#the mandalore plot

[fellthemarvelous]

Obi-Wan and Satine sassing each other while she tries to save his life is one of the reasons I love them so much.

[duchess-of-mandalore]

Happy 13th anniversary to Obi-Wan not being able to stop holding the Duchess of Mandalore’s hand.

[spacemagicandlaserswords]

The Clone Wars 2x12 ‘The Mandalore Plot’ Reaction

I love Satine. She is AMAZING. She is so fierce, takes absolutely no nonsense, stands up for what she believes in, is exceptionally competent and skilled in her areas of speciality (diplomacy etc), calls out Obi-Wan on his philosophical jedi bullshit and saves his life as well. And the sass. The Sass. It is off the charts. They spend the entire time flirting under the pretence of verbal jousting, sassing back and forth at each other. I love it. I love them. I spent so much of this episode just CACKLING.

Satine and Obi-Wan are perfect together. They compliment each other so well. They’re one of those couples that are just meant for each other. They’re soul mates (if this was a Soul Mates AU). Yes I know what happens shhh just let me enjoy this 

I know I go on about Space Husband Cody all the time but Obi-Wan and Satine are just so good together. Obi-Wan can have a Space Royalty Wife and a Space Warrior Husband, as a treat. Or they could all just get together as a throuple. Actually, Satine, Cody and Obi-Wan as a throuple sounds most excellent. Ultimate power throuple right there. 

Anyway, onwards to the live-blogging style portion of this reaction post.

-

Ahahahaha Obi-Wan is pure sass already

Oooh that’s a pretty building. Not particularly tactically secure though seeing as its walls and ceiling are made of glass. Though that makes sense as a pacifist statement I suppose.

Jango Fett was a common bounty hunter? Excuse?!

“Well, Master Kenobi, my shining jedi knight, to the rescue once again.” OMGILOVEHERALREADY

What were those strange shimmering noises?

“After all these years you’re even more beautiful than ever.” Obi-Wan you are NOT subtle

“Kind words from a man who accuses me of treachery.” CACKLING

“No Mandalorian would engage in such violence.” That sounds exceptionally counterintuitive, even if this is a long time before The Mandalorian series.

Did she just ask him out on a date after a verbal joust?!

Those strange shimmering noises appeared again. Also, the ominous music is about as unsubtle as Obi-Wan’s flirting. I think, just maybe, that they might be trying to tell us that *gasp* something sinister is going on here!

There seems to be quite a few lingering shots on the Prime Minister. Does he do something nefarious later down the line?

Naw they’re on a date! 

The little pauses in “It’s so good to see you again Obi-Wan” aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Death Watch. That’s a subtle name.

“Small group of hooligans.” Well that’s going to come back and bite you now isn’t.

“Most distasteful.” Dooku doing the absolute most to chew all of the scenery on this holocall.

First philosophy lesson of the episode. Satine has a damn good point and she’s not letting Obi-Wan get away with any noble jedi bullshit.

Naw he was so worried about her. 

Obi-Wan just deciding what to do for Satine’s safety. I get that it’s probably a good idea but also side eyeing. 

Ok that was not something I’d ever expect them to show in a “kids tv show”, that was rough and intense. 

Is this the first time we hear the Mando’a language spoken?

There’s a lot of religious iconography going on in this episode. The building that Obi-Wan meets the Prime Minister and Duchess Satine in, which looks like a church interior. That hand reaching towards the light.

You two are great and all but why are you sassing each other over the very recently dead dude who is right there?!

“That’s why I’m still talking to you.” SAVAGE 

Ahahahahaha Obi-Wan’s little impressed expression CACKLING

Mining is bad kids

Oooh, a Vizla. Is this Paz’s dad?

“Please try not to cause problems where none yet exist” THE SASS

Omg I love these two. They’re perfect.

That pause before Satine said “meditate” XD

Obi-Wan that snooping around is about as subtle as your flirting

I’m loving the music in this episode. It’s been consistently excellent throughout TCW but this episode especially it is really heightening and adding to everything.

This entire scene of Satine trying to subtly communicate with Obi-Wan without alerting Vizla is peak ridiculous campy TCW comedy

“I’m in a bit of an awkward spot” Obi-Wan does like using that phrase when the situation is much worse than he’s letting on. He did the same thing in 2x9 ‘Grievous Intrigue’ when he asked Anakin to pick them up from a ship that was in the middle of exploding in space.

Why did one of the Mandalorians have an OTT south London gangster accent? 

What are those? Random demonstration space pumpkins to emphasise the squishing Obi-Wan is about to receive?

“This is not good.” ya don’t say

Ahahahaha at the line about the loud metallic clanging sound and the machine about to smash him into bits.

I am CACKLING at their sassing of each other. Obi-Wan is metres away from being pureed and they’re still bantering.

This is definitely me reading far too much into things but that look of relief on Obi-Wan’s face looked suspiciously like an orgasm face. Apt seeing as this is the episode where he reconnects with his old flame.

“Unseemly pleasure” hmmm indeed.

That’s where you’re supposed to kiss dammit.

Again with the random south London gangster accent for the Mandalorian “hooligans”?

“We’ll have to stand and fight. Or in your case, just stand.” OBI-WAN YOU DID NOT

For such an apparently uncivilised weapon, Obi-Wan seems suspiciously good at shooting blasters.

The rock! Satine!

Lol the Death Watch leader just flicked his little cape away from in front of his arm and then the next shot we see of him it’s right back where it was. 

Guv’na? Why the random bri’ish accents?

Lol of course Vizla was the baddie and leader of Death Watch.

Nyoom! Wiz! Zing! Random sci-fi noises!

Obi-Wan why are you dodging missiles with dance moves?! What is this ridiculousness? Also, CACKLING

Satine! There are missiles coming, time to go!

Lol of course he fell on top of her but in this case I don’t care and I will take that trope and run with it! 

“Mine was the more daring of the two rescues.” SNORTS

 Lol at Rex, Cody, Anakin and the clones just randomly turning up at the end of the episode.

[thefirstpancake]

I'm watching Clone Wars, and the fact that they gave Obi-Wan a love interest named Satine, like Ewan McGregor's love interest in Moulin Rouge...my brain has short-circuited.

[reyturnofbensolo]

Kenobi comin on a little strong here huh?!😆

[the-far-bright-center]

TOO MEAN? Are people serious??? It was Satine absolutely roasting the hell out of him ('collection of half-truths and hyperbole'!!!) that *made* me ship them. I was like finally someone with the guts to call him on his BS! 😅

I’ve seen people hate on Satine for being too mean to Obi Wan and looking back on my own initial reaction to her when I first watched tcw, I’m sort of amused- though not exactly surprised- since personally I remember being kind of shocked by Obi Wan’s behaviour, thinking hey man why are you being so rude to this lady, that’s not very diplomatic, that’s not very chivalry. He went pretty hard on his insults! Her pacifism is clearly very important to her and he’s over there going “or in your case, stand, lol” and called her delusional at one point. Ruthless. But hey, if Satine is into that she’s into that, I don’t have a problem with it, some people like fiery debates in their flirting. Obi Wan can be a bit of a bitch some times, he is with Anakin and Qui Gon too. I guess I expected him to be more professional there, but I supposed it indicates their familiarity and lack of artifice.

[refreshdaemon]

The anticipated dive into the planet of origin of the Fetts offers some intriguing hints of character and setting history, but distracting logic hole after logic hole undermines the experience.

[thegreenlizard]

Obi-Wan, in his Mandalorian disguise, runs into Tor Vizsla, defeats him, accidentally not accidentally kills him a little, and runs with the Darksaber, Death Watch hot on his heels. When he’s managed to lose the pursuit, he comms Jango (I don’t know how, a galactic phonebook?).

Obi-Wan: Fight me.

Jango: What.

Obi-Wan: Fight me. I’ll pay you.

Jango: … Why.

Obi-Wan: I need you to take the Darksaber off of my hands and get the Death Watch off of my tail.

Jango: …

Jango: What happened to Vizsla?

Obi-Wan: I might have accidentally killed him. A little bit. Um.

Jango: Okay. Sure. Whatever.

Later:

Obi-Wan’s Mandalorian alias: Dies heroically in single combat against Jango Fett.

Jango, to Death Watch: Anyone else? No? Now can we sort out this mess or what?

Obi-Wan: I have politically informed suggestions! With footnotes and economic analyses! Uh, if you want them I guess?

Jango, sighing: Why the hell not.

Even later:

Obi-Wan, sighing dreamily at Jango: He’s so much handsomer than Satine! And his arguments are better! And his solutions are realistic!! Too bad he’s never going to ask me to stay.

Jango, having a politics-related headache: Obi-Wan! You got me into this kriffing mess! You’re not going anywhere before you’ve helped me fix it, or so help me Stars.

Much, much later:

Jango, angrily: Obi-Wan! This is your mess, you sort it out!

Obi-Wan: Darling, this mess started way after you became the Mand’alor. Technically, it’s your mess.

Jango, sulkily: … I don’t care. As long as I have political messes for you to sort out, you’re going to stay.

Obi-Wan: I do love your messes.

[corellianhounds]

“You have done the highest honor of the Creed: Saving a foundling.”

I take umbrage with this statement in the larger context of the show this season because Mando still has yet to have what I think is a pretty significant conversation with the Armorer concerning why he removed his helmet in the first place since that ⬆�� was precisely why he did it

This season has largely brushed past one of Din’s biggest internal conflicts by never showing the audience how he feels as an exiled member beyond him asking how he can atone, not discussing with the Armorer why the transgression was done or in what context— which they apparently didn’t have to address because hey, look, the kid’s back with him again, oh also we’re not going to talk about that despite the Armorer telling him to take the kid back to his own kind in season 1— making it barely an inconvenience to ‘redeem’ himself in the end anyway, and by overshadowing his ritual redemption by knocking him out when he goes into the waters and having him sink to the bottom, having to be saved by Bo-Katan (when we still don’t know why she saved him at all), AND by having his return to the covert and Armorer be overshadowed by Bo-Katan’s out of place induction into the covert.

If they want to credit Bo-Katan with ‘saving’ the Mando kid because she headed up the hunting party even though Din was the one to actually grab the kid in the end, fine, whatever, but it is also the most overt way to again show that everything of value that Din has done this season has still been pushed to the side in favor of showcasing Bo-Katan

Unless they’re leading up to Din having some ego issue regarding Bo-Katan’s popularity and place within the covert because of how much he’s being shoved aside (which is entirely out of character for him), I’m not sure why they aren’t making him and his character more of the focus of the season. We’re not getting anything from him regarding his feelings or direction in terms of the bigger picture, which is why all of the episodes feel like filler— They’re achieving plot points like a checklist instead of showing us how Din feels about anything by not tying the emotional stakes to the physical ones. There’s no tension or narrative weight to any of these actions. His dialogue regarding the Creed, his redemption, and teaching and bonding with the kid (his character’s two main focuses) has been factual and exposition-y without feeling like his story is being told.

[stairset]

The Ahsoka show might be great. It might suck. It might just be mid. Either way I’m glad Rebels is gonna be essential viewing (I mean more than it already is) and the normies will no longer have any excuse to blatantly ignore it just cause they assume it’s Too Kiddy because of the art style. I had to deal with people saying Solo was the first time the Imperial March was established as the Empire’s in-universe national anthem. I had to deal with people saying Fallen Order was the first time a Jedi knighting ceremony was shown in canon. I had to deal with people watching Clone Wars season 7 and thinking Ursa was the Armorer cause they didn’t take five seconds to read the end credits. I had to deal with people who didn’t watch Clone Wars OR Rebels talking about Mandalore stuff and thinking they know more than me cause they skimmed a Wookieepedia article. I had to deal with people saying the Obi-Wan show should’ve been about Maul hunting down Obi-Wan as if it wasn’t a story that had already been told 5 years prior. No more. At long last I shall be free.

[florafaunaandeldritchhorrors]

one weird thing about the Children of the Watch is that the narrative seems to think they’re more extreme than Death Watch (I think because they’re way more religious????) but in actuality they’re the faction most chill about the Mandalorian imperative to seek conflict outside of the New Mandalorians. like, being warriors is a huge part of their culture, but they don’t seem inclined to start a war to prove it, which makes them less extreme than Death Watch in my book. 

10/10, would build a time machine to send the Armorer back to challenge Shae and Heta Kol

[fellthemarvelous]

Pre Vizsla, leader of the Death Watch (aka Make Mandalore Great Again), telling Satine Kryze to take it as a compliment that someone really powerful is trying to commit acts of violence against her is just so...typical. Powerful man threatened by powerful woman believes she should consider it flattering that someone wants to end her life.

[fangeek-girl]

Mandalore is the Star Wars version of Minecraft

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

[merrysithmas]

gotta LOVE how bo katan "needed" the darksaber then got it as a plot device for the 3rd time, then lost it AGAIN, and it BROKE lmfao so now she has nothing

and theyre obviously going to give it's kyber crystal to din and/or Grogu (prob din first then Grogu will inherit it) to form some New iconic weapon. kings.

and all of this basically says that despite rerouting the entire season for her BS storyline Bo Katan is Still Unimportant Enough Narratively that She Should Not Have A Powerful Iconic Symbolic Star Wars Weapon and will most definitely be a scribbled footnote character death at some point that will be used to progress someone more important's story (Grogu)

and i gotta say at least that is satisfying

[coolunspokenforname]

I noticed something really interesting when watching season 2 episode 7, and I really want to let out all my thoughts. Before Mayfeld starts talking about how rules change when you're desperate, he's talking about how who rules the galaxy doesn't matter to those on outer planets. Something that really stuck out to me was when he said something along the lines of "you think differently, whether you're born on Mandalore or Alderaan, but both don't exist anymore."

And, like, you'd assume that what he's saying is to get under Din's skin and, yeah, that's definitely what he's trying to do, since the comments about his helmet came right after. Then I remembered, Din wasn't born on Mandalore, and I feel like that'd be an interesting thing for season 3 to explore. Din is a mandalorian, yes, and now he's the king of Mandalore, but he's also a child of the watch, and a foundling. I want all these facts to intertwine the story of season 3, and to explore what it means to be mandalorian. Maybe we meet some clones and see their own connections to Mandalore, or meet other groups of mandalorians, all following a different 'way'. At one point I'd love to see the planet where Din was born again, whether it had been destroyed or rebuilt. Season 3 could take a look into what defines the mandalorian culture, and could challenge the different characters ideas of what a mandalorian is, similar to "The Heiress" episode, but on a wider scale.

Sorry about the rambling, but Mayfeld's comment really got me thinking about identity and what makes a place 'home'

[jessicas-pi]

Here, have a totally random headcanon I just thought of:

Kyber crystals grow beneath the surface of the Living Waters.