Shadow Warrior Review

While lacking any truly climatic battles this episode also wasn't overbearing on the politics either. In all, a good compromise for both.

Jar-Jar has been toned down lately and his role in this episode wasn't as exaggerated as it was in, say, "Bombad Jedi" and "Gungan General". The plot was very dark and Jar-Jar's comic relief was used sparingly.

This episode was, I thought, full of references and motifs to "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones", but more of the former. And the Gungans' fight with Grievous was well done, and the rain added a nice foreboding feel to the conflict. Tarpal's sacrifice in the ensuing fight only added more weight to the episode.

The prisoner trade off of Grievous and Anakin, while not completely defying established canon, came very close to doing so.   

I though Rish Loo's role was cliche, being the manipulating adviser and all, and like all minor minions under the Sith met his end at Dooku's blade. The fact that Jar-Jar, a klutz, had to fill in for his people's Boss leader spelled an interesting story from the start.

As for the animation, the smoking orbs in Rish's office added a very sinister effect to the room and the same can be said for the hovering lamps in the adviser's secret lab.  The final fight between Anakin and Dooku seemed to hark back to their duel in "Attack of the Clones" where Anakin lost his arm to the Sith. And Dooku's remark; "The Sith control everything. You just don't know it." mirrored his conversation with Obi-Wan back in Episode II.

In all it was a good episode. As I said before it felt like "The Phantom Menace". Hopefully later in this Season there will be an episode, or series of episodes, with a more "Revenge of the Sith" feel.