In the final installment of this three episode arc, the Republic has got the Malevolence and General Grievous cornered.  The ship is burning and without hyperdrive but it’s enormous size means the Republic attack cruisers have no choice but to hammer away at it until it’s a floating mass of slag.

Unfortunately, Darth Sidious/Chancellor Palpetine has set up an escape plan for Grievous.  He tells Senator Amidalla there’s a negotiation going on and she rushes to help.  She emerges from hyperspace right in front of the burning ship which has enough power to fire up its tractor beam and pull her aboard.  The Republic ships cease fire and Generals Skywalker and Kenobi take the Twilight over to rescue her.  What ensues is a cat and mouse game between the Jedi, Grievous, Threepio and the battle droids.  If you’ve seen Monsters Inc. and remember the end scene with all the doors, you’ll know what this bit is like.  The good guys get away but not before Anakin rewires the nav computer to jump the ship into a nearby moon.  Grievous, who is in pursuit of the Twilight, flees the scene much to Count Dooku’s furrowed-browed dismay.

You know, for Jedi, these people don’t plan very well.  I understand its war and all, but from a culture and group that has such teachings as, “A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack,” they tend to rush into things, lightsabers ablaze.  I also seem to remember someone saying, “I’m only here to protect you, I cannot fight this war for you.”

Let’s face it, this show will never live up to the dreams of jaded and elder fans.  It’s thin and aimless and doesn’t seem to have any gravitas.  I keep thinking it’s the format, but shows like Justice League and Batman: the Animated Series were the kings of dramatic thirty minute cartoons.  There’s no reason Clone Wars couldn’t do the same thing.  I don’t think you’d alienate kids too much by taking out a bit of cute and adding a bit of smart.  Anakin can’t be rushing into everything and dangit, stop making Ahsoka so girly.  I saw her wield a lightsaber in the movie and nothing since.  Yes she’s still a girl, but if she keeps doing nothing but making cute noises and whining to her Jedi Master, she’ll never learn anything.

Thankfully next week we see more of the clones and I like those episodes.  But this one gets only three green lightsabers, mainly because of the turbo laser barrage.