The Unknown (The Clone Wars - S06E01) - Animated Series

The truth about yourself is always the hardest to accept.

"The Unknown" mostly served as set up for the rest of this story arc but it was chock full of stunning battle sequences, some great characters moments, and addressed one of the biggest question marks in the Star Wars saga. I really have to bring how beautiful the animation was throughout this episode. From the little things like glass floating through space after the Republic shuttle was attacked to the massive battle sequences that the creative team behind the show couldn't have even dreamed of in season one. It's a testament to how much The Clone Wars has evolved over the years. In the heat of battle, Clone Trooper Tup walked up to Jedi Master Tiplar and executed her at point blank range. The Republic forces, led by Anakin and Tiplar’s sister Tiplee, were forced to retreat from Admiral Trench's forces. Speaking of Admiral Trench, how great was it to see him again? Trench was one of the more competent enemies our heroes faced off against and appeared to die in season two. I'm glad they decided to bring him back and his discussion with Dooku showed he's much more perceptive than an average separatist commander.

There have been questions surrounding Order 66 ever since it was first introduced in Revenge of Sith. Were the clones programmed or trained to execute their Jedi Generals at a moment’s notice? Who knew about it? Tup's execution of Jedi Master Tiplar provided some insight into both of those questions. It was clear Tup, who we first met in the Umbara arc from season four, had no control over his actions and Count Dooku knew about Order 66.  I thought it was interesting that Darth Sidious would inform Count Dooku about Order 66. I always thought that, concerning Order 66, Darth Sidious would only involve people who absolutely needed to know. As for Tup’s execution of Tiplar, I thought it was handled very well. Having a clone trooper prematurely execute Order 66 was a great way for The Clone Wars to deal with the mysteries surrounding Order 66 without actually depicting the event itself. One minor complaint I have is that Tup’s behavior after the execution was a little over top. Over the course of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, we’ve seen through characters like Rex, Fives, and even 99 that the Clone Troopers were heroes and individuals with very different personalities. I’m glad that Order 66 appears to be programmed and not trained. It makes the execution of Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith all the more tragic and believable.

When the shuttle carrying Tup back to Kamino for observation was attacked by the separatists (another stand out action sequence), Anakin, Captain Rex, and Fives went to investigate. The scene where they entered the shuttle filled with dead clone troopers just floating there was appropriately chilling. Tup was recovered thanks to some quick thinking by ARC Trooper Fives, who has been one of the strongest characters on the show since he was introduced in season one. Even though this episode was mostly set up for the rest of this story arc, between delving deeper into Order 66, the stunning visuals, and understated character moments this was a great start for what should be one of the most enlightening arcs of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

What Worked

• Visually Stunning
• Willingness to tackle the mysteries of Order 66
• The return of Admiral Trench
• Understated character moments

What Didn’t Work

• Tup’s reaction was a little over the top

External Links:

• StarWars.com Episode Guide
• Wookieepedia Episode Summary