Episode 73 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is like an apology for the last six. In a bid to capture the Ghost Nebula, the Jedi set their sights on the shadowy planet Umbara, whose inhabitants have allied themselves with the Separatists. Before the invasion is launched, Obi-Wan outlines the plan: capture the capital as quickly as possible. Anakins unit, assisted by ARC trooper Fives, is to focus on eliminating the Umbaran militia. The Republic troops board their carrier ships and fly out into a dark sky filled with fog, illuminated only by ships lights and the explosions from the anti-air rounds being fired from the surface. The carriers are under too much fire to unload, so they drop only troops on AT-RT walkers before re-entering the skies. The landscape of Umbara is desolate and dark, with strange plants that glow red and a blanket of more fog. The opposing troops are actually pale, bald humans wearing headgear with a green, glowing visor. Suffering many casualties, the walkers manage to destroy the Umbaran artillery, which appear to fire balls of electricity that explode on impact.
The remaining Republic troops manage to land and push for a ridge in the distance, taking heavy losses in the process. Fives and Hardcase, a hyperactive clone with a mini-gun, trip over what they believe to be a vine. This vine turns out to be part of a massive creature called a Vixus, which is basically just a mouth attached to a bunch of tentacles. Fives manages to kill it by popping a grenade into its gaping mouth. Eventually, Anakins unit seizes the ridge and were briefly introduced to Dogma, an uptight and eager clone with what looks like a tribal V tattooed on his face.
The Umbarans manage to sneak up behind the Republic troops. Because living on a planet without sunlight as part of a race commonly referred to as the Shadow People will lead you to develop some really fucking weird and/or creepy technology, the Umbarans pull out what looks like that little belly button-burrowing bug from The Matrix. Several of these skitter into the trench the clones are camped out in and begin electrocuting people as the Umbarans open fire. Overwhelmed, Rex recommends to Anakin that they call in an airstrike, but evacuate the ridge because the fog might cause the airstrike to overshoot. Amid more deaths, Anakin and the clones manage to retreat as the airstrike does indeed overshoot. Following this, a Republic carrier lands at Anakins position. From it emerges General Pong Krell, a guy who looks a bit like a frog crossed with Goro from Mortal Kombat (he has four arms and a ponytail). Anakin has been called back to Coruscant, and Krell is here to take over in the meantime. Anakin introduces him to Rex and departs. Rex tells Krell that it will be an honor, and to immediately establish that hes an asshole, Krell brushes this off (I find it interesting that you are able to recognize the value of honor, as a clone) and orders Rex to stand at attention when being addressed. Krell gives a small speech about how his command is effective because he does things by the book before giving the order to move out.
While theyre marching, the clones engage some aggressive flying wildlife. One manages to snatch up a clone and Krell is forced to intervene, easily killing both animals as his four arms allow him to wield two double-bladed lightsabers simultaneously. Later, after 12 hours of marching, he denies Rexs request that the men be allowed to rest, addressing him as CT-7567. Eventually they near the capital, and Krell changes Anakins plan. Instead of launching multiple smaller attacks to maintain the element of surprise, he orders all of the troops to march along the main road for a forward assault. The clones trigger a series of landmines, which gains them the attention of the Umbarans, who attack from all sides. Overwhelmed, the clones retreat and eventually receive reinforcements from Krell, who occupies the very back. The Umbarans are pushed back, but Krell is livid as Rexs decision to retreat was against explicit orders to keep pushing forward at all costs. When Fives steps in to defend Rex, Krell draws his lightsaber. Rex explains that while it is his responsibility to follow Krells orders, he also has a responsibility to protect the lives of his men. Krell backs down and seems to gain a measure of respect for Rex, though its a little hard to escape the feeling that he did this because a horde of clones was glaring at him. Krell admits that he does not command like the others, but he insists that his methods have been proven effective before walking away. Then the Umbarans begin a counterattack.
I thought about giving this one an A. The scale and impact of the battles is fantastic; it's like those brief scenes in Water War stretched across the length of an episode. People die left and right as lasers and explosions fly all over the place, and it's awesome as hell. The Umbarans make for a very unique enemy, too, as they utilize a variety of creepy technology and mark the first army of enemy "humans" I can recall in the series. The planet, too, is very atmospheric. My issue is with Krell; it should probably be enough that he addresses the clones by their numbers and treats them like Pikmin, but the writing lays his asshole personality on really thick. It's not nearly bad enough to ruin what is a compelling concept, but it's a bit of a problem.
Grade: A-
