New information sends the clones on a dangerous mission.

All the disparate parts of the season come together in this episode and we get a sense of what might be in store for the clone army now it’s essentially been made redundant by the Empire.

Largely disparaged and scorned, the clones are gradually being disappeared and sent to ‘research’ facilities or prison where they’re being mistreated or experimented upon. It is what happens to people whose humanity is stripped away – the state and its institutions will always find a way to consume them and, unfortunately, a populace that allows other humans to be othered will (at best) normally look the other way while it happens.

Crosshair is on the sharp end this episode and while it would be tempting to say he’s getting what he deserved there’s a bigger part of me which sides with him – he wanted to live life on his terms and, mistakenly, assumed that he would be left alone if he did as he was asked.

In the end doing what he was asked, following orders, was no cover for anyone except his conscience. He was always a target for the Empire. His mistake was to assume those who were abusing and oppressing the people around him saw him as any different.

They did not.

And after his actions those who might come to his rescue do not believe they’re on the same side anymore. One of the successes of fascism (and populism at large) is that it divides and distracts its enemies by offering easy targets to blame. You could substitute Jedi and clones for migrants and trans people and the rest of the Empire’s arguments remain exactly as they’re written and for good reason.

It’s depressing as hell but also, when I watch this with my kids? They get it. They understand the parallels and that’s also hopeful.

Verdict: We head into the final two-parter on the back of a season that’s been extremely strong and super relevant. This might be Star Wars animation for young people but it packs a real political punch.

Rating? 7 interrogation droids out of 10.

Stewart Hotston