1. Maul/Mandalorian Arc
And here we are number one and it probably doesnt come as a shock. The Maul/Mandalorian Arc, including the season premiere Revival was one of the most incredible, exciting and dramatic storylines of Season 5. Truthfully I am mainly talking about the three Mandalorian-based episodes: Eminence, Shades of Reason and The Lawless. Though I loved the season premiere, it wasnt as strong as its three successors and doesnt seem to fit into the same style. Saying that, it provided a great opening to Season 5 and most importantly carried on from Season 4s premiere Revenge. What can I say about these episodes? Theres actually a lot of things Id like to talk about but if I did wed be here forever, and if youve made it this far through this essay, I admire your dedication. The pairing of Maul and Pre Vizla was a stroke of genius, both experienced warriors in their own right, which is demonstrated in their duel at the end of Shades of Reason. But their execution of their plans to double cross each other was particularly interesting. Death Watchs original introduction was exciting but they lacked the viciousness that was picked up in A Friend in Need. This viciousness transfers over to this arc and Ill even go as far to say that they are more dangerous than ever. That tends to happen when Maul is in charge. There were some terrific battle scenes throughout the arc; one that was particularly geeky was when Death Watch attack Jabbas Palace which was something I never expected, though will be another one of those moments that becomes legendary in the history of The Clone Wars. And I cant finish this paragraph about Death Watch without mentioning Vizlas exit, which was one of the most incredible fight sequences that the show has ever given us. Ive always wondered how the Mandalorians could possibly have fought an army of Jedi but my questions were answered. The use of all weapons at his disposal against such a ruthless Sith Lord was gritty, dynamic and tense, up to the point where I wasnt sure whether Vizla was going to die or not (Maul cant. He just cant), but even though he fell, he fell with dignity, which was a trait Im glad they kept. Jon Favreau has done a fantastic job voicing the character, one that I am tempted to say, rivals that of Boba Fett (sorry Fett fans). Though Im sad to see him go, theyve made way for Bo-Katans character to be developed, which with the latest revelation, is going to be interesting if we ever return to Mandalore. Now, Filoni said that Obi-wan wouldnt be getting an easy season and his appearance in The Lawless certainly dealt a crippling blow. I am of course talking about Mauls revenge, with the death of Satine. Satines character has developed little beyond her first three episodes back in Season 2, but the relationship between her and Obi-wan was something special that humanized the ideal Jedi that we love so much. And knowing how Obi-wan felt about Satine, this was a big moment that was orchestrated beautifully to its full extent. The moment when the blade struck her, the silence, the speechlessness, the agonising expression on Obi-wans face and the menacing cut to Mauls smile all fit together perfectly. Throw in some emotional backing music and we have a moment of cinematic genius that deserves to belong in a full-feature movie. When the connection between Maul and the Mandalorians was revealed in the trailer, I knew that Satine would be the key to his revenge and with so many characters meeting their fate, it was a safe bet. I dont know whether the effects will last on Obi-wan, but if we see him confront Maul one last time in these preceding arcs, Im sure a word or two will be said about it. Which brings me onto Maul himself. Since he was resurrected we have seen a massive change in his character, developing from a psychotic killer hell-bent on revenge, into a cold and cunning Sith Lord, imploring all the training that his master would have taught him. Considering how he was one of the coolest characters back in The Phantom Menace, in which he never said a word, the direction they have taken his character has met with huge success. It was a risky move bringing him back in the first place, no matter how plausible they could make it, but they have done so brilliantly without fault. The way they have played with his relationship with Savage has also been engaging. Though Maul insists on him being called Master, there is still that brotherly connection that breaks through the master-apprentice boundaries that Maul seems fixated on maintaining. But it was only in the final moments of The Lawless that Mauls feelings are really shown, clutching at Savages mechanical arm as he clings onto life. Savages death, though tragic was expected. Originally when the trailers were released, I had predicted that Savages arm would have been severed by Sidious himself, exploiting a angry reaction from Maul. However, since the tease that Maul was still alive, Savage became less of a character in his own right and more of a plot driver. Though the pairing of the two Sith was great, Savage became more of a background character, leaving room for Maul to develop and re-establish him. And for that reason, he had to die.
And what better way to do it than invite the most powerful Sith in the galaxy. Sidious has never been seen in the flesh since the series began in 2008, making this a truly spectacular occasion in memory of his voice actor, Ian Abercrombie. From the moment his shuttle landed on Mandalore, you knew that Sidious meant business. The interaction between him and Maul, though short, was a moment to remember and the fight sequence was arguably the best we have ever seen. Seeing Sidious take on Maul and Savage with such nimble and flexible moves was almost surreal, which puts his fight scenes in Episode III to shame. Even when he looked like he was at a disadvantage he turned it around. I only have two criticisms for the duel, which I suspect that most of you will agree with. The first is that it was too short. Though split up by Obi-wans escape, the fight felt like it ended far too quickly, but when your animating a 20 minute episode, sacrifices have to be made. The second is that Maul didnt pick up Savages lightsaber. The fact that he used Vizlas blade was cool enough but I thought that it would have been a great treat for the fans if Maul, in that final minute of conflict, used his brothers blade to take on his former master.