James Marsters.

Just a joke, if you don’t know it, you haven’t been listening to the show – shame on you.

But for real, James Marsters is in this episode of The Clone Wars.  I read a small interview with him earlier in the week and was taken aback at his insight into how sci-fi functions as a way of prodding at human nature with impunity.  He plays the character Argyus, a Senatorial Guard.  Other than the Jedi and a couple odd Senators, Argyus is the first non-Clone soldier seen in the show.  He’s a fairly arrogant but skilled soldier with a curious Trojan helmet with plume.

Olivia D’Abo lends her voice to mellifluously named  Jedi Master Luminara Unduli.  Just like the other masters, it’s sad to see all these colorful and diverse Jedi Knights and Masters, knowing that in a short time they’ll all be dead.

But that didn’t stop this episode from being one of the best so far.  Gone were the chatty battle droids and clumsy alien and in their place we were treated to roughly 20 minutes of lightsaber fights.  Nute Gunray (who by the way is voiced by Spongebob voice legend Tom Kenny) is being transferred to Republic HQ (presumably Coruscant) and Dooku sends his padewan Asajj Ventress to recover him.  Ahsoka and Luminara are sent to protect him during the transfer.   Ventress gains access to the ship during a boarding raid and wrecks havoc, wiping out dozens of clones, disabling the ship and eventually freeing Gunray.  However, she’s not alone.  Argyus, the Senatorial Guard, has been paid off by Count Dooku and betrays the clones and the Jedi by freeing Gunray and helping Ventress get him off the Republic cruiser.  Then Ventress kills Argyus.

It’s one of the most violent episodes yet and I loved it.  Well, ok.  Love is a strong word.  For what this show is, I enjoyed it a lot.  Even as Ahsoka was being confusingly naive and knowledgeable I found myself not caring that of all the Jedi in the war, she seems to have more knowledge of Ventress than anyone.  I’m sure they have to make her seem as though she’s learning, but she’s saved more than a few Masters thus far and I think it’s time for her to learn a few lessons.  She needs to be beaten, broken almost.  Perhaps a vision quest or being stranded on a desolate planet awaiting rescue.  Something needs to harden Ahsoka so she doesn’t appear as what she is now; a candy cane in a maelstrom.

Did I mention James Marsters was in it?

The only arguement I have against “Cloak of Darkness” is that once again the Jedi were outsmarted.  The Separatists, the droid army, the pairing of Dooku and Ventress, seem to always be one step ahead of the Republic and the Jedi.  In the end we know it’s a losing battle, before the war is over, Palpetine turns the clones against the Jedi and wipes them out.  However, to make us remember that moment and actually feel something, I think it would make more sense to really make these heroes brilliant and noble.  Of course then it’d be just a show about how many droids you can skewer with a lightsaber.

And I think I’d be ok with that.

The most enjoyable episode yet, definitely worth the four and a half green lightsabers.  Next week looks as good if not better as fan favorite Kit Fisto is drawn deep into the heart of General Grievous’s lair.