Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Why “Shattered” Is A Perfect Episode
Star Wars: The Clone Wars fans consider ‘Shattered” one of their best episodes. It’s easy to see why. In the penultimate episode, Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein) is trying to survive The Jedi Purge. It has a nearly perfect IMDb score and is often featured in fan ranking pieces. It’s not surprising that it is so highly praised, with so many iconic moments – Order 66, hallway massacres, Mandalorians – There are many other things to be admired than these three.
‘Shattered’ shows three of the most memorable characters on the show, Ahsoka (Rex) and Maul (Maul), and how they react to Order 66 in a manner that is true to their characters. Ahsoka is kind and compassionate and doesn’t fault Rex for his actions. Rex proves his strength by fighting the Order, while Maul cares only about manipulating the situation in his favor. Star Wars and the brutality of Star Wars are on full display. The action is not afraid to show it.
The music amplifies the emotional punches and makes them even more powerful. ‘Shattered’ features Anakin’s Dark Deeds and Revenge of the Sith to emphasize the tragedy of Order 66 and Kevin Kiner’s new additions. There is no better time than now to see Obi-Wan Kenobi’s show.
This opening is the conclusion to the Mandalorian-focused storyline. It is far and away from the best in the series. The Clone Wars spans six seasons and focuses on the fragile political situation in Mandalore before bringing it down to its knees. Star Wars has always had politics as a component. It makes governments across the galaxy feel more natural. Ahsoka and Bo Katan-Kryze have a few words to each other, but that’s enough for the audience to understand how this conflict has deeply affected them. Maul’s revelations regarding Anakin now shatter Bo’s belief system in violence. Ahsoka has also been affected by Maul’s revelations.
The subsequent scene links’ Shattered” into Revenge of the Sith. This is a brilliant stroke of genius. This outside perspective clarifies that everyone who is watching knows what’s coming, and the creators use this knowledge to their advantage. The Jedi Council closing Ahsoka’s door highlights their rigidity and conveys the fall of the Jedi in one scene. The fall of the Jedi occurred long before Order 66.
The scene below uses the audience’s knowledge to launch it. Rex and the other main characters don’t know that Order 66 is imminent. Even the clones are unaware of the horrors they’re about to commit because of the introduction of an inhibitor chip. As Ahsoka bids farewell to Bo, the audience knows that the music shifts to a haunting and tense track. The Republic promises to withdraw its troops when the conflict ends but a garrison clone, and AT-TE walkers remain, breaking that promise. Palpatine’s transformation from the Republic into the Empire was not complicated — it had already begun.
Ahsoka is being flown to her cruiser without any conversations. This builds on the terrifying anticipation that everything will change on that cruiser. A startling close-up of a shock trooper transporting Maul into a cell is another visual sign that the Republic is lost. It’s a frightening prospect.
Ahsoka’s and Rex’s conversation about the war brings back their bonds. This conversation highlights two of the most outstanding achievements of the show. Rex, the main character of the clone, is the window into the individuality and creativity of all the clones. Ahsoka started as an overconfident, annoying character. Later seasons challenged that overconfidence and reduced her snippier aspects to make her one of the most beloved characters on the show. These two characters are very dear to the audience, and they’re about to lose their hearts.
Three of the most devastating words in the franchise are spoken: Execute order 66
They feel a profound sense of loss and tragedy over the next few minutes. Rex’s heartbreaking tears as he fires on his friend are accompanied by Anakin’s Dark Deeds, Order 66. Ahsoka must fight for her life. She almost loses it. Some clones have had Ahsoka’s face tattooed on their helmets out of loyalty to Ahsoka. This is a worrying aspect as the troopers now want to kill Ahsoka without second thoughts. Ahsoka’s hilarious sassy with Maul is funny. It subverts the boring “hero/villain team up to defeat a greater evil” and has additional consequences.
Maul’s hallway scene shows the Force in brutal detail. The camera doesn’t hide it. This is war, as the show continually emphasizes. Maul’s resurrection allows him to grow beyond being a pathetic villain in Episode 1. It also shows his desire for revenge and desperation for approval. He never let Kenobi or Palpatine leave his side. Because his arcs always end in someone being brutally killed, he helps the show grow beyond its childhood roots. The audience knows they’re in for a great time when Maul appears in an episode.
Ahsoka and the astromechs teaming up is very funny; their loud chirps would surely tell her apart. The show’s D-Squad arc is recited in this episode. It is weird, but Star Wars has always had a lot of silliness. Her escape was made possible by the droids, who helped her understand the manipulations behind Order 66. This reminds the audience of another terrible arc. Order 66 is Palpatine’s final act in The Clone Wars. The audience must remember the machinations behind it.
