasts for long after the credit roll on those brief (and most commonly candy) Clone Wars dietary supplements. The Ahsoka stuff is forgettable at absolute best, and Dooku’s descent isn’t sufficient to warrant a couple of or two watches. None of it sticks, and it’s difficult to take this display as the rest greater than a teaser for the extra memorable content material. But hiya, for those who’ve been given two hours to kill and wish to lend a hand getting within the temper for a Clone Wars rewatch, then this may occasionally do the trick.
