Episode: The Clone Wars 3.04 – “Sphere of Influence”
Original Air Date: October 1, 2010
Screencaps from The Clone Wars Screencap Gallery.
Han shot first. There, I said it.
This week’s episode sees the first appearance of the not-so-quick-draw Greedo as he’s hired to kidnap the new Chairman of Pantora’s daughters. The masterminds behind this plot are Nute Gunray and Count Dooku, hoping to use the kidnapping and a blockade of the planet to force Pantora to join the Separatists.
Since the Jedi cannot get involved officially in the search, Anakin won’t go search for the daughters himself, but gives Ahsoka permission to go with Senator Chuchi to the Separatist ship. Meanwhile, Chairman Papanoida and his son choose to track down Greedo on Tatooine.
Each pair’s mission helps to save the day. For Ahsoka and Chuchi, diplomacy and manipulation win as they make Gunray realize being caught with a hostage won’t make him look good with the Senate. Papanoida and his son prove to be just as cunning as our doomed Rodian friend, forcing him to take them to the other daughter’s hiding place.
This episode is rife with film references. Other than Greedo, Papanoida previously appeared in Revenge of the Sith played by none other than George Lucas himself. His daughter Katie also appeared in the film as Papanoida’s daughter Chi, and the character is back in this episode too. The Mos Eisley Cantina makes an appearance as well as the spot where the kidnappers are holding the younger daughter.
I like Papanoida better than previous Chairman Chi Cho, the idiot whose arrogance and prejudice got him killed in “Trespass” from Season 1. Just as take-charge as Chi Cho, Papanoida shows he has more guile and brains than his predecessor. Greedo is the same sniveling lackey that he was in A New Hope.
It was a good episode, but the pacing was rather fast. I also find it hard to believe the Senate continues to accept the Trade Federation’s lie that they aren’t part of the Separatists and Gunray is just some rogue Neimoidian. It’s just a little too convenient that every Federation blockade is supported by the droids. Other than that, there’s a good amount of action and you get to see Ahsoka’s first attempt at a Jedi mind trick. Another fine addition to the new season.
Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
About the Author
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has this to say about John Rabon:
John got started on the path to geekdom thanks to his brother's collection of comic books and Star Wars toys but was cemented into the geek class forever when LeVar Burton took Reading Rainbow viewers on a backstage tour of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A love of Monty Python soon followed, and it wasn't long before he was starting to collect his own comics. The rest, as they say, is history. But really, who are they to say something?
Since discovering the BBC some years ago, John has become an obsessive Anglophile. In fact, he even likes the food they serve over there! As such, some of his favourite programmes include: Doctor Who, Primeval, Coupling, QI, The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd, and Shaun the Sheep.
Upon choosing a university, John enrolled in the University of South Carolina, which was nice enough to give him a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master's in Teaching. Feeling that he hadn't been put through enough academic torment with student teaching, John decided to enroll in law school at Campbell University.
Hobbies, when he can find time for them, include: writing, video games, reading, and wasting time in the pub.