Ryan Shoots First: The Clone Wars (S7 Ep10) “The Phantom Apprentice”
Fresh of last week’s fantastic episode we see Ahsoka and Maul face off on Mandalore.
This week starts with the awesome opening again and a very ominous score as we open directly where we left off last week with Ahsoka in the tunnels. I really hope when this is over Disney formats it into a seamless 2 hour film cause I will watch that over and over. Maul immediately disrespects Ahsoka by attempting to recall her name. Ahsoka uses this chance to tip off Rex to where she is. What this series and Rebels has done with Maul should be worthy of some sort of award. Maul seems to tip off Ahsoka that the time is near and soon Sideous will rule the galaxy. It’s not clear what he knows but he can sense what’s coming. Him and Ahsoka lock sabers but Maul says “Not yet” and escapes in the sewers. Ahsoka and Bo meet with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka tells him of Maul’s threat. Obi-Wan reveals what little the council knows about Sidious and tells them Dooku is dead as Anakin just killed him. Ahsoka asks for more troops but Ob-Wan cannot as he is heading after Grievous. Ahsoka asks if Anakin can come and Obi asks to speak with her alone. He tells Ahsoka about Anakin’s secret mission to spy on the chancellor and asks for her help to ease his mind about it. At this moment Obi-Wan admits the council is not always right. Just then Rex comes in to report an attack, Maul is on the move and appears to have taken an older clone alive.
Maul informs the clone he is part of the grand plan that used him and casted him aside. He tells Saxon to assassinate the counselor before he can talk and he then goes into the troopers mind to learn about Ahsoka. In the prison Ahsoka, Rex, and Bo interrogate the counselor. He tells them the last few weeks Maul has been tormented with a sense of dread and it was focused around Obi-Wan and Skywalker. Before he can reveal much more Saxon snipes him down and him and Bo have an epic battle in an elevator shaft. Maul tells his people to prepare for battle, he senses the shift in power coming and plans to seize what he can. Back at command center Bo, Rex and Ahsoka are discussing the occupation as they walk into the throne room. Maul is sitting on the throne, He returns the clone he took “in good faith”. Mauls men launch their attack and Ahsoka tells Bo to go help her people leaving only her and Maul. Maul knowing about Ahsoka’s abandonment of the order appeals to her distrust of the system. He tells her the Jedi cannot beat Sideous but together they can. He holds out his hand for her to join him. As she is contemplating the glass wall beside them blows open spreading ash and embers all around. Ahsoka tells Maul she will help him but he has to answer one question. What does he want with Anakin? Maul tells her he is the key to everything and will be his master’s new Apprentice. He did all of this to try to lure him there to kill him so Sideous couldn’t have his prize. Ahsoka tells him his vision is flawed and the two draw sabers. Their battle is intercut with the raging battle outside. Ahsoka stops to tell Maul he is lucky Anakin didn’t show up as he wouldn’t have lasted long. They take their battle outside amongst the larger war. The republic pushes back and forces the Mandos to retreat. Saxon radios Maul for help but he tells him none is coming and to die well. Before Maul can escape Ahsoka confronts him in the rafters of the dock. The two have a battle tightroping the girders and eventually Ahsoka loses her lightsabers as Maul slashes the support beam cutting off her escape. He gives her one last chance to join him but she refuses, she blocks his attack and sends him hurtling to the ground below. She stops him from falling however holding him in place with the force. Rex, who could see the battle front the ground, shows up and stuns and captures the suspended Maul. He is screaming to let him die and that it’s all over. As the episode ends Ahsoka looks up to where Maul’s escape shuttles once hovered.
Another great episode, I think I prefer last week for the Anakin, Ahsoka moments but this episode was action packed with some great dialogue from Maul. His character as the ruthless survivor who is calculating and truly lets no one into his whole plan is such a great turn from the naive line-less canon fodder he was in Episode 1. Filoni took that and played it into his character. He was supposed to be disposable but survived and now uses that rage to fuel him and his ambitions. It’s brilliant and meta on so many levels. Ahsoka as well again shows why she is a powerful, smart capable warrior. From her tactics, to her ability to know troopers by name, to her banter and wit in her battle with Maul. She’s one of the best characters in all of Star Wars and now that Maul is captured and she knows about the looming threat to Anakin, where does she go from here with only a few episodes left?