Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Disney +
Season 7, Episode 2 “A Distant Echo”
Now that everyone’s acclimated to ‘The Clone Wars’ being back again, the series dives right into what it does best: highlighting some of the best concepts of the prequel era and executing them to their fullest potential. While the premiere last week focused on the clones and served as sort of a soft reintroduction to the series, this week’s episode ‘A Distant Echo’ wastes no time in taking viewers back to the familiar faces they’ve been waiting to see.
While ‘The Bad Batch’ had a tantalizing cliffhanger, ‘A Distant Echo’ instead opens with beautiful and emotional scene between Anakin and Padme, with a very familiar theme playing. The romance between Anakin and Padme has never been done better than it has here, and is sure to remind viewers that much more of the impending tragedy to come. And of course, an amusing Obi-Wan cameo brings back the comedic dynamic between him and Anakin, while giving us a rare taste of his dynamic with Rex.
The episode’s pacing is a bit weaker than the premiere, with a lull in the middle, but the opening and final few minutes are fantastic. The story is more front-and-center this week, and the dialogue is almost constantly focused on Rex’s state of mind as as he, Anakin, and the Bad Batch search for what Rex believes must be Echo. Another shocking reveal at the end of the episode keeps up the building anticipation for where this arc is going, and while it may not be the most necessary arc to have included with this last season, it certainly is entertaining.
I would be remiss to not mention what I kept focusing on throughout the episode: Anakin’s hair! The model moves with life almost always, and his flowing hair is a stark contrast to the solid, block-y hair of seasons past. And with Anakin’s presence, the action is on another level thanks to the addition of a Jedi. The cinematography is somehow even better this week, and it shines during multiple action sequences, but especially the closer. Zoom-ins and panning shots during one-takes make the action feel thrilling and kinetic, and viewers will feel like they’re right in the center of it all.
I was just ecstatic to see the prequel trio back, and the action has been a visual treat unlike any other. The second episode of the final season dials it up another notch, so I can’t wait to see what next week’s episode has in store.