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Continuity & Analysis

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Clone Cadets (2010) [S3E1]
Brothers in arms are brothers for life.
"Clone troopers unite! As war rages across the galaxy, the Republic's clone army strives for
victory against the evil forces of the Separatists. Bravery, valor, unity -- the lifeblood of victory
on the battlefield and in space. It all begins on the planet Kamino, where Jedi General
Shaak Ti oversees the training of clones with the help of contracted bounty hunters.
Bred to be perfect soldiers, these cadets must first be subjected to intense physical
and mental training before heading off to war..."
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Supply Lines (2010) [S3E3]
Where there's a will, there's a way.
"A world under siege! The Separatists have launched a massive offensive against the planet Ryloth.
A blockade of deadly battleships has cut off any support for the dwindling Republic defenses.
Though they have fought valiantly with the help of Twi'lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla,
hope is fading for Jedi Master Di and his men as the droid army closes in..."
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Ambush (2008) [S1E1]
Great leaders inspire greatness in others.
"A galaxy divided by war! Peaceful worlds must choose sides or face the threat of invasion.
Republic and Separatist armies vie for the allegiance of neutral planets.
Desperate to build a Republic supply base on the system of Toydaria,
Jedi Master Yoda travels to secret negotiations on a remote neutral moon..."




CONTINUITY
'Clone Cadets' is a standalone episode which is connected to 'Supply Lines' by chronological order, and that they are both Season 3 episodes produced as
prequels to Season 1 episodes. 'Supply Lines' and 'Ambush' form a single storyline about the planet Toydaria and its king. The chronological order of
episodes is as given by Lucasfilm. The planet Toydaria and the planetary moon Rugosa are seen for the first time. Four worlds are seen in these episodes:


- Fives gives his birth number as CT-27-5555, suggesting clone identifications change or are abbreviated. After graduation, he is always referred to as CT-5555,
except for one storyline where he is referred to as ARC-5555. These troopers nearing graduation are part of the "million more on the way" mentioned in
Episode II, desperately needed to reinforce the 200,000 clones ready from the start of the war. Lama Su mentions stretching the original DNA due to the loss
of Jango Fett, and suggests to finding a new donor. This should suggest that the incubation to adulthood period for a clone must be less than ten years, and
should be less than five years. For it to be any longer would assume the war was going to last decades. Based on history, this may have been possible, but due
to the more advanced and powerful technology available in this time period, it is much more likely to be settled faster than that, a belief attested to by many
characters throughout this series. Nonetheless, the implication of most material seems to be that it takes about 8 or 9 years to produce a mature clone.
Main Article: Dooku, Sifo-Dyas, and the Clone Army


The battle simulation room has BX 'commando' battle droids. In episodes early in Season 1, clones do not seem to
be familiar with these droids. Since this episode was created for Season 3 as prequel to Season 1, this is probably
a mistake. Even if these droids were cutting edge and sold to the Kaminoans as advanced training droids,
why would clones not be familiar with them having faced them in training?


- Shaak Ti is the General in charge of overseeing clone training and production. While she is sometimes seen back on Coruscant throughout the war, she is
primarily based on Kamino, and in command of the Rancor Battalion, the principle garrison for Tipoca City, the capital and location of the clone factories.


- Clone 99, and other malformed or otherwise insufficient clones were still used for maintenance. The sheer scale of the cloning operation, and the galactic
civilization, is shown by the expendability of clones which don't pass graduation, who will be reassigned to maintenance instead of trained further.
After all the time, expense, and effort put into them, they will simply be deemed insufficient and replaced. From the standpoint of the Kaminoans,
this is a profitable policy. For the Republic, in urgent need of greater numbers of troops, any handful of clones is largely insignificant.


Mace says Republic blockade runners, which in this case are Pelta-class frigates, "don't have the range to reach Ryloth".
Travel across the galaxy is very fast, but fuel consumption is a major factor. Obi-Wan says Toydaria is 2000 parsecs
closer to Ryloth than the nearest fleet. On a galactic scale, that isn't much of a difference, but it is apparently too far
for frigates loaded with cargo. If this is really the case, most ships in SW really should be stopping for gas much more
often. Why would ships designed for transport be so limited? It seems like the writers didn't consider any of this.
Main Article: Hyperspace Travel


- Toydaria is verdant planet located within Hutt Space, in the Slice region of the Mid Rim. It is dominated by algae, and other aspects of its native ecosystem,
including forests and swamps, and is notable for its fog and green-colored atmosphere. It is the homeworld of the Toydarians, a technologically
sophisticated species with wings and webbed feet. The Toydarians are a relatively isolationist people, and are ruled over by a monarchy.


- Toydaria is defined as a neutral system. The planet lies within Hutt Space, but to what extent that represents an actual government or nation-state is unclear.
In practice, Hutt Space is more of an autonomous area than a foreign nation. Sometimes the Republic is portrayed as a United Nations, and other times like
a Federal Union. The Clone Wars, and the issue of separatists, definitely emphasize the later, and Toydaria not being part of the Republic is explicitly stated
here, suggesting that Toydaria was probably an independent planet before the Clone Wars.
Main Article: The Galactic Republic and the Neutral Systems

- Jar Jar seems to have a stronger connection to the Force than the average being. His display of 'Gungan ritual-style art' was very impressive and coordinated
for an individual famous for being clumsy. We have seen that Jar Jar is an instrument of the Force and destiny in his pivitol role in the start of the Clone Wars,
but we will see here that he is also a conduit for the light side of the Force, as the will of the Force turned out to be using him to ensure aid arrived on Ryloth.
Certainly, Jar Jar is not as connected to the Force as a Force wielder, but whatever his natural Force aptitude, his open and honest nature, and mind centered
on the moment, make him an ideal instrument for the will of the Force. Regardless, Jar Jar is generally more competent than he seems.

- Master Di upholds Jedi values by sacrificing himself to buy time for the Twi'leks to escape. This is the aspect of the Republic, and the Jedi who protect it, which
make it a government worth protecting despite its flaws. As a true Jedi, he upholds the honor of himself and his soldiers as protectors of civilians.

- Rugosa is a moon of an unidentified planet, located in the Sanbra Sector of the Trailing Sectors of the Outer Rim. Its ecosystem is dominated by large terrestrial
coral, and the moon has a breathable atmosphere and a pleasant climate. The planet is somewhat near to Toydaria, and has long been visited by Toydarians.


- B1 battle droids' estimation of how dangerous something is based mostly on size, showing their priorities and level of tactical awareness.

- The title of the episode 'Ambush', has multiple meanings like many other SW titles. It refers most obviously to the trap set by the Sith for Yoda, but is also referring
to Yoda's statement that "outnumbered are they," referring to himself and the three shock troopers he is with. It proves to be the case that the droids were
indeed outnumbered, as a single Jedi is worth perhaps a thousand battle droids, as Katuunko suggests.


- Yoda is accompanied by shock troopers of the Coruscant Guard. Their armor bears the crest of the Galactic Senate. Lieutenant Thire, CC-4477, is among them.
He was first seen in Episode III over three years from this storyline, when he is a Commander who is searching the Senate building for Yoda to kill him.

- Despite their superficial and physical similarities, Yoda tells us the clones are very different from one another in the Force. The luminous being each clone actually
is in the Force, is as unique and individual as any other being. They were all unique even before they began accumulating unique experiences.

- Yoda can defeat an entire section of troops with tanks single-handedly, but a squad of droikeda 'destroyer' droids with shields pose a challenge that requires assistance.
The clones are much more than a shield and canon fodder for the Jedi, they are escorts which help them overcome the advanced tactics and weapons of the enemy.


- Despite being strong with the Force, and her powers magnified by using the dark side, Ventress is still not on the same level as Yoda. This has as much to do with
Yoda's experience, training, and knowledge with the Force as it does with his high connection to the Force.

ANALYSIS
Shaak Ti tells the graduating clones they are shipping out to restore peace to the Republic. The Jedi generally have a very polarized view about the war, since Dooku
has been revealed to be a Sith. They believe Dooku and the droid army to be the only threat to peace, knowing the motivations and goals of the Sith. They therefore
fail to consider the honest and democratic sentiment that makes the Separatist Alliance popular in the first place. The anti-democratic motivations of the Republic,
which attempted to stop planets from freely choosing to leave the Republic, is central to the Republic's transition into an empire. The Jedi, usually the guardians of
the ideals of the Republic, are so fixated on stopping the Sith that they are willing to ignore the will of free peoples, and even lead invasions of their worlds.
Sidious has therefore ensured the Republic and the Jedi will betray their fundamental tenants to accomplish goals which play into his hands in the first place.

The invasion of Ryloth, a loyal Republic planet and homeworld of the Twi'lek people, has both a strategic purpose and a Sith purpose. For the Separatists,
controlling the southern most section of the Corellian Run, a major galactic hyperspace route, would allow them to present a unified front in the Outer Rim.
Allowing the territory to remain in Republic hands would mean the division of their major territories with the Republic controlling a significant foothold in
the farthest reaches of the known galaxy. For the Sith, one major goal of the Clone Wars is to target, devastate, and install Republic troopers on homeworlds
of species known to be independent, pro-Jedi, or culturally committed to democracy. The transition to a Human-centric empire requires these roadblocks to
be removed, neutralized, or occupied by Force. For both these reasons, this region is rapidly invaded by the Separatists, first Hypori and Christophsis, and
now Ryloth. For the Republic, the vast majority of the Outer Rim Garrison is currently stationed in the region, for the same strategic reasons, as well as
the presence of Kamino, the source of their army. Loss of control of the Corellian Run in this region would leave the majority of the Republic separated
from the bulk of its current forces, and its newest reinforcements emerging from Kamino.

Admiral Dao's fleet protecting Ryloth shows both the strength and weakness of the Republic Navy. On the one hand, the Republic Navy is experienced, well armed,
and unlike the clone army, was already in existence before the war began. On the other hand, the Republic had a limited number of destroyers and smaller capital
ships capable of standing up to the large Separatist Fleet, as militarization was not a priority for the Republic before the war. Fortunately for the Republic, the core
contains some of the largest and most skilled shipyards in the galaxy, and Venator-class destroyers are pouring off the line, but it will take some time to achieve full
parity with the Separatists, who are also building more ships. As such, the Navy can only devote so many of its resources to any one region of the galaxy at this stage
of the war. Obi-Wan suggests the nearest fleet to Ryloth is 2000 parsecs away, likely a reference to the fleet protecting Christophsis. With a 10 to 1 advantage in
troops, and a larger navy, the Separatists begin the war in a position to stretch the superior Republic resources, leaving them vulnerable to destruction.

Senator Lott Dod of the Trade Federation is a prime example of the duality of the trade guilds. While the organization publicly disavows their former leader, Nute Gunray,
and the Federation forces he took with him to the Separatist Alliance, their organization has the legal right to claim neutrality, and to participate in the politics of both
sides. Since their leadership wants to see the Separatists win, and has no stake in the Republic beyond hedging their bets on who will win, they are able to act as an agent
for the Separatists from within the Republic. As an interplanetary guild, the Federation already had a trading relationship with non-Republic worlds, including Toydaria.
The official neutrality of the Federation meant they were still able trade legally with everyone, of benefit to both sides, but to the Separatists most of all. At the same time,
they could legally shut off trade to any world being invaded or contested by the Separatists, with the excuse that it would be taking sides. Even neutral systems like Toydaria
are at the mercy of the Federation's embargos, as they rely on trade like most worlds. Dod's reaction shows he clearly wants the Separatists to win on Ryloth. While Senator
Organa and other politicians are aware of this, legally and politically they have no grounds to stop the guilds from playing a destructive role in Republic affairs.

The successful invasion of Ryloth by the Separatists devastates the planet, the effects of which will diminish Ryloth for decades. It is the beginning of a period of economic
depression, ruined cities, massive population loss, and slavery. This is the reason otherwise peaceful Republic worlds are targeted for destruction under the guise of
strategic goals, since stable worlds free from the scars of war are unlikely to surrender freedom for peace. The invasion is also the catalyst for the founding of the Free
Ryloth Movement, led by General Cham Syndulla, an organization which will be lead an important resistance against the Separatists, and later against the Empire.

Dooku's negotiation tact has changed somewhat since the beginning of the war. No longer is he selling the prospect of a galaxy free from the corruption and perceived
oppression of the Republic, instead he is suggesting joining him simply for the pragmatic reality of it's safer to be his friend, and not safe to be his enemy. Essentially
his diplomacy has become little more than a protection racket, and more of a threat than a true opportunity. Of course, Dooku made similar types of offers in Episode II,
to Obi-Wan and then Padme, but was certainly much more coy about the quid pro quo aspect of it. Once revealed as underhanded and untrustworthy, the Separatist
leadership, in this case Dooku and Ventress, show their true nature as murderers and thugs.


FURTHER ANALYSIS
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