REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars,’ Season 7, Episode 9 – “Old Friends Not Forgotten”

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is back this week with episode 9, “Old Friends Not Forgotten.” The previous episode gave us a happy ending with Ahsoka, Rafa, and Trace escaping the Pyke prison and scrubbing their names from any possible future vindictive actions. However, the Mandalorians we saw first introduced in episode 7 tracked the trio back to Coruscant, but not for ill reasons, it seems. They need Ahsoka, who, despite knowing that helping the Mandalorians will bring her back into the affairs of the Jedi, agrees to aid them all the same.

Now, in Star Wars: Clone Wars Episode 709, we’re thrown straight back into the action. General Grievous and Separatist forces have launched a massive attack that has left Republic forces scrambling. To bolster their forces, the Jedi Council has sent their Generals to the Core Worlds to hopefully alter the tide of war. On the planet of Yerbana, Commander Cody and his troops are in no better shape than the rest of the clone army.  It is at this time when Anakin and Obi-Wan join together to save the day, but also when Ahsoka finally reaches out to the two of them, seeking assistance to secure the capture of the renegade Sith Lord, Maul.

This week’s episode has a surprising amount of substance to it (surprising only because the last few episodes were very lacking). The plot is much more intricate than previous episodes, definitely having to do with the fact that Star Wars: Clone Wars Episode 709 brings together well-known characters, refers to events occurring in past seasons, and deals with some good old politics. As opposed to other episodes in this season, this one also has more gravity to it. What happens in this episode will have an influence on more people than just a few individuals. The importance of this episode is very apparent, and the greater deluge of plotlines already makes this episode far superior to others in this season.

The dialogue is also superior, at least in comparison to the past few episodes, where the dialogue very quickly became stale and even grating at times. Perhaps it’s because we finally have Anakin and friends back in our cast of characters. And let me tell you, Anakin‘s sassiness and Obi-Wan’s usual exasperation with the General’s antics were well missed.

Beyond the fun dialogue, we have some moments that will pull at your heartstrings. You can see that Ahsoka’s reappearance affects not only Anakin but the clones whom she worked side-by-side with for so long. Personally, I’m glad Ahsoka didn’t immediately crawl back to the Jedi Order after having a rough time. We can definitely get a feel for how much she has grown in her time away, but, at the same time, it’s still wonderful to see not only Anakin welcoming his friend back but also the clones. It’s just one more way this show molds the clones into more than just cannon fodder.

These few emotional scenes are only heightened by the excellent voice acting of this series. On top of this, the animation never fails to amaze. The fight scenes we get in this episode showcase just how dynamic this animation is and, paired with the unique choreography, make these scenes stand out. Watching the fluidity in which Ahsoka takes down enemies is always a treat.

And, of course, we can’t forget about the Mandalorians in this episode. Those familiar with past seasons will understand what’s going on in this episode and the politics behind the schism we see in the Mandalorians on screen. We can also see this schism beyond both the dialogue and actions we see on screen. As part of their culture, Mandalorians find a great deal of significance in the designs of their armor and it’s pretty telling that the Mandalorian army’s armor very much emulates Maul’s appearance.

Suffice it is to say, this is a huge episode that, although only part 1, will have a tremendous impact on the Mandalorian culture as a whole. With how this episode ends, we can expect that the next few episodes will most likely showcase some of the events that were referenced in another Disney+ exclusive show, The Mandalorian. I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come.

“Old Friends Not Forgotten” brings us back around with a cast of well-known characters that I’m sure everyone will be happy to see. However, this episode stands out from the rest not only for its great plotline and dialogue but also for the gravity of the events of this episode and the hints we have at what’s to come. This really is one of the best episodes yet in this season.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars “Old Friends Not Forgotten” is exclusively streaming on Disney+ .